Show Notes
According to NASA, July 22, 2024 was the hottest day ever recorded on Earth. This follows records set in July 2023. Extreme heat is now a part of our everyday lives. How can we rethink heat policy to make our communities more resilient?
In this episode of the Healthy Spaces podcast, our VP of Sustainability Scott Tew talks with Ashley Ward, director of the Duke University Heat Policy Innovation Hub, and Helen Walter-Terrinoni, Trane Technologies Director of Global Climate Policy, about elevating science and community insights to protect people from extreme heat.
On the sidelines of Duke University’s first-of-its-kind Heatwise Summit, Ashley, Helen and Scott workshop an example of rethinking heat policy—the fact that 36,000 public schools in the United States lack adequate cooling. They talk about how to bring the public and private sector together to solve this challenge creatively and how schools could serve as a cooling hub for rural communities.
Listen to the full episode to learn more about how to address heat vulnerability in an equitable way and build resilience in our communities for the long term.
Episode guests
Host: Dominique Silva, Marketing Leader EMEA, Trane Technologies Host: Scott Tew, VP Sustainability, Trane Technologies
Guest: Ashley Ward, Director, Duke University Heat Policy Innovation Hub Guest: Helen Walter-Terrinoni, Director of Global Climate Policy, Trane Technologies
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At Climate Week NYC 2025, the message was clear: progress on sustainability happens when industries come together. From data to construction to commercial real estate, collaboration and innovation are turning ambition into action. In this special episode, recorded live at Trane Technologies’ “Spilling the Tea” panel discussion during Climate Week NYC, we sit down with three leaders driving real change: Holly Paeper, President, Commercial HVAC Americas at Trane Technologies; Julia Gisewite, Chief Sustainability Officer at Turner Construction Company; and Suzanne Fallender, Vice President of Global Impact & Sustainability at Prologis. They share how their organizations are accelerating decarbonization across the built environment - from low-carbon materials and circular energy systems to data-driven decision-making and community impact. Together, they reveal why the future of sustainable business depends on shared goals, transparent collaboration, and a willingness to rethink what growth really means. About Healthy Spaces Healthy Spaces is a podcast by Trane Technologies where experts and disruptors explore how climate technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, learn and play. This season, hosts Dominique Silva and Scott Tew bring a fresh batch of uplifting stories, featuring inspiring people who are overcoming challenges to drive positive change across multiple industries. We’ll discover how technology and AI can drive business growth, and help the planet breathe a little bit easier. Listen and subscribe to Healthy Spaces on your favorite podcast platforms. Links: Trane Technologies at Climate Week 2025 (https://www.tranetechnologies.com/en/index/news/events/climate-week-2025.html) Sustainability for Growth - Blog (https://www.tranetechnologies.com/en/index/blog/sustainability-leadership/sustainability-for-growth.html) How AI Can Help Dramatically Reduce Energy Demand and Emissions - Blog (https://www.tranetechnologies.com/en/index/blog/solutions-innovation/how-ai-can-help-dramatically-reduce-energy-demand-and-emissions.html) Driving Business Value: Embracing Circularity (https://www.tranetechnologies.com/en/index/blog/sustainability-leadership/driving-business-value-embracing-circularity.html) Trane Technologies at COP30 (https://www.tranetechnologies.com/en/index/news/events/cop30.html)