Hey Change Podcast

E88. Sustainable Construction & The Future of Cities with Saint-Gobain

Hey Change Podcast

Show Notes

When we talk about climate change, we usually talk about how we have to fly less, drive less, eat less meat, cut down our plastic, etc. What we don’t often talk about is the impact of cities, yet cities are responsible for 80 percent of all greenhouse emissions! And cities are only expected to grow. With approximately half of the global population living in cities right now, we’re expecting to see that number increase to two-thirds in 2050. So how do we rise to this challenge? Is it really possible to make cities net-zero or even net-positive?

That is what we’ll get into in this conversation with Benoit Bazin, CEO of Saint-Gobain!

Our Guest Benoit Bazin is the current CEO of Saint-Gobain, one of the top ten oldest corporations in the world, and an aspiring worldwide leader in sustainable construction. The company was first founded in 1665 by the French King’s minister Colbert, with the intention to get France ahead of the mirror-making business, and ended up producing all the glass for the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

With 167,000 employees spanning 110 different nationalities and industrial operations in no less than 70 countries, Saint-Gobain is a company we want with us on the sustainability ride! You currently find their windows in Le Louvre, The Statue of Liberty, the Whitney Museum, and other impressive buildings around the world.

Sign up for the 10-week Climate Optimist Challenge: https://theclimateoptimist.substack.com/

CONNECT + FOLLOW: Podcast Instagram: @heychange_podcast

Anne Therese: Website: https://theclimateoptimist.com/ Instagram: @annetheresegennari

Robin: Website: https://parentsxplanet.com/ https://www.joinlocalallies.com/ Instagram: @robinxshaw

Intro + outro music: No Copyright Music by Sapajou Website: www.heychangepodcast.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heychange_podcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeP1VPMQbXP13C-r4re_HUg Host: https://www.instagram.com/annetheresegennari/

Music produced by Jackson Whalan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More from Hey Change Podcast

Oct 14, 2026

Less than 1% of climate media coverage talks about solutions. Jacob Simon is working to change that.

Oct 1, 2026

Climate Week in New York brought Dax Dasilva back to Hey Change, fresh off the release of Yanuni, the documentary following Indigenous leader Juma Xipaia's frontline fight for the Amazon, which has already drawn millions of views on YouTube.

Jul 8, 2026

“Every culture is sustained by the stories it repeats. Every institution is reinforced by the stories it rewards.” Our guest today has spent two decades at the front lines of that realization — tracking how narrative doesn't just reflect our world, but actively constructs our power, our policy, and our future.

Jun 24, 2026

This week, we're sharing one of our favorite interviews from 2025! Anne Therese's conversation with neuroscientist Norman Farb is a great summer reset to help us tap into our inner wisdoms, reawaken our senses, and become enablers of positive change. Enjoy!

Jun 10, 2026

What if we started to show up with new narratives? Ones that are rooted in nurturing and hope, instead of apathy and fear? Could our impact grow, and if so, how?

See all episodes →