On April 17, 2025, over 250 guests gathered at Westinghouse HQ in Hamilton for Building for a Living Planet — a sold-out evening dedicated to exploring the intersection of architecture, engineering, and climate action.
Organized by mcCallumSather, the event brought together industry leaders, environmentalists, and community members for an inspiring conversation about how the built environment must evolve to meet the challenges of our time.
The evening opened with welcoming remarks and a clear message: our work as designers, engineers, and changemakers must go beyond reducing harm. It must restore, regenerate, and reimagine how we live and build together.
The highlight of the evening was a keynote address from Dr. David Suzuki, who spoke powerfully about humanity’s responsibility to rethink its relationship with the planet. Framed by his decades of advocacy, Suzuki challenged us to shift our values—from short-term gains to long-term planetary health.
The keynote was followed by a panel discussion featuring Dr. Suzuki, mcCallumSather co-founder Joanne McCallum, global sustainability leader Lisa Bate, and senior architect John Peterson, moderated by Alex Lukachko. Together, they explored how integrated design, policy leadership, and cross-sector collaboration can drive meaningful climate action.
The night concluded with the presentation of the Joanne McCallum Sustainable Catalyst Award, recognizing a team member whose work reflects Joanne’s visionary commitment to sustainability. This year’s award recipient was Mary Georgious, principal and mechanical engineering lead.
Building for a Living Planet is just the beginning. This bi-annual event is part of mcCallumSather’s continued commitment to creating spaces for dialogue, education, and leadership in sustainable design. We’re grateful to everyone who joined us and contributed to the energy and momentum of the evening.
Stay tuned for future learning sessions, reflections from our speakers, and continued conversations on how we can shape a built environment that truly respects our living planet.
Here is a recording from the evening in case you missed it.
