The built environment has a massive environmental footprint. In your view, what’s the most overlooked opportunity to reduce that footprint today? Operational efficiency gets much of the attention, but embodied carbon in materials is often overlooked. The materials we choose, including concrete, steel, cabling, and finishes, carry an enormous footprint. Prioritizing lower-impact products at the design and procurement stages is one of the most powerful levers we must use to cut emissions at scale. What role does digital infrastructure play in building smarter and greener spaces, and where does the ICT community fit into that evolution? Digital infrastructure is the nervous system of the built environment. ICT enables automation, data analysis, and smarter energy use, from managing microgrids to optimizing HVAC systems. The ICT community has a unique opportunity to both drive efficiency and scale sustainability solutions globally. How do you approach balancing long-term sustainable value with short-term costs or procurement pressure that clients often face? It’s about reframing the conversation. Instead of asking, “What’s the cheapest option today?” we ask, “What creates the greatest value over time?” When clients see that sustainable decisions reduce risk, enhance resilience, and improve ROI in the long run, the business case becomes clear. Sustainability is often linked with environmental metrics, but many practitioners view it through a broader lens. How do equity, health, and community play into your framework? Sustainability is not just about carbon and kilowatt-hours. It’s also about human health, equity, and creating spaces where communities
is change management at its core. It’s like pushing a boulder uphill, sometimes watching it roll back on you. But community makes the work bearable, even joyful. The network you build will help you stay resilient and unlock new opportunities to create impact. Looking ahead 20 years, what’s your vision for a truly sustainable built environment, and what role does collaboration play in getting us there? My vision is that sustainability is no longer a separate goal; it’s simply the way we build. Materials will be transparent by default, digital infrastructure will optimize performance automatically, and every project will be designed with health, equity, and resilience in mind. Collaboration is the key to getting there. No single organization, sector, or leader can solve these challenges alone. But together, by sharing frameworks, data, and accountability, we can transform the built environment into a force for good. Closing Thoughts Annie Bevan reminds us that sustainability is not just about reducing impact; it’s about reimagining how we design, build, and connect. For the ICT community and beyond, her vision underscores a simple truth: the future will be shaped not only by the technologies we deploy but by the values we embed within them. If collaboration is the foundation, then leaders like Annie are the architects of a smarter, greener, and more human-centered built environment.
thrive. Materials should be safe for the people who build with them and for those who live and work in the spaces we create. Embedding these values makes sustainability holistic and lasting. Was there a defining moment in your career that confirmed your commitment to this work? I had just started Parallel, and Superior Essex was one of my first customers. This was back in 2017. Brad Johnson, our president at the time, asked me: “ Annie, show me how my investment in Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs) has mattered .” At the time, I couldn’t. That question launched my career trajectory. I discovered many peers were struggling with the same issue. Together, we co-led a group of 100 manufacturers in the Living Product 50 and published the AIA Materials Pledge, the first industry-wide definition of a sustainable product. That led to my role at mindful MATERIALS, where I worked with the industry to create the Common Materials Framework and scale a digital ecosystem that finally allowed manufacturers to track ROI on their sustainability investments. It’s been a winding road, but the leadership of companies like Superior Essex, Brad, and Brian Ensign gave me the opportunity to connect intention with impact. That mission, rewarding leadership and action, has guided my career ever since. What advice would you give to professionals in the ICT and building sectors who want to be sustainability champions but don’t know where to start? Start local. Nearly every city has sustainability groups bringing people together to learn and share solutions. Join them, attend the meetings, build relationships. Sustainability
More than words from WOMEN BICSI in
Integrating Impact: Annie Bevan Talks Sustainability, ICT, and the Future of the Built Environment Interview conducted by Elaine Kasperek (part two of two) In Part 1 (see BICSI Brief, November 2025) of her interview with Elaine Kasperek, Annie Bevan, founder and CEO of Parallel Sustainability, discussed what sustainability means in the built environment and how collaboration can move the industry from intention to action. In Part 2, she focuses on overlooked opportunities to reduce impact and the role information and communications technology (ICT) plays in building smarter and greener spaces.
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