263. Buildings Cause 40% of Global Emissions and Fewer Than 1% Are Net Zero w/ Drew Shula

Today, Matt speaks with Drew Shula, trained architect and Founder and CEO of Verdical Group, about the part of the climate problem hiding in plain sight: the buildings we live and work in, which account for roughly 40% of global carbon emissions.  He breaks down the two halves of a building's carbon footprint, the energy it burns and the materials it's made of, and makes the case that we already know how to build net zero today - almost nothing requires it, which is why net zero is still less than 1% of construction. He and Matt also get into the LA fires, where Drew was displaced from his own home for six days, the city's decision to waive its all-electric requirement for rebuilds, insurance pulling out of fire zones, and why he thinks AI data centers get unfairly singled out. The 13th annual Net Zero Conference is October 7-8, 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. You can register and learn more at netzeroconference.com Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. GUEST BIO Drew Shula is the founder and CEO of Verdical Group, a Los Angeles sustainability consulting firm he launched in 2012 that specializes in green building certifications, engineering services, ESG, and net zero strategy. Trained as an architect at the University of Notre Dame, he has built the firm into a certified B Corporation and 1% for the Planet member with projects in about 25 states and up to ten countries, for clients including NASA, Google, Johnson & Johnson, LAX, Meta and Apple. Verdical Group was named to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies in 2025. Drew is also the founder of the Net Zero Conference and Trailblazer Awards, now in its 13th year, and was the sixth person ever honored as both a LEED Fellow and a Living Future Hero. He grew up in Belfast, Maine, and lives in Los Angeles. EPISODE RESOURCES Verdical Group: https://verdicalgroup.com Net Zero Conference (Oct 7-8, 2026, LA Convention Center): https://netzeroconference.com Drew Shula at Verdical Group: https://verdicalgroup.com/team/drew-shula/ A Climate Change on Apple: https://bit.ly/accapplepodcast A Climate Change on Spotify: https://bit.ly/accspotifypodcast A Climate Change on YouTube: https://bit.ly/ACCvids