David Briefel, LEED AP ID+C, BD+C

David is a Studio Director for the Climate Action & Sustainability practice area at Gensler’s New York office. His completed work includes two AIA COTE Award winning projects: the Etsy Headquarters and Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, as well as many strategic efforts for clients seeking to meet portfolio-wide climate action commitments. David spearheaded the development and roll-out of the Gensler Product Sustainability (GPS) Standards, an open-source set of performance criteria for 20 high-volume categories of architecture and interior materials. He has led numerous research initiatives through the Gensler Research Institute including foundational studies on Data Driven Design and Embodied Carbon. As an industry leader, he is a frequent speaker at public events and conferences such as Living Future, AIA, Climate Week NY, and Greenbuild. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Architectural Record, Metropolis, Fast Company, Architect, and Architectural Digest, among others. David is a graduate from Cornell University and Pratt Institute.