The Better Buildings for Humans podcast, which explores the intersection of human wellness and the built environment, has entered its third season, marking a significant milestone for the show. Powered by Advanced Glazings Ltd., the podcast has established itself as a trusted platform for architects, designers, builders, and policy leaders seeking insight into how buildings shape health, dignity, and daily life.
Season 3, episode 122, features internationally acclaimed architect Alison Brooks, one of the most decorated architects in the UK and the only practitioner to have received all three of the Royal Institute of British Architects’ highest honors. In a wide-ranging discussion with host Joe Menchefski, Brooks reflects on housing, beauty, and the cultural power of home, emphasizing how deeper windows, thoughtful proportions, and sculptural form can reconnect people to light, sky, and one another. She reinforces architecture’s responsibility to elevate the human experience through generosity, light, and craftsmanship, even in an era dominated by energy codes and performance metrics.
Another recent episode features Thierry Paret, FAIA, Vice President of Architecture and Engineering at the New York City School Construction Authority. Paret brings a large-scale perspective, overseeing renovations and new construction for approximately 1,500 school buildings serving nearly one million students. He discusses design excellence at scale, sustainability in public-sector projects, and the responsibility architects carry when shaping environments for future generations, drawing on an international career that includes leadership roles in New York State, Qatar, and at the LEED Platinum KAUST campus.
The podcast also includes a conversation with Yiselle Santos Rivera, architect, educator, and incoming President-Elect of the American Institute of Architects. Santos Rivera explores how architecture intersects with neuroscience, public health, climate resilience, and economic mobility, advocating for buildings as tools for healing, justice, and joy. She makes the case for a future of architecture rooted in collaboration and community, emphasizing culturally responsive design and healthcare environments.
As the podcast moves deeper into Season 3 and looks ahead to early 2026, it will expand its focus on emerging research and under-examined forces shaping human health inside buildings. Upcoming episodes will explore questions around partial spectrum light and its potential impacts on circadian health, cognition, and long-term well-being. The show will examine how common building technologies, including certain LED lighting systems and low-emissivity (Low-E) glazing, may unintentionally alter the quality of light occupants experience indoors, bringing together architects, scientists, and material experts to unpack current research and inform design decisions.
The podcast will also delve into the rapidly expanding world of metal buildings, examining their increasing use across commercial, industrial, educational, and civic applications. Episodes will explore how these structures can be paired with advanced daylighting strategies, including translucent glazing systems such as SoleraWall® by Advanced Glazings Ltd, to improve occupant comfort, visual quality, and energy performance at scale. These themes reflect the show’s core mission to question assumptions, follow evidence, and elevate conversations about how buildings truly affect people. New episodes are available on all major podcast platforms.
