Illya Azaroff, FAIA, President, American Institute of Architects (confirmed)

Powering America’s Next Industrial Wave

Access to reliable, affordable energy is now the defining factor shaping where and how America builds. As demand from manufacturing, construction, and data centers accelerates, grid constraints and rising power costs are increasingly determining project feasibility and timelines.

This session explores how the U.S. can expand capacity, enhance grid resilience, and integrate on-site and distributed energy solutions to meet surging industrial demand — while aligning energy independence goals with the practical realities of onshoring and rapid infrastructure delivery.

Will Toor, Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office (confirmed)

Kristy David, Senior Vice President, Clean Energy & Infrastructure, JLL (confirmed)

Lori Murphy Lee, Senior Regulatory Manager, PJM Interconnection (confirmed)

Christina Baworowsky, Senior Vice President, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) (moderator – confirmed)

Low-Waste Innovation, American-Made Inputs, and Durable Design

The materials that power construction and manufacturing — from concrete and steel to glass, timber, and insulation — are evolving to meet today’s performance and cost demands. This session explores how circular design principles, reuse strategies, and advanced production techniques are helping to extend material life, reduce project waste, and enhance resilience across supply chains.

With federal and private sector buyers increasingly focused on long-term performance and lifecycle value, speakers will explore where innovation, procurement, and policy intersect to scale smarter material choices.

Brian Hanlon, Director, Department of Buildings, District of Columbia (confirmed)

Mary Thomas, Director, Building Innovation Hub, Institute for Market Transformation (moderator – confirmed)

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice-Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs (confirmed – via video)

How digital design tools and automation are reshaping how America builds

From building information modelling (BIM) to advanced simulations and automation, digital tools are rapidly improving how we design and deliver projects. This session looks at how early-phase digitisation reduces inefficiencies, prevents rework, and unlocks the full benefits of AI across construction and manufacturing.

The conversation will also examine how public-sector innovation initiatives — including those focused on permitting technologies and infrastructure delivery — are helping to normalise the use of digital design in federally supported projects.

U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation (confirmed – via video)

John Gibbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development & Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (confirmed)

David Ohrenstein, Senior Director, Government Affairs and Senior Public Policy Counsel, Autodesk (confirmed)

Will Rinehart, Senior Fellow, AEI (moderator – confirmed)

Alisson Kinn Bennett, Executive Director, Building Transparency (confirmed)

Fast-Tracking Projects Through Smarter Permitting, Procurement and Delivery Tools

Getting infrastructure and industrial projects off the ground requires alignment between approvals, capital, and delivery. This session highlights practical, bipartisan efforts to reduce red tape — from modernised permitting workflows to more flexible procurement models and financing mechanisms.

With examples drawn from both federal and state initiatives, this discussion offers insight into how these tools can reduce delivery timelines, increase cost certainty, and unlock innovation at scale.

Emily Domenech, Executive Director, Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) (confirmed)

Chad Whiteman, Vice President, Environment and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce (confirmed)

David Lieberman, Senior Director, U.S. Government Relations, Bentley Systems (confirmed)

Andy Winkler, Managing Director of Housing and Infrastructure, Bipartisan Policy Center (moderator – confirmed)

U.S. Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (Chair, Tactical Air & Land Forces Subcommittee) and Vice Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee (confirmed – via video)

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations (confirmed – via video)

Reusing Facilities, Modernising Production, and Strengthening Regional Industry

America’s next generation of industrial growth will come from both new investment and smarter reuse of existing sites. This session explores how cities, states, and the private sector are breathing new life into underutilised facilities, corridors, and industrial parks — using modern equipment, electrification, and circular approaches to create productive, future-ready hubs.

Speakers will discuss practical strategies, from adaptive reuse to regional development coordination, that are making industrial revitalisation a cornerstone of American economic resilience.