Open Pitch: Climate Cribs - Decarbonizing the Built Environment
How do we decarbonize the spaces we live and work in? One retrofit at a time.
The buildings we inhabit (our homes, offices, and schools) are responsible for nearly 40% of global emissions, much of it from fossil-fuel-powered heating, cooling, and electricity. And it’s not slowing down: by 2050, global floor space will nearly double, and cooling demand will overtake heating for the first time in human history.
The good news? We already have the technology to tackle this. The harder part is scaling it.
Join us for Climate Cribs: Retrofit & The Built Environment, a fast-paced pitch session showcasing bold founders who are building the tools, business models, and installation capacity to decarbonize our buildings, one upgrade at a time.
Who’s Presenting?
✨ Hosted by Driftie Tessa
Presenting her perspective on the State of the Built Environment
Why we have reason for optimism even in the face of surging demand and outdated infrastructure.
🌿 Mat Ilic – Co-founder & CEO of Greenworkx
Building the workforce needed to tackle the installer bottleneck and bring electrification to scale.
🌿 Shreyas Sudhakar – Founder & CEO of Vayu
Developing next-generation solutions to make building decarbonization seamless and accessible.
What Will We Learn?
🏡 A Virtual “Climate Cribs” Tour
See inside real-world projects driving retrofits in North America—from innovative heat pump installations to streamlined customer experiences.
🚀 Why Deployment, Not Technology, Is the Last Barrier
Most of the tech is ready. The economics are viable. The question is how fast we can build the systems to deliver it at scale.
🌱 How Electrification Can Power Economic Growth
Retrofitting buildings isn’t just a climate imperative, it is one of the largest economic opportunities of this decade.
🔍 Insights into What’s Working and What’s Not
Learn where contractors are getting stuck, what homeowners really want, and which business models are breaking through.
We’ll wrap up with live Q&A. Bring your questions, curiosity, and ideas.