The future of the built environment

Rishee Jain is an engineer and an expert in the built environment – the manmade structures of modern life. The future, Jain says, will be a place where everyone has a safe, comfortable place to live and work, and the built environment adapts in real time to our needs. Jain is now exploring cool roofs that reflect heat to lower indoor temperatures and improve occupants’ well-being. We once believed that humans bent infrastructure to our needs, but now we understand how infrastructure changes us, too, Jain tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’sThe Future of Everything podcast.Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected] Reference Links:Stanford Profile: Rishee JainConnect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionRuss Altman introduces guest Rishee Jain, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University.(00:03:50) Focus on Built Urban EnvironmentsRishee Jain shares how early hands-on projects inspired his career.(00:04:51) The Social DimensionWhy infrastructure must account for human behavior and social needs.(00:07:03) How Infrastructure Shapes UsExamples of sidewalks, bike lanes, and design choices influencing wellbeing.(00:09:11) Defining Urban FormDefining urban form as design across buildings, neighborhoods, and cities.(00:10:58) Decision-Makers at Every LevelHow policymakers, communities, and building owners shape design.(00:13:38) Dynamic InfrastructureThe shift from static infrastructure to adaptable, responsive systems.(00:15:19) Levers of ChangeUsing thermal and lighting design as key factors for wellbeing.(00:19:36) Climate & Extreme HeatThe impact of extreme heat on building design and vulnerable communities.(00:23:25) Measuring ImpactStudies using wearables to track the benefits of infrastructure interventions.(00:24:25) Community FeedbackThe optimistic research results on infrastructure interventions.(00:26:18) Retrofitting Old BuildingsChallenges in adapting existing infrastructure with minimal disruption.(00:31:12) Future in a MinuteRapid-fire Q&A: hope, infrastructure, research needs, and lessons from history.(00:33:01) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.