Design for Freedom: Eliminating Forced Labor in the Building Materials Supply Chain - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE

Recorded On: 10/06/2024

It is time to reimagine landscape architecture and join our architectural and engineering colleagues by raising awareness and inspiring responses to disrupt forced labor in the materials supply chain. Learn how this new movement is mobilizing leaders, and how you can participate to design and build a more humane future.

Learning objectives:

Learn how the material choices we make and specify have both a sustainable environmental impact and a social one, for the people manufacturing and producing these products.
Learn about forced labor associated with common material choices in the built environment and how we can work to improve our material selections.
Learn through pilot projects and case studies how our ethical design and material choices can educate our local cities and towns to modify their building codes.
Learn the relevant certifications and standards that we as professionals should be aware of when researching and specifying products, and how we can collaborate with product manufacturers to ensure ethical sourcing.

The GBCI course ID for this course is 920030848, providing SITES-specific CE hours required to maintain SITES AP credentials. Participants will need to pass the exam at the end of the presentation in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants will need to self-report CE hours through their credentials account on https://sitesonline.usgbc.org.

Louis Fusco, ASLA, PLA

Principal

Louis Fusco Landscape Architects

Louis is the principal of Louis Fusco Landscape Architects, a landscape architectural design office located in Pound Ridge, NY. Louis began his career in Milan, Italy specializing in urban design and city parks. His present practice balances private and public works, campus planning and estate design. A graduate of SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, he continues to serve on their LA advisory council. Louis has been a guest lecturer at Columbia University GSAPP, SUNY, and UCONN. Recipient of Ct and NY ASLA awards for his work, Louis recently received CTASLA’s distinguished Yarwood Award for his ongoing service to the profession.

Sharon Prince

Founder and CEO

Grace Farms Foundation

Sharon Prince is the CEO and Founder of Grace Farms Foundation and leads the Design for Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain. Prince launched Design for Freedom with a groundbreaking report and in 2022, she released the Design for Freedom Toolkit, a resource that professionals can use to integrate Design for Freedom Principles into their practices. Prince’s leadership has been widely recognized. She received the NYC Visionary Award from AIA-NY and the Center for Architecture and Fast Company named her one of the Most Creative People in Business for “cleaning up construction.”

Amy C. Syverson, ASLA, SITES AP, TRUE Advisor

Sustainability Lead

Landscape Forms

Amy Syverson‑Shaffer is the Sustainability Lead at Landscape Forms, where she advances environmental stewardship and responsible manufacturing. With a background in landscape architecture, she brings a designer’s perspective to industry and collaborates across disciplines to drive meaningful change, She progresses the company's long-term sustainability roadmap through initiatives in product life cycle assessment, zero‑waste manufacturing, renewable energy, ecological restoration, and more. Amy serves on the ASLA Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee and the Landscape Architecture Foundation Board, frequently presenting on sustainability strategies. She was recently honored with ASLA’s Outstanding Service Award in recognition of exceptional leadership in sustainability and industry collaboration.