Synergy Powers the METROPOLIS Sustainability Lab + Conference

The inaugural METROPOLIS Sustainability Lab + Conference, themed SYNERGY, transformed The New School’s Parsons University Center into a bustling hub where theory met practice, questions sparked conversations, and more than 200 architects, designers, manufacturers, design leaders, and industry clients discovered that the path to a sustainable built environment requires everyone moving in the same direction. 

The conference began with a keynote from Jared Della Valle, CEO of Alloy, the developer behind the first all-electric skyscraper in New York City and the city’s first Passive House—certified public schools.  

A series of panel discussions followed, exploring sustainable design’s challenges and opportunities across workplace, furniture manufacturing, education, and health care—four sectors where innovation is essential and accelerating. Panelists presented inspiring building projects and the visions behind them.  

Alongside the panels and presentations, 20 product partner kiosks transformed the venue into an active learning environment where attendees could touch, explore, and discuss the products shaping sustainable design’s next chapter. 

Guided Sustainability Crawls led design and architecture groups through the exhibition space, with experts highlighting breakthrough innovations in material innovation, carbon reduction, and circularity. 

A standout installation came from the Parsons Healthy Materials Lab, which showcased its meticulously curated collection of vetted, health-forward materials. Meanwhile, a designer palette challenge invited select design practitioners to explore material combinations hands-on—bridging the gap between specification sheets and spatial reality—and to create mood boards reflecting their styles.  

 By day’s end, one message was clear: the design community is in this together. The manufacturers creating better materials, the architects specifying them, the clients demanding them, and the educators training the next generation—we’re all part of the same ecosystem, and we’re stronger when we work in synergy. 

The inaugural METROPOLIS Sustainability Lab + Conference wouldn’t have been possible without The New School and Parsons School of Constructed Environments, who opened their doors and believed in the vision of bringing the entire design community together under one roof. 
 

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Thank you to our 20 partners and sponsors who made this day possible:

Borrowed Earth, Colombo, Formica, Polygood, Impact Acoustic, Interface, Turf, Unika Vaev, USG

Arper, Autex, Carnegie, Clarus, Duvaltex, Flokk, Centria, Pallas, Rockfon, Steelcase, Windfall+Cambio 

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• Sustainability

• Metropolis Editors
• METROPOLIS Sustainability Lab + Conference
• New York City
• synergy