How Buildings Can Breathe, Drink, and Power Themselves

Have you ever looked at a city skyline and wondered—what if our buildings could do more than just stand tall? What if they could actively fight climate change? Every year, our cities emit millions of tons of carbon, contributing to a crisis so urgent that by 2050 we’ll need to remove over six billion tons of CO₂ annually just to stay on track with global climate goals. But what if the solution isn’t just cutting emissions—but designing environments that capture them? Now, imagine a future where skyscrapers don’t just house people—they breathe for the planet. Buildings that clean water, generate energy, and filter air like living ecosystems.

In today’s episode of Preview of Tomorrow, Mike Lake, President & CEO of Leading Cities, speaks with David Gory, co-founder and CEO of Airbuild, about how algae-infused architecture is transforming urban infrastructure. This conversation dives into the cutting edge of regenerative design—and how the future of climate action might just be growing on the side of your office building.