The National Planning Conference continues to anchor the industry with forward‑looking dialogue and immersive learning. At NPC26, our experts lead sessions that span decarbonizing public facilities to community‑led design builds, sharing actionable strategies and transformative models that empower planners to advance climate goals, equity, and community agency in every corner of the built environment.

• Back to the Baseline: Decarbonizing Public Facilities
  Sunday, April 26 | 8:30 AM
  Principal and Global Planning Leader Yogesh Saoji, AIA, AICP, and Principal and Senior Building Performance Analyst Coral Pais, PE, BEMP

  This session equips public-sector leaders and partners with practical steps to establish an emissions baseline, assess facilities through a carbon lens, and turn organizational challenges into decarbonization opportunities. Through four case studies – from a Nebraska city‑county partnership to district-wide and agency-scale plans in California, New York, and Washington, DC – attendees learn how facilities strategy, policy, and operations work together to hit climate targets while advancing equity, workforce development, and better user experiences.

• Building Community Agency Through Community-Led Design Builds
  Saturday, April 25 | 2:30 PM
  Associate and Designer Abriannah Aiken

  Centering community voices in the design process, this session demonstrates how participatory methods build power, address spatial injustice, and translate local expertise into urban‑scale solutions. Two New York City design‑builds led by high school students show how to embed community agency in planning at multiple scales and across project types.