Built Different: The Cities We Need

Climate change is already impacting our cities — decarbonization and climate resilience are now imperatives, not options. Technical innovation offers real tools to meet these challenges: buildings that are more efficient in their energy consumption and embodied carbon, and new ways of modeling and optimizing urban systems at scale. Whether through retrofitting what’s already built or rethinking new construction, solutions are more available than ever. But availability is not the same as results. Getting these solutions integrated into the established, highly regulated planning processes requires political will, agility, and collaboration across disciplines. Swissnex and the ETH Alumni Association present a conversation across disciplinary silos on urban climate adaptation during Climate Week NYC, Showcasing cutting-edge technology developed by ETH spin-offs and discussing what it takes to apply the knowledge and tools available at scale. This event is part of Assembly, the main Swiss stage at Climate Week NYC 2026. As world leaders gather in Midtown Manhattan, Swissnex assembles Swiss and global voices – from private sector innovators and researchers to artists and policymakers – in the East Village for three days of communal climate thinking and action. Assembly speaks to deliberation and democracy – the idea that communities must collectively define their futures – as well as the ongoing, creative, improvisational process of constructing those futures from the pieces of our present. At Swissnex in Boston and New York, we connect Switzerland, North America, and the world in science, education, innovation, and the arts.