About me.

Hello! I am an architect living in Brooklyn, NY, but am a born-and-raised San Antonian at heart. My work is focused on building better (less!), social and equity considerations within the AEC industry and supply chains, and whole life carbon emission reduction strategies. I am committed to fostering healthy and ecologically regenerative design solutions, and believe the connection between education and industry is vital in achieving these goals.

Professional Bio

Jessica Bristow (RA, LFA, LEED BD+C) is a licensed architect and a sustainability consultant specializing in decarbonized design, whole life carbon emission reduction strategies, and regenerative building standards. Her work bridges architecture, research, and policy to shape a built environment that is climate-responsive, socially equitable, and ecologically restorative.

With experience across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, Jessica has led sustainability initiatives at multiple scales, from individual projects to city agencies to international frameworks. She previously served as Director of the Living Building Challenge at the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), where she oversaw the development of some of the industry’s most rigorous building certification programs. Prior to that, she was a Project Director in the NYC Department of Design and Construction’s Office of Sustainable Design and a High Performance Buildings & Technical Lead at AECOM. She currently consults with architecture firms, government agencies, and nonprofits on regenerative design strategies, frameworks, and education.

Jessica is an active contributor to national and global climate policy conversations. She participated in the White House Roundtable on Embodied Carbon in Buildings, supporting the Biden-Harris Administration’s development of a National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building. She also took part in the United Nations Roundtable on Decarbonizing the Built Environment, hosted by UN-Habitat. She has presented on whole life carbon and policy integration at Greenbuild, the Living Future Conference, and the ASHRAE Decarbonization Conference for the Built Environment. As a convening member of the Embodied Carbon Harmonization and Optimization (ECHO) Project, she collaborated with industry leaders to align embodied carbon data, standards, and reporting.

A committed educator, Jessica has taught courses in environmental systems and sustainable design at both the Yale School of Architecture and Pratt Institute. She remains engaged in teaching and mentoring within design programs that center and prioritize climate-conscious design pedagogy and systems thinking.

Based in Brooklyn, New York, she holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Science in Architectural Sciences (concentration in Built Ecologies) from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

I’m always excited to connect with new people and explore potential collaborations. If you’re interested in working together or learning more about what I do, please don’t hesitate to send me an email or schedule a chat.