Adam Freed

Lecturer , Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, & Preservation

Lecturer, School of Professional Studies , M.S. in Sustainability Management

Principal, Bloomberg Associates

USA

BIOGRAPHY:

Adam Freed has more than 20 years of experience working on local and global urban issues. At Bloomberg Associates, a non-profit consultancy, Adam leads engagements with cities around the world to craft and implement sustainability strategies and actions covering a wide range of issues, including energy, GHG mitigation, climate resilience, housing affordability, green infrastructure, air quality, and solid waste management.

Prior to joining Bloomberg Associates, Adam was the Deputy Managing Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Global Water Program, where he worked with cities in more than 30 countries to have safe, sustainable, and reliable water supplies and developed innovative financing strategies for natural infrastructure solutions. From 2008-2012, Adam served as Deputy and Acting Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, overseeing the implementation of PlaNYC and related sustainability initiatives and developing the city’s first climate resilience program. As part of PlaNYC, the City planted 1 million trees, created more than 240 new community playgrounds, enacted the nation’s most aggressive green buildings legislation, achieved the cleanest air quality in over 50 years, launched a $2 billion green infrastructure program, and lowered its GHG emissions 12%.

Adam is also a Lecturer at Columbia University on a variety of climate and sustainability topics and a member of the NYC Water Board, which is responsible for setting NYC’s water rates to fund the city’s water and sewer system’s operating and capital needs (approximately $3.8 billion annually). He received his master’s in Urban Planning from New York University and was a Mel King Community Fellow at MIT.