GNFZ Advisor Kristy Walson, LEED Fellow, is a leading and sought-after expert with deep expertise in sustainability, energy modeling, auditing, commissioning and decarbonization strategies.

Kristy currently serves a Principal and Building Science Practice Lead at BranchPattern, where she is dedicated to advancing sustainable design and decarbonization. Her mission is to leave a more healthy, renewable energy-friendly, and equitable planet for future generations. Kristy collaborates with partners to envision cutting-edge Building Science services that propel the industry toward a decarbonized built environment. Her guiding philosophy — balancing her mantras "go with the flow" and "make waves" — reflects her belief in the power of holistic carbon reduction to drive innovation, inspire change, and lead towards a regenerative and equitable future. 

As the manager of BranchPattern’s Analytics Department, which encompasses the Building Performance Modeling and Materials teams, Kristy is dedicated to measuring and reducing both operational and embodied carbon emissions from buildings—an opportunity she refers to as working with "all the carbons." Her extensive credentials, including LEED Fellow, LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP O+M, and ASHRAE Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP), underscore her expertise and commitment to the field.  

Kristy has been a frequent speaker at industry events and has been involved with the U.S. Green Building Council since 2006, where she currently serves as the Chair for the Energy and Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group and is a member of USGBC Florida's Market Leadership and Transformation Board (MLAB).

Throughout the years, she has served on the national committee for Women in Green and the Central Florida Board of Directors. Additionally, she is a core National MEP2040 Steering Committee member and really enjoys volunteering as a juror for various industry accolades, like AIA's COTE Top 10, DOE's Solar Decathlon, Project Stasio, and LEED Fellow. As the immediate past Chairperson of the University of Florida’s Green Building Learning Collaborative, she avidly supports the “Sustainability in the Built Environment” degree program. She also serves on ASHRAE's SSPC for standard 228 and the Florida Solar Energy Center's Advisory Board.

Kristy’s remarkable leadership and advocacy for sustainability in decarbonization have earned her several awards, including being named a LEED Fellow in 2020. Her project accomplishments include completing 82 Certified LEED® projects across six LEED® rating systems and serving as the building performance modeling consultant for over six million square feet of commercial real estate space.  

Kristy’s academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a Master of Science in Architecture & Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Kristy will be advising GNFZ on technology advancements in decarbonization — both operational and embodied — enhanced building performance strategies and identifying potential projects for net zero certification across energy, emission, waste and water in the United States.