Rethinking AI’s Physical Footprint
Episode
82
Aug 19, 2025
22
:
03
Rethinking AI’s Physical Footprint
What happens when grid power can't keep up with AI's appetite for energy, and how are construction leaders innovating around this crisis?
As Vice President of Sustainability at Clayco, Alana Spencer oversaw decarbonization across 100+ projects annually, including 57 active data centers totaling three gigawatts of capacity, focusing on the intersection of AI infrastructure growth and climate goals. Today she is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Alma Environmental Partners, supporting the built environment and organization on their sustainability journeys.
Spencer argues that "passion alone cannot get you there" in sustainability work—you need technical expertise to create business cases and implement solutions at scale.
