The Role of Communication in Sustainability

The Waterfall Residence by AGD - A LEED and Net Zero residence in Carmel Valley, CA

I have had the opportunity to spend almost a year working with AGD … However, I have absolutely no background in architecture. I have a love for beautiful homes and can appreciate thoughtful design, but couldn’t tell you anything about structures or building codes or RFPs. I was initially drawn to AGD for their emphasis on sustainable and community-focused design. Though I also have no academic background in city planning or environmental sciences, I found shared values with AGD of a care for sustainability and leaving positive impacts within communities.

As a communication studies major at Cal Poly, I’ve spent the last three years pondering the question of how I can put my major to good use in order to do just that – leave a positive impact on my community. 

Something that I am passionate about is speaking up for things that matter. I care deeply about using my voice to bring attention to issues that are important to me – one of those being environmental advocacy.

Photo taken by Avery B. on her trip to Yosemite with the Cal Poly Debate team (2026)

I was able to represent the Cal Poly Speech and Debate team in a sustainability summit at Yosemite National Park this past April. I was surrounded by people who had the technical knowledge I lacked about all things sustainability, and yet, what stood out to me during this weekend was how much communication mattered (though I’ll admit that maybe I’m biased). The student representatives from universities across the U.S. all had varying lived experiences and knowledges. The one thing we had in common was a love of nature, the environment, and a passion for keeping those values preserved for generations to come.

Photo taken by Avery B. on her trip to Yosemite with the Cal Poly Debate team (2026)

All of the university representatives put in dedicated thought about solutions that would help prioritize the things that we, alongside AGD, care so much about. Regardless of their knowledge about the environment or sustainability, everyone used their voice to bring awareness and share their thoughts with the people who have the knowledge and power to take action.

Coming back to my experience at AGD, I’ve started to view sustainable architecture through a different lens. Sustainable architecture is all about designing spaces that serve communities while respecting the environment. And for those ideas to reach beyond the design team, they need to be communicated in a way that resonates.

Ideas don’t create change on their own. People do. My experience at AGD has helped me recognize how communication can support the work of the architects designing for sustainability. I’ve realized that I don’t have to be an architect or scientist to make impacts within the realm of sustainability, and that my role within communications and marketing is an important cog in the machine that creates success, like with sustainable design at AGD. 

Photo taken by Avery B. on her trip to Yosemite with the Cal Poly Debate team (2026)

My internship with AGD has shown me that you don’t need to be an expert in everything to make a meaningful contribution. Sometimes, your role is to bridge the gap. And for me, that bridge is built through communication, advocacy, and a commitment to using my voice for something bigger than myself. My experience at AGD, combined with my time in Yosemite, helped me realize how communication can support sustainability work and make a difference in fields I never thought I could have an impact in.

Written by Avery Beutner