In the last year, HGA has observed a welcome growth in demand for sustainable design as more of our clients understand the impact of their buildings and set carbon-neutral targets. The evidence has never been this clear: nearly 40% of carbon emissions come from buildings, both from building operations and construction materials themselves1. In fact, just three materials—concrete, steel, and aluminum—are responsible for 23% of total global emissions2. The good news is that by decarbonizing the built environment, our industry and our clients have enormous power to determine the future of our planet.
HGA is a founding signatory of carbon-reducing agreement AIA 2030 and a signatory of SE 2050 and the COP26 Communiqué. In the last few years, we have put into place the people, tools, and processes to help our clients and projects make a measurable difference. Our work continues to create positive impact through beauty, functionality, and sustainability.
This Earth Day, we take the opportunity to restate our commitment to reducing and eliminating embodied and operational carbon, and to highlight the steps we are taking every day.
1 & 2. Global ABC Global Status Report 2020, EIA
Decarbonization begins on day one
As a holistic design firm, we incorporate sustainability goals into our projects from day one. Architects, engineers, landscape architects, and interior designers collaborate across disciplines to develop decarbonization strategies from planning and design through operations. This approach enables vital knowledge-sharing and ensures that no team member is more than two degrees of separation from the expertise and resources they need to execute high performance project goals.
We have seen that energy use reduction strategies have the greatest impact when identified early. Our new customized workflow, ENERGY.script, enables architects in the early design stages to easily and quickly simulate predicted energy use; identify key energy reduction strategies; and directly compare the impact of each. Incorporating this process during early decision-making allows changes to be made when they are most cost-effective.
In addition to reducing operational carbon, we are taking steps to eliminate embodied carbon in structural systems. To meet goals outlined in SE 2050, HGA and our structural engineers are committed to adapting and improving current practices, particularly surrounding the use of concrete, steel, and aluminum. As a leader in the industry, we can help generate demand for materials that meet today’s carbon standards.
Rethinking the office with sustainability in mind
For many companies, reimagining workspaces post-COVID 19 and returning to the office leads to the necessity of renovation or new construction. A thoughtful plan that focuses on employee wellbeing often includes improved HVAC, more flexible space configuration, lighting and interior design improvements, and biophilia—all of which afford an opportunity to design for carbon reduction.
Growing awareness of our climate emergency has led to a new fluency in the language of sustainable and regenerative design. Many of our clients understand that obtaining, for example, a LEED or WELL certification for their building is about more than achieving energy efficiency or demonstrating a progressive corporate culture. It’s also about attracting and retaining top talent and investing in their employees’ wellbeing.
At HGA we want our employees and visitors to feel confident that our workspaces are as safe and healthy as possible. We are in the process of obtaining WELL Health-Safety certification seals for all 12 of our offices, a visible sign that best practices have been adopted and third-party verified.
Creating greater impact together
We are inspired by every opportunity to design for tomorrow. In the past year we all asked ourselves hard questions about what really matters and why we are in this business. We believe that our decades of sustainable design experience, commitment to equity, and legacy of creating buildings with enduring impact bring us to this moment right now—uniquely positioned to build a better future for our employees, our clients, our communities, and our planet. Please join us.
Read more about the steps we are taking to create a more sustainable world.