Architects, engineers, and construction professionals should move aggressively to encourage more clients to build to net zero, says Gunnar Hubbard, FAIA, LEED Fellow, in a column posted at Real Estate Weekly.
Dire warnings in the latest climate report by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change require bold action in the built environment, Hubbard writes. “Not all clients are environmentally aware or proactive to the same degree,” he writes. “Regardless, we must do everything in our power to educate them, and should not wait for them to ask how their projects can be more sustainable.”
The AEC profession has the knowledge and the tools to achieve net zero, and in many cases the budget allows that standard to be reached, he writes. This can be done by making the investment and ROI clear, “and getting away from unreasonable paybacks of 3-5 years as a cap on improved performance.”
Thermally sound, climate-responsive architecture including taking into account sun path movement and wind direction, and defining levels of comfort for the building type are critical. That approach, combined with smarter system selection for ventilation and comfort that can be tuned for increased controllability and performance will help achieve the net zero goal.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 23, 2018
AAMA releases 2017/2018 fenestration market studies
Offers forecasts of industry trends.
Codes and Standards | May 22, 2018
Registration open for 2018 National Energy Codes Conference
U.S. Department of Energy event to be held July 15th-17th in Austin.
Codes and Standards | May 21, 2018
New standard tests quietness of floors
ASTM International method will help manufacturers test their flooring materials.
Codes and Standards | May 17, 2018
California will require solar panels on most new homes
Projected to add $10,000 to cost of new homes.
Codes and Standards | May 16, 2018
New resources offer tips on off-site construction
NIBS documents address using pre-cast concrete, and commercial and legal considerations of modular construction.
Codes and Standards | May 15, 2018
Blast testing of loaded mass timber structures yields positive results
Four tests covered a spectrum of blast loads.
Codes and Standards | May 14, 2018
Maryland makes general contractors liable for failure of subs to pay employees
GCs could have to pay for up to three times the wages owed.
Codes and Standards | May 10, 2018
Data collection, machine learning boost building efficiency
Sensors, software algorithms squeeze out waste.
Codes and Standards | May 9, 2018
OSHA and state safety agencies write more than 100 silica citations in 6 months
Actions tending to come with investigation of other site conditions.
Codes and Standards | May 8, 2018
Powerhouse coalition builds energy positive buildings
The goal: build buildings that provide more power than they cost to build, run, and demolish.