The American Institute of Architects released a report recently stating that the industry is lagging in meeting AIA’s 2030 Commitment goals.
Each signatory to the 2030 Commitment program pledges to reach the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, and the industry has a long way to go to meet that goal. Only 4% of projects so far have met the 70% energy savings target for 2015 building performance, with the average savings coming in at 38%.
“We have made some progress in the overall program, with a noteworthy jump in the amount of buildings included in the report,” said Greg Mella, FAIA, Director of Sustainable Design at SmithGroupJJR and co-chair of the AIA 2030 Working Group. “But we are simply not making significant strides in crucial metrics that predict building performance. These findings should serve as a wake-up call to architects that there needs to be greater urgency to drive improved energy efficiency across their project portfolios if we are going to reach our ultimate carbon reduction goals.”
The AIA said that roughly six in 10 of signatory firms employ energy modeling early in the design process, a strategy that it says is critical to meeting the 2030 goals. “Seeing more firms including energy modeling into their workflow is one of the encouraging takeaways from this report,” said Andrea Love, AIA, Director of Building Science at Payette and co-chair of the AIA 2030 Working Group. “This is exactly the sort of broad, cultural shift that is required to make serious inroads towards carbon reduction in buildings.”
Related Stories
| Mar 18, 2014
Canadian wood industry pushes for ‘wood first’ legislation on mid-rise public projects
The wood lobby is pushing Canadian provinces to pass “wood first” legislation specifying wood framed structures as the default for mid-rise public works projects where warranted.
| Mar 13, 2014
USGBC hits back at Environmental Policy Alliance criticism
The Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Policy Alliance has launched a campaign to make the claim that LEED-certified buildings are less energy efficient than other buildings. In response, USGBC told its members: "Don’t be fooled, the Environmental Policy Alliance isn’t the 'EPA' you might think."
| Mar 13, 2014
North Carolina board recommends switch to six-year code update cycle
In a nine to six vote, the North Carolina State Building Code Council on March 11 approved moving the commercial building code (except for the electrical code) to a six-year cycle for updating instead of a three-year cycle.
| Mar 13, 2014
OSHA’s funding disclosure requirement for those offering silica rule comments draws ire
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is requiring those who submit comments on the silica rule to disclose their funding sources for their scientific research to avoid conflict of interest.
| Mar 13, 2014
EPA publishes ‘best management practices’ rule on erosion, stormwater at construction sites
The Environmental Protection Agency published a new rule this month that will require the construction, housing, and utility sectors to carry out "best management practices" in order to prevent erosion and harmful stormwater discharges at construction sites.
| Mar 5, 2014
San Francisco board seeks remedies to code enforcement complaints
Two supervisors charged that a lack of adequate code enforcement has led to blight from dilapidated or unfinished buildings.
| Mar 5, 2014
Obama proposes $1 billion for climate change risk mitigation
President Barack Obama would spend $1 billion to “better understand the projected impacts of climate change,” encourage local action to reduce future risk, and fund technology and infrastructure that will be more resilient to climate change.
| Mar 5, 2014
Southern Forest Products Assn. revamps pressure-treated pine specifications
It provides information to assist with the proper specification and use of pressure-treated Southern Pine materials.
| Mar 5, 2014
UL, PRI Construction Materials Technologies reach product certification agreement
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Inc. reached an agreement with PRI Construction Materials Technologies LLC (PRI) through which PRI will participate in UL's "Data Acceptance Program," enabling the acceptance of data generated at PRI toward UL product certification.
| Mar 5, 2014
Quebec's building code doesn't meet needs of its aging population
The issue was raised in the wake of a tragic fire at a seniors' residence in L'Isle-Verte.