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 8, 2012
Green buildings more resilient than conventionally built structures
A new study by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning suggests that structures built to green standards can advance building resiliency.
| Mar 1, 2012
LEED Platinum standard likely to mean net-zero energy by 2018
As LEED standards continue to rise, the top level, LEED Platinum, will likely mean net-zero energy construction by 2018.
| Mar 1, 2012
EPA beefs up stormwater discharge rule from construction projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now finalized its 2012 construction general permit (CGP) that authorizes stormwater discharges from construction projects that disturb one or more acres of land in the areas where EPA is the permitting authority.
| Mar 1, 2012
Regulators investigate structural failures during construction of two Ohio casinos
Regulators with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the city of Cincinnati are investigatingthe collapse of the second floor of Cincinnati's Horseshoe Casino as workers were pouring concrete.
| Mar 1, 2012
Is your project too small for LEED? Consider other green standards
There are many other recognized national, state and local programs that offer a variety of best management practices and sustainable design, construction and operating strategies.
| Mar 1, 2012
California bill aims to cut costs for commercial building energy retrofits
A bill in the California Assembly would allow the state to pool together property owners’ energy-retrofit loans.
| Feb 29, 2012
Carvalho appointed Shawmut Safety Director
He has been a driving force behind multiple safety-orientated initiatives at Shawmut, including Safety Week, the creation of an online safety manual, and the implementation of a new safety reporting and tracking system.
| Feb 23, 2012
Federal budget cuts put major building projects on hold
A plan to build the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Kansas is among several major building projects in jeopardy after the Obama administration’s 2013 budget was unveiled. The budget would cut all construction spending for the facility.