AIA: Architecture firms reporting progress on achieving carbon reduction targets as part of the 2030 Commitment

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has produced a report assessing the work of firms that are part of the AIA 2030 Commitment, a voluntary initiative to commit their practice to advancing the AIA’s goal of carbon-neutral buildings by the year 2030.

The key findings from the AIA 2030 2014 Progress Report include:

140 firms submitted reports – a 41% increase from 2013
2.4 billion gross square feet (GSF) represented in this data – a 50% increase YoY
4,354 projects have been accounted for in this report – a 78% increase
413 design projects are meeting the 60% carbon reduction target – a 3% increase
197 net-zero energy projects – a 270% increase
22% average firm reduction in Lighting Power Density for interior projects – a increase of 3%
34% average Predicted Energy Use Intensity reduction reported by firms – a decrease of 3%
11% of total GSF meeting the current 60% carbon reduction target – an increase of 4%
53% of total GSF using energy modeling to predict operational energy consumption – a 13% decrease

In order to make data reporting easier the AIA partnered with the Department of Energy to create the AIA 2030 Design Data Exchange (DDx), an online monitoring, reporting and research tool for architecture firms. See user feedback and access the tool here.

The AIA has also partnered with Architecture 2030 and AIA Seattle to launch an educational program aimed at providing AIA members and other design professionals with the high-performance building knowledge necessary to meet the 2030 Challenge targets.

Earlier this month, my colleague and I presented a session to a group of civil engineers and transportation agencies about the tech trends in the AEC space. Along with advice on how to prepare your plan for controlled collaboration, we also talked through some practical use cases. One such use case was especially interesting, as it outlined a challenge not unfamiliar to government agencies who are contemplating the leap from paper to digital processes: how to securely migrate workflows.

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