In this blog, Marc Colella, ArchTam Fellow, examines how digital innovation can help cities and portfolio owners accelerate their net-zero transition while safeguarding long-term value and livability.

What’s the urgency?

The built environment remains responsible for nearly 40 percent of global carbon emissions, making it both a major contributor to climate change and a crucial lever for mitigation. Although progress has been made — the sector’s carbon share has dropped from 39 to 37 percent in just five years, energy intensity is down 15 percent since 2010, and renewables now supply almost one-third of global electricity — the momentum remains uneven. High retrofit costs, regulatory complexity and rising investor expectations are placing pressure on portfolio owners to act decisively.

Key barriers to portfolio decarbonization

The pathway to portfolio decarbonization remains constrained by several persistent challenges, especially related to mobilizing technology. The four digital and systemic barriers that must be overcome to unlock large-scale transformation are:

1. Data fragmentation – Asset-level carbon and energy data is often trapped in silos across diverse geographies, sectors and standards.
2. Regulatory complexity – Over 40 national carbon regulations exist worldwide, each with distinct formats, verification processes and disclosure requirements that complicate cross-market alignment.
3. Scope 3 tracking – Indirect emissions, often forming the majority of a portfolio’s carbon footprint, remain largely untracked or inconsistently measured.
4. Technology infrastructure – Many organizations still rely on disconnected digital tools. Scaling a digital platform across markets with different cybersecurity and data laws is a significant undertaking.

Despite these challenges, the pace of digital evolution in the built environment offers reasons for optimism. Over the past decade, the industry has moved from static spreadsheets to predictive digital twins, and from manual compliance to AI-powered climate intelligence capable of optimizing investments in real time.

The next frontier is integration, which includes building scalable ecosystems that link data, technology and human insight. This approach allows for simulation, planning and action across entire portfolios, which then turns decarbonization from a fragmented exercise into a coordinated, data-driven strategy.

Portfolio Decarbonization Transformative Framework

To guide this transition, we’ve developed a Portfolio Decarbonization Transformative Framework, mapping five domains where digital transformation must occur simultaneously for decarbonization to reach its full potential. Each domain connects people, processes and technologies in one shared ecosystem, ensuring that every stakeholder from portfolio managers to facility operators can act on consistent, real-time insights.

The potential benefits are clear:

• 35 percent reduction in operational emissions.
• 40 percent higher return on investment (ROI) on capital works.
• 95 percent faster regulatory reporting.

The framework also underpins our pioneering work in Portfolio Carbon Capital Optimization, an approach that integrates financial and carbon intelligence to optimize investment decisions across complex asset portfolios.

Turning strategy into action: The role of digital twins

The Portfolio Carbon Capital Optimization Framework is a digital planning twin designed to optimize both carbon reduction and cost performance across entire asset portfolios. It unites a suite of analytical tools within a shared data ecosystem, enabling portfolio and facility managers to make coordinated, data-driven decisions. Using an optimization algorithm, it generates capital works programs that balance carbon reduction, cost efficiency, and compliance priorities.

By connecting users, tools and data across disciplines and systems through a centralized data lake, the platform delivers consistent, real-time insights across all assets, thus transforming strategy into actionable and financially defensible pathways toward net zero. Beyond portfolio management, it also serves as a model for how city-scale digital ecosystems can inform infrastructure planning, energy transitions and investment prioritization.

Advancing the decarbonization agenda

Accelerating decarbonization requires more than technology. It requires commitment, leadership and systems thinking. Resilient city-making is a collective endeavor, driven by the shared goal of achieving a net-zero, inclusive urban future.

So, what are some of the next steps the industry can take?

• Approach decarbonization as a portfolio-wide challenge, not an individual asset issue.
• Establish a digital framework that unifies data, personas and outcomes.
• Align capital programs with carbon optimization, prioritizing the execution of projects with the lowest returns to maximize overall impact.
• Adopt an open ecosystem approach — recognizing that no single technology or organization can deliver the full solution alone.

Our work alongside clients, governments and industry partners helps to turn climate goals into actionable pathways — helping shape cities that are not only decarbonized, but also equitable, connected and ready for the future.

The post Urgent acceleration on decarbonization strategies for resilient cities appeared first on Blog.

What has shaped your passion for the energy sector and power systems engineering?

Ever since I saw my first transformer phase effective diagram, I was in. I haven’t looked back since.

My career has been shaped by my passion for the game-changing potential of solar energy and battery storage, which are growing exponentially each year. This duo is the cornerstone of Australia’s clean energy future, and it’s scalable, flexible and rapidly evolving.

What’s your career journey, and what kinds of projects are you working on now?

Having worked in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Bahrain, I bring a global lens to my work. But I’ve now settled in WA, where I’ve spent most of my career. I joined ArchTam from a role at Western Power, which was a surprisingly smooth transition. I was impressed by how integrated the team is. There are no silos or barriers, we just get straight into the work. It’s genuinely collaborative.

We’re figuring out how to integrate AC and DC systems, how to expand existing networks, and do it all while navigating environmental and social concerns. It’s a real intersection of engineering and policy.

What makes ArchTam stand out?

We can deliver the hardware that connects renewable generation to where it’s needed. We’re building our team here in WA, training them and making sure they’re ready for the scale of change ahead.

What challenges is the sector facing in Australia?

There’s a big skills gap. When I started, there was a 30-year gap between me and the next senior power systems engineer. We just hadn’t trained people in this space for decades, and now we’re feeling it.

Community resistance is also big. We all know of NIMBYs [Not In My Backyards]. Now it’s BANANA, which is Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything. Planning timelines are ballooning, and a lack of community acceptance is a huge barrier to getting the green light on projects.

Neither the government nor the private sector is stepping up to lead, creating a gap where strong leadership is missing.

What opportunities are there in the sector?

REZs (Renewable Energy Zones) are thousands of kilometres from where energy is needed. Our existing systems are near capacity, and system strength and frequency control are still unresolved.

I know this sounds like I’m just listing more problems, but these are exciting challenges that make it a good time to be an electrical engineer.

There’s more coming for batteries, because betting against them is a surefire way to lose money. We’ll see more virtual synchronous machines too, to help manage inertia.

So, how do you keep the balance? What do you like to do outside of work?

I’m obsessed with astronomy. It’s humbling. Looking up at the stars reminds me how small we are. I used to be one of the telescope operators at the Perth Observatory, taking people on tours of the night sky.

The post Transitioning Australia’s energy system: Meet Denan Kurejsepi appeared first on Blog.

Now based in Perth, he’s focused on building a high-performing, locally based team that can solve WA’s most pressing energy challenges: decarbonisation of heavy industry, grid integration of renewables, and the safe, cost-effective decommissioning of ageing coal assets.

What’s your career journey, and why have you joined ArchTam?

I’ve been lucky enough to work on projects across the globe, from the UK to Australia, that have shaped the energy landscape. I’ve worked on high-profile infrastructure and large-scale energy transition projects. My career has been built on learning from real-world challenges, learning from the ground up. The key to success is understanding the real-world implications of energy projects and using that knowledge to drive sustainable change.

What is it about the WA energy market that makes you so excited?

WA is at a pivotal moment in its energy transition, and we’re leading the charge. It’s uniquely complex and WA is remote, large-scale and heavily reliant on industry.

With the increasing demand for renewables and storage, the WA energy market is forced to evolve rapidly. It’s an exciting challenge, and we have the expertise to support our clients through this transformation. I’m especially focused on grid integration, storage solutions and helping the state reduce reliance on coal.

Looking ahead, what’s next for ArchTam in WA? What’s your vision?

I’m growing our local team, so we have boots on the ground and the technical skills to support WA’s long-term energy and infrastructure goals. Our team has already expanded significantly in renewables, grid and battery integration and environmental approvals.

We’ve already supported a range of mining, energy and government clients. We’ve found clients value honest conversations, clear-eyed assessments and practical strategies, not just imagined ones. Our combination of local insight and global experience adds value here.

We’re working to be the consultant of choice for complex, high-impact decarbonisation and energy projects.

What makes ArchTam stand out?

Our ability to execute. We can do it all, across the energy lifecycle. From technical advisory roles to infrastructure delivery and asset decarbonisation.

ArchTam brings a particular strength in projects that are first-of-a-kind, strategically important or technically challenging.

Whether it’s supporting renewables integration, responsibly phasing out coal, or decarbonising while keeping operations running, we know what works because we’ve done it before. And we’ve got the right team in WA to do it again.

So, how do you keep the balance? What do you like to do outside of work?

I’ve been windsurfing for 30-odd years. It clears the head, sharpens my focus and lets me switch off. The phone can’t ring because it’s not on me.

The post Transitioning Australia’s energy system: Meet Doug Tapper appeared first on Blog.

Victoria Watson leads ArchTam’s High-Performance Buildings team in California, overseeing sustainability consulting, high-performance and net zero building design, and energy simulation. With over 17 years’ experience working in both North America and Europe, she has spearheaded numerous net zero energy projects. Victoria partners with clients to realize their net-zero ambitions such as LEED Platinum, carbon neutrality, and resilience.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.

My journey into sustainability engineering was unexpected—I initially planned to attend medical school but soon realized my true career path lay elsewhere.

I didn’t realize it at the time but a key moment that led me to choose a career in engineering came when I was at high school and I heard a female engineer speak about her career. Her experiences of travel and innovation sparked my interest in engineering, though my real passion for it developed gradually over time. While studying engineering at the University of Manchester, I secured a six-month internship in ArchTam’s Advanced Design Group where I worked on performance-based design, renewable energy, and sustainability. This led to ArchTam sponsoring my last year of study and offering me a full-time position after graduation. That was 17 years ago!

My desire to grow led me to seek new opportunities and, through a timely connection, transitioned to ArchTam’s High-Performance Buildings team in Orange County, California, moving to the U.S. in 2013, where I now live with my husband and two children Noah and Sophie. Initially, I faced challenges adapting, but over the past decade, I’ve embraced them, growing into my current role as co-lead of ArchTam’s High-Performance Buildings and Communities Team in U.S. West.  Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with remarkable individuals on transformative projects, further solidifying my passion for sustainability engineering.

Talk to us about a sustainable design or high-performance building project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today?

So many exciting projects come to mind, but one that stands out is the Intuit Dome, the new home of the LA Clippers located in Inglewood, California. I led the high-performance and sustainable design analytics for this incredible new NBA arena. Venues like Intuit Dome present invaluable opportunities for honing new skills and pioneering innovative processes. A significant challenge faced by our clients today is the imperative to decarbonize their assets and operations. In response, the Intuit Dome is not merely aiming for excellence; it has set a new standard as the first LEED v4/4.1 Building Design and Construction (BD+C): New Construction (NC) sports arena in the world.

Notably, its 2-megawatt solar panel array and 11-megawatt hour battery storage system underscores not only the arena’s and client’s commitment to sustainability but also ensures resilience and reliability in its energy infrastructure. Moreover, the vision for Intuit Dome wasn’t just focused on environmental impact during its design phase; it was equally dedicated to sustainable operations, leveraging their zero-waste room to sort and reduce waste from events.

Being part of this endeavor has been immensely fulfilling, emphasizing the significance of sustainability in our work and local impact.

What are some key design principles that you take into consideration when creating sustainable, high-performance buildings? 

The ethos behind high performance building design champions a collaborative, process-driven approach aimed at crystallizing a project’s vision and establishing tangible performance benchmarks. Our role involves translating our clients’ definition of what performance means for a project into a performance-based approach leveraging our multidisciplinary integrated teams to track and meet performance goals.   

In recent years, there’s been a notable pivot from energy efficiency towards addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon footprint comprehensively. This includes scrutinizing embodied and operational carbon, integrating renewable energy solutions, and exploring avenues for carbon offsetting.

Looking ahead, I anticipate a heightened emphasis on waste management, occupant well-being, resilience, and optimizing building controls. It’s imperative to recognize that we’re not designing for today alone; we’re shaping the built environment for future generations. As such, we must continue to evolve our approach to meet the ever-changing needs and priorities of tomorrow.

As the global lead for ArchTam’s High Performance Buildings Technical Practice Group (TPG), I am very fortunate to work with amazing colleagues who remain committed to delving deeper into these critical areas, driving innovation, and staying at the forefront of sustainable building design.

The US and California in particular is facing a host of environmental issues, such as wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, and extreme heat. How are we embedding resilience into our designs and engineering to mitigate the impact of these issues? Can you give any examples?

Resilience encompasses the capacity to prepare for, withstand, recover from, and adapt to adverse circumstances successfully. In our approach to design and engineering, we view resilience through the lens of encouraging resilient communities. For example, we recently completed Integrated Energy Resource Plans for three campuses within the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the largest community college system in the United States, catering to over 80 percent of students from underserved populations.

Central to these plans is the concept of a microgrid, leveraging innovative infrastructure that integrates renewable energy sources and battery energy storage systems to enable continuous operation of critical campus facilities, even in the face of extreme conditions or utility blackouts. For instance, during heatwaves or power outages, designated areas of the campus can function as cooling centers, providing essential relief to the community.

By prioritizing resilience in our designs and engineering solutions, we not only fortify the physical infrastructure of campuses but also strengthen the social fabric of the communities they serve, ensuring their ability to withstand and thrive in the face of adversity.

The post Delivering on Decarbonization: Meet Victoria Watson appeared first on Blog.

The Global ABC program plays a crucial role in reshaping the future of our built environment. Their mission is clear: to create a resilient, decarbonized built environment to improve people’s lives, and to represent this critical sector at future COP summits.

This year’s discussions zeroed in on a core truth: we cannot meet climate goals without transforming the buildings sector — and we must do so in a way that prioritizes both decarbonization and climate resilience equally. Buildings are responsible for nearly 37 percent of global CO₂ emissions, and with half the 2050 global building stock yet to be constructed, the stakes and opportunities are enormous.

Beyond emissions, the transformation of our built environment must also maximize social value by enhancing affordability, health and inclusion. Circularity and the principles of near-zero emission and resilient buildings must be embedded throughout the entire construction value chain, from pre-tender design decisions through procurement and post-construction operations, ensuring a comprehensive, lasting impact.

Key challenges in decarbonizing the global built environment

Launched at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, the Buildings Breakthrough initiative aims to make near-zero emission and climate-resilient buildings the global standard by 2030. It offers a shared policy and technical framework to guide national action across five priority areas: standards, demand creation, finance, research and skills development.

While this provides much needed direction, there are six significant barriers to meaningful progress:

1. Policy gaps and inconsistent frameworks

 Although 136 countries reference buildings in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), most lack concrete policies or actions targeting the buildings and construction sector.  Approaches and ambition levels vary widely, making global coordination difficult. The absence of harmonized definitions and overarching frameworks further complicates efforts to align and measure progress.

2. Support for developing and emerging economies

Under-developed and emerging nations need greater support in developing and implementing effective roadmaps, policy tools and regulations. However, challenges such as capacity building, knowledge sharing, and access to finance are not limited to these regions — they are systemic issues that must be addressed across the global program to ensure equitable and inclusive progress.

3. Financing barriers

Mobilizing finance continues to be a major hurdle. Key challenges include the need for innovative financial instruments, risk mitigation strategies, and the mobilization of private sector investment to support large-scale decarbonization projects.

4. Slow renovation and delivery risks

The rate of building renovation remains far too slow to meet climate targets. Retrofits are often seen as risky due to cost uncertainty, performance variability, and supply chain limitations. Extending the life of existing buildings is essential but requires clearer strategies and market mechanisms to accelerate delivery.

5. Embodied carbon and materials

With roughly half of the 2050 building stock yet to be constructed, addressing embodied carbon is increasingly urgent. Circularity, material reuse, new technologies and lifecycle emissions must be prioritized from the earliest planning stages.

6. Supply chain complexity

Delivering low-carbon goals depends on coordinated action across fragmented supply chains. Collaboration between manufacturers, contractors, designers and policymakers is critical to scale solutions effectively.

While global frameworks like the Buildings Breakthrough provide much-needed alignment and momentum, addressing these persistent, on-the-ground challenges is essential to deliver a built environment that is truly zero-emission, resilient and inclusive.

Accelerating action for a resilient built environment

To meet global climate goals, urgent action is needed across the lifecycle of buildings — from design and construction to operations and materials. While roadmaps have been created by the Global ABC to establish a common approach across planning, building design, operations, systems, materials, resilience and clean energy, implementation remains fragmented.

Two-thirds of countries currently lack voluntary minimum energy performance codes. The goal is for most new buildings to achieve whole-life net-zero carbon emissions.

The key actions these countries should look to take include:

• Developing national roadmaps and mandatory building codes.
• Reducing reliance on mechanical space conditioning.
• Cutting embodied carbon.
• Increasing public awareness and transparency.
• Governments leading by example, especially by implementing policy for public buildings.

Driving decarbonization across building operations and materials

Few buildings currently use tools for energy performance management. To reach operational net-zero, the sector must adopt rating tools, energy audits, smart controls and building passports. These technologies offer practical pathways to improving efficiency and reducing emissions at scale.

Addressing the embodied carbon from building materials is crucial, as it remains a major emissions source often overlooked. Priorities include data collection, integrating embodied carbon into regulations, supporting reuse and circular models, stimulating demand for low-carbon products, and accelerating R&D in manufacturing decarbonization. Although methodologies for net-zero buildings exist, their widespread implementation is lacking due to inconsistent incentives and global inconsistency. The sector must embrace whole-life carbon principles through harmonized accounting, open data, and standardized targets. Industry-led carbon pricing and transition risk assessments are vital for valuing the cost of inaction.

By aligning operational tools, material innovation and financial strategies, the building sector can achieve global decarbonization and resilience, impacting both existing and future building stock.

The post Transforming the built environment for decarbonization and resilience appeared first on Blog.

Introducing LEED Version 5: A new era in sustainable building

The next evolution in sustainable building is here: LEED Version 5 (V5). After nearly two years of development and a second public comment period that closed on October 28, 2024, LEED V5 officially opened for project registrations on April 28, 2025.

This new version marks a bold shift in how green buildings are designed, constructed and operated, with a renewed focus on climate, health and nature. Here’s what you need to know.

What’s new in LEED V5?

LEED V5 brings sweeping updates across all rating systems including Building Design and Construction (BD+C), Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) and Operations and Maintenance (O+M), anchored in three critical areas:

1. Decarbonization

LEED V5 takes a decisive step toward eliminating carbon emissions, addressing operational energy use, embodied carbon, refrigerants and transportation. Over 50 percent of credits in V5 now focus on decarbonization.

2. Quality of life

Health, well-being, resilience and equity take center stage. LEED V5 recognizes that sustainable buildings should also be people-centered, supporting communities both inside and beyond the building envelope.

3. Ecological conservation and restoration

This version emphasizes environmental protection and restoration. It encourages designs that support ecosystems and reduce ecological damage.

Other changes in LEED V5 include new prerequisites that entail projects completing carbon, climate resilience and human impact assessments. Additionally, projects aiming for LEED Platinum certification will need to meet a unique set of elevated prerequisites. Planning for zero-waste operations is also mandatory. There is a stronger focus on resilience and equity as design for climate adaptability, human health and social equity are now essential. The previous “Innovation” and “Regional Priority” credits are now combined into a streamlined “Project Priorities” category. LEED will now follow a five-year update cycle to better align with evolving market demands and regulations.

Tips for succeeding with LEED V5

To achieve successful project delivery, incorporate LEED V5 strategies from day one. The earlier they’re integrated, the more cost-effective and impactful they become. Additionally, begin early with climate resilience, human impact and carbon assessments. These fall under the Integrative Process credit category, and the results can inform key decisions in design, construction and operation.

Another vital tip is to move beyond siloed strategies and think holistically. LEED V5 rewards approaches that create synergies such as improving energy, water and equity outcomes together. Prioritize decarbonizing your project (systems, buildings, campuses) as electrification is one of the most effective strategies to meet decarbonization goals and will be required for LEED Platinum new construction projects.

Designing for resilience and leveraging integrative design are also important for this update. Consider resiliency from the beginning of the project to fully understand potential hazards and incorporate mitigation strategies. This also offers a business case, as investors and insurance companies are increasingly recognizing the long-term benefits of resilient and sustainable design, encouraging businesses to adopt these approaches.

What about LEED V4 projects?

LEED V4 isn’t disappearing overnight. Registrations for LEED V4 remain open through Q1 2026 and all LEED V4 projects can be certified until 2032. If you’re already working on a project under LEED V4, complete a gap analysis with LEED V5. You may find it beneficial or even necessary to transition to the newer version.

LEED V5 isn’t just an update but a strategic pivot. It reflects the urgent need for climate action, equitable development and ecological stewardship. Whether you’re planning a new build or upgrading an existing facility, integrating LEED V5 from the outset will position your project and your team for long-term sustainability and success.

The post Navigating the future of sustainable building: LEED Version 5 appeared first on Blog.

The aviation sector stands at the forefront of one of the biggest challenges — how to grow and evolve while reducing its environmental impact. For airport operators, that means grappling with growing passenger demands, aging infrastructure, and an increasingly complex web of energy, carbon and resiliency targets.

Our team has been partnering with the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) to create a comprehensive decarbonization roadmap for two of its airports: Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport. This roadmap supports both MAA’s priorities: to achieve compliance with state and federal climate legislation while preparing their infrastructure for future passenger and airline growth.

Our challenge was to help MAA to meet ambitious climate targets, including Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act goals of a 60 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction by 2031 and net zero by 2045; while simultaneously accommodating terminal growth and enhancing system resilience.

Tools that visualize action

Our aim was to help MAA make sense of a very complex picture. To do that, we created several in-house energy and emissions modeling tools, including:

• Central energy plant analysis tool (CEPA), which allows us to rapidly simulate various plant configurations and identify cost-effective, lower-carbon solutions that align with future electrification goals.
• Microgrid modeling tools, which allow us to model the performance of on-site solar power, battery storage, diesel backup generation, and their ability to collectively maintain critical operations during grid outages. Beyond resilience, we explored how a microgrid could also reduce energy costs by selling power back to the utility when it’s economically viable.
• Digital twin technology, which shows exactly where new energy systems (solar PV arrays, battery storage, future electrified central plants) are located. This not only helps with internal communication and stakeholder buy-in but also serves as a planning tool that ties infrastructure improvements directly to capital investment decisions.

Metrics that inform decisions

Metrics are the backbone of any credible roadmap, and for MAA, we focused on three primary dimensions: 1) energy use, 2) GHG emissions, and 3) cost.

One of the most important strategies we had to deploy was the transition away from fossil fuels by electrifying legacy natural gas systems. This helped shift emissions from Scope 1 (on-site combustion) to Scope 2 (purchased electricity). At the same time, we modeled future electricity market scenarios in the PJM grid (which includes Maryland), where electricity prices are forecast to rise by as much as 30 percent. This dual focus allowed us to balance emissions reduction with cost resilience.

We also provided clarity on Scope 3 emissions, particularly those from airline operations, providing strategies for how MAA can influence reductions through collaboration with carriers, sustainable aviation fuel adoption, and more efficient airfield and gate operations.

Timelines that anchor implementation

We mapped each target to specific, timed actions and bundled them into short-, medium-, and long-term initiatives that integrated with MAA’s existing capital improvement plans. In effect, we transformed decarbonization from ambition into an embedded part of their growth strategy.

We helped MAA identify which projects they should advance now (e.g. electrifying existing systems, installing solar and storage) and which could be phased in later, ensuring each investment was justified not only environmentally, but financially and operationally.

Through a clear, actionable framework, we helped MAA move from planning to progress, with every decarbonization initiative supporting both their sustainability goals and long-term operational success.

For more information about our portfolio decarbonization and climate resilience services visit: Portfolio Decarbonization and Climate Resilience

The post Tools, metrics and timing for airport decarbonization appeared first on Blog.

Pooja Sannamani is a sustainability expert with extensive experience in the buildings and infrastructure sector. With over 10 years of experience at ArchTam, Pooja has demonstrated expertise in a wide range of skills including project and client management, sustainability strategies, and certification and code compliance, and is involved in several high-profile projects in the United Kingdom and U.S. such as New Covent Garden Market, Thames Tideway Tunnel, San Francisco International Airport and Intuit Dome. Pooja’s commitment to excellence and leadership in managing complex projects has significantly contributed to ArchTam’s success and the sustainable development of communities.

Tell us a bit about yourself — your role and career journey.

I have always sought meaning in everything I do. After learning about the concept of sustainability in my second year of architectural school, I was immediately drawn to it as a career. I saw this as a real opportunity to design buildings that are not only esthetically pleasing but also conserve resources and make our world a better place.

My journey with ArchTam started 10 years ago as a graduate sustainability consultant in London. Five years later, I transitioned to our Orange County office in California and have recently relocated to San Francisco. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with talented colleagues across various business lines and geographies and broaden my technical and interpersonal skills.

In my current role, I collaborate with clients and project teams all over the world, developing sustainability goals and strategies, and then implementing them throughout the design, construction, and operational phases. I enjoy bringing positive impacts to the communities we serve and dream of a future where sustainability is not just seen as an add-on or a luxury but an essential and integral part of buildings and infrastructure.

Talk to us about a sustainable design or high-performance building project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How did it solve the challenges and issues our client was facing?

A standout career highlight was leading efforts to support Intuit Dome, the new home of the LA Clippers, in achieving its LEED Platinum Certification, earning 92 points for the project.

The project’s complexity was multi-layered, including our client’s bold sustainability vision going beyond business as usual, the building’s substantial size of approximately one million square feet, navigating the dynamics of a large and diverse project team with numerous subcontractors, and adhering to a rapid project schedule with phased construction across the site, arena, and plaza buildings. 

To ensure that the client was able to meet their goals through such a layered and complex project, we provided support through the LEED submissions process. This included regular engagement with the client, design, and construction teams to identify deliverables, support their sustainability goals, and ensure compliance with regional building codes. Additionally, we managed submission efforts by ensuring that all documentation was complete and met the requirements for each LEED credit.

How do you approach sustainability integration in building design and construction processes, and what factors do you consider when evaluating the environmental impact of building projects?

Early involvement is critical when incorporating sustainability into design. Key decisions are made early in the design phase, offering a cost-effective opportunity to integrate sustainable practices. Increasingly, we work with our clients to establish a sustainability vision, embedding it as a core component in all projects. Once this vision is set, we collaborate with design teams from the programming stage and throughout the early design phases, ensuring that sustainability strategies are included in every technical aspect — architecture, MEP, civil, landscape, and more. We engage in brainstorming sessions to balance technical and sustainability goals, addressing challenges as they arise. Regular participation in design meetings and drawing reviews keeps sustainability at the forefront. During construction, we continue this collaborative approach, working directly with contractors to implement sustainability strategies.

Industry is increasingly considering the environmental impact of buildings beyond capital costs, focusing on whole life-cycle costs and impacts. The triple bottom line analysis, which evaluates environmental, social and financial impacts is gaining traction. This holistic approach is essential for the future of our planet, supported by codes, regulations, and federal grants. Additionally, there’s a growing focus on the impact of buildings on occupants and operators, prioritizing their needs, well-being, and experiences. This leads to environments that are not only functional and efficient but also enhance the quality of living for communities.

What are some of the emerging trends and technologies in sustainable building design and construction that you find particularly exciting or promising?

The sustainability landscape is evolving rapidly. Collectively we are moving towards:

• Resiliency: Climate change and extreme weather have caused a five-fold rise in natural disasters over the past 50 years, making resiliency crucial for buildings, infrastructure and communities. Investors and insurers now see the long-term value in sustainable design, motivating businesses to implement these measures.
• Circularity: This involves proactively eliminating waste from the pre-design stage, exploring reuse opportunities before opting for demolition and reconstruction, recognizing that one person’s waste can be another’s resource, and ultimately creating a zero-waste loop.
• Holistic thinking: Holistic thinking in building sustainability involves considering all aspects of a building’s lifecycle and its broader impact on the environment, society and economy. This approach goes beyond addressing individual elements in isolation and instead integrates them into a comprehensive strategy that ensures long-term sustainability.
• Focus on human health: Ultimately, the built environment is designed to meet human needs. There is growing awareness of the importance of designing spaces that enhance human health physically, mentally and socially, especially in the wake of the pandemic.

Overall, I have seen a shift in how sustainability is perceived over the past decade and that gives me hope for a brighter future.

The post Delivering on Decarbonization: Meet Pooja Sannamani appeared first on Blog.

Imagine if we built a model in Lego or Meccano at home and then threw all the pieces in the recycling bin when we wanted to change our model. Wouldn’t that extra trip to the toy store be a bit wasteful and expensive.

We are all aware of the net zero challenge, in particular with the embodied carbon associated with structural frames. How structural engineers use their skill set and adapt is key to reaching net zero targets.

In the United Kingdom, our building regulations and legislation are becoming increasingly tighter from a carbon and environmental perspective and the targets for carbon emissions of buildings by 2030 are ambitious.

Across the design and construction sector, our consumption of raw materials is vast. In a future net zero world, it would be expected that purchasing high-carbon traditional building materials might come with a significant offset penalty. The question to ask is how are we considering the real value of these materials — especially in terms of their sell-on price and circularity?

The structure “is what it is”

Our default approach as engineers can all too often be tried and tested, and familiar to us.  Material selection can tend to be based on nothing more than speed of design, familiarity of construction typology and the commodity of a competitive tender process.

If we seek to improve the industry environmentally, there needs to be a new way of thinking. A collective change in approach to the project brief.

Unfortunately for too long the structural frame and its construction materials are seen as “cost” outputs of the design process with little control — “it is what it is” I’ve heard some clients say.

Building materials and construction forms are still being specified without being challenged on what happens next. We need to start routinely addressing what happens at the end of the building’s life, who owns the materials during the building use and understand its potential sell-on value.

The London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) published data that paints a bleak picture demonstrating how embodied carbon consumption has remained relatively stagnant in our building designs for decades.

Targets require embodied carbon emission targets to halve current business as usual methods across almost all end markets. So how do we get there?

Procuring engineers early

One way to achieve these targets is by reclaiming materials, rather than buying new. Challenging the fundamentals of how we design our new buildings and investing more in a circular economy. Spending time to research and determine what materials are potentially nearby or on site, testing out the old Lego pieces and generating architectural form around them to accommodate the pieces we have would be novel and could be how we get close to ambitious targets without offsetting.  

An adaptable building concept called Rightsizer proved that new ways of thinking can help us achieve LETI 2030 carbon targets in a tall residential building.

This project remains a concept idea, but it has proved that consideration of material sourcing and construction options at a very early stage can yield a step-change in building design. Engineers must be afforded an opportunity to work alongside an architect early — but it must happen at feasibility stage (Stages 0-1 in the RIBA Plan of Work 2020).

If we wait until RIBA Stage 2, then often the spaces, building heights and massing is already established and engineers can only try to fit structure into already congested bulk and mass. So by this stage, it is too late.

Introducing engineers as early as RIBA stage 1 could also lead to form-driven design adopting modern methods of construction with time to develop initial designs of key elements that would reduce waste, consider design redundancy and potentially reduce costs.

Building in redundancy for future adaptability potential perhaps defeats the object of reducing carbon in a time where we still use highly intensive carbon materials. Nobody yet can predetermine how soon it will be when low carbon materials form the majority of an engineer’s design for a building, but it’s likely technology will improve by the time a building needs to be strengthened for any future adaptability.

Building efficiently and reducing waste

Our buildings should be carbon-costed from day one. Engineers must consider end-of-life as the next most important aspect of good building design, targeting “dismantlability” and circular design principles.

We shouldn’t confuse re-use with recycling either. We know that reinforcing steel and structural steel gets recycled after the point of demolition — but as a process, this is an energy intensive activity as result of the transportation, and the shredding, melting, and refining processes.

Connection details should be with an engineer, not a contractor to ensure dismantlability is integral to the building frame design. Contractors have often reiterated that there is a misconception of economy in standardisation.

Adding steel-to-steel connection design to a consultant’s scope and designing them on a case-by-case basis using AI algorithms or dynamo scripts within our digital platforms can save significant waste generated through standardisation. The days where cost savings could be had by fabricating standardising connections are of the past.

Ethical sourcing of materials

In the food industry, we label the source of the product and its core ingredients. Is it not the time to do that for our materials?

Should we approach local manufacturing facilities and specify locally sourced material in our specifications where we can, and legislate around ethical sourcing in the UK to make it transparent?

Structural teams need to ensure early engagement with batching plants, steel fabricators and timber producers as we typically do with other specialist design items such as piling, secondary steelwork and waterproofing.

The benefits of encouraging off-site manufacture and modern methods of construction (MMC) over traditional methods are obvious, but let’s not stop at precast columns and cores. The majority of the embodied carbon of a building sits in the horizontal elements: slabs and foundations.

Moving forward starts at grass roots level and from the designers themselves. Target deadlines mean we can’t wait for legislation and each project has its own complexities so a standard brief will not always be the most appropriate route.

Initially designers could benefit from more time to consider novel approaches to construction, allow informed comparisons of the options, materials and quantities being consumed. This is where the industry must try harder to not rush into the construction phase.

The post Net zero: How we measure the value of materials appeared first on Blog.

Helena Rivers leads our Net Zero team in Europe and India. Her extensive background in engineering and decarbonization brings a wealth of experience to her role. Helena helps clients achieve net zero by developing decarbonization strategies, coordinating essential tools, and guiding them through advanced design processes to reduce their carbon footprint and leave a lasting, positive legacy.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.

My career began with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bath. I initially worked in the nuclear sector for three years before transitioning to the construction sector. I joined Scott Wilson as a mechanical engineer and quickly progressed to leading a framework with the London Fire Brigade, focusing on their property portfolio within the asset management team. Over the years, I progressed to leading the asset management team in London and later across the United Kingdom.

About five years ago, I shifted my focus to decarbonization. I initiated and delivered global and UK-specific portfolio decarbonization projects. Two years ago, I expanded my role to encompass a broader net zero strategy. I currently am the Net Zero Lead for ArchTam’s Buildings + Places business line, overseeing projects in Europe and India. My role involves developing our decarbonization strategy, coordinating the necessary tools, and leading numerous client discussions on how they can reduce their carbon footprint and manage carbon through our design processes.

Talk to us about a decarbonization project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today?

One of the major highlights of my career at ArchTam has been our work on the UK government’s Public Sector Decarbonization Scheme, launched as part of the COVID-19 recovery efforts. This initiative aims to accelerate spending and prosperity in decarbonization of existing real estate. We collaborated with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to develop grant applications for 35 buildings. Given only three weeks to complete this task, we conducted audits and evaluations using a tool we had previously created and then translated our findings into grant applications. We successfully secured around £15 million in funding for the Manchester region.

Over the next 18 months, we developed detailed designs based on the high level opportunities identified during the audits and managed the project through construction phases to implement these decarbonization measures. Since the project was government sponsored, we also conducted a comparative analysis of the estimated carbon savings from our initial assessments versus the actual savings achieved. Despite the rapid pace of the initial assessments, our estimates were remarkably accurate across the portfolio, though there were some variations across different buildings.

This project is particularly meaningful to me because it exemplifies our comprehensive approach. We not only developed a strategy and pathway to net zero for our clients, but we also saw these projects through to the implementation phase. As a result, these buildings are now using less carbon, which is incredibly rewarding and demonstrates the tangible impact of our work on the community.

Delivering net zero buildings involve reducing energy consumption and integrating renewable energy sources. What other strategies and approaches are important to achieve net zero goals?

When it comes to achieving net zero goals, it’s crucial to first understand what a client means by “net-zero.” For new buildings, we need to consider the embodied carbon associated with construction. It’s important to determine how much of this embodied carbon they are accounting for and their stance on offsetting it.

For operational carbon, which is the carbon emissions during the building’s in-use phase, our strategy often involves designing buildings to be net zero in operation. This typically means creating fully electrified assets and ensuring that the energy consumption is matched by renewable energy generation. As many grids globally are decarbonizing, the need for local generation or renewable power purchase agreements decreases.

Key strategies include removing hydrocarbon fuel sources from sites via transitioning from gas or oil-fired heating solutions to electrified solutions like heat pumps. This also involves using climate-friendly refrigerant gases in cooling systems. Another key area is energy efficiency and control optimization so that we’re only using energy that we need. By focusing on these strategies, we can help clients achieve their net zero goals effectively.

Many of the buildings that will exist in 2050 have already been built. What is the key to improving the sustainability of these buildings?

One of the biggest challenges in improving the sustainability of existing buildings is the fact that they are often owned, operated, and used by different entities, each with their own drivers and timelines for decarbonization, if they have such ambitions at all. Aligning these diverse stakeholders around retrofit projects can be quite difficult, but can be achieved with legislative drivers like the EU Energy Performance Buildings Directive, which is driving retrofit solutions to improve energy intensity in a phased way with the introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards in regions to support acceleration.

Major asset owners and funders globally wanting to decarbonize are important catalysts in driving decarbonization efforts. Tools like the CRREM (Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor) are effective in this context as they measure both the actual energy use intensity and the carbon footprint of buildings. This helps portfolio holders understand and improve the performance of their assets in terms of sustainability.

A key strategy to accelerate change is to ensure that sustainability improvements do not impose additional costs on stakeholders. Increasingly, organizations are turning to energy performance contracts (EPCs) to implement their carbon reduction programs. In this model, a third party funds upgrades, such as HVAC systems, and the resulting utility cost savings are shared between the investor and the property user. Over time, the initial investment is paid back through these savings, eliminating the need for upfront capital from the building owner or occupier.

The post Delivering on Decarbonization: Meet Helena Rivers appeared first on Blog.