By Product Marketing Manager Luc Lefebvre, OAQ, LEED, AP
The world we live in today is much different from even just a few years ago. From the evolving impacts of climate change to a global pandemic, everyone, including us in the AEC industry, must pivot, adapt and advance to meet and overcome the challenges our industry faces. It’s no longer an option to sit back and continue in the same way we have before. Our practices, workflows, and designs must place high importance on our planet and its inhabitants to ensure a successful future. Architects must stay ahead of technological advances to aid and overcome these rapidly evolving challenges. Design for our future must be a top priority.
Combating Climate Change & Designing for the Future of our Planet
The concepts of “sustainable design and construction” or “green building” are no longer novel. Still, since the beginning of the century, the AEC industry has had an increased and amplified awareness of our impact on the environment, and it has changed the landscape of our profession. The reality of the climate crisis forces architects to implement sustainable design practices and has become an essential piece of building construction.
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and other advocacy groups have led the charge in changing policies and procedures and implementing set standards to combat the negative environmental impacts of building and construction and set us all up for future success. Resources and frameworks like the LEED, BREEAM, Greenstar, and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Framework for Design Excellence have sparked a powerful movement, leading the industry to adapt and develop design and construction methods that have now become industry standards.