Architects have significant power and ability to reduce the carbon footprint of their work. Buildings generate nearly 40% of annual global CO2 emissions (architecture2030.org). The carbon footprint of buildings includes GHGs released from construction (including materials, transportation, and fuel), as well as GHGs released from building operations (like heating and cooling).
By selecting climate-friendly building materials, reusing where possible, and designing for energy efficiency, architects can help slow down climate change for years to come. Every time a building is constructed, we are locked in to the architect’s design choices for decades. Please check out the resources below to learn more about climate-conscious architectural practices.
Impact
Workforce: 121,997 licensed architects in the US, according to the 2020 Survey of Architectural Registration Boards (ncarb.org, 2021)
Work footprint:
- Buildings generate nearly 40% of annual global CO2 emissions (architecture2030.org)
- Building materials (concrete, steel, aluminum, foam insulation)
- Building energy efficiency
- Changing ecosystems
Resources
Actions
- Four ways architects can fight climate change (aia.org)
- 8 Tangible Ways Architects Can Help Combat the Climate Crisis (architizer.com)
- Ten ways in which architecture is addressing climate change (dezeen.com, 2021)
Climate and the Built Environment
- Crash course in direct building emissions: The Impact of Fossil Fuels in Buildings (rmi.org, 2019)
- Solutions for design and construction phases of a project: Reducing Embodied Carbon in Buildings (rmi.org, 2021)
- Resource library: Architecture and Climate Action (aia.org) — includes sustainable justice guidelines
Organizations & Communities
- Architects! Climate Action Network: ACAN is a network of individuals within architecture and related built environment professions taking action to address the twin crises of climate and ecological breakdown.
- Architecture 2030: A nonprofit that advances the development of sustainable, resilient, equitable, and zero-carbon buildings, communities, and cities
- GreenHomeNYC: GreenHomeNYC’s mission is to promote an energy efficient and sustainable built environment and to support green professional development in NYC.