A Common Language to Design Carbon Neutral Projects By 2030

The AIA 2030 Commitment urges architects to becomeagents of change in the face of a looming global climatecrisis. The impact of energy demand and consumption inthe built environment is dependent on early designdecisions; architects must play a key role as climateleaders. AIA 2030 notes that the overall averagepredicted energy use intensity (pEUI) percent savingsincreased in their 2017 project reporting to 44 percent,with a two percent increase over 2016 (The AmericanInstitute of Architects, 2019). This was driven both bymore stringent energy codes and expanded energymodeling with reporting signatories of the Commitment.Thus, to make meaningful impact early phase buildingenergy modeling must be seamless integrated into thedesign process. It begins with knowledge. Bringing forththe knowledge (education and awareness) that comeswith a specialized skill such as energy modeling to anational architectural firm can be daunting. It requiresbuy-in through all levels of the organization and mostimportantly a common vernacular. This paper examinesan architectural firm’s repositioning of inclusive designintelligence by establishing a common core curriculumcentered around the integration of early phase buildingenergy modeling with the desired outcome to achieve acarbon-neutral built environment.