Experts give us 10 years before there is irreversible climate change. That’s not much time to alter global conditions that have been building for hundreds of years. The kind of change needed to affect our planet’s climate takes a serious, immediate commitment. Although all should put forth an effort, our design and construction industry in particular can step up and make a considerable impact. After all, buildings are responsible for almost half (48 percent) of all greenhouse gas emissions annually. Seventy-six percent of all electricity generated by U.S. power plants serves the building sector.

Although there is no “quick-fix” solution, we know that there are steps we can take to help mitigate this problem. A team of dedicated architects and members of the building community is already in place, and strategies are being implemented to make a permanent change.

Architecture 2030 is a not-for-profit, independent organization dedicated to completely eliminating buildings’ greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030. Known as the 2030 Challenge, this initiative is picking up momentum and followers, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and is well on its way to making it happen.

Taking Charge

Architect Edward Mazria founded Architecture 2030 in response to the global-warming crisis, with the goal of transforming the U.S. and global building sector from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution. The way to do this is to change the way buildings and developments are planned, designed and constructed (www.architecture2030.org).

Perkins+Will, one of the initiative’s leaders, has a 70-year history of being progressive. Since adopting The 2030 Challenge last year, the firm immediately began a conscious effort to design buildings that reduce emissions profiles by 50 percent with the goal of designing all buildings to be carbon-neutral by 2030.

“It is imperative that we do everything in our power to avoid permanent climatic damage,” said Phil Harrison, CEO of Perkins+Will. “In our business, we have every opportunity to design responsibly with the environment in mind. It is a matter of making the commitment or not, and Perkins+Will is wholeheartedly committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2030 and reversing the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.”

Becoming Carbon-Neutral

The Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) in Vancouver, B.C. was designed to be a net energy generator and a greenhouse gas neutral facility. Courtesy Busby Perkins+Will.

The 23-story GM Place Tower in downtown Vancouver, B.C., is on track to be the first carbon-neutral office building in North America, setting new standards in energy efficiency. Designed by Busby Perkins+Will, the new commercial tower’s green design strategies include full daylighting, operable windows, non-toxic and recycled materials, stormwater recapture, state-of-the-art glazing, and energy-efficient mechanical systems.

Instead of dumping waste heat from internal loads such as computers into the atmosphere, the new tower will export this heat to the adjacent arena when needed, reducing the fossil fuel use associated with heating the arena. This reduction in fossil fuel use balances that used by the utility in generating elec-tricity for the tower, rendering the tower project carbon-neutral.

GM Place Tower is expected to be completed by 2010, and is also anticipated to qualify for LEED Gold certification.

Another building heading towards carbon neutrality is the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS), also in Vancouver. It will be supplied by energy generated on-site as well as renewable energy sources. The facility will be a net energy generator and a greenhouse-gas neutral facility.

CIRS will be a state-of-the-art “living-lab” where researchers from leading academic institutions can perform research on, and assessment of, current and future green building systems and technologies. The research and product and policy development at CIRS intends to play a fundamental role in accelerating the path to sustainability.

Taking Steps, Small or Large

While most commercial buildings aren’t even close to being carbon-neutral quite yet, there are many strategies that can be adopted to make some substantial headway. Utilizing sustainable design tactics, generating on-site renewable power and purchasing renewable energy all contribute to the goal of becoming carbon-neutral. Anytime one can reduce the demand on a building’s mechanical systems, greenhouse gas emissions are being offset. A building’s HVAC system, use of natural daylight and its electrical systems contribute to meeting The 2030 Challenge.

One of Perkins+Will’s newest buildings, 201 Seventeenth Street in Atlanta, is pre-certified LEED Gold, in part because of its dedication to energy efficiency. Seventy-five percent of the building’s space is lit naturally to reduce the dependence on artificial lighting and outside energy. Its glass windows direct daylight into interior spaces to heat the building and reflect direct sunlight so no blinds are needed. Occupancy sensors ensure that power is used only when someone is actually using it.

The building’s energy-efficient water system minimizes water load and energy consumption. In this case, water usage and bills are reduced by 20 percent. The air quality system monitors carbon dioxide levels and keeps air well-circulated and oxygenated.

Sustainable design of new buildings, however, is only one part of meeting the goals of the 2030 Challenge. A greater impact can be achieved by renovating the millions of existing buildings designed with little or no consideration for energy-efficiency. Even with these projects, simple strategies such as upgrading HVAC systems, replacing lighting fixtures or at least relamping them with compact-fluorescent bulbs, and replacing equipment with ENERGY STAR-rated or highly-efficient models will all contribute toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In order to demonstrate that it practices what it preaches, Perkins+Will has mandated that all of its office renovations achieve LEED Gold Certification.

A Global Perspective

The pre-certified LEED Gold 201 Seventeenth Street building in Atlanta features an energy-efficient water system that minimizes water load and energy consumption. Photo by Matt Finn, Perkins+Will.

According to Architecture 2030, the key to avoiding catastrophic damage is keeping global warming less than one degree centigrade more than today’s level. Reducing our demand on conventional energy will help slow the growth rate of greenhouse gas emissions and then reverse it during the next 10 years. It requires immediate action and a concerted global effort.

Whether it’s a simple mechanical upgrade or the design of an entirely new carbon-neutral facility, designing sustainably has a definitive global impact. These efforts yield change beyond environmental restoration – they generate social and financial benefits, too. The bottom line is that it just makes sense. The question is whether we’re all up to the task.