Built Environment Firms Support National Definition of Zero-Emissions Buildings

A coalition of 69 companies representing billions in annual real estate spending assert their support for the White House definition. 

BELFAST, Maine, Jan. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The signatories (below) include instigating firm OPAL and represent architecture, engineering, and general contracting firms in the United States that design and construct many millions of square feet of projects annually. Their statement:

We enthusiastically support the Biden-Harris Administration's recent release of a national definition of zero-emissions buildings, and an associated US Department of Energy Request for Information (calling for comment by 5 February). A consistent definition will allow the industry to coalesce around one vision for a zero-emissions built environment, enabling more consistent policies, incentives, certification targets and aspirational project goals that will accelerate the essential shift to clean energy. This is in strong alignment with the building sector's goals for climate action.

A federal definition of a zero-emission building offers significant benefits to the communities that the architecture, engineering, construction, and real estate sectors serve and supports our industry's emissions drawdown. A uniform definition, verifiable through federal agencies, will unlock more public and private investments in emissions-effective and resilient buildings across a diverse array of real estate.

It is our understanding that the definition targets major operational emissions via three criteria – high energy efficiency, elimination of on-site emissions, and the implementation of building-specific clean energy production. The goal is to impact as many buildings as possible to rapidly reduce operational emissions, which currently account for nearly a third of U.S greenhouse gas emissions. In the future, the definition can be refined to embrace Scope 3 and other emissions related to real estate as measurement and verification of these emissions becomes more standardized. 

We commend the Administration's work on this important definition and we look forward to its formal release. We appreciate Timothy Lock of OPAL and the Building Green Sustainability Leader Peer Networks for coordinating this statement.

For more:
Heather Clark, Director of Building Emissions at the White House Policy Office ([email protected]), is available for interviews about the definition and its role in market transformation. (Reach out directly or through Kira Gould, [email protected].)

The statement and the coalition of signatories was organized by built environment community leaders Timothy Lock of OPAL; Jean Carroon of Goody Clancy; Anne Hicks Harney of Long Green Specs; Clark Brockman of Brockman Climate Strategies; Luke Leung of SOM; Kjell Anderson of LMN; and Chris Hellstern of The Miller Hull Partnership. Thet and other signatories are also available for comment. 

Media Contact: Kira Gould, [email protected], 415.690.0182

STATEMENT SIGNATORIES

Absher
Stephanie Gowing
Director of Sustainability

AHA Consulting Engineers
Adam Jennings
Partner, Director of Energy & Sustainability

A K F
Jeffrey Rios
Partner, Division Leader

Arrowstreet
Katherine Bubriski
Principal, Director of Sustainability & Building Performance

Ayers Saint Gross
Allison Wilson
Associate Principal, Sustainability Director

BAR Architects & Interiors
Mark Kelly
Associate Principal, Director of Sustainability

Bora Architecture & Interiors
Mike Manzi Associate Principal, Specifications and Document Quality Manager

Boulder Associates
Kristi Ennis
Principal, Director of Sustainable Design

BranchPattern
Nate Maniktala Principal & Practice Lead

Brockman Climate Strategies
Clark Brockman
Founder and Principal

BWBR
Sara Goenner Curlee
Performance Design Key Manager

CannonDesign
Eric Corey Freed
Principal, Director of Sustainability

Chapman Construction / Design
John Hyde Senior Sustainability Manager

CLAYCO
Alana Spencer
VP of Sustainability

CMTA
Brian Turner
Partner

Columbia
Conor McGuire
Director of Sustainability

Curtis + Ginsberg Architects
Mark Ginsberg
Partner

Dake|Wells Architecture
Jason Hainline
Sr Project Manager, Director of Sustainability

David Baker Architects
Katie Ackerly
Principal, Sustainable Design Director

DIALOG
Mara Baum
Partner, Architecture + Sustainability

DiMella Shaffer
Lauren Günther
Director of Sustainability

DLR Group
Prem Sundharam
Chief Climate Officer, Senior Principal

EskewDumezRipple
Z Smith
Principal, Director of Sustainability & Building Performance

FXCollaborative
Daniel Piselli
Principal, Director of Sustainability

Goody Clancy
Jean Carroon
Principal

The Green Engineer 
Christopher Schaffner
CEO and Founder

Handel Architects
Louis Koehl
Director of Sustainable Design

HED
Daniel J. Jaconetti
Associate Principal, National Sustainable Design Leader

HKS
Rand Ekman
Partner
Chief Sustainability Officer

Integrus
Patrick Donnelly  Associate Principal
Director of Sustainable Design

Introba
Robert Bolin
Vice President MEP Operations

Isgenuity
Nicole Voss
Director of Sustainability

JB&B
Christopher D. Colasanti
Associate Partner

Kira Gould CONNECT
Kira Gould
Founder, President

Lake|Flato Architects
Heather Gayle Holdridge
Associate Partner, Director of Design Performance

Leo A Daly
Kimberly R. Cowman
Vice President, National Director of Engineering

LMN Architects
Kjell Anderson
Director of Sustainable Design

Long Green Specs
Anne Hicks Harney
Founder, Principal

Lord Aeck Sargent
Jim Nicolow
Principal, Director of Sustainability

LPA
Ellen Mitchell
Principal, Director of Sustainability and Applied Research

Magnusson Architecture and Planning PC
Sara Bayer
Associate Principal, Director of Sustainability

Mahlum Architects
Jesse Walton
Associate Principal

The Miller Hull Partnership
Chris Hellstern
Senior Architect, Associate,
Living Building Challenge Services Director

Mithun
Michael Fowler
Senior Associate, Sustainability Integration Leader

MSR Design
Simona Fischer
Director of Sustainable Practice

Multistudio
Teresa Jan  Director of Climate Positive Design

NBBJ
Margaret Montgomery
Principal, Global Sustainability Leader

OPAL
Timothy Lock
Management Partner, Director of Building Ecology

Opsis Architecture
Heather DeGrella
Associate Principal
Sustainable Design Director

PAE Consulting Engineers 
Marc Brune
Principal

Payette
Andrea Love
Principal
Director of Building Science

Petersen Engineering, Inc.
James Petersen
Principal

Quinn Evans
Julia Siple
Principal, Director of Sustainability

RMW
Steve Stenton
Associate Principal, Studio Director - Sustainability

Ryan Architecture + Engineering
Kaitlin Veenstra
Associate Director of Architecture - Sustainability

Sasaki
Tamar Warburg
Director of Sustainability

Sellen Construction
Angi Rivera
Director of Sustainability

SERA
Joseph Pinzone 
Managing Principal

Siegel & Strain Architects
Marjorie Smith
Principal

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Luke Leung
Principal

Smith Group
Greg Mella
Vice President, Corporate Director of Sustainability

Strategy 17
Jennifer Kruse
Owner, Principal Consultant

SWBR
Mark A. Maddalina
Principal, Sustainable Design Director

Vanderweil
Patrick Murphy
Associate Principal, Director of Sustainable Design

VMDO Architects
Michelle Amt
Associate Principal,
Director of Sustainability and Inclusion

Wight & Company
Megan Zack
Chief Sustainability Officer

Woods Bagot
Russell Fortmeyer
Global Sustainability Leader

WRNS Studio
Pauline Souza
Partner, Director of Sustainability

ZGF Architects
Chris Flint Chatto
Principal   

SOURCE OPAL