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 Contact), is available for interviews about the definition and its role in market transformation. (Reach out directly or through Kira Gould,
Email Contact.)
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 Contact, 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
