Happy Chinese New Year 2022 – Year of the Tiger

in /by

Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 kicks off the Chinese New Year. The tiger is the third of the Chinese zodiacs. In Chinese folklore, the animal was so assured of its strength that it became distracted in the race for first place and lost out to the Rat and the Ox.

The year of the tiger signifies spur-of-the-moment decision-making and a strong sense of determinism. As a result, we expect this year to bring plenty of movement and unanticipated transformations. Moving into 2022, this is a great opportunity to focus on becoming your best selves, making positive changes in your life, and coming to terms with the past. In addition, the water element will reign this year, bringing energy and a sense of harmony to various matters. To see what the year of the tiger symbolizes for you individually, take a look at your Chinese horoscope for 2022 here!

For businesses looking to go green in the year of the tiger, there’s no better time to prioritize eco-friendly solutions! Brand-new prospects are set to bloom, and fresh ideas will manifest with ease. Projects dedicated to worldly well-being, unification and collective change will succeed. Anything that is needed to facilitate this will be acquired without setbacks. At Doo Consulting, we’re eager to help businesses like yours reach new heights and make a positive difference. Here’s what we’ve got in store in the year of the tiger:

Doo’s News

2022 is the fifteenth anniversary of Doo Consulting. In 2007 we began with a consultancy with Potomac Valley Brick to bring attention to the sustainable aspects of heavy construction, in this case, brick. Teams from around the world, responding to a global challenge created by Doo Consulting, BrickStainable, exploited the thermal characteristics of bricks to create zero energy buildings. Jurors included Bill Browning, Vivian Loftness, Anna Dyson, Garth Rockcastle and others.

Last year we observed the construction and Platinum certification of two net zero energy schools in the City of Baltimore, Graceland Park-O’Donnell Heights Elementary/Middle School and Holabird Academy designed by Grimm + Parker Architects and CMTA engineers. Working for the Owner’s representative, CBRE/Heery, our role was to tell the story of getting these buildings to net-zero for the students and community. Six stories were written at a 4th grade level and illustrated explaining the geothermal mechanical system, insulated concrete form (ICF) construction, photovoltaics, and three other design aspects of these schools. English on one side and in Spanish on the reverse and available in digital form with links to more information, these flyers are meant to encourage students to learn about their school and, maybe, inspire future architects, engineers or environmental scientists. With twelve months of energy data, we are now compiling the documentation to obtain the projects’ LEED Zero certifications!

Rebecca Gullott, our Business Responsibility Specialist and a senior project manager, is leading the charge to develop a sustainability plan for the Maryland Zoo. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has a long history of conserving wildlife and wild places. In 2021, Doo Consulting began work with the Zoo to facilitate the development of a new comprehensive sustainability plan that will focus the Zoo’s efforts to improve its social and environmental performance. The sustainability planning process will set targets for measurable improvement in energy, waste, and water management on the 135-acre campus. We’re very excited to be working with the Zoo on this.

Doo Consulting San Diego just achieved a LEED Gold certification for the Crisis Stabilization Unit project in San Diego County. This facility will be used to provide emergency psychiatric and crisis stabilization services for the people of Oceanside, CA. The office has begun work on a new laboratory/office building in one of the life-science campuses surrounding the city and kicked off another project for the County of San Diego. Go San Diego!

While retaining our focus on green building certifications, we enjoy the exploration of new ideas, the opportunity to educate projects occupants, and the expansion of our practice. If you are interested in our sustainability consulting, green building certification or speaker services, contact us at info@DooConsulting.net. The team at Doo Consulting looks forward to helping your green building and sustainability projects during this exciting year of the tiger in 2022.

Here’s to a Wonderful and Lively 2022!

Recapping COP26 2021

in , , /by

In our previous blog, we discussed the origins of COP26, who is involved in this year’s climate conference, and what is at stake if these call for actions continue to go unanswered. The event was highly anticipated due to last year’s delay, which was caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As in previous years, many individuals addressed the urgency of the climate crisis and explained how we must act now before it is too late. However, some argue that we are already on the cusp of that threshold and our leaders aren’t doing enough. Now that the event has concluded, we will go over the most significant takeaways.

Read more

COP26 Explained: An Urgent Call for Climate Action

in , /by

Lately, you might be hearing a great deal about COP26 in the news. How might this affect your family, your job or your business? On an international level, countries and organizations are coming together to address the impact of global warming on communities and livelihoods around the world. COP26 plays a major role in bringing nations together to discuss and plan for a brighter future. But what does that mean exactly? You might be wondering if this something you need to be conscious of in your daily life. The answer is: yes! Here, we have provided a basic guide to COP26 to help you understand the gravity of this momentous occasion.

Read more

Takeaways From the 2021 Greenbuild Conference

in , , /by

New leadership at USGBC

Two members of Doo Consulting joined our colleague from the San Diego office to attend the 2021 Greenbuild conference there. It’s an interesting year for the US Green Building Council. The organization will be electing a new president, only the fourth in nearly forty years. Attention to the leadership transition was understated. While the organization embarks on a search for new president, Peter Templeton, a long time USGBC leader and former president of GBCI, will be serving as the acting president of the organization after Mahesh Ramashanian’s departure at the end of this October. Peter has committed to undertaking a strategic review of the organization and addressing issues of leadership, culture and technology to better serve the USGBC community. If you have been frustrated by an inability to communicate with USGBC or GBCI, or by the functionality (or lack thereof) of LEED Online, there is reason to anticipate positive change. USGBC has been a leader in mobilizing the building sector including manufacturers, developers, institutions, designers, and builders toward a greener, healthier and more resilient future. Their leadership is needed now more than ever.

Reducing Carbon

In-person attendance at the conference was light. I’ve heard estimates that around 2,000 people were in attendance. Despite this, the conference was still vibrant and it was good to run into colleagues from around the world who chose to attend. I hope all who traveled to San Diego offset their carbon emission! Carbon was a common theme throughout most of the sessions whether directly or indirectly. It was definitely the elephant in the room. In my opinion, the most significant presentation was on “SE2050”, the structural engineering equivalent of Architecture 2030. Having the structural engineers onboard to address carbon reduction is huge. SE 2050 is an initiative by the Structural Engineering institute (SEI) for which over 60 firms have already signed up! An estimated 50% of new building embodied carbon is in the building’s structure. If you want a structural engineer who can help you reduce embodied carbon in your building, I encourage you to select an engineer who has signed the SE2050 Commitment or encourage your engineer to do so. For more information you can visit www.SE2050.org.

The Use of Life Cycle Assessments

There were a number of sessions on the tools and how-to of life cycle assessments. As with any modeling tool, the output is only as good as the input. For LCA modeling, consistency is key. Who was the modeler? What software did they use? Which version? To what version of which standard did you establish your baseline? All these things are important when comparing your data from project to project or between models created for the same project. This will be a growing part of building analysis going forward as Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) reporting for real estate portfolios increases.

Credit Changes and Updates in LEED v4.1

USGBC does not stand still and there are more addenda being advanced for LEED v4.1. Based on the uptake of credits, USGBC assesses how it might adjust the standard to encourage the change they are seeking in the market. For example, the Building Product Declarations and Optimization (BPDO) credits, as they were introduced in LEED v4, were the least pursued of all LEED credits. These credits were created to encourage transparency in the reporting of product material and chemical content. Through an assessment of the questions and comments that were received, the number of times the credit was pursued and achieved, and other factors, USGBC has amended these credits to provide clarifications, greater guidance and/or adjustments to the requirements. Under LEED v4.1, the BPDO credits have seen the greatest increase in pursuits and the number of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Products Declarations (HPDs) available from manufacturers has increased considerably. The last LEED addendum was issued in April of 2021. Here are a few of the credit updates we heard about at Greenbuild. For a complete update, click here.

Location and Transit

  • The High Priority Site Credit has been amended to include Economically Disadvantaged Communities based on census tract data.
  • Access to transit can now include project sponsored transit if benchmarks are met.
  • Fuel Efficient Vehicles is now Electric Vehicles – This means EVs only and the number of spaces required is now 5%. While there was discussion of the embodied carbon of EV infrastructure, this is not only a matter of the elimination of fossil fuels but also of grid harmonization. Once again, USGBC is looking to the future.

Energy and Atmosphere

  • Energy Performance now references ASHRAE 90.1-2016. Still less than code, you say? Remember, LEED is an international rating system and some places have no code. Even in the US, not all jurisdictions have adopted the latest code. The beauty of LEED is that it provides an entry point that encourages participation while there is no limit to what a project team can challenge itself to achieve.
  • Demand Control is now Grid Harmonization and includes “Case 3 – Load Flexibility and Management Strategies”.
  • Renewable energy now considers 3 tiers of renewable energy sourcing.

Materials and Resources

  • Guidance on EPDs has been updated again. Under Option 1 most EPD’s are valued as 1 whole product except for a Product Specific Type III EPD which is valued at 1.5 products for the purpose of credit achievement.
  • The number of products required for CS and Warehouse projects is reduce from 20 to 10.

There are numerous other changes in all credit categories with the goal of increasing project team engagement and accelerating positive change in the market.  I encourage you to refer to the April amendment. For assistance with your project, call us at Doo Consulting.

The Climate Solutions Now Act of 2021 and the Future of Climate Change Legislation

in , /by

While there are many national climate change initiatives being drafted and discussed, change is also possible on a more local level. The Climate Solutions Now Act of 2021 was active in the Maryland General Assembly, but unfortunately died in mid-April. The compromised version of the bill that both the House and Senate could agree on would not have made a significant impact, and it’s important to the sponsors to go back to the drawing board. What did the bill include, and what might future legislation look like?

Read more

How the Biden Administration’s Plans for the Climate Crisis Could Shape the Future of Employment and Development

in , /by

Every time there is a transition in power, we are presented with new challenges and opportunities when it comes to addressing the climate crisis. The Biden-Harris Administration recently released their commitments on climate change and their plan is designed to create new jobs, build and rebuild infrastructure and deliver on environmental justice promises. What can you expect?

The Biden-Harris Administration Climate Commitments

As part of the executive actions that President Biden took there were numerous climate change-aimed orders. The actions as a result of the Executive Order included:

  • Rejoining the Paris Agreement
  • Hosting a Leaders’ Climate Summit on Earth Day
  • Focus on the security implications of climate change
  • Establishing the first-ever National Climate Advisor and Deputy National Climate Advisor
  • Establishing a National Climate Task Force
  • Create clean energy jobs
  • Developing plans to increase the resilience of national security facilities to the impacts of climate change
  • Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies
  • Creating jobs in construction, manufacturing, engineering and the skilled trades while ensuring that federal infrastructure work is aimed at reducing climate pollution and accelerating clean energy and transmission projects
  • Prioritizing environmental justice

How Will This Change Things?

The push by the Biden administration to create new jobs in construction and manufacturing with a green building focus is great news for our industry. USGBC has praised his plans to use green buildings as a centerpiece of creating jobs for America’s recovery and moving us forward in climate policy. The current intended building targets are:

  • Reducing the carbon footprint of US building stock 50% by 2035
  • Upgrading 4 million buildings and weatherizing 2 million homes over the course of his term, which he estimates will create 1 million jobs
  • Kickstarting the construction of 1.5 million sustainable housing units and homes

It’s clear that President Biden sees buildings as a key piece of combating climate change, and the groundwork already in place thanks to the USGBC community will be instrumental in ensuring this momentum does not go to waste. Doo Consulting is excited to be part of this sweeping change in the construction industry and use our past experience in LEED projects to continue our work. The historic investment in energy upgrades of many buildings, including housing, offices, warehouses, federal buildings and public buildings, bodes well for our industry and the future of the planet. If you looking to create a building for your business with LEED certification or if you are looking to upgrade or certify an existing building, Doo Consulting is here to help.  

The Year of the Metal Ox, 12 Feb 2021

in /by

Happy New Year! If you were concerned that the beginning of 2021 was no better, or even worse, than 2020, take heart. According to the Chinese calendar, the new year doesn’t begin until February 12 this year! 2020 was the year of the Rat, which, as we said in last year’s blog,

“…it (Year of the Rat) is considered a time of new beginnings and renewal, a time to turn one’s back on the past. Globally, we shall see whether the characteristics of the ingenious rat will lead us to solutions to the many challenges before us politically, socially and environmentally or if inadequate preparation will deny us the opportunity of the moment.”

What do you think? Is all of the unrest an opportunity lost or a clarification of previously hidden (to many) challenges before us?

Oxen are work animals and the metaphor could not be clearer. We have a lot of hard work before us in 2021. Perseverance in struggle is a quality of the Ox. The Ox is also calm, going about its business with peaceful determination.

Can we expect a calmer, more diligent approach to 2021? We shall see.

For more information and to see what your potential is in 2021, click here.

Doo’s News:

Doo Consulting has survived 2020. During the early days of the pandemic, Gizmo, our Wellbeing Compliance Officer, reminded us not to stress too much. In the end, 2020 turned out okay allowing us to add a new member to our staff in November. We hope you will be able to work with Andrew Koenings in the near future. Like many, we are working remotely and are missing the company of one another. In July, we joined together for a virtual Escape Game and in October we held an in-person badminton “tournament” as this seemed like an appropriately distanced activity. But, maintaining a company culture while working remotely is a challenge. Here are a few suggestions.

Host All Hands gatherings. We conduct a Monday morning team meeting every week. This is definitely work related but we frequently start with some general conversation. It’s a chance to hear about what is going on in the office as well as to catch up with colleagues.

Send periodic Pulse Checks to see how people are doing. It has been noted that the stresses of the pandemic can affect people’s mood and morale. Internal surveys are one way to check in on your staff and are easy to conduct. We haven’t done this yet, but this is easily done with Microsoft Teams, Slack and other tools.

Send internal newsletters. For offices as small as ours, a simple email to share news such as compliments from clients, project milestones, staff accomplishments and other good news may be enough. For larger offices and companies with multiple locations, the newsletter can be an important tool in building and maintaining the company culture.

Office Activities. Our virtual Escape Game and badminton challenge was fun. Volunteering can also be a way to share values and build common experiences. Be careful! Our gathering in October was outside and less than ten people. I’m not sure I would do it now. Assess the level of risk. Follow CDC guidelines. Allow staff to opt out if they are uncomfortable.

Here are a couple links to other articles on the subject.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-maintain-company-culture-while-remote-working-5083958

https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/how-to-maintain-company-culture-with-remote-workers

AIA COTE+R Series

In the summer of 2020, in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, the AIA Baltimore COTE+R asked itself how the committee might educate itself on matters of social justice. A series of presentations having to do with the planning and design of our built environment and social and environmental justice issues evolved. In January, Peter Doo moderated a presentation on pollution, healthy housing and environmental justice. This presentation is available on the AIA Baltimore YouTube channel. On February 23rd, Peter will be moderating another presentation on Food Insecurity in Baltimore. A third presentation is being planned. All are being offered to the community at large so we can be better informed and aware of how our actions and the actions of others affect our fellow citizens and the equity and prosperity that we seek in our City.

Just

We are in the process of updating our JUST label. Shared in a previous blog, JUST is a transparency platform for organizations to disclose their operations, including how they treat their employees and where they make financial and community investments. JUST is a nutrition label for socially just and equitable organizations. Whether you choose to share your information or not, JUST is an excellent tool to evaluate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and contribute to a full Environment Social Governance (ESG) assessment.

Commitment to Climate Change and Resilience

We remain committed to our work as important to addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation. As the fires and storms of 2019 and 2020 have demonstrated, the need to adapt to an already changing climate is upon us. But, if there is any possibility that we can stem greater impacts of climate change, we must. This is not simply an environmental challenge, this is a financial and social challenge; People, Planet, Prosperity – Economy, Ecology, Equity. However one chooses to label it, we put all at risk by ignoring any of the three pillars of the sustainability triad.

“Integrating ESG practices has been shown by many studies — including ones from Bank of America, Morgan Stanley (PDF), JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank — to produce competitive or better risk-adjusted performance compared with so-called mainstream peers.”

– Julie Gorte

From the Morgan Stanley report:

“A holistic approach to sustainability—with respect to disruptive change, financial strength, environmental and social externalities and governance (also referred to as ESG)—helps us identify investment opportunities.“

Featured Project

Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School

Waldorf, MD

Owner: Charles County Public Schools

Architect: SEI Architects

MEP: Alban Engineering

CM: Scheibel Construction

The Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School is a new state-of-the-art project that included the renovation of the existing 40,383 SF existing elementary school and the construction of a new 34,895 SF on-story addition, creating a 75,278 SF community educational resource. The project included expanding and updating the core-learning spaces to a 21st Century learning environment capable of accommodating the growing student population in the area.

Providing a high-quality and modernized space for the students and administrators was the top sustainability goal. The design team utilized as much of the original Sam Mudd ES building in order to take advantage of existing infrastructure. Sitting on a 14.2-acre site, the design team was able to maximize the amount space with thoughtful consideration and placement of the new addition. This enabled the team to incorporate multiple new play areas as well as the inclusion of an outdoor science lab.

Sustainable design features include improving the building envelope performance, utilizing only LED lighting, and installing a highly efficient HVAC system, all resulting in a 38% annual energy cost savings. The team was also able to maximize natural daylight and views in classrooms; this combined with the installation of low/no VOC finishes provide an optimal indoor learning environment for students.

The project earned a LEED GOLD Certification. 

Trusting Science to Address Climate Change

in , /by

What Truths Can We Trust?

In this period of distrusting data while simultaneously facing challenges whose solutions depend on reliable data, we have a responsibility to critically consider all of the data and its sources.  The challenges we face include Covid, the economy, political divisions, social justice, and climate change. While distrust of information sources is problematic for each of these challenges, debate over the facts surrounding climate change and climate science have been simmering for decades. As the new administration in Washington turns its attention toward climate issues once again, one can be certain that these debates will re-emerge along with fake news intended to confuse the public and the policy makers. It is important that we face the climate challenge with reliable information, as the timeline is short, and the decisions we make affect the future of our communities, our economy, and our environment.

The Reality of Climate Change

Many articles have claimed that “97% of scientists agree” that climate-warming trends over the past century are due to human activities. According to a 2016 article written by a Mr. Earl Ritchie in Houston, Texas, the often cited 97% consensus among scientists is debatable. Mr. Ritchie is a retired energy executive. I liked this article because it seemed unbiased to me. In his article, Ritchie is fact-checking, rather than arguing for one side over another. Several studies are cited, including the source of the 97% statistic. He cites equally numerous results, but concludes that the majority, somewhere above 80%, of scientists agree in anthropogenic climate change. Though this audience probably doesn’t need convincing that climate change is real or human-induced, I wanted to re-establish scientific consensus as a fact for anyone who might read this blog.

Once one accepts the scientific consensus that the current warming trend in our climate is the direct result of human activity, the climate disruptions we observe and experience today can be put into that context. Now we find ourselves in a situation where we must face the science of climate change or face the consequences.

Decarbonizing Our Future

Science tells us we need to decarbonize our future. In the US, our target is to halve 2017 emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This means continuing to develop and deploy clean energy technologies, accelerating the energy efficiency of buildings, addressing agricultural emissions and deforestation.

A good summary of what needs to be done and why is presented in an article on “How to Decarbonize America and the World”. It’s a critique of the Green New Deal – but don’t let that put you off. This is a long, but good, article so make yourself comfortable before you click here. Each strategy requires an assessment of the facts and it will take more than one or two articles to be able to draw conclusions, but the overall goal of decarbonization seems well established in the scientific community. The Carbon Budget illustrated here results in a 2° C rise in global temperature. More aggressive reductions would be required to limit global warming to the Paris Climate target of 1.5° C.

In our 2020 Annual Blog, we addressed the building sector citing several actions architects and building owners should take to improve building performance. This is one of the priority actions to decarbonize our future. We continue to recommend:

  1. Performing energy models for all projects.
  2. Joining the AIA 2030 Commitment and reporting.
  3. Supporting responsible businesses.

ESG Assessments

We also encourage businesses of all types and sizes to participate in environmentally responsible practices by beginning or reviewing their Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) assessments. A Green Biz article states that “Businesses are coming to realize that integrating ESG concerns into core business and financial decisions will generate new streams of data that can be used to enhance growth and sustainability.” A few of our recommended steps for businesses undertaking an ESG assessment are:

  1. Define your vision.
  2. Identify the key performance indicators (KPI) for your industry.
  3. Prioritize, measure, and assess. No need to do everything at once.
  4. Develop a reporting framework.
  5. Set goals and align teams.
  6. Tap internal resources.
  7. Get started!

If your business is ready to take the next step to be more sustainable in 2021, Doo Consulting is here to help.

Stay Safe While Celebrating Halloween During COVID-19

in /by

2020 has been a difficult year for many families, and children all around the country are looking forward to heading outside in their Halloween costumes to trick-or-treat. While traditional Halloween activities are fun, there are small modifications you should make to make Halloween during COVID-19 safe and healthy.

Trick-or-Treating

  • Don’t make direct contact with trick-or-treaters. Instead, think about using a candy chute or other creative methods to hand out candy without getting within 6 feet of the children and families.
  • If you do hand out treats or want to see costumes while you celebrate Halloween during COVID-19, hand your treats out outdoors instead of inside of your home.
  • Set up a station with individually-bagged candy or treats so that children can take them off of the table.
  • Always wear a mask and wash your hands regularly when handing out candy.

Choosing a Costume

  • Select a costume for Halloween during COVID-19 that uses a mask as part of the costume by decorating a cloth mask or choosing a character that already wears a mask.
  • Don’t layer a costume mask or rubber mask over a cloth mask, as it might make it difficult to breathe properly.
  • Any children under the age of 2 should not wear masks when trick-or-treating outdoors.

Celebrate Halloween During COVID-19 While Social Distancing

  • If your neighborhood is not trick-or-treating or you are uncomfortable doing so, start new traditions like decorating your home for Halloween or carving pumpkins as a family. The traditions that you start on Halloween during COVID-19 might even become a part of your life after!
  • Take a walk around your neighborhood to enjoy all of the festive Halloween decorations from a distance.
  • Is there a pick-your-own orchard or pumpkin patch nearby? Take a visit and enjoy fun fall festivities outdoors.
  • Check your local haunted houses and outdoor events to see if they are still operating. Many traditional haunted houses have converted to drive-thru attractions this year that allow you to still get scared but keep you safe in your car and at least 6 feet from all performers and other guests.
  • If your children want to get dressed up but you don’t want the risk of spending time with other families and your neighbors, host a costume parade in your own home! Come up with prizes, like Most Creative Costume or Funniest Costume and give out small rewards, like Halloween candy or a gift card for a favorite online store.

The “Green” Stuff

  • Trick-or-Treat Bags. Use (and decorate) household items to collect candy in. A bucket, pillowcase, or old even an old bag can be decorated inexpensively at home – and reused year after year.
  • Pumpkins. Buy pumpkins from local farms or farmers’ markets. Better yet, grow your own — kids love to watch them grow!
  • Jack-o-lanterns. Don’t throw away all the goodies from inside your pumpkin. Toast the seeds for tasty treats. Make pumpkin pie or muffins with the fruit – or compost it.
  • Transportation. Trick or Treat by walking around your neighborhood instead of driving to another destination. Get to know your neighbors, reduce your carbon emissions and help keep the streets safe for other walkers.
  • Compost and Recycle. From party food to treats to pumpkins, consider composting all organic matter and recycling other items.
  • Reuse! Reuse as much as you can from year to year. Instead of throwing away an old box or bag, use it to gather all your decorations and keep for next year. Plus, you can surprise your family and friends by quickly pulling out your box and throwing an impromptu Halloween party any time of year!

With All That’s Happening in 2020, Let’s Not Forget About Climate Change

in /by
Source: https://mackaycartoons.net/2020/03/18/wednesday-march-11-2020/

2020 has been an incredibly challenging year in many different ways—sustaining personal relationships with those we cannot safely see in person, working remotely, and coping with radical changes to our communities and our world. Unfortunately, in the midst of these changes, we are constantly reminded of another critical concern—climate change. Fires in the West, hurricane Laura in the Gulf, extreme flooding in Afghanistan, Sudan and China, and a heat wave in the Arctic are attributed, at least in part, to climate change.

Great Challenge Means Great Opportunity

In 2020, 1% of the globe is so hot that it’s barely livable. By 2070, that number could rocket to 19%. While those numbers are scary, they also present us with tremendous opportunities to alter our path and change the future of our world. One of the most remarkable developments in the wake of COVID-19 was seeing firsthand the radical impact that dramatically lowering our carbon emissions can have. Global emissions for 2020 are predicted to drop by 4% – 7%, even accounting for the gradual reopening of activity and commerce for the remainder of the year. But, what will the global recovery look like? In the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, “Let me be clear: There will be a difficult debate about the allocation of funds. But it is important that recovery programs always keep an eye on the climate, we must not sideline climate but invest in climate technologies.”

Remember the Mission in Combating Climate Change

Green building has come a long way over the last two decades and, from an energy perspective, continues in its progress toward zero energy and zero carbon in the years to come. Meanwhile, health and wellness has been the emerging building metric of the last five years. The global pandemic has elevated the attention paid to these standards; however, focusing on these standards distracts, somewhat, the attention needed to address climate change. Ironically, it can be argued that it is the changing climate, as much as anything, that is exacerbating our health with increasing temperatures, longer asthma seasons, and higher insect populations.  We cannot allow climate change to take a backseat in policy or in people’s minds.  Time is already too short.

We know that there are many things occurring at once right now and it’s difficult to prioritize all of them, but we are here to help you make your business wellness-focused, socially just and environmentally conscious.

We Can Change the Fate of Our World, Now

The world has been at a tipping point for a decade, at least.  The effects of climate change have gone from minor to dramatic. Some changes may soon be permanent if they aren’t already.  With renewable energy costs now cheaper than fossil fuels, a carbon free future is within our grasp. Our government, on both sides of the aisle, talk of the importance and need to invest in infrastructure. Investing in our energy infrastructure addresses climate change, energy affordability, public health and a myriad of other potential issues such as climate migration.

Progress is happening globally and, within the US, in red and blue states alike. Did you know that seventy percent of new electricity generation installed in the world is clean energy, in California solar energy plus storage is cheaper than natural gas, Texas has the most installed wind energy in the US and that DFW (Dallas Fort Worth) is the first carbon neutral airport in the country and the largest carbon neutral airport in the world?

Let’s not take our eyes off the ball. We must continue to focus on climate change solutions even while addressing health, equity and the economy. I’m confident that we can walk and chew gum at the same time, but we need to remember where we are going.