START AT ZERO: Adapt Your Target Mindset to Meet and Exceed EUI (and Other) Goals
By Kira Gould, Hon. AIA, and Barbra BatShalom, Assoc. AIA
In recent years, Energy Use Intensity (EUI) has emerged as an important metric for high-performing buildings. Indeed, the median benchmarks, which vary by use and building type, are helpful markers against which to measure progress. But many architects and project teams are settling for “good” EUI targets, and therefore losing out on opportunities to achieve much, much better results.
We all know that setting the target is the first step. But it’s also true that aiming high gets you the farthest (ask any coach in any sport). In the team sport of architecture and construction, the same idea holds true. To achieve an EUI of X you need to aim for something far higher. There is a radical difference between a mindset that aims for zero versus aiming for a “reasonable” or “achievable” EUI. If we truly want to address climate change through design, we need to get beyond minimal, incremental steps. We need to be audacious and drive for excellence. Excellence, when it comes to EUI, is zero.
We see the best results from teams that begin with the focus on becoming a zero energy building (one that harvests enough renewable energy on site to supply its energy needs), a net zero energy building (one that harvests or procures through verifiable offsets enough renewable energy to supply its energy needs), or even a zero carbon building (one that harvests or procures enough carbon-free renewable energy to meet building operations energy needs).
Starting at zero and using EUI as the “ceiling” (rather than the floor, or starting point) is an effective tactic to engage clients and help them see benefits that they wouldn't have considered otherwise, especially when sustainability and performance goals were not client/owner-defined priorities. People don’t make decisions based on objective data alone, no matter what we all think, our decisions are driven by emotions (think of example of aesthetics – a client sees a marble whatever and they have to have it). You can’t elicit an emotional reaction with descriptions, case studies or information – people respond most to concrete and tangible things. When you show a client specifically what it takes to achieve the top of the line, most excellent outcome – and they can see what it takes, they are not likely to say “100% design me a net zero carbon building” but they are likely to see key specifics and lock on to them. We all know that when clients really want something, they will hold on to that even when costs are more than they anticipated. Your job is to make them fall in love with not only the amazing design but also with the value of performance it delivers.
If you ask a client if they want a zero carbon or zero energy building – chances are you’ll hear a hard “no” (because they didn’t come to you asking for that). But you can -- and should -- show them what you recommend, just like you do (day in and day out) with compelling aesthetics. This is, after all, your role and responsibility.
The best way to do this is in the first opportunity where you are sharing your design approach, at the point when you’ve locked in the program, massing and parti, with preliminary direction for building systems. You present what they asked for (code compliant, better than code, targeted EUI, LEED or other rating system level) and then show them the higher-performing option. You can frame it this way: “As we put this together, we realized that the gap between our current approach and net zero isn’t that big, Net zero would provide you with more value for your investment (in specific ways that you can illustrate), so we wanted to show you what that looks like so you have all the information at hand to make a decision. There may be aspects of this version that you really like.” There is a small risk on your end (spending time to do this) but keep it light and fast in how you present it so that your client doesn’t feel like you went off on a wild goose chase for something they didn’t ask for, and that they will be billed for.
This assumes several things. It assumes that your design process is based on integrative design principles, that you have the input from key consultants sufficiently early in the process to have critical information to make this presentation, and that your consultants have the capabilities and experience you need. It also assumes that you are an internally driven design firm, meaning you’ve decided what design excellence means and have developed your best practices that are synonymous with the quality you deliver to your client (and not just a reactive firm that uses, “But my client didn’t ask for it” as the justification to not try). This is a characteristic that is common to all of the 27 firms who successfully achieved the AIA 2030 Commitment targets of 70%: they are internally driven and not reactive. The good news is that these issues are things you should be addressing if you want to deliver design excellence and be competitive.
There are two different ways to get started. Either you can begin, independent of any specific project and proactively reach out to the key consultants you trust and internal team to align them with your commitment to pursue net zero and spend an hour or two to plan what each person needs to know and do in order to be able to create a ‘template’ or methodology to do this quick, high-level analysis. This approach might be best if you know that your consultants have the same level of commitment as you, and want to be able to leverage these efforts in your marketing and biz dev. Or, you might want to use a real project as a guinea pig – even if you know you can’t bill for some of this time. It should be minimal as everyone is putting together the base case and the alternative is a variation on that. You want to do this as early on in design as possible, in part because at a high level, you are really aiming for buy-in to the direction and in part because you don’t want to spend a lot of time on it if the client isn’t paying for it (yet). Early on, keep your approach at a high level.
Of course, the best option is a client that is willing to pay for this analysis, and ideally one that asked for it from the beginning – and instead of only doing it for them, you have an eye towards using the experience to create that template or methodology so you can be fast doing it for clients who haven’t asked for it. The fastest way to get this done is together, in a meeting (two hours should be sufficient if your consultants are savvy). Like a mini-charrette, you can dive in, quickly work together to play out the “what if” and put together that example to show the client. Keep in mind, it certainly helps if you’ve done your homework and engaged the client in dialogue to really dig into their interests – what really matters to them, what keeps them up at night, what gives them joy – so that you can frame the alternative option in response to their interests and not just from your perspective. For example, large companies would welcome understanding how the design will deliver on their ESG goals, or how they will support workforce wellness. Organizations that are in competitive labor markets will appreciate aspects of the project that address attraction and retention.
Another tactic that is both part of understanding the client’s interests and building your case (inside their head) for your future recommendations, is to follow AIA’s approach for resilient design. In your early baseline efforts, before or during programming, asking your clients what the vulnerabilities and hazards might be, what they want to protect (both people and assets) and what level of stability they need (tolerance for ‘down time’ in a company – business continuity, or passive survivability; days of comfort with no power, etc.) then you are already building a set of design guidance that anchors any future efforts in a very pragmatic, relatable context from the client perspective. You can do this without even using the words “resilient” or “sustainable” design. Once you have built these foundations, you have more tools available to you to prime the client to be open to hearing your alternative design approach and seeing the value it provides.
A version of this article appears on AIA California's website, What You Can Do Now, about climate action in architecture.
Kira Gould, Hon. AIA, LEED AP, is a writer, strategist, and convener dedicated to advancing design leadership and climate action. She is a Senior Fellow with Architecture 2030 and serves on the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment national leadership group (which she chaired in 2007). Through Kira Gould CONNECT, she provides strategic communications for leaders and firms. Kira co-authored Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design (2007) with the late Lance Hosey, and is today the co-host of the Design the Future podcast with Lindsay Baker.
Barbra BatShalom, Assoc. AIA, is CEO of the Sustainable Performance Institute. With a background in social psychology, architecture, and 20+ years of sustainability consulting, Barba brings a unique perspective engaging the human dynamics of decision-making and creative collaboration to technical work. She works with local governments, corporations and institutions to create policies and programs that require green building and net zero communities and helps companies all over the world to institutionalize sustainability and improve performance and profitability. She works with companies of all sizes to set new goals, develop strategies and implement change management initiatives to move them from engaging in random acts of sustainability to the highest levels of success and effectiveness.