By: Jesse Walton, AIA and Daniel Overbey, AIA
The 2030 By the Numbers: AIA’s 2030 Commitment Reporting Year 2024 Summary has officially been released. This year’s data shows significant increases in both quantity and performance—a hopeful sign for signatory firms. Readers will also note that for projects in reporting year 2024, there was a notable jump to a 56% pEUI reduction—the highest pEUI percent reduction in the program’s 16-year history—and a six-percentage point increase from the infamous 50% pEUI reduction plateau experienced since 2019.
What accounts for this big step forward?
Our team has been asking ourselves this question and digging into the data for months. We note the influence of multiple factors contributing to this six-point jump in pEUI reduction, including:
- Higher performing energy codes. The latest editions of model codes and standards, such as the the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, prompt projects to exceed 50% pEUI reduction and these editions have been adopted by an increasing number of states.
- Energy modeling leveraged as a design assist tool. Although the percentage of projects using energy modeling is declining slowly, data shows that leveraging such tools markedly boosts project performance. In 2024, energy-modeled projects performed, on average, 7% better than non-modeled projects.
- Non-U.S. based projects show greater EUI reduction percentages. Projects reported outside of the U.S. make up more than a third of the whole-building data, with China and Canada following the U.S. in number of reported projects and gross square footage.
- More projects are reporting using renewable energy. In 2024, the total reported project square footage incorporating renewables increased by 123 million square feet.
Going Beyond the Numbers with Architecture 2030
This year’s 2030 By The Numbers report also takes a deeper dive into the reported data with contributions from AIA 2030 Commitment institutional partner, Architecture 2030. With momentous action needed to prevent the worst emissions scenarios, Architecture 2030 provides further insights that showcase progress in and beyond the commitment’s numbers and help guide action in both practice and policy toward the collective goals of the program.
Help us welcome your incoming 2030 Working Group Co-Chair!
Jacob Werner, AIA is a Principal at Ellenzweig, in Boston. Jacob has devoted his career to designing intuitive environments for scientific discovery. He focuses on creating beautiful, inspiring workplaces and learning spaces.
Jacob is passionate about sustainable design and design research. He has authored research papers and spoken at national conferences. His recent research efforts include "Low Carbon Labs", a Perkins & Will Innovation Incubator project about reducing embodied carbon in lab design. Jacob also teaches architectural design at the Boston Architectural College and is the recipient of several academic fellowships. Outside the studio, you are likely to find him swimming, kayaking, or hiking his way through New England with his wife and children.
We are thrilled and fortunate to welcome Jacob as our incoming 2025-2026 Working Group Co-Chair!
Looking for more information? Just ask.
The 2030 Commitment Working Group is ready to serve as a resource. If our team can help in any way, please reach out to us at 2030commitment@aia.org