I have always been passionate about the environment. I channeled that into my 20 years of work as an architect in Chicago, always trying to find ways to make choices that positively affected the environment while simultaneously helping my client and the end-user of the building. I was fortunate enough to work on the first LEED Gold high-rise residential building in Chicago in 2008, and from there I became a resource for my peers.
When my colleague at Wight & Company retired a couple years ago, it created an opportunity for me to step out of my role as full-time architect and part-time sustainability leader into a full-time role as sustainability leader and advocate through the entire project life cycle through Wight’s integrated "Design Led Design Build" approach.
Which sustainability trends are the hottest among your clients right now?
Wellness and Net Zero. Over the last few years, everyone has become more aware of how much time we spend indoors and of how our indoor environment can affect how we feel – physically and mentally. Improving all aspects of human health in the design and construction of our building can improve productivity, employee retention and even test scores.
We are also seeing that more clients want their projects to achieve Net Zero energy. The reality is that when you build a well-insulated, efficient building that uses renewable energy, you are also making a healthier, more comfortable environment for the building user. The two goals complement each other.
What return on investment can be expected from implementing sustainable design?
Sustainability offers so many benefits. If the question is purely financial, now is an excellent time to upgrade your business, or your home, to include energy efficiency equipment and/or solar panels. The Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits (and direct pay credits for non-tax paying entities) for many different upgrades. The biggest credit is for clean electricity with systems such as solar panels or geothermal receiving a 30% credit for the full cost of the system, including installation.
For solar, you can combine that credit with money from the Illinois Shines program and ComEd incentives. If you are a tax-paying entity, we are seeing payback of less than 5 years. If you don’t pay taxes, you cannot deduct depreciation, so pay-back is closer to 6 years. Buildings designed with higher levels of sustainability are in higher demand, which is shortening lease-up times. It is also helpful for companies looking to attract employees, as so many young professionals are looking for companies committed to sustainability and wellness. And I will reiterate the return of investment in the form of human health and comfort. When people feel happy or comfortable in a space, your business will thrive. Read more in this new blog.
What does the future of sustainability look like?
Sustainability measures will move from optional to required. As we continue to see the mounting costs of climate risk, meeting code is not going to be good enough. Sustainability is not equivalent to resiliency, but the techniques used to make a building more resilient from heatwaves, storms, and flooding are closely aligned with sustainable measures that we implement to keep people comfortable. In the Midwest, we are not immune to climate risk, so making sure we are staying ahead of the unknown is key to protecting our communities. I can’t say it enough – building performance and wellness are interconnected.
