AIA 2030 Commitment By the Numbers: Renewable Energy

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{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/showcases\/6526940-aia-2030-commitment-by-the-numbers-embodie"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/resources\/6526864-aia-2030-commitment-by-the-numbers-report-","target","_new"]]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"AIA 2030 By the Numbers (RY2021)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The AIA 2030 Commitment program offers architects a way to publicly show their dedication and track progress toward a carbon-neutral future. Explore the pages to learn about the annual performance of the architecture and design community toward its goal of carbon neutral buildings by 2030."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Go to the next section of the report: Embodied Carbon \u003E "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Return to the By the Numbers report page \u003E"]]]]}

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As the pEUI target of the 2030 Commitment has ramped up, the need to add renewable energy to projects has crystallized.

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Overland Partners' Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (rendering above) boasts a 5% net positive energy, with a 600kw solar array. Read the case study to learn more about their commitment to renewable energy in climate efforts within projects.

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[{"image_id":"6564700","caption":"There was a significant jump of total projects reporting renewables from 775 in 2020 to 1,405 to 2021. "},{"image_id":"6564702","caption":"Total GSF reporting for renewables jumped from 144.5m in 2020 to 300.8m in 2021. "},{"image_id":"6564705","caption":"A vast majority of projects reported photovoltaic (1,247 count) as their renewable energy option. "},{"image_id":"6564707","caption":"The highest number of projects reporting renewable energy by use type were multi-family residential (337) following by single-family residential (260) and then office (237). "},{"image_id":"6564710","caption":"Only 6.8% of projects reported using renewable energy options in 2021. "}]

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2030 Commitment, energy efficiency, Progress Report, energy saving, energy reduction, Design Data Exchange, Predicted Energy Use Intensity, pEUI, 2022 By the Numbers report

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[{"body":{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Use either on-site or off-site renewable energy"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As the pEUI target of the 2030 Commitment has ramped up, the need to add renewable energy to projects has crystallized. Once projects have reduced predicted energy use intensity (pEUI) as much as possible, renewables are necessary to reach net zero or net positive terrain. And we\u2019ll need more and more renewables as 2030, with its net zero target, approaches. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Additionally, buildings that have renewable energy paired with electric or thermal energy storage can actually help clean up the grid. That\u2019s because they can reduce grid stress during peak times, preventing the need for utility companies to power up dirty \u201cpeaker plants.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Even if a building owner isn\u2019t interested in, or can\u2019t afford, renewables right away, it\u2019s vital to ensure they can be added later. A \u201crenewable-ready\u201d building has design elements that make it easy to add renewables after construction. For example, optimizing building orientation, roof design, and electrical systems can ease the cost of adding solar photovoltaics (PV) and can improve PV performance in the future."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Fortunately, there are multiple ways to add and pay for renewable energy."]]],[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"On-site options include solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind turbine, heat pump, geothermal, micro-hydroelectric, and biomass."]],[[0,[],0,"Off-site options include virtual power purchase agreements, direct ownership of an off-site system, purchase of unbundled renewable energy certificates (RECs), joining a long-term community renewable program, renewable energy investment fund, direct access to wholesale markets, and green retail tariffs. But buyer, beware! It\u2019s important to verify additionality, meaning that the building owner is purchasing renewable power that would not have existed otherwise."]]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"PV isn\u2019t the only game in town, and the DDx also allows users to report on wind, micro-hydro, and several other renewable energy sources. Yet, today, solar remains the most commonly reported type of renewable energy, with on-site solar PV representing 88.7% of the projects reporting renewable energy in 2021."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In 2021, 1,405 projects totaling 300 million square feet reported using renewable energy, a 81.2% increase in the number of projects and 108.1% increase in gross square footage . Of these, 1,335 projects used on-site renewables, 143 projects used off-site renewables, and 87 used both."]]]]},"title":"Renewable Energy"},{"body":{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Sustainability for everyone: Overland Partners"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cWe didn\u2019t know exactly how we were going to get there, but there was a values alignment,\u201d said John Byrd, AIA, of Overland Partners\u2019 decision to sign on to the 2030 Commitment in 2014. As director of design performance at the firm, Byrd takes the 2030 Commitment very seriously."]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThe first couple years were very influential,\u201d Byrd noted. \u201cIt forced us to adopt energy modeling across the office; this challenged our intuitions and made us better designers and architects all around.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"But as the thresholds went up over time, \u201cwe realized that efficiency alone wasn\u2019t going to get us there: we were going to need renewables in as many projects as possible.\u201d Since that realization, the firm has pushed for net zero and net positive performance on a large number of projects."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Sometimes that has meant convincing clients whose values may not fully align with the 2030 Commitment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"On one residential project, the client expressed skepticism about climate change. \u201cThis was not the obvious client for pitching solar or any other traditional sustainability criteria,\u201d said Byrd. \u201cBut if we believe it\u2019s for everybody, it needs truly to be for everybody.\u201d Thus, the conversation focused on things the client cared about\u2014energy independence and return on investment. \u201cWe were able to make it one of the most sustainable private residences we\u2019ve ever designed,\u201d Byrd noted. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cWith regard to sustainability, we truly believe there\u2019s something for everyone,\u201d Byrd added. \u201cThe earlier on you start, the better. Make it integral to what your clients are trying to accomplish.\u0022"]]]]},"title":"Case Study"},{"body":{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/resources\/6381389-architects-primer-on-renewable-energy","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/aiau.aia.org\/courses\/aia2030-online-series-course-8-role-renewable-energy","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/showcases\/6076709-design-for-energy","target","_blank"]]],"sections":[[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"Explore the "],[0,[0],1,"Architect\u2019s Primer on Renewable Energy"],[0,[],0," for a starter guide on how to leverage on-site and off-site renewable energy in your projects. "]],[[0,[],0,"Learn how to employ renewable energy at the project and portfolio-scale in "],[0,[1],1,"Course 8"],[0,[],0," of the AIA+2030 Online Certificate Program focused on the role of renewable energy. "]],[[0,[],0,"Browse through the Framework for Design Excellence\u2019s "],[0,[2],1,"Design for Energy"],[0,[],0," principle to understand how projects can integrate renewable energy and why renewable-ready design can be pursued for future on-site renewables. "]]]]]},"title":"Resources"}]

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{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Download "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Looking for additional data analysis talking points? Check out our supplemental PowerPoint for the 2021 reporting period."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Coming soon!"]]]]}

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{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["strong"]],"sections":[[3,"ul",[[[0,[0],1,"1,405 projects "],[0,[],0,"were reported with renewable energy in reporting year 2021, an increase of"],[0,[0],1," 81.3%"],[0,[],0," above 2020. In total, 6.8% of projects reported in 2021 included at least one kind of renewable energy. "]],[[0,[],0,"Gross square footage reported in 2021 increased "],[0,[0],1,"108.1%"],[0,[],0," from 2020, totaling"],[0,[0],1," 300,792,682 "],[0,[],0,"gross square feet. "],[0,[0],1,"8.3% "],[0,[],0,"of all gross square footage reported in 2021 included renewable energy. "]],[[0,[0],1,"95%"],[0,[],0," of projects that reported renewable energy in 2021 used on-site renewable energy and "],[0,[0],1,"almost 89%"],[0,[],0," used on-site solar photovoltaics. "]]]]]}

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