Sustainability

As an organization, we are committed to practicing with a clear focus on equity, inclusivity, sustainability, and civic engagement.

How can retail brands seize the moment and reinvent themselves?

We asked the UMass Amherst Dining Services team to share their thoughts, feedback, and statistics on the modern-day Hampshire Dining Commons.

As an organization, we are committed to practicing with a clear focus on equity, inclusivity, sustainability, and civic engagement.

The predominant takeaway from EuroShop 2023 is that the future of design is rooted in sustainability.

The passionate locals of Petaluma called upon us to help them achieve their goal of becoming a more accessible “15-minute city,” where every resident can access most of their daily necessities within a 15-minute walk or bike ride.

A new social responsibility mission statement that reinforces giving forward as a core part of our design collaborative.

Building waste accounts for a staggering 35-40% of worldwide waste in landfills, and carbon emissions from both building erection and deconstruction are increasing. These factors can be daunting when considering whether the design profession is an active or passive player- in the unending game we play each day with environmental management.

Sustainable design is no longer just a desirable expertise, it is a necessity and an integral part of everything we do together. It is no longer an option for designers - it's an ethical imperative.

Senior Associate Rachel Lanzafame discusses options for improving food waste management, as our team is working together to collectively share business strategies for coping with the COVID-19 crisis, recovering from it, and planning for the future beyond it.

This post is part of an ongoing series from Principal Mike Davis, FAIA on our progress toward the AIA 2030 Commitment.

This post is part of an ongoing series from Principal Mike Davis, FAIA on our progress toward the AIA 2030 Commitment.

This post is part of an ongoing series from Principal Mike Davis, FAIA on our progress toward the AIA 2030 Commitment.

Everyone’s talking about infrastructure these days. It has somehow become our national “common ground” topic. Hard to argue against fixing roads and bridges, right?

My partner and I recently spent four days knocking on doors in Charlotte, North Carolina working to get out the vote just before the 2016 Presidential election. And you know how that story ended. But what’s relevant here is what happened along the way.

“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say ‘thank you’. In between, the leader is a servant.”

Here’s a fun fact for you: According to the 2014 AIA Firm Survey report (sorry, no hyperlink, you have to buy it), 79% of AIA Member firms have less than 10 employees. Recognizing this, the AIA has a Small Firms Roundtable knowledge community and a whole online Small Firms Resource Center with practice tools, contract and insurance information, and links to sustainability resources to serve these members.

If you have commitment issues, the thought of going “all in” with another person could give you the shakes. For some peripatetic people, the grass over there always looks greener. Some sorry folks have torched a few too many bridges in their lives.

Dee Spiro, LEED AP BD+C and O+M, GGP, Associate and Director of Sustainability at Bergmeyer, contributed to Retail Environments Globalshop Products Preview issue with her thoughts on sustainability and optimizing energy efficiency in big box retailer stores. Read Dee’s analysis below:

“It’s great that the firm’s senior leaders are so committed to sustainable design. But it’s hard to see how I connect to that mission in my day-to-day work.”

I started writing this blog just over four years ago on a dare. I accepted a challenge, and my part of the bargain was to write regularly about my design firm, Bergmeyer, and our adoption of the AIA 2030 Commitment. Seventy-two posts later, I’m still volunteering for big, hairy, audacious challenges. Still haven’t learned.

A recent Bergmeyer project epitomizes environmental and social responsibility. Designed for Jeff Kinney, author of the Wimpy Kid books, and his wife, Julie, the project has had a significant impact on the community and the local economy.

As a signatory to the 2030 Challenge and the AIA 2030 Commitment, Bergmeyer is always seeking ways to reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint of our projects.

Greetings from Herring Cove Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The only place in the Northeast USA where you can watch the sun set in the west over the ocean. Or something like that.

Were you in Atlanta for the 2015 AIA Convention? About 18,000 people attended, plus exhibitors. It was huge. I coulda missed you.

This was the title of a recent article in the Washington Post. The story included a chart of 100 different college majors ranked by median lifetime earnings in millions of dollars. Architecture was around number 26, just ahead of Political Science. The top nine majors: all Engineering.

I own a small car. It’s a 4-cyilynder with a 6-speed standard transmission and front-wheel drive. And a roof rack for my skis.

Bergmeyer’s commitment to sustainable design and environmental stewardship drives our desire to track energy and water use data in order to provide feedback on our existing projects and to increase the performance of future projects. Data tracking allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of the project’s design elements and sustainable strategies. This post occupancy evaluation focuses on the Eustis Street Fire House, a historic structure from 1859, comparing its predicted performance with actual data measurements in energy, water, and GHG emissions.

A Neil Armstrong moment: That’s when you realize that some unremarkable event is actually the result of a long, arduous, and purposeful process.

I am frequently reminded of the difference between skepticism and cynicism. A certain amount of skepticism is necessary to form an honest critical evaluation. Be skeptical when you must. But avoid cynicism. It erodes objectivity.

Here it comes again. New Year’s Day. Time to press the reset button and set noble and ambitious goals for 2015.