What's Cool in Sustainability for February 2025
CannonDesign
We design solutions that help people continuously flourish. Living-Centered Design is how we do it.
The past few weeks were overshadowed by the devastating Los Angeles Fires, which are the third largest in California history, but could be the most expensive given the areas damaged.?Climate change made the fires 35 percent more likely, climate scientists say.
For architects, we look at this through the lens of design and passive survivability, with stories like this, this and this, showcasing how design saved certain homes from destruction.
Efforts to rebuild are already underway, but it will be a massive undertaking.?The cost to rebuild could be over $250 billion. This could be a chance to reimagine how to build resilient, regenerative and remarkable communities.
This is also shining a light on how the insurance industry is not equipped to handle the climate crisis, especially as climate change could erase $1.4 trillion in real estate value.
The full environmental impact of the fires remains to be known, but airborne particulates soared during the fires, and all of the plastic and toxins have melted into a larger problem.?Ironically, the wildfires made worse by climate change added even more climate pollution into the atmosphere.
For this month, we’ve compiled a selection of updates, resources, news and more that all of you will find relevant to design work.
As part of CannonDesign's goal to make every project reach net-zero energy, cut embodied carbon and have a healthy material strategy, we’ve also included important updates on how you can get more involved — so please read on. If you have any questions about how sustainability can help deliver better results, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Director of Sustainability, Eric Corey Freed, RA, LEED Fellow.
Countdown to 2030: Architecture and planning beyond politics
Architecture 2030 Founder Ed Mazria shares his hopeful look at the years ahead of our 2030 deadline.
LEED recertification is easier than you think
Daniel Overbey shares why getting old LEED projects re-certified under LEED is a good thing for the occupants and building owners.
State laboratories: On the frontline of a healthier future
State labs play a crucial role in protecting public health, advancing testing methods and protocols and swiftly responding to public health crises.
Innovative materials turning buildings into massive carbon sinks
Storing carbon dioxide in common construction materials could help address climate change goals, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis and Stanford University. Because of the very large amount of concrete produced worldwide every year, incorporating carbon into concrete would be especially impactful.
The rise of the net-zero dad
Middle-aged men care less about the problem of carbon emissions. But they love the solution.
Large companies in New York may have to report their climate emissions
Following in the footsteps of California, New York introduced a new climate reporting bill,?Senate Bill S3456, to establish an climate corporate data accountability act.
64 sustainability certifications to advance your career in 2025
Want to demonstrate your expertise? Consider these professional certifications across 10 areas of sustainability.
Refrigeration hasn't changed in 70 years- this breakthrough is changing everything
A breakthrough in thermogalvanic refrigeration could make cooling cheaper and greener by optimizing electrochemical reactions, boosting efficiency and expanding its practical use.
Structural engineers getting to zero
Created by the Structural Engineering Institute, the SE 2050 Commitment (structural engineers eliminating the embodied carbon in their projects by 2050) published their 2024 annual report. CannonDesign was an early signatory to SE2050.
Reach out
Have a question about energy, carbon or health materials? Feel free to reach out to the sustainability team at CannonDesign:
"Reimagining The Built Environment As a team of interdisciplinary experts in the built environment, we ensure real estate owners and occupiers invest wisely. We are committed to a radically better world for all."
1 天前I love your newsletters Eric Corey Freed, RA, LEED Fellow! Impactful and actionable.