Sustainability in Action: Net Positive Challenge Inspires Bold Solutions

The economy’s buildings and construction sector accounts for a staggering 37% of global CO² emissions, which means that sector represents a massive area of opportunity for decarbonization.

In addition to reducing buildings’ operational carbon emissions, those stemming from heating, cooling and lighting, the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industry must also mitigate embodied emissions that originate from the design, production and deployment of materials such as cement, steel and aluminum. 

澳门足彩app’s Net Positive Challenge charged the company’s design-builders with reimagining a structure’s construction and operation.

The simulated design initiative, launched in early 2024, explored how buildings can generate more energy than they consume throughout their build process and operational lifecycle while improving the environment and enhancing human well-being. Spearheaded by Vice President and Chief Architect Alan Wilson, Design & Consulting Operations President Frank Mangin and Sustainability Manager Tom Warner, the initiative addressed these challenges holistically while positioning 澳门足彩app at the forefront of sustainable design.

A Sandbox Project

The Challenge introduced a fictional corporate identity, “Echoed Bays,” led by equally fictional senior leadership – “Dr. Max Builderman (Mangin), “Art Funk” (Wilson),” and “Leo Green” (Warner) – that sought proposals for a two-story East Coast headquarters office building in Alachua County, Florida. The layer of levity encouraged presenters to address their company seniors as clients.

As a sandbox project, the challenge freed teams from the constraints of client-driven projects, enabling them to experiment with innovative ideas and generate actionable solutions. At the same time, it provided emerging leaders with opportunities to tackle sustainability challenges collaboratively and develop leadership skills.

Senior Design Manager Nihal Alwakeel was Project Manager for the Challenge and worked with the leadership team to define six focus areas that would provide a comprehensive framework:

• Energy: Reducing energy use and incorporating renewable sources to achieve a net-positive impact.
• Water: Minimizing consumption, enhancing reuse systems and protecting water quality.
• Materials: Selecting low-impact materials by evaluating embodied carbon, sourcing locally and avoiding harmful substances, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and red-listed chemicals.
• Carbon: Cutting operational and embodied emissions to align with net-positive goals.
• Ecological Impact: Protecting biodiversity, integrating green spaces and reducing ecosystem disruptions.
• Human Health: Improving air quality, maximizing natural lighting and enhancing occupant comfort to support well-being.

Download the PDF to discover the details of how the Net Positive Challenge project goes beyond avoiding negative impacts and actively contributes in six focus areas: Energy, Carbon, Water, Materials, Ecological Impact and Human Impact.

New Partners, New Tools

In the initial phase, team members submitted concepts for sustainable solutions using Brightidea, a software platform for managing ideas and innovations. This process identified numerous individuals with a vested interest in sustainable innovations. From that pool, the first participants were offered a role in the challenge.

“We typically use the Brightidea platform for innovative concepts and pitches involving Dysruptek, our innovation and investment arm,” Mangin said. “But we knew an open invitation to submit concepts for sustainability would lead us to personally invested individuals. From there, we assessed which less-experienced team members had the potential to lead. This wasn’t just a design challenge but an exercise in leadership and collaboration for our rising talent.”

Participants from more than a dozen 澳门足彩app offices worldwide volunteered their time to form eight teams necessary for a standard design project: architecture, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, systems and operations, electrical engineering, interior design, civil engineering and landscape architecture.

Teams adopted new and advanced tools, including Autodesk extensions such as Insight / Green Building Studio for energy and environmental performance simulation and Tally for carbon footprint analysis. Design teams also used Sustainable Minds transparency catalog to select sustainable building materials and finishes.

Consistent communication, structured workflows, collaborative platforms and regular check-ins helped participants collaborate across disciplines and overcome geographic distances and wide-ranging time zones.

“Everyone showed great commitment and was willing to take time out of their busy schedules to contribute to the project,” said Kevin Vazquez, Structural Engineer Team Lead. “Since it was all volunteer hours, things felt more meaningful; everyone did this because they cared. To see that passion from across the offices was inspiring. No thought was too outlandish, and that created an environment of trust and eased the collaborative process.”

Engaging Ideas and Opportunities

Personal interests motivated many team members. For Lucas McCutcheon, the electrical team lead, his passion for reducing light pollution and optimizing natural light became an added focus of his team’s efforts.

“Our team used Green Building Studio to model daylighting strategies that balanced energy efficiency with occupant well-being,” McCutcheon said. “By incorporating advanced lighting controls and strategically positioning photovoltaic arrays, we minimized artificial lighting while maximizing natural daylight. We achieved a 15% energy surplus and significantly reduced the building’s impact on surrounding ecosystems through thoughtful light pollution mitigation.”

After several months, the challenge culminated in a formal presentation where each team showcased their findings and final designs.

Teams displayed virtual models, data visualizations and detailed environmental impact assessments. For example, the architecture team improved the building’s thermal efficiency by 18% using triple-pane low-emissivity (Low-E) glass and bio-based materials, compared to conventional single- or double-pane glass and synthetic materials, which are less efficient at reducing heat transfer and energy loss. The interior design team achieved a 23% reduction in embodied carbon by substituting high-impact conventional materials with reclaimed wood, recycled aluminum, and low-VOC finishes. The electrical team showcased its net-positive energy system, which achieved a 15% energy surplus while addressing light pollution through advanced daylighting strategies and efficient lighting controls.

The architecture team improved the building’s thermal efficiency by 18% using high-performance glazing and bio-based materials for the façade, while the interior design team achieved a 23% reduction in embodied carbon with reclaimed wood, recycled aluminum, and low-VOC finishes. The electrical team showcased their net-positive energy system, which achieved a 15% energy surplus while addressing light pollution.

“Each team delivered thoughtful, actionable solutions backed by robust data and formed a design they totaled to a net positive outcome,” Wilson said. “They demonstrated that the goal was not only attainable, but they did it on a tight deadline while learning a new suite of tools and systems.”

Embedding Net Positive Principles

The consensus from leadership was overwhelmingly positive. Several solutions, such as using reclaimed materials in interiors and photovoltaic strategies for energy optimization, were flagged as concepts for integration into standard operations.

“The Net Positive Challenge gave us a glimpse of what’s possible when we align our tools, processes, and people toward a shared vision,” Mangin said. “Now, we’re consolidating the lessons learned into resources like sustainability guides and case studies to ensure these insights shape our future projects. This effort is about embedding Net Positive principles into everything we do, reaffirming our role as a leader in sustainable design and demonstrating that when ambition and collaboration intersect, the possibilities for building a more sustainable future are limitless.”

澳门足彩app is committed to its role as a leader in environmental sustainability in the AEC industry. We view our role in furthering sustainability in three dimensions: leading by example, through service and through active support of community organizations. Contact us to learn more and to discuss your next sustainable project.