Designing for Decarbonization: Tools & Strategies for Architects
AIAU25-DECARB-S
5 Courses
Course expires on: 10/01/2028
Description
Take your design practice to the next level and make a measurable impact on the planet. Designing for Decarbonization is a five-part learning series that equips architects and design professionals with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to take meaningful action on climate change—turning sustainable vision into practical, measurable results.
From understanding the built environment’s role in global emissions to applying cutting-edge, data-driven tools to enhance energy performance, this series delivers practical guidance you can apply immediately. Explore real-world examples, technical insights, and actionable design approaches to reduce both embodied and operational carbon, integrate passive and high-performance strategies, and make informed design decisions with energy modeling.
Whether you’re advancing firm-wide sustainability goals or sharpening your personal expertise, this series provides the skills, insight, and leadership strategies to design buildings that perform better, last longer, and contribute positively to the planet.
Learning Objectives
Understand how carbon emissions from the built environment contribute to climate change and identify actionable design and policy strategies for reduction.
Apply the goals, metrics, and tools of the AIA 2030 Commitment to develop measurable pathways toward energy-efficient, low-carbon design.
Integrate passive design principles to reduce energy demand, enhance occupant comfort, and improve overall building performance.
Combine advanced envelope, HVAC, lighting, and control strategies to meet today’s sustainability and performance standards.
Use energy modeling tools to optimize design choices, validate outcomes, and drive continuous improvement in your projects.
Kjell Anderson AIA, LEED AP BD+C, cSBA , practices architecture and serves as the Director of Sustainability at LMN Architects in Seattle. His book “Design Enerngy Simulation for Architects” was written to expand and better define the field of design-centric energy simulations, led by Architects. Over 17 years in practice, he has worked on buildings in many regions and climates, adapting designs to the strengths of each one. He keynoted the 2016 SimBuild energy modeling conference, and has also presented at the AIA+2030 Series, Greenbuild, and the AIA Convention. He currently serves on the AIA National Energy Leadership Group, having helped author the AIA’s 2017 climate change statement and the 2018 AIA Energy Modeling Design Guide. He also serves on an IBPSA committee (Project Stasio) that hosts a website to crowd-source outstanding simulation outputs, pairing them with performance-based questions that architects may have not known they could ask.
Cory Duggin is a Principal at TLC Engineering Solutions’ PEAK Institute. The PEAK Institute focuses on research and development aimed at reducing energy and water consumption, enhancing building occupant productivity and health, and making buildings smarter to operate. Cory supports TLC’s building performance simulation efforts directly through projects and by leading internal training sessions. His simulation expertise allows engineering teams to visualize innovative technical solutions for high-performance design challenges. Cory holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, both from Tennessee Technological University.
Myer Harrell is a Principal and the Director of Sustainability at Weber Thompson. He believes in the power of design to promote a sustainable future and manages the firm’s initiatives to that end. He was a member of the design team for the award-winning Eco-Laboratory, which won the national USGBC 2008 Natural Talent Design Competition, and was included in the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum 2010 Design Triennial Exhibit.
Myer received the AIA Young Architects Award in 2021. He was also named a 2011 AIA Seattle Young Architect, and currently serves on the AIA Seattle board of directors. Nationally, Myer was active in the USGBC Greenbuild Program Working Group and Education Events Committee, and sat on the Board of Directors for Cascadia Green Building Council. He has co-instructed undergraduate and graduate architecture studios at the University of Washington, and has been a frequent studio critic. Myer received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with Philosophy citation at the University of Maryland in 2002, a Master in Architecture at the University of Washington in 2005 and completed the UW Commercial Real Estate Certificate in 2016.
Erin McDade is a Program Manager for Architecture 2030 and the 2030 Challenge for Products Lead. She brings to the organization a background in architecture, with a focus on sustainable building research and analysis. She holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Washington and worked at the Integrated Design Lab in Seattle before joining Architecture 2030. While with the Integrated Design Lab she helped to develop Targeting 100!, a tool for deep energy retrofits and aggressively sustainable new construction in the healthcare sector. She also completed lighting and thermal analyses on the revolutionary Bullitt Center. She leads Architecture 2030’s Products Challenge and helps manage the development of each of Architecture 2030’s programs and initiatives with a focus on the AIA+2030 Series and the 2030 Districts Network.
Vanessa is a Sustainable Design Leader with HOK, based in Kansas City. She is the global AIA 2030 manager for HOK and currently serves as Working Group co-chair. She has extensive experience in high-performance design for large complex buildings and works daily to implement sustainable best practices, including energy efficiency analysis, renewable energy integration, occupant wellness strategies, and third party Certification. Vanessa is a member of the ICC Code Action Committee for Sustainable / Energy / High Performance buildings.
Courses
The Built Environment’s Carbon Challenge
Learn actionable strategies to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change through sustainable design and construction practices in the AEC industry. Gain a comprehensive understanding of carbon’s impact on the environment, explore the critical role of the built environment in global emissions, and learn practical methods to reduce both operational and embodied carbon in design and construction.
Key topics include the principles of embodied, operational and avoided carbon, energy-efficient and passive design strategies, and sustainable material selection. The course also covers critical U.S. policies and frameworks such as LEED certifications, federal and local regulations, and AIA 2030 Commitment—equipping professionals with the knowledge to navigate evolving sustainability standards while leading decarbonization efforts.
Carbon Reduction Strategies for the AIA 2030 Commitment
Equip yourself with the necessary knowledge and tools to meet the goals of the AIA 2030 Commitment—AIA’s actionable climate strategy for reaching net zero emissions in the built environment by 2030. Achieving these goals requires understanding sustainable design principles and mastering the practical skills to implement them effectively. Explore key concepts and strategies for reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in building design and construction. Topics include the integrated design process, passive design strategies, energy modeling, high-performance building systems, post-occupancy evaluations, and renewable energy integration.
Passive Design Strategies for Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization
Passive design is a powerful strategy for reducing energy demand and advancing building decarbonization. This course provides architects, designers, and sustainability professionals with a foundational understanding of passive design strategies and how to apply them from early concept through building operation.
You’ll explore how passive design aligns with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence and how strategies—such as building orientation, envelope design, natural ventilation, and thermal mass—can reduce reliance on mechanical systems while improving thermal comfort and indoor air quality.
You’ll assess factors like climate zones, sun paths, wind patterns, and topography, and be introduced to tools for climate analysis, energy modeling, and ongoing performance assessment.
By the end, you’ll be able to implement passive design strategies like system minimization and informed material selection that improve building performance, support occupant wellbeing, and reduce carbon emissions.
Achieving High-Performance Building Design
Unlock the secrets to designing buildings that excel in efficiency, comfort, and sustainability. This dynamic course gives AEC professionals the tools to master high-performance building design—merging cutting-edge technology with proven design strategies.
You’ll explore the core components of high-performance design—building envelopes, HVAC, lighting, and control technologies—while learning how to integrate them for optimal energy efficiency and occupant well-being. Across five focused lessons, you’ll also gain insight into emerging trends and technologies like AI and IoT, and how they’re reshaping the future of high-performance design.
By the end, you’ll have the strategies, technical know-how, and forward-looking perspective to deliver projects that meet today’s zero-carbon demands and tomorrow’s high-performance expectations.
Using Energy Modeling to Make Smarter Design Decisions
Energy modeling is an essential tool for architects and design professionals seeking to reduce carbon emissions and improve building performance. This course introduces the core principles and practical applications of energy modeling, emphasizing its role in achieving decarbonization across the building lifecycle.
You’ll learn how to integrate energy modeling from early concept through final construction, using it to inform critical decisions on massing, orientation, envelope, and systems selection. This course also covers modeling tools, predictive techniques, and simulation workflows that support both performance optimization and code compliance. Through real-world case studies, you’ll examine how energy modeling has driven measurable carbon reductions in diverse project types and explore emerging trends shaping the future of low-carbon design.
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