our impact evolveEA 2019 report
who we are evolveEA is a nimble multidisciplinary practice situated at the intersection of sustainability and the built environment. We help individuals, communities, and organizations take strategic action. We look through three lenses of sustainability: People, Process, and Place.
what we do placemaking architecture. We create compelling and thought provoking landscapes, buildings, experiences, and objects to reexamine our relationship to our environment. urban design. We enable communities to create more livable places, systems and economies by addressing ecological, social and economic issues.
sustainability services buildings. We help teams add value to their building projects by identifying and implementing smart environmental strategies. operations. We help building owners and operators optimize performance with attention to user needs and experience.
strategy + engagement strategic planning. We build capacity for organizations to analyze, plan and execute short- and long-term sustainability efforts. social engagement. We engage organizations and individuals in the design of sustainable systems.
www.evolveEA.com
introduction evolveEA is dedicated to Triple Bottom Line success: we measure the impact of our business not only in terms of the economy, but also the environment and social equity. This report is intended to document our impact across all three lines, considering our internal workplace culture, the environmental implications of our business operations, and the impact of our projects. 2019 was a year of expansion for us — of deepening and broadening our engagement with communities. In addition to the metrics and highlights you’ll find in this report, we are pleased to share these moments: • We reached hundreds of professionals and community stakeholders through lectures, workshops and education sessions; • Members of our team taught courses at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh; • Members of our team earned new professional credentials and learned new skills; • We advocated for a better built environment through professional associations and committees focused on building codes and legislation.
evolveEA | Our Impact
CONTENTS I. workplace operations
5
II. project impact: sustainability
13
III. project highlights: placemaking
17
3
evolveEA | Our Impact
I. workplace operations greenhouse gas audit carbon neutrality plan frameworks summary
5
GREENHOUSE GAS AUDIT
our commitment to carbon neutrality evolve’s mission to advance sustainable systems and solutions for people, processes, and places has driven us to achieve and maintain carbon neutral operations since 2011. Our commitment to ongoing improvement led us to begin measuring our emissions starting with the 2009 base year, with the goal of becoming and remaining a carbon neutral company. This year, we analyzed our 2019 emissions and compared this to our past reports and industry averages to track changes and revisit our efforts.
our methodology We follow the internationally accepted World Resources Institute Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard, which defines the Three Scopes of GHG emissions and how to calculate them. Greenhouse Gas Protocol provides the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standards for companies (see ghgprotocol.org).
how are we doing? 1
scope 1 All direct emissions from the combustion of fuels on site.
scope 2
28.23 mT 3
2019
All indirect emissions from the purchase and transmission of electricity.
2
scope 3 All other indirect emissions that are a result of our operations, including transportation, water usage, and waste.
our operations generated 28.23 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2019
evolveEA | Our Impact
Last year we started tracking the performance of our office with the ARC platform, which is associated with USGBC and can be used to track the metrics needed for LEED certification. Our office has been recognized with an award for our 2019 transportation performance due to our exceptionally low commuting emissions to and from the office: arc transportation performance score 98/100 arc transportation improvement score 100/100
distribution of carbon emissions scope 1
Natural Gas:
12.2%
scope 2
Electricity: 3.8%
2
1
3
28.23 mT
scope 3 84% of total
Commuting by Car:
8.6%
Commuting by Transit: .9%
2019
Business Travel by Car: 19.3% Business Travel by Air: 54.2% Water Usage:
.1%
Waste: .9%
energy use in metric tonnes CO2 Natural Gas
3.45
Electric Transmission
1.08
Commuting by Car
2.44
Commuting by Transit
Compared to previous audits, our 2019 operations resulted in higher EUIs and GHG emissions. Contributing factors are the continued growth of our team, and increased business travel as the geography of our projects grows.
.25
Business Travel by Car
5.44
Business Travel by Air
15.29
Water Usage
.03
Waste
.25
In 2020, we have been challenged by the Covid pandemic to work from home almost exclusively, which has drastically reduced our environmental impact. Managing projects and professional relationships without travel is shifting our thinking and behavior in ways that will likely reduce business travel for the longterm and keep travel emissions down.
7
CARBON NEUTRALITY PLAN
our carbon neutrality strategy involves three steps: 1 ENERGY REDUCTIONS As evolveEA grows, we are determined to conserve energy wherever possible. Regular GHG audits, along with workplace performance frameworks like B Corp and JUST, prompt us to look for ways improve. The timing of this report coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic that has halted travel and closed our office. In reopening, we can use this experience to challenge the necessity of carbon intensive activities.
evolveEA | Our Impact
2 CLEAN ENERGY SOURCING We are buying Green-e Certified Renewable Energy for all of our electricity needs and also encouraging staff to use green energy at home.
3 CARBON OFFSET PURCHASES For all other emissions, we purchase third-party verified carbon offsets to zero out our carbon footprint by supporting projects that eliminate greenhouse gases and produce renewable energy. This year we purchased offsets from TerraPass, which works with farms using anaerobic digesters to capture methane as manure breaks down and use it as fuel to produce electricity.
reducing energy use shrinks our carbon footprint Saving energy is the most effective way that we can prevent GHG emissions. There are two categories for ways that we promote using less energy in our company operations: Policy and Engagement. Policies create physical conditions and standards for processes that would otherwise use more energy than needed. These are some of the areas where policies help us avoid emissions: • Equipment and Appliances • Office Closing Protocol • Business Travel Policy • Office Waste • Commuting and Telecommuting
Engagement of our team in energy reductions can boost the effectiveness of our policies and incentivize individual energy-saving behavior. We often participate in programs and events to reduce energy use, such as Daylight Hour, when we turn off artificial lighting for an hour and work by natural daylight. Also, we incentivize greener commuting choices by reimbursing staff for bike commuting expenses, tax-free.
goals for the future We continue to take a strategic approach to reducing our emissions, focusing on reducing our energy usage, driving miles, and waste production first, purchasing renewable energy, and offsetting that which we can’t reduce through financial support for GHG reduction projects. Through virtual meetings and limiting hours at our office, we are already reducing emissions from travel in 2020. We believe for our next audit that we can achieve at least a 10% overall reduction in our emissions across all three scopes if we continue to operate in a similar manner and take care to limit air travel.
28.23 mT
25.41 mT
2019
2021 goal
9
FRAMEWORKS SUMMARY
walking our talk Sustainability frameworks have always been a cornerstone of evolveEA’s consulting practice, and since 2013 we have been actively participating in workplace frameworks for mission-driven organizations. These frameworks help us track our performance on environmental and social equity goals.
b corp certification evolveEA is one of the first few B Corp Certified companies in the Pittsburgh region. The framework’s Impact Assessment measures an extensive list of policies and practices in our workplace, and every two years we undergo a recertification process. At the start of 2018 we completed our second recertification, with our score summarized in the report card (shown on the opposite page). In 2018 and 2019, evolveEA was recognized as one of B Corp’s “Best For The World” companies because we achieved scores in the top tenth percentile of all certified companies, especially in the Environment category.
just label This year we also had our biannual recertification for the International Living Future Institute program called JUST. evolveEA was one of the first companies internationally to participate in the JUST labelling program, which encourages transparency by helping organizations publish a label summarizing workplace practices and company ethics. Our 2019 label reflects the updated JUST 2.0 framework as we enter our fifth year of participation in the program.
pittsburgh best place to work evolveEA was recognized in 2019 as one of the top places to work in the Pittsburgh region! The Pittsburgh Business Times annual competition requires emloyees to complete a workplace satisfaction survvey, with top scoring businesses listed as award winners. We are proud to be recognized as a best place to work in Pittsburgh.
evolveEA | Our Impact
11
evolveEA | Our Impact us steel tower: leed silver certified
II. project impact: sustainability green building project metrics
13
GREEN BUILDING PROJECT METRICS
since 2004, evolveEA has consulted on hundreds of green building projects
leed certified projects
projects with certification living building challenge 2 leed platinum 8 leed gold 36 leed silver 31 leed certified 8 well certified 1 energy star certified 1
2019 certifications coda on centre cmu 4721 fifth ave. cmu tepper quad cmu hammerschlag maker wing upmc fouth floor offices us steel tower
83
leed gold leed gold leed gold leed gold leed silver leed silver
10,131,733
total square feet leed certified since 2004
over
$1.47 billion total leed projects construction budgets
leed certification levels platinum gold silver certified
year certified
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
evolveEA | Our Impact
cumulatively, our leed certified projects have saved at least
96.1
95.82 30.8
total mbtu/year projected electricity savings
total mbtu/year projected natural gas energy savings
total million gal/year projected potable water savings
3.16million 25,017 32,671 =
total energy cost savings / year
total tonnes/year avoided carbon emissions
acres of forest per year
source: u.s. e.p.a. greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator
leed rating systems breakdown
NC
53%
CI
28%
CS
8.4%
EB
6%
Homes
3.6%
Healthcare
1%
new construction commercial interiors core & shell existing buildings (o&m) leed for homes leed for healthcare (nc) project is leed for healthcare + new construction
756.4
total kW on-site renewables installed since 2004 (solar + wind)
15
evolveEA | Our Impact conceptual design for etna solar powered convenience store and fuel station, etna ecodistrict plan 2019
III. project highlights: placemaking select milestones & awards
17
SELECT MILESTONES & AWARDS
our placemaking work at a glance
select honors & awards
over
124 2,200 total projects since 2004
The Buffalo Rain Check 2.0 Plan was recognized by the American Planning Association a National Planning Award, as well as an AIA Tri-State award.
community members were engaged through our projects in 2016-2019
our focus food systems
water
air quality
energy mobility
arts + culture
economy affordability
habitat + open space
health + wellbeing
housing
relative intensity of focus aggregated across all 124 placemeking projects by topic area
we rated the intensity of focus for the above topic areas in each project. while some projects are heavily focused on specific topics, some are more comprehensive. the graphic illustrates our total combined intensity compared across each topic area.
evolveEA | Our Impact
The Allentown Vision 2030 Comprehensive and Economic Development Plan, produced by the team of Fourth Economy and evolveEA, with assistance from Faces International, was awarded the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence. evolveEA’s design for a Downtown Pittsburgh Penn Station Transit Plaza was awarded an AIA Pennsylvania architectural excellence award. evolveEA cofounder, Christine Mondor, FAIA, had the great privilege to be elevated to the 2019 AIA College of Fellows.
visit evolveEA.com/news for more
project highlights from 2019 Rainwater Bioswales Sound Sculptures
Sea Creatures
Elder Circle
Water Storage
Hand Pump Chadar Quilt
Etna becomes First in the World EcoDistricts™ Certified community during the 2019 EcoDistricts Summit in Pittsburgh
Construction of The Well, a rainwater plaza in Larimer’s Liberty Green Park begins
Preliminary plan for Bridger View residential neighborhood redevelopment design approved by City of Bozeman Montana
Completion of Buffalo Sewer Authority Rain Check 2.0 Opportunity Report and green infrastructure outreach materials, Buffalo New York
Kickoff of 14STW Cultural District Plan, Huntington West Virginia
Orthophosphate Pavillions designed & built for PWSA
Braddock, East Pittsburgh, & North Braddock Joint Comprehensive Plan kickoff
Kickoff of Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Smart Moves Connections study
Residential addition and renovation completed in Highland Park, Pittsburgh
19
OUR WORK IN THE NEWS select headlines about our projects & achievements U.S. Steel Tower Earns LEED Distinction
AIA Elevates 115 Members and Nine International Architects to the College of Fellows
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 22, 2019
American Institute of Architects, Feb 22, 2019
Pittsburgh’s U.S. Steel Tower Among Largest Buildings In The World To Achieve LEED Silver O+M Certification PA Environment Digest, Feb 25, 2019
Etna, Millvale and Sharpsburg working to keep real estate accessible Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 16, 2019
Etna to be nationally recognized for its EcoDistrict Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct 24, 2019
Pittsburgh looks for neighborhood-focused sustainability and solutions at EcoDistricts Summit Public Source, November 6, 2019
Etna Snags First-of-its-Kind Honor for Sustainability WESA, November 25, 2019
How 3 Pittsburgh architects are fighting climate change right now NextPittsburgh, Dec 11, 2019
Borough Of Etna In Allegheny County Becomes World’s First Certified EcoDistrict PA Environment Digest, Dec 17, 2019
evolveEA | Our Impact
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