Perkins+Will, a US-based integrated design firm, has introduced a new 2030 e2 Energy Estimating Tool. This free online tool was produced to help company’s 1500 designers in designing buildings to attain the 2030 challenge. Particularly, the new 2030 e2 enables the users to set target goals for the four key areas: energy efficiency, on-site and grid-supplied renewable energy, plus green power offsets (RECs) when designing new buildings or retrofitting existing buildings.
Perkins+Will has made the beta tool publicly available because of the urgency of global climate change.
“Perkins+Will is committed to meeting the 2030 Challenge and has proactively built the estimating tool to support our designers as they strive to achieve the Challenge reduction goals,” stated Doug Pierce, a senior associate, AIA, LEED AP in Perkins+Will’s Minneapolis office. “We created an easy-to-use tool that would help us set energy goals to comply with all aspects of the design phase and meet the benchmarks of the 2030 Challenge. The data it provides is highly useful, so it made sense to us to make this tool publicly available for everyone’s benefit.”
The 2030 challenge is a global initiative approved by the American Institute of Architects that addresses the requirement to minimize building energy use. Presently, buildings use about 76% of electricity produced in the US and contribute about 48% of the annual US greenhouse gas emissions through energy use, construction and maintenance. The 2030 challenge calls for the aggressive reduction of energy in all new and existing residential, commercial and institutional buildings over the next 20 years with the ultimate goal of attaining carbon neutrality by 2030.
Additionally, the 2030 challenge calls for buildings to include four important elements: energy efficiency, on-site renewable energy, grid-supplied renewable energy and up to 20% renewable energy offsets. The 2030 e2 estimating tool enables the designers to explore different percentages of these elements to attain the 2030 goals. Moreover, the tool can be utilized over and over to confirm 2030 compliance throughout the life of the project.
With over one thousand Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professionals, Perkins+Will is dedicated to promoting sustainable design and educating the industry about green building and its importance. The 2030 e2 is one of a series of knowledge-based contributions the company has made to the wider industry. The internal company’s green operations plan, which details specific firm practices for running a sustainable business, was the first such contribution.