Practical Ways We Are Creating Justice

These five principles establish a framework for social justice and sustainability. But how does that then get translated to the green building industry in ways that are tangible and measurable?Types of Housing and AffordabilityWe have all heard about the design and building of energy-efficient homes in affluent areas, but ensuring that all populations have access to greener options is critical for our industry.Green affordable housing is now a reality for some low-income individuals and families, as “crisis is turning into creation,” according to Green America. Tax credits are one way to incentivize more sustainable building for this population.Access to renewable energy can make a huge difference in underserved communities. Not only can residents and businesses afford to live and work more easily, but environmental health is also more widespread.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USCBG) also published five basic standards for affordable green housing. They are:

Ensure accountability throughout the building process and beyond
Provide education to promote environmental stewardship
Encourage participation in the planning process
Focus on affordability and total value
Leverage green building standards and rewards for developers

Accessibility Within Buildings, Especially for Those Who May Be Physically ChallengedAs the U.S. population ages, more people will require easy-to-navigate spaces. More than a quarter of the people in our country have some type of disability -- 61 million adults in all. When designers, builders, community planners, and legislators map out community, housing, and work solutions for the future they must take this group into account.Veterans and seniors are two large and growing population groups that may have specific physical, social, and emotional needs. Accessibility doesn’t just relate to easier ways to move around one's home or office.
Some developers are focusing on providing healthier and simpler solutions to these segments.In fact, one study revealed that seniors living in green communities had cognitive scores that were 61 percent higher than other similar populations living in “regular” communities. The number of homeless veterans is on the rise. This population is also being served through sustainable housing projects.Diverse and Inclusive Management and Project TeamsAlthough progress has been made over the past decade, most architects are still white men. Shockingly, women represent only 10 percent of the construction industry. The Greenbuilt Alliance also surfaces issues surrounding the number of people of color represented in the green building industry and declares green building as a “civil rights issue” in one report.Awareness of the under-representation of certain populations within our industry is the first step towards rectifying inequality. In many ways, the past year was a tipping point in awareness of racial bias and other forms of inequality and “diversity and inclusion” became a major topic of conversation by companies and government entities. But putting action behind the talk must happen for us to create true social justice in the green building industry.Training, Education, and Access to Opportunities for Everyone Who Works in the FieldBuilding a diverse and inclusive work team is only the first step. Students need to be encouraged to pursue careers in sustainable building and STEM.Colleges are beginning to add more sustainability-related opportunities to their curriculums, but one may argue that this education process needs to begin at an earlier stage and continue on through work opportunities. Green jobs are expected to grow at a significant pace. Schools and companies must prepare workers for the in-demand jobs of the future.Once companies hire minority workers, they must welcome them to the team and give them equal opportunities to develop skills and progress in their careers. Community Outreach and InvolvementLearning about and taking control of the environmental factors that contribute to a community’s well-being can facilitate change and action. Programs like the Environmental Protection Agency’s Building Blocks are designed to assist local areas in reducing energy consumption and creating more sustainable environments for generations to come.But to effect real change, people within local areas must work hand-in-glove with planners, government entities, and influencers in their local areas to embark on green building initiatives, educate decision-makers, and apply gentle pressure to foster transformation in their own backyards. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) outlines some of the many community-based programs to facilitate sustainable living. Here are some examples of how the private sector and other organizations contribute to grassroots efforts.Transportation, Education, and Food for AllSustainable communities don’t just have energy-efficient structures. They must also have ecosystems that ensure their residents are able to get from home to work and give their children the preparation and skills they need to thrive.Health and Wellness Throughout Design and BuildingToxic work or school environments have a significant impact on the health of the people who spend time within those structures. Lighting, air quality and circulation (especially during the pandemic), heating, cooling, and safety factors all affect productivity and physical and mental well-being. Not only does greener building result in long-term energy reduction and financial savings, the humans who enjoy those spaces ultimately benefit.Health and sustainability go hand-in-hand, especially as we deal with the impact of the pandemic. Waste management facilities are often located in underserved areas (where land is cheaper and less push-back from the community tends to occur). Developers and decision-makers need to be conscious of this trend and ensure that entire geographies are not being hurt (or even poisoned) by their site selection.Corporate Commitments to Uphold and Foster Social Justice PrinciplesCompanies today can’t simply declare a green agenda and social justice commitment. They have to walk the talk, as consumers and employees expect transparency in words AND actions. Online reviewers have begun to track and measure organizations’ commitment to green building and social justice.According to this recent article, a whopping 72 percent of Americans look closely at a CEO’s commitment to social responsibility when making job decisions and more than 50 percent won’t work at a company without a social conscience. Access to capital is critical for the furthering of a sustainability agenda. In addition to government-funded and non-profit programs, lenders need to be aware of discrimination and ensure that their principles are fair across demographic groups.

"Many people across the country are concerned about the growing population of the unhoused. We’d like to put a little spotlight on Veteran homelessness, which receives less attention but is equally impacted by not only their service to our country but by the current pandemic. Through working with veterans’ organizations, we learned that integration is vital for helping veterans advance their lives. Veteran housing requires specialized design considerations to help them transition successfully and permanently out of homelessness."

Ginna Claire Nguyen, Assoc. AIA, Studio Director, Relativity Architects

"Our focus on hiring local community contractors keeps jobs in the local communities we serve, ranging from small plumbing and lighting/electrical contractors to more technologically advanced mechanical and controls contractors.”

Lillian Kamalay, Director of Business Development, Ameresco (NYSE: AMRC)

"We have created a DEI Council at our firm and their mission is to support the three pillars of our DEI work: People, Product, and Partnerships. The Council is a working group of four elected members, plus the VP of People & Social Responsibility -- and they serve as a nexus between our team members, communities, and leadership, providing research, recommendations, and guidance on how best to put our values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into action, to create measurable and meaningful outcomes for our company, our customers, and communities.”

Lauren Rosenfeld, VP of People & Social Responsibility, The Climate Service

"For much of our 35-year history, CO Architects has been committed to equity, both internally and externally. For example, we created the Women of CO professional development group in 2010 to ensure equal opportunities within the firm, as well as suggest initiatives that would benefit us all. I was also honored to serve as Chairperson of the AIA Los Angeles Chapter’s Women in Architecture Committee, helping promote female-advancement in the industry. Currently, 54% of our staff is female.”

Jenna Knudsen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Managing Principal, CO Architects

"We find that many female and minority STEAM students aren’t aware of career opportunities in architecture. Under-represented groups lack relatable role models, and role models won’t emerge to inspire others until underserved students are aware of architecture as a career path. Our firm’s remedies are internships for female students from local high schools, summer camps with National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), and discovery programs for K-12 students where our diverse staff from 23 countries exposes students to the profession.”

Jenna Knudsen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Managing Principal, CO Architects

"Community involvement happens in a number of ways, but the most significant way is to facilitate dialogue when neighborhoods change character due to gentrification, among the residents so that they can have a voice in shaping their community in the most equitable way possible without displacing long-time residents while still beginning economic change.”

Ganesh Nayak, Principal, Metier Inc.

"Communication with the residents is key. This is not a “one and done” but an ongoing dialogue of what the goal is, what we are doing, how we are measuring progress, and what the effect means in terms of savings (both cost and other measures like cars off the road or trees saved).”

Mary Nitschke, Vice President, Sustainability, RealPage

"Housing diversity is key for our work. We work on housing typologies of all scales, types, and locations: apartments, condominiums, single-family, multi-family, urban, suburban, low-income, market rate, new construction, and adaptive reuse/historic preservation. We assess our current projects and future opportunities to maintain diversity and balance on a regular basis.”

John Skok, AIA, Principal, McIntosh Poris Associates

"Our not-for-profit organization works to mitigate climate change by accelerating the transition to 100% renewable energy sources on Long Island. Climate change is directly linked to social justice and equity because it has a disproportionately greater negative impact on disadvantaged communities.”

Gordian Raacke, Executive Director, Renewable Energy Long Island (reLI.org)

"The racial and gender makeup of our staff closely mirrors that of the communities we work in. This similarity in makeup gives us a better understanding of clients’ needs and how we can best design spaces and places for them. One example where our work had significant impact is the Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) Arts & Recreation Center (ARC) in Lafayette Park in Los Angeles. Founded in 1989, HOLA is an innovative non-profit after-school program that builds equity and strong communities by providing academics, arts, athletics, and wellness programs to more than 2,100 underserved youth ages 6-24.”

Richard Berliner, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Berliner Architects

"Our practice at Relativity Architects is diverse, with team members from 18 different countries who are fluent in 15 different languages. This collection of varied experiences allows us to speak the same, empathetic language and encourages creative design solutions on sustainable and socially conscious projects. We’ve found that when you design with this informed empathy, the people occupying your buildings receive that."

Ginna Claire Nguyen, Assoc. AIA, Studio Director, Relativity Architects

"As the nation’s largest African American-owned and managed design firm, diversity is at the core of our identity and practice, and opportunities to foster social justice and equity are explored within each project. We believe great design is the product of the diversity of perspective – different viewpoints and voices bringing different ideas and expertise to the table. Our design philosophy applies these principles in two words; Responsive Architecture. We listen intently, analyze effectively, and leverage the power of collaboration to create unique design solutions for our clients that represent their vision and values.”

Lindsey Freel, Senior Associate & Sustainable Design Facilitator, Moody Nolan

"Diversity remains an urgent matter. The experience interior designers can apply for understanding people from all backgrounds can increase the positive impact they have on the user experience. Good design needs to be made accessible for everyone. The pandemic has made more disparities between minorities and women that will have lasting impacts on quality of life and income inequality. A shifting focus towards women and other gender issues could lead to a shifting design in places such as healthcare.”

Dr. Susan Chung; Vice President, Research & Knowledge; American Society of Interior Designers

"We work hand-in-hand with local governments, private entities, and community leaders. Together we will co-create a sustainable built environment with a more inclusive, equitable, and holistic development approach to opportunity zone investing, public-private partnerships, policy reform, and revitalizing, not displacing, these local communities.”

Tony Cho, CEO and Founder, Future of Cities

"Our intended community food banking program reduces overall program waste while providing equitable and inclusive community access to quality nutrition through whole foods. We can measure the amount of food poundage provided to the community through our agriculture and food bank operations. We can also do this for our renewable energy programs. Additionally, we can understand community impact through gauging active participation in our community education programs, hands on agriculture education and trade training programs, and community gardening participation.”

Jessa Robuck, CEO, VidaLuz Development

"Communities and local entities have strong voices. Advocating support for development projects that benefit those communities is one of the greatest ways to reinforce efforts to build for equity and sustainability. Sometimes that involves becoming informed on the nuances of proposed developments — looking past the large size or the length of construction will often reveal quality homes and services for low-income seniors, or a partnership with the city that funds improved public transit infrastructure with added street trees and bike lanes.”

Scott Sullivan, AIA, NCARB, Principal, Relativity Architects

"It is our responsibility to offer equal credit access to all US residents irrespective of demographic, as long as they meet uniform underwriting criteria. One way we measure access to credit is by FICO score bands of our borrowers.”

Peter Grabell, Senior Vice President, Dividend Finance Inc.

"A significant percentage of our firm’s work involves partnering with clients that provide K-12 education for children in underserved communities. These schools provide a choice for parents to send their children to high-performing charter schools that offer a path to college and good careers. We measure the impact of our efforts by the success of the children that attend the schools we design. These are schools that express the high expectations and goals of the community. The people on our team reflect the diversity of our clients and the communities we serve, providing us with valuable insights that inform our design."

Richard Berliner, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Berliner Architects

"Our role in social justice and equity is as educators moving sustainable waste management forward. Waste management practices, such as landfills and incinerators, do not impact communities equally. Waste from large cities is unloaded in places far from its source to places in less advantaged communities. We educate our clients and tenants on the impact of their waste and the control they have to make changes.”

Anna Dengler, Senior Sustainability Advisor, Great Forest

"We believe that if it comes down to "feeding the needy" and we can help, we should just do it. Food insecurity shouldn't be ignored just because of an organization's inability to pay for a solution that helps them reach and feed more people. We measure success by the number of people we help to deliver foods to through organizations that serve the underserved."

Parker Woodward, Marketing Director, Route4Me

"At Saint-Gobain North America, we’re focused on making the world a better home. That includes accessibility within buildings, community outreach, prioritizing wellbeing through design and building, and putting our corporate values to work through programs that directly impact our communities. To bring that purpose to life, we recently launched a new program called Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities, which is bringing more sustainable construction to neighborhoods across North America."

Mark Rayfield, CEO of Saint-Gobain North America