Two guidance documents issued today by global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will aim to help design professionals understand and implement regenerative design strategies. First, a compilation of alternatives to products—the firm calls it “The Switch List”—that have been linked to health and environmental hazards makes it easy to identify and specify potentially healthier building materials. Second, an Embodied Carbon Benchmarking Report provides key insights into sources of embodied carbon across several building types, as well as practical suggestions for how to reduce a project’s emissions.
By making this information public, Perkins&Will aims to drive industry change through increased transparency and quicker, more informed decision-making. The goal is to accelerate the adoption of healthier, low-carbon materials and improve overall product performance.
“We’re making complex environmental and health data more accessible so we can empower design teams to make smarter, more sustainable choices,” says Chief Sustainability Officer Jason F. McLennan. “This is yet another way we’re advancing regenerative design best practices and building upon the precautionary work we’ve been doing for a long time. In doing so, we hope to inspire global change.”
Making “The Switch”: Promoting healthier building through a holistic approach
Nearly two decades after Perkins&Will launched its Precautionary List—a tool to help architects and designers identify potential toxicants in finishes and building materials—the firm has now published a compendium of substances, products, and materials that will be phased out of its projects. “The Switch List” is based on governmental publications and peer-reviewed scientific findings that have demonstrated the adverse effects of certain substances on human health, ecosystems, and the climate. The Switch List also draws attention to the wide range of health-conscious products available on the market today that offer more sustainable solutions, making it simpler for design teams to identify alternatives.
“Specifying materials that prioritize human and environmental health is one of the most effective ways to design for a sustainable future,” says Mary Dickinson, researcher and regional director of regenerative design at Perkins&Will. “Our Switch List provides yet another tool—building off our Precautionary List—to support the design industry with more informed product selections.”
In addition to identifying alternative building materials for design teams, The Switch List urges design professionals to:
- Make it a priority to select and promote sustainable products that support human and environmental health.
- Push for greater disclosure of material sourcing, product health data, and environmental impact data.
- Support an innovative market that responds to the design industry’s demands.
- Share information openly to build stronger, trusting partnerships.
Read The Switch List for project partners here.
Read The Switch List for product manufacturers here.
Best practices for reducing embodied carbon and improving buildings’ impacts
Perkins&Will’s Embodied Carbon Benchmarking Report identifies the largest contributors to embodied carbon in building projects, helping professionals assess the carbon intensity of their designs with greater accuracy and make more sustainable choices. Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with building materials throughout their lifecycle—from extraction and manufacturing to transportation, installation, use, and deconstruction. This is the most carbon-intensive phase of most buildings.
Remarkable for its scale and rigor, the report—which took two years to complete—analyzes the embodied carbon content of 89 built and under-construction projects in the U.S. and Canada. The sampling included 14 building types located in a variety of climate zones. All the projects were designed by Perkins&Will, giving the researchers unrestricted access to building material and construction data.
“The large sample size and consistent methodology behind this research exemplify our firm’s commitment to carbon reduction and transparency,” says Jesce Walz, senior research lead for carbon and circularity at Perkins&Will. “While embodied carbon has gained attention in recent years, more benchmarks and greater consistency are needed. That’s why we’ve invested significant resources into this initiative and have contributed to parallel efforts by partner organizations.”
“We hope the findings of this research spur industry-wide change,” says Dalton Ho, researcher and senior regenerative design advisor at Perkins&Will. “With clear and reliable data, we now know, unequivocally, what to do.”
Read the full Embodied Carbon Benchmarking Report here.
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About Perkins&Will
Perkins&Will, an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm, was founded in 1935 on the belief that design has the power to transform lives. The firm is committed to creating a better, beautiful, more equitable world through Living Design, an approach that integrates environmental, social, and design considerations to advance ecological health and well-being. Architizer named Perkins&Will the world’s “Best Sustainable Firm” in 2023, and Metropolis named it “Firm of the Year” in 2022 for its industry leadership in advancing climate action and social justice. Fast Company named Perkins&Will one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in Architecture three times, and in 2021, it added the firm to its list of Brands That Matter—making Perkins&Will the first architecture practice in the world to earn the distinction.
Perkins&Will’s partners include Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects; McLennan Design; Portland; Nelson\Nygaard; and Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.
