Insights
Insights
04.22.21

Create a Sustainability Action Plan that works

Architecture firms that made the commitment to the 2030 challenge were asked to create a Sustainability Action Plan within six months of joining the program. The process, which includes reevaluating priorities, workflows, and strategies, can seem like a daunting task.

Understanding that drafting a plan that will truly work is a challenge, OPN Sustainability Director Tate Walker along with other industry sustainability thought leaders created the newly published American Institute of Architect’s Creating a Sustainability Action Plan That Works. The primer details how to effectively create a Sustainability Plan tailored to individual firm’s goals, strengths, and culture.

Walker also is the author of OPN’s Sustainability Plan.

 

Tate WalkerAs the director of sustainability at OPN Architects, Tate leads projects and initiatives across the firm. His experience is rooted in the architectural design process but includes program and project management and the development of technical guidelines for high-performing buildings. He has served many organizations, including cities and universities, AIA’s Committee on the Environment, the AIA 2030 Commitment, and the USGBC’s Energy and Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group. In 2018, Tate was a lead author of the COTE Toolkit, which assembles best practices, exemplary projects, metrics, and research to support the design of beautiful, high-performing buildings. In 2019, AIA adopted the tool kit as the Framework for Design Excellence for the entire membership, to support a zero carbon, equitable, resilient future.