By Adam Kyle, PE, Building Performance Team Leader
The call to address the causes and effects of climate change has never felt more urgent, underscored by the recent series of devastating hurricanes, wildfires throughout the Western U.S., record-setting temperatures, and the worst drought in California history only a short distance in the rearview mirror.
And yet, there is also reason – and need – for optimism and excitement!
At MEYERS+ we are encouraged to see the proliferation of renewable energy being driven by improvements in technology and economy of scale, yielding costs for grid-scale renewable energy generation lower than those of traditional fossil fuels. Furthermore, energy storage and electric vehicle technologies are emerging and evolving at a breakneck pace, unseating the long-held conventional “wisdom” that renewable energy could never be the primary source of our power needs. With these recent developments, a renewable utopia seems less like science fiction and more like our inevitable destiny.
However, we also understand that this exciting vision of the future will take considerable time and won’t build itself. We are committed to meeting the challenge of the climate crisis with our best efforts – now. Fortunately, we’re similarly benefiting from the emergence of new building technologies and design tools that allow us to understand and drive down energy and water use, produce more on-site renewable energy, and lower the total lifecycle carbon footprint of our buildings.
All the while we continue to strive to design and build inspiring buildings that enhance the human experience, delivering the optimum in wellness and productivity; and, we must strike a balance - and find synergies - from seemingly competing design goals. The only way we can do this is to break down conventional design silos and bring to bear the best collective thought, tools, and technology the industry has to offer. In this way, we actively collaborate with our clients and colleagues to exceed the goals and expectations of the widely varied group of stakeholders involved in all of our projects.