SOM Climate-Action-Report 111622 Small-1669068163

2021–2022
Climate Action Report

We are working toward
a zero-carbon future.
Confronting the climate crisis is the most important goal that drives
SOM’s work. As architects, designers, engineers, and urban planners,
we are working together to accelerate the decarbonization of the built
environment—which today accounts for nearly 40 percent of carbon
emissions worldwide.
As a leading architecture and engineering firm, we have the opportunity

and a responsibility to set the example for our industry. That’s why we
have made a twofold pledge to achieve net zero carbon emissions: in our
own business operations, and in every project that we design.
We are proud to announce that SOM is now a net zero emissions business,
achieved through a series of measures to reduce our emissions across
every area of our global practice, together with carbon offsets. As we
continue to reduce the carbon emissions associated with our business
operations each year, we have our sights set on becoming a net zero
emissions business without offsets by 2030.
In line with our pledge to meet the AIA 2030 Commitment, we are
targeting net zero operational carbon for 100 percent of our active design
work by 2030. We have also committed to the 2050 goal of targeting net
zero whole life carbon in all of our active design work. In fact, we intend to
reach this milestone ten years early—by 2040.
In our first Climate Action Report, we are outlining our commitments,

tracking our progress, highlighting innovative projects, and introducing
some of the people driving this effort. We also describe the climate
tools and strategies that we’ve developed through research and built
experience. This report offers a 360-degree view of climate action at SOM
and a snapshot of the state of our industry.
A key lesson we have learned through this research and exploration is that
reaching any meaningful solution will require working collaboratively—
within and beyond our industry—toward clear and well-defined goals.
Decarbonizing the building sector depends on everyone with a stake in
SOM New York Office
the built environment making this a shared commitment and working
at 7 World Trade Center together. We are excited to partner with you on this journey.
New York, New York
2021–2022 Climate Action Report 3

01 02 03
Practice People Projects
Billie Jean King Main Library

Long Beach, California
5
01 02 03
Wellesley College Science Center

Renovation & Expansion
Wellesley, Massachusetts
7
GOALS + COMMITMENT
Our net zero 2022

benchmarks
We have achieved net zero
carbon business operations with offsets
2030
By 2030, we are targeting net zero operational

carbon for 100 percent of our active work
2040
Headquarters Building on Lake Geneva

By 2040, we are targeting net zero whole life
Geneva, Switzerland carbon for 100 percent of our active work

GOALS + COMMITMENT
SOM has WorldGBC

Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment
committed to:
We've pledged to AIA2030 Challenge
Net Zero Operational Carbon
help accelerate the Building Health Alliance
decarbonization of the United Nations Race to Zero Campaign

Business Ambition for 1.5 °C
building industry (Through the Science-Based Targets

Initiative)
COP26 Communique
Architecture 2030 China Accord
and we plan to SE 2050

Net Zero Embodied Carbon Structures
exceed by 2040: by 2050
WorldGBC Bringing Embodied

Carbon Upfront
Net Zero Embodied Carbon by 2050
WorldGBC Advancing Net Zero Built

Environment
Sector Decarbonization by 2050
MEP 2040
Net Zero Whole Life Carbon by 2040
New United States Courthouse—Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California

PRACTICE
Our Net Zero Strategy After implementing a comprehensive range
of strategies to reduce operational emissions
across all of our offices, SOM purchased
SOM is Now a Net Zero carbon offsets for the 3,750 metric tons of
carbon attributed to our global business
operations in 2022. We will continue to
Emissions Business with Offsets further reduce our emissions, with the goal to
become a carbon-neutral business, without
offsets, before 2030.
Carbon Emissions Our strategy to cut emissions extends to every area of

2.1%—Boilers
Attributed to SOM 2.1%—Hotel
our business operations. We are tracking the carbon
Business Operations, 2.1%—District Steam impact of business travel. We are reducing energy
2.7%—Refurbishment needs by moving our IT operations—by far the most
2021–2022
6.6%—Office Supplies energy-intensive function in our offices—to a cloud-
based system; once this transition is complete, we
expect to have decreased electricity use by more than
8.3%—Commute
75 percent in our three largest offices.
23%—Electricity Smart technology in our offices, such as smart lighting

systems and automatic blinds, contributes to cutting
energy use related to heating and cooling. We have
reduced single-use materials and supplies and cut
down on printing. And we have implemented rigorous
waste reduction and recycling programs in each of
our offices.
54%—Business Travel
Business Travel Office Technology Electricity Building Systems Supplies & Materials
0%—Water
SOM offset 100 percent of 0.1%—Sewage

carbon emissions related to
0.1%—Waste
our global business operations
over the past year. We are 0.3%—Freight
working to reduce these Water Use Waste & Recycling Printing Carbon Offsets
0.9%—Cloud
emissions to achieve net
zero without offsets. 1.1%—Refrigerators

PRACTICE
By 2030, Targeting Net In line with our pledge to meet the AIA 2030
Commitment, we have adopted specific
Zero Whole Life Carbon
targets toward designing all of our projects to
Roadmap to Net Zero

for Every Project reach net zero operational energy by 2030.
Operational Carbon
As an industry leader, SOM is committed to measuring
the energy use and carbon impact of all of its
global portfolio to help inform design decisions and
accelerate decarbonization strategies in every design
and planning project we take on. A series of upskilling
initiatives across the firm, together with in-house
design guides and tools, is enabling all SOM staff to be
well equipped with the effective knowledge and tools to
deliver net-zero-carbon projects.
Firmwide Reduction in Operational Energy

Area-weighted percentage reduction below 2003 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption
Survey (CBECS) baseline
0% CBECS 2003 baseline
20%
-48.4%
40% -50.2% -50.6% -54.3% -54.9% -56.2%
60%
80%
100%
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Our Net Operational Energy

Target Ranges
Government + Civic 15–20 kBTU/ft2/year Mixed-Use 20–25 kBTU/ft2/year
Commercial + Office 20–25 kBTU/ft2/year Healthcare + Science 45–40 kBTU/ft2/year
Educational 15–20 kBTU/ft2/year Aviation 55–60 kBTU/ft2/year
Residential 15–20 kBTU/ft2/year
Moynihan Train Hall Note: Embodied carbon targets are estimated as an average across the program type.
New York, New York Target ranges are continuously being revised for each project as more data becomes available.

PRACTICE
By 2040, Achieving Professional organizations have called upon
our industry to reach net zero carbon—
Net Zero Whole Life both embodied and operational—by 2050.
SOM plans to reach Carbon in Every

Project
We’ve pledged to meet this goal by 2040.
To facilitate this, we have a comprehensive climate
2050 carbon goals by 2040 action plan and a framework that collectively guide
us in progressively reducing emissions in our built
environment projects.
Our Actions:
Developed a Carbon Action Plan for SE

2050
Signed up to SE 2050 and MEP 2040
Developed Embodied Carbon 101 tool with

the aim to use it in all projects; provided
training and education
Engaged with and influenced industry

organizations including Carbon Leadership
Forum, WorldGBC, RIBA, AIA, ASHRAE,
International Code Council, and more
Collaborated with industry leaders and

academics to implement an effective carbon
assessment methodology in projects
Expanded the Carbon Action Plan to include

a roadmap for SOM's 10 Design Principles
Developed "carbon loop," a firmwide

platform for reporting energy performance
Manhattan Loft Gardens and carbon impact
London, England

01 02 03
SOM New York Office

at 7 World Trade Center
New York, New York
19
PEOPLE
As a global network of technical experts and
sustainability advocates, we collaborate to accelerate
the decarbonization of the building industry.
Sustainable
Engineering Studio + Experts Advocates
Climate Action Group

Sustainable Climate
Engineering Studio Action Group
MEP Sustainability Structural Urban

Architects
Engineers Specialists Engineers Planners
Interior Technical Specification

Desingers Designers Writers
The Strand Theater

American Conservatory Theater
San Francisco, California
361 LEED and WELL accredited
professionals across all of our offices

PEOPLE
“At the onset of a decade that may very well determine the
future of our planet, we approach each project with a focus on
Meet our
conserving resources and supporting the transition to a zero
carbon economy.”
experts and advocates

Kent Jackson
Design Partner
“To limit the consequences of climate change, prioritizing planetary and

human health in all facets of the built environment must become the
rule, not the exception. Strong and effective advocacy is a critical part
of this process, as it raises public awareness on interrelated challenges.
Biodiversity protection and climate justice should be addressed in
tandem with decarbonization.”
Mina Hasman
Sustainability Director
“We are engineers, analysts, and designers but, first of all, we are “Traditionally, the construction industry has only considered
thinkers: nature is our endless source of wonder and inspiration. operational carbon emissions, while overlooking embodied carbon.
We envision a built environment where technology supports This is no longer sufficient. By centering our design approach on
passive design, where nature is not a resource to be exploited but whole-life embodied carbon and regenerative design, my goal is to
an integral part of our lives, where occupants are aware of and interconnect strategies to reduce both operational and embodied
accountable for their choices. We use data, science and creativity carbon, while integrating circular economy principles.”
to instill change.”
Mirko Farnetani
Firmwide Embodied Carbon Leader
Marzia Sedino
Sustainability Director
“We recognize the need to alter the trajectory of climate change by “We are seizing the opportunity to respond to urgent environmental
going beyond net zero. We need to take carbon out of the atmosphere challenges. Research has always been central to our practice—and by
through the built environment, and with our concept for Urban teaming up with universities, innovative start-ups, and other partners
Sequoia, we have developed a design to do just that.” across industries, we are exploring the unknown and pioneering new
solutions that can make a tremendous positive impact when applied at
a global scale.”
Chris Cooper
Design Partner
Yasemin Kologlu
Design Principal

PEOPLE
Expertise We can only confront the climate challenge
collectively. That’s why we are focused on
and Advocacy contributing our expertise and teaming up
We are driving the with organizations that are making an impact.

Decarbonizing the built environment sector
depends on everyone with a stake in the built
transformation needed environment—designers and developers,

clients and contractors, institutions and
in our industry
governments, and finally, the people who use
buildings and spaces—making this a shared
commitment and taking action.
Sustainability leaders from SOM have authored or helped to

launch some of the key climate action initiatives across our
industry. Here are some of the organizations we've engaged
with to maximize our impact:
Global United States United Kingdom
ASHRAE Decarbonization AIANY Committee on the Architects Council of Europe

Committee Environment Sustainability Group
ICC Whole Life Carbon Standard Be-Ex Architect Advisory Council CIBSE Intelligent Buildings Group
Committee
Commonwealth Association of City of Chicago Decarbonization RIBA Council and Practice &
Architects Council Task Force Policy Board Committee
ULI Policy Think Tank Carbon Leadership Forum UK Construction Industry Council
Climate Change Committee
ULI Health Network Illinois Green Carbon Drawdown UKGBC Board of Trustees
Advisory Board
UNEP/GlobalABC COP Task Force NREL Committees
WorldGBC Advacing Net Zero NYSERDA Decarbonizing NYC

Steering Committee Buildings Steering Committee
MEP 2040 Founding Members USGBC Local Chapters

Billie Jean King Main Library
Long Beach, California

01 02 03
People Practice Projects
National Museum of the United States Army

Fort Belvoir, Virginia
2021–2022 SOM Environmental Report 27

PROJECTS
A Holistic Approach to Sustainability
10 Design Principles for Underpinned by the UN Sustainable

Development Goals for 2030, we have
Sustainability + Wellbeing
defined our 10 Design Principles: a set
74%
of goals and standards that guide the
vision, design approach, and delivery
for every project.
of our projects
We believe in a holistic approach to sustainability, currently use the
encompassing environmental, social, and 10 Design Principles
economic values. Our goal for 2023 is to use the

10 Design Principles as the foundation for all of our
design projects, in order to deliver resilient built
environments and a prosperous future for everyone.
SOM's 10 Design Principles Our goal is to apply the 10 Principles in 100 percent of
our projects in 2023.
ECOLOGY ECONOMY + EQUITY ENERGY + CARBON WATER RESILIENCE

Leverage and Provide Low Carbon Design and Deliver Value Every Drop Adapt for Climate
Protect Nature Urbanism for All Net Zero Carbon Built Change
Environments
LIVABILITY + WELLBEING MOBILITY MATERIALS + RESOURCES WASTE HERITAGE + IDENTITY

Design Places where Promote Sustainable Specify Responsibly Do More with Less Cultivate Authentic
People Thrive Connectivity and Prioritize Efficiency Connections
Headquarters building on Lake Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland

PROJECTS
We're measuring and reporting progress

across all of our projects worldwide.
Closing the carbon loop:

A whole life-cycle approach We believe that data makes a
difference. By monitoring embodied
We currently measure operational energy for
100 percent of our projects, and we calcluate
embodied carbon for 55 percent of our projects.
and operational carbon in every project
we undertake—using our own "carbon Our goal is to calculate operational energy,
loop" tools, while also collaborating with operational carbon, and embodied carbon for
internal and external experts—we are 100 percent of our projects in 2023.
gathering and sharing insights that allow
us to improve our design processes. This
effort is essential to our commitment to
reduce carbon emissions across all of
our projects, working toward our 2040
net-zero goal.
In order to achieve this goal we are

continuously improving our process, using
industry tools as well as creating our own.
Identify,
Reduce
Transparency,
& Reimagine
Quantify
Mark Goal and Design
Use Tools to Set a Goal
Moynihan Train Hall

New York, New York

PROJECTS
EA Tool
™ The Environmental Analysis Tool™ (EA Tool™) is an
application developed by SOM in 2013 to estimate
We've developed our

the equivalent carbon dioxide emissions of structures
for various building types, with consideration of initial
construction, service life, repair after hazardous
own tools to measure and

events, and deconstruction.
Architects, engineers, developers, building owners,

contractors, and students can utilize the EA Tool™
monitor carbon for research purposes. The EA Tool™ can be used

to evaluate and assess the implications of new
construction, retrofit construction, and existing
structures.
EC101
The Embodied Carbon (EC) 101 is designed as a
simple embodied carbon calculation tool used by all
teams during early design phases on projects.
The goal is raise basic knowledge, understanding,

and awareness of embodied carbon from the outset
of a project and to help populate an internal embod-
ied carbon database for all SOM projects. EC101 does
not intend to replace the more detailed and accurate
tools, but rather to fill the gap in basic embodied
carbon calculations during early-stage design.
Prototype Example
8%
23%
Glazing
34%
117 Floor Finish 370 48%
Structure
kg CO2e/m2 Opaque Facade kg CO2e/m2 Architecture
16% 39%
We have developed:
Facade Mullions Mechanical
Sharing knowledge maximizes
the potential for impact, so we → An initiative to de-chemicalize and de-carbonize material specifications 24% Partitions Refrigerants
have created resources to promote and provide information on sustainable and healthy materials
progressive and sustainable → Design guides to advance active, passive, and net zero design strategies
building practices. By making the
results of our research available to → An analysis tool to reduce embodied carbon in architecture, MEP, interior Embodied Carbon by Component Embodied Carbon by Discipline
others, we aim to catalyze change fit-outs, and structural design
throughout the industry.

PROJECTS
Decarbonizing Materials
Specifying the right

material at the right time "D-Specs" is our effort to de-carbonize and
de-chemicalize our material specifications.
How do we choose better materials?
Through education, selection, and specification.
can make the difference

The way we specify architectural → Raising awareness on materials
materials has a major impact on the → Informing early design decisions
performance and carbon footprint of → Compiling multiple globally recognized sources on
healthy materials into a single database
any built environment project. We aim to
→ Expanding access by building a digital materials
make a broader impact in the industry
library
by influencing manufacturers, clients,
→ Influencing specifications decisions
and contractors to consistently prioritize → Implementing on projects, elevating our work
healthy and sustainable materials.
Design Guides
SOM has created a series of design Our design guides allow project teams to:
guides to facilitate integrated design in → Learn about the environmental impact of commonly
all built environment projects from their used materials
inception. These resources guide project → Understand the characteristics and design
implications of different passive design strategies
teams on passive design approaches,
based on climate zones
active systems, material choices, and net
→ Compare the performance of different active
zero carbon strategies. building systems
→ Learn from case study examples that implemented
the described strategies
Bio-concrete is an → Take informed decisions when selecting material
algae-based construction samples, and specifying sustainable and healthy
material that absorbs materials in projects
carbon, developed by
Prometheus Materials in
collaboration with SOM

PROJECTS
As a research-based practice, SOM

has a long history of advancing
technological and design innovations
that have transformed the industry.
Today, we are applying decades of
global experience to local contexts
in order to address the climate and
biodiversity emergencies.
Current areas of research
75%
include:
→ High Performance Design

→ Mass Timber
→ Bamboo Structures
→ Sustainable Materials
of our research projects → Direct Air Capture
are focused on sustainability → Carbon Quantification
and resilience
2021–2022 SOM
Climate
Environmental
Action Report
Report 37
PROJECTS
Urban Sequoia What if buildings could act like trees—capturing carbon,

Buildings reimagined purifying the air, and regenerating the environment? Taking
inspiration from nature, Urban Sequoia is a design concept
as a climate solution that is buildable today, setting the stage for a new carbon-
removal economy and a resilient future for cities.
At COP26, SOM unveiled this concept for buildings and their urban
context to absorb carbon. By optimizing building design, minimizing
materials, and integrating biomaterials and carbon capture
technologies, our prototype design achieves substantially more carbon
reductions than what has been possible by applying these techniques
separately. Over a 100-year lifespan, an Urban Sequoia building would
absorb more than 300 percent of the amount of carbon emitted in
its construction and operation. These nature-based strategies can
be used in buildings of all sizes and types, and can even be applied to
urban planning and infrastructure.

PROJECTS
Bio-Concrete SOM is determined to develop new methods and materials

Developing an algae-based in the pursuit of creating zero-carbon and carbon-negative
buildings. Prometheus Materials, a start-up company spun
concrete that absorbs carbon out of a research program at the University of Colorado
Boulder, has teamed up with SOM to explore and establish
applications for a new generation of biological materials
that could turn the construction industry into a positive
force in the fight against climate change.
Bio-concrete, developed with Prometheus, applies solutions

found in nature. The algae-based building material uses two
natural mechanisms to sequester and store CO2 in material form:
photosynthesis (the absorption and storage of CO2 during the growth
of the algae) and carbonate mineralization (CO2 reacting with a
metal to create a mineral during the curing process). Applied to a
concept like SOM’s Urban Sequoia—in which buildings function as
trees in a whole-life carbon cycle, capturing CO2, purifying the air,
and regenerating the environment—the carbon captured through
bio-concrete can be put to use in various industrial applications,
forming the basis of a new carbon-removal economy.

PROJECTS
Stereoform Slab At the Chicago Architecture Biennial, SOM unveiled

Reducing the carbon impact a prototype for an efficient construction method that
dramatically reduces concrete quantities—and it has the
of concrete construction potential to transform the building industry if applied
at scale.
Stereoform Slab is a prototype for a future building system designed

using advanced robotic fabrication techniques. As an alternative to
the ubiquitous concrete slab, it demonstrates an innovative method
to dramatically reduce the carbon impact of construction. Research
shows that 40 to 60 percent of a building’s carbon footprint results
from the development of the concrete slab itself. With this sustainable
fabrication technique of concrete formwork using advanced robotics, the
design team used 20 percent less concrete than a conventional system,
resulting in a 20 percent overall carbon reduction.
Stereoform Slab extends the length of the conventional concrete span

from 30 to 38 feet. This has the potential to extend a building’s lifecycle,
as longer bays can more easily be adapted to changing demands.

PROJECTS
SPLAM Timber Timber is both a renewable resource and has the capacity
A prototype for efficient Pavilion to sequester carbon, making it an inherently sustainable
material. With an optimized timber weave framing system,
timber construction SPLAM [SPatial LAMinated timber] showcases an efficient
new model for design and construction.
SPLAM is a full-scale prototype of a single-story structural framing

system used in mid-rise construction. Lighter in weight than
conventional building framing methods, spatial-laminated timber, or
SLT, reduces material use by 46 percent compared to a traditional
cross-laminated timber panel. It achieves this by making use of shorter
2x4s that interlock to create an optimized dimensional layout. This
layout can be endlessly modified to suit the structural demands of a
building’s form or functional needs, becoming denser where the lattice
needs to accommodate heavier loads, and more sparse in non-load-
bearing areas.
The product of a multi-year collaboration between SOM and

the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and
Urban Planning, the SPLAM pavilion shows how this system could
dramatically reduce timber quantities and embodied carbon when
applied in a construction project.

PROJECTS
County Office The new county headquarters building in San Mateo,

Reducing carbon with innovative Building 3 California, will be the one of the first net-zero-energy, ultra-
low-carbon civic buildings in the United States. With a
timber construction methods Redwood City, California
structural design that uses cross-laminated timber to reduce
embodied carbon, County Office Building 3 demonstrates
a high-impact solution that can be applied in many other
construction projects.
Every decision in construction detailing and structural design was

motivated by the goal to reduce the building’s carbon footprint.
Leveraging engineering knowledge and insight from the firm’s research
on mass timber construction, SOM lowered the volume of timber in the
building, reduced the piece count, and pared down the number of steel
components. While a typical mass timber structure has 65 to 75 percent
less embodied carbon than a conventional steel structure, COB3’s
structural timber design lowered structural embodied carbon by
85 percent.
ENERGY + CARBON MATERIALS + RESOURCES LIVABILITY + WELLBEING

Energy generated on-site Glulam columns and beams with cross Facade design reduces solar heat
with solar panels laminated timber (CLT) flooring gain and maximizes daylighting

PROJECTS
Headquarters This contemporary addition to a historic campus creates an

An energy-efficient workplace Building on Lake inspiring and collaborative workplace, where sustainability
and wellbeing go hand in hand. Designed to harmonize with
Geneva
that supports wellbeing its singular natural setting above Lake Geneva, the new
Geneva, Switzerland
building descends toward the lake in a series of terraces. The
design creates a sense of a continuous connection between
inside and outside, bringing the green of the park within to
the open offices. The terraces are just one of the features that
enhance employees’ wellbeing and promote collaboration.
Designed to meet stringent Swiss Minergie standard, the building

features a hybrid structure of concrete columns with floors supported
by alternating mass timber and concrete beams, which are visible in the
offices. Water from Lake Geneva is used to heat and cool the building
using hydrothermal technology, while roof-mounted solar panels
contribute to the building's energy use reduction. Through the elegant
glass facade, abundant natural light provides comfort as well as further
energy savings.
ENERGY + CARBON LIVABILITY + WELLBEING MATERIALS + RESOURCES

Hydro-thermal technology to User-centered design with Structures-related embodied carbon
heat and cool the building outdoor access from every floor emissions reduced by 40%

PROJECTS
SOM New York For decades, SOM has designed cutting-edge workplaces with
Applying a holistic design Studio at the conviction that architecture can shape an organization’s
culture. In designing our own studio at 7 World Trade
7 World Trade Center
approach to our own home Center—an SOM building which set a benchmark as the
New York, New York
first commercial office building in the world to achieve LEED
Gold certification—we took the opportunity to push these
principles further.
Completed in 2020, our new home in New York exemplifies where we

think workplace design will move in the future. The design manifests a
philosophy we refer to as “radical reduction”—it is an expansive, flexible
space characterized by healthy materials and a responsible approach
to the use of resources. SOM created a rigorous set of criteria to choose
a sustainable material palette. Natural and renewable materials such
as cork, tectum, and white oak complement the exposed concrete floor
slabs, while plants throughout the office and abundant natural light
boost wellbeing.
ENERGY + CARBON LIVABILITY + WELLBEING WASTE

Daylight sensors control Continuous air-quality monitoring; Lowered carbon emissions through
lighting and blinds to reduce energy use biophilic design with plants throughout reuse and reduction strategies

PROJECTS
800 Fulton Market This mixed-use building is a milestone in the transformation

Implementing sustainable strategies Chicago, Illinois
of Chicago's formerly industrial Fulton Market District.
Through extensive analysis of the building’s life cycle and an
for a next-generation workplace efficient structural design, the design team reduced structural
embodied carbon by 65 percent when compared to an
average commercial office building. The project is certified
LEED Platinum and is targeting WELL Building Standard Gold
certification.
Billed by its developer, Thor Equities, as “Chicago’s Smartest Building,”

800 Fulton Market features a range of smart building systems that
promote wellness, sustainability, and energy efficiency. Landscaped
terraces with native plantings on every other floor and ample daylighting
within the office spaces bring wellness and sustainability to the forefront
of the user experience.
ENERGY + CARBON LIVABILITY + WELLBEING ECOLOGY

Smart building systems help to Air-filtration system and plants Landscaped terraces with native
limit operational energy use help maintain healthy air quality plantings on every other floor

PROJECTS
University of The University of California, Merced is the youngest campus

Planning the first carbon-neutral California, Merced in the UC system and the first North American research
university to be established in the 21st century. After
2020 Campus
public research university campus Expansion
designing the university’s original master plan in 2002,
SOM was selected to lead the 2020 Project—an ambitious
in the U.S. Merced, California public-private partnership that nearly doubles the campus
footprint to support the enrollment of 10,000 students
by the year 2020. The expansion project of a new campus
plan, design guidelines, infrastructure, open space, and 11
new buildings, including state-of-the-art research facilities,
laboratories, a greenhouse, and dining hall.
Designed to adapt for different uses and future expansion, the master
plan organizes the campus as a compact, walkable environment with
dynamic public spaces. The university is the first public research
institution in the U.S. to achieve carbon neutrality and the only academic
campus to have every building LEED certified, with all 2020 Project
buildings earning LEED Platinum certification.
WATER ECOLOGY LIVABILITY + WELLBEING

Rainwater harvesting Drought-resistant Pedestrian-friendly
plantings campus planning

Driving change in
our industry, today
and into the future
In this report we have declared SOM’s commitments, shared our
progress, and highlighted key projects and people who are leading
our response to the climate crisis. With clarity of purpose, and driven
by our three major goals—reaching net zero operational carbon with
offsets in our business operations as of 2022, targeting net zero
operational carbon on all projects in design by 2030, and targeting
net zero whole life carbon for all projects in design by 2040—we are
continuing to shape a more sustainable built environment.
There is much more to be done. We will continue to work across

industries, leveraging our interdisciplinary expertise, insights from
our clients, and innovations from our design teams, to do our part
in addressing the defining challenge of our time. This is an ongoing
conversation: we will continue to hold ourselves, and our industry,
accountable as we seek to drive collective change in the way we
operate our business and, most importantly, in the built environment
that we design.
Wild Mile
Chicago, Illinois

PEOPLE
Industry Collaboration
+ Partnerships

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2021–2022

Climate Action Report

As a leading architecture and engineering firm, we have the opportunity

In our first Climate Action Report, we are outlining our commitments,

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 3

Billie Jean King Main Library

Wellesley College Science Center

Our net zero 2022

By 2030, we are targeting net zero operational

Headquarters Building on Lake Geneva

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 9

SOM has WorldGBC

help accelerate the Building Health Alliance

decarbonization of the United Nations Race to Zero Campaign

building industry (Through the Science-Based Targets

Architecture 2030 China Accord

and we plan to SE 2050

WorldGBC Bringing Embodied

WorldGBC Advancing Net Zero Built

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 11

Carbon Emissions Our strategy to cut emissions extends to every area of

23%—Electricity Smart technology in our offices, such as smart lighting

SOM offset 100 percent of 0.1%—Sewage

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 13

Roadmap to Net Zero

Firmwide Reduction in Operational Energy

0% CBECS 2003 baseline

Our Net Operational Energy

Government + Civic 15–20 kBTU/ft2/year Mixed-Use 20–25 kBTU/ft2/year

Commercial + Office 20–25 kBTU/ft2/year Healthcare + Science 45–40 kBTU/ft2/year

Educational 15–20 kBTU/ft2/year Aviation 55–60 kBTU/ft2/year

Residential 15–20 kBTU/ft2/year

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 15

SOM plans to reach Carbon in Every

To facilitate this, we have a comprehensive climate

Developed a Carbon Action Plan for SE

Signed up to SE 2050 and MEP 2040

Developed Embodied Carbon 101 tool with

Engaged with and influenced industry

Collaborated with industry leaders and

Expanded the Carbon Action Plan to include

Developed "carbon loop," a firmwide

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 17

SOM New York Office

Climate Action Group

MEP Sustainability Structural Urban

Interior Technical Specification

The Strand Theater

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 21

experts and advocates

“To limit the consequences of climate change, prioritizing planetary and

2021–2022 Climate Action Report 23

We are driving the with organizations that are making an impact.

transformation needed environment—designers and developers,

Sustainability leaders from SOM have authored or helped to

Global United States United Kingdom

ASHRAE Decarbonization AIANY Committee on the Architects Council of Europe

UNEP/GlobalABC COP Task Force NREL Committees

WorldGBC Advacing Net Zero NYSERDA Decarbonizing NYC