DBR is a multi-service consulting firm that provides mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and technology design. In addition to design services, DBR provides sustainability consulting and building commissioning services. As a leader in MEP design, we support the vision for a future of net zero energy and carbon emissions in the built environment. Having been a part of the sustainable design movement is Texas, reaching many milestones such as the first LEED certified public school in Texas, it is natural for us to participate in the leadership of reduction of carbon emissions in the operation of buildings and embodied in the materials and equipment we specify. Our plan defines our commitment to net zero carbon by 2040 and how we will approach our commitment. Our strategies include education of our design staff, advocation outside of the office and tracking our success.

EwingCole, the design team behind one of the world’s largest verified, commercial Zero Net Energy buildings, recently signed on to the MEP 2040 Commitment set out by the Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF). This is the fourth commitment the firm has signed, further strengthening its broader mission to bring the built environment into alignment with the health of our communities and the planet – to create spaces where all of nature can thrive. As architects, engineers, designers, and planners, it is our professional responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people in our buildings and the communities in which they inhabit,” said EwingCole President Robert McConnell, AIA. “Part of that responsibility includes supporting the success and continuation of future generations by reducing waste, energy consumption, and carbon output.”

We commit to 100% firm adoption of our AIA 2030 and CLF 2040 policy, project management, engineering and training tools including our MOU directing all-electric HVAC and hot water systems as our basis of design. By 2030, we commit to 100% full electrified building designs that employ renewable power to the greatest extent possible and 50% of projects use < 50 GWP refrigerants. By 2025 we commit to submit 100% of qualified projects to AIA, and by 2030, we commit to 50% of projects meeting the AIA and CLF commitments.

HGA is an interdisciplinary professional services firm committed to making a positive, lasting impact for our clients and communities through research-based, holistic solutions. We believe that great outcomes require a sense of curiosity - forming deep insights, their context, and the human condition. In this vein, HGA has signed on to the MEP 2040 Commitment. As signatories, we are working to educate staff on embodied carbon from MEP equipment and ensure MEP equipment is included in HGA’s existing LCA calculation workflow. We are also committed to being active members of the MEP 2040 working groups and work to meet CLF/MEP 2040 commitments through data tracking and design innovation.

IMEG (formerly Rushing) commits to advocating for emissions reductions and establishing procedures for tracking embodied, operational, and refrigerant emissions in our projects. Given the current state of data on whole-life MEP emissions, the path to total decarbonization is still being discovered. Today, we are taking actions to help establish this path. Tasks in our Company Plan were created to set ourselves up for success in the future when more MEP whole-life emissions data is available and to help usher in this future through advocacy for low-carbon MEP solutions with manufacturers and project owners.

At Michaud Cooley Erickson, we are committed to being leaders in decarbonization. For our team, sustainable design is a necessity; it’s inherent to our processes and culture. Our goal is to design buildings whose construction and operation do not contribute to global warming. However, our commitment to achieving net-zero by 2040 encompasses not only our design methodologies but also our efforts to educate, engage with the industry, pursue learning opportunities, and advocate for our mission. Whether transitioning existing facilities or designing new buildings, our sustainability efforts focus on creating systems that are net-zero or support a path to net-zero. We believe that as engineers, we have a responsibility to design buildings that are in alignment with decarbonization strategies, resilient, and healthy for the occupants and the planet. In alignment with CLF, MCE is committed to ensuring every aspect of our work contributes to achieving net-zero by 2040.

At PAE, our vision is a world with clean air, energy, and water for all. As MEP engineers and leaders in our field, the path to a sustainable climate is in our hands. PAE has had the opportunity to design some of the world’s highest-performing buildings, tackling seemingly unattainable goals. The MEP 2040 Challenge embodies this spirit by setting the bar exactly where it needs to be: at zero. We are proud to present our MEP 2040 Climate Action Plan. We have developed a framework to align our work with the challenge and advance our vision for a sustainable future.

SOM was one of the first design and engineering firms to join the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment. In 2022, we became a carbon neutral business by applying strategies to reduce emissions across our global operations, together with carefully selected carbon offsets as we continue to reduce our environmental impact. Among the other climate pledges that SOM has made are the AIA 2030 Commitment, the China Accord, and the SE2050 Commitment, which mandate stringent sustainability results for the projects that we deliver. As a member of the United Nations’ Race to Zero campaign, we are reinforcing these commitments in all aspects of our practice.

We will reduce operational and embodied carbon across MEP systems on all projects, targeting zero by 2040, and will report progress annually. We will request low-GWP refrigerants, request EPDs in project specifications for MEP system components, and participate in quarterly MEP 2040 forums and CLF community discussions.

Submitted by Bradley McClain

"Through a phased process, Windward will work towards designing net zero on all projects by 2040. Highlights of Windwards plan includes:

• Design all new construction projects to be net-zero in operation by 2035.

• Reduce MEP related embodied carbon in all new construction, major retrofits, and infrastructure projects by 50% by 2030.

In addition to required MEP 2040 areas of improvement, Windward will also set targets for water conservation, air health and indoor air quality.