KieranTimberlake
Several outdoor seating areas and a water feature encourage Rice University students and faculty members to linger in the shade of the buildings, extending the use of outdoor space in a hot climate. | Hester + Hardway

KieranTimberlake confronts climate change, social inequity, and biodiversity loss on every project. We are signatories of the AIA 2030 Commitment, which seeks to make all buildings carbon neutral by 2030, and the AIA Materials Pledge, a promise to consider human, climate, and ecosystem health as a part of the building materials evaluation process. As a founding signatory of US Architects Declare, an industry-wide appeal to address the growing emergencies of climate, justice, and biodiversity loss, we are committed to transforming the built environment through our design, research, and practices.

A 30-foot green wall, inspired by the Missouri and Mississippi rivers which flow nearby, forms a biophilic centerpiece for Weil Hall’s sky-lit court. | James Ewing, JBSA

Sustainability in Action

Carbon Goals 
Setting carbon emissions goals for every project and tracking progress with energy and life cycle assessment models.

Materials Health 
Prioritizing the use of materials that are Red List free and sustainably and humanely sourced.

Health and Well-Being 
Optimizing indoor air quality, reducing pollutants, and providing safe, comfortable, and healthy environments for building occupants.

Equity and Inclusivity
Collaborating with key stakeholders that represent the diversity of the community in the design process and conducting post-occupancy evaluations to assess the impact of our buildings on their occupants.

Sustainability in Culture

Tools  
Creating and sharing industry-leading tools (Tally, Roast, Pointelist) that reveal the social and environmental impacts of architecture.

Culture of Inquiry
Investigating issues of supply chain equity, environmental justice, circularity, post-occupancy evaluation, and ecosystem impacts.

Leadership / Community
Training all staff in environmental topics, convening task teams to tackle technical topics, and coordinating an internal lecture series with guest speakers. Requiring LEED certification as a minimum, we support staff in attending conferences and obtaining additional environmental literacy certifications.

A 30-foot green wall, inspired by the Missouri and Mississippi rivers which flow nearby, forms a biophilic centerpiece for Weil Hall’s sky-lit court. | James Ewing, JBSA

Sustainability Advocacy

Peer Networks
Seeking out clients, consultants, and manufacturers who share similar climate advocacy goals. Promoting environmental literacy through cross-industry Conferences, symposia, workshops, and peer-reviewed papers and op-eds.

Pro-Bono Work
Volunteering 1% of working hours in our community and taking leadership positions to shape policy, sustainability rating systems, and global coalitions addressing the impact of our industry on the planet.

Carbon Offsets
Tracking and limiting business travel and purchasing carbon offsets for the remaining emissions, purchasing renewable energy to power the building.

On-site Waste
Composting food waste has cut our landfill waste in half, plus seven streams of recycling and reuse allow further diversion from landfills.

New plantings and shade trees create a park-like setting on a former brownfield site. The wood-clad gallery at Yale University is a new nexus of community activity for the arts. | Peter Aaron, OTTO
Breathing new life into Saarinen’s controversial Colleges at Yale University, the below grade additions have given rise to new green open space for gathering and new infrastructure to manage storm water. | Peter Aaron / OTTO

Awards and Mentions

  • AIA 2030 Commitment Signatory
  • AIA Materials Pledge Signatory
  • Founding Signatory of US Architects Declare
  • 14 LEED Platinum Projects
  • 14 LEED Gold Projects
  • 5 AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Awards
  • 3 AIA Pennsylvania Committee on the Environment 
 Award of Excellence
  • 2 AIA Philadelphia Sustainability Awards
  • AIA California Special Commendation Design for Energy
  • AIA Technology in Architectural Practice Building 
 Information Modeling Award, Tally®
  • Architizer A+ Best Sustainable Firm Jury Winner
  • Green Good Design Sustainability Architecture Award
  • World Architecture Festival WAFX Prize in Carbon 
 and Climate
  • Architect Magazine R+D Award, Green Roof 
 Vegetation Study
  • Architect Magazine R+D Award, Wireless Sensor Network
  • Architect Magazine R+D Award, Tally®
  • Illuminating Engineering Society Lumen Award for Integration of Daylighting and Electrical Lighting

Sustainability