New Design Data Exchange streamlines reporting

The 2030 Commitment just had its best year yet. According to the latest numbers from 2019, a record 311 companies reported design work representing over 100 countries. And they recorded a 49 percent reduction in predicted energy use intensity – the greatest reduction in the program’s history.

Successful participation in this critical program just got easier with the launch of a revamped Design Data Exchange (DDx). Designed in close coordination with current DDx users, the new and improved platform will streamline workflows and save time when reporting on projects.  

“Achieving a carbon neutral built environment by 2030 is only possible through tracking and measuring our progress,” said 2030 Commitment Co-Chair Gwen Fuertes, AIA. “The new DDx simplifies the reporting process to save you time. Now even the busiest person – from a firm of any size – can efficiently enter data, visualize their portfolio, and compare progress to other signatories around the world.”

The DDx redesign is the latest tool released in 2020 to help architects achieve sustainability goals. AIA released its new Climate Action Plan earlier this year. The Climate Action Plan provides guidance to help architects achieve progress under three overarching goals: mitigating the sources; adapting to the impacts; catalyzing architects to act.

Additionally, the Framework for Design Excellence was updated in June. The Framework is a key resource to guide architects in pursuing a built environment that is zero-carbon, equitable, resilient, and healthy. To help achieve those four primary outcomes, the Framework defines design strategies across 10 principles – formerly known as the COTE Top Ten – supplying best practices, high impact strategies, curated web resources, and case studies.

With information tailored to meet firms wherever they are in their sustainability capacity, the Framework is intended to be accessible and relevant for every architect, every client, and every project – regardless of size, typology, or aspiration.

Recognizing that operational carbon is just one piece of the climate action puzzle, a key feature of the revamped DDx is the capability to track embodied carbon. Unlike operational carbon, which can be reduced during a building’s lifetime, embodied carbon is locked in as soon as a building is completed. This emphasis on tracking embodied carbon – all the carbon emitted during the manufacturing and transport of materials and during building construction – is critical.

New features include:

• Custom company, individual, and project dashboards so you can drill deeper into projects and see your progress toward energy goals
• The ability to add collaborators at your firm or at other companies
• Embodied carbon and off-site renewables tracking so you see the complete carbon picture for every project
• A simplified portfolio submission process

The new DDx retires several features, including:

• These tabs: HVAC, building envelope, and research scatterplot
• Monthly fuel source entry for operational measure energy use
• Less commonly used fields including questions on energy use data collection, occupancy and daylight sensors, time spent on energy model, water module, and target certification

What you need to know:

The DDx platform upgrade occurred on Oct. 6. Your firm’s project data was transferred to the new platform, and it’s now available when you log in to the DDx.

New features will continue to roll out over the next year to make participating in the AIA 2030 Commitment easier than ever.

For more information, sign up for training (sessions available Oct. 13, Oct. 28, Nov. 12), visit our help section, or contact experts anytime at 2030Commitment@aia.org