A large solar farm with rows of solar panels, thoughtfully planned by institutional design architects, sits in a clearing surrounded by autumn foliage. Rolling hills, distant farms, and a blue sky create a picturesque rural setting.

We are mindful of the ecological, financial, and operational impacts of our work and want our legacy to be responsible, resilient architecture that serves our clients and communities.

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Our sustainable design approach reflects our mission to demonstrate innovation in the context of tradition: we combine valuable lessons of the past, like passive conditioning techniques, with innovative new methods for evaluating and furthering the performance of our buildings. Our stewardship must consider the ecological, financial, and operational impacts of our work and its legacy for future generations.

We signed the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 Commitment, a voluntary pledge to pursue carbon neutrality that requires signatories to document their proposed approach through a Sustainability Action Plan (SAP). Our SAP is a living document that goes beyond carbon neutrality to include health-related elements of sustainable design, climate-resilience, and equity, as well as addressing our firm’s operations since we believe it is important to embody the sustainable, inclusive, and equitable world we work to design.

A modern glass and stone office building at dusk, with large windows illuminated from inside. The entrance features stairs, railings, and landscaped planters with small trees. Reflections and lighting highlight the sleek architectural lines.
Three men in business attire are gathered around a table. One sits and writes while the other two stand, looking on and smiling. A window frame model stands upright on the table, and rolls of blueprints and papers are nearby. Sunlight fills the modern office space.
A 3D building section and a 2D floorplan highlight areas in green. Created by institutional design architects, a circular chart at the bottom right shows 19.8% sDA, representing daylight analysis for the depicted floor or zones.
A cross-section diagram of a large building shows airflow with arrows: cool air enters below, warm air rises and exits above. Sun icons mark summer and winter conditions. People occupy different floors, and rainwater falls onto the roof, demonstrating environmental systems.
Two people work together at a desk with architectural plans, papers, and a scale model. Behind them are large printed renderings of building interiors and floor plans pinned to a blackboard. The setting appears to be a modern office or studio.
A 3D rendered architectural model shows interconnected buildings with curved and angular forms, featuring large windows. The interior highlights rooms with color gradients, indicating various zones. The landscape includes snow, a circular building, and an outdoor amphitheater.
Four women in business attire discuss fabric samples at a table in a modern office with large windows and city views. Swatches and color samples are spread out before them; one woman gestures as she speaks, while another leans on the table, listening.
A large, modern indoor gymnasium with wooden basketball courts, red and white walls, and high ceilings with exposed beams. Sunlight streams through upper windows, creating reflections on the shiny floor. Multiple basketball hoops are visible on each side.
A 3D architectural diagram by institutional design architects shows a multi-story building with blue arrows and dashed lines illustrating water flow from rooftop collection to a lower reservoir. The surrounding landscape and nearby buildings are rendered in gray.

Our Pledge

CARBON

Passive design strategies and sustainable material specifications help us reduce carbon emissions. New software is enabling us to more accurately model the impact of our designs to meet our carbon emissions goals.

HEALTH

We specify products that decrease health hazards at every step of a product’s lifecycle, from production through disposal, and consider the mental state of building occupants by providing adequate daylight, views, fresh air, and thermal comfort, which also enhance occupants’ well-being and performance.

RESILIENCE

To better assist clients seeking to maximize the resilience of their physical plant, we are pursuing tested strategies: using renewable energy sources to provide adequate emergency power, high-performance building envelope design, eliminating fossil fuels from systems design, and reducing water usage.

BUILDING LESS

By harnessing the embodied energy in existing buildings and making them more energy and space-efficient, we get the most out of what’s already built and avoid the environmental impact of new construction. This strategy often has the additional benefit of preserving history and heritage.

A modern multi-story building with large windows is illuminated at dusk. People walk near a plaza with ground-level fountains. Trees frame the scene, and a Drexel University banner hangs on a lamppost to the right. The sky is a deep blue.
A green roof with various low-growing plants and red and green foliage is in the foreground. Behind it, there is a white cupola and a tall clock tower with a green roof, both set against a clear blue sky. Trees are visible in the background.
A modern glass office building with metal sunshades lines a clean, empty sidewalk. Young trees, green grass, and stone walls accent the urban setting under a clear blue sky. Reflections of trees and buildings appear on the building’s glass facade.
A circular indoor pool under a wooden, dome-shaped ceiling with exposed beams and four black ceiling fans. Large windows and doors surround the pool, letting in ample natural light and offering views of trees and a grassy outdoor area.