January 2023 Climate Crawl

O+A’s Eco Playbook: How to Design with the Future in Mind

During the pandemic Studio O+A looked inward as many firms did. We started on a journey by simply asking – “how is our design impacting the planet? And  – How do we design with the future in mind? We started to look at the materials and resources we use, and ask if there is a more effective and sustainable way to design. We decided to write our own playbook from our perspective on how we need to address design and what needs to change.  We were excited to share the content of the Eco Playbook completed in 2021 with our peers in San Francisco.  We talked about specifying healthy materials and design for reuse. We engaged in conversation about the role of the client and contractor and how we can build sustainability into the design process at every level.  We all agreed that conversations with experienced eco-conscious contractors is crucial to seeing our efforts through project completion. Everyone at the Climate Crawl is interested in bringing about the needed change to our industry.  We need to get to net zero, we need to engage in larger questions, we need to get regenerative –and we need to do all these things very quickly.  Climate Crawlers think we can transition more quickly if we share resources and learn from each other.  We can all be leaders in this journey.  New ways of working aren’t easy to implement, radical change is uncomfortable but we pledge to embrace the change the profession needs and to move fast to address the climate crisis.

You can download the Eco Playbook here: https://o-plus-a.com/project/eco-playbook/