For the past three years Arkin Tilt Architects—signatory to the AIA’s 2030 Commitment—has achieved at least 70% reductions in energy use across our portfolio of projects.  This year we add to the list a new residence for Jennifer Doudna and Jamie Cate in Occidental, California, a project featuring straw bale construction and earth masonry foundations and retaining walls, and shaped and oriented for peak passive solar heating as well as cooling. Solar control to prevent overheating has long been a priority for ATA, knowing the impacts of climate change tilt towards hotter summer temperatures.  As with the majority of our projects, no air conditioning will be needed.  Pictured is the Zero Tool output of the calculated energy use of this home, showing it will be a net energy generator, or have added capacity for electric vehicle charging.  

David Arkin serves on the AIA National’s 2030 Working Group, helping to shape the DDX program, which is releasing a new version this month, incorporating a number of changes including factoring in use of off-site generated renewable electricity, and the embodied carbon of the materials and construction.  For more information, see this link to the 10th annual report of the AIA 2030 Commitment:  

http://content.aia.org/sites/default/files/2020-09/AIA_2030_BytheNumbers_2019_2.pdf