By working with climate calculations from the early stages, architects can not only ensure climate targets and legal requirements are met. They can also strengthen their business, win more commissions and competitions, and influence crucial design decisions. Here, Plant's expert in sustainable, climate-conscious architecture, Alexander Ståhl, explains how the entire construction industry benefits when architects work actively and strategically with climate calculations from an early stage.

– If architects can make climate impact a natural part of their methodology, they can create significant benefits for clients, contractors and other stakeholders.

How do you see the architect's role in construction's green transition, and how can climate calculations help them take a more central role?

Architects are uniquely placed to take on different roles, including an advisory one. They also have the opportunity to combine design and climate-conscious architecture at an early stage. By analysing the climate impact of different sketches, construction systems and materials, they can ensure climate targets and legal requirements can be met cost-effectively. If architects integrate climate impact as a natural part of their methodology, they can create significant benefits for clients, contractors and other stakeholders. They have the ability to see the whole picture and communicate it better than any other party.

What are the greatest business benefits for architects of working with climate calculations early in a project?

Winning commissions by quickly, simply and clearly showing clients, already at tender or competition stage, that they have clear ideas about how to meet climate targets is a major advantage. At the same time, they can assure potential customers that they can take responsibility for climate impact in the design process and follow projects from start to finish with full control of their climate impact. Climate calculations are now an extremely important and natural part of design, so it is also reasonable for architects to charge for them, strengthening their business.

How can architects use climate calculations to inform decisions on construction systems and materials?

Using good climate data and an evidence-based foundation, architects can integrate climate calculations into their design process. They can then communicate simply and visually which construction systems and materials could offer cost-effective ways to reduce a project's climate impact. They can start with a reference project or a proposed construction system and establish a climate budget. Using that budget, they can analyse climate impact and study which parts of a building or neighbourhood are best suited to different construction systems and materials. This helps create climate-conscious architecture and communicate alternatives to clients, contractors and design teams. In this way, they can guide the design with climate impact in mind.

– Architects are best placed to see the whole picture, so it is extremely important that they are given the scope and trust to work with climate impact from different perspectives at an early stage.

Why is it important for property developers and construction companies to involve architects early when reducing climate impact?

Collaboration is important if we are to create climate-conscious, sustainable architecture that meets climate requirements. We also need transformative, systemic change. Architects are best placed to see the whole picture, so it is extremely important that they are given the scope and trust to work with climate impact from different perspectives at an early stage.

How can architects use tools such as Plant Concept to analyse and ensure climate targets are met at both project and company level?

With fast, simple and reliable climate calculations in Plant Concept, architects can establish early, already at tender or competition stage, that their sketches and ideas have good prospects of ultimately meeting climate targets, environmental certifications and legal requirements. They can also take a more advisory role and explore alternatives in Plant Concept together with clients to find strategies at a broader level. This can support sustainability reporting and company-level roadmaps.

Can climate calculations be as valuable in renovation and extension projects as in new construction? How can architects best apply them?

Absolutely. Creativity is the only limit. There are opportunities for architects to study and communicate what is most suitable when improving or developing properties. Climate calculations make it possible to study which type of transformation suits a particular building and analyse which measures have the lowest climate impact. They also make it possible to compare the most strategic option for a client: investing in new construction or transformation, from a climate perspective.