Welcome to our annual Beyond Sustainability Report. Little remains fully committed to transparency as we advance our journey toward a regenerative future. We invite you to explore the continuing evolution of our sustainability efforts. We hope this report inspires you as we firmly believe regeneration is a collaborative effort.
At Little, our work is driven by our core values: CARE, STRETCH, and SPARK. These values shape our approach to everything we do together.
CARE reflects our deep commitment to understanding and addressing the unique needs and aspirations of our clients, communities, and the environment. STRETCH fuels our dedication to innovation and exploring frontiers. And SPARK embodies our passion for creative and transformative design.
These values are the bedrock of our organization, fostering collaboration and driving regenerative outcomes in the built environment.
Truist
MOVING TOWARD REGENERATION THROUGH RESILIENCE A GLOBAL IMPERATIVE GROWS
EXECUTING A FRAMEWORK
OUR SUSTAINABILITY PHILOSOPHY
PATHWAY TO A REGENERATIVE FUTURE BUILD CAPACITY FOR REGENERATION THE REGEN BRAINSTORM PROJECT MEASUREMENTS TAKING ACTION
ELEVATING CLIENT PERFORMANCE THROUGH HEWS
MEASURING OUR PROGRESS
CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030 IMPROVING OUR INTERNAL OPERATIONS IMPROVING OUR OUTREACH COMMITMENTS THAT SPARK CHANGE AIA 2030 COMMITMENT
BUILDING A HEALTHY COMMUNITY
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
PRIORITIZING HEALTH AND INCLUSIVITY FROM WITHIN
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE
TIMELINE OF LITTLE'S PROGRESS TOWARD REGENERATIVE OUTCOMES INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES
RESILIENCE: WORDS FROM OUR CEO GLOSSARY OF TERMS
INTRODUCTION
Northeastern University Miami Miami, FL
WE BELIEVE OUR WORK IS CENTERED AROUND THREE INTERCONNECTED GOALS: SUSTAINABLE PERFORMANCE, RESILIENT SYSTEMS, AND REGENERATIVE OUTCOMES.
Our Regen CoLab is a talented team of collaborators who focus on building a culture of regenerative practice within Little.
Scott Brideau LEED AP, CDT
Miles Grubbs PE, LEED AP, WELL AP, BEMP
Jen Todd AIA, CPHC®, NCARB
Philip Donovan AIA, LFA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB
Vickie Breemes CSI, CCS, LEED AP BD+C, LFA, WELL AP
WORDS FROM OUR REGEN COLAB MOVING TOWARD REGENERATION THROUGH RESILIENCE
At Little, sustainability is not just a goal — it’s a lens through which we design, measure, and evolve. This year’s publication of Beyond Sustainability reflects that evolution. It captures not just what we’ve built and measured, but how our thinking is shifting to meet the urgency and complexity of today’s environmental and social challenges.
It’s important to preface this report with the framework for understanding the terminology being used. We believe our work is centered around three interconnected goals: sustainable performance, resilient systems, and regenerative outcomes. These terms are often diluted and used interchangeably in the industry, but we believe they describe distinct levels of ambition:
• Sustainable design minimizes negative impact — using less energy, fewer materials, and efficient systems.
• Resilience anticipates risk and disruption— ensuring that buildings and communities can endure, adapt, and recover.
• Regeneration actively restores and enhances ecosystems, communities, and the economy seeking to create net-positive impacts — improving biodiversity, strengthening social resilience, and driving long-term economic health.
You may notice that we’ve moved away from the term “regenerative design” as a blanket descriptor. While we value the intent behind it, we’ve recognized that design itself is not regenerative — it is the outcomes of design that determine whether regeneration occurs as life continues in that project and place. It’s not the drawing or concept that heals soil, restores water, or reconnects people to place — it’s what is built, how it performs, and how it contributes to a living system over time. In short, we are now working toward regenerative outcomes, not just regenerative intent.
This shift grounds us in humility and accountability. It pushes us to set clear goals, track impacts, and tell the full story — from early concept to long-term stewardship. Throughout this report, you’ll find data that charts our progress, tools we’ve implemented to better measure what matters, and project stories that reveal what it looks like to embed resilience and regenerative potential into the built environment.
We are proud of how far we’ve come, recognizing we still have work to do — and we remain committed to doing more. Every project, every material decision, every stakeholder conversation is an opportunity to move closer to a future where design doesn’t just do less harm, but contributes more good. This is our path forward: from sustainable practice, through resilient systems, toward regenerative outcomes.
A GLOBAL IMPERATIVE GROWS
What’s at stake, and how can we respond?
Set aside for a moment the role of climate change as either a rallying point or lightning rod. It's still clear there's a lot at stake as we attempt to compensate for and reconcile the damage that human actions are causing to our planet.
Most of the world agrees that the current and future impacts of climate change are existential in nature - a global imperative that humanity must collectively address. It is as much about dealing with the rising costs of today’s impacts as it is about exponential future costs of inaction today. Thankfully, we’re getting better at quantifying not just the “immediate” financial costs, but the cost of related impacts – to public health, the economy, key government programs, infrastructure, insurance and even national security.
As the cycle of extreme weather events becomes more frequent, more severe, and more costly, its impacts on the economy and productivity are increasingly evident. The need for not only higher resilience, but a new approach to the way we extract resources and develop our built environment are critically necessary. Old processes and old strategies no longer apply. Even more daunting is the question: How do we begin to help nature heal the damage we’ve inflicted?
Seemingly every day, results of ongoing scientific and economic studies sound alarm bells while revealing how dire our situation is, and how much worse it may become. Here are just a few, specific to the cost of climate change (one “current”, one “inaction” and one “future”):
• US National Climate Assessment Agency: Extreme weather events cost $1 Billion every three weeks, and averaged $150B annually between 2018 and 2022. Forty years ago, that $1B cost occurred every 4 months, when adjusted for inflation. Today, we're reaching the billion mile marker in a quarter the time. (World Economic Forum, Nov 2023)
• The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB): In a 2022 release, OMB stated that inaction on climate change could cost $2 Trillion annually, citing reduced GDP, and an increased cost in key government programs. (OMB, Apr 2022)
• Forbes Magazine: Damages from climate change will set the global economy back an estimated $38 trillion a year by 2049, warned a trio of researchers in a peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nature. The researchers stressed that a failure to adapt could lead to average global economic losses as high as 60% by 2100. (Forbes, Apr 2024)
Overwhelming statistics like the ones above often leave us paralyzed, feeling that the problem is too big for our actions to have any impact on. But there is still a way to have hope. Massive change can be achieved with many small steps. If these bite-sized steps build momentum and reach a tipping point, then massive change seems to come from nowhere. So, let’s talk about the small actions we can take every day.
SMALL ACTIONS WE TAKE EVERY DAY CAN LEAD TO MASSIVE CHANGE:
1 DECIDE TO ENGAGE.
FIND (AT LEAST) ONE THING TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT CHANGING. 2
If you love the place where you live/work, it’s easy to find ways to contribute to improving the quality of life in that place, making it more sustainable for everyone over time. Your energies flow easiest when you care deeply about something. And that energy can be contagious.
3
FOCUS ON CHANGING OUR BAD HABITS.
In both our personal and professional behaviors, there’s plenty of room for improvement and creating new muscle memory for better behavior, whether in our buying habits, approach to recycling, or the filters we use to define good (sustainable) design. Staying aware, in the moment, that our decisions can have a rippling consequence will help us make intentional choices that add up over time and can influence the people around us to do the same.
This first step is the most necessary and may be the hardest. Assuming any of the previous projections give you concern, we can agree that action of some kind is required, by everyone. Start by simply becoming more educated on the subject. Divert some of your social media scrolling to search the web and other sources for information (and be very sure you find reliable sources!). Inform your perspective about climate change and how it impacts your life priorities. Can this become a personal imperative for you?
From a design and construction industry perspective, we must commit ourselves to finding/embracing/executing any and every way we can to reduce our footprint. Small steps, incremental improvements, big swings, and most importantly a commitment to learning new processes can help us make the course corrections we need. They simply have to become a daily mantra. Responding with any less is paramount to resignation and handing the problems we created to future generations to suffer with and try to solve. We hope that won’t be the legacy of our current leaders. Our path to reconciling this challenge starts with the small actions everyone can take together to reach the inertial tipping point that goes beyond doing less harm and into the critical work of healing our only home.
EXECUTING A FRAMEWORK
NeoCity Academy Phase 2
OUR SUSTAINABILITY PHILOSOPHY
We work every day toward a goal of designing projects that not only do less harm, but ultimately do good — regenerative projects that achieve a successful balance between environmental, economic, and human factors.
In our work, we recognize that every client is at a different stage in their sustainability journey, so we meet them where they are, helping to set achievable goals. Our focus areas of measurement, the HEWS, remain foundational to our approach to deliver good design. Our commitment is to improve on these promises every project, every year and we regularly review performance thresholds and benchmark metrics for reduction that can incrementally stretch ours and our clients’ goals over time.
PATHWAY TO A REGENERATIVE FUTURE
On every project, we focus on the following areas of measurement:
Health We design environments that elevate the health and wellness of people who use them.
Energy We use a smart, responsible design approach to reduce the energy demand of our projects and practice.
Water We design for the preservation and conservation of water.
Social Equity We address universal design and social inequities through empathetic and intentional planning.
Apopka Birding Park Apopka, FL
BUILD CAPACITY FOR REGENERATION
Regeneration is not a design checklist. It’s a developmental process starting during design that sets the table for emergence (evolution) during the life of the project.
It requires understanding the connections between the project and the living systems it is nested in so that the decisions we make and the outcomes we aim to achieve allow for and contribute to life flourishing in that Place. By understanding the deeper purpose of the project’s role in that Place, we can contribute to the restoration and renewal of the living systems – sustaining that which the people and place value, over time.
What is the potential for this project to…
Enhance Well-being and Accessibility?
Restore Connection to Nature?
Contribute to Restoring Its Immediate Environment?
Support a Cost Neutral Capital Investment?
Contribute to the Overall Infrastructure of Its Place?
Support the Needs of Its Users and Occupants?
Systems Thinking
All things and all life are interrelated and connected. Ignoring these interconnections has created the need to address more directly how humans can work to sustain all life on this planet.
Deeper Purpose
By acknowledging our role in nature, we can move forward developing a built environment that balances whole system needs - ensuring financial success and addressing human health, environmental, and social factors with equity that sustains the whole system.
When we disconnect ourselves or our project from these nested systems, we lose the ability to intentionally contribute to the health and vitality of them.
THE REGEN
BRAINSTORM
Creating opportunities for a change in perspective - stretching beyond traditional boundaries.
As part of our design process, Little often conducts a Regen Brainstorm before engaging with a client or developing design concepts. These brainstorms are intentionally designed to go beyond the expected — we challenge our teams to think outside traditional boundaries and consider the project’s role within a larger system. What patterns of life in this place will the project influence? What design solutions emerge when we recognize those patterns? Can the project impact the community beyond its site? Could it model resilience or positively affect occupant health by improving performance or reducing sick days?
Rather than assuming “what we did last time will suffice,” this exercise encourages a deeper understanding of the project's unique and broader context. A focus on Health, Energy, Water, and Social Equity (HEWS) serve as an initial lense — not constraints, but catalysts — to spark conversation. From there, the team’s creativity and experience can expand the possibilities and inspire solutions that elevate performance beyond expectations.
about staying in a hospital?
1. Death 2. Feeling/getting worse 3. Receiving bad news
Loss of autonomy
1. Isolation
2. Lack of dignity + modesty
How do you enhance the concept of well-being for patients in a bed tower?
1. Connection to nature (biophilia)
A space that is well-kept + clean
Acoustic privacy
High quality food
1. Patient control over lighting + thermostat
Daylighting
1. Provide spaces for family + caregivers to participate 2. Make it more comfortable for everyone, improving outcomes
How might you redefine the most important feature of the masterplan? What would surprise/delight you as a patient, doctor, visitor, etc?
1. Make connections + services in the hospital more efficient
Separation of vehicular + pedestrian experience of sitesafety
1. Rethink current surface parking solutions to reduce valet need. 2.Provide EV charging stations for visitors and staff as an amenity.
1. Fountains/sculptures at entry for feature
2. Stormwater retention ponds help with site as amenity
1. Prioritize accessibility in site design. 2. Clearer wayfinding for elderly population and patients in distress.
1. Healthy food options water bottle fillers.
2. Improved views and green roofs
3. Walking paths for staff and visitor use.
1. Staff access to daylight + outdoor spaces
2. Opportunities for cleaner energy, ex. solar panels.
1. Perception of Little River as hightech + innovative
2. Involvement of community, including adjacent high school
3. Make staff feel valued
PROJECT MEASUREMENTS
Why it's important to set goals.
For as long as humans have developed the built environment, the results of those endeavors have mattered. Early intended results were pretty basic: Will this type of structure provide adequate shelter, support the intended operations, or provide expected return? But in today's increasingly complex world, meeting schedule and budge alone isn't enough. If the building makes its inhabitants sick or fails under stress, its value is diminished. As real estate values rise, so do expectations - yet we often overlook clearly defining success or tracking meaningful performance metrics.
We seek to engage all our clients in a conversation about what we should measure and why – so that design solutions are tied to the right value structure, and expected outcomes are benchmarked for learning and constant improvement over the life of a project. This helps ensure that our projects are not only financially successful for our clients, but also contribute to occupant health and productivity, minimize or eliminate waste of natural resources, and add value to the larger systems that will support how sustainable the project is over time. Without quantifying those outcomes, we cannot learn how to improve those results or add value to the project.
MATERIALITY
Little HEWS Story…
TAKING ACTION
How We Practice Regeneration in Partnership with Our Clients
When it comes to regenerative concepts, each practice area requires a different perspective. By working collaboratively across disciplines, we harness our team's collective expertise to develop comprehensive, resilient and innovative solutions. This approach enables us to not only address the unique challenges and opportunities in each practice but also to anticipate and adapt to future uncertainties.
Through collaboration, integration, and a shared understanding of the importance of sustainability, resilience, and regeneration, we can make significant strides toward delivering Results Beyond Architecture
Community Practice
DESIGNING
RESILIENT SPACES FOR THRIVING COMMUNITIES
The mission of our community practice is to create places for communities that Inspire, Engage, and Elevate through spaces that encourage connections, broaden horizons, and enhance opportunities for all. In order for these places to continue to be successful as our climate changes, we must consider resilience in our designs; even small moves can have dramatic results. From orienting buildings to maximize natural light while minimizing heat gain and energy consumption, to capturing rainwater for irrigation and use in the building, to utilizing available on-site energy sources such as solar and geothermal; these are all strategies that allow buildings to continue to serve the community when met with extreme events. Resiliency comes in all shapes and sizes; our team focuses on the small moves that can have big results for communities in the future.
Lynn Reda AIA, LEED AP Community Practice Leader
Healthcare Practice
DESIGNING TO SERVE: HEALING PATIENTS AND THE PLANET
A successful building is one that serves well. It must serve not only the specific purpose of its immediate users but also the needs of its community and natural environment. Healthcare facilities have a long-life expectancy and therefore impact their environments for multiple decades. They should be designed for healing the patient and, through regenerative design, for healing the environment. These are the facilities that will truly serve well.
Roger Wilkerson EDAC Partner and Healthcare Practice Leader
Retail Practice
DRIVEN DESIGN FOR A ROBUST RETAIL FUTURE
Our designers are passionate about helping retail brands and their customers thrive in this rapidly changing climate and are dedicated to our mission of creating a more regenerative future through purpose-driven design solutions, including the adaptive re-use of retail developments to ensure they are more relevant to the customer demands and resilient to extreme elements. Whether extending the life-cycle of the materials and fixtures we design or adopting energy and resource-saving practices for the spaces we create, we strive to add value at every step. Our goal within the retail practice is to explore design solutions that demonstrate how a higher purpose can translate to higher profit through measurable results for our clients and their shoppers.
James Farnell FRDI, LEED Green Associate, NCIDQ Partner and Retail Practice Leader
Workplace Practice
ADAPTIVE WORKSPACES FOR EVOLVING NEEDS
Engineering
INTEGRATED
DESIGN FOR REGENERATIVE OUTCOMES
Collaborative Specialties
SUSTAINABILITY REQUIRES
COLLABORATION
Our workplace designs focus on creating environments that can adapt and evolve over time. We design spaces to connect people and create flexibility and inclusivity so that our clients experience increased employee engagement and improved performance, and those spaces become more resilient and sustainable over time.
Eddie Portis AIA, NCARB, CDT, LEED BD+C Partner and Workplace Practice Leader
By working together in a transdisciplinary team, our engineers can collaborate throughout a project’s entire lifespan – from concept through occupancy. Our engineering team’s approach goes beyond sustainability. Whether through decarbonization strategies, reduction in energy use intensity or sustainable structural materials, we prioritize resiliency and regenerative outcomes in our projects. We design with a holistic mindset, ensuring that our systems fit in harmony within broader ecosystems.
Ervin Kulenica PE, LEED AP Engineering Practice Leader
The teams in our collaborative specialties practice are dedicated to supporting every project by amplifying our clients’ sustainability and performance measurement goals. Within our team, the Regen CoLab’s leadership in regenerative practice is amplified by the synergy of our other specialties — from immersive cinematic storytelling and branded environments to smart building systems and materials/specifications advisory. Together, we integrate innovation, sustainability, and experience to elevate our work and create spaces that positively impact human wellness and the environment.
Daniel Montaño RDI, SEGD, CXPA Partner and Collaborative Specialties Practice Leader
GARDNER SKELTON LAW FIRM
Charlotte, NC
• Design with organic shapes and biophilic patterns, soft curves and meandering paths
• Includes integrated showers for employees who bike to work, wellness room, EV charging stations
• Prioritize natural light by increasing window sizes, incorporating glass where possible, adding an operable glass garage door adjacent to the café and outdoor café, and using indirect light for comfort
Created a new outdoor work café* for 2 and 4-legged employees
Create opportunities for art and community connection with murals, gathering spaces
ROWAN CABARRUS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER
Kannapolis, NC
While the project will not seek certifications, it will be designed as close as possible to WELL standards.
Focus on reducing energy against an established baseline, with exact goal to be determined during programming
Prioritize reducing water use, treating stormwater, and other strategies as determined in the programming phase.
*this space was designed by DPR Designs – our civil partner for this project
and Social Equity
TRUIST PLAZA & LOBBY RENOVATION
Charlotte, NC
• The landscape design complements surrounding city amenities, reinforcing a network of green, walkable public spaces.
• Flexible seating and gathering spaces that promote mental and physical well-being
• Integrated Wi-Fi within outdoor plaza
• Adapted existing structures to minimize embodied carbon
• Locally sourced materials — such as regionally quarried granite
• A new tree canopy reduces heat gain
• Use of daylight minimizes artificial lighting dependency
Every project is unique; therefore, the measurable achievements for each are also unique. We celebrate every effort that moves us toward a regenerative future.
• Integration of artwork, particularly through collaborations with underrepresented artists
• A key public asset in Charlotte’s 2040 Vision Plan, reinforcing the city’s long-term goals for urban vibrancy
• Supports small businesses, public events, and place-making initiatives
The graphics celebrate the state’s agricultural heritage, fostering a sense of place and tranquillity
Stormwater is thoughtfully managed through strategic planting and permeable surfaces
MARKET PLACE AT CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS AIRPORT
Charlotte, NC
• The design includes wood laminate beams, columns, and merchandising fixtures that evoke warmth and depth
• Biophilic graphic elements prominently feature muscadine vines, a plant native to North Carolina
The project achieved an 11% reduction in designed lighting power density compared to code allowances by selecting high-efficiency light fixtures
ELEVATING CLIENT PERFORMANCE through Health, Energy,
APOPKA BIRDING PARK
Orlando, FL
Redlist free materials, ecological restoration of site; ,ASE = 5.77% and SDA = 76.5%
• Advanced Energy Modelling and high performance envelope reduced HVAC size and energy demand. 43% Reduction from ASHRAE 90.1-2016 standard .
• Annual renewable energy generation with rooftop solar that offsets more than 100% of onsite energy use. 21.5kW array generating 31.7 MWh.
100% reduction in outdoor water use due to the selection of native/adaptive species.
All-gender single user restrooms have been implemented. All restrooms are ADA compliant. Universal Design standards were implemented
The design supports Truliant's mission to improve lives by putting members first and delivering exceptional service, through fostered collaboration and transparency.
Rooftop Beehives contribute to rebuilding local bee highways, essential for propagating vegetative species
73% indoor water use reduction from baseline with 233 gallon cistern collecting roof top rain water
Embodied Carbon: 76 tonnes
TRULIANT FEDERAL CREDIT UNION OPERATIONS CENTER
Winston-Salem, NC
• Prioritizes natural light
• Fitness center, relaxation areas and abundant natural light to enhance occupant comfort, health, and wellbeing
• A central staircase replaced the escalators, promoting occupant wellbeing
• Adaptive Reuse that transformed a 154,000 square foot former retail space into a modern, collaborative workspace
• Integrates 742 bifacial photovoltaic solar panels
• Reduced energy demand with LED lighting and energy-efficient building management systems
pEUI: 15
Pursuing LEED Gold
and Social Equity
TURIE T. SMALL ELEMENTARY
Daytona Beach, FL
• Leveraged WELL Standards for daylighting and glare control by orienting classrooms to the north, maximizing daylight while reducing glare.
• Exterior shading provides glare control
• Dedicated outdoor air system maintains low CO2 levels, improving students ability to concentrate
• High Performance Envelope - tightly sealed building envelope for low air leakage rate
• High Performance HVAC - distributed heat pumps to reduce energy load and avoid classroom disruption from maintenance
• Solar panels provide onsite energy production, offsetting building energy use to achieve net-zero
• Natural light from solatubes distribute light deep into the space, reducing the need for artificial lighting
Every project is unique; therefore, the measurable achievements for each are also unique. We celebrate every effort that moves us toward a regenerative future.
Immersive LearningScape
Flood-resilient design for key building elements
NEOCITY ACADEMY PHASE 2
Orlando, FL
• The integration of a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) improves indoor air quality
• Diverse learning spaces accommodate various teaching/learning styles
• The expansion incorporates photovoltaic canopies and a roof designed to accommodate a future PV solar array
• The campus expansion was designed to meet 23.7 pEUI
• Tightly sealed envelope to minimize energy loss
Original high school was the first net-zero energy public school in FL
ELEVATING CLIENT PERFORMANCE through Health,
No irrigation required due to the selection of native/ adaptive species.
• 25% reduction in lighting power density (LPD) from baseline 37% indoor water use reduction from the baseline
All-gender single user restrooms have been implemented. All restrooms are ADA compliant and menstrual products are provided to all occupants, free of charge.
CHARLOTTESVILLE FIRE STATION
Charlottesville, VA
• Located in a park with trails offering occupants connection to nature. Also located on a bike network that connects occupants to multiple transportation modes.
• Operational policies including green cleaning and integrated pest management will be implemented
• 60% of regularly occupied spaces are daylit
• High performance envelope designed to provide 13% reduction in energy cost compared to baseline.
• A 24.1 kW solar rooftop array will be installed to offset 34.7% of annual site energy use. Project performs 52% better than ASHRAE 90.1-2010 baseline.
MCLEOD HEALTH SEACOAST BED TOWER
Little River, SC
A “hospital in a park,” the design employs biophilic design principles and integrates with the landscape/water features on the site for visitor, staff and patient mental and physical wellness.
• Building design controls heat gain and glare to reduce energy needs and controls daylight to aid patient circadian sleep rhythms.
• Orientation maximizes northern exposure to optimize diffuse light.
A community anchor that provides resiliency and adaptability for the future
A new high-rise bed tower reorients the building to capture vistas of the surrounding coast and landscape to help improve patient outcomes by connecting to nature.
Every project is unique; therefore, the measurable achievements for each are also unique. We celebrate every effort that moves us toward a regenerative future.
The design utilizes LED light fixtures throughout the space with occupancy sensors in order to reduce the lighting demand in the space.
The lighting power density in all clinics is less than 1-watt per square foot with some as low as 0.53-watts per square foot.
The project incorporates restrooms for patients and staff. Flow has been limited to 0.5 GPM for lavatories, 0.5 GPM for sinks, and 1.28 GPF for water closets.
Prenuvo’s business model provides open access for any patient to obtain full body imaging through their MRI technology. Patients do not need to have provider referrals or approval by insurance to make an appointment. This makes potentially life saving preventative and diagnostic imaging available to the general public fitting into a patients schedule and meeting their needs.
CATAWBA COLLEGE STANBACK HALL
Achieving WELL Silver certification, the project will comply with rigorous standards for air and water quality. The project is located within walking distance of amenities including green and blue space and athletic facilities. Healthy food choices are promoted through vending machine options and messaging.
Low flush fixtures selected
PRENUVO
Durham, North Carolina
• The Prenuvo business model provides anyone access to full-body MRI scanning without the need for referral or insurance approval. Appointments are made with ease, similar to getting a haircut.
• Prenuvo’s utilization of MRI technology allows for safe, repeatable scans without any negative health impacts that occur from most other imaging services that utilize radiation.
• The design of Prenuvo clinics utilize a combination of soothing brand colors along with natural warm woods promoting a sense of luxury and serenity. Patient scans take approximately 90 – 120 minutes. Making the scan rooms as calming and soothing as possible elevates patient experience while making time go by faster while secured to the equipment. Overhead mood lighting and a rear TV that allows patients to customize their experience, allowing them to watch movies, shows, or sporting events during their scan time.
The project will provide community benefits for occupants and other organization employees, There will potentially be community food gardens.
ELEVATING CLIENT PERFORMANCE through Health, Energy, Water,
MANNING HALL
100%
BYRNES HALL
100%
LEVER HALL
100%
Two Green Globes
Green Globes
and Social Equity
(RE)MIXED-USE COMPETITION
Orlando, FL
Every project is unique; therefore, the measurable achievements for each are also unique. We celebrate every effort that moves us toward a regenerative future.
Design maximizes solar energy via solar fins, passive ventilation, passive shading and elevated gardens for shaded outdoor gathering areas
• Water Use Intensity = 34/ gal/sf/year
• Each hotel unit has integrated water capture cistern, allowing for reuse of greywater for site irrigation and plumbing fixture flushing
• Exterior vegetative walls that positively contribute to water collection/ retention and mitigates flash flooding
• Designed for flexibility for future change
• Ground level is left mostly open to promote civic permeability and to “rewild” the pedestrian experience of the city
• Walk Score = 97/100
• Transit Score = 69/100
• Bike Score = 77/100
• Daylight = 58% overall
• Glare = 9% overall
• Target EUI = 6.4
• Baseline Embodied Carbon = 9.8 million KG/CO2E
• Adaptive reuse of an existing carbon-intensive concrete structure
• Mass timber vertical addition
MEASURING OUR PROGRESS
Scope 1
DIRECT EMISSIONS
Scope 1 no longer applicable to Little. No GHG Emissions aligned with Scope.
In 2022, Little set a path to achieve Carbon Neutrality in our own operations by 2030 . In 2024, we expanded our Scope 3 Supply Chain Emissions to include our top monthly expenditures.
In alignment with the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Protocol, widely known as GHG Scope 1,2.3 Emissions , we continue to work toward neutrality by quantifying full scopes of emissions and taking measurable steps.
Little's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions for 2024 vs
Scope 2
INDIRECT EMISSIONS
Little’s utility use for our office locations:
427 METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE
Scope 3
SUPPLY CHAIN EMISSIONS
Little’s GHG Emissions generated from business travel, employee commuting, equipment, software, technology infrastructure, purchased goods, and compost waste:
847 METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE
1274 METRIC TONS TOTAL CARBON EMISSIONS IN 2024 AVERAGE METRIC TONS PER EMPLOYEE
METRIC TONS PER EMPLOYEE IS INDUSTRY AVERAGE 2.9 4-6
INVESTING IN NEUTRALITY
Aligning Little Values with Carbon Offsets
To reach carbon neutrality, this year was our first for investing in offsets. We filtered options through the following:
1. Support Little’s Corporate Values
2. Have a Positive Impact on the Communities We Serve
3. Are 3rd Party Verified
4. Align with the University of Oxford’s “The Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting”
5. Aligned with Little's HEWS - Health, Energy, Water, and Social Equity
OUR 2024 INVESTMENTS:
Advanced RefrigerationSupporting Advanced Refrigeration Systems
As we continue to work with our clients to meet their performance goals, we recognize the importance of “walking the talk”. We are committed to learning from our own spaces so that we bring more than theory to the table and ensure we can better relate to our clients’ perspectives on what’s possible to achieve. We seek to always learn from the process so that we can improve the next time. This approach helped us elevate our Charlotte office from WELL Silver to Platinum certification in 2024. Pursuing a Just label, through International Living Future Institute, is one way in which we can hold ourselves accountable and transparent to these values and keep them at the forefront of our policies, practices, and endeavors.
WE'RE EXITED TO HAVE BECOME A JUST ORGANIZATION!
"Becoming a Just organization reflects Little’s commitment to employee wellbeing, fostering a deeper sense of belonging, and engagement. It helps us attract and retain top talent in the industry while strengthening our HR policies and practices, decision-making, and workplace culture—creating a more supportive, growth-oriented environment that fosters meaningful connection to our communities."
Carol Rickard-Brideau, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C,
WELL
AP Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Little
The International Living Future Institutes' (ILFI) Just Label provides a platform for corporate transparency. In addition, the label is ingrained as part of the Living Building Challenge Equity Petal-Inclusion Core Imperative for certification. Having our label provides clients the opportunity to explore ILFI's certification platforms.
Want to know more? https://living-future.org/just/basics/
Little Charlotte
Our 55,000 square-foot space in Charlotte achieved LEED and WELL Silver and re-certified WELL Platinum in 2024.
The Little Waste Program seeks to educate, challenge, and inspire our employees, clients, and communities to achieve zero waste.
Little DC
Now located in McLean, VA, our recently completed 8,000 squarefoot office space is pursuing LEED Silver and WELL Silver.
Little Charleston
Our new 4,700 square-foot Charleston office, located in a LEED neighborhood rich in history, is pursuing LEED Silver and WELL Silver
OF WASTE DIVERTED COMPANY-WIDE FROM THE LANDFILL IN 2024
*TRUE Certification, which stands for "Total Resource Use and Efficiency," is a program administered by the U.S. Green Business Certification Inc. (USBI). It recognizes organizations demonstrating leadership in waste reduction and resource conservation. The TRUE certification helps businesses develop sustainable waste management practices with the goal of achieving zero waste.
For More Information: https://true.gbci.org/true-advisor
We believe collaboration, enthusiasm and innovative thinking spark breakthrough ideas that create a better future.
That’s why we actively seek opportunities to engage with clients, partners, and peers across industries. Beyond our involvement in professional organizations and conference attendance, we also host educational events at our offices — creating space for meaningful dialogue, diverse perspectives, and the exchange of best practices. These engagements help us champion inclusive, equitable, and sustainable design and keep us at the forefront of regenerative thinking. The numbers that follow reflect the momentum we’re building — through speaking engagements, sustainability awards, industry rankings, and the content we share — to advance a more resilient and responsible built environment.
# 25
ENGINEERING NEWS-RECORD TOP GREEN DESIGN FIRMS # 3 IN RETAIL ENR TOP GREEN DESIGN FIRMS BY SECTOR
16
SUSTAINABILITYFOCUSED SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
SUSTAINABILITYFOCUSED SOCIAL MEDIA AND INSIGHTS BLOG POSTS 77
SUSTAINABLE PROJECT AWARDS 18 Industry Engagements
Our Impact Networking Mixer, presented by Orange County United Way's Corporate Cabinet, brought together top professionals to discuss Regenerative Futures, Building Sustainable Communities and Empowering Tomorrow's Workforce.
At the Montgomery County MD Energy Summit, the panel discussion on "Protecting the Path to Net Zero" covered resilience issues - from initial design strategies and the cost of inaction through financing options to economic impact both locally and at large. The discussion aimed to help attendees understand the critical role resilience plays in sustainable development and how it helps ensure that Net Zero remains a viable goal.
Little helped lead two discussions at the International Greenbuild Conference. Topics discussed were "Navigating Climate Resilience with LEED's Resilient Site Design Credit" and "Spotting Opportunities! Investing in resilience, health, equity and sustainability."
The 2024 mindful MATERIALS (mM) Forum
Summit brought together leaders from across the building materials industry. From manufacturers, architects, designers, contractors, technology platforms, ecolabels and standards, sustainability experts, and more, the shared purpose was clear: we must accelerate and scale the adoption of sustainable practices and products in our industry.
Little continues to be at the forefront of the movement toward carbon-neutral buildings. In alignment with our peers and in harmony with our shared vision, we acknowledge our professional responsibility and the pressing need for measurable change.
AIA 2030 Challenge
It's been 16 years since Little became a signatory of the AIA 2030 Commitment and this year marked 15 years of reporting our firm's progress. The 2030 challenge is a benchmark for Little and the industry that shows progress and opportunities to improve. It's apparent there's a need to elevate the urgency, creativity, and performance transparency of our designs. We'll do this by measuring and reporting each project.
As part of the 2030 Challenge, we have committed to achieving carbon neutrality for the buildings we design. In 2005, 50% reduction was the target from a regional or country average baseline. In 2025, the 2030 reduction target will elevate from 80% to 90%, which requires the disruption of "business as usual. Architecture 2030
Using Smart Wires’ tag line “Reimagine the Grid” as a starting point, the team established an overall concept of “Disrupt the Grid” to align their mission and values with the architecture and design. The fully integrated design team developed a variety of workspaces including private offices and workstations, support spaces, and lab space focusing on R/D and testing that features High Current Testing Bays, Server Room, Machine Shop and Configurable Test Cell Zones.
Smart Wires Durham, NC
This year, Little's Structural Engineering Team reported seven projects to SE2050. The projects showed a steady reduction in Embodied Carbon from previous years, highlighting resilience and creativity for greater reductions.
SE 2050
2024 marks two years into our commitment. Little's engineering teams are aligning their designs to reduce total carbon emission of building systems. While the manufacturers in this industry lag behind others, advocating to have Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for MEP Systems components will bring change so that Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants and other MEP products become available.
MEP 2040 Challenge - Carbon Leadership Forum
This year, Little contributed to the inaugural AIA Material Pledge Reporting. This first official year of reporting focused on how well firms are doing in creating processes and tools for successful implementation across the industry. We're ahead of this 2024 ask through our continued focused on product selections in alignment with our Materials Transparency @Little Standard. We look forward to reporting annual progress again in May.
Architecture and Design Materials Pledge
Since becoming a signatory firm in 2021, as a collective act of the AIA Large Firm Round Table, we stay resilient to doing our part to lower global greenhouse gas emissions. To learn more click here.
Little is engaged in the collective efforts of the materials movement by continuing to support and active involvement in Mindful Materials Common Materials Framework Forum; Mindful Materials
AIA 2030 COMMITMENT
As part of our AIA 2030 commitment, we firmly believe in the importance of transparent reporting. We share performance-related data with our industry peers through the AIA's Design Data Exchange, a collaborative platform that facilitates discourse and accountability within the industry.
Our Numbers
2024 279 Projects and 8,337,408 Gross Square Footage (GSF) reported to AIA 2030
Current Industry Target
* Lighting Power Density (LPD): The total input power of the lighting system per square foot.
How Site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is Calculated:
* AIA 2030 Reporting for Whole-Building Projects only, Little has started measuring the impact of Interior projects in addition to whole building
Acknowledging the need for improvement and embracing responsibility as we approach 2030 is crucial for progress. By collectively embracing regenerative principles and taking concerted action, we can work towards a more sustainable and equitable future for 2030 and beyond.
Current Industry Target is set at 80%
Utilizing data to inform design decisions, Little is giving equal emphasis to embodied and operational carbon measurements. While AIA 2030 is currently only focused on reporting "whole building" embodied carbon, Little has been working diligently on analyzing embodied carbon for both new construction as well as interiors.
Peter Millar Studio Raleigh, NC
BUILDING A HEALTHY COMMUNITY
Gardner Skelton Law Firm
MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
Healthy Company, Healthy Community
Over the past year, Little has contributed volunteer hours and/or pro bono services to the following organizations:
James Lee Community Center
Over the past year, Little has contributed monetary donations to the following organizations:
321 Coffee
A Gift for Teaching
Advent Health Foundation
American Heart Association
ArtPop Street Gallery
Atrium Health Foundation
Black Women in Architecture Network
Boys and Girls Club of America - We Care Event
Catawba Lands Conservancy
Charlotte Center for
the Humanities
Children's National
Medical Center
Classroom Central
Coalition for Adequate
School Housing
Community of Hope
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Design for Freedom
Durham YMCA
Foundation for Orange
County Public Schools
Goodyear Arts
Hoag Classic Golf Tournament
Hoag Hospital
Loudoun Education Foundation
Marbles Children's Museum
McLeod Health Foundation
Mindful Materials
Miriams Kitchen
NC Performing Arts Center
North Carolina Zoo Society
Orange County United Way
Saint Elizabeth's Hospital
So Others Might Eat
Susan G. Komen Foundation
Sustain Charlotte
The Green Heart Project
The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing
United Arts Central FL
United Way of Central Carolinas
United Way of Orange County
Wake Tech Foundation
60 Books to 60 Organizations
Copies of If Buildings Could Talk 2, sequel to the award-winning children’s book If Buildings Could Talk, were donated to local community organizations in celebration of Little's 60th anniversary and World Architecture Day (Oct. 7, 2024). Written and illustrated by designers at Little, If Buildings Could Talk 2 explores sustainable architecture through engaging, visual storytelling and imaginative artwork.
“This effort is more than a book donation. It’s an opportunity to share the joy of design and to inspire young minds with the importance of environmental stewardship,” says Little’s Marketing Director Kelly Thompson. “By connecting with schools, libraries, hospitals and community groups, we hope to foster a love for design and a passion for creating a better, more sustainable future.”
To date, Little has donated more than 75 copies of If Buildings Could Talk 2 to 65 organizations across the country.
Barkitecture Triangle
Marbles Big Idea 2024
United Way
We Care
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
Summer Internship Crossover at Little
In an effort to continually improve our talent development, we piloted a new feature to our already robust programming in Charlotte. We partnered with our industry partners: CBI, Barringer Construction, and Steelfab to offer an impactful cross-discipline networking experience for our collective intern programs. More than 50 interns connected, toured offices, and shared quality time with each company’s respective leader. We look forward as we plan to expand this program to our Durham office.
National Organization of Minority Architects
• Project Pipeline – We continue to support our local NOMA chapters in volunteering with this incredible design camp that fosters diversity and inclusion within our industry. During the last cohort, Charlotte hosted nearly 30 students as they worked on their design projects and offered professional insights throughout the whole week
• HBCU Professional Development Program – We continue to support this national program that serves all HBCUs that offer an architecture program. From speed networking and career fair preparation to workplace etiquette, we provided our advice on paving a successful path towards a career in architecture.
PeopleGrove | St. Peter’s University Sponsored Class
Two years ago, we worked with two NOMA fellows to research and develop a tool that would show us a project's societal impact to an area based on project type and design. Last year when PeopleGrove reached out about a partnership, we decided that it was the logical next step to advance the tool. Through their database we identified a number HBCUs and HSI’s (Hispanic Supporting Institutions) that could potentially help us improve our prototype. We are currently working with a data science class using predictive analytics to optimize the prototype's functionality to reduce processing time and yield more accurate results.
ACE Mentor Program
The ACE Mentor Program informs and excites high school students about career opportunities in Architecture, Engineering and Construction. Through this program, students foster relationships with industry professionals while receiving support to develop both fundamental and technical skills necessary for success in these fields.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE
Clemson Office Visit
SCAD Visit
NOMA What is Architecture Event
ACE Mentor Program
Summer Internship Crossover
Intern Day
Project Pipeline
PRIORITIZING HEALTH AND INCLUSIVITY FROM WITHIN
Improving Wellness and Inclusivity through the lens of learning.
Embedding learning into the fabric of workplace culture signals a commitment to growth — for individuals and the organization. A learning culture encourages curiosity, experimentation, and continuous improvement. It empowers employees to develop new skills, adapt to change, and pursue long-term goals. This is particularly vital in an era where technological shifts and market demands require constant upskilling. By investing in regular training, mentorship, and crossfunctional collaboration, companies not only prepare their workforce for the future but also reinforce the message that development is a shared priority. When learning is normalized and supported, employees become more confident, resilient, and innovative.
• Little's Exchange program facilitated a number of meaningful events firm-wide that truly connected our values as a firm; The Exchange has also rebooted a mentorship program in Charlotte as a way to connect across disciplines
• A new Career Pathing resource was launched to spark conversations that would help employees bridge the gap between official annual reviews and having an established mentor
• We emphasized the impact of our LemonAID fund through an awareness campaign, sharing how the program has helped many of our employees in a time of need
Organizations that prioritize diversity cultivate richer ideas, better decision-making, and deeper understanding of a global customer base. Achieving these milestones requires fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and heard. When employees feel seen and appreciated for who they are, they are more likely to engage fully, collaborate meaningfully, and contribute their best work.
Career Pathing Workshop
Black Women in Architecture Brunch
Pride Month Sticker Competition
LemonAID Event
Little's Demographics
GENDER
465 EMPLOYEES
ETHNICITY / RACE
GENERATIONS
AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE ASIAN BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN HISPANIC OR LATINO TWO OR MORE RACES WHITE NOT SPECIFIED
4.3% GROWTH SINCE 2024
30.7% WORKPLACE DIVERSITY
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE
Start of Little’s Focus on Sustainability
• USGBC Founded
• First Little LEED AP
• LEED rating system unveiled
• Architecture 2030 established
• Leadership requirement for LEED AP
• University of South Carolina, Little’s first LEED project
• AIA 2030 Challenge issued by AIA Architect: All new buildings, developments, and major renovations shall be carbonneutral by 2030.
Timeline of Progress Toward Regenerative
• Center for Building Performance Established
• Architecture at Zero Competition 1st Place Winner for Fog Catcher, San Francisco State University
• Little’s first WELL project – Symantec Cupertino California
• Commitment for our offices to be LEED/ WELL
• Metals in Construction finalist for Living in the Wall
• “Declaration of Innovation”, our framework for innovation outlined
• Neo City School –First Net Zero Energy Project
• Architecture at Zero Design Competition 1st Place Winner for Navae Vitae
• Introduced initial focus areas of measurement – Health, Energy, Water (HEW)
• 4Roots Mass Timber Project – First registered project with International Living Future Institute (Living Future)
• Charlotte Office WELL and LEED Silver Certified
• Little committed to the AIA 2030 Challenge
• Little became a member of AIA LFRT Sustainable Leaders
• Envision Dallas, Entangled Bank Project – featured on Nightline
• Introduced the Greatest Extent Possible – Get Your Green On campaign, Little’s first sustainable position
• Started reporting projects for the 2030 Challenge
• 2013 LEED Platinum Newton-Conover Middle School
Regenerative Outcomes
(1993 - 2025)
‘21
• Firmwide introduction of Little’s destination to a Regenerative Future
• Updated the focus areas of measurement to include Social Equity (HEWS)
• Little committed to SE2050
• Little committed to MEP 2040
• First Annual Report (Internal)
• Regen CoLab as a dedicated, firmwide resource
• WELL Platinum Crescent Communities, Charlotte
• Beyond Sustainability: First edition external publication of our Annual Report Materials Pledge
• Signatory of Materials Pledge
• Launched Materials Transparency@Little
• Little committed to Zero by 2030
• Pursuing Living Building Challenge on Catawba College Smokestack Project
• #24 Engineering News Record Top Green Design Firms
• #4 Engineering News Record Retail Top Green Design Firm by Sector
• Beyond Sustainability II
• NeoCity School featured in Creating Regenerative Schools, an AIA publication
WELL Building Standard Launched
First Little WELL AP
• Orlando Office Renovation Aligned with WELL and LEED Standards ‘25 ‘24 ‘23 ‘08 ‘22 ‘09 ‘ 13 ‘ 14 ‘ 10
• Little joins the Mindful Materials Forum supporting the development of the Common Materials Framework
• Measuring and Reporting Scope 1,2,3 Emissions, in compliance with Green House Gas (GHG) Protocols
Little becomes a Just Organization
DC Office WELL and LEED Silver Certification (in progress)
• Charlotte Office WELL Recertification to Platinum
• 15 Years of AIA 2030 Reporting
Charleston Office WELL Certification (in progress)
INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES
Discover how we’re creating a better future with a focus on regenerative design outcomes through the stories we craft, our unique points of view and the perspective we gain.
3 STEPS TO DECARBONIZATION: A SIMPLE, ACHIEVABLE, AND, YES, EVEN AFFORDABLE PATH TO CARBON NEUTRALITY
By Abbey Allen
The terms “carbon neutrality,” “net-zero carbon,” or “decarbonization” often sound foreign, out of reach, and frankly, like something I can’t afford. They remind me of going to a fancy French restaurant and reading a menu of unpronounceable bite-sized entrees with names I can’t pronounce. Pot-au-feu probably takes too long to make and is way more expensive than I’m ready to fork out.
UNC’S CARRINGTON HALL RENEWAL: LINKING DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE HUMAN CONNECTION
By Anne Lebo
At Carolina Nursing—the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—the mission is clear: to be at the forefront of the nursing profession and improve lives through compassionate care. To support this vision, the school is undertaking a transformational renewal of Carrington Hall, creating a modern, state-of-the-art facility where students can train, collaborate, and innovate.
SOCIAL EQUALITY IN THE DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES
By Sheinya Joseph
As the philosophy of social equity has evolved, history teaches that public spaces serve as catalysts for social cohesion. As architects and planners, we play a profound role in designing and programming these spaces, shaping their long-term impact on the community’s social, economic, and environmental well-being.
ADAPT AND LEARN: HOW ADAPTIVE REUSE CAN BUILD A GREENER FUTURE
By Eddie Portis
In a world experiencing climate change, breathing life into old structures is one of the most regenerative things we can do for our planet. The World Green Building Council suggests that 11% of global carbon emissions are a direct result of construction. What if we could reduce that to 10% or 9% by simply taking advantage of our existing building stock?
DATA-DRIVEN DESIGN: DOES YOUR PROJECT NEED TO GO ON AN [ENERGY] DIET?
By Miles Grubbs
As I write this in mid-January, many people are still basking in the warm glow of their New Year’s resolutions— promising to run a 5K, master the art of baking croissants, or finally achieve that beach body. While the start of a new year is a natural time for reflection and goal setting, change isn’t limited to January 1. The Fresh Start Effect suggests that new habits are easier to adopt at temporal landmarks—significant moments like a birthday, a new job, or another meaningful transition.
WORDS FROM OUR CEO RESILIENCE
As we close our 2025 Annual Sustainability Report, I find myself reflecting on how building resilience has become a strategic business imperative. In today’s world, where climate risks equate to business risks, resilience is crucial for a future increasingly shaped by severe environmental and economic shifts.
Climate change poses critical risks to business continuity. Companies that proactively address their own resilience are better positioned to secure competitive advantages, mitigate risks, and ensure long-term stability. Prioritizing resilience within business strategy enables companies to navigate challenges, seize emerging opportunities, and maintain stability. Those who embed resilience into their core operations will be equipped to respond effectively to evolving environmental pressures and economic demands, positioning themselves as industry leaders in a rapidly changing world.
The extreme weather events we’ve witnessed firsthand this year - the hurricanes affecting our East Coast offices, the tragic floods we witnessed in Western North Carolina and the horrific wildfires near our California office - are becoming more frequent and severe, causing heartbreaking devastation to the people and communities they occur in as well as operational and financial setbacks to businesses nearby. Businesses that invest in climate-resilient infrastructure can reduce downtime, minimize losses during crises and better respond to the situations around them.
Climate events and resource scarcity can disrupt supply chains, leading to production halts and increased costs. Businesses that diversify suppliers, localize production, and integrate circular economic principles (such as designing products for durability and recyclability) - can significantly reduce waste and resource consumption and are less vulnerable to supply-chain disruption.
Carol Rickard-Brideau, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP is a Partner and Chief Executive Officer at Little. She can be reached at carol.rickard@littleonline.com.
Incorporating resilience isn’t just about risk management – it also opens doors to competitive advantages. Businesses that commit to resilience attract investment, maintain higher stock valuations, and reduce the risk of stranded assets as industries shift toward renewable resources and gain consumer trust and foster brand loyalty.
• IKEA’s commitment to a fully circular business model by 2030 highlights how companies can innovate to align with environmental imperatives.
• Patagonia enhances its resilience by prioritizing recycled materials, reducing its dependence on raw resources.
• Coca-Cola’s initiative to replenish 100% of the water it uses by 2030 exemplifies how stewardship practices can secure long-term resource availability.
Resilience means future-proofing our business, our communities, and our planet. It means turning obstacles into innovation, uncertainty into action, and commitment into measurable results. Through our actions, we are not only mitigating risk but also unlocking new opportunities for our clients and communities for growth, innovation and long-term impact.
As we reflect on this year’s progress, one thing is clear: we remain steadfast in our mission to build a more sustainable, responsible, and resilient future - one that is stronger because of the challenges we face, not in spite of them.
Regenerative and restorative buildings go beyond living building levels by not only enhancing their own structures but also revitalizing the surrounding environment. This includes activities like restoring the natural hydrology of a site or creating habitats for wildlife and plants that have been lost.
Resilience
Resilience anticipates risk and disruption—ensuring that buildings and communities can endure, adapt, and recover.
Sustainability
Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.
HEWS
Health, Energy, Water and Social Equity (HEWS) are Little’s focused areas of measurement.
Predicted Energy Use
Intensity (pEUI)
Predicted Energy Use Intensity is the estimated building's annual energy usage.
Lighting Power Density (LPD)
Lighting Power Density is the total input power of the designed or installed lighting system per square foot, expressed as watts per square foot (W/sf). You may also see Predicted Lighting Power Density (pLPD).
Embodied Carbon
Embodied Carbon is the carbon dioxide emitted during the manufacture, transport, and construction of building materials, together with end of life emissions.
Operational Carbon
Operational Carbon is the carbon emitted during the lifetime operational use and maintenance of a building.
Energy Model
An Energy Model is a simulated prediction of energy use based on architectural and engineering design characteristics, climate and weather data, and local site impacts.
Net Zero
Net Zero projects are projects in which the actual energy used is equal to the on-site renewable energy generation. This energy balance is over a finite time period, such as a whole year, monthly, or smaller increments.
Net Zero Ready
Net Zero Ready is a high performance building with ultralow energy consumption and has the ability to be offset with on-site renewable energy generation to become a zero energy building.
Net Positive
Net Positive projects produce more energy than Net Zero projects. In these projects the actual energy used exceeds the onsite renewable energy generation. This energy can be over a finite time period, such as a whole year, monthly, or smaller increments.
Integrative Process
An integrative process is a comprehensive approach to building systems and equipment. Project team members look for synergies among systems and components, the mutual advantages that can help achieve high levels of building performance, human comfort, and environmental benefits. (USGBC)
Gross Square Feet (GSF)
Gross Square Footage is the total area of enclosed space measured to the exterior walls of a building.
SIGs
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups focused on creating a sense of community through common interests.
Scope 1, 2, 3 Emissions
A way of categorizing the different types of carbon emissions that a company generates. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from a project, such as fuel burned on site. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions for a project, such as the emissions from purchased electricity. Scope 3 emissions are all other indirect emissions for a project, such as the emissions from a package delivery to the site.
Appendix
Associated with A Global Imperative Grows on page 6
World Economic Forum. Nov 2023. This is what climate change costs economies around the world | World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum. OCT 2023. Climate change is costing the world $16 million per hour | World Economic Forum
CNN Nov. 2023. What the $150 billion climate change is costing the US looks like a year: Here’s | CNN Business
White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) April 2022. Climate inaction could cost the government $2 trillion annually : NPR
From Nature.com May 2023. Quantifying the human cost of global warming | Nature Sustainability
From Forbes, 4/2024. Climate Change Will Cost Global Economy $38 Trillion Every Year Within 25 Years, Scientists Warn
