Sustainability Action Plan.
At SSR, we don’t just design buildings; we craft experiences. Our commitment to high-performance design starts with lively discussions and continuous learning with our colleagues and clients. We champion collaborative and integrated building design, guiding project teams through every stage of sustainable project delivery — from initial sketches to the final touches.
Our IMPACT initiative, powered by the AIA 2030 Commitment and our Sustainability Action Plan, drives high performance in every project.
We build strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and communities, making a positive difference through environmental stewardship, a people-focused culture, and ethical business practices. These values are key to how stakeholders, investors, and colleagues value our firm and projects.
Environmental stewardship is at the heart of what we do. We foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and ensure our business practices are sustainable and ethical.
Our journey in environmental stewardship and highperformance design began over a decade ago with the AIA 2030 Commitment. This commitment is crucial for tracking our projects’ performance and aligns with our clients’ goals to enhance their buildings’ performance.
Design and Approach
Integrated Design Processes: Where Innovation Meets Sustainability
PRE-DESIGN
We recommend utilizing charettes to brainstorm high-level sustainability goals and strategies. We consider site use, building massing and orientation, MEP system performance, and envelope performance. Preliminary box energy modeling and water use analysis are also conducted.
SCHEMATIC DESIGN
We help clients integrate sustainability goals into the Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR). If green building certifications are pursued, we develop a preliminary scorecard and incorporate sustainable practices into the specifications.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
We recommend bringing in a commissioning agent to ensure all systems align with the OPR. We perform iterative updates to energy models and sustainability scorecards, refining designs for maximum efficiency.
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
We finalize energy models and sustainability scorecards, as well as
optimize building systems to minimize energy, water, and resource consumption through interdisciplinary coordination.
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
During this phase, we review submittals and coordinate with contractors to ensure sustainability criteria are met. On site visits, we verify MEP systems installation and confirm indoor air quality strategies. Our commissioning services cover MEP systems, monitoring-based commissioning, and building enclosure commissioning.
ONGOING OPERATIONS
Post-warranty, we offer consulting and optimization services to maintain design performance. Our Existing Building Commissioning services, combined with Automatic Fault Detection and Diagnostics (AFDD) / Monitoring-Based commissioning, help facility managers maintain system function and energy efficiency.
Building Performance Consulting + Energy Modeling
From concept design to post-occupancy, we collaborate with clients to create highperformance buildings that are durable, comfortable, and cost-effective.
Life Cycle Assessments
We offer whole-building life cycle assessments (LCA) at all stages of design and construction. These assessments inform project teams about embodied carbon emissions and other environmental impacts from product and material selection. We guide teams in minimizing these impacts by choosing eco-friendly manufacturers and lowcarbon alternatives for major structural and architectural materials.
Life Cycle Cost Assessments
Our life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) services help project teams make informed decisions by balancing initial costs with total equipment costs over its lifecycle. This often results in buildings that are more durable, require less maintenance, and have lower operational costs, providing both economic and environmental value.
Methodist Olive Branch Hospital
Through the integrated project delivery, this project was delivered on-time and under budget. This innovative hospital, the first in the country to achieve LEED for Healthcare Gold certification, has seen improved building performance over time. Energy management is optimized using Energy Star Portfolio Manager, and life cycle cost analysis of HVAC systems.
Daylight Analysis
We provide daylight modeling and analysis services at all design stages to inform decisions about building massing, orientation, and glazing. Exposure to daylight has been shown to improve sleep, increase focus, and enhance overall well-being.
Green Building Certifications
Our expertise includes LEED, Green Globes, NGBS, Energy Star, WELL, Fitwel, and Living Building Challenge. These certifications expand our knowledge base and promote green design principles.
Goal Setting and Evaluation
SSR’s Sustainable Project Metrics
At SSR, we’re proud of our achievements in sustainability. We’ve certified over 250 buildings across various green standards, including LEED, Energy Star, Green Globes, NGBS, WELL, and Fitwel. Our team has modeled energy for more than 46 million SF of space and boasts 53 LEED Accredited Professionals.
We’ve completed over 200 energy benchmarking projects and more than 250 retro-commissioning and energy audit projects.
We focus on both embodied and operational carbon. For embodied carbon, we perform whole-building life cycle assessments (LCA) on nearly all our LEED projects. For operational carbon, we provide estimates through our energy model reports. Additionally, SSR tracks Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for our Nashville headquarters and fleet vehicles.
The following graphs show Energy Use Intensity (EUI) and Lighting Power Density (LPD) reporting in the AIA 2030 Commitment. See how SSR stacks up against other reporting companies with data sourced from the AIA 2030 Design Data Exchange (DDx) portal.
Business Practice and Reporting
Annual Sustainability Tracking
Each year, SSR’s in-house sustainability team diligently tracks firm-wide project energy performance data and inputs it into the DDx portal. This data is collected through SSR’s project database and coordinated with project managers as needed. Looking ahead, we aim to start tracking and inputting embodied carbon data as well.
Projects included in this data collection encompass any MEP design or sustainability consulting projects that involve new construction, additions to existing buildings, or major renovations where over 10% of lighting is being replaced. The gathered data is then shared with company leadership and colleagues to keep everyone informed and aligned with our sustainability goals.
Internal Training and Education
Comprehensive Colleague Training
SSR offers extensive colleague training through our “SSR Ignite” platform, covering technical disciplines, project management, risk management, and other professional soft skills. We’re planning to incorporate more sustainability-focused training to keep our team ahead of the curve.
Our sustainability team provides crosstraining and decarbonization 101 sessions to colleagues in other departments. We’re aiming to implement energy modeling on more projects company-wide, scaling the rigor of modeling to match project size and complexity.
SSR offers financial incentives for achieving professional accreditations like LEED and WELL. We strive for continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across the organization, facilitated by our EPIC Group — an internal gathering of technical experts dedicated to enhancing processes.
Our involvement in ASHRAE committees for standards 206 (energy modeling) and 36 (controls) ensures we provide insights and guide decisions. We’re
working to standardize high-performance mechanical control sequences and heating / cooling load calculation tools to right-size mechanical equipment. Training classes for energy codes and energy modeling are available to the entire company.
Our mentorship program is designed to foster professional growth and development across all levels of the organization. We pair experienced mentors with mentees to provide guidance, support, and knowledge sharing. This program encourages continuous learning and helps mentees navigate their career paths, develop technical skills, and enhance their understanding of industry best practices.
Outreach and Advocacy
Industry Engagement
SSR proudly supports the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a member organization and actively participates in local chapter events.
Our team regularly speaks at and attends industry conferences such as Greenbuild, ASHRAE, and IWBI, sharing insights and staying at the forefront of sustainable design. We uphold a strong reputation
among clients and peers, demonstrating our commitment to excellence and innovation in the field.
For additional activities, please see SSR’s Impact Report.
