Survey: Sustainability in Architectural Firms

SURVEY 1 - CALL TO BUSINESS LEADERS AND/OR CEO

Construction accounts for approximately 40% of energy consumption, 40% of material consumption, 30% of waste and 5% of the gross domestic product in Denmark and similar countries. Architectural firms have extraordinary potential in the transition to sustainable construction industry. Architects' consultancy and innovation in processes, materials, and solutions can significantly affect environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This is the background for this member survey, which will help us all understand the architectural industry's sustainability work and lead to targeted efforts for the necessary competence and business development for Danish Architectural Firms. Initially, we ask you for general information about your company and a little future thinking.

GENERALLY

3.1.1. Identification and company size, subject areas, readiness for future strict sustainability requirements in the Danish building regulations, and expectations for future demands.

VQ1 - Please provide the data below
•   Name / Company / Address / Zip code / City / Web / Email address / Phone number 
 
VQ2 - How many employees are there in the company? (including owner/owners) 
•   Sole proprietorship / 2-4 employees / 5-9 employees / 10-19 employees / 20-39 employees / 40+ employees 
 
VQ3 - The company's subject areas. Check as many boxes as are relevant
•    Affordable housing, new construction 
•    Affordable housing, transformation / renovation 
•    Private housing construction, new construction 
•    Private residential construction, transformation / renovation 
•    Transformation / renovation, categories other than residential construction 
•    Office building
•    Information, school and institution building
•    Sports and cultural facilities
•    Restoration
•    Urban planning
•    Urban spaces
•    Area development
•    Landscape planning 
•    Climate adaptation
•    Biodiversity and nature conservation 
•    Site preparation for development
•    Client advice
•    Strategic advice 
•    Proces planning
•    Other areas (please specify) 
 
VQ4 - How well prepared is the company for the voluntary sustainability class to become mandatory in 2023? Check one box
•    Not ready 
•    Knows the content, is about to run in position 
•    Is in the process of implementing
•    Have what it takes is 100% ready 

VQ5 - How much of the company's revenue will be linked to sustainability in five years? Check one box
•    0-25% / 25-50% / 50-75% / 75-100%

SUSTAINABILITY

3.1.2. Daily practice for sustainable performance and sustainable deliveries – how what, how often, the extent of demand here and now, nature of single services in the field of sustainability.

VQ6 - How do you work with sustainability in the company? Check one box
•    Sustainable operation of the company (internally)? 
•    Sustainability in the company's deliveries (externally)?
•    Both? 
•    The company does not work with sustainability 
•    Other (please specify)
 
VQ7 - What do sustainable operations in the company include for you? Check as many boxes as you want
•    Green accounts for day-to-day operations.
•    Continuing education with a focus on sustainability. 
•    Formalized knowledge sharing about sustainability. 
•    Green purchases for the company. 
•    Sustainability as a focus of business development. 
•    No focus. 
•    Other (please specify) 
 
VQ8 - What is sustainability in the company's deliveries? Check one box
•    We see sustainability as an additional delivery 
•    We see sustainability as a core delivery 
•    Sustainability is integrated into all our deliveries. 
 
VQ9 - How often is sustainability practised in the company's deliveries? Check one box
•    Never 
•    The company practices sustainability when the customer demands it.
•    The company practices more sustainability than the customer demands 
•    The company always practices sustainability, regardless of whether the customer demands it. 
•    Other (please specify)

SUPPLY AND DEMANDS, SKILLS

3.1.3. Expectations of skills development and sustainability needs.

VQ10 - To what extent do you experience demand for sustainable construction from your clients / customers? Check one box
•    They never demand sustainability. 
•    They demand stand-alone sustainable solutions in construction 
•    They require buildings that can be sustainability certified 
•    They are frontrunners and risk-averse in their expectations and expect more than sustainability-certified construction 
•    Other (please specify) 
 
VQ11 - What do the company's sustainability deliveries consist of, and at what level are they practised?
•    The company does not deliver or rarely (0-25%)
•    The company occasionally delivers (25-50%)
•    The company often delivers (50- 75%)
•    The company delivers almost always (75-100%)

Respectively:
•    Energy optimization?  
•    Sustainability certification?  
•    Material knowledge? (e.g. biomaterials, etc.)  
•    Circular economy?  
•    Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)?  
•    Life cycle costing / total economy (LCC)?  
•    Social value creation / social sustainability?  
•    Healing architecture?  
•    Universal design? 
•    Post Occupancy Evaluation?  
•    Accessibility?  
•    Other (please specify) 
 
VQ12 - If you are to develop further the company's competencies concerning where you stand today, where would you like to go within the next 2-4 years?
•    We're already home safe today! 
•    We want to become 35% more at home! 
•    We want to become 65% more at home! 
•    We want to become 100% home safe!

Respectively:
•    Energy optimization  
•    Sustainability certification
•    Material knowledge? (e.g. biomaterials, etc.)  
•    Circular economy  
•    Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) 
•    Life cycle costing / total economy (LCC)  
•    Social value creation / social sustainability  
•    Healing architecture  
•    Universal design 
•    Post Occupancy Evaluation  
•    Accessibility  
•    Other (please specify)

VQ13 - At Danish Architectural Firms, we are in the process of planning programs for competence development that will help you achieve your goals. Therefore, we would like to hear more about what the company needs in knowledge and input. Check as many boxes as you think are relevant
•    Change management 
•    Strategy development 
•    Sustainability management  
•    Communication skills 
•    Competences for evaluation and follow-up  
•    Continuing education in the circular economy  
•    Continuing education in LCA  
•    Continuing education in LCC  
•    Continuing education in social value creation  
•    Process planning  
•    Pricing sustainability deliverables  
•    Other (please specify)

ABOUT YOU

3.1.4. The respondent's role, education, background and particular competencies in sustainability

VQ14 - What function do you hold in the company? Mark max six positions
•    Founder
•    Partner
•    Managing director 
•    Senior executive 
•    Finance Manager 
•    HR/administrationsansvarlig 
•    Project manager
•    Project manager
•    Head of sustainability
•    Communications Officer 
•    Competition/Procurement Officer 
•    Other 
 
VQ15 - Are you the sustainability officer in the company?
•    Yes
•    No - Then who is the sustainability officer? 

VQ16 - What are your areas of study? Feel free to check more boxes
•    Urban planning / urban development
•    Landscape/Area Development
•    Design
•    Sketching / concept development / competitions Client consultancy
•    Housing (affordable)
•    Homes (private)
•    Corporate governance
•    Project management 
•    Design management
•    Building site management
•    Economy 
•    Contracts
•    Working environment 
•    Sustainability management
•    Consultant or auditor, sustainability certification 
•    IT
•    User involvement
•    Areas not mentioned 
 
VQ17 - Have you taken additional training in sustainability? Feel free to check more boxes
•    Sustainability management
•    DGNB consultant / auditor
•    LCA 
•    LCC 
•    No, no formal continuing education 
•    Other (which is not mentioned) 
 
VQ18 - How will you assess your knowledge and insight about sustainability on a scale of 1-4, where 1 = limited knowledge and 4 = excellent knowledge
•    Limited knowledge 
•    Some knowledge 
•    Good knowledge 
•    Excellent knowledge 

Respectively:
•    LCA 
•    LCC 
•    Health, welfare 
•    Universal design 
•    Healing architecture 
•    Indoor climate and comfort 
•    Working environment 
•    Availability 
•    Recycling, recycling 
•    Energy optimization
•    Urban spaces
•    Climate adaptation
•    Planning 
•    Sustainability management and certification

SURVEY 2 - CALL TO TO SUSTAINABILITY MANAGERS

As an expert in the field, this survey is targeted you who may play a role in your company as a sustainability officer. We would ask you to help us with your insight into the level of knowledge today in the architectural industry in some of the more specialised areas of sustainability. Partly to be able to develop services at the proper levels for the members, partly to harvest data for the research that we carry out to, among other things, be able to influence the framework conditions for architects' work.

GENERALLY

3.2.1. Identification of competency development expectations and sustainability needs

3.2.2. Circular economy (CE), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) – degree of knowledge, desire for increased knowledge, and if so, what kind of knowledge.

BQ1 - Please provide the data below
•    Name / Company / Zip code / Email address / Phone number 

BQ2 – We would like to ask what the company needs more knowledge and input from your point of view as head of sustainability. The questions following this question are more detailed about some of these areas
•    Processes 
•    Strategy development 
•    Sustainability management 
•    Communication skills 
•    Competences for evaluation and follow-up 
•    Continuing education in the circular economy 
•    Continuing education in LCA 
•    Continuing education in LCC 
•    Continuing education in social value creation 
•    Process planning 
•    Pricing sustainability deliverables 
•    Other (Please specify):

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Circular Economy (CE) is a way to ensure sustainable management of the earth’s resources and develop new economic opportunities for companies through new business models. For example, a circular economy in construction keeps building materials and products in the economic cycle of cities and buildings with the highest possible value for the longest possible time. 
 
BQ3 - How familiar is the circular economy to the company?
•     “What is CE???” 
•    Have heard about CE 
•    Practices CE in company projects 
•    Teaches CE 
 
BQ4 - Does the company needs to learn more about CE?
•     Yes / No 
 
BQ5 - If Yes: What does the company need to learn?

BQ6 -  If No: Why is it not relevant to learn more about CE in the company?

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculates the environmental costs of products and processes over their lifetime. It estimates which materials and manufacturing processes are included, what environmental effects the product has during its lifetime, and its disposal or recycling impact. There are several indicators, including CO2 emissions and embedded energy. In addition, LCA can base material and component selection on environmental factors. 

BQ7 - How familiar is the company with LCA?
•    I've heard of LCA 
•    Lets engineers do LCA calculations in the company's projects 
•    Makes LCA calculations in the company's projects 
•    Teaches LCA calculations 
 
BQ8 - Does the company need to learn about LCA?
•    Yes / No 
 
BQ9 - If Yes: What does the company need to learn?
 
BQ10 - If No: Why is it not relevant to learn more about LCA in the company?

LIFE CYCLE COSTING

Total cost of ownership (Life Cycle Costing / LCC) is a method of calculating the cost of construction including operation, maintenance, replacements and eventual demolition over its entire lifetime. Thus, for example, one can assess whether it is economically viable to invest more in a long-lasting solution. Or whether it is better to use a solution that costs less in construction but may have to be changed several times due to poorer durability.
 
BQ11 - How familiar is the total economy/LCC/Life cycle costing the company?
•    I've heard of LCC. 
•    Lets engineers do LCC in the company's projects 
•    Makes even LCC in the company's projects 
•    Teaches LCC 

BQ12 - Does the company need to learn about LCC?
•    Yes / No 

BQ13 - If Yes: What does the company need to learn? 

BQ14 - If No: Why is it not relevant to learn more about the LCC company?

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY – SOCIAL VALUE CALCULATION

3.2.3. Social value creation (SVC) – perception, practice, desires for increased knowledge in the future, and if so, what kind of knowledge and ways of evaluating.

Social value creation is about the importance of architectural design regarding behaviour, participation and consumption. Such can be exemplified as the advantages, disadvantages, benefits, costs and qualities of building projects and how such create value for the client, the users and the society. Social value creation may concern, for example, cultural heritage, cohesion, inclusion, productivity, learning, health, urban life, etc. Social value creation, specifically concerning sustainability, is about how such qualities promote environmental and economic sustainability in a given building project. And thereby also supports global ambitions to get everyone involved in sustainable development. 
 
BQ15 - Can you give an example of what you, in the company, consider to be social value creation in architecture?

BQ16 - Based on this example, can you characterise what the company defines as social value creation in architecture? Check 1-4 of the fields that you find most important
•    Mental well-being - e.g. aesthetics, health, healing architecture, well-being, liveability, etc.?
•    Behavioural regulation - e.g. nudging for sustainable behaviour, safety, security, overview, wayfinding, etc.? 
•    Activity promotion - e.g. functionality, learning, competence building, etc.? 
•    Inclusion - e.g. equality, community, universal design, accessibility, neighbourliness, clear boundaries, etc.? 
•    Identification - e.g. identity, community, sense of solidarity, belonging, etc.? 
•    Ownership - e.g. co-creation, participation, co-ownership, etc.? 
•    Measurable qualities - e.g. durability, resilience, flexibility, indoor climate, working environment, social commissioning, post occupancy evaluation, etc.? 
•    Social criteria in DGNB (thermal comfort, air quality, visual comfort, control of the indoor climate, quality of outdoor areas, safety, safety, accessibility, conditions for cyclists, architectural quality, plan layout) 
•    Leave No One Behind" (LNOB) - The central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals? 
•    Other (please specify) 

BQ17 - How does the company evaluate and document its design intentions for social value creation?
We evaluate and document social value creation by:
•    Post Occupancy Evaluation? 
•    Follow-up questionnaire surveys? 
•    Interviews with users? 
•    Observations? 
•    The company does not evaluate and document social value creation. 
•    Other (please specify) 

BQ18 - Does the company need to know/learn more about evaluating and documenting social value creation?
•    Yes / No

BQ19 - If Yes: What does the company need to learn?
•    Ways to communicate social value creation (to potential customers)? 
•    Ways to argue social value creation (for solutions in concrete projects)? 
•    Ways to document social value creation (after the project is completed)? 
•    Ways to measure social value creation? 
•    Other (please specify) 

BQ20 - Why is it not relevant to know more about the documentation of social value creation in the company?

ABOUT YOU

3.2.4. The respondent’s role, education, background and particular competencies in sustainability.
This study is about you, who have a role as a sustainability officer in your business. If you have already answered the following questions in the first survey, tick off your response.
 
BQ21 - What are your areas of study? (feel free to mark more)
•    I have answered this question in the previous 2022 survey. 
•    Architecture 
•    Urban Planning
•    Urban Development
•    Landscape
•    Area Development 
•    Design
•    Concept Development
•    Competitions
•    Client consultancy 
•    Housing (affordable) 
•    Housing (private) 
•    Business management
•    Project management 
•    Design management 
•    Construction management 
•    Economics 
•    Contractual conditions 
•    Working environment 
•    Sustainability management 
•    Consultant or auditor, sustainability certification 
•    IT 
•    Citizen/User Involvement 
•    Areas not mentioned

BQ22 - Have you taken additional continuing education in sustainability?
•    I have answered this question in the previous 2022 survey. 
•    Sustainability management 
•    LCA
•    LCC 
•    DGNB consultant/auditor 
•    Other continuing education relevant in f t sustainability
•    No, no formal continuing education 
•    If you have other relevant continuing education, please mention it here. 

BQ23 - How would you assess your knowledge and insights about sustainability on a scale of 1-4 (limited knowledge - excellent knowledge) 
•    Limited knowledge 
•    Some knowledge 
•    Good knowledge 
•    Excellent knowledge 
•    Life cycle assessment LCA
•    Life cycle costing LCC 
•    Social value creation 
•    Sustainability management and certification 
•    If you have specialist knowledge of other aspects of sustainability, please state this: