Sustainability

Sustainability, a term originating in the ecological sciences, describes ecosystems that thrive in a dynamic balance particular to their place. Each element of a sustainable system balances itself against other aligned and competing elements to create a unique fit within its natural context. Lake|Flato believes that good design requires us to seek this same balance within our own work. Design and sustainability cannot be teased apart. Each design must find its particular fit relative to intended use, cultural context and the natural environment.

For over 25 years, Lake|Flato has employed practical and thoughtful sustainable strategies that conserve resources, engage nature and promote healthful living. Simply defined, sustainable design is smart design that looks beyond the building and considers the larger context. We strive to create restorative environments that enhance our understanding and relationship to the natural world.

Our process is collaborative and integrates knowledge from a wide range of sustainable expertise. It requires that we look to art, science and nature … to listen and learn. We benchmark building energy performance from early-stage modeling through completion to verify the efficacy of our designs and strategies. This data allows us to measure our progress towards our goal of carbon neutral design by the year 2030, in fulfillment of our commitment to The 2030 Challenge.