Climate and Sustainable Design at Atelier Astil​

Sustainability encompasses a wide range of concerns, and in the face of climate change, we believe our projects should not only address environmental challenges but also prioritize the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve. This has been a guiding principle in our work for many years. We collaborate closely with our clients to create bespoke design solutions that are optimized for both their operations and the planet.​

At Atelier Astil, we have dedicated in-house teams specializing in carbon impact assessments, environmental analysis, materials research, landscape and workplace design, and environmental and structural engineering. These teams work alongside our design teams to develop sustainable frameworks and set environmental targets that contribute to a healthier world. We follow our projects through every phase, from design and construction to post-occupancy, ensuring that building performance is monitored and enhanced throughout its lifecycle.​

Responsibility Framework​
The Atelier Astil Responsibility Framework (ARF) has been developed to measure the sustainability performance of each project. It collects and shares key data to ensure progress is tracked, audited, and reported transparently. Sustainability assessors within each project team provide the necessary data for the framework.​

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Retrofit​
The built environment contributes to 40% of global carbon emissions, making the retrofit of existing buildings essential to achieving net-zero carbon targets. By thoughtfully adapting existing structures, we can enhance building performance, functionality, and reduce embodied carbon content. This includes transforming old office spaces into flexible workspaces, converting industrial districts into vibrant retail destinations, and extending the life of historic buildings.​

At Atelier Astil, we believe cities thrive when buildings of various periods and styles coexist. We have long championed the reuse and renewal of historic structures, offering them a new life through sensitive interventions. Modern additions to historic buildings can facilitate greater access and usage, allowing more people to appreciate their value. These interventions recognize the significance of a building while ensuring its viability for future generations.​

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Carbon Impact​
Our goal is to meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement. Current global sustainability assessment methods often fall short of the +1.5°C limit for global temperature rise. To address this, we’ve developed our own comprehensive assessment that evaluates both embodied and operational carbon to measure the entire lifecycle carbon impact of our designs. This includes carbon emissions from construction through to the building’s use over 60 years. The data is analyzed using our Sustainability Barometer, which tracks the performance of all our projects and is summarized in our Sustainability Manifesto.​

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Environmental Approach​
We assess the environmental performance of each project and develop innovative, future-proof solutions that help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, we place a strong emphasis on resilience, flexibility, health, and wellbeing. Our design approach is holistic, focusing on efficient resource use, circular economy strategies, biophilia, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. We aim to leverage the power of design to enhance the lived experience for everyone, creating spaces that are sustainable and enriching.​

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