DesignInc is Climate Active Certified for Services and Organisation

News / Studio News / Sustainable 22 April 2024 Share

DesignInc is proud to announce that we have achieved dual Climate Active certification, which certifies both our Services and Organisation. Currently, DesignInc is the only architecture practice in Australia that holds Climate Active certification for Services.

Climate change and carbon pollution reduction are complex, interconnected issues that require collective action. Carbon impacts are measured along the supply chain, and many of our clients, particularly those in the government sector and organisations with 2030 climate commitments, are working hard to reduce their carbon footprint. Our certification means that clients who use our services are purchasing carbon-neutral services. Therefore, we are helping clients reduce their carbon footprint while we reduce our own.

DesignInc has always been committed to designing buildings that are good for people, the environment, and our planet. We are leaders in sustainable design, and pursuing Climate Active certification is a natural fit for our organisation.

Becoming Climate Active is a significant activity. We engaged Pangolin Associates to guide us through the process, help crunch the numbers and analyse the data to develop a clear and independently vetted account of our carbon output.

We are excited about the benefits that Climate Active certification offers our clients. Every time a client purchases a service, that engagement usually comes with a carbon impact. By choosing DesignInc, clients are not adding to their carbon footprint.
Richard Stafford
Chair, DesignInc Pty Ltd

Once we understood our carbon footprint, we purchased carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality for FY 2022. We chose to offset with great Australian organisations like Greenfleet, a tree-planting enterprise, and Canopy Blue, which is kelp farming in WA. Both initiatives actively help the environment and habitat creation while sequestering carbon. It’s nice to know the money we invest in offsets is doing great work.

However, that’s only a short-term solution. We believe it’s essential to embrace decarbonisation holistically. This is not just an exercise in paying our way out of carbon debt. We have committed to reducing our absolute carbon emission footprint by 50% from FY 2022 to 2030.

We are making changes by purchasing 100% accredited green power, reducing business flights, and using EVs for local travel. We are reviewing our supply chain and working with suppliers who are changing their processes to reduce their CO₂ footprint. Our people are getting involved too; we’re encouraging individual changes that will reduce climate impacts.

Climate Active certification is an important piece of the decarbonising puzzle, but it’s only part of the story. We can’t talk about carbon reduction without considering the potential of environmentally sustainable design. As architects and designers, our greatest opportunity to do good is to design for better environmental outcomes.

Our Sustainability Action Plans (SAP) will guide how we decarbonise in every project from 2024 onwards. It’s important to lead by example, and DesignInc will continue to lead the way with initiatives for a healthier planet.

We are thrilled to be a Climate Active member and part of a growing community of changemakers. It’s something we firmly believe in and an important part of DesignInc’s journey to help the environment.
Richard Staf ford
Chair, DesignInc Pty Ltd