Transforming Office Design: Gensler’s AI-Driven Carbon Impact Tool
The Significance of Design Decisions
In office design, every choice made — from wall placement to material selection and furniture arrangement — has significant implications for project outcomes. These decisions not only influence the performance of a design but also its overall cost. Recently, the focus has expanded to include the sustainability goals of corporate occupiers, prompting designers to account for the carbon footprint associated with their design choices.
Introducing a Real-Time Carbon Benchmarking Tool
To facilitate a better understanding of the relationship between design decisions and carbon output, Gensler has developed a tool that enables designers to evaluate the carbon impact of their choices in real time. “For a while now we have been thinking about how to get predictive data into the hands of our designers,” stated Joseph Joseph, the Chief Digital Officer at Gensler. The existing dashboard, which tracked metrics such as space mix and seat count, has now integrated a carbon benchmarking feature into the massing software used by designers.
Utilizing AI and Extensive Datasets
This innovative tool harnesses artificial intelligence combined with Gensler’s extensive database, which encompasses over 2 billion square feet of projects. This allows designers to assess how their material selections contribute to sustainability. However, establishing accurate carbon footprints for materials remains challenging. Joseph noted that “one of the biggest challenges was that the established carbon data sets for carbon life cycle assessment are not always perfectly accurate.” Even minor inaccuracies can accumulate significantly in a firm of Gensler’s scale, prompting the need for a reliable starting point.
Enhancing Client Collaboration
A notable advantage of having real-time data at designers’ fingertips is the transformation in client dynamics. Corporate real estate leaders are increasingly knowledgeable about design and often seek to actively participate in the design process. By demonstrating the potential impacts of various design modifications, clients gain insight, allowing them to explore options they may not have initially considered. “Clients might come into a meeting completely hellbent on one design but we can walk them through different options in a way that makes them comfortable with a different idea,” Joseph remarked.
The Role of AI in Design
Despite the growing integration of AI in design processes, Gensler maintains a commitment to human-driven creativity. Joseph does not envision a future where AI replaces designers, stating, “Our ethos is less about punching in a few constraints and getting 25,000 floor plates and more about using AI to help us do our jobs better.” AI serves as a tool to enhance storytelling in design, allowing for emotional connections to be forged with clients prior to finalizing plans.
A Blend of Technology and Creativity
Having previously overseen design at Walt Disney Imagineering, Joseph emphasizes that incorporating technology is not solely for improved efficiency; it also serves to evoke emotions. Beautiful 3D renderings combined with precise climate data create a compelling narrative that resonates with clients. “As creatives, we understand that we are driven by emotions but we also need to make informed decisions,” he concluded.