Sustainable Design Advisor

Perkins&Will • Bainbridge Island, WA

4d • $71,843 - $91,000

About The Position

With preliminary direction from a licensed architect, this role assists in predesign and all design phases, implementing and managing sustainability across a range of projects. These projects focus on building high performance, including low water and energy usage, high-quality daylight incorporation, and reduced Embodied Carbon levels. The role involves conducting material health research and trends on occupant health and well-being for various facility types (corporate, commercial, manufacturing, educational), including new construction, renovations, tenant improvements, and energy efficiency retrofits. Key responsibilities include conducting weather data analysis to optimize passive design potential, researching decarbonization strategies, performing Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) comparative analysis, and presenting data findings using visualization tools. The position also involves preparing technical content, advocating for sustainable strategies, enhancing high-performance design practices, and supporting sustainable design platforms. A significant aspect is guiding the transition to integrated design and analysis processes. The role requires preparing building energy models, conducting whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), performing building material research, executing daylight analysis, providing design guidance for building envelopes, and developing automated parametric optimization workflows. Additionally, it involves conducting Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, providing internal QA/QC, modifying BIM models, offering expertise on energy efficiency measures, guiding teams in third-party green-building certifications (LEED, ILFI, LBC, WELL, Fitwel, Net Zero Energy), conducting benchmarking studies on embodied carbon, developing an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) matrix, preparing interactive platforms for data visualization, publishing educational research, and using data analytics to explore correlations between efficiency measures and energy/carbon reductions. The role also includes developing a design strategy framework for high-performance and regenerative design goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Architecture (5 year) or foreign equivalent.
• 1 year of experience including assisting in design phases to improve building performance (low energy usage, high quality daylight incorporation, reduced Embodied Carbon levels).
• Conducting weather data analysis to optimize passive design potential based on climate and building use to minimize building energy needs and maximize energy savings.
• Conducting research and outreach on decarbonization strategies using data from government and research institutions.
• Presenting data findings and recommendations using high-level data visualization tools.
• Assisting in advocating sustainable, regenerative, and energy efficient strategies through drawings and written documentation.
• Working closely with sustainable design leadership to enhance high-performance design practices and improve the quality and consistency of sustainable design deliverables.
• Guiding the transition from traditional sustainable design process and standalone environmental analysis practices into integrated design and analysis processes in collaborative work environments.
• Preparing building energy models using energy simulation software including OpenStudio or equivalents to evaluate heating loads, cooling loads and the building’s overall energy performance and prepare report for operational carbon footprints and help projects optimize their energy usage and become high-performing.
• Conducting whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis using programs including TallyLCA, or equivalents.
• Executing daylight analysis using Climate Studio and Honeybee to evaluate spatial daylight autonomy, annual sunlight exposure, and glare, and present findings to design teams.
• Providing design guidance for building envelop design like thermal resistance requirements for optimal performance, material assembly specification to reduce moisture transfer and collection and avoid mold generation inside the building envelop through performing hygrothermal analyses using tools like WUFI and THERM.
• Developing automated parametric optimization workflows in Grasshopper, integrating 3D modeling, environmental analysis, and evolutionary optimization algorithms.
• Conducting Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to assess indoor and outdoor comfort levels and ventilation strategies.
• Performing necessary modifications to Rhino models as energy modeling progresses, including facade alterations that improve energy performance and reduce carbon footprints.
• Providing expertise on energy efficiency measures across various domains, including lighting, HVAC, building envelopes, Plug & Process Loads (PPL).
• Preparing interactive platforms to visualize benchmarking results and enable design teams to explore efficiency metrics and data correlations in design strategies and project carbon footprint.
• Publishing educational research and knowledge articles that explain critical building science topics and providing easy implementable solution for improved building performance.
• Using data analytics methods and tools including data analytic packages to explore correlations between efficiency measures and energy and carbon reductions and generate data analytic reports.
• Developing design strategy framework to guide projects from early design stages to construction stages in achieving high-performance and regenerative design goals.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Power BI or scripting languages libraries including Matplotlib, Numpy, and Seaborn for data visualization.
• Experience with IESVE, eQuest, Design Builder for energy modeling.
• Experience with One Click, Athena for LCA analysis.
• Experience with Diva for daylight analysis.
• Experience with Python, SQL, or C++ for automated parametric optimization workflows.
• Experience with Revit BIM.
• Expertise in service hot water, data centers, automation control systems, refrigeration, industrial processes, motors, and VFDs.
• Experience with ILFI, LBC, WELL, Fitwel, and Net Zero Energy standards.
• Experience with EC3 tool.
• Experience with R, Tableau, or PowerBI or equivalent data analytic packages on Python.

Responsibilities

• Assist in predesign and all design phases under the direction of a licensed architect.
• Implement and manage sustainability across projects related to building high performance.
• Conduct weather data analysis to optimize passive design potential.
• Conduct research and outreach on decarbonization strategies.
• Perform Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) comparative analysis.
• Present data findings and recommendations to clients and design teams using data visualization tools.
• Prepare technical content for sustainable design presentations, reports, and client deliverables.
• Advocate sustainable, regenerative, and energy efficient strategies through drawings and written documentation.
• Work closely with sustainable and regenerative design leadership to enhance high-performance design practices.
• Provide ongoing development and support for all sustainable design platforms.
• Guide the transition from traditional sustainable design processes to integrated design and analysis processes.
• Prepare building energy models using energy simulation software to evaluate heating loads, cooling loads, and overall energy performance.
• Prepare reports for operational carbon footprints and help projects optimize energy usage.
• Conduct whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis.
• Conduct building material research based on environmental and human health impacts.
• Execute daylight analysis to evaluate spatial daylight autonomy, annual sunlight exposure, and glare.
• Provide design guidance for building envelope design, including thermal resistance and material assembly specifications.
• Perform hygrothermal analyses using tools like WUFI and THERM.
• Develop automated parametric optimization workflows using Python, SQL, or C++ in Grasshopper.
• Conduct Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to assess indoor and outdoor comfort levels and ventilation strategies.
• Provide internal QA/QC to ensure sustainability measures are effectively incorporated into projects and specifications.
• Perform necessary modifications to Revit BIM or Rhino models as energy modeling progresses.
• Provide expertise on energy efficiency measures across various domains (lighting, HVAC, etc.).
• Work with project managers and guide project teams in compliance and delivery of third-party green-building certification and rating systems.
• Conduct benchmarking studies on embodied carbon data across firm-wide projects.
• Develop a structured framework to enhance future project performance in embodied carbon (EC) parameters.
• Develop a firm-wide, implementable Energy Use Intensity (EUI) matrix.
• Prepare interactive platforms to visualize benchmarking results and enable design teams to explore efficiency metrics and data correlations.
• Publish firmwide educational research and knowledge articles.
• Work with firm-wide projects' energy data repositories and use data analytics methods and tools to explore correlations between efficiency measures and energy and carbon reductions.
• Generate data analytic reports.
• Develop a design strategy framework to guide projects from early design stages to construction stages in achieving high-performance and regenerative design goals.

Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications.
• Culture that is diverse and inclusive.
• Commitment to pay equity.
• Performance considerations for merit increases, job promotions, and transfer opportunities.
• Annual review of pay practices and pay equity audits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level