Christa Duelberg-Kraftician on evolving green building design in Pennsylvania
Sustainability has shifted from trend to necessity as codes, investors and insurers embed green requirements; designers now focus on operational and embodied carbon, resilience and occupant health.
A Conversation With: Christa Duelberg-Kraftician, principal at Spillman Farmer Architects
LVB: What is the current state of green building design? Is it still as popular as it was a few years ago?
Duelberg-Kraftician: Sustainability has changed significantly over the years. Sustainable design is no longer a trend but rather a necessity.
What was once viewed by some firms as a market differentiator is now increasingly embedded in codes, investor expectations, insurance requirements, and corporate ESG requirements.
A few decades ago, sustainability was often associated with efficient lighting, recycled materials, and achieving a plaque.
Today we understand sustainability is a requirement to preserve resources and energy, provide a healthy environment for occupants, and provide resilience.
The stakes have grown and today we are looking at operational carbon emissions, embodied carbon, and sequestering. Buildings are beyond net-zero energy and are measuring energy production. They are responding to climate risks such as fires, earthquakes, and heat waves.
LVB: What are the current challenges in green building design, such as the expiration of incentives under the current administration?
Duelberg-Kraftician: At the same time, building codes are increasingly incorporating sustainability requirements that were once considered voluntary or innovative.
Updated versions of LEED and other sustainability rating systems require higher insulation values, tighter building envelopes, improved ventilation standards, energy modeling, and electrification readiness.
As a result, some professionals perceive programs like LEED as redundant because minimum code compliance already includes many “green” strategies.
However, rating systems continue to evolve beyond code minimums by emphasizing operational carbon, embodied carbon, occupant wellness, resilience, biodiversity, material transparency, and net-zero performance.
Another challenge is the upfront cost of high-performance systems and materials. Although prices for solar panels, LED lighting, smart controls, and efficient mechanical systems have declined substantially over the last decade.
This is especially important as some incentives are no longer available.
In Pennsylvania, several state and local programs continue to help offset these challenges despite broader uncertainty around federal incentives.
Examples include the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Small Business Advantage Grant program, which supports energy-efficiency upgrades for small businesses, and the Pollution Prevention Assistance Account (PPAA), which assists firms implementing pollution reduction and resource-efficiency measures.
Municipalities and school districts may also access funding for alternative-fuel vehicle fleets and infrastructure.
Homeowners can benefit from utility rebates, weatherization programs, and whole-home repair initiatives that improve energy efficiency and housing resilience.
LVB: How can you still get the best value out of green building design?
Duelberg-Kraftician: Green Building Design reacts to current and future needs. This has shifted over the last years from reducing the use of energy and water to preserving the most of it.
Green building design incorporates all aspects — the building itself, the users, and the surroundings. It is concerned about its performance (high performance envelope, energy consumption, low-carbon materials etc.) its occupants (biophilic design, no-off gassing materials etc.) and its effect on the overall environment (resiliency, heat islands etc.)
PassiveHouse and other initiatives are showing us that not only are products important but especially details and craftsmanship contribute to a well-performing building. While triple glazed windows preserve energy, they will not be effective if the joints are not treated properly.
The design and construction industries are adopting these lessons learned.
LVB: What are the overall benefits of green building design that should inspire developers to embrace it?
Duelberg-Kraftician: Green buildings are constantly pushing the boundaries. Developers can benefit from performance-driven buildings which reduce energy and water bills resulting in lower operation costs and higher property values as well as marketability.
In addition, it can improve the developer’s image as being responsive, innovative and forward-thinking. Today’s tenants are more educated and understand the benefits of a healthy environment.