BNIM Architects Funds Greenhouse Gas Offsets Through The Climate Trust

Leading National Sustainable Design Firm Makes Commitment to Reduce Climate Impact of Operations

 BNIM Architects and the Climate Trust announced today an agreement that will reduce BNIM’s greenhouse gas emission footprint. As part of BNIM’s overall environmental strategy, the firm has made a donation to Climate Trust, which will use the money for verified and permanent greenhouse gas offsets.

“At BNIM Architects, sustainability is a way of life for our clients and for our employees. It is not seen as an additional element of our design—it is simply the way we design. Applying this philosophy to our day-to-day operations by funding greenhouse gas offsets makes sense for our firm on so many levels,” said Steve McDowell FAIA, principal, BNIM Architects. “We selected Climate Trust because of their knowledge of the issues surrounding climate change and their experience managing offset projects globally.”

BNIM Architects is a pioneer and one of the nation’s leading firms focused on creating designs that are energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive. The firm was instrumental in the formation of the AIA Committee on the Environment and the U.S. Green Building Council. This year, BNIM was awarded its first LEED® Platinum certification for the Lewis and Clark State Office Building in Jefferson City, Mo. The firm recently launched a “Deep Design / Deep Green” initiative to make its operations as green as possible and to develop a baseline set of design guidelines to insure that all BNIM projects meet the firm’s green expectations.

BNIM Architects has committed to offsetting the environmental impact of its 2005 operations, which was equivalent to 783 tons of carbon dioxide, through its donation to Climate Trust. “We strive to make responsible decisions for the good of our clients, the environment and those who will live and work in the communities and buildings we design. We believe that greenhouse gas offsets will have a positive effect on the generations of tomorrow,” added McDowell.

Greenhouse gas offsets are an important component of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of global warming. The Climate Trust provides a cost efficient and sustainable solution as it carefully selects offsets that fulfill strict quality criteria and meet high levels of environmental integrity. These greenhouse gas offset projects are real and make a difference today. In addition to mitigating global GHG emissions, The Climate Trust greenhouse gas offsets increase investment in clean technologies, create jobs, protect the environment and contribute to sustainable development.

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The Climate Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting climate change solutions by providing high quality greenhouse gas offset projects and advancing sound offset policy. The Climate Trust has offset more than 2.0 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from over $6 million invested into offset projects – making it one of the largest and most experienced offset buyers in the U.S. and world markets. It provides offsets to power plants, regulators, businesses and entities of all sizes and individuals. Their service includes an online application tool (www.CarbonCounter.org) that easily calculates individual emissions from a range of sources. www.climatetrust.org

About BNIM ArchitectsWith 36 years of experience as a multidisciplinary architectural firm, Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell Architects has built a reputation for thoughtful and responsive design, thorough technical competence, and conscientious service. With offices in Kansas City, Mo. and Houston, Texas, BNIM Architects has completed many significant public and private projects at both local and national levels. The firm’s areas of expertise include sustainable design and community redevelopment, urban planning and design, educational facilities, campus master planning, residential, and corporate office spaces. BNIM is committed to restorative design, which aims to maximize human potential, productivity and health while minimizing the consumption of resources and the production of waste and pollution. For more information, call Kathy Achelpohl at 816-783-1500 or see www.bnim.com.

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