Table of contents
Architects wield immense influence, not just in shaping physical spaces, but in steering the sustainability trajectory of the building industry. Every design choice, from material selection to systems specification, ripples through supply chains and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, especially those in Scope 3, which often constitute the lion’s share of a project’s footprint.
Why transparency matters for architecture and scope 3
Scope 3 emissions—those indirect emissions that occur across a company’s value chain—are typically both the largest and the most complex part of an architecture firm’s climate footprint. For most building projects, Scope 3 includes embodied carbon from raw material extraction, product manufacturing, transportation, construction activities, and even the eventual end-of-life disposal of materials.
In the built environment, embodied emissions—classified as Scope 3—can account for nearly half of a project’s total carbon output over its lifetime, especially for new, energy-efficient buildings where operational emissions are lower. Because these emissions occur outside a firm’s direct control, they require collaboration, data sharing, and clear reporting standards with suppliers, contractors, and clients.
Transparency in this context means more than just publishing data; it’s about designing with disclosure in mind from the earliest stages of a project. Architects who prioritize transparent sourcing and documentation can:
- Influence supplier practices by specifying low-carbon or verified-sustainable materials.
- Set performance expectations in RFPs and contracts that encourage better reporting from manufacturers and contractors.
- Equip clients with actionable insights into the long-term carbon implications of design decisions.
This shift isn’t happening in isolation. New regulations like California’s SB 253 and SB 261, along with global corporate commitments to science-based targets, are pushing architecture and construction toward more robust carbon accounting. Clients—particularly large developers and corporate real estate teams—are increasingly asking for emissions data as part of their own Scope 3 reporting.
In short: when architects design for transparency, they unlock the ability to track and reduce Scope 3 emissions at scale—not just within a single project, but across the entire built environment. This shift doesn’t just align with climate goals; it strengthens client trust, drives innovation in materials, and positions firms as leaders in the low-carbon economy.
Best practices architects are embracing
Across the architecture industry, the conversation around sustainable supply chains is moving from “why” to “how.” Firms aren’t just setting bold climate goals, they’re rethinking the way projects are designed, materials are sourced, and suppliers are engaged to make those goals real. At the heart of this shift is a focus on measuring and managing Scope 3 emissions, and several best practices are emerging as frontrunners.
One is integrating whole-life carbon assessments early in the design process. Rather than waiting until construction documents are finalized, forward-thinking firms are using embodied and operational carbon data to compare materials and systems from day one. This enables designers to make informed trade-offs—choosing, for example, mass timber over concrete where appropriate, or selecting products with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that meet stringent sustainability criteria.
Another key strategy is aligning design work with industry frameworks that prioritize transparency. The AIA 2030 Commitment, for example, has driven widespread disclosure of building performance data, and more firms are now including embodied carbon metrics in their reports.
Frameworks like EcoVadis demand structure, documentation, and a clear sustainability strategy. Greenplaces helps firms build a central ESG repository, manage evidence, and prepare for a successful scorecard submission. This not only saves time but also gives architects a more complete picture of their project’s supply chain footprint.
Of course, transparency doesn’t stop with reporting; it’s built on strong supplier relationships and engagement. The most successful firms are setting clear expectations in procurement documents, encouraging suppliers to share verifiable emissions data, and collaborating on ways to lower embodied carbon. Greenplaces makes this practical by offering workflows that gather Scope 3 data directly from vendors, verify it, and make it easy to integrate into both firm-level and client-facing sustainability reports.
Finally, there’s the matter of embedding sustainability into the firm’s culture and processes. This isn’t about a single project team—it’s about the whole organization adopting a shared understanding that carbon-informed design is simply part of good practice. Architects who approach transparency in this way are positioned not only to meet client demands but to lead the industry toward a lower-carbon future.
