Dig Design recognises that the impact on the environment of the built environment industries, including architecture and interior design, is significant.
Our Impact as Built Environment Professionals
Our impact on the environment is both:
- Direct, through the way our business operates.
- Indirect, through services we provide to and on behalf of our clients.
As signatories to Australian Architects Declare we acknowledge the very real climate emergency the planet is now facing and through our actions aim to address and not add to this climate emergency through our professional services and business practices.
Dig Design acknowledges the role architects and interior designers must play in guiding clients and user groups in making better environmental decisions and we aim to do this not only by helping our clients minimize their environmental impact, but also by example, in making better environmental choices within our everyday as well as our bigger picture, business decisions.
Whilst we are not perfect, nor are we at carbon zero yet, we aim to do better everyday and are committed to achieving Net Carbon Zero by 2030, in line with the Australian Government’s commitment.
Environmental Objectives
Our objectives in this policy are to:
- Support the Dig Design team to actively look for opportunities to reduce our waste and consumption through discussions, policies and action plans.
- Minimise and reduce the carbon footprint of our business practices through management and consciously sustainable purchasing practices.
- Activity seek opportunities to reduce our environmental impact both in what we do and how we do it.
- Seek to educate and inform our clients about sound environmental practices and how they can make a positive impact through the design choices they make and the way they invest their capital in the built environment.
- Raise awareness about the less glamorous ways we can improve our environmental impact
- Promote the concept that whilst we aim for carbon neutrality that not reaching it is not failing, that every step you take toward a net zero footprint counts, an improvement to what currently exists is an important step. Not achieving 100% is not a reason to no try.
- Support the Dig Design team in research and education to environmental and sustainable practices, through time off for education, CPDs and financial support to do so where possible.
- Be collaborative, involve clients and consultants in the objectives.
Design Objectives
In design, we aim to:
- Maximise the benefits of natural environmental when considering the siting of built forms.
- Minimise environmental impact as far as possible.
- Reduce the overall energy consumption of buildings.
- Reduce the overall water consumption of buildings.
- Consider the way waste is dealt with in construction and life cycle, minimising the contribution to landfill.
- Consider what can be retained, re-used and repurposed to reduce the environmental impact of our designs.
- Use renewable materials and renewable energy resources wherever appropriate.
- Work closely with our ESD and Energy Rating consultants when making design decisions and assessing sustainability and environmental impact.
- Engage in open and continual dialogue with our clients, consultants and builders regarding environmental targets of any given project.
- Continually build on and improve our environmental goals.