SECTORS / GICS-201020 / TRANSITIONS

Architecture & Engineering · transition pathways

The recognised primary transition pathway for architecture & engineering, plus the upstream sectors architecture & engineering firms depend on for their own decarbonisation. A consulting firm cutting business travel still needs aviation to decarbonise; a REIT cutting tenant energy still needs the grid to clean up. These are the rate limiters.

Primary pathway

SBTi 1.5°C + Architects Declare + RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge

RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge sets per-typology operational + embodied targets for designed buildings. Architects Declare commits firms to advocate + design for net zero. SBTi corporate pathway covers own operations.

Reference ↗

Decarbonisation pathways

hover to read · click to pin

Year readout

Hover the chart to read off Best / Realistic / Worst values at any year. Click to pin the readout.

2050 endpoint:
Best 0% · Worst 70%

Corporate Scope 1+2 absolute emissions · % of 2020 emissions · base 2020 · Source: SBTi 1.5°C corporate criteria (4.2% YoY) · Race to Zero · BAU

Dependant pathways· 3

Upstream sectors architecture & engineering firms rely on. The faster these decarbonise, the faster the firm can hit its own targets — even when it does everything in its control.

Cement & Steel

Specified embodied carbon

Design specifications drive what materials are used. Decarbonisation of concrete + steel sets the floor for what's possible at design stage.

framework:GCCA, ResponsibleSteel, SBTi Cement + Steel

Decarbonisation pathways

Best0%

Realistic50%

Worst85%

Cement + steel sector emissions · % of 2020 emissions · base 2020
Source: GCCA Net Zero Roadmap, ResponsibleSteel, IEA NZE Industry

Reference ↗

Power & electricity

Scope 2 + downstream operational

Own studio energy is grid-bound. Faster grid decarbonisation also cuts the operational footprint of every building specified.

framework:IEA Net Zero by 2050, Ember

Decarbonisation pathways

Best0%

Realistic15%

Worst60%

Grid carbon intensity · % of 2020 gCO2/kWh · base 2020
Source: IEA WEO 2023 — NZE / APS / STEPS

Reference ↗

Aviation

Scope 3 · cat 6

Project travel for global firms — site visits, client engagement.

framework:IATA Fly Net Zero 2050

Decarbonisation pathways

Best0%

Realistic50%

Worst150%

Aviation CO2 (commercial) · % of 2019 absolute CO2 · base 2019
Source: IATA Fly Net Zero, ICAO LTAG, BAU (~3% pa growth)

Reference ↗

Decarbonisation by location — coming soon

Once we have HQ + operations location data per firm in this cohort, we'll overlay Ember grid-carbon-intensity data per country so you can see the geographical decarbonisation tailwind (or headwind) each firm is operating against.

Source: ember-energy.org · Global Electricity Review + per-country grid carbon intensity (gCO2/kWh).