BEYOND’s Holistic Approach to Environmental Transparency and Responsibility

BEYOND––the sustainability, resilience, and building performance-focused specialty partner at HLW––has announced a redefined service offering, aimed at promoting human wellbeing and preserving ecological health through the built environment. Under the purview of Jonce Walker, LEED, AP, CSBA, Fitwel Ambassador, Global Director of Sustainability and Wellness at HLW, the updated slate of capabilities will continue to prioritize decarbonization and resilience through an enhanced lens, motivated by a deeper intention in strengthening the symbiotic relationship between people and planet that positively impacts stakeholders at every level.

“Each step we’ve taken as an organization in the last few years has been highly considered, as we move in the direction of a more holistic and interconnected future for our practice,” says Managing Partner of HLW, Susan Boyle. “Rerooting the BEYOND team in that commitment, we continue to advance our mission of designing what’s next more meaningfully.”

The BEYOND team’s work transcends project goals in order to maximize value for clients, repair ecology, reduce carbon, and improve occupant health and wellness. BEYOND has certified over 50 million square feet of space, including over 1.6 million square feet in 2022 alone. The consultancy’s projects, on average, achieve an embodied carbon reduction of 30 percent with projects that range from single floor tenant fit outs to large master planned campuses and everything in between. Further, the team prioritizes immune conscious certifications such as WELL Health & Safety and Fitwel, marrying the concepts of environmental and individual wellness to produce well-rounded, impactful projects.

Earlier this year, HLW announced its achievement of The International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) Just 2.0 Label, becoming one of only 177 companies and one of the few architecture firms of its size and reach to obtain the label. Spearheaded by BEYOND, HLW’s pursuit of the Just 2.0 Label establishes a framework for recentering the firm’s culture around transparency, responsibility, and social justice, and provides a platform for continued introspection, evaluation, and improvement – enabling BEYOND and HLW to approach project work with the same mindset.

“Sustainability is a foundational element woven into each unique design solution developed by BEYOND, and what many people don’t realize is that sustainable strategies are intertwined with human wellness,” says Jonce Walker, who was recently promoted to Principal at HLW. “Our team regularly challenges the industry to reimagine its definition of ‘green’––rather than defining rating systems as the goal, we use them as a jumping off point to guide the sustainable efforts of a project as a whole, leading to more impactful, long-term structures that ultimately better the lives of the individuals and communities impacted.”

Walker oversees a deeper, analytical approach to the practice of sustainability, focused on understanding and optimizing portfolio-wide and building-specific metrics for clients across a range of industries. BEYOND offers services in areas such as building performance analysis, material health consulting, net zero waste, and customizable sustainability solutions complemented by the implementation of wellbeing-driven strategies such as active and biophilic design, facade optimization, shadow impact analysis,

water use analysis, and rating system consultation for programs such as LEED, WELL Health-Safety, Fitwel, Net Zero Carbon, Just, and Living Building Challenge.

Recently, BEYOND’s project skillset led the team to set ambitious goals for both creativity and performance in its work at the Schrödinger headquarters in Times Square, pursuing three different rating systems –– LEED v4 ID+C Gold, Fitwel 2 Stars, and WELL Health-Safety. The team also oversaw the integration of the design process for the Eisai headquarters in Nutley, New Jersey with sustainability and wellbeing in mind, identifying and implementing quantifiable strategies for decarbonization and employee wellness. In doing so, the workplace achieved Fitwel 2 Stars, is WELL Health-Safety Rated, and LEED ID+C Silver Certified. BEYOND’s global portfolio of work also includes holistic and award winning strategies for clients such as Meta, Google, Subway, NPR, Audible, Hofstra University, ASPCA, and Morgan Stanley.

The BEYOND consultancy continues to support HLW as an integrated team while solidifying its market offering as an independent partner for developers and designers. For more information, visit www.gobeyondwithus.com.