Data is the New Gold

"Ultimately, I consider the ledger of my life to be my ultimate measure of accountability and responsibility. And on that ledger, in fairly bright numbers, is my total carbon balance,” shares Conor Merrigan, Sustainability Program Manager at Spirit Environmental Consulting. Conor has seen the shift in thinking from big companies, primarily in the oil and gas industry, towards desiring a lower carbon footprint. Similarly, individuals are thinking more about the impact of their actions and are also aiming for a lower carbon output and a healthier environment. With the right data, it is possible for buildings to be constructed in a way that lowers the carbon footprint. 

Part of Conor’s job is to guide clients through the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria for company operations. These standards include benchmarks for carbon emissions, energy efficiency, sustainability, and air quality. People want to know that the buildings they are entering are healthy, and this can be achieved by building with specific criteria in mind from the start. With simple improvements such as HEPA filtration systems and renewable energy sources, buildings can be built in a way that is healthier for both individuals and the environment.

Tune into this week’s episode of Better Buildings, Better Society for a conversation with Conor and Steven about the importance utilizing data to build better buildings. Learn more about the criteria required by the ESG and simple ways we can make buildings healthier while also lowering the carbon footprint. 

 

Quotes

• "The biggest challenge I'm facing in my work is trying to sort through the ‘ACRONYM SOUP’ of ESG methodologies to align on a single set of them to recommend to our clients and give them a clear path forward." (5:36-6:01)

 

REGARDING REPORTING STANDARDS

• “What is your total energy use intensity? What is your consumption on a monthly basis? If you really want to geek out, talk about your demand.” (10:47-10:55)

 

FUTURE PROOFING

• "The single biggest opportunity we have is already cost effective - more renewables on the electric grid coupled with electrification of vehicles in homes." (44:21-44:34)
• "Everybody sees and hates local air pollution– so get an electric car! It's not that complicated." (45:06-45:13)
• "The renewed focus on air quality is timely. I think that healthy spaces are what people want.” (49:07-49:13)

 

Links

 

Learn more about Conor Merrigan:

Personal LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormerrigan/

Website: Spirit Environmental | https://spiritenv.com/

Company LinkedIn |  https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirit-environmental

Learn more about Better Buildings, Better Society:

Website | https://www.dma-eng.com/

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/dma-engineering/

Steven’s Personal LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-forrester-36a91517/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dma_engineering/ 

 

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