A Greener Future
Not every problem can be solved with a building—although that’s often what people call us for!
Sometimes, life’s wicked problems lead us to ask deeper questions with ambiguous answers. We excel at turning those question marks into actionable plans with concrete details.
Mainly, because the best way to solve a problem is to sometimes make it bigger, looking beyond our usual understanding, and seeing results others may overlook or discount.
Click below for some common examples of when our expertise can be tapped during early project stages, paving a path for future success:
Our best work results from collaborations that aspire to attain social, economic, and environmental goals—often at the crossroads of urbanism and architecture.
Farr Associates led an Integrated Design Workshop with key staff from the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club on their phased renovation project.
Future-Proof Master Planning
Large buildings (or conversely, small budgets) may require phasing to meet all upgrade and decarbonization needs.
Don’t start with the solar panels! Let us walk you through your building and bring up the items that give the biggest bang for the buck.
We can provide a Master Plan that future-proofs your building, and provides synergistic upgrades that match known or estimated funding bursts.
Featured Projects
Prototyping
Interested in a large-scale solution or do you need something repeatable? Great!
We’ve worked with developers and corporations to design the first article in their fleet of high-performance buildings. Often times, these buildings are general, either lacking sites entirely, or awaiting sites by a future purchaser.
Featured Projects
In addition to the main Weatherization Training Center, Farr Associates designed two tiny homes for CEDA, which are used for blower door tests and other whole-building test trainings.
Feasibility Studies
What do you have? What do you need? How can you get there? We’re not designing yet, just taking a critical inventory of all components.
Featured Projects
We provided a detailed rehabilitation plan for the Chicago Park District’s Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, recommending the most efficient use of the district’s budget which included the restroom upgrades shown above.
Community-wide Initiatives
Interested in a large-scale solution? We love talking with communities about their needs, desires, wants, and worries. We are skilled at making something as vague as a city wide low carbon goal into a concrete, actionable plan. We understand how to listen, and importantly, convey abstract ideas into understandable concepts, either with words or graphics.
Featured Projects
Opticos & Farr Associates leading a community workshop in the City of Davis, CA
Farr Associates’ mission to design sustainable environments puts human, social, and economic benefit on par with our aesthetic and environmental aims.
Under Doug Farr’s leadership, the firm has been awarded the highest recognition in sustainable design—the prestigious AIA COTE® Top Ten, twice—for the Chicago Center for Green Technology and the University of Chicago’s Keller Center.
Our Sustainability Certifications
Our staff includes two Phius-Certified Consultants (CPHC®). Even if we don't design your building, we can consult on your certifications.
The CPHC® credential signifies a commitment to building high-performance, energy-efficient homes and buildings using passive building principles.
Select Projects:
Downer’s Grove Passive House
On the Boards: Galleria 89
On the Boards: Phius Certifications in Windsor, Florida
We are accredited health and well-being experts, including LFA and WELL AP.
The Living Future Accreditation (LFA) is the professional credential that recognizes and rewards proficiency in the most ambitious, advanced, and holistic sustainable design standards available.
The WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) credential denotes expertise in the WELL Building Standard and a commitment to advancing human health and wellness in buildings and communities around the world.
Select Projects:
University of Chicago Keller Center: Living Building Challenge Petal Certifications
Academy for Global Citizenship: Living Building Challenge Full Certfication Pending
Lawson House: Living Building Challenge Affordable Housing Pilot
Town of Normal: Living Community Challenge Pilot
As early adopters to LEED and authors of the LEED Neighborhood Development rating system, Farr Associates has a 25-year history with USBGC.
We use rating systems which match project goals and start at the top with Platinum. Technical Director Len Sciarra, LEED Fellow, and additional staff are currently training in LEEDv5 in anticipation of the future roll-out.