In recent years, our industry has moved strongly away from past practices that contributed to climate change and excessive use of resources. Feldman Architecture exemplifies this shift toward sustainability by embracing decarbonization and resilient, regenerative design strategies that advantage communities, future generations, and the natural environment.

The first Feldman Architecture home, House Ocho, set the tone for our work with a site-sensitive, sustainable design. In 2010, we designed our first electric, Net-Zero Energy Home, The Santa Cruz Haus, which earned LEED Platinum certification. With subsequent projects like Caterpillar House, the first LEED Platinum Custom Home on California’s Central Coast, and The Farm, a sustainable urban home with grey and black water filtrations systems, we have continuously refined our goals and raised expectations for performance and efficiency. Because we prioritized sustainability in our earliest projects, Feldman Architecture has been able to build a team of like-minded architects, consultants, and staff while attracting clients who are passionate about regenerative design and environmental stewardship.

In December of 2016 Feldman Architecture signed on to the AIA 2030 Commitment, a shared dedication to make all new buildings, developments, and renovations carbon-neutral by 2030. In 2021, our combined portfolio came in at an overall predicted 98.13% EUI (energy use intensity) reduction, far exceeding the current goal of 80%, and just below our ultimate goal of 100% EUI reduction (or achieving net-zero energy use) by the year 2030. This year, Feldman Architecture is establishing an office-wide carbon budget for residential projects (100 metric tons), which tracks and measures each project’s predicted carbon emissions from design through post-occupancy.

In 2024, Feldman Architecture officially became a Just certified organization! The Just Label, run by the International Living Future Institute, functions similarly to a nutrition label that scores organizations on socially just and equitable operations and policies. Find Feldman Architecture’s complete Just Dashboard here, which provides information on each of our 24 performance indicators, or read more on our blog.

Our highly experienced leadership collaborates closely and carefully with design staff, serving the firm’s forward-thinking goals and visions. We involve every designer in each project stage, fostering creativity, knowledge sharing, and professional growth - prioritizing opportunities for experienced architects to mentor, teach, and guide. Through guest speakers, conferences, and workshops, we constantly seek inspiration from other fields.

Our supportive and enjoyable office culture encourages friendship and communication, with shared meals, outings, game nights, and celebrations. At Feldman Architecture, we care for and support each member, creating a vibrant and fulfilling workplace environment.