For over 60 years, LSW Architects has been serving the Clark County area by bringing a community-centered approach to architectural and interior design, with a large focus on K-12 education, healthcare facilities and multifamily projects. LSW became a Certified Green Business in 2016. What started as a grassroots effort by a few employees passionate about green practices in the workplace has evolved into a commitment at the leadership level to making sustainability a part of every aspect of the business.
- Energy Efficiency
- Embodied Carbon
- Human Health
- Resource Conservation
LSW has demonstrated this commitment through the release of the 2022 Sustainable Action Plan, which outlines the goals and overall process to integrate sustainability into their operations and client projects. The firm utilizes a sustainable and resilient design practice that emphasizes efficiency, well-being of impacted communities, and protecting local water resources and ecosystems. LSW architectural designer Courtney Jones said something she admires most about LSW is the "triple bottom line" approach to sustainability: focusing on the organization's social, financial, and environmental impacts. As examples of the social aspect, Jones highlighted the internal diversity, equity and inclusion group and corporate wellness programming. As for financial, Jones noted that LSW offers an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) fund option for employees to opt into as part of their 401(k) investment portfolio. ESG investing, sometimes referred to as impact investing or socially responsible investing, is a strategy that relies on independent ratings to assess a company's behavior and policies on environmental performance, social impact, and governance issues.
Finally, an environmental effort that kicked off in 2022 is the process toward carbon-neutrality. LSW began calculating and offsetting a portion of the firm's operational carbon footprint, using data from utility and water bills, employee commuting data, business-related travel, and office supply inventory. They hope to share this process and the carbon calculation resources with other Clark County businesses to build momentum around taking responsibility for carbon emissions.
To learn more about LSW Architects, visit their website, or view the Sustainable Action Plan for more details on their commitment to environmental stewardship.