Skip to Main Content

Job Title


Sustainability Designer


Company : Adrian Smith Gordon Gill Architecture LLP


Location : Chicago, IL


Created : 2026-04-20


Job Type : Full Time


Job Description

This job was posted by : For moreinformation, please see:preliminary direction from a licensed architect, support pre-designand all phases of mixed-use, residential, commercial, hotel, retail,entertainment, and master planning projects, including new constructionand renovation; define sustainability goals, strategies, and measurableKPIs in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and developSustainability Management Plans to and monitor, track and reportsustainability indicators, such as energy usage, natural resource usage,waste generation, and recycling; register and document compliance withrating systems including LEED, WELL, BREEAM, MOSTADAM, and anyapplicable certification system; research domestic and internationalcodes, standards and rating systems, and develop summarized designcriteria guidance for projects across diverse locations; conductresearch into resilience planning, climate adaptation strategies,circular design principles to inform project-level sustainabilitysolutions, guide policy development, and support innovative,forward-looking design practices; conduct whole building Life-CycleCarbon Analysis (LCA) and benchmark, develop reports with an in-depthunderstanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and carbonreduction strategies, utilizing OneClick LCA, Tally, EC3; developSustainable Material Guidelines to clarify material selection criteriato all project stakeholders; conduct extensive research on buildingsystem products, developing databases for parameter comparison andmaking informed recommendations based on professional judgment; developand execute energy performance simulations at scales ranging from masterplanning to single-family homes, with knowledge of building envelopes,MEP/FP systems, and life safety requirements as well as proficiency insoftware such as, DesignBuilder, and Grasshopper (Honeybee/ClimateStudio) for modeling, and apply analytics platforms such as Power BI toproduce energy reports that summarize findings and implications; conductdaylight, radiance and view analysis and produce reports for optimalspace quality, with proficiency in Grasshopper Ladybug andClimateStudio; run photovoltaic power production simulations usingPVSyst, Grasshopper Ladybug, and ClimateStudio, delivering reports andactionable insights to maximize renewable energy generation; performincident and annual radiation studies and produce reports to assistearly-stage design decisions on building envelopes or photovoltaicplacing strategies, with proficiency in Grasshopper Ladybug andClimateStudio; perform indoor and outdoor thermal comfort analysis foroccupants and pedestrians, including CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)simulations, using tools including Forma, Grasshopper Honeybee,SimScale, Orbital Stack, and ClimateStudio; develop water balance modelsand sustainable water strategies with efficient fixtures, stormwater,and green infrastructure; collect information about waste streammanagement or green building practices to inform decision makers; pilotand implement advanced digital workflows, including parametric designoptimization and machine learning driven performance prediction, toenhance building performance, inform design decisions, and acceleratesustainability outcomes; meet and coordinate with clientrepresentatives, structural consultants, MEP/FP consultants, landscapeconsultants and product suppliers as needed, for presentations andworkshops, analysis of goals and needs, develop required performancestudies and diagrams, narrative summaries, and prepare finaldocumentation for submission; conduct annual greenhouse gas reportingfor various entities and clients with understanding of GHG Protocol,manage, analyze and visualize data with Power BI and IBM Envisi; monitorand report firm-wide sustainability K Is, support compliance with AIA2030 and UN Global Compact, develop dashboards in Power BI/Tableau, andcreate marketing/outreach materials to communicate sustainability goalsand outcomes; engage in ongoing research on emerging sustainabilitytopics to drive innovation and informed decision-making; collaboratewith IT and data teams to design, implement and sustain robust pipelinesfor collecting, cleaning, and managing large-scale sustainabilitydatasets, ensuring data integrity and accessibility for analysis andreporting; support leadership and business growth by scaling services,recruiting and mentoring talent, preparing proposals, clientpresentations, and marketing materials, reviewing project scopes toidentify sustainability opportunities, and developing innovativeconsulting offerings aligned with overall project objectives and newmarket expansion; engage in ongoing research on emerging sustainabilitytopics to drive innovation and informed decision-making.Job Requirements:Bachelor of Architecture (5 year) or foreign equivalent plus internshipor coursework to include supporting pre-design and all phases ofmixed-use, residential, commercial, hotel, retail, entertainment, andmaster planning projects, including new construction and renovation;defining sustainability goals and strategies in collaboration withmultidisciplinary teams, and reporting sustainability indicators, suchas energy usage, waste generation, and recycling; researching domesticand international codes, standards and rating