Future Performance Standards

IMEG provided master planning and development services for the Future Building Performance Standards project for Cummins in Columbus, IN. The project is in support of the company’s desire to improve efficiency and decarbonize their administration, manufacturing, and support buildings across the globe. The standards will be used to direct design teams and contractors toward solutions that prioritize decarbonization and water conservation.

The project’s scope included creating future building performance standards to align with the company’s 2030 goal for 50% reduction in greenhouse gas and 30% reduction in water usage. It also seeks to provide standards that will align with future development toward a 2050 carbon neutral goal. In addition to energy and water efficiency, the standards will address site sustainability, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and construction and operations. Key steps in the standards development include:

• Creation of a timeline to transition from current standards to the attributes for 2030 and 2050
• Propose new language for the high-performance standard, prioritizing outcome- and measurement-based language and aligning the language to cover multiple building types
• Review of proposed language with IMEG engineers who are familiar with Cummins standards
• Review with Cummins stakeholders (3 virtual meetings)

Upon completion of the project, the new standards will be a combination of the best of multiple industry standards—LEED, ASHRAE 189.1, etc.—and drive future electrification and decarbonization projects at Cummins facilities across the globe.