Gensler's GPS Standards: Building a Climate Tech Revolution

Gensler is one of the built world’s biggest and most well-known names.

A global leader in architecture and design, Gensler is the largest architecture firm in the world by revenue and number of architects.

One of its biggest success stories is Shanghai Tower — which Gensler designed — with a tiered design that provides high energy efficiency and nine separate zones for office and retail use.

As well as this, it  unveiled a striking design for a temporary place of worship at Notre-Dame following the devastating fire in 2019.

The firm — headquartered in San Francisco, California — was founded in 1965 and, as it approaches its 60th anniversary milestone, is guided by its mission to create a world through the power of design.

This also powers its sustainability drive.

Tackling the built environment’s carbon challenge

So how is the world's largest design firm spearheading the sustainable building movement?

In a bid to further accelerate its green mission, Gensler has broadened its Gensler Product Sustainability (GPS) standards to encompass 20 building product categories and furniture.

This expansion marks a significant leap in climate tech application within the construction industry, targeting the reduction of environmental impact across the building material supply chain.

This is because the construction sector — including operations, renovation and demolition of buildings — contributes nearly 40% of global carbon emissions annually.

Gensler’s GPS standards set sustainability performance criteria across the 1.25 billion square feet of buildings designed yearly by the firm. This, Gensler says, creates a consistent approach for specifying and measuring environmental impact, including carbon dioxide emissions associated with materials and construction.

“The time to specify lower-carbon materials is now, as clients increasingly focus on meeting their sustainability goals and reducing their overall carbon footprints,” said Katie Mesia, Principal and Senior Sustainability Director at Gensler.

“This approach not only addresses immediate client needs but also signals to the market that sustainable solutions are no longer optional — they're essential to the future of design.” 

Following the expansion, the GPS standards now cover a wide range of materials used in residential, office and recreational spaces, from everyday items like carpet and wallpaper to less obvious components used in wall construction.

More than 2,800 products have been vetted for GPS compliance, with in excess of 1,500 Gensler designers and 1,000 third-party manufacturers trained to meet these standards.

“Gensler’s global impact and reach allows the firm to send a powerful market signal in support of better environmental performance for interior products and furniture,” said David Briefel, Gensler's Principal and Climate Action and Sustainability Studio Director and co-author of GPS.

“GPS Standards are set up to reward manufacturers for making the necessary decisions to move the industry toward a more sustainable future.”  

GPS: A shining example of climate tech in action

The GPS standards create a data-driven approach for measuring and reducing environmental impact, providing climate tech metrics for building materials.

Launched in August 2023 and implemented in January 2024, the GPS standards are a prime example of climate tech in motion as it quantifies carbon dioxide emissions associated with materials and construction across.

By leveraging this data, Gensler can make informed decisions to significantly reduce carbon footprints in the built environment.

Gensler aims to meet its own environmental commitments while enhancing the sustainability profile of projects, as evident through the GPS standards.

Its comprehensive strategy positions Gensler as a leader in driving sustainable practices within the architecture and design sectors.

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