Sustainability LA — Corgan Los Angeles' Carbon Reduced Studio

A catalyst to create

With a vision for systems that perform better, do more, and achieve architectural integrity, Corgan’s dedication to sustainability results in the creation of high-performing and human-centered projects. Corgan’s Los Angeles studio - located in Culver City - is no exception: a place where environmental context and human wellbeing intersect under the guidance of skillful leaders dedicated to solutions. In order to validate both decarbonization and occupant well-being, Corgan selectively decided to target International Living Future Institute’s Zero Carbon (ILFI-ZC) and Fitwel® certifications.

Designed for zero

The studio is designed to achieve ILFI-ZC, a third-party framework verifying that a project eliminates or balances both operational and embodied carbon emissions. For operational carbon, the team focused on energy use reduction by incorporating strategies to reduce lighting and cooling loads. The studio is equipped with daylight and occupancy sensors that automatically dim or turn off lights. The use of other smart controls and sensors, including Co2 sensors connected to VAV boxes that increase efficient response to occupant loads. Such strategies helped the team target 50% reduction in annual energy use over comparable projects in Los Angeles and embedding low-carbon decision making from the earliest design phases. Additionally, the studio installed a sub-meter for electricity that allows Corgan to monitor the studio’s operational output and continuously find reduction strategies to achieve the firm’s operational goals.

Smart materials for reduced embodied carbon

One hallmark of the project is its deliberate strategy of reduction and reuse. Rather than defaulting to new materials, the design team recovered and repurposed existing workstations, chairs, and furnishings. Other targeted reduction strategies further cut the project’s carbon footprint, including exposed concrete that was retained for roughly half of the office floor area that eliminated the need for additional carpet.

Beyond material choices, construction energy use was also monitored by tool type and estimated hours of use. All material quantities and verified environmental data were compiled into One Click LCA’s Life Cycle Carbon North America tool, an ILFI-approved platform used to calculate the renovation’s total embodied carbon footprint.

Material selections were evaluated against Global Warming Potential (GWP) limits, holding the project to defined carbon caps against industry averages, further establishing the studio as a model for responsible interiors.

Health and wellbeing at the core

Corgan demonstrates that high-performance, people-centered workplaces and environmental accountability are not mutually exclusive. The studio features enhanced acoustics, a dedicated wellness room, a mothers’ room, high-quality filtered drinking water stations, and universally accessible circulation routes as well as amenities that support occupant experience and long-term wellbeing, including outdoor patios and accessibility to nearby walking trails – choices that further reflect the studio’s sustainability ambitions.

Materials selected for low embodied carbon result in healthier indoor air quality; access to daylight and outdoors support mental clarity and reduce energy demand. The Culver City studio confirms that what is good for the planet and what is good for the people inside the workspace point in the same direction.

Sustainability reporting documentation ensures full material transparency and key documentation tracking, including verified Environmental Product Declarations, Health Product Declarations, Cradle2Cradle, Declare labels, Forest Stewardship Council Certification, and low-emitting product data. The studio’s Fitwel® certification further represents the firm’s commitment to low-carbon, low-waste design using evidence-based design and operational strategies to enhance occupant health.

Waste reduction through strategic partnerships

The design team worked proactively to identify strategic opportunities for recycling. By partnering with IRS Demolition Services Company, a leader in responsible deconstruction, Corgan was able to closely monitor how materials from renovations were handled with strongest possible commitment to responsible recycling. IRS prioritizes salvaging every possible material and is dedicated to minimizing waste and maximizing reuse, reinforcing Corgan’s own commitment to reduce environmental impact.

Additionally, ongoing waste management efforts extend into daily operations throughout the Los Angeles studio. A composting station captures food scraps, organic materials, and compostable service ware that would otherwise reach landfills. Recycling services were upgraded and standardized across all work zones, collaboration areas, and print spaces. Together, these initiatives reduce the studio’s total waste footprint and give employees a direct role in Corgan’s mission for sustainability.

Corgan’s LA workspace stands as a model for sustainable design, reflecting Corgan’s extensive approach to environmental accountability — proving that high-functioning design and sustainability are inseparable.