Reducing Energy Costs While Keeping Buildings Cool Earns NBBJ Sixth Fast Company Innovation Honor
NBBJ is once again recognized by Fast Company as one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies, marking a record-setting sixth time the firm has received the honor.
This year, we’re recognized for our research partnership with NBBJ Fellow Dr. John Medina, exploring design strategies that lower energy costs while keeping buildings and people cool. Medina’s research shows that every 4°F increase above 72°F reduces focus, memory and learning by 10%—a critical insight as heatwaves now last 20% longer and occur 67% more often than in 1979.
Projects such as Keppel South Central in Singapore and the Seattle Ferry Terminal demonstrate how design strategies—from shading and natural ventilation to high-performance facades—can reduce energy demand. They reflect the more than 40 million square feet of projects that integrate this thinking into their designs.
In previous years, Fast Company recognized NBBJ for prefabrication and standardization strategies that allow buildings to be constructed faster, offices that integrate nature to enhance well-being, and science-informed behavioral health environments that support patient recovery and caregiver health.
Together, these recognitions reflect NBBJ's focus on translating research into practical design solutions that help clients address building performance, reduce environmental impact and support human well-being. Because at NBBJ, innovation isn’t about novelty. It’s about applying design ideas into our work that drive value, certainty and success for clients.
