At Hendrick, sustainability is not a certification to chase or a box to check. It is a natural extension of our Life-Centered Design framework and the way we approach every project, every client relationship, and every design decision we make.
This Earth Week we sat down with Jake Boomhouwer, Principal of Design Intelligence, and Andrew Pletcher, Senior Director, to talk about what that commitment looks like in practice. From how they introduce sustainability into client conversations to what they hope Hendrick's legacy in this space will be, their perspectives offer an honest and grounded look at the work behind the work.
Life-Centered Design is Hendrick's framework for how you approach every project. How does sustainability fit into that bigger picture?
(AP) To me, sustainability in our Life Centered Design approach is about having empathy for our clients and the sustainability aspect comes into play by identifying their health & wellbeing as a priority. Sustainability in this regard means healthy environments, products with low VOCs, materials with no forever chemicals, access to daylight & views, low flow plumbing fixtures, energy star appliances, and good air quality.
(JB) At Hendrick, sustainability is part of design quality, not a separate agenda. A high-performing project should support the people using the space, reduce environmental impact, strengthen resilience, and still move the client’s business forward. That is the real value of a life-centered framework since it forces decisions to perform on more than one level.
The wellbeing pillar of Life-Centered Design covers both people and planet. How does Hendrick hold both of those responsibilities at once?
(AP) When it comes to the planet it’s our responsibility as designers to understand the manufacturing of the products we specify. We can use our specification power to hold the manufacturer’s responsible and demand better of them. We can specify products that are locally sourced and made. Finally we can specify products that have a low carbon footprint.
Hendrick works across a lot of different sectors. Does the sustainability conversation look different depending on who the client is?
(AP) I think the biggest hurdle with a sustainability conversation with any client is education. Sustainability can add to the project budget, but there are also ways to include it that are more inherent to the process.
(JB) The sustainability conversation should not sound identical in every sector, because the risks, operations, brand expectations, and performance metrics are different. What remains constant is the framework: start with how people work, how the organization measures success, and where design decisions can create lasting value.
How does Hendrick introduce sustainability into a project when a client has not specifically asked for it?
(JB) The right move is not a lecture. It is embedding smart decisions into normal project conversations about operational efficiency, durability, adaptability, occupant experience, maintenance expenses, and long-term value. Clients may not ask for “sustainability” as a label, but they do care about cost control, talent retention, brand reputation, and future flexibility. That is where the conversation becomes practical and actionable.
(AP) We can take advantage of our specification power and specify products with low VOCs, materials with no forever chemicals, design spaces that have ample access to daylight & views, design lighting to below energy code requirements, use low flow plumbing fixtures, energy star appliances, and design for good indoor air quality.
How does Hendrick make the case that investing in sustainable design is also good for business?
(AP) I once had a client say they are only, “green for green” meaning they only consider it if it has a financial benefit to them. I had to hide my deep offense to the statement and not point out their lack of responsibility for their people, their community, and the only planet we have. Taking care of your people and making an investment in them is one of the most proven successful business practices and return on investment that you can get.
What does the community pillar of Life-Centered Design mean in the context of sustainable design specifically?
(JB) Sustainable design should improve more than the inside of a tenant suite. It should consider access, inclusion, neighborhood context, and how a space supports the people connected to it beyond the immediate user group. Hendrick defines the Community Pillar through equity and inclusion, which makes sustainability broader than energy and materials alone.
Are there sustainable design decisions Hendrick makes consistently across projects that clients end up being most grateful for?
(JB) The quiet wins are usually the ones that make the workplace work better every day. These often include flexibility, healthier materials, better comfort, more choice in posture and work setting, and planning that allows a space to adapt rather than be torn apart in a few years.
What are the biggest misconceptions clients have about sustainable design and how does Hendrick work through them?
(JB) The most common one is that sustainable design is only about certification or higher first cost. Another is that it limits creativity. In reality, the strongest sustainable outcomes often come from better planning, more disciplined material choices, adaptive reuse, and measurable improvements of a client’s desired project outcomes.
How has being a member of ONE Global Design shaped or expanded how Hendrick thinks about sustainability?
(JB) Membership in ONE Global Design expands the conversation and knowledge base. This global network of corporate architecture and design firms across the U.S., Canada, EMEA and Asia provides Hendrick exposure to broader ideas, peer learning, and international perspectives on workplace, resilience, and sustainable design practices that can strengthen local delivery.
Hendrick is currently renovating its own studio space. What does practicing what you preach look like in that process?
(AP) In our current renovation, we realized that good design lasts the test of time. We had a good architectural layout that we were able to reuse most with very little new construction which allowed us to repurpose spaces in a new way to better support the way we work today. We recycled all our flooring, reused a lot of our furniture, some millwork, some lighting, some equipment, salvaged and reused existing ceiling tile, polished more existing concrete floors instead of specifying new flooring, maintained access to daylight and our amazing views.
What is one thing happening in the broader world of sustainable design that Hendrick is paying close attention to right now?
(JB) The most important shift is that sustainable design is moving from optional aspiration to measurable business expectation. The industry is paying closer attention to embodied carbon, operational performance, adaptive reuse, healthier material selections, and the overlap between sustainability, resilience, and human wellbeing.
If you had to point to one project that best represents Hendrick's commitment to Life-Centered Design and sustainability, what would it be and why?
(JB) Hendrick’s work for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is a great example. These projects stand out for advancing employee wellbeing, innovation, and sustainability, with multiple Children’s projects noted as achieving LEED Gold certification. That combination of human-centered experience and recognized environmental performance is a strong expression of Life-Centered Design in built form.
What do you want clients to understand about what is possible when sustainability is treated as a design priority from the very beginning?
(JB) The most common one is that sustainable design is only about certification or higher first cost. Another is that it limits creativity. In reality, the strongest sustainable outcomes often come from better planning, more disciplined material choices, adaptive reuse, and designing fewer but more useful square feet.
Looking ahead, what does Hendrick's legacy in sustainable design look like ten years from now?
(JB) Not just a list of certified projects but instead a legacy of showing that design can create measurable impact across people, community, wellbeing, innovation, and business at the same time. If Hendrick keeps proving that sustainable design is inseparable from workplace performance and human experience, that is a durable legacy.
