Seeing the future, protecting practice: Why climate screening matters for architects

The AIA Trust has launched a new climate screening service, known as the Climate Factsheet, that provides architects with site-specific insights into projected climate risks—flood, wildfire, extreme wind, heat stress, and more—over the life of a project. Delivered in a concise factsheet format, the tool offers architects an early glimpse into how today’s design decisions may perform against tomorrow’s climate realities.Unlike free online platforms that provide raw climate projections in siloed and different platforms, the Climate Factsheet integrates multiple hazards into one document, tailors hazard results to common building types for better understanding of risks, and distills climate scenario-based data into one accessible, project-relevant report. This format saves architects time, provides credible data suitable for client discussions, and establishes a consistent framework for documenting decisions early in the project lifecycle.

The legal and professional liability dimension

Courts don’t expect architects to predict the future, but they do expect design professionals to act on information reasonably available to them at the time of design. In past litigation involving emerging risks (such as asbestos in building materials), courts have asked a simple but powerful question: what could the architect have known, based on information in the public domain, when the building was designed?That same reasoning is beginning to influence how courts view climate risk. Given that credible climate projections are now widely available online through NOAA, IPCC, and other sources, courts could very well find an architect to be negligent if they ignore climate data altogether. The expectation is not perfection, but reasonable foresight: engage with available data, raise the issue with clients, and document decisions.Other recent cases highlight how courts are leaning toward the view that design and construction stakeholders should at least grapple with future-forward climate data in their decisions. Whether it’s a public works project, a major infrastructure development, or a waterfront building, the legal trend is clear: designing as if yesterday’s weather will define tomorrow’s risks appears to be a questionably valid defense.

Aligning with market and regulatory shifts

The Climate Factsheet also positions architects ahead of broader market forces:

• Standards and certifications are catching up. The new ASTM E3429-24 standard on climate risk assessments and the LEED v5 framework both require consideration of climate data, signaling that design resilience is becoming part of mainstream practice.
• Developers and owners are demanding clarity. Sophisticated owners are beginning to request climate risk analysis as part of feasibility and design discussions.
• Finance and insurance markets are recalibrating. Reports like Safeguarding Home Insurance: Reducing exposure and vulnerability to extreme weather (Geneva Association, May 2025) show how escalating losses and affordability challenges are forcing insurers, lenders, and regulators to link capital access to resilience measures. Architects who can provide reliable screening insights will be better prepared to support clients as they navigate these requirements.

A business opportunity for modern practice

For architects, this is not only a defensive tool—it’s an offensive strategy for growth. Integrating climate screening into early project stages allows firms to:

• Differentiate services by showing clients they bring foresight, not just code compliance.
• Open new revenue streams by expanding into resilience advisory services.
• Strengthen client trust by guiding clients through informed decisions on whether, and how, to invest in resilience measures.

At its core, this climate service enables architects to become trusted advisors on one of the most pressing issues shaping real estate and the built environment today: how to design for a future that looks very different from the past.

How to use it

The Climate Factsheet is most valuable when used up front:

• Pre-RFP/feasibility stage: evaluate whether a site is exposed to future hazards before committing firm resources.
• Pre-contract signing: inform scope, negotiate fees, and set expectations with clients.
• During contract negotiations: document that climate risks were raised and discussed, protecting the firm if a client declines additional resilience measures.

Architects should view the factsheet as a conversation starter and risk management record—not a technical design solution. The factsheet signals awareness, frames choices, and provides a paper trail.

Looking ahead

The climate crisis is not a distant abstraction. It is reshaping insurance markets, mortgage lending, property valuations, building standards, and maybe even building codes. As losses mount and awareness grows, the architectural profession will be judged not just by the beauty of its designs, but by its foresight in protecting occupants, clients, and communities from foreseeable harm.The AIA Trust Climate Factsheet can help AIA members meet this moment—with a tool that supports legal defensibility, aligns with emerging standards, and strengthens business opportunities in a risk-conscious marketplace. (Victor and CNA policyholders that are also AIA members are eligible for a 25% discount on Factsheets.)

In short: it’s not just about buildings that last. It’s about practices that last.

Additional resources

For a deeper dive into climate-related risks, stream the Victor webinar, “Navigating climate-related risks: Legal and practical strategies for design firms,” which can help equip design firms with the knowledge and tools to navigate the evolving landscape of severe weather events and its intersection with practice.