2024 Market Demand for Climate Solutions

See 2021 Climate Survey Results
 
Did you see an increase in demand from clients for climate solutions over the past year?

No increase - 29%
Yes, a 25% increase - 23%
Yes, a 50% increase - 22%
Yes, a 10% increase - 18%
Yes, a 100% increase - 7%

Overall, how would you characterize the construction value of your climate projects in 2023?

Below $1 million - 28%
None of the above - 13%
$1 - 5 million - 12%
$10 - $25 million - 10%
$5 - $10 million - 8%
$25 - $50 million - 7%
$50 - $100 million - 5%
$100 - $500 million - 3%
$500 million - $1 billion - 1%
Over $1 billion - 1%

In 2023, did your climate projects catalyze residential or commercial development? If so, what is the estimated value of the development?

None of the above - 40%
Below $1 million - 18%
$1 - 5 million - 8%
$10 - $25 million - 5%
$50 - $100 million - 4%
$5 - $10 million - 4%
$100 - $500 million - 3%
$25 - $50 million - 3%
Over $1 billion - 1%
$500 million - $1 billion - 1%

How do construction costs associated with your climate projects generally compare to traditional projects?

Higher by 10-20% - 21%
Same costs - 19%
None of the above - 16%
Higher by 0-10% - 15%
Higher by 20+% - 13%
Lower by 0-10% - 2%
Lower by 20+% - 1%
Lower by 10-20% - 1%

How do maintenance costs associated with your climate projects generally compare to traditional projects?

None of the above - 15%
Higher by 0-10% - 15%
Same costs - 15%
Higher by 10-20% - 14%
Lower by 0-10% - 10%
Lower by 10-20% -7%
Higher by 20+% - 5%
Lower by 20+% - 5%

How do design fees associated with your climate projects generally compare to traditional projects?

Same costs - 43%
Higher by 0-10% - 20%
None of the above - 13%
Higher by 10-20% - 10%
Higher by 20+% - 4%
Lower by 0-10% - 1%
Lower by 20+% - 1%
Lower by 10-20% - 1%

What economic benefits resulted from your climate projects? (Select all that apply)

Avoided expected long-term climate damages - 44%
Avoided expected short-term climate damages - 37%
Reduced maintenance and operations costs - 35%
I don’t know - 20%
Reduced material costs - 12%
No economic benefits - 10%
Reduced labor costs - 5%
Reduced planning and design fees - 3%

How many local planning, design, construction, management, or maintenance jobs would you estimate were created by your climate projects in 2023?

Less than 10 jobs - 30%
None of the above - 25%
10 - 25 jobs - 15%
25 - 50 jobs - 6%
More than 100 jobs - 4%
50 - 100 jobs - 4%
More than 500 jobs - 1%

What climate impacts are your clients most concerned about? (Select top 5)

Increased intensity of storms - 52%
Increased duration and intensity of heat waves - 52%
Loss of pollinators, such as bees and bats - 49%
Changing / unreliable weather -- "Weird weather" - 43%
Increased spread and intensity of inland flooding - 41%
Increased invasive plant intrusions due to stress on ecosystems from climate change - 36%
Increased spread and intensity of coastal flooding - 32%
Sea level rise - 28%
Increased spread and intensity of wildfires - 26%
Major species loss or extinction in ecosystems - 24%
Decreased water quality due to increased flooding - 24%
Increased spread and intensity of groundwater flooding - 23%
Increased frost-free season / longer summers - 19%
Increased intensity of hurricanes - 14%
Migration of animal and insect species - 14%
Migration of people - 13%
Expanded allergy seasons - 10%
Increased intensity of allergies - 8%
Changing disease vectors, such as new spread of mosquito-borne diseases - 7%
Increased landslides or mudslides - 7%

Who is driving demand for climate projects the most? (Select top 3)

City / local government - 67%
State government - 42%
Non-profit organizations - 37%
Federal government - 32%
Community groups - 29%
Educational Institutions - 23%
Homeowners - 21%
Architects - 11%
Commercial developers - 8%
Commercial property owners - 5%

Are clients requesting projects to reduce or store greenhouse gas emissions?

No clients - 46%
Few clients - 40%
A majority of clients - 6%
Around half of clients - 6%
Yes, all clients - 1%

Are clients requesting plans and designs in order to increase resilience to existing or projected climate impacts?

Yes, all clients - 6%
Yes, a majority of clients - 20%
About half of clients - 15%
A few clients - 37%
No clients - 18%

How actively are you recommending clients integrate climate strategies into projects?

Recommending this to all clients - 42%
Recommending to most clients - 26%
Recommending to clients who express interest / concern - 14%
Recommending to a few clients - 11%
Not recommending to clients - 7%

What community-scale climate work is being requested by clients? (Select all that apply)

Stormwater management - 74%
Walkability improvements - 52%
Trails - 50%
Bike infrastructure - 44%
Complete Streets - 43%
Electric vehicle infrastructure - 32%
Transit-oriented development - 27%
Climate planning updates in comprehensive plans - 23%
Safe Routes to Schools - 21%
Wildfire mitigation planning - 17%
Smart Growth plans - 16%
Climate justice assessments - 15%
None of the above - 10%

What strategies are clients requesting to reduce or store greenhouse gases? (Select all that apply)

Parks and open space - 53%
Habitat creation / restoration - 52%
Elimination of high-maintenance lawns - 47%
Bicycle and pedestrian-oriented transportation plans - 42%
Tree and shrub placement to reduce building energy use - 42%
Material reuse - 34%
Low-carbon materials research / specification - 22%
Minimizing soil disturbance - 22%
Carbon-neutral landscape planning and design - 21%
Afforestation - 18%
Mass transit-oriented transportation plans - 18%
Carbon-positive / Climate-positive landscape planning and design - 17%
Elimination of fossil fuel-or chemical-based fertilizers - 16%
Elimination or reduction of lawn mowers powered by fossil fuels - 15%
Low or net-zero operational carbon landscape management plans - 15%
Elimination of maintenance equipment powered by fossil fuels - 14%
None of the above - 13%
Natural carbon sink analysis - 8%
High carbon storage soil specifications and amendments - 5%
Biogenic carbon stored in organic construction materials - 3%

What climate adaptation / resilience work are clients requesting? (Please select all relevant answers)

Planning or designing for immediate climate risks or impacts - 43%
Planning and designing for medium-term climate adaptation / resilience impacts (5-10 years) - 42%
Planning and designing for near-term climate adaptation / resilience impacts (2-5 years) - 42%
Planning and designing for long-term climate adaptation / resilience impacts (10-50 years) - 37%
Reassessment of risk maps / projections related to wildfire, flooding, heat, or other climate impacts - 23%
None of the above - 27%

What strategies are clients requesting in response to wildfires? (Select all that apply)

None of the above - 50%
Firewise landscape design strategies - 30%
Defensible spaces - 25%
Land-use planning and design changes - 17%
Wildfire risk or impact assessment - 15%
Controlled burns - 12%
Forest management practices - 10%
Comprehensive plan update for wildfire risk reduction - 9%

What strategies are clients requesting in response to sea level rise? (Select all that apply)

None of the above - 45%
Nature-based solutions - 35%
Erosion management - 29%
Beach / dune restoration - 23%
Other coastal ecosystem restoration - 20%
Sea walls - 19%
Berms - 14%
Relocation analysis / planning - 12%
Breakwaters - 11%
Cisterns - 8%
Flood gates - 8%
Mangrove restoration - 5%

What strategies are clients requesting to address flooding? (Select all that apply)

Bioswales - 72%
Rain Gardens - 70%
Permeable pavers - 60%
Trees - 54%
Stormwater-managing open spaces - 47%
Wetland restoration - 47%
Constructed ponds or lakes (retention basins) - 39%
Stormwater-managing parks - 38%
Green roofs - 35%
Meadows - 31%
Rain barrels - 27%
Cisterns - 26%
Elevating homes and properties - 21%
New flood maps - 16%
None of the above - 7%

What strategies are clients requesting to address drought? (Select all that apply)

Native, drought-tolerant plants - 79%
Low-water, drought-tolerant plants - 73%
Irrigation systems - 51%
Landscape solutions that increase groundwater recharge - 40%
Greywater reuse - 33%
Landscape solutions to manage flash flooding - 28%
Constructed ponds or lakes (detention basins) - 22%
Rain barrels - 21%
Cisterns - 20%
Reduced numbers of plants in general - 17%
Rock gardens - 17%
Drought risk or impact assessment - 14%
None of the above - 11%
Comprehensive plan update for revised drought impacts - 9%
Blackwater reuse - 3%

What strategies are clients requesting to address extreme heat? (Select all that apply)

Street trees - 70%
Shade structures / canopies - 62%
Parks - 38%
Tree groves - 34%
Green roofs - 30%
Low-albedo / reflective materials - 29%
Water play features - 26%
Forests - 24%
Water fountains - 17%
Pools - 16%
Misters - 13%
None of the above - 11%
Extreme heat risk or impact assessment - 10%
Comprehensive plan update for extreme heat mitigation - 9%
Cooling Centers - 8%
Wind pathways - 4%
None of these options - 3%

What strategies are clients requesting to address biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation accelerated by climate change? (Select all that apply)

Increase diversity of native tree and plant species - 65%
Native plant gardens - 64%
Increase use of plant species pollinators rely on - 58%
Ecological landscape design - 48%
Ecological restoration - 38%
Water quality improvements - 32%
Pollinator pathways - 31%
Wildlife corridors - 27%
Soil restoration - 27%
New conservation areas - 18%
Comprehensive plan update for ecosystem restoration and biodiversity - 16%
Ecosystem health assessments - 13%
None of the above - 11%

About the survey

511 member landscape architects, designers, and educators responded to the survey in the month of March 2024. ASLA has 12,037 full, associate, and international members as of April 8, 2024.

ASLA followed the organization of regions at the U.S. National Climate Assessment. All regions are accounted for in the data, with number of respondents by regions:

US - Northeast (CT, NY, NJ, VT, ME, MA, NH, PA, RI, WV, DE, VA, MD, DC) - 125
US - Southwest (CA, NV, UT, CO, AZ, NM) - 118
US - Southeast (AL, FL, LA, AR, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, KY) - 90
US - Midwest (OH, MI, IN, WI, IL, MN, MO, IA) - 78
US - Southern Great Plains (TX, OK, KS) - 44
US - Northwest (OR, WA, ID) - 40
US - Northern Great Plains (NE, WY, MT, ND, SD) - 9
US - Hawai'i & U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands - 5
US - Alaska - 2

Respondents are located in more than 40 U.S. states and territories. Top 10 location of respondents:

California - 66
Texas - 39
New York -37
Florida - 34
Washington - 26
Illinois - 18
Massachusetts - 18
North Carolina - 17
Colorado - 15
Arizona - 15