Artificial intelligence is entering architecture and engineering with a familiar promise: more speed, more options, more productivity. In many ways, that promise is real. AI can help structure information, accelerate comparisons, generate early options, and support repetitive drafting tasks. But it also raises a harder question. What happens when speed starts replacing judgment? This is … Read more
A practical engineering view on ventilation, control logic, airflow delivery, and why IAQ data alone does not explain IAQ in commercial buildings Indoor air quality in buildings is often reduced to one simple idea: if the CO₂ reading stays below a chosen threshold, ventilation must be acceptable. In practice, the situation is more complex. Real … Read more
On September 24, 2025, President Xi Jinping used a UN climate forum to put a new waypoint on China’s decarbonization path: by 2035, China will reduce economy-wide greenhouse-gas emissions by 7–10% below peak levels—with a commitment to “strive to do better.” The announcement also included a major scale-up of clean energy and signals on carbon … Read more
Reflections on the Art and Responsibility of Re-Designing Our Built Environment by Yann Defrance Renovation is a word that often carries the idea of cosmetic refresh: a new façade, updated finishes, or the replacement of outdated systems. But in the context of sustainability and decarbonization, renovating well is not simply about repair or modernization. It … Read more
A Strategic Pivot Toward Carbon Leadership In 2025, the Shanghai Municipal Government released a landmark reform plan to reshape its carbon market between 2026 and 2030. The initiative is designed to align with China’s national “dual carbon” goals—peaking emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060—while positioning Shanghai as a global center for carbon … Read more
Abstract André Missenard (1901–1989) was a French engineer whose pioneering work on thermal comfort remains embedded in the very fabric of modern building standards. Decades before the international adoption of the PMV/PPD model and ASHRAE’s global reach, Missenard introduced concepts and tools that directly shaped the way engineers understand, measure, and deliver comfort indoors. From … Read more
Why André Missenard’s insight still matters for building design and energy efficiency When French engineer André Missenard remarked, “The human body can only register a change in heat loss, not a temperature”, he was not making a semantic distinction — he was challenging how we think about comfort, climate control, and even energy efficiency in … Read more
What is energy, really? Not just kilowatt-hours, or thermal flows through walls—but conceptually? This question might seem abstract, even philosophical. And yet, in the work we do at BAARCH—an engineering consultancy rooted in building decarbonization—it has become increasingly important. We often design for energy efficiency without questioning the nature of energy itself. In this piece, … Read more
There’s a longstanding assumption in engineering that well-designed systems, once deployed, will behave predictably. If the HVAC equipment is efficient, the BMS programmed correctly, and the lighting logic smartly automated, then performance will follow. We are trained to trust this process — to model, simulate, optimize, and refine until the outcome aligns with the specification. … Read more