Eric Haggstrom AIA, LEED AP, Fitwel Ambassador

“The goal isn’t just to practice sustainable architecture, it’s to continually expand our definition of design excellence that meets the challenges of a changing climate.”

Eric Haggstrom, AIA, LEED AP, Fitwel Ambassador, is a Senior Associate and Director of Sustainability at JCJ. An architect with more than 15 years of experience across the hospitality, civic, higher education, healthcare and K–12 education markets, Eric partners with teams across JCJ’s national practice to advance high-performance design and integrate sustainability into the firm’s work. He believes environmental responsibility is not separate from good architecture, but fundamental to creating buildings that are enduring, adaptable and responsive to the needs of people and communities.

Earlier in his career, Eric contributed to the design of the 2020 AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Award-winning Austin Central Library, widely recognized as a milestone in sustainable public architecture. That experience reinforced his belief that high-performing buildings can also be beautiful, inspiring and deeply connected to the people they serve. Drawing on his wide-ranging experience as a project architect, Eric works alongside designers, project managers and technical professionals to evaluate options, leverage emerging technologies and make informed decisions that improve building performance. His participates in envelop and energy code reviews for all JCJ projects as part of the firm’s comprehensive QA/QC process.

Eric is helping shape the firm’s evolving approach to resilience—encouraging project teams and clients to think beyond today’s design criteria and consider how buildings will perform in a changing climate. Whether exploring building envelopes, energy performance, embodied carbon or strategies that help facilities adapt to future environmental challenges, he is both an idealist and a pragmatist. He understands that meaningful progress requires more than ambitious goals; it requires practical solutions, collaboration and a willingness to continually learn and adapt. Working alongside designers, project managers and technical professionals, Eric helps teams evaluate options, leverage emerging technologies and make informed decisions that improve building performance.

Eric earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP). He recently presented at the 2025 NY Build conference on designing resilient cities, reflecting his commitment to advancing the profession through education, collaboration and the exchange of ideas.