Decision INtelligence for Changemakers shaping the future of cities
We are your one stop shop “go to” consulting practice where urban development, sustainable design and mobility converge into one.
Your trusted partner thinking forward for the future of cities — climate smart, transit-ready and human-first.
PREVIEW OUR WORK
Piers Park, Boston
Helped with a conceptual redesign of Piers Park in Boston that softens the edges of the park with an emphasis on sustainable water management and sensory zoning to bring aquatic play to life and create an immersive park experience rooted in nature.
Gregson and Spruce Street ADU, Durham
Working with Haven Design Build in Downtown Durham, we conducted the first analysis of the material stream of waste coming from single family homes in the Research Triangle region. We provided sustainable construction expertise with an emphasis on design materials, diversion strategy, and environmental impact so that the work serves as a template for all homes to be eco-friendly and high performing.
DESIGN IDEATION
Human-centered design research for spaces that foster connection and wellness. We help craft your narrative, shape your design, and formulate ideas so that your design is best-of-class.
DESIGN RESEARCH AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE PROGRAMMING
Analysis that translates emerging technologies into the new mainstream, focusing on bio-based materials, wellness design, circular construction and the future of buildings to improve the human experience.
CONSULTING
All in one sustainable construction, mobility amenity, space planning, design and land use consulting to help you turn your ideas into reality. Consulting rooted in proven ways to build sustainable communities.
TRAVEL AND GREEN LIVING ADVISORY
Supporting individuals in reducing environmental impact in home utility use, consumption, transportation, and waste. Retainer packages available plus additional incentives offered after adoption of eco-friendly practices
MEET THE FOUNDER
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ABOUT Andy Zou, MEM
Andy has spent five years helping organizations at all levels of sustainability maturity along their ESG journeys. Currently working in urban development in Charlotte, he finds purpose in understanding the development of more sustainable urban living spaces, one apartment at a time.
At Design that Lives, he partners with organizations to help design the future of sustainable and connected communities. His work bridges eco-living, sustainable design, urban development and transit, with direct experience with nature interpretation, stewardship, and design-build construction. He lives car-free in Charlotte and serves on the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, and All Aboard Carolinas, a local transit grassroots advocacy group.
His path into sustainability began with an appreciation for nature that started as a park guide at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota after college. Months of research, caving, and giving tours taught him that landscapes reveal the interconnectedness of our natural systems. His latter professional work with clients on crafting sustainability strategy in diverse industries made him passionate towards translating complex systems into meaningful stories, helping people think of sustainability as a way to redesign the built environment.
Design that Lives brings these experiences together in a consulting practice focused on eco-living, sustainable design, urban development, and mobility. I help clients connect the big picture with everyday implementation: healthier homes, resilient neighborhoods, connected mobility and stronger public spaces. His work is rooted in the belief that the places we build affect how we live and that thoughtful design is the critical connector that translates any gap into solutions. Andy earned his Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University.
Design That Lives 