Arch Datum archdatum.com

The reference plane
before the decisions become expensive.

Pre-design capital intelligence for architects. Energy performance, resilience certification, insurance incentives, and contract structure — connected before the owner's commitments are made.

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The data needed to make the case for responsible design has always existed. It lived in silos. Certification requirements in one place. FORTIFIED incentives in another. RSMeans cost data behind a paywall. AIA contracts in a separate library. Manual J in different software. Insurance discount data buried in state statutes.

No single resource connected these into a decision-support framework an architect could use at the beginning of a project to show an owner the real cost, the real return, and the right contract structure. Arch Datum is that resource.

Built on published research and regional averages. All calculations are estimates — not site-specific engineering. Real contractor cost data overrides all regional defaults. Not affiliated with RSMeans, USGBC, IBHS, Phius, ILFI, NAHB, or AIA Contract Documents. Not legal, financial, or engineering advice.

01
ROI Calculator
Three-column comparison of code minimum vs. high-performance vs. premium. HVAC right-sizing first-cost offset, certification-specific ROI, 25-year savings. Solar sizing included. PDF report export.
02
Design Strategies
Zone-adjusted upgrade recommendations across 14 categories: site, envelope, MEP, resilience, regenerative design, AIA 2030, and WELL. Owner benefit rows in plain language.
03
Material Strategies
Mass timber, bio-based materials, embodied carbon reduction, sustainable sourcing, and LBC Materials Petal guidance. EC3 integration and Red List avoidance.
04
Certification Library
LEED v5, FORTIFIED 2025, ENERGY STAR, DOE ZERH, Phius, Living Building Challenge, and WELL — new construction and existing building paths. Insurance incentives by zone.
05
Insurance + Resilience
Documented carrier discount ranges by upgrade type, IBHS FORTIFIED guidance, ISO ratings, and state-mandated discount schedules by hazard type.
06
Contract Guidance
Eight-question AIA contract decision tree by project type, delivery method, and budget certainty. Sustainable project exhibits for certification projects.
Jeff Seabold
FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP
AIA National Board Director
At-Large, 2026–2028

Architect · Contractor
Developer · Capital Strategist

Nearly 24 years in architecture and construction. The tools that exist in AEC were built for the architect as document producer — downstream of the owner's decisions. Arch Datum is built for the architect who shapes those decisions before they become expensive.

BIM was supposed to move the architect from document producer to decision leader. What it delivered was faster drawing production and better clash detection. The tools got better. The role did not.

If you designed BIM for an architect who shapes the owner's decisions before they become expensive, you would build something different. Arch Datum is that something different.