Equitable design for the built environment holds the power to remove barriers and burdens, physical or abstract, empowering and enabling people to gather and connect, live, and function to their
Before AIA leaders arrived at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 91st Annual Meeting, AIA architects were already serving city leaders by addressing issues on sustainability and resilience in the built
Many coastal clients have homes and businesses that maximize water views and ocean breezes, but as severe weather increases, architects must guide builders to prioritize design aimed at anticipating hazardous
The greenest buildings are buildings that already exist, which is why The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Board of Directors made the decision to fully renovate–not rebuild–the organization’s 50-year-old headquarters.
High-performance buildings are often disregarded by civic leaders and property owners because of a misguided stereotype: They’re too expensive. The truth is that buildings that reduce negative environmental impact save
In September 2022, the first-ever global survey of mayors announced challenges on three fronts: inequality, climate change, and outdated infrastructure. In a questionnaire conducted by the College of Architecture, Art,
In 2021, Florida’s Miami-Dade County took an innovative approach to addressing how climate change impacts marginalized communities: It created the world’s first chief heat officer. Across the United States, rising
In April 2022, the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, took a big step in demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, one that may entice more people to move there: For the
By Katherine Flynn The Frosty Morn meat packing factory in Clarksville, Tenn.—all 52,600 square feet of it—has sat vacant since 1977. “Nobody’s ever spent any money to keep the roof
Architects don’t just design buildings. They design systems that can work equitably for communities, cities, and regions using the same design methodology—just on a larger scale. It's a key reason
In January, the White House launched the National Building Performance Standards Coalition, a groundbreaking initiative to increase energy efficiency in existing buildings and improve communities. “New federal actions today, in
In 2012, members of the Quinault Indian Nation in Taholah, Washington, finally decided to move their frequently-flooded seaside village to higher ground. Five years later, they had developed a master
In 2021, a collection of mayors from the American heartland traveled to Scotland to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). Their mission? To join global leaders like President
The first thing you notice in your dream of living with renewable energy is the noise—or lack of it. In the future, when solar panels and other innovations have enabled
Billed as our “last best chance” to manage global warming, COP26 in Glasgow brought together signatories to the Paris Climate Agreement and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to accelerate
This article is part of the Building Equity series, which explores how architects are working with communities and civic leaders to develop creative, innovative design solutions that fight climate change, systemic
As Congress continues to negotiate the most ambitious infrastructure package in the United States in a century, one state is already leading the way. “In 2019, our governor said, ‘Look,
Every year, the built environment produces around 40% of global emissions. But unlike most industries, apart from feedback by communities and civic leaders, the building profession has only a handful
This article is part of the Building Equity series, which explores how architects are working with communities and civic leaders to develop creative, innovative design solutions that fight climate change, systemic
Infrastructure is the foundation of our society, and it’s both crumbling and contributing to global warming. In the wake of the election and crises like the one that recently left
In 2008, architect Larry Strain, FAIA, was part of a team designing a town center in Portola Valley, California, when he conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and made a
Climate change affects us all, but doesn’t impact us all equally. This article is part of a new series, Building Equity, that explores how architects are working with communities and civic
While the most urgent challenge now facing the global community is stopping the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating its impacts, the race to fight climate change continues.
To reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, architects are looking beyond their own projects to make a greater difference in a new way—with building codes. By 2060, the world is projected
At first glance, the concept of regenerative design seems simple. When architects ensure that their projects benefit the community and surrounding environment, everybody wins. But putting this into practice can
Buildings often create two problems. They contribute nearly 40 percent of the world’s fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), speeding global warming. And, historically, they have contributed to systemic racism
Building materials—and what’s in them—have been making headlines, and for good reason. As The American Institute of Architects (AIA) raises the bar in response to climate change, architects and design professionals
Steel and concrete predominate the U.S. commercial building market for structural materials, while engineered wood—specifically mass timber—is garnering attention for its potential embodied carbon savings and sequestration ability.
Content used with permission from WIRED Magazine. Robin Seidel, an architect working to save Boston from rising seawater, survived her first flood as a child. “I was nine years old
Content used with permission from WIRED Magazine. In 2012, as Hurricane Sandy battered the east coast, Diane Hellriegel made the most difficult decision of her life—to abandon her home in
Fight climate change and inequities in the built environment.
