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 Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in discussing ways to limit climate change and improve communities through resilient design. “I went to COP26… Read more »
Read MoreAuthor: Rebecca Myers
How Can Managed Retreat Be Done Equitably?
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 plan outlining a new town. Today, however, due to a lack of funding, only a single building has been constructed. Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah,… Read more »
Read MoreCOP26: AIA Delegation Claims Architects’ Seat at the Table
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 action toward shared climate goals. AIA sent its first official delegation to COP26 to raise awareness of the role of the building sector, to connect… Read more »
Read MoreWhat a Day With Renewable Energy Could Look Like
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 the United States to power the country with renewable energy, you will awaken to a new reality: A very quiet one. Without combustion engines, citizens… Read more »
Read MoreShaping the Equitable City
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 racism, and inequities in the built environment. It’s time to show the world what design can do. Building a modern city takes a collaborative effort,… Read more »
Read MoreHow Wisconsin Is Partnering with Architects to Design a Better Future
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, we have a threat to our communities and to the livelihood of Wisconsinites, and we need to do something about it,’” says Maria Redmond, director… Read more »
Read MoreU.S. building infrastructure needs 21st century upgrades
More than half of U.S. buildings are in natural disaster danger zones. That’s according to a new University of Colorado study that determined a majority of homes, businesses, and other structures in the contiguous U.S. face significant risk from floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and wildfires. And the risk is only growing as climate change increases… Read more »
Read MoreThe Groundbreaking New Resource for Going Green
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 of stakeholders—owner, architect, engineer, contractor—who influence how projects are created. What does this mean? Architects, perhaps more than members of any other profession in the… Read more »
Read MoreUrban Farms Fuel Future for Once-Forgotten Neighborhoods
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 racism, and inequities in the built environment. It’s time to show the world what design can do. In June, 100 years after the “Black Wall… Read more »
Read MoreThe Future of Green Construction Materials
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 are partnering with clients, contractors, and manufacturers to source materials that meet new environmental goals, part of a larger effort to improve resiliency for the… Read more »
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