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The AIA releases 8 new principles responding to climate change
STILT HOUSES IN GANVIE, BENIN. PHOTO: IWAN BAAN
"Architecture and design can mitigate climate impact while simultaneously reducing operating costs for building owners," says AIA President Thomas Vonier, FAIA, in a recently-released press statement issued in conjunction with Earth Day. ”We need the federal government to keep and even expand incentives that are already producing major advances in energy efficient design and cutting the carbon footprint of buildings."
The statement continues with eight principles geared towards how architects can mitigate the worst effects of climate change. It urges government bodies to act to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions. It also notes the huge expansion of jobs (2.1 million from 2011-2014) and economic growth (more than $167 billion in GDP from 2011-2014) that’s already accompanied energy-conscious construction:
The principles are:
- The United States must lead the fight against climate change. The federal government must maintain America’s global leadership in the design and construction of carbon neutral buildings. Current federal policies that set goals by 2030 for carbon neutrality in federal buildings are already creating major advances in energy efficient design.
- We believe that the business case for reducing the carbon footprint of buildings is stronger than ever before. Studies show that sustainable and energy efficient buildings command rent premiums of 2 percent to 8 percent, occupancy increases of 3 percent to 10 percent and sales premiums of 3 percent to 12 percent. High performance and sustainable homes in the Washington, DC market command sales premiums of 3.5 percent. (Source: Energy Efficiency in Separate Tenant Spaces – A Feasibility Study)
- We know that carbon neutral design and construction is a growth industry. Employers from roughly 165,000 US companies doing energy efficiency work expect employment to grow 13 percent over the coming year, adding 245,000 more jobs. (Source: Energy Efficiency Jobs in America) In Philadelphia alone, 77 percent of the city's buildings need energy retrofits, supporting the creation of 23,000 jobs. (Source: Energy Benchmarking and Transparency Benefits- June 2015). We call on policymakers to protect financing and incentives to help communities design, build and retrofit their building stock.
- We believe that the climate change battle will be won or lost in cities. Three-quarters of global carbon emissions come from the 2 percent of the Earth’s land surface occupied by urban communities. While architects can drive greater efficiency and performance from urban areas, we need municipalities and urban design financiers to work as true partners in the climate change battle.
- We understand how buildings contribute to climate change. Almost 40 percent of all US energy is consumed by buildings, which produce carbon through heating, cooling and lighting and through their construction. Architects can reduce such operational and embodied carbon production with passive design techniques, energy efficiency measures and low-impact building materials, which increase human health and productivity. Architects also integrate renewable energy sources into buildings, making them more sustainable, resilient and economical. We call on lawmakers to retain and extend tax incentives that underwrite such energy-efficient design and construction.
- Designing and building resilient buildings is not a choice, it’s an imperative. As temperatures and weather become more extreme and severe, four global warming impacts alone—hurricane damage, real estate losses, energy and water costs—will come with a price tag of 1.8 percent of US GDP alone, or almost $1.9 trillion annually (in today’s dollars) by 2100. (Source: NRDC Climate Change Costs Study Estimates 3.6 percent of US GCP in 2100)
- Codes, standards, and evidence-based rating systems are essential to creating a high-performing, resilient built environment. We stand for the development, adoption and enforcement of comprehensive and coordinated building codes that mandate energy efficient design and construction.
- Collaboration is the key to climate change mitigation. Architects have the skills and experience to help protect the planet from the effects of climate change. But only by working and communicating globally with policymakers, the building industry and the general public can we effectively address the climate change challenge.
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All 10 Comments
I'm all tingly now.
This is an excellent statement on where the architectural profession stands on climate change, thank you AIA leadership for expressing these principals in such a succinct manner. In our opinion, it should also be pointed out that advocacy for action on climate change is an entirely nonpartisan issue, and that the next step to make good on those principles is to organize so we can give further voice to the overwhelming number of architects who support action on climate change. Go to www.architects-advocate.com to join the growing number of architects dedicated to speaking out on the need for action.
Tom Jacobs, Architects Advocate for Action on Climate Change
Instead of releasing lobbyist written political statements, maybe the AIA should spend membership $ researching how much architecture meets these climate standards, and maybe release data on the profession. Bet there is some chilling numbers, especially regarding % of minorities that graduate but don't get liscened due to the corporate state of the profession.
Never too late. Great move from the AIA.
Agreed, this is the type of statement that the AIA should release to advocate for practice.
And if I recall, it's not the responsibility of the AIA to release about gender and race in the practice (licensure and membership are not the same thing), but NCARB- who has released that information. Directly and indirectly.
Regardless, these principles are a step forward.
I still think the AIA logo looks like something Albert Speer and his boss came up with after a few too many schnapps!
It always seems like clip art to me. Kind of like "let's make something government-y, how about an eagle and a column?".
Logo aside, great move by the AIA. More voices than ever need to come out in support for sustainability.
At the forefront of dealing with climate change, especially in areas subject to sea level rise, when will remediating infrastructure above and below ground become the expectation?
We're building LEED platinum corporate headquarters that still need 11,000 parking spaces. The AIA keeps trying to separate transportation from buildings - but the fact is that they are interrelated. transportation access dictates where and what we build. Even if we do one amazing LEED platinum building, there's still the rest of the built environment that is needed to support 11,000 people driving to work.
What a load of bollocks.
Regarding diversity...
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