Enabling Architects to Lead on Materials & Manage Risk
By Kira Gould
As the architecture profession continues to lean into sustainability leadership, and all the opportunities that offers to firms, clients, users, and society, the AIA has been working to address some of the most pressing imperatives and the related concerns of AIA members and firms. One of these vast and quickly evolving areas materials: the opportunity for architect leadership here is vast, but concerns about risk persist. A very strong recent whitepaper and a webinar, organized by the AIA Materials Knowledge Task Force with support from the AIA Contract Documents Committee, HPD Collaborative, the U.S. Green Building Council, and BuildingGreen) address this topic. Behind these two efforts and at the foundation of the initiative is the AIA position on materials transparency (adopted nearly two years ago):
The AIA recognizes that building materials impact the environment and human health before, during, and after their use. Knowledge of the life cycle impacts of building materials is integral to improving the craft, science, and art of architecture. The AIA encourages architects to promote transparency in materials’ contents and in their environmental and human health impacts.
The excellent whitepaper calls out five key things to know about materials transparency:
- Transparency is the new normal. There is a growing expectation that everyone involved in a building project—from initial design to occupancy— should have access to information on the potential health and environmental impacts relating to those products.
- Materials transparency represents opportunities for architects. These opportunities include competitive advantage, thought leadership, design innovation, and environmental and human health leadership.
- New practices and procedures inherently present potential risks. We accept that there is some risk in advocating for materials transparency and sharing composition information with our clients. This white paper explores those risks in detail.
- It will be important to manage potential risks with increased transparency. Although the risks associated with materials transparency are new, architects are familiar with risk management. This white paper offers several strategies for effectively evaluating and mitigating risk.
- The AIA has tools and resources to help architects navigate materials transparency risks and opportunities. Along with this white paper and existing online resources, the American Institute of Architects published new model contract language to specifically address materials transparency issues. In addition, our Materials Knowledge Working Group, made up of expert members, practitioners and partner organizations, is continually developing education and practice tools to help architects optimize their approach to materials transparency.
The webinar, held September 8, and available here, featured Mike Davis, FAIA, LEED; Mike Bomba, Esq., Director and Counsel, AIA Contract Documents; and Frank Musica, Senior Risk Management Attorney, Victor Schinnerer & Co., Inc. Among other things, the webinar explored the potential risks and liabilities around materials, and outlined best practices for architects working with manufacturers and their disclosure documents. As Davis, a member of the AIA working group, described, there are five primary guideline:
- Explain your intent. Be explicit about WHY you are requesting disclosure documents.
- Do not guarantee the accuracy of the data. Make sure everyone understand WHO is creating disclosure docs.
- Remind Clients that product content is ONE factor among many to weigh.
- Make no guarantees or warranties about ACTUAL contents of materials or the quality of the built environment.
- Be unambiguous about your expertise: Architects are NOT toxicologists or industrial hygienists.
The whitepaper summarizes well: “Despite the unknowns, what we do know suggests architects should be ready to engage with transparency documents and to take a role in pursuing this effort with manufacturers. Access to this information marks a new opportunity to connect our material choices to the health and environmental impacts that we acknowledge are increasingly pressing—and to take action to mitigate those impacts. As the profession steps into this new territory, the best way to mitigate any risks involved with being sued is to take thoughtful and thorough precautionary steps to manage potential risks. Finally, we should remember the original reason for taking on this subject—that if efforts to promote materials transparency succeed in removing unnecessary hazards from the building materials supply chain, we will all be better for it, both in terms of physical safety, and with regard to the legal issues we all face as practicing architects.”
I believe that this whitepaper is an important frame for this issue. Transparency is here, and client sophistication around this topic is growing. Preparing architects for effective and appropriate client/project service and team leadership on this issue is not optional.
Resources:
AIA Materials website
AIA White Paper, Materials Transparency & Liability Risk
Essay: “Materials Transparency: Managing Risk, Seizing Opportunity”
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