It’s getting close to the end of another COVID-induced chaos of a year. We’ve come a long way in learning how to deal with working differently, and we’ve learned important lessons while doing it. The global slow down meant that carbon emissions for 2020 fell by 6.4% worldwide, according to Nature Magazine, and fell 13% in the US. It would be nice to think we’d learned from this, but signs are already showing that as business tries to find a “new normal” emissions are creeping up again. But architects are leading the charge to curb emissions in our sector and encourage governments to strengthen commitments, too; many are at COP26 as this reaches your in-box, and AIA and many large and leading firms signed Architecture 2030’s 1.5C COP26 Communique to press governments for greater action.
Therefore it’s as important as ever for COTE to continue our work in advocacy for environmental responsibility. We are working hard to maintain our ongoing activities, but also looking at where we need to push further. COTE’s refreshed Mission and Goals will be the guidelines for Billie Faircloth, FAIA, as she leads the COTE Leadership Group next year. The progress continues! And you -- or someone you know -- could be part of this. We are now (until November 12) accepting applications for five spots on the national COTE Leadership Group (formerly Advisory Group); learn more here.
Meanwhile, we are excited about our flagship program, the COTE Top Ten Awards for 2022.
These awards were created twenty years ago to bring attention to the fact that high performing buildings could also be beautiful architecture. We have now thankfully reached the moment where beautiful architecture needs to show it is high performing.
The awards use AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence as the standard against which projects are evaluated. The COTE TT recognizes projects that demonstrate a holistic vision of architecture across all 10 of the framework's principles. A goal of the program is to recognize performance over intentions. The 2022 COTE Top Ten program will elevate new narratives on Design for Equitable Communities (Measure 2) and prioritize quality reporting on data associated with energy, carbon, and water. COTE will host “office hours” in December about the Top Ten Awards to answer questions about the updated elements (and anything else about submitting). Register here now.
The COTE TT is the award most widely recognized by media, as shown by the coverage for COTE TT 2021 in ARCHITECT magazine. These awards are also often covered by other publications such as USA Today, Fast Company, and most of the design press. It’s a great way for the wider design-interested public to see how well beautiful buildings can perform. The presentation of the 2021 awards is now an AIAU course, Performing Beautifully, available soon.
The 2022 call for entries will be out in mid-November and available at this link. The awards seek to recognize a wide range of project scales and locations … bring us your best! Entries are due in January 2022.
In January, we’ll also receive entries from hundreds of students in dozens of architecture schools for the COTE Top Ten for Students Competition. The student competition recognizes 10 exceptional studio projects that seamlessly integrate innovative, regenerative strategies within their broader design concepts. The competition is open to third-year students and above (including graduate students) attending architecture schools in North America. Please help us spread the word about this terrific student competition. The website has all the details, and includes a vast array of in-depth materials that are available free for entrants and others to use as studio/classroom resources.
Call to action: COTE members, please reach out to your alma matter and regional schools and offer to serve as a COTE Mentor. Many students need some guidance to understand and engage the Framework for Design Excellence and navigate the COTE Top Ten Students competition. Let's double our submissions next year! Mentor/Teacher materials can be found in the competition website.
The Strategic Council held elections for the position of 2022-2023 At-large Representative. Congratulations are in order for Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA; Craig Chamberlain, AIA; and Tate Walker, AIA who were all selected to join the Strategic Council in 2022 in this role. We look forward to the great work they will be doing! Anne and Tate are former COTE Leadership Group members.
COTE looks to expand our reach and influence through 2021 and on into the future. In addition to keeping track of national issues, be sure to keep up with your local COTE chapter to participate in your region. Check your local chapter website to see if there is a COTE in your neighborhood … if not, consider starting one (see the Chapter Guide here).
Sincerely,
Betsy del Monte, FAIA