What an honor to ring in the new year as the 2023 COTE Chair! The COTE community enters this year positioned to make a significant positive impact with over 12,500 individual members of our Knowledge Community, 56 active component chapters in the COTE Network, and an AIA committed to furthering climate action and climate justice as core tenants of its strategic plan. Thank you all for being part of COTE!
To briefly introduce myself – I am driven by an ethos of stewardship, both environmental and cultural, that dictates that we must learn from the past, respect community and heritage, and leverage the built environment that already exists to design a more sustainable and equitable future. With over half of architecture billings coming from renovation, the imperative to reuse existing buildings to achieve climate action and climate justice is a hot topic within COTE and the broader field. I look foward to fostering collaboration on the topic of building reuse as climate action between the KC and allied groups including the Climate Heritage Network and Architecture 2030.
The practice and policy landscapes are full of opportunity for COTE. COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh concluded with both a groundbreaking step toward climate justice through the establishment of a loss and damage fund in support of vulnerable populations and with a noted absence of action to keep global warming below 1.5C. At a federal level, the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts are poised to accelerate climate action in the building sector thanks in large part to the AIA and COTE’s advocacy leadership. It is evident that now more than ever, the building sector is key to mitigating and adapting to climate change; and, moreover, architects are needed to demonstrate a scalable, human-centered approach to climate action and climate justice. (ICYMI, the White House recently released an IRA guidebook.)
Within the AIA, climate action and equity continue to take center stage as core tenets of the Strategic Plan. Emily Grandstaff-Rice as the 2023 President is a vocal champion of equity and sustainability in architecture. This year, the AIA recognizes the importance of sustainable design leadership through its most prestigious honors in awarding Carol Ross Barney the Gold Medal and naming Mithun as Firm of the Year. Concerted efforts are underway to coordinate amongst the many AIA leaders and committees focused on climate, resilience, and equity to align and accelerate our efforts.
As we enter 2023, we look to leverage the momentum building in the broader industry and within our own volunteer community. We will continue the important efforts of our established workstreams focused on the Top Ten awards programs, climate action and climate justice, communications, and advocacy to advance the following priorities:
- Advance Climate Action and Climate Justice by collaborating with AIA and with external leaders to further climate action and climate justice in both members’ work and on behalf of the profession.
- Empower AIA Members to realize outcomes by continuing to integrate the Framework for Design Excellence within AIA programs and elevate the leading edge of sustainability in design through the COTE Top Ten Awards and COTE Top Ten for Students Competition.
- Strengthen the COTE Community by harnessing the > 55 COTE component chapters in the COTE Network and >12,500 members in the KC to amplify communications, advocacy, education, and engagement.
We are excited to work with you and our incredible community to make 2023 a year of impact and meaning. If you would like to join us in these efforts or provide feedback, please be in touch at cote@aia.org or through any of the LG members.
Lori Ferriss, AIA, PE
2023 COTE Chair