This is my final newsletter as the 2019 chair of the COTE Advisory Group. What an amazing year it has been! We have accomplished a great deal together from the successful passage and ratification of the Urgent Climate Action Resolution to the AIA adoption of the Framework for Design Excellence based on the COTE Top Ten Measures.
I want to thank each incredible member of the COTE Advisory Group and all of our COTE members who have contributed their time, knowledge, creativity and passion to our endeavors over the last year. I would also like to thank President Bill Bates and the AIA Board for their leadership and support this year. We are well positioned to continue our leadership in climate action, innovation and design excellence in 2020 as we celebrate COTE’s 30th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
I recently attended Greenbuild in Atlanta and was inspired by President Obama’s comments on the climate crisis and the critical connections between sustainability, equity and civic engagement. Calling upon his past experience as a community organizer, he spoke of the importance of addressing the climate crisis from the bottom up and top down – grassroots actions as modeled by Greta Thunberg as well as government actions and policies. It was a great reminder of the important work that volunteers and organizations like COTE provide at a local, regional and national level in advancing climate action in our profession and in our communities.
Next year, COTE will continue to focus on our core programs: the COTE Top Ten Awards (the 2020 call is out now; submissions due January 15) and COTE Top Ten Student Competition, as well as continue our work with the AIA on the AIA Framework for Design Excellence and the Top Ten Toolkit and Super Spreadsheet, the Design Data Map, Awards Alignment initiative and the Common App for all AIA awards programs, advocacy efforts (see Mike Davis’ advocacy update in this issue), and the Zero Code initiative. In addition, during our 30th anniversary year COTE will continue to advance innovation and develop our next initiatives to help our profession and communities create a carbon positive, regenerative, resilient and equitable future.
Thanks to everyone for your support, many contributions and inspiration throughout this busy and productive year. It has been an honor serving as chair of this extraordinary group. As we look towards next year, I’d like to acknowledge all of the COTE members who over the last 30 years have been the visionary environmental leaders and innovators for the AIA. We are transforming the profession and our communities, and this will continue as our next steps in Climate Action unfold. I look forward to our work together in 2020 during COTE’s 30th anniversary year under the leadership of the next chair, Julie Hiromoto.
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes in the New Year!
Sincerely,
Marsha Maytum, FAIA