With so many amazing sessions and events at the AIA Conference on Architecture, deciding which ones to attend can be overwhelming! We've put together a list of unparalleled sustainability education and networking events at Conference! Attend the COTE® Open Forum to learn more about the Top Ten Toolkit or the COTE® Top Ten Toast to learn more about the 2018 award winners. You can also join COTE® Advisory Group members and leaders at other great sessions and events:
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5
Setting the Stage for High-Performance With an Integrated Design Charrette WE109 - June 5 at 8:00am - 12:00pm | 3.75 LUs/HSW/GBCI/RIBA | $260
High-performing buildings don't happen by chance. Sustainability comes out of an intentional process that begins before the first line is drawn and continues through design, construction, and occupancy. Led by experienced charrette facilitators, this interactive session will function as a charrette to demonstrate the three-phased process. You'll learn by doing in this step-by-step session via interactive exercises and the sharing of group insights. Each of the three frameworks—LEED, Living Building Challenge, and COTE® Top Ten—will be tracked. After this four-hour workshop, walk away with one charrette completed and the ability to facilitate your own for a project at home.
AIA Safety Assessment Program (SAP) training
WE202- June 5 at 8:30am - 5:30pm | 7.50 LUs/HSW/GBCI/RIBA
The AIA Safety Assessment Program (SAP) training provides architects, engineers, and building officials with the knowledge to provide evaluations of homes and business post-disaster. By identifying how and why buildings fail – or succeed – architects are able to help communities recover faster and build back better; reducing the number of buildings that end up in the landfill after the next disaster. Join AIA National at the A’19 Conference for an SAP training on June 5.
THURSDAY, JUNE 6
Knowledge Management to Save the World TH119 - June 6 at 8:00am - 9:00am | 1.00 LU/HSW/GBCI/RIBA
Getting everyone on board with sustainable design isn't impossible, but it can be difficult. Especially when you don't have ready access to high-quality, concise, and usable information. Join this session to discover how knowledge management can help you strategically curate, organize, and distribute the right information to the right people at all times. As buildings grow more complex and time frames shrink, the essential principles of knowledge management can give you the competitive edge across all of your projects.
Many Lenses, One Goal: Integrating Sustainability, Wellness & Resilience TH111 - June 6 at 8:00am - 9:00am | 1.00 LU/HSW/GBCI/RIBA
Planetary health is directly connected to human health. This sentiment will drive a critical—but practical—examination of the ways in which sustainability, wellness, and resilience overlap and complement each other. In this seminar, you'll learn to navigate the ever-evolving list of third-party certifications—LEED, WELL, Fitwel, RELi, and others—and understand what sets each apart. You'll also look at a new resilience rating system and examine how it aligns with existing third-party certification programs. Most importantly, you'll leave with concrete advice for incorporating elements of each program into your projects for outcomes that improve occupant and community health.
The Fourth National Climate Assessment: What it Means for You
TH118 - June 6 at 8:00am - 9:00am | 1.00 LU/HSW/GBCI/RIBA
This interactive session will offer you a unique chance to engage with authors of the Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II, the authoritative source on climate impacts and risks, released in late 2018. Thought leaders will highlight the ecological, societal, and economic impacts of climate change across the United States with a focus on the built environment and adaptation. Through dialogue and small-group discussions, you'll understand the latest research and how findings can impact design projects across all scales. Hear from those working at the forefront of this critical topic—and add your voice to the conversation.
Architects Are Public Health Workers - A Global Exchange
TH212-June 6 at 9:30am - 11:00 am | 1.50 LUs/GBCI/RIBA
Join us to hear from a panel of international architects and experts, as they discuss how our profession can promote good health and well-being through design and advocacy. You'll learn about the steps taken by architects and government entities worldwide to foster healthy communities.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
Discovering the Rosetta Stone: Translating Research for Design Decision-Making FR217 - June 7 at 9:30am - 11:00am | 1.50 LUs/HSW/GBCI/RIBA
Many firms struggle to incorporate research into practice. Common barriers include staff time, firm structures, and the culture around non-traditional work. On top of it all, applying research findings to design projects can prove daunting without a road map. Meet “Rosetta Stone”, a multifaceted tool that equips architects with actionable insight and guidance. It's the first output of a new university/professional practice partnership among 11 leading design firms. Hear how the partnership's members—in only their first year—are paving the way for research in practice.
2+2 Achieving Outstanding Design: College of Fellows & Young Architects
FR209 - June 7 at 9:30am - 11:00am | 1.50 LUs/GBCI/RIBA
What qualifies as excellent design? And what can we learn from the practice of others to inform the future of exemplary design practice? Join this panel session and Q&A to pick up lessons learned from participants in the 2+2 Program and recipients of the Young Architects Award. You'll learn how to identify and integrate sustainable practices into design—and how to engage multiple building systems and programs along with site development. Conversation will also touch on ideas about current practice and the future of the profession.
COTE® Open Forum
ME303 - June 7 at 1:00pm - 3:00pm
This year’s AIA Committee on the Environment Open Forum has it all --guest speaker Marco Velorra, with the City of Las Vegas Office of Sustainability, the First Interactive Exploration of the Top Ten Toolkit, and a great chance to network while learning. Speakers and table leaders will include Corey Square and Tate Walker plus Marsha Maytum, Gunnar Hubbard, Julie Hiromoto, Helena Zambrano, Kira Gould, and others. After the speaker, participants will engage in small groups at tables focused on specific aspects of the Toolkit. An Advocacy table hosted by Mike Davis, the AIA COTE Advocacy Ambassador will provide a chance to learn about national advocacy and hear/share about local and regional advocacy efforts. Join us if you are interested in unifying design and performance in your practice -- the Toolkit is for any size firm, team, and project.
COTE® Top Ten Toast
EV313 - June 7 at 5:00pm - 7:00pm | $30 Students, $50 Young professionals & Volunteers, and $80 all others
Presented by the AIA Committee on the Environment, the Top Ten Awards Reception will honor the 2018 recipients of this prestigious award—both practicing architects and emerging student talents. Join your colleagues in celebrating their significant contributions to the industry and their communities.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
The AIA 2019 COTE® Top Ten Awards: Performing Beautifully
SA209 - June 8 at 11:30am - 1:00pm | 1.5 LUs/HSW/GBCI/RIBA
Too often, awards recognize design excellence or building performance, but rarely both. The AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE®) Top Ten Awards define a new standard for exemplary holistic design that addresses the urgent needs of our time. Join this session to hear from the COTE® Top Ten award-winning teams and learn about the measures of excellence in integrating design and sustainable performance. This is the ideal opportunity to gain valuable, candid insights that apply to a broad range of design solutions, project types, sizes, and locations.