Committee on the Environment

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ALBION DISTRICT LIBRARY BY PERKINS + WILL IS A 2018 COTE TOP TEN RECIPIENT. IMAGE: DOUBLESPACE PHOTOGRAPHY

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Who we are

The Committee on the Environment (COTE®) is an AIA Knowledge Community working for architects, allied professionals, and the public to achieve climate action and climate justice through design. We believe that design excellence is the foundation of a healthy, sustainable, and equitable future. Our work promotes design strategies that empower all AIA members to realize the best social and environmental outcomes with the clients and the communities they serve.

Enjoy our latest on COTE news (and follow us on X and LinkedIn). 

To learn about the Framework for Design Excellence (formerly the COTE Top Ten Measures), click here.

Check out COTE's history and timeline. 

Starting a local COTE or sustainability group and need some guidance? Check out the AIA COTE Network Resources here.

A big thank you to our 2024 sponsors: 
Founding sponsors: Building Green
Premier sponsors: Sherwin-Williams
Sustaining sponsors: GAF Roofing, Milliken, Andersen Windows,
BlueScope Buildings
Green sponsors: EPIC Metals
Allied sponsors: TLC Engineering, Sierra Pacific Windows

  • 1.  AIA letter to Dept. of Energy

    Posted 04-17-2017 02:12 PM

    Thanks to all of you who helped promote your and other firms' names to the recent letter highlighting the importance of EPA programs to architects. The letter received 775 firm signatures and has been delivered to EPA Administrator Pruitt as well as Members of House and Senate Energy Committees on Capitol Hill. Moving forward, it will continue to serve as a strategic outreach tool to use in advocating with policymakers for architects' concerns. 

    Now, the design industry must also stand up for vital programs at the Department of Energy, which may also face the chopping block. Architects rely on many DOE programs, resources, and research to do their jobs effectively. We need to educate key officials about the value of the programs they are now tasked with managing. Decisions about the futures of these vital programs will be made over the months ahead. Once again, we must make a business case for retaining DOE programs that enable architects to design high performing buildings. 

    AIA COTE Advocacy has developed a sign-on letter for design firms to show their support for DOE programs. Please use this note to promote firm signatures as well as sign on for yourself. We will be accepting signatures through May 3. Click here to add your firm to this letter today!



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    Jonathan Penndorf FAIA
    Project Manager/Sustainability Leader
    Perkins + Will
    Washington DC
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  • 2.  RE: AIA letter to Dept. of Energy

    Posted 04-19-2017 11:04 AM
    Thanks for posting this, Jon. When we sent out the request for architects to tell us which EPA and DOE tools and resources they depend on to be able to do their work, I had no idea that so many would respond. Congress tells us it's critical that we quantify those things that are important to our jobs. I thought it would be a waste of time but the list is long and growing. You can see the list on our Advocacy Resources page: Advocacy - CommitteeontheEnvironment

    You can add to it by posting your EPA and DOE tools and resources to this forum. And of course you can join our Advocacy group by quickly signing up here: Join COTE Advocacy No spam - just architects who want to do the right things.

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    Paula Burns McEvoy, FAIA, LEED Fellow
    Co-director of Sustainable Design Initiative
    Perkins+Will
    2016 Chair, AIA COTE
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  • 3.  RE: AIA letter to Dept. of Energy

    Posted 04-21-2017 03:07 PM
    I posted this to everyone on my Facebook list!

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    William Marston
    former AIA, LEED AP, Green Advantage Trainer
    Philadelphia PA
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