Committee on the Environment

Quick Links

• Leadership
• Mission
• COTE® Partners
• Framework for Design Excellence
• COTE® Top Ten Awards
• COTE® Top Ten Design Datamap
• COTE® Top Ten Student Competition
• COTE News
• Resources
• Follow us on social media: LinkedIn and X

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 Guide here.

A big thank you to our partners: 
Founding partner: Building Green
Premier partners: Sherwin-Williams
Sustaining partners: GAF Roofing, Milliken, ROCKWOOL, Andersen Windows
Green partners: EPIC Metals, Compass Datacenters
Allied partners: TLC Engineering, Sierra Pacific Windows