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 GreenPremier sponsors: Sherwin-WilliamsSustaining sponsors: GAF Roofing, Milliken, Andersen Windows, BlueScope BuildingsGreen sponsors: EPIC MetalsAllied sponsors: TLC Engineering, Sierra Pacific Windows
For over 20 years the AIA COTE Top Ten Awards have recognized architecture firms who have completed projects that employ the latest innovations in sustainable design to create the highest performance buildings. Studying these firms reveals several common traits related to their specialization, size, location, staff, and age. These findings support the idea that there is a connection between great, sustainable projects and overall firm excellence.
Of the 130 architecture firms that have received at least one COTE Top Ten Award, 29 have done so more than once and 17 have three or more times. Of those receiving more than three COTE Top Ten Awards, 59 percent have also been recognized as AIA Firm Award recipients, the AIA’s highest award given to architecture firms.
According to the report these high-performance firms have the following traits: