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Dear Members of the Committee on the Environment Knowledge
Community (COTE):
As the 2008 chair, I would like to thank you for your continued
membership in COTE. With your participation, COTE is one of the
most dynamic AIA Knowledge Communities at both the national and the
local component levels, with nearly 9,000 members and 63
chapters. I would like to take this opportunity to bring you up
to speed on COTE’s accomplishments for 2007, and inform you of
our plans for this year.
2007 Accomplishments:
AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects
This awards program, now in its 12th year, solicits green projects
that perform well and are also beautiful buildings. Winning
projects demonstrate exemplary approaches to sustainable design.
Narrative and performance information is gathered in ten areas:
Top Ten Measure 1: Sustainable Design Intent & Innovation
Top Ten Measure 2: Regional/Community Design &
Connectivity
Top Ten Measure 3: Land Use & Site Ecology
Top Ten Measure 4: Bioclimatic Design
Top Ten Measure 5: Light & Air
Top Ten Measure 6: Water Cycle
Top Ten Measure 7: Energy Flows & Energy Future
Top Ten Measure 8: Materials & Construction
Top Ten Measure 9: Long Life, Loose Fit
Top Ten Measure 10: Collective Wisdom & Feedback Loops
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The steady increase in the number of submissions, to nearly 100 in
2007, demonstrated a major increase from previous years
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For the last three years, several Top Ten winners have gone on to
be AIA National Honor Award recipients
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COTE has developed a series of Top Ten Case Studies, as well
as other new forms of documentation of past winners and metrics,
and new search capability on the Top Ten Web site. Please
review these valuable resources online at: www.aiatopten.org
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The Top Ten Case Studies provided important educational
opportunities, including sessions at the AIA convention, allied
organization meetings, and online through a downloadable Powerpoint
presentation, which we encourage members to download and share with
employees, colleagues, and students
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COTE presented the Top Ten winners at the AIA convention in San
Antonio. Approximately 800 people attended this presentation, which
included jury members commenting on the projects and all of the
winners speaking about their projects from the floor
Collaboration and Outreach: Environmental Leadership
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COTE maintained an array of environmental leadership
relationships with allied organizations, contributed
most-needed research topics on sustainable design, and
continued its initiative on ‘greening’ the AIA
convention
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COTE leadership offered an expanded AIA presence at the 2007
Solar Decathlon and successfully collaborated on programs with
AIAS for students and the public. We encourage you to review a
podcast on the Solar Decathlon online
Communication and Member Participation
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New content updates on the COTE website, including
Ten Steps to Sustainable Design, green firm guidelines, book
reviews, and more
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An online journal for sustainable issues, COTEnotes
is a quarterly newsletter that goes to all COTE members and
contains a wide variety of in-depth articles on sustainable
design
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20-30 minute podcasts on
sustainable design
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Our listserv COTEforum has
come to life and is quickly becoming a strong avenue for sharing
both practical and theoretical knowledge. We have a tremendous
response when we invite members to provide feedback, and are
continually asking them for their ideas regarding the kind of
knowledge they need and how it can best be shared
COTE Component Networks
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Communication network among members, local/state chapters, regional
teams, volunteers, and Advisory Group members and adjuncts
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COTE Chapter
Guide and resources for starting a new COTE chapter at AIA
components
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Workshops and lecture series on biomimicry and design,
initiated in 2007 with generous sponsorships, as well as
collaboration with AIA components and the Biomimicry Guild. These
workshops consist of an evening lecture followed by a full-day
workshop (over one or two days). The lecture provides the
conceptual framework and examples of how close observation of
biological systems can inspire new designs. The workshop provides
an opportunity for close observation of nature and demonstrates the
application of those observations to a sample design problem. These
workshops have been held with AIA San Francisco, AIA New York, and
AIA Houston, with more planned for 2008. Find a podcast with
Biomimicry Guild members Dayna Baumeister and Rose Tocke,
interviewed by past COTE chair Kira Gould, at the
AIA PodNet site
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COTE worked closely with AIA San Antonio during the 2007 AIA
national convention to organize a well-attended reception at a
local venue, as well as other continuing education opportunities.
AIA San Antonio also assisted with greening the convention
activities and proposed new initiatives to green future
conventions
As you can see, 2007 was a year of success; we hope the value you
received as a COTE member was just as rewarding.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Jim
Binkley, FAIA, of the U.S. Postal Service for his tremendous
leadership and efforts on behalf of the COTE Advisory Group. Jim
has completed his five-year tenure on the AG and has stepped
down from his official role on the COTE Advisory Group. We look
forward to his continued involvement and thank him for his integral
role over the past 5 years.
For 2008, I welcome our newest member to the COTE Advisory Group,
Alexis Karolides, AIA, of the Rocky Mountain Institute. Alexis
joins the following current members:
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Kira Gould, Assoc. AIA (2007 COTE Chair)
William McDonough + Partners
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Kenneth Scalf, AIA (2009 COTE Chair)
Architectural Energy Corp.
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David Miller, FAIA (2010 COTE Chair)
The Miller/Hull Partnership and Dean, University of Washington
We are also pleased to have a great Adjunct Advisory Group that
includes Tom Fisher, AIA,, and Greg Mella, AIA. This
group's new members for 2008 include Angela Heinze, AIA, and
Lance Davis, AIA.
It is with tremendous excitement that I can assure you that 2008
will provide COTE members with continued value, and new
opportunities, collaborations, and resources.
2008 Goals:
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Top Ten case studies will be delivered through educational sessions
at AIA conventions, articles in COTENotes and on the COTE
Web site, and other AIA publications and online resources
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Biomimicry workshops are planned with the Boston Society of
Architects and AIA Seattle
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Advocacy on sustainability issues contribute to the AIA legislative
agenda on sustainable design
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Enhanced functionality of the COTE listserv Forum for member
discussion and technical questions
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Maintenance of strong communication with AIA components, with a
focus on the regional/component COTE network as the knowledge base
for sustainability within the profession.
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Development and evolution of contacts with allied organizations in
the industry to advance the AIA’s leadership in sustainable
design
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Continual updates for the COTE Web site and online resources
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Development and evolution of COTEnotes as well as of other
communication outlets for delivery of knowledge on sustainable
design practice and other timely information and news
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Support of and leadership to AIA sustainability
initiatives, such as the 50 to 50 and the Green Cities
Toolkit
I hope you can tell from this e-mail how excited I am to build upon
the past success of COTE. We encourage all members to become
involved with COTE, either through the AIA national component or
your local component.
If you have any questions or comments, or wish to become more
involved in COTE, please e-mail cote@aia.org.
Sincerely,
Henry I. Siegel, FAIA, 2008 Chair
Siegel & Strain Architects
The American Institute of Architects
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006
E-mail: cote@aia.org
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