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AIA Birmingham Champions the Value of Design

By Brooks Rainwater, Director, Public Policy

AIA Birmingham understands that design matters. In 2010, the chapter met with newly-elected Mayor William A. Bell, Sr. to convey the value that architects bring to the city. AIA Birmingham was asked to lead an interdisciplinary team of professionals in creating the "Green Birmingham Award” recognizing buildings that incorporate sustainable design and construction.

AIA National’s Local Leaders in Sustainability series and report on green incentive trends were used in the development of the awards program, detailing the financial incentives and mechanisms to adopt a variety of green rating systems. The award criteria mandate that all new municipal buildings over 5,000 square feet adhere to best practices for sustainable design and construction.  The Mayor heartily embraced this framework for sustainability.

Earlier this year, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) held the city’s first ever “Sustainable Cities Symposium.” During his opening remarks, the mayor highlighted the chapter’s work on behalf of the city and AIA Birmingham has since been invited to present an overview of sustainability and sustainable design to a graduate-level seminar at UAB's School of Public Health. The chapter is now working with UAB’s School of Public Health to identify how sustainable design and construction systems, features, and practices can improve public health.

AIA Birmingham is encouraged by the success of their sustainability initiatives and will continue to support design as a means for strengthening communities.

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