Issues & AdvocacyFederal

The AIA seeks to dramatically increase the number of high-performance buildings constructed in the coming decades. Many architects have already incorporated energy efficient design principles into their work, and these efforts continue to expand within the profession. In addition, the AIA supports federal, state, and local legislation and incentives that encourage and aid the construction of high-performance buildings.

Public Awareness of Sustainability

A number of steps have already been taken at the federal, state, and local levels to increase awareness of and adherence to high-performance design principles and standards. In recent years several states have introduced, and in some cases passed, legislation requiring that state-funded public building projects meet high-performance building standards. A number of state governors have signed similar executive orders. A wide array of tax incentives, rebates, and grants have been put in place at the federal, state, and local levels to encourage various means of increasing the energy efficiency of buildings.

Recognizing how difficult it is to keep track of all of the methods being used to enhance high-performance building efforts, we've compiled information delineating those states with high-performance building legislation, those with Executive Orders, those with tax incentives, and a number of additional resources related to the issue of high-performance building.

General Information

• Sustainability 2030 Toolkit
• AIA Position Statement on Sustainable Practice
• Fact Sheet on Architects and Climate Change
• The AIA's Sustainable Design Assessment Teams (SDAT) Designing a Sustainable World

State and Local Resources

• Local Leaders in Sustainability: A Study of Green Building Programs in Our Nation's Communities 
• Mayors' Resolution 50, Adopting the "2030 Challenge" 
• National Association of Counties Resolution, Adopting the "2030 Challenge" 
• Draft Letter to Your Mayor
• State Public Green Building Laws 
• Current Green Building Legislation  
• Executive Orders
• Tax Incentives
• Additional Resources

Federal Resources

The AIA believes that governmental policies, programs, and incentives should encourage energy conservation, especially as it relates to the built environment.  We believe that Congress should use its authority over federal buildings to show the way for the private sector in reducing the energy consumption footprint of the built environment.  Therefore, the AIA has developed developed an aggressive Federal Building Energy Proposal based upon an Executive Order adopted in New Mexico. 

Supporting Materials

• Costs and Benefits of Energy Efficient Buildings—description of proposed legislative language.
• Costs and Benefits of Energy Efficient Federal Buildings—proposed legislative language.