Energy Efficiency and Durability of Buildings at the Crossroads
from the Journal of Building Enclosure Design

A few years ago, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) agreed to work together to organize Building Enclosure Councils (BECs) in cities across the United States in an effort to encourage the exchange of technical information and know-how on the best practices of building enclosure design. As a result of that agreement, BECs, organized as committees of state or local components of the AIA, now exist in 21 U.S. cities. Further, a memorandum of understanding with the Canadian National BEC, executed at the 2008 AIA convention in Boston, provides for Canadian collaboration in the information exchange effort. The first Building Enclosure Science and Technology (BEST 1) conference was hosted by BEC and AIA Minneapolis in June 2008. The conference, with the theme of "Energy Efficiency and Durability of Buildings at the Crossroads," provided a wakeup call about both the deficiencies and the creative opportunities that lie ahead for the building design community in responding to a changing world in which buildings play a significant role in the use of energy (as well its impact on U.S. security, the balance of payments and the viability of the U.S. economy).

This paper is an outcome of BEST1, and it reflects the perceived need for the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) of NIBS to outline the current state of affairs. It is one thing to specify that buildings achieve certain efficiencies; it is quite another matter for that outcome to become a reality. This is where practitioners come in as they are the "doers" that make things happen. It is expected that through the BEC network a greater awareness of the technological successes achieved and lessons learned from failures in building enclosure design can impact future designs and convert design intent into reality.

For more information and additional article, see Journal of Building Enclosure Design: Fall 2008 issue, pages 27-35.

AIA/ICC/ASTM Partner on International Green Construction Code

For those of you who are not aware, the AIA has entered into a partnership this year with the International Code Council (ICC) and ASTM International to co-produce the "International Green Construction Code" (IGCC) to concentrate on new and existing commercial structures and focus heavily on building design and performance. Building codes are the foundation of the built environment — and major changes are coming that will affect how architects design buildings.

We strongly encourage COTE and SGN members in the cities where the meetings will be held to attend these meetings, which are open to the public, and if possible, engage in not only that process but submit comments when the appropriate comment period occurs.  Please consider writing to ICC to join the distribution list of "interested parties" so that you will be aware of the upcoming meetings. Get Involved

2009 Solar Decathlon

The AIA, a proud sponsor of the Solar Decathlon since its inception, is again honored to support academic teams representing universities from around the world as they design and build innovative applications of solar power.
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009 challenges 20 university teams from the Unites States, Canada, Germany, and Spain to design and exhibit energy-efficient homes that are powered by the sun. The student teams design a solar house, build it, test it, and then ship it across a state, a continent, or an ocean to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The teams rebuild their houses within a week, creating a "solar village", and open their homes to the visiting public from October 9 to October 18, 2009. Full Story

AIA Advocacy Update

The American Institute of Architect's Government & Community Relations department is advocating for the architectural profession and educating the general public on the value of sustainable, livable communities. At the federal, state, and local level, the AIA is demonstrating that "design matters" through legislative victories; testimony and presentations before Congress, our nation's mayors, county officials, and legislators; and through the resources created to lead the conversation on matters important to the design community. Full Story

The summer of 2009 has quickly come to a close and Greenbuild in Phoenix is just around the corner. (More on that later). There is a plethora of activity to report on, and we hope you will take the time to review this edition of COTEnotes, along with its related links and topics. Read More

Zero Net Energy Workshop Download Available

• transcriptions and Powerpoints of each presentation
• team charrette responses
• energy simulations of each design (based on a number of assumptions)
• responses to the questionnaire and reflective exercise
• climate data
• reference links

It's a large document (45.6mb) and will take several minutes for the book content to appear in the window. You may also purchase a print copy for $57.90 (at cost) for full-color, 262 pages, paperback.

We acknowledge and thank the many people and organizations who contributed to the development of the workshop and charrette in Portland and San Francisco. We especially thank facilitators, the Van Evera Bailey-Oregon Community Foundation Award, UO Center for Housing Innovation, Northwest Natural, Better Bricks, Pacific Gas and Electric, and the AIA. Finally we thank three graduate research fellows from the University of Oregon who designed, transcribed, formatted, and ran energy simulations for the book: Fai Chong, Masaye Harrison, and Tobin Newburgh.

COTE Top Ten 2010 Timeline

These dates are subject to change. Stay Informed

BEST 2 – Building Enclosure Science and Technology
April 12-14, 2010 | Portland, Oregon

A three day event, comprising three tracks (Energy Efficiency/Whole Building/Fenestration) that will provide a focus on specific aspects of performance of building systems with a view to high energy efficiency, good indoor climate and long-term performance. The conference will bring together leading research from Europe, Canada and the United States focusing on existing and future buildings. The academic research will be complimented with "real world" applications and case studies. The program will include panel discussions, featured workshops and plenary speakers. Learn More

2010 Sustainable Design Assessment Team Program (SDAT) Request for Proposals

The mission of the SDAT program is to provide technical assistance and process expertise to help communities develop a vision and framework for a sustainable future. The RFP process will be discussed and questions will be addressed in an open forum format. If you would like to join this call, please indicate your interest by sending an email to communitiesbydesign@aia.org

Journal of Green Building

The Journal of Green Building is now offering a 10% discount to AIA members. You may take advantage of this discount by marking down the subscription option you select on the order form by 10% and noting that you are a AIA member.

Now in its fourth year of publication, the Journal of Green Building remains committed to providing practicing architects, engineers, and builders with the most expert advice on how to incorporate green building approaches and technologies into future projects. The Journal includes articles cover all aspects of the built environment and publishes practical and applied pieces, as well as research pieces, from authors in the fields of architecture, engineering design, construction, facilities management, financial management, and all disciplines relevant to the life cycle of built facilities and infrastructure.

The Journal of Green Building is a quarterly publication and all orders are by calendar year. You may view sample articles from our 2007 publishing season. Please note to enter the following access protocols which are case sensitive: username: Review and password: "jgbreview2007".

These materials are copyright protected and may not be posted or reproduced by any means or displayed in any other venue. They may only be reviewed directly from the Web site.

Join the AIA/COTE Forum Listserv
The forum is an open discussion about sustainable design issues that matter to architects and their allied professionals. Send an e-mail to lyris@lyris.aia.org and type Subscribe Coteforum in the subject line. You will receive an auto-reply; you must confirm to join. Your confirmation e-mail will have instructions on how to adjust your preferences and more.

Join an AIA/COTE Online Community
The AIA/COTE also maintains discussion forum on LinkedIn, Communities.aia.org, and on Wiki.aia.org.

If You Received This eNewsletter from a Friend . . .
and you're an AIA member, join the Committee on the Environnment and be added to the subscribers' list by updating your AIA member profile. Nonmembers should send their request to Filo Castore.

Blessed Unrest
by Paul Hawken

Rick Gabriel, AIA, LEED AP attended Paul Hawken's presentation at Greenbuild in Chicago and it inspired him to read the book and write this review.

In Blessed Unrest, Paul Hawken declares that the planet is sick and its inhabitants are in peril. But he offers hope: Earth's immune system is kicking in thanks to the dedication of "over one-and maybe two-million organizations working toward ecological sustainability and social justice." Full Review

If you are interested in submitting a book review, please contact Filo Castore. AIA/COTE suggested reading list can assist you in finding a book of interest to the community.

Feedback Requested for the AIA Strategic Plan

The process undertaken by the entire board at the strategic planning meeting in July is the first draft of a Strategic Plan for 2010-2015. The outcome derived the vision, mission, goals and strategies of the plan identified in the material below. This year, the strategic planning process is intended to be inclusive and transparent. As a result, we are seeking feedback from our constituents on the draft goals and strategies. Learn More

Feedback Requested for the AIA Position Statements

The AIA issues Public Policies and Position Statements as statements of belief to policy-makers, the public, and the construction industry on issues of public policy affecting the membership, the profession of architecture, or The American Institute of Architects. The Board of Directors is asking the AIA community to submit comments on proposed language for five (5) existing position statements currently under review. In addition the Board is seeking input on a proposed new position statement on Interoperability.

AIA members are encouraged to provide input on these proposals because the AIA Official Position Statements are binding on all AIA official activity, including component activities and on AIA members acting in an official capacity on behalf of the AIA. As such, the Board is asking for comments so the changes reflect the beliefs of the AIA community.

Upon conclusion of the public comment period, staff will develop a discussion draft of all submitted comments. The Board Advocacy Committee will review the comments prior to submission to the Board for further consideration and final passage during the December 2009 Board meeting. Please submit your comments no later than Friday, October 16, 2009. If you have any questions, please contact Robin Stevenson. Learn More

If you are interested in submitting an article of interest or volunteering for a regular column, please contact Filo Castore.