Creating the Sustainable Workplace
By Rob Obenreder, AIA
The greatest opportunity for increasing the business bottom line is in improving employee performance. Providing inappropriate space or installing systems, furniture, and technology that meet only minimum standards can have disastrous long-term effects. Sustainable workplaces bring value to your operations by helping you create healthy, productive, innovative workplaces. The U.S. General Services Administration offers some standards—and a model—for accomplishing this through its Integrated Workplace Program.

Public Architecture and LEED^TM: Making It Green and Fair
By Jonathan Herz, AIA, LEED
As many public architects already know, LEED^TM in the public sector is here to stay. It has been adopted as a standard or guideline by dozens of state, local, and federal agencies. Some are concerned that there is a premium associated with green design, but a recent GSA study found that, in some scenarios, "a LEED rating could potentially be achieved within a standard GSA project budget (without a green building allowance)." While LEED can help us achieve our environmental and business goals, social equity must also be incorporated in the choices we make if truly sustainable development is to be achieved.

Learning from Lower Manhattan Conference Report
By Bruce T. Bockstael, FAIA
The Public Architects Committee was one of five AIA knowledge communities that joined the AIA New York Chapter in presenting the Learning from Lower Manhattan Conference, September 17-19, 2004. This report, by Bruce T. Bockstael, FAIA, summarizes the breakout session sponsored by the Public Architects Committee, "Public Officials React to 9/11," and the subsequent plenary session, "Respondents: What Have We Learned?".