 AIA Architects Walk the Walk on Sustainable Design
It’s time to take a united stand on the issue of sustainable design. Listen to the message from AIA Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice President Christine McEntee, view the AIA’s message to the public on where we stand and how we can be part of the solution, and check out the AIA’s new Sustainable Resource Center for Architects and clients alike.
McKinsey Releases Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Buildings can have negative cost if we act now, report find
In a report released November 29, McKinsey & Company analyzed more than 250 options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. over the next 25 years. The report identified five “clusters of abatement potential,” the most cost-efficient of which is “Buildings and Appliances.” By advancing several areas of promising technology, the report finds that building design could report “negative cost” by 2030, meaning that implementation of these technologies would result in positive economic gain.
 New AIA Research Report Shows Communities Are Going Green
American cities are going green and local leaders are charging ahead with innovative sustainability policies. Since 2003, the number of cities with green building programs has increased by more than 400 percent, due to a concerted effort by local political leaders and officials, architects, and others within the design/building industry and grassroots support. Local Leaders in Sustainability: A Study of Green Building Programs in Our Nation’s Communities, a new research effort from the AIA Government Advocacy team, examines the current state of green building laws in American cities as of this year.
 Jane Jacobs and the Crucible of Prosperity
Over the deceased activist’s objections, the new Brooklyn waterfront will have to survive its success
Urbanist and author Jane Jacobs’ advocacy against the rezoning of the Brooklyn industrial waterfront provides another opportunity to assess her work and legacy, especially in light of the Municipal Art Society of New York’s new exhibit, “Jane Jacobs and the Future of New York.” Jacobs’ objections to the rezoning stem from her belief that large-scale master planning stifles the authentic and organic growth of cities, which is better accomplished through the proliferation of mixed uses and social and architectural diversity.
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