AIA, USGBC Agree to Develop Strategic Alliance
On May 28, leaders of the AIA and the U.S. Green Building Council signed a memorandum agreeing to develop a strategic alliance toward advancing the two organizations’ shared goals and complementing existing collaborative activities that include continuing education, research, and the AIA-coordinated 2030 coalition. Focusing in areas where there is already strong collaboration, the AIA and USGBC will create a strategic alliance and associated work plan in three main areas: advocacy, education, and research. Earlier in May, AIA and USGBC staff and volunteer leadership identified at least 10 possible collaborative projects, with prospects of more to be identified in the near future. The strategic alliance will include an annual leadership meeting, regular meetings between senior staff leadership, and existing efforts, such as reciprocal sponsorship of USGBC’s Greenbuild and the AIA’s annual convention. Download a PDF of the memorandum, which was signed by AIA Executive Vice President/CEO Christine McEntee and USGBC President, CEO & Founding Chairman S. Richard Fedrizzi. (PDF)

Utah Museum of Natural History Unveils Design
Design by Polshek Partnership, GSBS Architects embraces landscape, culture of the Beehive State
On May 15, the Utah Museum of Natural History unveiled the design for its new museum, created by Polshek Partnership Architects of New York City and Gillies Stransky Brems Smith Architects of Salt Lake City. The project will be built at the edge of the University of Utah campus on a “bench” site that offers breathtaking views of Great Salt Lake and the Oquirrhs Mountains. The parti for the building is to serve as the “trailhead” for the State of Utah, and, along with the collection it houses, “to create an inspirational visitor experience and encourage curiosity and inquiry.” The project is registered as a LEED® Gold project, and as such will incorporate sustainable strategies that include minimal disruption to the 17-acre site, retention of storm water through green roofs and detention lakes below the parking area, use of recyclable and recycled materials, restoration of existing hiking trails, and future integration of a photovoltaic array. The museum is slated to break ground in July and be completed by early 2011.

LEED 2009 Now Open for Public Comment
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on May 20 opened the first public comment period on LEED® 2009, the next evolution of the LEED green building certification system. The public comment period will be open until June 22. LEED 2009, according to the USGBC, represents a reorganization of the existing LEED rating systems for commercial buildings, combined with a series of major technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing other environmental and human health outcomes. The LEED Green Building Rating System was developed by USGBC in 2000 to drive market transformation in the building industry by defining a consensus metric for leadership in green building that forms a basis for continuous improvement. Detailed information about specific proposed technical changes to the rating system can be found in the background documents that accompany the public comment forms on USGBC’s Web site.

Dutch Architecture School Destroyed by Fire; Donations Needed
A huge fire on May 13 destroyed the Architecture Building at the Delft Technical University in the Netherlands. Although thankfully no one was hurt, the architecture department lost everything, including its library. At the moment, faculty and students are all working from home or in temporary facilities to complete the school year, but their thoughts are on rebuilding, and they will be seeking donations soon. “I am happy to say that in demolishing the building today, [May 20] the fire department [found] a few precious volumes from our collection,” says Dr. Lesllie Kavanaugh, an architecture professor. “Still, much rebuilding of our collection remains to be done, and for any donations that AIA members feel moved to contribute, I would be most grateful as would generations of students to come when we rebuild our facility.” For more information about making a donation, please contact Anke Versteeg, Tudelft University Library, Prometheusplein 12628 ZC Delft; phone, +31 (0)15 27 85678; e-mail: a.m.c.versteeg@tudelft.nl.

Gold Medal and Firm Award Reminder—Submissions Due July 11
AIA Gold Medal and Architecture Firm Award submissions are due July 11. Nominations from AIA components, members of the AIA Board of Directors, Knowledge Communities, and by petition are welcome. For submission forms and binders, visit the Honors and Awards Web site or contact Molly Roche in the Honors and Awards Department, 202-626-7586 or mroche@aia.org. (Pictured is home of the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, designed and built by the 2008 Gold Medal recipient in Genoa. Photo courtesy of the architect.)

Clarification:
Stephen K. Loos, FAIA, was elected the Institute’s secretary (not treasurer) beginning in 2009. We apologize for any confusion our reporting of last week may have caused.