I am short on time and long on things to do today, so I will just direct you to eco-goings-on by the American Institute of Architects. No Fountainhead-esque architects these: the AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) …
… works to advance, disseminate, and advocate — to the profession, the building industry, the academy, and the public — design practices that integrate built and natural systems and enhance both the design quality and environmental performance of the built environment.
Indeed, they seem quite confident that environmentalism can mean not the “demolition of technological/industrial civilization,” but good business.
For Earth Day, the AIA announced the 2006 Top Ten Green Projects, from Philly to Vegas to Michigan. Washington has two, which I’d brag about if Texas — Texas! — didn’t trump us with three (in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio). One of the projects is Seattle’s new Ballard Library, which makes me happy. I spent a lot of time in the old Ballard Library as a child. I’m glad to see Ballard gaining renown for its eco-ness (instead of just its lutefisk).
There’s plenty to browse through on the COTE site, from LEED initiatives in governments and schools to energy-saving guidelines to integrating sustainability and historic preservation. Check it out.
