Global Green News
Architects Return to Class as Green Design Advances
THE NEW YORK TIMES. AUGUST 19, 2009. By Robin Pogrebin
It seems like only yesterday that environmentally conscious building practices began making their way into the architecture profession.
How times have changed.
This year, the American Institute of Architects implemented a policy requiring all members to take four hours of continuing education courses in sustainable design every year.
The requirement, which extends through 2012, represents a response to a rapidly changing field and a recognition that architects must continue to refresh their knowledge of sustainable construction methods and building materials.
“This should be part of what all architects ought to know about,” said Fredric M. Bell, the executive director of the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects. “Education doesn’t stop at architecture school. How do you ensure people stay abreast of changes in the profession?”
On its Web site, the A.I.A. explains the thinking behind the new continuing education requirement. “The issue of climate change and the impact of buildings on carbon emissions created a new expectation among clients and the public to look to the expertise of architects for solutions that can help them leave a greener footprint,” it says. “The A.I.A. is responding to this growing demand for our members to assume greater leadership in addressing the challenges facing our planet.”
The curriculum includes courses as diverse as “Ground Source Heating & Cooling for Commercial & Residential Properties,” “How to Install — Successfully — New Wood Windows in Traditional Settings” and “Factory Preblended Mortar for Masonry Concrete.”
“The technical design skills needed have increased substantially,” said Michael Strogoff, the advisory group chair of the A.I.A.’s Practice Management Knowledge Community, which identifies and develops information on the business of architecture for use by the profession. “Bioclimatic design, energy usage, the sheer volume of sustainable materials and construction techniques require really focused learning.”
Courses are offered at the A.I.A.’s national, regional and state conventions, where participants pay a registration fee, and each local A.I.A. chapter holds sessions, some free and others costing up to $35 each. There are also private, registered providers that set their own fees, which vary widely. Licensed architects learn about subjects like building form, or how the shape of a building responds to the environment; energy modeling, including how much energy it takes to operate a building and ways to reduce the carbon footprint; how to reduce heat gain from sunlight; the most energy-efficient ways to position buildings relative to the sun, wind and other elements; ways to bring in natural light and reducing electricity consumption; and the preservation and reuse of existing buildings.
Courses are occasionally taught by building professionals outside the architecture profession, like mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and landscaping experts. “Architects need to understand how the entire building comes together,” Mr. Strogoff said.
This kind of expertise is now being applied to every aspect of design and construction, experts say, from how materials are transported to and disposed of at a work site, to the tools and machines used, to consideration of how a building will perform over the next half-century.
“How do we build buildings we can learn from so we can design higher-performance buildings?” Mr. Strogoff asked.
Whereas architects typically walk away from their projects after they are completed — perhaps visiting occasionally — now there is more emphasis on following the life of a building after it is occupied, studying how tenants use the structure and how its sustainable aspects hold up over time.
“Architects have been pushing for this, and now we have a receptive economy and a receptive clientele,” Mr. Strogoff said.
While sustainable design used to come at a premium, costs are coming down as environmentally friendly materials become more common. In addition, people are increasingly willing to pay more to live and work in a green building.
