COMMITTEES
COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT 2018
PHOTO: UCI Mesa-Court Towers. Mithun. Photo Detail: Bruce Damonte

The 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. COTE serves as the community and voice on behalf of AIA architects regarding sustainable design.


Principles

COTE is dedicated to preserving the earth’s capacity to sustain a shared, high quality of life, and reflects the architecture profession’s commitment to provide healthy and safe environments for people, while preserving our natural resources.  The committee’s directive is to lead and coordinate the profession’s involvement in environmental and energy-related issues and to promote the role of the architect as a leader in preserving and protecting the planet and its living systems.

Activities

As committee of the AIA COTE strives to educate and inform the (design) community about environmental and preservation issues, and advises the Institute on policy matters affecting the practice of architecture.

Advocacy and outreach for educators, students, public and private institutions through is provided through various formats, including symposia, lecture series, architecture tours and educational programs.


PAST EVENTS
08.3.18
The SIX Veterans Housing Tour
The SIX offers 52 welcoming and supportive homes to individuals who have experienced homelessness, with 18 of them set aside specifically for veterans. Join AIALA COTE for a tour of this multi-award-winning LEED Platinum building.
06.29.18
Shriners for Children Medical Center Tour
The new Shriners for Children Medical Center in Pasadena, California represents a paradigm shift in the care model that moves from an inpatient to a largely outpatient model.
07.21.18
UCLA Engineering VI Tour
Prominently located on Westwood Plaza, Engineering VI presents a new face for the School of Engineering and provides a range of sophisticated research environments and gathering spaces.
09.15.18
AIA|LA COTE Awards Day Tour
Join AIA|LA COTE in La Jolla and Anaheim for exclusive tours of two 2017 COTE AIA|LA award winning healthcare facility projects: J. Craig Venter Institute and Kaiser Permanente Kraemer Radiation Oncology Center.
10.11.18
Prepared to Design for Zero Net Energy?
Are you ready for ZNE? Join AIA|LA and AIA|LA COTE for an informative multi-disciplinary panel of experts in a discussion dedicated to helping small firms achieve net zero energy building design.
08.15.18
UC Irvine Mesa Court Towers Tour
Tour this 2017 AIA|LA COTE Awards Honor winning building with architect Bill LaPatra, AIA of Seattle-based firm Mithun.

10.19.18
Blossom Plaza Tour
Tour this transit-oriented, urban mixed-use development located just off the Metro Gold Line Chinatown Station.

AIA|LA COTE: EVENTS & AWARDS
03.02.2018
2°C: A SYMPOSIUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE
In 2018, COTE produced the first annual AIA|LA Symposium on Climate Change: 2°C.
The 2°C Symposium was intended to unify the public, the architectural design community and the building industry to discuss and address the sustainability issues challenging our society today.
DESIGN AWARDS
2018 AIA|LA COTE AWARDS
The AIA|LA COTE Awards is Southern California's premier program that honors work for excellent design, sustainable practice, and high performance buildings. The Awards celebrate projects that meet COTE’s rigorous criteria for social and ecological value.

AIA|LA COTE RESOURCE LIBRARY
AIA|LA COTE Blog
Read the latest articles and publications from members of AIA|LA COTE.
Current News
Read the top news stories concerning sustainability, global warming, and natural resources.
Green Shelf
Resource library of publications from leaders of green design.

COMMITTEE CHAIRS
CHAIR
Simone Barth-Auster, Assoc. AIA
CO-CHAIR
Tighe Lanning, Assoc. AIA

CREDITS
PHOTO: Banner: UCI Mesa-Court Towers. Mithun. Detail of image by Bruce Damonte || (PAST EVENTS) The SIX. Brooks+Scarpa. Detail of photo by TaraWucjik | Shriners for Children Medical Center. CO Architects. Detail of photo by Tom Bonner | UCLA Engineering VI. Moore Ruble Yudell Architects + Planners. Detail of photo by John Edward Linden || 2°C. Detail of video by Sam Auster.