AIA honors exceptional designs with its COTE Top Ten Awards

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) is awarding ten design projects with its highest honor—the COTE® Top Ten Awards—for their significant achievements in advancing climate action. Complete details for each project are available on AIA’s website.

For the past 25 years, COTE has bestowed the award annually on ten design projects that have expertly integrated design excellence with cutting-edge performance in ten key areas. The COTE Top Ten projects illustrate the solutions architects provide for the health and welfare of our communities and planet.

In order to be eligible, project submissions are required to demonstrate alignment with COTE’s rigorous criteria, which include social, economic, and ecological values. The five-member jury evaluates each project submission based on the effectiveness of their holistic design solution and metrics associated with the ten measures.

This year’s COTE Top Ten Awards recipients are as follows:

— Arizona State University Hayden Library Reinvention, Tempe, Arizona | Ayers Saint Gross

— Civitas, Memphis, Tennessee | archimania

— Lafayette College Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center, Easton, Pennsylvania | Payette

— Market One, Des Moines, Iowa | Neumann Monson Architects

— Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MIT.nano, Cambridge, Massachusetts | HGA

— Microsoft Silicon Valley Campus, Mountain View, California | WRNS Studio

— Rainier Beach Clinic, Seattle | Mahlum Architects

— Ryerson University Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, Toronto | Perkins & Will

— The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, Atlanta | Lord Aeck Sargent in collaboration with The Miller Hull Partnership

— University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Seattle | Perkins & Will

Visit AIA’s website for more information on the COTE Top Ten Awards program.

Learn how MG2’s Sustainable Materials Evaluation System helps clients, prospects, and staff choose the most environmentally feasible materials for their building projects. Candon Murphy, LEED GA, Assoc. IIDA, Design Lab Manager and Materials & Sustainability Specialist with MG2, speaks with BD+C Executive Editor Rob Cassidy.

Design guide for parapets: Safety, continuity, and the building code

This course covers design considerations for parapets. The modern parapet must provide fire protection, serve as a fall-protective guard, transition and protect the roof/facade interface, conceal rooftop equipment, and contribute to the aesthetic character of the building.

Designing with architectural insulated metal wall panels

Insulated metal wall panels (IMPs) offer a sleek, modern, and lightweight envelope system that is highly customizable. This continuing education course explores the characteristics of insulated metal wall panels, including how they can offer a six-in-one design solution. Discussions also include design options, installation processes, code compliance, sustainability, and available warranties.

Planning for hospital campus access that works for people

This course defines the elements of hospital campus access that are essential to promoting the efficient, stress-free movement of patients, staff, family, and visitors. Campus access elements include signage and wayfinding, parking facilities, transportation demand management, shuttle buses, curb access, valet parking management, roadways, and pedestrian walkways.

Codes and Standards | May 2, 2022

Developer Hines, engineer MKA develop free embodied carbon reduction guide

Real estate management and investment firm Hines has released the Hines Embodied Carbon Reduction Guide. The free guide, produced with Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), is the result of a two-year effort, relying on MKA’s industry-leading knowledge of carbon accounting and involvement in programs such as the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) Tool.