Committee on the Environment
COTE
The AIANH Committee on the Environment (COTE) mission is to advance, advocate and empower excellent and thoughtful design that creates sustainable, resilient, healthy and equitable buildings and communities.
We advance, disseminate, and advocate to the architecture profession, the building industry, the academy, and the public. We focus on design practices that integrate built and natural systems to enhance both the design quality and environmental performance of the built environment.
COTE serves as the community and voice of AIANH regarding sustainable design through spearheading workshops and lectures with design professionals; advocacy with government and civic organizations; and broadening outreach to affiliated trades and the general public.
A Brief History of the AIANH COTE (Formerly the Environmental Guild)
Our activities include:
Supporting AIA COTE National and the 2030 Commitment towards a carbon-free built environment.
Furthering knowledge and uptake of the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, a deep green framework for creating better buildings.
Supporting the environmental emphasis of the AIA Code of Ethics.
Creating synergies between AIANH committees towards a fully integrated approach to sustainability.
Advocating for a progressive and sustainable NH through associated local programs.
Educating architects and other built environment professionals, as well as the public, on sustainability, resiliency and equity.
Outreach and Education
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River House Tour: A Tranquil Transformation
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A New Pattern Language: Putting the Framework for Design Excellence into Practice
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A review of the newly legislated 2018 Building Codes in NH
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Building a Global Carbon Sink: A Presentation by Alan Organschi
Online Learning
COTE recommended self-paced courses
Healthy materials webinars:
www.Newschool.edu/parsons/healthier-materials-sustainable-building-certificate
Self-paced 4-course series. $100/4 or $50/each.
Embodied Carbon webinars:
Resources for Practitioners
A guide to many excellent resources on sustainability in building design. Including these:
AIA Tool Kit (COTE TOP 10) >
10 areas of focus for Sustainable design.
A good resource to share with clients at the start of a project.
BEAM Estimator >
Carbon calculator geared toward small-scale builders.
Beta site launching in May, appropriate to scale of most NH builders.
CLF AIA Embodied Carbon Toolkit >
Brief intro guides on Introduction, Measuring, and Reduction Strategies.
Excellent intros - should be required reading for everyone so maybe we promote these prominently - or even develop a program around walking through them.
EC3 >
Embodied carbon calculator for materials
Means to find + compare materials based on EPDs - industry leader
Join The COTE!
This is an open invitation for those with a passion for responsible design to join the COTE. The COTE welcomes input from a wide spectrum of professionals. Our meetings include serious discussions of pressing environmental issues, and informal musings of current events. The COTE meets virtually on third Thursdays from 5:15-6:00. If you are involved in any way with building planning, construction or renovations and are interested in promoting environmentally responsible practices, please consider attending. To get involved or for further information, please contact chairperson, Tracy Kozak, AIA tracy.kozak@arcove.com.