The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) is the oldest U.S. program dedicated to sustainable design. In 1997, COTE introduced its annual Top Ten Awards, “the profession's best known recognition program for sustainable design excellence” (AIA), to celebrate exemplary projects and give the industry guidance on how to integrate green building principles. In 2015, to mark its 25th anniversary, COTE embarked on a landmark research initiative to study the first two decades of Top Ten, published in 2016 as Lessons from the Leading Edge. Part of the research was to revisit the program’s criteria of evaluation, known as the COTE Measures of Sustainable Design. The result of this effort was to overhaul the program with a completely new set of principles and metrics. The 2017 Top Ten Awards are the first year to use new criteria such as economic impact and more robust metrics for health and resilience. In this presentation, three members of the COTE Advisory Group presented the new criteria and engage the audience in a lively discussion about what defines sustainable design. Z Smith, Lance Hosey of Harley Ellis Devereaux, and Angie Brooks of Brooks + Scarpa presented to a packed crowd at the 2017 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Questions about the presentation? Want to learn more? Reach out to us at communication@eskewdumezripple.com.

1. Redefining Sustainable Design:
The New AIA COTE Measures
Lance Hosey, FAIA, LEED Fellow | Harley Ellis Devereaux @lancehosey
Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA, LEED BD+C | MALeco @lazarusmal
Z Smith, AIA, LEED Fellow | Eskew Dumez Ripple @zesmith3
American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment
Presented at Greenbuild 2017 | November 8-10, 2017 | Boston
Session D05 | Thursday November 9th, 2017

3. Learning Objectives
• Identify emerging strategies for integrating
design excellence and sustainable performance
• Practice collaborative, integrative habits for
improving the design process
• Outline recommendations for accelerating the
profession’s progress toward sustainability
• Explore cost-effective methods for improving
performance and comfort

4. aia.org/cote @AIA_COTE

5. COTE founded Top Ten launched
USGBC founded LEED launched

6. “
COTE Top Ten Awards
The profession’s best known
recognition program for
sustainable design excellence.
—AIA

7. 2018 COTE Top Ten
Michelle Addington
Dean, School of
Architecture,
The University of Texas
AusKn
Jennifer Devlin-Herbert, FAIA
EHDD
San Francisco
Kevin Schorn, AIA
Renzo Piano Building Workshop,
New York
Julie V. Snow, FAIA
Snow Kreilich
Minneapolis
M. Susan Ubbelohde
LOISOS + UBBELOHDE
Alameda, California

8. 2017 - 2018 COTE Top Ten for Students – Innovation 2030
Karin Bjorkman
Nola | Van Peursem
Architects
2016-2017 COTE Student
Winner
Thomas Fisher
University of Minnesota
Jeanne Gange
Studio Gang
Ted Hyman
ZGF
JusNn Brown
MASS Design Group

9. COTE Top Ten Awards | Good Design Meets Good Performance
Packard FoundationBullitt Center
Ballard Library Canyon Visitors Center

11. COTE Top Ten Awards in Massachusetts (#6 overall)
Sbrega Building, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA Kern Center, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA
2017

12. COTE Top Ten Awards in Boston
Genzyme Center Macallen Building
Garthwaite Center
Artists for Humanity226-232 Highland Street

13. Top Ten launched
LEED launched
Challenge in 1997:
HOW TO DEFINE “GREEN BUILDING” PRE-LEED?

14. AUDIENCE POLL:
WHAT TOPICS DO YOU MOST
ASSOCIATE WITH SUSTAINABLE
DESIGN?

15. COTE Measures of Sustainable Design 2003-2016
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

16. What can we learn from two decades of COTE Top Ten?
Spring, 2016

17. Energy savings among COTE Top Ten winners
51% 63%
2016 AVERAGE: 73%
2017 AVERAGE: 88%

18. What can we learn from two decades of COTE Top Ten?
Spring, 2017

19. Sustainability trends impacting practice

20. Goals for the new COTE Top Ten framework
• Shift to impact
• Triple bottom line themes
• Health & Social Equity
• Economics and Affordability
• Carbon as a common currency
• Reward shift to actual
measured performance
post-occupancy

21. The new COTE Top Ten measures of sustainable design

22. The new COTE Top Ten measures of sustainable design
CARBON

23. The new COTE Top Ten measures of sustainable design
EQUITY

24. SOCIAL EQUITY THREAD
Step Up on Fifth
Affordable multi-family housing

25. Measure 1: Design for Integration
What’s the big idea? How
does the project
demonstrate the
intersection of design
excellence and sustainable
performance?

26. Josey Pavilion – Lake|FlatoIntegration

27. Measure 1: Design for Integration
Ballard Library, 2006 COTE Top Ten winner

28. Good design and good performance
2017 Milken InsKtute of Public Health Paye`e
2017 Stanford Central Energy Facility ZGF 2017
2017
Projects winning both AIA InsKtute Honor Award & AIA COTE Top Ten

29. Measure 2: Design for Community
How does this project
make the most of its
surrounding community,
integrate with it, and give
back?
• Community engagement during
design & operation: Equity
• Urban connectivity &
transportation impacts

30. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
Sweetwater Spectrum– Leddy Maytum StacyCommunity

31. Measure 2: Design for Community
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• Level of community engagement
• Inform
• Consult
• Involve
• Collaborate
• Walk Score. www.walkscore.com
• Encouraged
• Surveyed % who commute via
walking, biking, mass transit
• Estimate the annual carbon
emissions associated with the
transportation of those coming to or
returning from the building

32. Measure 3: Design for Ecology
How does this project
respond, connect, and
contribute to the
surrounding climate &
ecosystem, and build a
connection to place

33. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
New Orleans BioInnovation Center | Eskew+Dumez+RippleEcology

35. Measure 3: Design for Ecology
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• % of site that is
planted &
connected to
regional
ecosystems

36. Measure 4: Design for Water
How does the project
use water wisely and
handle rainfall
responsibly?

37. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
Omega Center for Sustainble Living | BNIMWater

38. Measure 4: Design for Water
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• Predicted water use
• City water for irrigation?
• Encouraged
• Measured water use?
• Rainwater capture?
• Graywater / black-water?
• Stormwater handling?
• Water quality metrics

39. Measure 5: Design for Economy
How does the design show
that higher performance can
be cost-effective?

40. Great performance doesn’t have to cost more
ENERGYREDUCTION
COST /SF (2015 $)

41. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
Hughes Warehouse | Overland PartnersEconomy

42. Measure 5: Design for Economy
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• $/SF
• Encouraged
• $/SF of this building type, this
region.
• $/employee, $/resident…
• Operating $/yr savings
• LCA stories

43. Measure 6: Design for Energy
How much energy does the
project use, is any of that
energy generated on-site
from renewable sources,
and what’s the net carbon
impact?

44. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
David & Lucille Packard Foundation| EHDDEnergy

45. Measure 6: Design for Energy
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• $/SF
• Encouraged
• $/SF of this building type, this
region.
• $/employee, $/resident…
• Operating $/yr savings
• LCA stories

46. Measure 6: Design for Energy
Metrics (continued)
• Strongly Encouraged
• Measured EUI
• Carbon emissions (lb/sf/yr) based
on measured EUI
• % improvement

47. Measure 7: Design for Wellness
How does the project
promote the comfort
and health of those
who spend time in it?

48. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
Milken Institute | PayetteWellness

49. Measure 7: Design for Wellness
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• % with views
• % within 30’ of operable windows
• % daylit (fixed time)
• How easily can occupants control
their own thermal comfort and
lighting?

50. Measure 7: Design for Wellness
Metrics (continued):
• Encouraged
• Peak measured CO2 levels during
full occupancy (ppm)
• Peak measured VOC levels during
full occupancy (ppb)
• Annual daylighting performance
• % of material, incorporating health
criteria such as HPD or Red List
compliances

51. Measure 8: Design for Resources
How were the
decisions about the
materials used based
on an understanding
of their impact,
especially carbon
impact?

52. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
The Bullitt Center| Miller HullResources

53. Measure 8: Design for Resources
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• CO2 intensity of
construction (lbs/sf)

54. Measure 8: Design for Resources
Metrics (continued):
• Encouraged
• LCA
• EPD
• % waste diversion
• % reused materials
• % recycled content
• % regional
• % Declare / Cradle-to-Cradle

55. Measure 9: Design for Change
How does the project
design anticipate
adapting to new
uses, adapt to
climate change, and
support resilient
recovery from
disasters?

56. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
Pearl Brewery – Lake | Flato
Change

57. Measure 9: Design for Change
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• % existing structure re-use
• Function without utility power?
• Encouraged
• % onsite renewable
• Carbon emissions saved through
adaptive reuse vs new construction
• RELi

58. Measure 10: Design for Discovery
What lessons for
better design have
been learned through
the process of
project design,
construction, and
occupancy?
Projects with exemplary actual
performance and post-occupancy
information will be highlighted among
the award recipients as ‘Top Ten Plus’.

59. Robert Ivy, FAIA | Chief Executive Officer | May 21, 2013
Discovery School | VMDODiscovery

60. Measure 10: Design for Discovery
Metrics:
• Mandatory
• Post-
occupancy
evaluation?
• Results?

61. The new COTE Top Ten measures of sustainable design

62. 2018 COTE Top Ten
Michelle Addington
Dean, School of
Architecture,
The University of Texas
AusKn
Jennifer Devlin-Herbert, FAIA
EHDD
San Francisco
Kevin Schorn, AIA
Renzo Piano Building Workshop,
New York
Julie V. Snow, FAIA
Snow Kreilich
Minneapolis
M. Susan Ubbelohde
LOISOS + UBBELOHDE
Alameda, California

63. 2018 COTE Top Ten -- Webinar December 6th
h`p://bit.ly/COTEwebinar18

64. Redefining Sustainable Design:
The New AIA COTE Measures
American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment
Lance Hosey, FAIA, LEED Fellow | Harley Ellis Devereaux @lancehosey
Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA, LEED BD+C | MALeco @lazarusmal
Z Smith, AIA, LEED Fellow | Eskew Dumez Ripple @zesmith3

65. Lance Hosey lhosey@hed.design
Mary Ann Lazarus mary.ann.lazarus@gmail.com
Z Smith zsmith@eskewdumezripple.com