Design for Change
Good design is adaptable, resilient, and flexible to change over time—reducing the building’s risk and vulnerability and enhancing its usability, functionality, and value.
Learn more about the AIA Framework for Design Excellence.
Reproduced with permission of The American Institute of Architects, 1735 New York Avenue, N.W.; Washington, D.C. 20006
Design for Change
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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Build Green on a Budget: Lessons from Affordable Housing
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Sustainability doesn’t have to cost more—and no one knows that better than affordable housing experts. But every project type can benefit from these 12 cost-reducing ideas that support people and the planet.
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No More Red Lines: Undoing Our Legacy of Urban Segregation
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Redlining in the U.S. has left us with unsustainable, under-resourced neighborhoods. Inclusive green design can help them heal.
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Waste Not, Want Not: Case Studies of Building Material Reuse
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Reclamation and reuse of building materials can be a tough sell and hard to design for, but many project teams have learned to make it work. Here’s how.
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Build More or Build Green? Affordable Housing’s False Choice
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The housing crisis is also a climate crisis and a social equity crisis. If we change our ways, we can address them all at once.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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USGBC to Drop Its Resilience Rating System, RELi
News Analysis
With a plan to integrate resilience into future versions of LEED, USGBC is leaving RELi behind.
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The Future of Designing with Future Weather Data
News Analysis
Energy models that use future weather files instead of historical ones could become the norm as industry standards fall into place.
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Will ESG Move the Green Building Needle?
News Analysis
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting is becoming a driver of sustainable building design and operations in the U.S.
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COTE Top Ten for 2022 Elevate Community Engagement
News Analysis
The AIA COTE Top Ten for 2002 went above and beyond to bring stakeholders into the fold.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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IRA Nuts & Bolts with an Energy Tax Expert
Webcast
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offers us a once-in-a-generation chance to equitably decarbonize the built environment and prepare communities to weather future climate threats. Will we seize that chance in time? For that to happen, it’s vital that project teams understand the rules well enough to offer and implement the right solutions.
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On-demand Webinar- Rainwater Management and LEED: Strategies to Protect Ecosystems and Communities
Webcast
In this webinar, we will review the LEED v4 and v4.1 BD+C Rainwater Management credits and discuss how real project teams are approaching and implementing successful management strategies.