Require of graduating architects full competence to design energy-neutral buildings.

Require of graduating architects full competence to design energy-neutral buildings.

The Issue

Climate change is one of the most important issues facing our society and the world (more info at www.epa.gov/climatechange/indicators/pdfs/ClimateIndicators_full.pdf). Buildings - both existing and new - consume roughly 49% of all energy consumed by the US economy, and produce roughly 47% of all CO2 emissions of the US economy (more than either transportation or industry). Electricity in particular is a major component of the energy consumption of buildings, and by being produced by power plants - especially coal-fired power plants - loses roughly 70% of its efficiency - between production and transmission - before it reaches you or me as consumers. There are many ways that buildings can be designed to minimize their demand for energy, and architects are key decisionmakers in how buildings are designed. Therefore all graduates from professional schools should be well equipped with the tools, skills and methods to design energy-neutral buildings and projects. Schools are where professional architects are being trained, and the sole US regulating body of these schools, the National Architectural Accrediting Board, has a singular role to play in challenging all US schools of architecture to develop curricula that will produce such fully competent professionals.  

avatar of the starter
Peter PapeschPetition StarterRetired architect-developer, currently heavily engaged in education of architects (both peers as well as future architects) as well as neighbors by chairing two committees: the Boston Society of Architects' Sustainability Education Committee, and the Back Bay Green Initiative.
This petition had 343 supporters

The Issue

Climate change is one of the most important issues facing our society and the world (more info at www.epa.gov/climatechange/indicators/pdfs/ClimateIndicators_full.pdf). Buildings - both existing and new - consume roughly 49% of all energy consumed by the US economy, and produce roughly 47% of all CO2 emissions of the US economy (more than either transportation or industry). Electricity in particular is a major component of the energy consumption of buildings, and by being produced by power plants - especially coal-fired power plants - loses roughly 70% of its efficiency - between production and transmission - before it reaches you or me as consumers. There are many ways that buildings can be designed to minimize their demand for energy, and architects are key decisionmakers in how buildings are designed. Therefore all graduates from professional schools should be well equipped with the tools, skills and methods to design energy-neutral buildings and projects. Schools are where professional architects are being trained, and the sole US regulating body of these schools, the National Architectural Accrediting Board, has a singular role to play in challenging all US schools of architecture to develop curricula that will produce such fully competent professionals.  

avatar of the starter
Peter PapeschPetition StarterRetired architect-developer, currently heavily engaged in education of architects (both peers as well as future architects) as well as neighbors by chairing two committees: the Boston Society of Architects' Sustainability Education Committee, and the Back Bay Green Initiative.

The Decision Makers

Judith Kinnard, FAIA
Judith Kinnard, FAIA
ACSA
Keelan Kaiser, AIA
Keelan Kaiser, AIA
NAAB
Ted Landsmark, M.Ev.D., JD, PhD
Ted Landsmark, M.Ev.D., JD, PhD
NAAB
Nick Mancusi, Assoc. AIA
Nick Mancusi, Assoc. AIA
AIAS
Laura Meador, Assoc. AIA
Laura Meador, Assoc. AIA
AIAS

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