Design for Equitable Communities
Design solutions affect more than the client and current occupants. Good design positively impacts the future by helping communities thrive—socially, economically, and environmentally.
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 Equitable Communities
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
Wood: Is It Still Good? Part One: Embodied Carbon
Feature
The idea that wood is inherently carbon neutral has masked negative impacts. The climate stakes are too high for us to keep buying those claims.
-
Wood: Is It Still Good? Part Two: Moving from Carbon to Climate
Feature
Mass timber at scale could make climate change worse. Instead of embodied carbon alone, “climate-smart” practices focus on our increasingly fragile forests.
-
Build Green on a Budget: Lessons from Affordable Housing
Feature
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.
-
No More Red Lines: Undoing Our Legacy of Urban Segregation
Feature
Redlining in the U.S. has left us with unsustainable, under-resourced neighborhoods. Inclusive green design can help them heal.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
High Performance, High Design: The COTE Top Ten for 2021
News Analysis
The American Institute of Architects has announced its COTE Top Ten high-performance building winners for this year.
-
Trauma-Informed Design: A New Social Equity Imperative
News Analysis
Trauma-informed design applies the principles of “trauma-informed care,” helping prevent re-traumatization while reducing stress for everyone. -
Racial Equity Impact Assessments and How They Work
News Analysis
Racial equity impact assessments are tools for analyzing community impacts of policies and projects, and can help teams center equity as an ongoing priority.
-
Energy Impoverishment: What It Is and How to Fix It
News Analysis
A new Groundswell study looks at solutions to energy impoverishment, which low-income families face despite programs designed to help.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
- Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters.
- Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop.
- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
-
Keeping PFAS Forever Chemicals out of Building Products
Feature
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been linked to negative health and environmental impacts. Getting them out of our building products is going to require work.
-
Keeping PFAS Forever Chemicals out of Building Products
Spotlight Report
-
Let’s Get Real about Wood’s Carbon Footprint
Webcast
You’ve probably heard that wood products are carbon neutral. You might also have heard that timber harvesting causes immense carbon emissions. Which is it? Could it be both?
-
Wood: Is It Still Good? Part One: Embodied Carbon
Spotlight Report
