Perkins&Will’s Post

"The greenest building is the one that already exists." - Carl Elefante, former president of the The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Renovating buildings dramatically reduces the embodied carbon associated with the manufacture, transport, and assembly of construction materials. Studies have shown that renovating Chicago's Century and Consumers buildings would prevent the release of 12,500 TONS of carbon into the atmosphere. It would take dense forest covering an area from Hyde Park to Lincoln Park—10,000 acres—an entire YEAR to capture all of this carbon. Plus, transforming the buildings into renovated, carbon neutral structures could provide much-needed housing in an area close to school, work, and entertainment. Make a difference this Earth Day! Let the federal government know your thoughts by taking the public opinion poll: https://lnkd.in/g7NeMx6S Climate Action Museum Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Center for Neighborhood Technology AIA Chicago Sierra Club City of Chicago #Chicago #CenturyandConsumersBuildings #EarthDay #EarthMonth #ClimateChange

For my fellow planners and others involved in local climate resilience - this looks like a really useful workshop. "This webinar will focus on the role municipalities can play in adopting cool roofs in the region and tools and resources available to do that, such as: - Educational outreach materials - How to use land use policy and zoning to encourage cool roofs adoption - Model procurement language for municipal facilities retrofitting a roof - Online cool roof suitability map"

There are some challenging - and valid - points in this opinion piece, especially when you consider how Charleston was built, but there has to be a middle ground. Preservation guidelines are often a blunt tool, not well coordinated with zoning practices or intent. Historic districts have been overused in places where form-base zoning or neighborhood conservation districts would have been a better solution to achieve the end result. Adaptive use strategies need to be encouraged and innovation in grant programs to accommodate building upgrades, such as the installation of sprinkler systems, as valid as subsidies for facade improvements, to maintain the character of a neighborhood or business district.

"Sunlit Remembrance: Architecture, War, and Climate 🌅🏛️ The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, a poignant symbol of sacrifice, aligns with the sun's annual tribute. On November 11th, a ray illuminates the inscription "Greater love hath no man." 🕊️🌿 In a climate-conscious era, the words take an unexpected turn: 'Avenge earth hot normal.' 🔥🌏 How can architecture and politics unite to combat climate challenges, especially in the context of a war where the UK played a leading role? Join the dialogue for a sustainable future. 🤝🍃 #SunlitRemembrance #ArchitectureAndClimate #ClimateDialogue"

Join Stephen Paternostro MPH, CIH, CSP and Emily Reeves at the upcoming edition of "Shaping the City: A Forum for Sustainable Cities and Communities," organized by the European Cultural Centre in collaboration with NANO Architecture | Interiors October 5th and 6th either online or at the AIA Center for Design here in New Orleans! The mission of Shaping the City is to foster knowledge sharing, best practices, and global collaboration to address the pressing challenges our cities and communities face. In New Orleans, we're delving into a crucial theme: "Designing for Climate Emergency." New Orleans, with its unique history, geography, and urban fabric, is a vital stage for these discussions. As coastal cities grapple with rising sea levels and extreme weather events, the lens of environmental justice allows us to examine the intricate interplay between cultural heritage and urban development. If you’d like to attend or learn more, check out the link: https://lnkd.in/gMGEdW-x #ShapingTheCity

Check out the story behind this inspiring living building project!

This week, dive into the hidden history of urban water management! Today, urban dwellers tend to think about where their water comes from only when it stops flowing, or when it flows too much. Water usually makes it to residential consumers through an extensive and technologically sophisticated infrastructure that remains largely invisible outside times of crisis. Across much of human history, by contrast, the question of where to get water for daily needs was much more immediate. While the technologies used to gather and distribute water in the past may have been less complex, the basic principles are the same. Join our panel of scholars who will dissect the evolution of water management from ancient Rome to the Maya civilization and into the modern US Southwest. Panelists Tim Beach (The University of Texas at Austin - College of Liberal Arts), Michael Holleran (The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture), Adam Rabinowitz (The University of Texas at Austin - College of Liberal Arts) and Rabun Taylor (The University of Texas at Austin - College of Liberal Arts) discuss the connection of those practices with social and historical developments in both the Old and the New Worlds. Discover how these historical practices echo through time, offering insights into current densely settled areas' water management dilemmas. Details and RSVP: https://bit.ly/3TJa1nO

SLU is developing an excellent series of articles related to urban heat. Their latest article explores how landscape architects can create cool islands in the city in the face of global climate change and urban heat island intensification. https://lnkd.in/dNbtycMg

The ASLA Fund has released new peer-reviewed research on landscape architecture solutions to extreme heat, the deadliest climate impact. The research was developed by Dr. Daniella Hirschfeld, ASLA, PhD, Assistant Professor of Climate Adaptation Planning, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Department, Utah State University. Dr. Hirschfeld won a competitive national grant from the ASLA Fund in 2023 to conduct the research. Hirschfeld and her team found from the research that: - Increasing the number of nature-based solutions within a community, the size of these solutions, and the amount of greenery or trees will decrease temperatures. - The way nature-based solutions are distributed throughout a neighborhood or city makes a difference. Research shows that the more green spaces are connected to one another the greater temperature reductions benefits they provide. Read the executive summary, which includes case studies and project examples, and the full research study: https://bit.ly/3x2ECn5 Image Credit: Landscape Architecture Solutions to Extreme Heat. Dr. Daniella Hirschfeld, ASLA / ASLA Fund

Building will always be part of our society. There is enough information and understanding these days to design for evolution. As stakeholders, the minimum needs to be raised. It doesn't have to be a political association...who wouldn't want cool places to enjoy. Excited to see my alma mater responsible for the research. Go Aggies! #Utahstate * "Research shows that the more green spaces are connected to one another the greater temperature reductions benefits they provide" Four key landscape architecture strategies to reduce heat impacts: -Increase tree percentage in parks and green spaces -Provide shade on sites -Use plant materials and water instead of hardscape -Use green ground cover, including grasses and shrubs