AIA Colorado recognizes that every design decision we make—on projects of every size—impacts our environment, climate, and planet. This impact isn’t something we can take for granted, with buildings generating nearly 40 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Another 11 percent of those emissions come from building materials and construction. Material and product decisions affect ecosystems where materials are extracted. Every site is permanently altered when a building is constructed.
As sustainable design has advanced over the decades, net-zero and even regenerative buildings have started to become a reality. These are still extreme outliers in the context of the overall built environment. To combat climate change we need to make sustainable design synonymous with design itself.
In our rapidly changing world, AIA Colorado and our Committee on the Environment are committed to helping our members become leaders in sustainable design and do our part in protecting the earth alongside our commitment to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public. We invite you to explore the resources below and to join the 2030 Commitment.