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AIA www.aiahouston.org American Institute of Arch rican Architects Houston Chapter Mission: To accomplish things in the practice of architecture and in the Houston community that no single architect could do alone. The Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has long been committed to improving the quality of life in the Houston area by promoting good design, sustainable practices, and responsible leadership. AIA Houston’s over 1,800 architect members have embraced strategies for environmental responsibility, understanding that the buildings in which we live and work are part of our ecosystems. AIA’s national “Walk the Walk” campaign reminds the nation of the enormous impact architects can make by designing and renovating buildings that minimize the use of toxic materials, conserve non-renewable energy and natural resources, use recycled materials, and generally avoid contributing to adverse effects on air, water, soil, ﬂora, and fauna of our own. AIA and AIA Houston have joined with other groups aiming for net zero energy buildings by 2030. In recent years AIA Houston has sponsored and supported many programs focused on the greening of Houston. We were instrumental in helping the City of Houston establish its Green Building Resource Center. In 2005 we began the now annual Gulf Coast Green, a succesful and inﬂuential regional symposium and Expo. Our Committee on the Environment (COTE), which initiated Gulf Coast Green, sponsors recycling programs, educational seminars, and other events focused on improving our environment. COTE also successfully lobbied for a new local Energy Code. AIA Houston also conducts frequent continuing education classes to help our members keep up-to-date on sustainability, new techniques, products, and designs. The most recent accomplishment of AIA Houston and its partner, the Architecture Center Houston Foundation, has been completion of a solar pilot project for the George R. Brown Convention Center (see page 10). AIA Houston member architects and ﬁrms proudly offer architectural expertise in every possible practice area from the smallest house to the largest urban planning project, and they are all concerned with sustainability. Our members provide the highest quality of architectural service available and actively participate in making the country’s fourth largest city a great place to live and work.

Houston_Green_10.23.09

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