Committee on the Environment
Mission
The Committee on the Environment works to advocate and promote sustainability and green design practices among the public and the architecture profession.
The committee meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at Noon. To learn more about the committee, please contact either committee chair.
Bonny Gray, AIA - Chair
Kate Tart, AIA - Co-Chair
Goals
Promote sustainable architecture to the mainstream public.
Engage in the development of current sustainable practice's and related governmental policies.
AEGB Draft of Multi-Family Rating
Introductory Letter
Draft Rating
Summary of Changes
In the summer of 2010, Texas Timber Frames and Lumber Link decided to work together to become the best specialty timber providers in South and Central Texas. For years both companies looked at the same building plans and bid against each other. They were both attempting to provide the timber and any timber fabrication that they came across. However, in looking at what each...
The East Texas Car Barn is a 20,000 square foot museum for a personal collection of classic cars, tractors, and neon signs. The structure is over 53 feet to its peak and is 100'x200'. This project, which is private owner driven (no pun intended) and designed by Texas Timber Frames, will be the largest timber frames structure in Texas and one of the largest in the nation. ...
The historic Brackenridge Golf Course, located just north of downtown San Antonio, recently completed a breathtaking 2,240 square foot outdoor pavilion. Brackenridge, which revamped its greens, tees, and fairways in 2008, added the new pavilion to serve as an event and gathering area. The pavilion is located directly across from the Texas "Walk of Fame", between holes 17-...
Distressing
The use of reclaimed timbers and materials in a home has its costs and benefits. The benefit is that new trees need not be cut down because the timbers from other structures are being recycled. The energy expended from cutting and shipping and milling a log is great, and you loose a tree. However, with a recycled timber you really are only paying an "energy cost...
Gulf Coast Green 2012 ' A Delicate Balance
Call for Speakers is now OPEN until end of November. For details: http://www.gulfcoastgreen.org
Gulf Coast Green Symposium has become the leading green building conference targeted to design and construction professionals...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) is hosting Texas Energy Code Update Workshops. The Workshops will be held in 30 cities across Texas and begin on Thursday July 21, 2011 in Austin, TX. The Residential Workshop delivers updates and guidance for the 2009 IECC Residential and 2009 IRC: Chapter 11, and the Commercial Workshop covers the 2009 IECC Commercial.
For more...
Greetings,
I would like to invite you to apply for an opportunity to shape and build a program that will result in large-scale sustainability projects on college campuses and communities in your area as well as impact a large number of students to pursue careers in the green building and sustainability industry.
As you may...
For those of you who design buildings using LEED rating systems - there are a number of LEED rating systems under development that currently have drafts open for public comment. The public comment period began November 8th and ends December 31st ,2010 for all of the following ratings; BD&C, ID&C, EB:O&M, LEED for Homes, and LEED for Neighborhood development. ...
Have you been following the development of the IGCC? This new code book currently under development will potentially codify baseline sustainable design requirements in the areas of site development and land use, material resource conservation, energy conservation and atmospheric quality, water, indoor environmental quality, and commissioning.
For those interested in the...
Last week Code officials met in Charlotte North Carolina and voted on changes to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The changes represent a 30% increase in energy efficiency over ASHRAE 90.1-2004. The new code is scheduled to be published in April 2011, ready for adoption by state and local agencies. For more check out the post by Jessyca Henderson...
What is COTE all about?
The AIA understands that buildings have a huge impact on the environment both in their construction and operation. It also realizes that its members are in the position to make that impact more sustainable.
Sustainability is now a major, integrated focus of the organization as a whole. Additionally, COTE, is focused solely on the...
The USGBC Central Texas – Balcones Chapter, in partnership with AIA Austin’s Committee on the Environment (AIA COTE), proudly presents the Third Annual Green School Symposium.
The Symposium will address...
The AIA Guide to Building Life Cycle Assessment in Practice details the tools and tactics of balancing the costs and benefits of material and systems selection based on resource consumption and pollution from fabrication, shipping, construction, operations, and end-of-life deconstruction.
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John Umphress
Austin Energy 2009 IECC
September expected time of Austin Adoption. Development hearings have been held on 2012 IECC already. DOE has been pushing for a stronger code. Coulld be that there is a federal push for increased building effeciency.
IECC commercial divided into sections
Chapters 1-3 apply to all buildings
Chapter 4...