Walk the Walk: Sustainable Building

The American Institute of Architects launches Walk the Walk: Architects Leading the Sustainable Evolution with resources for Clients and Architects


So the ad's a bit fluffy but there's plenty of substance at the website.

From the AIA position statement on Sustainable Architectural Practice:

The AIA recognizes a growing body of evidence that demonstrates current planning, design, construction, and real estate practices contribute to patterns of resource consumption that seriously jeopardize the future of the Earth’s population. Architects need to accept responsibility for their role in creating the built environment and, consequently, believe we must alter our profession’s actions and encourage our clients and the entire design and construction industry to join with us to change the course of the planet’s future.

Altering current practices of design and construction to realize significant reductions in the use of natural resources, non-renewable energy sources, and waste production and promote regeneration of natural resources will require a multiple-year effort in conjunction with clients, industry partners, and concerned organizations.

Goals include:

Promote sustainable design including resource conservation to achieve a minimum 50 percent reduction from the current level of consumption of fossil fuels used to construct and operate new and renovated bui ldings by the year 2010, and promote further reductions of remaining fossil fuel consumption by 10 percent or more in each of the following five years

Assume a global role as advocates for sustainable design freely sharing knowledge and actively promoting sustainable practice throughout the world.

More resources for less resource use:
AIA | Whole Building Design Guide | US Green Building Council | ASHRAE | Environmental Design + Construction | Metropolis