January 25, 2006—Voters across America are deeply concerned about energy and environmental issues and express widespread support for much of the AIA’s policy issue agenda.
That’s according to a new nationwide poll of voters conducted for the American Institute of Architects (AIA), through its Government Advocacy Team, by a bipartisan survey research collaboration of a Republican polling firm, The Tarrance Group, and a Democratic polling firm, Lake Research Partners.
The following are findings of the survey conducted January 3-5, 2006, with a nationwide scientific sample of 1,000 voters. The margin of error is +/- 3.1%. The analysis of the data was prepared by the AIA Government Advocacy staff.
According to the poll, 83% of voters across the nation have a favorable impression of architects while only 4% have an unfavorable impression. Of the 13 occupational groups polled, architects ranked in the top popularity tier and had the lowest negative rating of any profession.
The poll also found that voters across the nation are uneasy about energy issues and their economic, environmental, and national security implications.
Eighty-five percent believe “the federal government should make the kind of massive national commitment to make the United States independent of foreign oil through energy conservation and development of alternative energy sources in the same way it committed itself to winning the Second World War and landing a man on the moon,” and 90% believe the “people who design and build houses and commercial buildings should try to convince property owners to use construction materials that protect the environment and building standards that reduce energy consumption even if it costs a little more to do so.”
For more on the poll, visit the AIA Web site.
