March 1, 2006—The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Center for Communities by Design has selected New Orleans, LA; Syracuse, NY; Longview, WA; Guemes Island, WA; Lawrence, KS; Northeast, MI; Northern, NV; and Hagerstown, MD, as the eight communities to receive technical assistance under its Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) program in 2006.
The collaborative SDAT brings together architects and other professionals assembled from across the country to provide a roadmap for communities seeking to improve their sustainability, as defined by a community’s ability to meet the environmental, economic, and social equity needs of today without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
“[This] forward-looking program is intended to help address challenges that communities face, such as transportation design strategies, air and water quality improvement possibilities, local economic development, brownfields issues, and how to manage growth associated with increasing and shifting populations,” explained David T. Downey, Assoc. AIA, managing director of the AIA Center for Communities by Design.
A team of professionals including architects, planners, hydrologists, economic development specialists, and others will be selected based on their credentials and the specific needs of each community. The SDAT will work in conjunction with local stakeholders to help shape the community’s strategy to increase sustainability. To provide the most objective assessment, team members volunteer their time and expertise and are selected from areas outside the project communities.
To learn more about this program, download the SDAT information packet from AIA.
