Design for Water
Good design conserves and improves the quality of water as a precious resource.
Learn more about the AIA Framework for Design Excellence.
Reproduced with permission of The American Institute of Architects, 1735 New York Avenue, N.W.; Washington, D.C. 20006
Design for Water
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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What Makes a Product Green Today?
Feature Article
Lots of manufacturers call their products "green," but are they? Here's our guide to the high-performance attributes that matter.
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Affordable Housing and Sustainable Design: The Goals Are Aligned
Feature Article
Green building is not just for those with means.
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Native Landscaping for Biodiversity
Feature Article
Removal of invasive plants and support of native plantings are critically important for maintaining healthy ecosystems.
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Resilient, Sustainable Water Management: A Holistic Approach
Feature Article
Water is our planet’s lifeblood. But climate change has redefined how we view water, with drought amplifying water scarcity and changing our relationship with the landscape and the built environment.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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What Does It Mean to “Use Water”?
Explainer
The difference between consumptive and non-consumptive water use is like night and day in the world of policy and regulation.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Composting Toilet Systems
Product Guide
Composting toilets are not for every project, but they do warrant consideration.
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Faucets
Product Guide
Bathroom faucets and aerators with a flow rate of 1.0 gpm or less, plus other unique water-saving tech
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Toilets
Product Guide
These residential and commercial models meet WaterSense criteria for efficiency and performance.
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Urinals
Product Guide
Waterless urinals and high-efficiency fixtures that use 0.25 gallons per flush or less
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Biophilia a Hallmark of COTE Top Ten for 2020
News Analysis
2020 AIA COTE Top Ten winners feature daylight, indoor/outdoor spaces, extensive plantings, and exposed wood.
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AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence: A Hook for Firm-wide Change
News Analysis
With design awards on the line, architecture firms are starting to require sustainability tracking across all projects.
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Fighting for Environmental Justice with “Smart” Surfaces
News Analysis
Asphalt and concrete are at the root of many sustainability issues and associated inequities. The Smart Surfaces Coalition is looking to change that. -
High Performance, High Design: The COTE Top Ten for 2021
News Analysis
The American Institute of Architects has announced its COTE Top Ten high-performance building winners for this year.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Building Re-Entry with Arc
Webcast
Arc Skoru’s Chris Pyke explains Arc Re-entry and how it integrates with CDC and WHO recommendations, LEED pilot credits, the WELL Building Standard, and other frameworks.
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Native Landscaping for Biodiversity
Feature Article
Removal of invasive plants and support of native plantings are critically important for maintaining healthy ecosystems.
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Native Landscaping for Biodiversity
Spotlight Report
It may take hundreds or thousands of years to return to pre-industrial-age levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, but the loss of animal and plant species that is occurring today is, practically speaking, irreversible.
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The BuildingGreen Guide to Building Product Certifications and Ecolabels
Special Report
This BuildingGreen publication provides a no-nonsense guide to the world of green building product certifications to help designers, purchasers, manufacturers, and others in the industry to focus on what is significant and relevant so that market forces can work and the industry can focus on bigger issues.
