The Committee on the Environment (COTE), a professional interest area (PIA) of The American Institute of Architects (AIA), is the Institute’s forum for the compilation, exchange, and dissemination of environmental information integral to design and the practice of architecture.
The AIA environment program fosters leadership among architects in all facets of environmental decision making and promotes a professional practice linked to environmental considerations. Publications such as the Environmental Resource Guide (ERG) and articles in journals like AIArchitect provide technical information on building materials, case studies, and related subjects, establishing COTE as a center of knowledge for the profession. Educational programs, client outreach brochures, environmental design workshops, the World Wide Web home page, and professional development seminars offered at the AIA national convention constitute a diverse methodology for targeting and broadcasting information to a wide audience–the key to an empowered architect.