AIANY has busy September and launches Archtober 2014

Climate Week in NYC brought the United Nations Climate Summit and important announcements from the NYC council and mayor Bill de Blasio's office on plans to reduce carbon emissions in the built environment. In addition to marching alongside peers as part of the "Green Building Continent" in the People's Climate March, I participated in climate-related events at the Center for Architecture and elsewhere. On September 26th, I also had the opportunity to meet with the mayor as part of a small group to discuss "One City, Built to Last: Transforming NYC's Buildings for A Low-Carbon Future." Architects will play a key role in accomplishing the administration's plan to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050. Like the administration's other recent initiatives, such as expanding affordable housing and open space, architects will have to work with city agencies and comply with new standards and legislation. Edward Mazria, AIA, founder and CEO of Architecture 2030, addressed a full house at the Center for Architecture on September 23rd. Mazria presented Architecture 2030's mission to transform the built environment from the major contributor of carbon emissions to part of the solution. He also specified how measures can be applied to NYC. We, along with over twenty other organizations working on environmental issues, also attended the "City Council Environmental Roundtable" organized by the New York League of Conservation Voters on September 23rd. Speakers included speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, chair of the city council committee on environmental protection Donovan Richards, council member Brad Lander, council member Costa Constantinides, council member Rory Lancman, council member Andy Cohen, council member Ydanis Rodriguez, council member leader Jimmy Van Bramer, and council member Steve Levin. After passing a historic passage of sustainability legislation the week prior, the council members seemed optimistic about engaging the public and reducing emissions in NYC. The 2014 Construction Codes will assist this effort by strengthening sustainability requirements for buildings. On September 23rd, the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) announced that it would extend the effective date of the 2014 Construction Codes, allowing additional time for design professionals to prepare plans. Originally intended to go into effect on October 1st, the new codes will now go live on December 31st. Please visit the NYC DOB's website for additional information. AIANY supported this extension by joining REBNY and other peer organizations to lobby DOB and city council. You can read the letters here. On September 24th, AIANY executive director Rick Bell, FAIA, and I met with New York city council member Mark Levine, chair of the committee on parks and recreation. council member Levine is interested in expanding available open space in NYC and ensuring that parks are well maintained and resilient to disasters. He has been working on legislation that will affect all New Yorkers and will require the dedicated work of architects. In addition to these new city initiatives, AIANY members are also affected by the New York State legislature. Bell and I sat down with New York State assemblymember Linda Rosenthal in her district office on the Upper West Side. We talked about increasing the number of equitable, affordable housing units available in the city and the challenges she faces in her district. Our conversation, along with a previous summertime meeting with NYC Department of Housing Preservation and development commissioner Vicki Been, inspired the launch of a group of AIANY members dedicated to counseling HPD and other public agencies on how to approach design issues they are facing while trying to meet the de Blasio administration's affordable housing goals. We are addressing issues related to separate entrances, HPD review processes, and failed rezonings. These topics and others will be the main focus of a morning program at the Center for Architecture on October 28th. Archtober 2014 kicked off on October 1st with an open forum with NYC DDC commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora at the Center for Architecture, the first Building of the Day Tour of the recently-renovated Public Theater, and the opening of the New Practices New York 2014 exhibition. The exhibition is up through January 17th, 2015 and includes work by the six young, promising firms that won the 2014 New Practices New York Competition. Visit Archtober.org for the complete calendar of the month's tours and programs. Also during October is the AIA New York State Design Conference in Saratoga Springs. The theme for the Conference is "New Practice/New Design," and programs include seminars, tours, and keynotes. I hope you can make it to the convention and some of the Archtober festivities around the city! Lance Brown, AIA, is a professor of architecture at City College of New York and the president of American Institute of Architects New York Chapter, New York, N.Y.