“Climate Adaptive Design Symposium: How Regenerative Design is Shaping Building Science to Address Climate Change Challenges” taking place Nov. 2 and 3 at The Collider, downtown Asheville’s epicenter for climate and environmental intelligence and innovation
Free Public Event: Thursday, November 2nd at 5:15-7pm
Members of Green Built Alliance are eligible for a discounted ticket! To redeem, use the AIA member section when registering and where it asks for AIA #, put GBA. If you have any questions, reach out to Annie at annie@greenbuilt.org.
To register, go to simpletix.com/e/9th-annual-climate-adaptive-design-symposi-tickets-142774.
Gregory Bateson said, “The major problems of the world are the result of the difference between the way nature works and the way people think.”
This year’s annual event focuses on Regenerative Design – an approach focused on building and construction methods and technologies that not only minimize resources but attempt to have a net-positive impact on the environment. Regenerative architecture leans into the problem, rather than work around it to create structures that are not only beautiful, but can self-heal, generate and store energy, help filter pollutants from stormwater runoff, and even have skins that clean the air. This idea of not just using fewer resources, but of replenishing and bettering our environment.
“This is the time and place for architects to lead on climate change,” says Cynthia R. Turner AIA, LEED AP BD+C and Associate Principal at LS3P, a leading design firm based in Asheville with projects throughout the Southeast region. “Architects leveraging regenerative design lead the charge for high-performance buildings that increase social, economic, and ecological well-being. We can provide the foundation for a transition to a more resilient, cleaner, and healthier future. It’s the opportunity of our lifetime.”
This is an exciting, daunting, and challenging time for architects with innovative technologies maturing at a rapid rate to address stressors such as increased temperatures, rainfall and moisture variability, wind, flooding, fire, and others. With climate change comes new approaches to design that can increase the utility, comfort, safety, and equity in the building and construction industry.
This is what this year’s symposium is all about – not just sustainability but regeneration using the best science and a nature-based approach to architectural design.
The symposium will incorporate problem-based learning and draw from case studies to show practical measures architects can take to not only lessen the negative impact buildings have on the environment, but how regenerative design and technologies can help reverse climate change – and contribute to happier, healthier public and private spaces.
Among the speakers will be Bill Reed, AIA, and principal in Regenesis, author of numerous books on green design, including co-authorship of “Integrative Design Guide to Green Building,” and founding Board of Director of the US Green Building Council, a co-developer of the LEED Green Building Rating System. A leading thinker in the field of regenerative design, Bill will take attendees through real-world case studies and dive into regenerative concepts and process frameworks which have been shown to contribute positively to healing/‘wholing’ human-to-human and human-to-nature relationships.
Other speakers include Jennifer Todd, AIA, NCARB, CPHC, Director of Regen CoLab at the Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Inc.; Philip M. Donovan, AIA LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, LFA a national director of regenerative design and a member of the Regen Colab with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting; Zachary Schneider, PE, LEED AP BD+C, CXA, LC, Principal Engineer at CMTA; Stephan Robey, PE, Electrical Engineer at CMTA; Montana Eck, the Director of Physical Climate Risk and Resiliency at Mastercard; Laura Stevens, a senior climate scientist at the NC Institute for Climate Studies and co-author of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), NOAA’s State Climate Summaries, and the North Carolina Climate Science Report.nn
This is an exciting collaboration – now in our ninth year – among The Collider and CASE Consultants international, the Asheville section of American Institute of Architects, the Green Built Alliance, and our sponsors Altura Architects, CMTA, and LS3P.
This year’s event will also honor Bill Langdon, who passed away in 2022. Bill was a pioneer in sustainable urbanism as both principal at William Langdon Architecture and past president of AIA Asheville. Among his many impacts to both Asheville and the greater architectural community, he helped found the Asheville Design Center, a local non-profit fostering “Connected-Livable Communities” and served as a catalyst for collaboration with The Collider. Bill said it best about the AIA symposium, “We must educate our members and others about how to design with the changing climate in mind. This symposium is one of the best places to hear directly from climate and building scientists.”
AIA Asheville is establishing the William K. Langdon, Jr. Scholarship for students and young professionals to forward Bill’s vision for more sustainable, habitable, and regenerative build environments. This year’s award value is $500 and includes free attendance to the Symposium.
AIA North Carolina associate members and architect members who have been licensed less than 10 years are eligible to apply. AIA North Carolina will select the awardee who most embodies Bill’s legacy and will administer the grant. For more information on how to apply, please contact info@aiaasheville.org, or look for a separate press release coming soon.
Free Pre-Conference Event – Thursday, Nov 2, 5:15 – 7pm – at The Collider: “Little and the Regen CoLab” Jennifer Todd and Philip Donovan will share their experience developing the Little Diversified Architectural Consulting Regen CoLab and ways to integrate climate-responsive design principles into architectural projects. One AIA HSW Continuing Education credit hour is expected. Free to the public, donations accepted).
Conference – Friday 8:15am – 4:45pm – at The Collider: Registration costs for the event, which includes a light breakfast and lunch, starts at $175 for AIA members; $205 for non-members. Student and government discounts are available. HSW Continuing Education Units are available from multiple professional societies. Space is limited and pre-registration is strongly encouraged.
Find more details and a link to register at 9th Annual Climate Adaptive Design Symposium – Where Building Science meets Climate Science Tickets. Architects with questions may also contact AIA Asheville at info@aiaasheville.org.