Climate Change and Architectural Responses

I’m very pleased to report that AIA-SWO and the Eco-Building Guild-Southwest Oregon Chapter are jointly producing an important educational seminar on June 5, 2009 that you cannot miss. Entitled Climate Change and Architectural Responses, the seminar will explore the impact of accelerating global heating on the future design of buildings in the Pacific Northwest. There is now little doubt that this environmental crisis will be the defining issue confronting humanity during the 21st century.

The seminar will feature presentations by two distinguished educators:

Alder Fuller, PhD, is dean and founder of Euglena Academy in Eugene, where he has developed a thoroughly integrated curriculum linking systems sciences, nonlinear dynamics ("chaos theory"), cellular automata theory, biology, and climate change. Dr. Fuller’s provocative message is that we have already crossed a “tipping point,” a threshold beyond which earth’s temperatures will continue to rise regardless of anything we attempt to halt or reverse it.

Our other speaker is someone who needs no introduction to longtime AIA-SWO members: John Reynolds, FAIA, professor emeritus at the University of Oregon. He has taught both architecture design and environmental control systems at the University of Oregon since 1967. John’s presentation will focus upon design priorities for 21st century buildings, including the need for increased adaptability, on-site energy production, water resource management, and other strategies that will allow us to cope with the changes in our environment.

The continuing education reporting deadline for Oregon architects is rapidly approaching. Take advantage of this opportunity and earn 3.5 important HSW/SD learning units. Here are the details:

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ARCHITECTURAL RESPONSES

Date: Friday June 5, 2009, 8:00am - 12pm

Location: UO Downtown Baker Center, Alaska Room 130, 975 High Street, Eugene, Oregon 97401

Cost: $35.00 for AIA associates, interns, students & Northwest EcoBuilding Guild members; $50.00 for AIA members ($75.00 for non-AIA architects)

Refreshments: Breakfast pastries and coffee included

Registration/Payment (cash/check/credit card): A seminar registration and payment form will soon be distributed to all AIA-SWO members and also available for downloading on the AIA-SWO website. Payment will also be accepted at the door.

For more information about the seminar, contact Lana Sadler, AIA at 541-342-8077.