Page 62 - CCD Magazine-Spring 2019

Inside AIA Colorado
AIA’s National Advocacy Focus
by Nikolaus Remus, AIA
Nikolaus Remus, AIA
Nikoluas Remus is the Government Affairs Manager at AIA Colorado
In March, more than 600 AIA members met in Washington D.C. for The Grassroots Conference, the organization’s national leadership and legislative event. The highlight of this year’s conference was “Capitol Hill Day,” where several AIA Colorado Staff and Board Members met with Colorado legislators to discuss key issues and share the architect perspective. Our focus was on two subjects: new methods to promote energy efficiency in existing buildings and improving school safety.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN EXISTING BUILDINGS
More than 80% of existing commercial buildings were
built before the year 2000, when building codes were overhauled and modernized. Since then, there have been even more improvements in the ways that buildings can reduce their energy usage. So how do we update the many existing buildings?
At the federal level, the AIA wants to leverage an existing tax incentive program that benefits property owners who perform interior improvements on non-residential buildings (referred to as “qualified improvement property” or QIP deductions). So, our ask is simple. Expand the QIP category to include energy efficiency improvements as another way to qualify for these tax incentives.
This approach benefits building owners and their tenants directly, making energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings more affordable up front and saving money every month on utility bills. On a larger scale, we all benefit when buildings reduce their energy usage. Architecture 2030 reports that buildings generate nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and that the global building stock is predicted to double by 2060. Every improvement we make today is an important reduction in GHG emissions for the entire life of a building.
As architects, we help our clients make decisions on how to most effectively improve energy efficiency on each project. If our advocacy efforts are successful, we’ll also be
62 | Colorado Construction & Design
well-positioned to inform our clients that these tax incentives can be used. That’s why we’re talking to our legislators directly, as stakeholders and problem-solvers who can help implement the change we seek.
SCHOOL SAFETY
As the country continues to grapple with school shootings, architects are looking at ways to make school buildings safer without feeling like prisons for the students and teachers who need a positive and healthy learning environment. Fortunately, architects across the country have found ways to implement school design solutions that effectively balance safety and the well-being of occupants.
However, in order to improve school safety on a nationwide scale, we need a system for sharing best practices and resources. Another challenge is that the nation’s 120,000+ school buildings have long lifespans and no two are exactly alike. So how can we advance our efforts?
The AIA is proposing the creation of a federal clearinghouse, which would provide resources and assistance to school administrators and designers throughout the U.S. This would allow administrators to better understand what school safety solutions are even possible. It would also allow architects to share and streamline the best solutions for meeting clients’ needs and budgets. Most importantly, our communities
will benefit from having safer environments, where safety measures don’t get in the way of learning.
Colorado legislators and residents have realized the value
of safe schools ever since the Columbine shootings in 1999. Twenty years later, keeping schools safe remains a challenge that must be solved by communities working together. Architects can help lead this movement by lending their unique expertise.
We’re eager to see how legislators might act upon the AIA’s recommendations, both federally and locally. We know that meeting with legislators face-to-face is a critical first step in designing a better future.