AIArchitect

First, yes we need to act now.

Architects have been searching for ways to bring importance and value to their profession. Here is the chance to have value like Doctors and Lawyers. Architects have such a unique education and has been argued as the last Generalist Education. Architects look outside the box and have a great understanding of how things impact each other. Architects are schooled to develop designs that enhance the world and the space that people encounter everyday. It is time architects rise to the challenge and become leaders in the world on design. Architects will no longer be viewed as a burdening necessity, but a vital part in the built environment.

At least that is my 2 cents.

This whole Global Warming thing is a giant hoax! Yes, I am all for saving energy and recycling materials as part of the architectural design, but there is not conclusive evidence of radical “sustained” increase in temperature or drastic increase in sea level. Back in 1974 every one was screaming “Global Cooling”. According to some climatologists, were all supposed to be under an ice cap by now. “

Climatologist George J. Kukla of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory and his wife Helena analyzed satellite weather data for the Northern Hemisphere, they found that the area of the ice and snow cover had suddenly increased by 12% in 1971 and the increase has persisted ever since. Areas of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, for example, were once totally free of any snow in summer; now they are covered year round. (Time Magazine, June 24, 1974)

Science is supposed to be based on facts not consensus. Let’s gets our facts straight before we jump on the Global Warming bus and head down the road where there is no rational destination.

We need to conserve our resources. We need to improve air quality. But, I am not totally convinced that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is right in their "very likely" change to their report on Climate Change as it evaluates human influence on that change. I read that many promenant Scientist still say the UN Panel's conclusions are not based on good science. This is a very important issue and we can't afford to go far down the long path and find we were going the wrong way. We need to support a better understanding of "true scientific" findings.

Being good stewards of the resources of the earth is simply the responsible way to live. However, it is troubling that the argument has to be wrapped in the apocalyptic packaging of global warming. (It is disingenuous if we don't acknowledge the impossibility of comprehending the climatology of a planet that is billions of years old by looking at a 100-200 year snapshot!) Can we not engage our talents simply because it is the right thing to do? I believe in "green" design because I have a reverential respect for nature...not at the suggestion of Al Gore!

Well, we got fooled by Chiqui Cartagena in Los Angeles (remember how important those finished garages are?). Let's not get Bulled by a Gore in San Antonio. If the AIA really wants to contribute to the "global warming" discussion (and instead of his usual multi-media sermon), get Al to debate the whole thing on the science. He cannot and will not.

I would agree with Daniel...go back and read your ancient history books..."Chicken Little" reasoning is a bit premature!

I cannot believe the lack of understanding about Global Warming from the respondents. We all live on this 3rd rock from the sun and yet we have the audacity to debate the possibility of Global Warming and our participation in the events. We continue to design buildings surrounded by giant parking lots and provide no lobby for public transportation.

We are all caught in the web of maintaining our American lifestyle with 3 cars in every garage and a 4000 sf home with one inhabitant. Are we still leaving the lights on in all the rooms? Are we designing for sustainability? Do we care about the planet left behind for our children? Apparently we do not care based on the responses.

If I keep hearing this drivel from the AIA publications and in meetings, I can assure you that I will become less involved in the AIA and more involved in ADPSR where they at least care and try to change.

From a former AIA member and 30 year practitioner... the 2030 Challenge, and the big 2010 Imparative: Global Emergency Teach-In are the most relevant efforts that I have seen from AIA in many years. We have fiddled far too long as Rome burns.

As usual, the global warming pundits blame it all on people, specifically the U.S. population. Those backing the hype don't concern themselves with the true science. Instead they bash anyone who disagrees and claims they are anti-science. The reality is, truth is not built on consensus, lest Nazi Germany was correct in their assessments. So, while we need to be good stewards of our environment and turn off unnecessary lights, recycle where possible and generally be more efficient, the rhetoric that people don't care is laughable. Factually, you see many more articles these days regarding the various concerns, even though they are mostly knee-jerk reactions and not based on any real data. It is apparent that those who promote the GW issue have determined their opinion prior to the research. Thus, when research is performed by those same groups, it magically supports their preconceived ideas.

Yes, we need to be concerned about our environment. Yes, we need to make improvements. However, many such improvements have been made and are continuing to be made. Air pollution is down substantially in the U.S. Potable water supplies are better. Yet, the GW extremists blame the U.S. when in fact China, India, Mexico and the like have nearly zero safeguards or programs for improving their environments.

So before we demand prompt action, let's look at real solutions to efficiency. Let's look at technological advances that can help us in the long run without ruining our economy. Let's be realistic about the minor impact of human activity on the miniscule temperature rise, yet still pursue well-thought out methods to achieve success. We don't have to fret, cry and whimsically blame others about "the planet left behind for our children." Rather we need to move forward with practical solutions to making this country even better than it already is. We have much to cheer about. Don't be swayed by the doom and gloomers who predict dire consequences with NO real scientific data. They simply want certain results, so interpret everything they see as global warming influences with a tragic outcome.

Ouch! I stubbed my toe, so it must be caused by global warming. From the perspective of the GW alarmists, everything is caused by global warming. Let's get a grip and get back to the real world instead of jumping on the extreme bandwagon of Al Gore and the like who cry wolf, but are never taken to task by the liberal media for their lies, unscientific approach and scaremongering.

It's to late, we are going to cook. Keep funding NASA.

How many pounds of CO2 are created when you burn a gallon of gasoline? Hint: a pound of gas weighs 7-9lbs.

Answer: 19lbs.

What is the volume of 19lbs. of CO2?

Answer: it's huge

I cannot believe the ratio of people posting on here who believe that "Global Warming Alarmists" are not basing their data on clear science. The truth is that the IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), which released a report on climate just days ago, based the report on over 2500 scientific peer-reviewed research papers. The IPCC has found that there is a greater than 90% chance that global warming is caused by human activity. Al Gore studied under the scientist who originally discovered that CO2 levels are rising. He is considered an expert on the science of global warming. The debate among scientists is over at this point. The only scientists that dispute GW is caused largely by human activity are those with alternative interests.

That being said, I encourage anyone who feels unsure about this issue to do some research - there is a lot of info out there, especially on the internet. You can find tables of C02 levels back to the year 1400, showing how the temperatures have increased, starting after the industrial revolution in the 1900s.

As far as those of you arguing about how some areas near the poles are increasing in amount of ice, this is due to the fact that Global Warming is really more accurately named Climate Change, because the temperatures around the planet are actually becoming more extreme, with an overall average of being warmer.

For those that would rather do nothing until you have been "proven" and cannot believe the current facts, how about a just in case argument? Isn't the fact that all of Miami or southern Louisiana or Bangledesh may be underwater with a 3 foot increase in sea level a big enough risk to act? How about the rate of melting ice in greenland? Ice there is melting at unprecedented rates, and once it is melted away, sea levels will have risen 23 feet.

Check out IPCC's report at:
http://www.ipcc.ch/

This hysterical behavior is wrong.There may be global warming because the atmosphere is not stagnate and it is always influx and the atmosphere is a very, very BIG THING, controled by another, very BIG thing, the sun. So it doesn't seem very professional or analytical to be so confident that the climate changes are only man made or even man made and I think, a little arrogant to think that we as a profession or anyone else , for that matter,are going to save the world. The other thing that we must be sceptical of are those many thousand of people that are pushing, this catastrophe in the making, for their own political or economic ends. I think we need to stop scaring our children and not be so fast to upset a growing world economy that is bring billions out of poverty with close minded not fully thought out "solutions". Energy effeciency and reasonable sustainability are certainly worthwile but lighten up on the panic. The world may be changing, in significant ways as it always has,and our proper service is in assisting society in adaption to these changes not adding to the hyperbole, half truths and unknown facts.

How could progress and control of emissions ever happen without the leadership of Federal government? The government is in bed with industry. And the public is too dumb to hold their representatives accountable, watch what products their income is spent on, or sacrifice. The battle to save the earth is a battle of the people against the powerful. An how many complacent Americans are going to fight?

Pandora’s Box has been opened. There, still, another species goes extinct. Can architect-citizens save the Earth?

White man has pillaged and finally this is his reward.

I am so glad to finally see this issue get the attention it deserves from the (oh-so-conservative) AIA.

The continuous denial hold-outs will never ceases to amaze me. Perhaps some are just too fearful that it is true? After all, it is so much easier on us (and more lucritive for the oil industry and their shareholders?) to continue with the status quo, right? But ask yourself what it will take to convince you that a change is needed? Would you bet the well-being of your grandchildren on your unwillingness to change your habits or style a little?...or unwillingness to learn about a new (more efficient) way to do things?

Personally, I am enjoying the gradual 'evolution' in terminology from the spin-doctors of our own administration over the past ten years. First: total ridicule and denial (their appointees quietly fired the top NASA researchers who first warned about it). Then: Oh, well it's just part of the natural 'Climate Change' cycle, Now: uuhh, there seems to be something happening but let's call it 'Global Climate Change' (not as scary).

Also, the only reason that this week's UN report did not declare that Global Warming was a 'certainty' (just 90% sure - by hundreds of scientific reports) was because the delegation from hyper-developing China(who is currently building dozens of coal-fired power plants just to keep up with their own exploding growth) would not sign-on unless it was toned-down a notch. We just love our military-industrial politicians.

The responsibility for innaction will lie with each of 'the deciders', whether you believe that is your government, other governments, big business, consumers, end-users, Architects, Developers, you, me, 'them' - whatever. How about all of us? That is what my mother called 'personal accountablity', there is plenty to go around.

Just do a little research and don't hang your hat on just 1 or 2 sets of (perhaps biased?) data - how about hundreds? There is plenty of real scientific evidence that the climate is getting warmer and that humans have contributed to that warming (including from our own government).

Yes, all 6.5....no, wait a second..7 Billion of us are to blame. But mostly those of us in the developed/developing world - who consume 80% of the worlds resources. Perhaps it is not too late to reduce or maybe even reverse the damage.
Maybe you can just do your part (for your grandchildren).

I am suprised and dismayed by some of the responses so far regarding the denial of even the possibility of global warming-how long can we keep our big heads in the proverbial sand? We as Professional Planners and Architects should be leading the cause for sustainability and alternative and renewable energy sources. What we learned in the early 70's about the shortage of oil and its implication on our way of life was squandered by corporate greed and pure procrastination on the part of our government, our private industry and ourselves. Now more than 30 years later we are involved in wars in the middle east in order to protect our oil under their sand, and facing the prospect of competing global econonomies viying for a dwindeling world oil reserve. On top of all of this we are facing the prospect of a massive change in global climate that may result in severe, catastrophic storms and rising seas affecting our costal populations, and our growing seasons within the interior continental areas. Each one of us can do something about all of this. As design professionals and visionaries of the built environment, it is up to us to convince our clients that it is to their benefit, even economically, to build sustainably. It is up to us to drive hybrid vehicles and build our own homes and offices sustainably, to provide examples to the rest of society. It is not too late, yet. But we have only a few short years to turn this around.

I would agree with Daniel....I'm all for sustainability in design, and believe that all members should have a basic understanding of LEED's requirements...but I believe that the "Chicken Little" alarmists should go back to read their ancient history books! The climate has been in a constant state of change for thousands of years!!!

Posted by Gerald S. Deni, Emeritus member AIA

Wow,
I thought architects were able to see and think more broadly than most people. If the comments on this site are any indication the members of the profession is in more denial than I realized.

Kudos to the AIA for taking a strong stand on our role in environmental impact...Keep it up and I look forward to hearing past president elect Gore in May!

We need to bring our 20th century members kicking and screaming out of Bush's 19th century and into the 21st!

I never cease to be amazed at the loons who won't pull their heads out of the sand and realize the science is in...and we're beginning to cook ourselves.

There were also a lot of naysayers who discounted Galileo's claim that the Earth was round.

This is the only feed back spot I know about.

Why can't we set up the podcast so you can just subscribe, like the rest of the world does it?

For a long time now,those well informed on the issue of global warming, have recognized the necessity to employ ecology and the environmental sciences to understand our world and guide the design and planning process for the built environment. It has been the continued arrogance of many in the architectural community that is partly to blame for not heeding this advice. The present rate of urbanization constitutes a major global ecological challange with maximum costs to the environment and none or few benefits. I fear this period of architecture, unchecked, will not go down in history as the best.