AIA California has been actively engaged in climate action activities and have a robust group of members and staff leading the way in education, communication, and advocacy initiatives; here’s a brief overview of our efforts.

After the AIA California Board of Directors took a position in July 2019 to proactively address the climate emergency and support the Zero Code, we hosted the Climate Action Summit in fall of 2019 and crafted an action plan.

EDUCATION: Throughout this journey we’ve worked hard to develop and curate resources for members. AIA CA also sponsored legislation, AB 1010 to require mandatory continuing education for architects in Zero Net Carbon Design. We’ve offered hundreds of hours of free CE content to ramp up ZNC literacy within the profession.

COMMUNICATION: The Climate Action Communications Sub Committee created a series highlighting how architects can take action: “What You Can Do Right Now.”

ADVOCACY: We have been most visible in the advocacy arena by accelerating substantive changes that facilitate carbon reduction. In 2023, we had two BIG WINS that changed the trajectory of design and construction in California. We began shaping the code landscape for existing buildings over four years ago, but code change is a long and rigorous process.

First, we championed the group of state agencies and industry partners to amend the California Existing Building Code, adding more design flexibility for architects in pursuing adaptive reuse projects. California adopted seven chapters of the IEBC to reduce barriers to adaptive reuse; adding these chapters introduces two new-to-California compliance paths for these types of projects – Work Area and Performance. They join the Prescriptive path already in effect in California and together, arm architects with more options to design creative solutions. (Note: the Performance Method in the California Existing Building Code is indeed returned to our code books, printed, but not adopted.  Local jurisdictions can adopt it if they wish, and I know there are some conversations unfolding along those lines.)

Secondly, we organized the effort to propose the California Building Standards Commission to adopt a statewide, mandatory measure to address embodied carbon. CALGreen now addresses embodied carbon emissions in the construction, remodel, or adaptive reuse of commercial buildings larger than 100,000 sq feet and school projects over 50,000 sq ft.

You can read the full article about these code advocacy efforts here.

Both code changes took effect July 1, 2024 and AIA California is helping members prepare:

1. there’s a new Quick Start Guide.
2. Here’s an article about all we are doing to help members prepare.
3. You can watch a recorded webinar about the new Embodied Carbon measures.
4. Have more questions about the new Embodied Carbon measures? Read this FAQ doc.

Lastly, we have also prepared an updated compliance checklist for CALGreen in support of the new code –access that practice tool.

None of this would have been possible without the hundreds of volunteer leaders and the thought leadership of our technical consultant.