Washington, D.C. – February 7, 2008 –The Academy of Architecture for Justice (AAJ), a knowledge community within the American Institute of Architects (AIA) that focuses on the planning, design and delivery of justice architecture, has established a Sustainable Justice Committee. The group will be co-chaired by Susan K. Oldroyd, AIA, LEED® AP, committee chair and Ken Ricci, FAIA.
The purpose of the committee is to promote and support sustainability in the planning, design and construction of law and justice facilities. To this end, the committee plans to publish a guide to sustainable justice and propose a LEED-J (LEED for Justice) rating system to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
In noting that best practices are continually evolving, Ms. Oldroyd said, “Our mission is to increase practitioners’ awareness about this important subject by organizing lectures and conferences on this subject. The November 5-7, 2008 AAJ conference in San Francisco, for example, will feature tours of justice sector facilities that have been successful in rethinking sustainable approaches to design, construction and operation.”
“We would like to see designers, government decision-makers and the USGBC acknowledge the systemic nature of sustainability, especially as it relates to justice facilities,” added Mr. Ricci. “By looking at the larger justice system and by developing innovative interventions that do not require a facility response, but rather a management response, we can begin the quest for sustainable justice. For example, government officials can reduce the building footprint by adopting new perspective, asking themselves not how large their new jail should be, but how small it can be without compromising public safety.”
The AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice (AAJ) promotes and fosters the exchange of information and knowledge between members, professional organizations, and the public for high-quality planning, design, and delivery of justice architecture. For more information, please visit www.aia.org/caj_about.
About The American Institute of Architects
For over 150 years, members of The American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. AIA members have access to the right people, knowledge, and tools to create better design, and through such resources and access, they help clients and communities make their visions real. www.aia.org
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