This year’s top 10 green building projects selected by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) range from a 950-square-foot renovated cabin to a 125,000-square-foot office building, and include government, private, non-profit examples of exemplary building design.
The design competition evaluates projects based on performance, aesthetics, community connection, and stewardship of the natural environment. According to the AIA, the award and the range of submissions it attracts demonstrate the market transformation underway in the U.S. and around the world. There is increasing recognition of the benefits of sustainable design to people, the environment, and to the bottom line.
Examples of winning buildings: 
Edificio Malecon, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Architects: HOK
Built on a reclaimed brownfield site, this 125,000-square-foot office building is designed as a long narrow slab to minimize solar gain. The broad north side which is the primary solar exposure, is shaped to track the sun and is fully shaded to eliminate direct solar gain during peak cooling months. A Green Roof keeps the roof cool and manages stormwater runoff.
Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, Ankeny, Iowa
Architects: RDG Bussard Dikis
This 13,000-square-foot training facility doubles was designed and constructed on a modest budget. It uses 48 percent less energy than an equivalent conventional building and is 98 percent daylit. It runs on geothermal energy for heating and cooling. The land is being restrored to native Iowa tall-grass prairie and wetlands.
National Wildlife Federation Headquarters, Reston, Virginia
Architects: HOK
This 85,000-square-foot headquarters showcases”state-of-the-shelf” construction technologies and materials with reasonable payback periods. The passive solar building maximizes natural light and outside views of the native landscape. Plantings support local wildlife and reduce the need for irrigation and frequent mowing.
Learn more and see the other winning buildings:
www.aia.org/pia/cote/topten
http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek02/tw0419/0419tw1cote.htm
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