Michael J. Monti, Executive Director

ACSA, together with the American Institute of Architects, invited our member programs to join the White House Educators Commitment on Resilient Design. The commitment follows from a May 2016 conference on Resilient Building Codes, where leaders from the design and construction industries endorsed an Industry Statement on Resilience. The statement defines resilience as “the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events.” The U.S. federal government sees these issues as national security issues, and AIA and ACSA continue to work with staff in the White House to develop this agenda. 
Following is a list of schools endorsing the Commitment, with the text of the commitment below:

American University of Sharjah, College of Architecture & Design, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates,

Boston Architectural College, School of Architecture, Boston, MA

Carnegie Mellon University, School of Architecture, Pittsburgh, PA

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, School of Architecture, Tallahassee, FL

Florida International University, Department of Architecture, Miami, FL

Howard University, College of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Architecture, Washington, DC

Kennesaw State University, Department of Architecture, Marietta, GA

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Department of Architecture, Boston, MA

NewSchool of Architecture and Design, , San Diego, CA

Pennsylvania State University, Department of Architecture, University Park, PA

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, School of Architecture, Troy, NY

Rice University, School of Architecture, Houston, TX

Texas A&M University, College of Architecture, College Station, TX

Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, Medford, MA

Tulane University, School of Architecture, New Orleans, LA

University of Florida, College of Design, Construction and Planning, Gainesville, FL

University of Hawaii At Manoa, School of Architecture, Honolulu, HI

University of Idaho, Department of Architecture & Interior Design, Moscow, ID

University of Maryland, School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, College Park, MD

University of New Mexico, School of Architecture & Planning, Albuquerque, NM

University of Oregon, Department of Architecture, Eugene, OR

University of Southern California, School of Architecture, Los Angeles, CA

University of the District of Columbia, College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability & Environmental Sciences, Washington, DC

Virginia Tech, School of Architecture + Design, Blacksburg, VA

Washington University in St. Louis, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts / Architecture Programs, St. Louis, MO

Woodbury University, School of Architecture, Burbank, CA

Educators Commitment on Resilient Design

We envision a future where our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities are resilient to extreme weather events and can adapt to the impacts of climate change. Making this future a reality will require a focus on resilient design across disciplines. Students who will lead the planning, design, engineering, development, construction, and retrofit of homes, buildings, and infrastructure must be prepared to build for resilience, both now and into the foreseeable future.  We commit to:

  • Inspiring and training the next generation of architecture, engineering, urban planning, and construction professionals to innovate and effectively address resilience to extreme weather events and climate change;
  • Connecting students and professionals with best-available science on the growing risks posed by extreme weather events and climate change;
  • Fostering interdisciplinary settings for students to develop the employable skills and professional networks needed to support resilient design; and
  • Pursuing life-long learning opportunities to continually advance our understanding of how to design and build for a resilient future.