Building Industry Takes on the Threat of Rising Temperature, a Major Issue for Cities

Transcription

1 > Press Contact: Gisela Garrett Design for Risk and Construction Committee of AIANY or (404) Building Industry Takes on the Threat of Rising Temperature, a Major Issue for Cities Architecture and engineering professionals, and their colleagues in allied industries, are urged to participate in a first-of-its-kind, heat wave-focused symposium on November 12th NEW YORK NY, October 15, 2015 In New York City, extreme heat has everyone fired up, almost literally. The last decade was the hottest on record worldwide, and large cities are warming the fastest through the heat islands they create. The New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC), whose science drives the City s climate policy and comprehensive resiliency program, has identified rising temperatures as a major public health threat to the city comparable in risk level to sea level rise, intense precipitation, and humidity. Addressing this issue head-on is the symposium Extreme Heat: Hot Cities Adapting to a Hotter World, the first event of its kind. By taking a broad-spectrum approach that hinges on mitigation and adaptation, as a complement to emergency preparedness and recovery, the Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee (DfRR) of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter has ensured that this event will foster a critical and actionable exploration of extreme heat. Topics will include urban climatology, reforestation, cutting-edge radiant cooling strategies, and upcoming shifts in urban policy, along with many other key facets of extreme heat, which is already more deadly than all other weatherrelated events combined. With climate change, rising temperatures and increased frequency of heat waves will continue to be a challenge in New York City, especially for our most vulnerable residents, said Daniel Zarrilli, Director of the New York City Mayor s Office of Recovery and Resiliency. This important symposium Extreme Heat: Hot Cities Adapting to a Hotter World comes at an important time as the City and its partners launch new efforts under our OneNYC initiative to mitigate and address the risks of heat in our communities. The day-long symposium will be held on Thursday November 12, 2015, from 8:30am to 7pm at the New York City College of Technology in downtown Brooklyn. Architects, planners, engineers, and a variety of allied professionals in government, NGOs, research, and journalism are all invited to join Extreme Heat: Hot Cities Adapting to a Hotter World and consider the ways that extreme heat can be addressed, specifically through planning, design, and construction. Registration is currently open and available online at Attendees have the opportunity to earn seven continuing education credits each with the AIA, USGBC, and ASLA. 1

2 Organized under the leadership of Program Chair Anne Marie Sowder with support from benefactor Autodesk and patrons BASF and its Center for Building Excellence, Big Ass Fans, and Pizzarotti IBC, Extreme Heat: Hot Cities Adapting to a Hotter World will bring together dozens of leading experts from almost as many fields. Con Edison, which provides electric, gas, and steam service to more than 3 million customers in the New York City region, will fund the attendance of 20 current architectural students and emerging professionals. Symposium attendees will hear from NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig; NOAA s Juli Trtanj, M.E.S.; Grimshaw Architects partner Andrew Whalley AIA, RIBA; and NYU Institute for Public Knowledge (IPK) director Eric Klinenberg, author of Heat Wave, among other experts. Each will draw on their experience to explain the current situation and present challenges and opportunities going forward. See page 3 of this packet for a comprehensive list of speakers. Man-made and natural threats are coming at us with unprecedented speed and complexity, and our committee sees extreme heat as the next urgent issue of this kind, offers Lance Jay Brown, FAIA, DPACSA, a founding co-chair of DfRR, 2014 AIANY President, and architecture and urban design professor at the City College of New York. In addition to being deadly, extreme heat has the dangerous distinction of being invisible, incremental, and seasonal. The consensus from a diversity of fields is that extreme heat reduces productivity, exhausts greenery, compromises infrastructure, destroys property, and strains the economy. It is perhaps because of these disastrous and widespread effects that so many industries have begun to mobilize toward solutions for our cities, many of which are most effectively synthesized through the lens of the building industry. The built environment is a natural meeting point for so many vital systems, from physical infrastructure to intangible socio-cultural dynamics, notes Illya Azaroff, AIA, founding co-chair of DfRR, AIA National Advocacy Director YAF, and professor of Architecture Technology at New York City College of Technology. By serving as a nexus for their colleagues in allied fields, building industry professionals can help ensure a timely and powerful confrontation of extreme heat. ### To attend the symposium, assist with promotion, or receive the subsequent executive summary, please contact: Gisela Garrett DfRR member / program press contact giselagarrett@gmail.com (404) For further information about AIANY s Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee (DfRR), please contact: Joan Capelin, Hon. AIA DfRR co-chair jcapelin@capelin.com (212) For further information about the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY), please contact: Camila Schaulsohn Communications Director, AIANY cschaulsohn@aiany.org (212)

3 > SPEAKERS include: Laurie Kerr, FAIA, LEED AP Director of Policy Urban Green Council Eric Klinenberg, PhD author of Heat Wave and Professor of Sociology and Director Institute for Public Knowledge at NYU Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, PhD Senior Research Scientist, Climate Impacts Group NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies James Russell, FAIA Architecture Critic and Journalist Brian Stone, PhD Associate Professor and PhD Program Director Georgia Tech University School of City & Regional Planning Andrew Whalley, AIA, RIBA Deputy Chairman Grimshaw Architects And also include: Illya Azaroff, AIA, Associate Professor in Architectural Technology, Founder, +LAB architect PLLC, Founding Co-Chair, DfRR Chris Benedict, Principal, Architecture & Energy Ltd. Reginald Blake, PhD, Assistant Professor in biological sciences, CUNY - NYCCT Pippa Brashear, Director of Planning and Resilience, SCAPE Landscape Architecture Lance Jay Brown, FAIA, DPACSA CCNY, Founding Co-Chair, DfRR Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Deputy Director, New York City Mayor s Office of Recovery and Resiliency Anna Dyson, Professor and CASE Director, School of Architecture at Rensselaer Lindsay Goldman, Project Director for Age-friendly NYC, NY Academy of Medicine Russell Hotzler, PhD, President, CUNY - NYCCT Richard Keller, PhD, Professor, University of Wisconsin, Author, Fatal Isolation Tom Matte, Assistant Commissioner for Environmental Surveillance and Policy, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Sabrina McCormick, PhD, Associate Professor, George Washington University and Senior Fellow, Wharton Risk and Decision Center Emily Nobel Maxwell, NYC Program Director for Urban Sustainability, The Nature Conservancy Amy Patel, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Commercial Key Account Manager, BASF Center for Building Excellence Jeffrey Raven, FAIA, Associate Professor and Director of the MS in Architecture, Urban and Regional Design program, NYIT Wolfgang Rieder, CEO and Founder, fibrec Porie Saikia-Eapen, AIA, FCIOB, Chartered CM, Director, Sustainability & Environmental Compliance, MTA HQ Kurt Shickman, Executive Director, Global Cool Cities Alliance Dmitry Smirnov, PhD, Project Meterologist, Dewberry Anne Marie Sowder, Asst Professor in Construction Management Civil Engineering, CUNY NYCCT, DfRR Extreme Heat Program Chair Ed Toth, Director, Greenbelt Native Plant Center Seed Collection & Banking Program, NYC Parks Juli Trtanj, M.E.S., Program Director, NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative Melissa Umberger, Hazard Mitigation Project Manager, NYC Emergency Management Jason Vollen, PhD, AIA, Principal, High Performance Building Group, AECOM Neil Weisenfeld, Director of Strategic Planning, Con Edison of New York Rae Zimmerman, PhD, Professor of Planning and Public Administration, NYU 3

4 > SCHEDULE highlights: The symposium will be held in the Voorhees Hall Theater at the New York City College of Technology, at 186 Jay Street in Brooklyn. The event will run from 8:30am to 7:00pm, with registration available throughout. Walk-up registrations will be welcomed if space permits. 7.0 AIA HSW LU, 7.0 GBCI CE, and 7.0 LA CES PDH/HSW are available. 8:30am 9:00am 10:10am 11:45am 1:15pm 2:00pm 3:30pm 5:00pm 5:25pm Welcome and Introductions CityTech President Dr. Russell Holtzer and DfRR Founding Co-Chair Lance Jay Brown, FAIA will open the event. Keynote - Where Things Stand, NYC Key insights from the New York City Mayor s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Grimshaw Architects on extreme heat, with a focus on its impact in New York City. Panel 1 Building Technical building experts, an urban heat island expert, and current architecture and engineering practitioners from around the world offer their perspectives on the connections between a building and its region s temperatures. Panel 2 - Urban Landscapes Landscape architects, advocates, and researchers discuss the state of planted and unplanted landscapes in cities today, including the opportunities presented by their successful integration, in the context of rising temperatures. Lunch Panel 3 - Heat & Health A conversation among professionals from government, non-profit, and research-based agencies that advocate for public health, including insight into the greatest heat-specific risks for vulnerable populations in urban settings. Panel 4 - Heat & Infrastructure Infrastructural experts examine the opportunities for improving transit, utilities, and other critical systems in cities in the face of an increasing frequency of extreme heat events. Coffee and Networking Plenary Session Concluding thoughts from the Georgia Institute of Technology s Brian Stone. Followed by Closing Remarks and a real-time Lessons Learned Synopsis, with comments by the New York City Mayor s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and more. 4

5 > PRESENTED by: About the Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee (DfRR) The AIANY Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee was established to explore and address the potential for the design community to mitigate and adapt to disasters through the built environment. Its mission is to foster awareness within the profession and the public of the necessity to anticipate risk from the scale of a building to comprehensive regional planning. The committee formulates programs, provides training, organizes tours, and develops professional/public partnerships that provide a forum for greater risk awareness. See also designforrisk.com About the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY) Founded in 1857, the AIA New York Chapter is the oldest and largest chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The Chapter's members include more than 5,100 practicing architects, allied professionals, students, and public members interested in architecture and design. The AIA New York Chapter is dedicated to three goals: design excellence, public outreach, and professional development. About the New York City College of Technology (City Tech) The New York City College of Technology (City Tech) of the City University of New York (CUNY) is the largest public college of technology in New York State. Located at 300 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, the College has nearly 17,000 students enrolled in 65 baccalaureate, associate and specialized certificate programs. Annually, an additional 14,000 students enroll in continuing education and workforce development courses, many of which lead to licensure and certification. Learn more about City Tech at Also in partnership with: AIANY Building Enclosure Council AIANY Building Codes Committee AIANY Committee on the Environment (COTE) AIANY Design for Aging Committee AIANY Health Facilities Committee AIANY Housing Committee AIANY Planning and Urban Design Committee AIANY Transportation and Infrastructure Committee American Society of Landscape Architects - New York Chapter (ASLA-NY) NYCCT Department of Architectural Technology NYCCT Department of Construction Management and Civil Engineering NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Mayor's Office of Recovery & Resiliency NYC Office of Emergency Management NYC Department of Parks and Recreation NYC Urban Heat Island Working Group The Rockefeller Foundation The Nature Conservancy Urban Green Council 5

6 >WITH SUPPORT from the following Benefactor: Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of 3D software for global markets. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries including the last 19 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects use Autodesk software to design, visualize, and simulate their ideas before they're ever built or created. From blockbuster visual effects and buildings that create their own energy, to electric cars and the batteries that power them, the work of our 3D software customers is everywhere you look. Through our apps for iphone, ipad, ipod, and Android, we're also making design technology accessible to professional designers and amateur designers, homeowners, students, and casual creators anyone who wants to create and share their ideas with the world. Visit to learn more. 6

7 >And also from the following Patrons: The Center for Building Excellence (CBE) serves as a conduit to the depth and breadth of BASF s innovative technologies and provides tailored solutions for design and construction challenges. Our multidisciplinary team of building scientist, architects, engineers and sustainable construction experts thinks beyond the ordinary, adapts to changing conditions and offers insights that trigger revolutionary approaches to complex situations. Our BEYOND.High Performance approach integrates services and innovative chemistry to help create sustainable construction projects that are more energy efficient, more durable and more comfortable. Let us show you how chemistry is an enabler of high-performance construction. Further information on the CBE is available at construction.basf.us/cbe BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $20.6 billion in For more information about BASF s North American operations, visit At BASF, we create chemistry and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of over 74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at As our name suggests, Big Ass Fans isn t your traditional business. While the quirky name understandably garners a lot of attention, it s the serious work behind the scenes that drives our continued success in industrial, commercial and residential spaces. Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky in the United States, we design, engineer and manufacture overhead and directional fans that range in size from 45.7cm to 7.4m in diameter. Unlike typical fans, Big Ass Fans couple energy-efficient motors with patented aerofoil designs, inspired by airplane wings, to move large volumes of air quietly and efficiently. At the time of the company s founding in 1999, our first models were designed to bring comfort and safety to farms and factories, which typically lacked air conditioning. Customers started installing our industrial fans in air-conditioned schools, churches and offices, so we invented a silent motor and offered stunning designs to meet the sound and aesthetic needs of these spaces. In 2012, Big Ass Fans launched Haiku, the reinvention of the home ceiling fan that boasts an award-winning minimalist design and revolutionary energy-efficient motor. Pizzarotti IBC is a Construction Management and General Contracting firm serving the needs of Developers, Architects, Property Managers. Institutions and Local Communities in the New York City and Tri-State area. Formed through the merger of IBC Groups (New York, NY) and Impressa Pizzarotti (Parma, Italy), we pride ourselves in our team's proven ability to anticipate and satisfy our client's expectations, delivering better projects with reduced costs and compressed schedules. It is our philosophy that our clients are our partners, with whom we work to achieve common objectives. Our management team is involved in all aspects and phases of each of our projects and remains accessible to our clients at all times, offering a first class level of service and attention from Budgeting and Pre-Construction through to Project Completion and Close-Out. To download these logos and other imagery, visit 7