The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) is awarding ten design projects with its highest honor—the COTE® Top Ten Awards— for their significant achievements in holistic sustainability and advancing climate action and equity. Complete details for each project are available on AIA’s website.

The award, now in its 27th year, celebrates design projects that have expertly integrated design excellence with innovative performance in ten key areas. The COTE® Top Ten projects illustrate the solutions architects provide for the health and welfare of our communities and planet.

To be eligible, project submissions are required to demonstrate alignment with COTE’s rigorous criteria, which include social, economic, and ecological values. The four-member jury evaluates each project submission based on the effectiveness of their holistic design solution and metrics associated with the ten principles of AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence. This year’s COTE® Top Ten Awards recipients are as follows:

 

Casa Adelante 2060 Folsom, San Francisco | Mithun with Y.A. Studio  

 

Confluence Park, San Antonio | Lake|Flato Architects + Matsys  

 

DPR Sacramento Zero Net Energy Office, Sacramento | SmithGroup  

 

Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex, Boston | Behnisch Architekten 

 

John W. Olver Transit Center, Greenfield, MA | Charles Rose Architects 

 

RIDC Mill 19:  Buildings A & B, Pittsburgh, PA | MSR Design

 

Science and Environmental Center, Hillsborough, CA | Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects 

 

UC San Diego North Torrey Pines Living & Learning Neighborhood, San Diego | HKS, Inc & Safdie Rabines Architects  

 

Watershed, Seattle, WA | Weber Thompson 

 

Westwood Hills Nature Center, St. Louis Park, MN|HGA Architects and Engineers  

 

 

Visit AIA’s website for more information on the COTE® Top Ten Awards program.