In 2019, the AIA passed the Resolution for Urgent and Sustained Climate Action. A key outcome of this resolution was the adoption of the COTE Top Ten Measures as the AIA Framework for Design Excellence to “transform the day-to-day practice of architects to achieve a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient and healthy built environment.”
The elevation of the Framework was a milestone for our profession, declaring that good design must also be good for the planet and the people and other species who inhabit it. However, one critical component of the COTE Top Ten Measures was left behind in the creation of the Framework – the quantitative metrics and guidance of the COTE Top Ten Super Spreadsheet. COTE is thrilled to announce that we are bringing metrics back!
With the AIA Technology and Climate Action and Design Excellence (CADE) teams, COTE is leading a multi-year process to develop an online Framework for Design Excellence implementation platform that will enable design firms to design, iterate, and track performance across the 10 Principles through all stages of design and across their portfolio. With this investment, COTE aims to:
Accelerate implementation of the Framework for Design Excellence among AIA membership and the broader community
Build literacy around climate action in architecture
Replace the COTE Top Ten Super Spreadsheet and, eventually, the Common App with a durable online interface
Enable firms to track project performance across the project life cycle
Track the progress of the profession through anonymized data about tool use and project outcomes
Streamline integration of Framework metrics into AIA awards at the national and component levels
Phase 1 of this initiative is a direct recreation of the Super Spreadsheet into an online platform linked to the Design Data Exchange (DDX). It will go live in time for the 2026 COTE Top Ten Awards.
This year’s COTE Top Ten Award applicants will submit metrics through the online interface rather than by appending the Super Spreadsheet. If you’ve been designing using the Super Spreadsheet, fear not; you will be able to simply reenter your information online in the same format as the most recent version of the spreadsheet.
Phase 2 will build on the migration of the Super Spreadsheet to develop a comprehensive online Framework implementation tool. Going beyond the Super Spreadsheet, this tool will interface with the Framework for Design Excellence as published on the AIA website, offering an accessible pathway to incorporate the 10 Principles for users of all levels and all phases of design. This tool is tentatively scheduled to debut in late 2026/early 2027. Stay tuned for more information on its development progress and how you can provide feedback!
Co-Authored by Lori Ferriss, Built Buildings Lab and Michelle Amt, VMDO Architects