Advancing a Sustainable Future through Technology Innovation
Wednesday, June 4, 8:45am-5pm | Boston
Program code: SYM102 | Fee: $279 / $149 | CE: 6 LUs HSW
Session listed on AIA25 website here.
The built environment plays a significant role in climate change and resource depletion, making transitioning to sustainable design practices an imperative priority in the AEC industry. This symposium addresses the critical intersection of architectural practice, technological innovation, and environmental stewardship. Through expert-led panels, participants will explore strategies for integrating artificial intelligence, optimizing building performance, and navigating the evolving landscape of sustainable design and regulatory compliance. This event examines the practical application of advanced technologies, the importance of carbon accounting methodologies, and the collaborative approaches necessary for fostering resilient and equitable built environments, emphasizing actionable solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors of small and medium size.
This symposium is co-hosted by:
- Technology in Architectural Practice, an AIA knowledge community (aia.org/tap)
- Committee on the Environment, an AIA knowledge community (aia.org/cote)
Sponsored by
How to register
- Are you already attending AIA25? Register for the ultimate, full, or one-day conference pass at AIA25, then you'll select this all-day symposium as an add-on for $149.
- Are you not attending AIA25? If you are only planning to attend this symposium, you can get a symposia-only pass for $279.
- Everyone: Whichever pass you choose, all registrations should be done on conferenceonarchitecture.com - use this link to register. Look for this event under "Workshops & Symposia", and select "SYM102 - TAP + COTE Symposium".
Agenda
Please note, schedule is still subject to change as we finalize the presentations
9:30am - Introduction to TAP+COTE® Symposium
Presenter: Cesar Escalante, 2025 TAP Chair + Dan Stine, COTE® leadership
8:45am - Keynote
9:45am - Panel: Regulatory Compliance and Sustainable Building Certification Strategies
Panelists: Jessica Zofchak, Kjell Anderson, Z Smith. Moderated by Dan Stine.
How will the rise of green codes impact practice, both now and in the future?
10:45 - Break
11am - Panel: Carbon Emissions Reduction / LCA
Panelists: Ian Molloy, Jack Rusk, Nazish Pathan, Phil Northcutt. Moderated by Sara Laudeman.
How can architects effectively integrate carbon accounting throughout the project lifecycle to drive meaningful emissions reductions? This panel will be a focused discussion on the critical role of carbon accounting, the tools available for measuring emissions at various project phases and scales, and the role of high-quality actionable visualizations and outputs appropriate for each stage.
12pm - Lunch (provided)
1:15pm - Decarbonization Tools (Forma)
1:45pm - Panel: Implementation Strategies for Small and Medium firms
How do practitioners from small & medium firms incorporate and advocate for tech inside and outside their firm? In this session, we'll explore strategies for firms to embrace and champion design performance technologies for small and medium sizes, including ways to overcome adoption barriers, secure stakeholder buy-in, and scale environmental practices in an organization.
2:00pm - Break
3:15pm - Panel: Re:Think – Talks on Tech & Sustainability
Panelists: Dana Moore, Miguel Elizardo, Scott Axel, Scott Birney. Moderated by Thesla Collier.
If technology can accelerate sustainability, why are we still designing for a world that struggles to keep up? What’s holding us back, and how can we break through? In a world where technology and sustainability must go hand in hand, this fast-paced session highlights cutting-edge innovations, breakthrough ideas, and game-changing solutions at the intersection of tech and environmental responsibility. Through real-world case studies, each speaker will demonstrate how digital tools, AI, innovative materials, and sustainable design drive measurable impact in industries ranging from architecture and energy to transportation and urban planning.
4:30pm - Closing remarks
Presenter: Cesar Escalante, 2025 TAP Chair + Dan Stine, COTE® leadership
Speakers
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Cesar Escalante, AIA
Senior Technical Marketing Manager, Autodesk
Cesar Escalante, AIA, LEED AP, CM-BIM, Sr Technical Marketing Manager - Autodesk. As Autodesk's architecture innovation evangelist, Cesar leverages his two-decade career at industry leaders like Gensler, HOK, and Flad Architects to champion cutting-edge technologies. A deep passion for computational design and digital prototyping complements his expertise in delivering multi-billion-dollar projects. A recognized thought leader, Cesar shares his knowledge through speaking engagements and education while actively shaping the industry through leadership roles in the American Institute of Architects.
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Daniel Stine, AIA
Director of Design Technology, Lake|Flato Architects
Dan Stine, AIA, is the Director of Design Technology and leads the internal research program at Lake Flato Architects in San Antonio, Texas. He serves on the national AIA COTE® LG and teaches graduate architecture students at NDSU. He co-authored the "AIA Climate Action Playbook" and helped update the "AIA Public Policy and Position Statements" section, Architects are Environmentally Responsible. Dan has written 19 textbooks; two are on architectural hand sketching, and another is the #1 book on Autodesk Revit in North America. He won the AIA San Antonio 2024 Trailblazer Award.
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Kjell Anderson, FAIA
Director of Sustainable Design, LMN Architects
Kjell Anderson, FAIA, LEED Fellow, practices architecture and serves as a Principal and the Director of Sustainable Design at LMN Architects, working with all of LMN’s clients to set and exceed sustainable design goals. He wrote the first architect-centered book on energy modeling, co-authored AIA’s first policy statement on climate change, led the development of the Path To Zero Carbon series and has spoken extensively on energy, water, materials, and embodied carbon. He founded the Seattle Hub of the Carbon Leadership Forum, served on the AIA National Committee on the Environment and currently serves on the Washington State Building Code Council where he chairs the Energy Code Technical Advisory Group. A lifelong Washingtonian, he lives in Seattle with his wife and two daughters and enjoys playing music and soccer.
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Sara Laudeman, AIA
Project Architect, Lord Aeck Sargent
Sara Laudeman, AIA NCARB, is a Project Architect at Lord Aeck Sargent Planning & Design. Her background is in sustainability practice in architecture, data analysis, and embodied carbon reporting. She has worked in architectural data management and novel embodied carbon estimation methods as both a consultant and a project architect. Her foundations in architecture, data analytics, and sustainability help to link the worlds of professional architectural practice, data management, and cutting-edge research.
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Thesla Collier, Intl. Assoc. AIA
Design Technology Manager, HNTB
Thesla has her Bachelor’s in architecture from the University of Honduras and has worked in the AEC Industry for over 25 years. She actively works with users to elevate their knowledge baseline to improve their skills on multiple software platforms. She is always seeking new avenues of technology to improve design workflows makes it possible to conceive, visualize, and adapt to a project’s specific needs.
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Z Smith, FAIA
Principal | Director of Sustainability and Building Performance, EskewDumezRipple
Z Smith is Principal and Director of Sustainability and Building Performance at EskewDumezRipple, winner of the AIA Firm Award. His built work includes academic, laboratory and residential buildings earning LEED Gold and Platinum certification, and winners the AIA COTE® Top Ten award, the RAIC Green Building award (Canada), and the international Urban Land 10 Extra Green award. He brings training and experience in physics and engineering to the field of architecture, is named as inventor on 10 patents, and author on over 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications He has taught at the Tulane School of Architecture, and has served on state, national and international bodies including the Louisiana Energy Code Commission, the Louisiana Climate Initiatives Task Force, the US Green Building Council Louisiana Chapter, the national Advisory Group of the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE®), and the International Union of Architects Sustainable Development Commission.
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