Presented by AIA Seattle Committee on the Environment

In its second decade, What Makes It GREEN? (WMIG?) recognizes and celebrates the best green design in the Northwest and Pacific Region including Alaska, Guam/Micronesia, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Idaho, Japan, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

For complete Submittal Guidelines, download the .pdf document (also at right).

key dates & deadlines

March 5: EXTENDED Early-bird rate deadline for applicants to register and pay

March 12: Final submittal deadline

March 15-23: AIA Seattle COTE WMIG? Committee conduct preliminary submittal review to verify eligibility, submittal and format requirements

April 12-16: Shortlisted project teams notified; interview times confirmed

May 1: Short-listed project boards due at AIA Seattle

May 5: Jury interviews shortlisted project teams as part of Living Future Conference (Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room, 1-4 p.m.)

Early June: WMIG? celebration, exhibition and panel discussion held in Seattle (Location and date TBD)

June – December: Touring exhibit of WMIG? winning projects

October 13-16: Exhibit at the AIA Northwest and Pacific Regional Conference (Eugene, OR)

program summary

WMIG? is driven by the interest in and need to celebrate good work, sharing knowledge and educating the industry through inspiring storytelling to further the practice of architecture. In 2010, live jury interviews, an awards reception, a traveling exhibit and other legacy initiatives highlight the people, designs and processes of the WMIG? submitters.

The 2010 WMIG? program recognizes projects that demonstrate the highest accomplishment in environmentally sustainable architecture, combining inspired design, systems analysis, and performance evaluation under the domains of Planet, People and Prosperity. WMIG? strives to provide a relevant, meaningful framework for project evaluation in a format that is remains flexible to allow for change over time.

The submittal format allows entrants to succinctly describe how the project’s goals were established and achieved, along with lessons learned that can inform and improve future designs. While emphasis will be placed on measurable results when available, the narrative format recognizes that qualitative goals are often subjective and therefore cannot always be evaluated quantitatively. Similarly, a multi-media option can further allow submitters to explain their approach.

The awards program reflects many of the same goals as the AIA National COTE’s Top Ten Green Projects Awards, and this program has been crafted to help firms easily leverage both awards programs.

submittal categories

WMIG? projects are welcomed for consideration in two categories:

o ON THE BOARDS
Highlights design projects that have not completed construction. This category aims to extract and recognize the many stories, solutions and breakthroughs that happen at the project outset, or during the concept design and/or design development phases that can get lost or forgotten by the time of occupancy. Student entries are encouraged, and at its discretion, the jury may award a student category winner.

o BUILT & OPERATING
Celebrates and defines great integrated design projects that were completed as of December 2009.

eligibility

What Makes It GREEN? is open to all design professionals based in or completing projects in Northwest and Pacific region. Submittals representing the work of multi-disciplinary project teams are encouraged.

o Project teams must include at least one licensed architect.
o Student entries are not required to include a licensed architect on the team.
o Previous WMIG? winning projects from the Built & Operating category are not eligible.
o Previous WMIG? winning projects from the 2008-2009 On the Boards category can only be submitted to the Built & Operating category.

why submit?

All projects will be showcased in the following ways:

o Published online at www.aiaseattle.org with opportunity to win a People’s Choice Award
o Presented in a rolling media presentation at the live interview event in May and awards reception in June
o Presented in a rolling media presentation as an accompaniment to the touring Top Ten gallery exhibit

Short-listed projects will be additionally showcased in the following ways:

o Directly connected to jury via optional live interviews
o Featured at Cascadia Green Building Council’s Living Future Unconference (May 5-7, 2010)

Winning projects will be showcased in the following additional ways:

o Featured during the WMIG? awards reception (early June)
o Published in AIA Seattle’s regional quarterly full-color magazine Forum (Fall 2010)
o Included in a WMIG? awards press release distributed to various local, regional and national media outlets
o Featured in the traveling regional exhibit, including the AIA Northwest and Pacific Regional Conference in Eugene, OR (October 13-16, 2010)
o Highlighted on the BetterBricks website

about what makes it green?

In 1999, the AIA Seattle Committee on the Environment initiated “What Makes It GREEN?” as an observance of Earth Day by and for the local design and building community. Since then WMIG? has found a place in the design community’s annual calendar. From the beginning, “What Makes It GREEN?” has focused the attention of professionals and the public alike on innovation in design and materials that allow us to achieve our vision of a sustainable future.

2010 what makes it green? co-chairs

Margaret Montgomery AIA, LEED®AP
NBBJ

Jared Silliker, MBA, LEED®AP
silliker + partners LLC

2010 aia seattle committee on the environment co-chairs

David Mount AIA
Mahlum

Carl Dominguez AIA
schacht | aslani architects, p.c.

many thanks to our 2010 what makes it green? program sponsors

SILVER


 
 
 

BRONZE

AHBL ● CDi Engineers ● GeoEngineers ● GLY Construction ● Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd ● LPD Engineering ● McGraw-Hill Construction ● Olympic Reprographics ● Quantum Consulting Engineers ● Sellen Construction ● SGS Glass Co ● Shannon & Wilson ● Site Workshop ● SvR Design Company ● Travis Fitzmaurice & Associates ● Washington Archives Management