Exploring Design : Green Truths

“Despite the burgeoning public support for sustainable and energy-efficient design, actual progress is still slow in coming,” says Boston Society of Architects (BSA) president James Batchelor FAIA. As the guest speaker this month in “Exploring Design,” the BSA lecture series at the Boston Public Library, Batchelor shares some examples of sustainable and energy-efficient design to shed light on the gap between our aspirations and buildings’ often-disappointing performance results. “With mayors, governors and a president now offering political support at a level rarely seen before, it is a crucial time to understand how our collective moral resolve and greater roles for design and science can make a difference,” explains Batchelor. In addition to serving as the BSA’s 2009 president, Batchelor is the president of the Somerville architecture firm Arrowstreet, which has a long history of leadership in sustainable design. Arrowstreet recently was named one of the top U.S. firms for green design by Architect magazine and has received numerous awards for its design of the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter—the first Platinum LEED-rated building in Boston—including being named among the AIA Committee on the Environment’s “Top Ten Green Buildings” in the United States and one of “Boston’s Top 10 Buildings in the 21st Century” by Architectural Record. Batchelor’s presentation begins at 6:00 pm on April 15 at the BPL. There is no charge and all are welcome. Boston Public Library