HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8983INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
No. 8983
October 7, 2008
Page 1 of 1
SUBJECT: The American Institute of Architects Center for Communities By
Design Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) Program
Annually, the American Institute of Architects (AIAs) releases a Request for Proposal (RFP) to provide
selected communities with technical assistance and process expertise to help develop a vision and framework
for a sustainable future under its Center for Communities By Design's Sustainable Design Assessment Team
(SDAT) Program. On November 1, 2007, IR -8897 informed Council of staff's intent to respond to a
Request for Proposal issued by the AIA related to the SDAT. In January 2008, the City learned that it had
been successful in its request for assistance. The purpose of this report is to update Council regarding
implementation of the SDAT and planned future SDAT activities.
AIA's SDAT program focuses on the importance of developing sustainable communities by bringing
together multidisciplinary teams of professionals to work with community representatives, decision - makers,
and stakeholders. The team conducts an intensive planning process to design and recommend an
implementation plan based on some of the sustainability goals and objectives developed by the City's
Sustainability & Green Building Task Force. The AIA's SDAT management team made its initial visit to
Fort Worth on September 4 and 5, 2008, to obtain background information on the City, its planning efforts
-ind our focus on sustainability. They left excited and encouraged by the work already completed in our
region by our City as well as area task forces and work groups.
The complete Sustainable Design Assessment Team is tentatively scheduled to visit Fort Worth on
November 3 -5, 2008, to conduct an intensive three -day assessment wherein focus groups consisting of
representatives from all sectors of Fort Worth will meet to help further define our sustainability program for
implementation. The results of their assessment will be presented at a public meeting on the last night of
their visit. A Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the AIX outlining the goals and
objectives of this project, will be presented to the Mayor and Council for consideration on October 14, 2008.
If you have any questions related to the work of the Sustainability & Green Building Task Force or the
information in this report, please contact Brian Boerner, Director, Environmental Management Department,
at 817- 392 -8085.
Dale A. Fisse r, P.E.
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS