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2009 SDAT Request for Proposals
The American Institute of Architects
(AIA) Center for Communities by Design is pleased
to release the 2009 Sustainable Design Assessment Team Program
(SDAT) Request for Proposals. The RFP solicits applications for
inclusion in the Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) 2009 program. The
SDAT committee will conduct two rounds of application review
through the remainder of 2008 to offer submitters the opportunity
to receive an early decision by the review committee. The first
round of review will be in September 2008, and committee members
will evaluate all applications received to date. Applications
received after the first round of review will be reviewed in
December 2008. Any additional applications received after the
second review period will be considered for the 2010 SDAT program.
The final deadline to submit proposals for consideration in
the 2009 SDAT program is November 14, 2008. The Center for
Communities by Design will hold a teleconference for communities
interested in learning more about the SDAT program and the
application process on September 19th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Eastern. Please contact us if you would like to join the
call.
To access past SDAT applications and other
associated resources, please follow this
link.
SDAT 2008 Communities
The Center for Communities by Design
has selected Detroit, MI; Fellsmere, FL; Fort Worth, TX; Kauai, HI;
Leon Valley, TX; Morristown, NJ; New Orleans, LA; Parma, OH; and
Tampa, FL to receive technical assistance under the
Sustainable Design Assesment Team (SDAT) Program in 2008. The
collaborative SDAT program brings together architects and other
professionals assembled from across the country to provide a
roadmap for communities seeking to improve their sustainability -
as defined by a communities ability to meet the environmental,
economic, and social equity needs of today without reducing the
ability of future generations to meet their needs. To access the
list of SDAT communities and their associated materials including
applications, PowerPoint Presentations, and Final Reports, please follow this link.
Past SDAT Communities
In 2007, Albany, NY; Central City, LA; Culver
City, CA; Dubuque, IA; Tucson, AZ; New Orleans, LA, and
Englishtown, NJ. In 2006, New Orleans, LA, Syracuse, N.Y.,
Longview, Wash., Guemes Island, Wash., Lawrence, Kan., Northeast,
Mich., Northern, Nev., and Hagerstown, Md. participated in the SDAT
program. For information pertaining to past SDATs, including
applications, PowerPoint Presentations, and final reports, please
follow this link.
 The SDAT program is based on the AIA’s goal of
helping communities create a sustainable relationship between
humans, the natural environment, and place. By achieving balance
between cultural, environmental, and economic systems, communities
can sustain a place as a stage for human settlement.
What is the SDAT Program?
The SDAT program is a community
assistance program that focuses on the principles of
sustainability. SDATs bring teams of volunteer professionals (such
as architects, urban designers, planners, hydrologists, economists,
attorneys, and others) to work with community decision-makers and
stakeholders to help them develop a vision and framework for a
sustainable future.
While the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team
(R/UDAT) program was developed to provide communities with
specific design solutions, the SDAT program provides a broad
assessment to help frame any future policies or design solutions in
the context of sustainability.
The SDAT process helps communities:
• understand their structure at various
scales and contexts;
• explore interactions between ecological,
sociological, economic, and physical systems;
• visualize potential futures;
• articulate the qualities of a place;
• advance the principles of sustainable communities; and
• define the role of stakeholders and players in both the
public and private sectors. The SDAT
community assistance program provides communities with six
components:
- -Preliminary visit
- -Three-day visit from a multidisciplinary
team
- -A report highlighting the strengths and
weaknesses of the community with regard to
sustainability, along with the opportunities and obstacles to
change
- -Consultations after a three-day
visit
- -A conference call six months after
delivery of the assessment report to review progress
- -One-day follow-up visit to complete a
secondary assessment, one year after the SDAT report is
delivered
- A team of architects and other professionals such as planners,
hydrologists, economic development specialists, and others are
selected for each multidisciplinary SDAT team based on their
credentials and the specific needs of each community. The team
works in conjunction with local stakeholders to help shape the
community’s strategy to increase sustainability. In order to
provide the most objective assessment, the team members are from
outside the particular communities.
Funding
For 2008, the AIA will fund $15,000 of each project and communities
are expected to raise the remainder, including a $5,000 cash
contribution.
Questions?
For more information about the SDAT program email sdat@aia.org,
or contact Erin A. Simmons, Director, Center for Communities
by Design at esimmons@aia.org or
202.626.7492.
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