Suyama Bodhinayake, Assoc. AIA

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["i"],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.coolirvine.com\/meet-the-team"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.iea.org\/reports\/world-energy-outlook-2021"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/report\/2021-global-status-report-buildings-and-construction"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/sustainability\/codes\/1.5-climate-action-plan.page"]],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Suyama Bodhinayake, Associate AIA, is an associate at\nBAUER Architects, a firm with a longstanding and enduring commitment to\nenvironmentally sustainable and energy-conscious design. He is active in AIA\nOrange County where he is the director of advocacy and sustainability, chairs the Committee on the Environment\n(COTE) and serves on the Design Awards Committee. Bodhinayake also serves on\nAIA California\u2019s Climate Action Steering Committee, co-chairing chapter\noutreach, COTE, Advocacy Task Force and the Embodied Carbon Working Group. He served\non the "],[0,[1,0],2,"Steering\nCommittee"],[0,[0],1," that helped Irvine gain selection as one of three winning\ncities in the Empowerment Institute\u2019s Cool City Challenge, a Climate Moonshot grant\ncompetition for California cities to develop innovative plans to achieve carbon\nneutrality by 2030. Bodhinayake now serves as technology co-chair to develop the\nCool Irvine Program."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"__________________________"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"According to the "],[0,[2],1,"International\nEnergy Agency"],[0,[],0," and the "],[0,[3],1,"United\nNations Environment Programme"],[0,[],0,", buildings globally consume a third of energy\nand produce nearly 40% of carbon emissions from construction and operations. "],[0,[4],1,"In\ncities"],[0,[],0,", this energy consumption and emissions can be as high as 70%."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Bodhinayake said there are ample opportunities for Golden\nState architects to get involved in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions\nfrom buildings and their operations. California already has mandated 100% renewable\nenergy and zero-net-carbon emissions targets that the state must achieve by\n2045. Additionally, the California Energy Commission is updating energy codes\nfor new construction and considering how to decarbonize existing buildings. On\nthe municipal level, some cities are updating their climate action plans and others\nare commissioning them for the first time. Architectural expertise is needed to\nhelp cities address gaps in awareness about building adaptability and decarbonization."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In particular, city leaders need input on the importance of\ndecarbonizing "],[0,[0],1,"existing"],[0,[],0," buildings, Bodhinayake said. With more than 90% of\n2025\u2019s building stock already standing, climate action plans must include\ncomprehensive, equitable strategies for decarbonizing existing stock. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In 2020, Bodhinayake proposed that AIA OC begin a\nfirst-of-its-kind initiative for direct outreach to the county\u2019s 32\ncities to promote building decarbonization and to pilot this initiative in\nIrvine. The AIA OC board unanimously approved this plan. Architects are now\nrecognized as stakeholders in the development of Irvine\u2019s climate action and\nadaptation plan. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Irvine has become a leader in the state\u2019s move toward carbon\nneutrality. In August 2021, city leaders unanimously approved a resolution\ncommitting Irvine to carbon neutrality by 2030\u201415 years ahead of the state\u2019s\ntimeline. Irvine was the first OC city and the third in California to make that\npledge. Civic, public and private sector partnerships are being developed to\ndeliver policy, technology, behavioral changes and market opportunities to meet\nthat pledge. Bodhinayake and his AIA colleagues are counted on as partners in\nguiding the city towards carbon neutrality."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While cities like Irvine have adopted a mindset of urgency,\nin communities where leaders are skeptical, Bodhinayake advised architects to listen\nfirst. "]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cArchitects can transform the vibrancy of a community\nthrough design and collaboration, and I am a strong advocate for utilizing that\nexpertise and environmental stewardship to support urgent climate action,\u201d - Suyama\nBodhinayake "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cBut building trust, building partnerships, comes before\ndeveloping policies. A key component of that trust is listening\u2014literally, at\ncity council, financial commission, and environmental committee meetings. By\nengaging those with differing viewpoints, we can often agree on goals like\nprioritizing health and safety, improving asset value and the importance of\nhealthy economies. Then, I highlight achievability\u2014the readily available,\ncost-effective design solutions and technology for decarbonizing buildings.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Architects new to advocacy should start by getting informed,\nBodhinayake advised, by reviewing city council agendas, paying attention to\nplanning and development, and, most importantly, attending local government\nmeetings. \u201cWe often hear, \u2018Get involved in any way you can,\u2019 but first it is\nimportant to make an effort to be aware of the issues that are at play in your\ncommunity,\u201d Bodhinayake advised. \u201cIt\u2019s like conducting a site analysis during\nthe pre-design stage.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Bodhinayake has lived and worked on three continents:\nAustralia, Asia and North America. He said his approach to sustainable design\nand to advocacy has been influenced by living in different places and\nexperiencing how architects use what is available to transform environments. At\nno other time has the need been greater for architects to engage with their\ncommunities to facilitate collaborative design solutions that mitigate the\nongoing effects of climate change."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThere is power in the voice of the local architects who\nlive and work within the community,\u201d said Bodhinayake. \u201cThe message to\npolicymakers is amplified when the engagement of local architects is coupled\nwith the collective voice of architects and design professionals networked\nthrough the local and state AIA chapters.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[5],1,"- As told to Kerrie Rushton"]]]]}