Upcoming Events

The National Trust for Canada (with the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals and Indigenous Heritage Circle) is holding their annual conference here in Toronto from October 20-22, with a special opening night talk featuring former AIA President Carl Elefante, hosted in the magnificent council chamber of Toronto City Hall.

We are lucky to have access to a limited amount of free tickets to this lecture exclusive for TSA and ACO Members, so make sure to get your ticket before they are gone!

Climate change is not occurring in a vacuum. Communities of every description, including Toronto, confront interconnected challenges. Conditions in the built environment influence them all, sometimes immensely. Getting to net ZERO carbon means retooling everything about the built environment, reaching beyond operational emissions to also address embodied emissions. This holistic view of carbon is a sea change, placing material performance on equal footing with energy performance and elevating the value of building preservation, re-use, and long-life.

The enormous scope of building-sector climate action will impact the lives of everyone. As the pandemic illustrated, effects are felt very differently from place to place and person to person. Climate action can only be scaled up and accelerated by unlocking the power of culture, inspiring diverse communities to imagine and realize carbon-free futures. Zero is a Positive Number offers the perspective of Carl Elefante, architect, historic preservation advocate, and Senior Fellow with Architecture 2030, on the possibilities for leveraging climate action to create a healthy, equitable, and prosperous future – for all.

About the Speaker:

Carl Elefante | Principal Emeritus, Quinn Evans – Senior Fellow, Architecture 2030 – 2018 President, American Institute of Architects (Washington, D.C.)

Known for coining the phrase, “The greenest building is…one that is already built”, Carl practiced architecture at the intersection of historic preservation and sustainable design. Serving as Principal and Director of Sustainability with Quinn Evans Architects in Washington D.C. for more than twenty years, Carl helped formulate the principles of sustainable stewardship working at some of the nation’s most beloved and iconic buildings.

Throughout his career with Quinn Evans, Carl’s work focused on the rehabilitation of existing buildings, many designated historic structures, extending their useful service life while adapting them for a new generation of occupants. As a body of work, Carl’s projects illustrate the real-world application of sustainable stewardship principles, leveraging the inherently sustainable qualities of historic structures, employing cutting-edge analytical and design tools, adopting contemporary performance standards, and integrating innovative technologies like renewable energy.

Throughout his career, Carl has advocated for the relevance of architecture, writing and speaking internationally on historic preservation, sustainable design, climate change, and urban topics. He has served countless leadership roles in both professional and community organizations: co-chair of the Housing and Land Use Working Group of President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development; Board of Directors of the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT) and co-chair of APT’s Technical Committee on Sustainable Preservation; Board of Directors and President of AIA Potomac Valley (2009), AIA Maryland (2012), and national President of AIA in 2018. Carl was a founding Board member of the National Capital Region Chapter of USGBC and the Climate Heritage Network (CHN). Carl is a Senior Fellow with Architecture 2030 and was elected to the College of Fellows of both AIA and APT.

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This lecture is eligible for 1.5 OAA Structured Learning Hours. In order to receive your certificate of attendance, please check-in with a TSA representative at the welcome desk.

OAA MEMBERS: When registering, please include your full name as registered with the OAA to ensure your certificate of participation is issued properly. Please also include an email address you check frequently to ensure you receive our certificate in a timely manner.

This lecture is organized by the National Trust for Canada Conference.