Hoffmann Architects, an architecture and engineering firm specializing in the rehabilitation of building exteriors, received the Justice, Equity,
Diversity & Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Award from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Connecticut) at the annual awards gala on November 16 at Aria in Prospect, Connecticut.
The AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Challenge, launched in November 2020, offers member firms the opportunity to commit to actions in each of the Challenge areas, which include:
Justice: Acknowledging and denouncing racism and sexism, removing barriers to opportunities, and promoting the success of all individuals in the profession.
Equity: Providing balanced resources and opportunities to ensure every practitioner can
reach an equal outcome.
Diversity: Encompassing an array of practitioners who represent varied experiences
and perspectives.
Inclusion: Fostering a sense of belonging for all voices and perspectives to feel welcomed, respected, supported and valued to fully participate.
Eleven firms participated in the AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Challenge, signing a pledge to promote J.E.D.I. outcomes in architecture, engineering, and construction, with voluntary action items related to staff, firm, education/community, and innovation. From among these participants, Hoffmann Architects was singled out for special recognition.
“Hoffmann Architects was awarded the inaugural J.E.D.I. Award for their outstanding strategies and efforts in creating an environment for the future of the architecture practice,” said Gina Calabro, Hon. AIA, Executive Director of AIA Connecticut. Calabro and Angela Cahill, AIA, President of AIA Connecticut, recognized Hoffmann Architects for the firm’s ambitious initiatives, including:
• Established a Diversity Advancement Scholarship with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation for students of color pursuing architecture and
engineering careers.
• Initiated a Student Loan Repayment Program for employees to assist in paying down student debt, which disproportionately impacts people of color.
• Conducted an Inclusion and Belonging Survey to establish a baseline on employees’ feelings about the workplace culture.
• Created a dynamic, interactive internal Diversity & Inclusion Blog.
• Started a D&I Book Club for staff to share conversation about challenging topics.
• Connected with ACE Mentor Program affiliates to provide volunteer mentorship opportunities for staff.
• Participated regularly in online Diversity Challenges from the United Way and other organizations.
• Provided a J.E.D.I. Education Training session with an outside consultant for firm leadership and will host a session for all employees in January.
Hoffmann Architects’ Diversity & Inclusion Committee includes Alison Hoffmann, Communications Manager and committee chair; Russell Sanders, AIA, President of Hoffmann Architects; Cindy Lattanzio, Human Resources Manager; Donna Rehm- McCabe, Controller; and five members of the firm’s technical staff, Guilherme Pinho, Kelsey Greenleaf, Nupur Khadilkar, Rob Fraguada, and Merlyn Rivera. Also in
attendance at the Gala were John Hoffmann, FAIA, Executive Chairman, and Avi Kamrat, CFO, who have championed the actions of the committee since its inception.
“I am proud of the work we have done and honored to be recognized by AIA Connecticut,” said Alison Hoffmann, in remarks at the Awards Gala. “These steps, while admirable, are just the beginning. We need to do more – as a firm, as a profession – to build a pipeline for talented students of diverse backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and cultures to enter the design fields. We need to do more to attract, retain, and support architecture graduates entering the workforce, and to create a work culture that supports diverse viewpoints and experiences. Let’s all use this moment as a challenge to do more and be better.”
More information on the AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Challenge is available at: https://aiact.org/committees/diversity-equity-inclusion-community/.
Related Stories
| Nov 29, 2010
Data Centers: Keeping Energy, Security in Check
Power consumption for data centers doubled from 2000 and 2006, and it is anticipated to double again by 2011, making these mission-critical facilities the nation’s largest commercial user of electric power. Major technology companies, notably Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, and International Business Machines, are investing heavily in new data centers. HP, which acquired technology services provider EDS in 2008, announced in June that it would be closing many of its older data centers and would be building new, more highly optimized centers around the world.
| Nov 29, 2010
New Design Concepts for Elementary and Secondary Schools
Hard hit by the economy, new construction in the K-12 sector has slowed considerably over the past year. Yet innovation has continued, along with renovations and expansions. Today, Building Teams are showing a keener focus on sustainable design, as well as ways to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ), daylighting, and low-maintenance finishes such as flooring.
| Nov 29, 2010
Renovating for Sustainability
Motivated by the prospect of increased property values, reduced utility bills, and an interest in jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, a noted upturn in green building upgrades is helping designers and real estate developers stay busy while waiting for the economy to recover. In fact, many of the larger property management outfits have set up teams to undertake projects seeking LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM, also referred to as LEED-EB), a certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
| Nov 23, 2010
The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which will house the former president’s library
The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which will house the former president’s library and museum, plus the Bush Institute, is aiming for LEED Platinum. The 226,565-sf center, located at Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, was designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern and landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh.
| Nov 23, 2010
Honeywell's School Energy and Environment Survey: 68% of districts delayed or eliminated improvements because of economy
Results of Honeywell's second annual “School Energy and Environment Survey” reveal that almost 90% of school leaders see a direct link between the quality and performance of school facilities, and student achievement. However, districts face several obstacles when it comes to keeping their buildings up to date and well maintained. For example, 68% of school districts have either delayed or eliminated building improvements in response to the economic downturn.
| Nov 16, 2010
Architecture Billings Index: inquiries for new projects remain extremely high
The new projects inquiry index was 61.7, down slightly from a nearly three-year high mark of 62.3 in September, according to the Architecture Billings Index (ABI). However, the ABI dropped nearly two points in October; the October ABI score was 48.7, down from a reading of 50.4 the previous month. The ABI reflects the approximate nine to 12 month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending.
| Nov 16, 2010
Brazil Olympics spurring green construction
Brazil's green building industry will expand in the coming years, spurred by construction of low-impact venues being built for the 2016 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee requires arenas built for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro meet international standards for low-carbon emissions and energy efficiency. This has boosted local interest in developing real estate with lower environmental impact than existing buildings. The timing couldn’t be better: the Brazilian government is just beginning its long-term infrastructure expansion program.
| Nov 16, 2010
Green building market grows 50% in two years; Green Outlook 2011 report
The U.S. green building market is up 50% from 2008 to 2010—from $42 billion to $55 billion-$71 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction's Green Outlook 2011: Green Trends Driving Growth report. Today, a third of all new nonresidential construction is green; in five years, nonresidential green building activity is expected to triple, representing $120 billion to $145 billion in new construction.
| Nov 16, 2010
Calculating office building performance? Yep, there’s an app for that
123 Zero build is a free tool for calculating the performance of a market-ready carbon-neutral office building design. The app estimates the discounted payback for constructing a zero emissions office building in any U.S. location, including the investment needed for photovoltaics to offset annual carbon emissions, payback calculations, estimated first costs for a highly energy efficient building, photovoltaic costs, discount rates, and user-specified fuel escalation rates.