The first evaluation of the Design & Construction component of NEEA’s BetterBricks initiative finds that early progress is being made toward the goal of promoting high performance buildings through the practice of integrated design. Accomplishments in 2006 include signing agreements to work intensively with three prominent architecture firms to design buildings that perform at least 25% better than current code; starting integrated design labs in Spokane and Bozeman; introducing architects at a variety of firms throughout the region to integrated design by assisting on over 40 projects; and developing an integrated design curriculum that ensures a consistent presentation of the topic.
