Over the last 25 years, one of the major advancements in the construction industry has been the growth of the green design movement. From the start, predictions were made of a flood of litigation and a drastic change in the design professional standard of care. While that, fortunately, has not yet occurred, architects must be aware of associated risks and the best ways to manage them.
A new AIA Trust paper about the potential impact of the green design movement on the architect’s standard of care explores new risks and legal theories associated with green design and offers architects two case studies to illustrate and consider those risks. Given that the impact of the movement has not yet materialized in litigation, the paper suggests that architects assess their services in the context of current industry practice and monitor for impending changes. Risk management tools are suggested.