The National Academy of Environmental Design, founded in 2007 by more than 20 nonprofit organizations and representing more than 500,000 members, is holdings its second Annual Meeting at the USGBC offices. The two day event starts at 5:30pm September 29 with a reception and keynote address by Ambassador Richard Nelson Swett, FAIA and continues through the following day with a business meeting, guest speakers and discussions surrounding the future of multidisciplinary research on the built and natural environments.

Scheduled speakers for the second day include Charles E. Blumberg, FIIDA, from the National Institutes of Health Division of Environmental Protection; Sohi Rastegar, PhD, director of the National Science Foundation Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation; and Lawrence C. Bank, PhD program director in the National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation. James L. Wescoat, chair of the NAED Research Committee and Aga Khan Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will lead a session developing a map of research areas across NAED member organizations and sharpening the organization’s research agenda for the future.

“The NAED Annual Meeting is the opportunity for our member organizations to come together to plan the organization’s advancement for the coming year and beyond,” said NAED President Kim Tanzer, dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia. “We anticipate the address by Ambassador Swett will orient our members’ thinking to the crucial role that of innovation in research can play for the economic and social development of communities around the world.”

The public is invited to attend both days, but should RSVP to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or by calling 202.785.2324.