AIA Sustainable Design Assessment Team for Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra

As President of AIA Northern Nevada, Ric Licata successfully engaged AIA membership with national leadership through the SDAT process which led to many workshops, design charrettes and town-hall meetings. During this process AIA members were compelled to expand and share their knowledge with members of the community and local leadership on the attributes of sustainable issues as a methodology for creating livable communities. As AIA Nevada President and 150 Champion, he again engaged AIA membership in the development of the AIA Blueprint for Nevada.

The AIANN conducted a SDAT study which provided the beginnings of a regional sustainable vision and has placed our architectural community at the forefront of sustainable planning for our area. . Through the charrette process the Team developed unique perspectives and new ideas based on their experience, and what they had heard and seen. The interdisciplinary team then presented their conclusions and ideas, based on past successes. The ideas put forth were a unifying vision of an interdependent effort to preserve the quality of life in our region. The community’s awareness of the need to nurture and expand this vision, and critical role design and architects play in developing planning efforts in preserving our region was raised, through the SDAT process. The SDAT process brought tremendous media attention and public awareness of sustainable issues and the design value the architectural community provides, to a level previously unheard of. Local leaders and citizens of our area now look to the AIA, and architects, for leadership in planning and the design of a sustainable future for our region.

Creative Energy Solutions & UNR Propose Sustainable Energy Initiative

Licata Hansen is part of the Creative Energy Solutions Committee, a diverse group working together in an informal public‐private partnership to explore and develop options for clean energy production and improved energy efficiencies in order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. The committee includes architects, engineers, educators, scientists, private foundations, industry providers and the University of Nevada.

I.   The Construction of a  10 Mega Watt geothermal power plant

The goal of the program is to totally remove the UNR Campus “off the grid.”  Provide research, development, demonstration and deployment of renewable geothermal electrical power as the basis clean energy generation in Nevada.   Achieving this goal will be the equivalent of the removal of a rural size Nevada community from the grid.

Job Generation as direct result of this program:

Direct employment: 70 green collar high skilled jobs for 20 years

Indirect job projection: 360 jobs in support and related industries

R & D Jobs: 15 Research scientists and engineers for 10 years

Projected jobs preserved at UNR: 100 due to actual dollars saved in cost of energy per year

II.  Hybrid Renewable Applications in Solar, Wind, Hydrogen and Bio-fuels

Wind applications 6-750 KW wind turbines

6000 KW Photovoltaic Application

Hydrogen fuel studies

Bio-fuel testing and research on algae based bio-fuels

Job Generation: 12 green collar jobs and 8 researchers

III.   Associated labs and facility expansion at the Redfield Campus

30,000 square feet of new facilities for management, testing, training and teaching labs (beyond existing facilities)

Job Generation: 120 construction jobs for 18 months

IV.   Energy Retro-fit program for University Buildings

Modify and retro-fit existing UNR facilities to lessen campus loads through energy efficiency and further develop clean energy applications-20 buildings first program.

Job Generation: 120 jobs for period of construction

V.    Rural Community Clean Energy Cooperative

Business development plan for systematically removing rural Nevada communities “off the grid.”

                Community Based Ownership

                NV Energy to manage and export power
Demonstrate the development and deployment of “community scale” clean energy applications.
Development of a flexible dynamic program based on available resources and community needs.

Job Generation: 24 jobs for period of program

Richard Licata, FAIA – AIA Nevada Silver Medal Honoree

Ric Licata, longtime northern Nevada architect and college professor of architecture, received the Silver Medal, the highest honor that AIA Nevada can bestow upon an individual and is awarded in recognition of distinguished service to the profession of architecture.

As 2007 Northern Nevada AIA President and 2008 Nevada State AIA President, Ric spearheaded many community based projects and studies, personally demonstrating how architects can be a force for change. His efforts include the Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) Study for Northern Nevada and the Blueprint for Nevada, a sustainability plan for creating more livable communities in Nevada. As AIA 150 Champion, Licata conducted town hall meetings for the SDAT and Blueprint, and recognized community leaders who are helping to make a difference. Licata created and oversaw the Reno Magazine Awards, a program featuring AIA Architects and Allied Members. Ric has repeatedly chaired the yearly CANstruction charity can food drive benefitting the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. He also teaches architecture at TMCC.

Over the years Ric Licata has provided effective leadership at the state and national level through AIA Grassroots and legislative efforts on Capitol Hill and at the Nevada State Capitol. He has been invited to speak at the AIA Grassroots Conference on “AIA 150-What Nevada’s done right” as well as the Livable Communities Conference in Seattle, and has frequently spoken in front of both Las Vegas and Reno Chapters of the United States Green Building Council.

Licata is recognized by architects, students and the public as a valuable contributor to the future of architecture in America. The AIA Silver Medal recognizes Ric Licata for doing what he believes in and in the process dramatically benefiting his profession, his students, and his community.