Overall objectives
To help architectural education and the profession meet the challenges of sustainable architecture and urban planning; to offer specialised professional advice on project design and architectural realisation to the international community.

Region I
Specific objectives
Educate designers and promoters about the social and cultural aspects of sustainable architecture. Better inform architects and urban planners on how to create sustainable projects and increase the quality and quantity of continuing education courses in this area.
Current activities
Creating an on-line database of sustainable construction materials, energy efficient methods and technologies. Contributing to the UIA’s participation in COP15 (Copenhagen, Denmark).
Director
Sebastian El Khouli (Germany)

Region II
Specific objectives
Create a regional network of professionals, institutions and universities specialised in sustainable design.
Current activities
Contributing to the UIA’s participation in COP15 (Copenhagen, Denmark).
Director
Laszlo Szeker (Hungary)

Region III
Specific objectives
Create a network of professionals, teachers and institutions specialised in sustainable design projects.
Current activities
Active participation in national and regional conferences; contributing to the UIA’s participation in COP15 (Copenhagen, Denmark).
Director
Silvia de Schiller (Argentina)

Region IV
Specific objectives
Broaden research and publicise exemplary projects realised around the region.
Current activities
Creating a database of successful sustainable practices in Asia and Oceania; Contributing to the UIA’s participation in COP15 (Copenhagen, Denmark).
Director
Kazuo Iwamura (Japan)

Region V
Specific objectives
Raise awareness, develop, improve, promote and publicise sustainable architecture’s theories, principles and best practices among students and professional architects. Study the life cycle of materials in the built environment in order to improve them.
Current activities
Creating a website and database of exemplary architectural realisations. Organising continuing education programmes on sustainable design and construction. Diffusing regulations and their impact in different countries around the region.
Director
Éric Noir (South Africa)

International
Overall objectives
The programme seeks to implement passive energy principles, techniques and systems in order to improve the quality of interior environments while using minimal energy.
Triennal objectives
Diffuse bioclimatic architectural design principles and examples and promote the use of renewable energy sources to an ever-wider world market.
Current activities
Consultancy on renewable energies for European bioclimatic programmes, the construction industry and national and international organisations.
Director
Nikos Fintikakis (Greece)

International
Overall objectives
The future quality and sustainability of the built environment will be determined by the children of today, who will be the clients, consumers and decision-makers of tomorrow. Their ability to make sound, informed decisions will depend on the education they receive. Work Programme activity focuses on Built Environment Education (BEE), with the general aim of providing educational materials, tools, and resources to those involved in the education of young people. This will help resolve the great difficulties that teachers and others now face when trying to find suitable teaching material for architectural topics.
Triennal objectives
To enable primary and secondary school teachers and their students to understand architectural design and the process by which the environment is shaped.
Current activities
Managing the BEE website, guidelines, and poster exhibition; making presentations at seminars, conferences.
Co-Directors
Ewa Struzynska (France)
Hannes Hubrich (Germany)

Overall objectives
In spite of the major advances in the development of national and international civil and human rights legislations, which now recognise accessibility to the built and natural environment as an element of equal opportunity for all, there is still a lack of education and awareness about these considerations among architects. The programme hopes to increase understanding in this area, so that homes, buildings, and cities will become accommodating for everyone.

Region I
Specific objectives
Share information about innovations and exemplary projects of urban and architectural accessibility.
Current activities
Set up a world network of architects specialised in accessibility design and a database of existing regulations in region I, in connection with the other regions. Compile a list of European architecture schools that include accessible design in their curriculum.
Director
Fionuala Rogerson (Ireland)

Region II
Specific objectives
Diffuse the best practices training manual and reference documents throughout region II. Create a network of specialised professionals and institutions.
Current activities
Organising a prize for the best public project in accessibility and an exhibition of exemplary projects.
Director
Krzystof Chwalibog (Poland)

Region III
Specific objectives
Promulgate the non-discrimination culture around region III, and set up means for its study and analysis in the professional and educational fields.
Current activities
Promoting and distributing the programme's publication "Recommendations for the Development of Public Policies" 3rd edition; collaborating with institutions to publish documents on accessibility.
Director
Luis Enrique Lòpez Cardiel (Mexico)

Region IV
Specific objectives
Strengthen the concept of AfA in local communities among the public, professionals, and students of architecture; promote barrier-free architecture and universal accessibility.
Current activities
Creating a world network of partners and organisations, professional experts in accessibility.
Director
Joseph Kwan (Hong Kong)

International
Overall objectives
To focus on the role of architects towards safe built environment through UIA member sections.
Specific objective
To contribute to improve disaster preparedness, mitigation and emergency response, planning / designing of reconstructions and rehabilitation capabilities amongst the profession.
Planned activities
• Make available the resource materials in form of publications to help in guiding the implementation of the knowledge already available on the subject.
• Preparation of syllabus and curriculum for educational Institutes.
• Setting up of website and publication of e-newsletter.
• Formulate model disaster to raise awareness among architects and help / coordinate organizing such programmes in respective regions.
• Develop capacity building at local and International level thus helping the communities to benefit from the expertise available within the profession i.e. member sections and other resource institutes.
Director
Balbir Verma (India)

International
Overall objectives
This programme has established a network of approximately 170 intermediate cities dispersed on every continent. The architectural and urban quality of these cities is the best way to meet the challenges of world urbanisation and improve living conditions through urban and community development.
Triennial objectives
Transfer and share the characteristics that make intermediate cities one of the best means of development through the BASE-CIMES PLAN.
Current activities
Evaluation of intermediate cities on the academic and institutional levels. Developing exchange among universities and professionals of the UIA-CIMES network and Universities involved in the UNESCO UdL- CIMES Chair.
Director
Josep M. LLOP TORNÉ (Spain)

International
Overall objectives
Show the influence of tourism on heritage and the built and natural environment. Inform architects, urban planners and relevant authorities regarding tourism and the preservation of environmental and human conditions.
Triennial objectives
Write manuals and guidelines on the principles and strategies of tourism on the regional and international levels, for professionals in tourism planning and decision makers.
Current activities
Collect reference documents on architectural tourism, organise seminars and workshops, participate actively in international events linked to preserving the natural environment of tourism sites.
Director
Janna Mitsou (Greece)

Region I
Overall objectives
Foresee the situation of Eastern European agglomerations in 2050.
Triennial objectives
Comparative study on the evolution of population and employment and the impact of global warming on habitat and agglomerations.
Current activities
Organising conferences-debates and preparing a trilingual pamphlet containing the results of work programme members for the Tokyo congress.
Director
Michel Kalt (France)

International
Overall objectives
Contribute to the various individual and collective, public and private efforts carried out by administrations, entities, centres, associations and organisations to resolve quantitative and/or qualitative housing insufficiencies around the world. Participate in research and diffuse know-how on Habitat for All. Contribute to informing and training architects in this area.
Specific objectives
Create an Action without Borders global observatory and publish a theoretic and technical manual. Organise international workshops and seminars for students and young architects.
Director
Jordi Balari Munoz (Spain)

Overall objectives
Harmonise and promote professional know-how in restoring and rehabilitating architectural heritage among architects, students of architecture and specialised organisations and institutes.

Region II
Specific objectives
Establish common principles for preserving built, mobile, and natural heritage to serve as a basis for continuing education courses for architects working in the field of heritage. Develop sustainable management strategies for architectural heritage.
Current activities
Exhibitions and conferences on preservation and rehabilitation for students of architecture.
Director
Michel Barmaki (Lebanon)

Region III
Overall objectives
Create a network relating to architectural heritage in UIA region III.
Specific objectives
Create a database listing the most important institutions and organisations dedicated to heritage in region III, including their specific characteristics. Create an index of remarkable urban and architectural interventions realised over the last 20 years and related to heritage in UIA region III countries.
Director
Maria-José Feitosa (Brazil)

Region IV
Specific objectives
Promote debates, cooperation and communication on the regional level, in collaboration with organisations and institutes specialised in heritage conservation.
Activities being prepared
International conference and exhibition on exemplary architectural heritage preservation projects in the region.
Director
Liu Kecheng (PR of China)

International
Overall objectives
Teach forms of practice and means of expressing spiritual values through architecture and public spaces that respect cultural, social and religious diversity.
Triennial objectives
Organising competitions to heighten students and young architect’s sensitivity to spiritual and cultural diversity. Develop intercultural and inter-religious ties within local communities. Set up a platform for architectural activities related to designing public spaces that respect the local community’s culture and minimise confrontations.
Current activities
Creating an interactive knowledge platform for schools of architecture; organising events dedicated to minority cultures in multicultural and multi-religious societies.
Director
Jerzy Uscinowicz (Poland)

International
Overall objectives
Based on the belief that culture and education are fundamental human needs, wherever they occur, this programme looks not only at the edifices dedicated to them activities but also at their impact and social function.
Triennial objectives
Exchange and diffuse exemplary architectural, cultural and educational experiences from the largest number and widest variety of contexts.
Current activities
Organising international seminars for architects and students in collaboration with specialised international organisations and universities.
Director
Yannis Michael (Greece)

International
Overall objectives
In spite of the differences in culture from different countries which we represent, there is a universal need to provide affordable and cost effective, sustainable facilities in which quality healthcare can be delivered in a safe and healing environment.
Triennial objectives
International Seminars combined with hospital visits held each year in another UIA member country seem to be very effective. In order to discuss future goals the focus has to be adapted to actual topic subjects, however always keeping in mind sustainability, lifecycle economy and healing environment. Contributions by work programme members to congresses of other organisations like IHF, WHO, IFHE and others like EuHPN.
Current activities
Please have a look at the Web site of the Public Health Group:
www.uia-public-health-group.org
Director
Hans Eggen (Switzerland)

International
Overall objectives
Promote the development of sustainable sports and leisure facilities, taking into account their cultural and environmental settings. Further international exchanges of information and cooperation in the field of building for sport and leisure.
Triennial objectives
Collaboration and consultancy in relation with partner organisations. International knowledge sharing about exemplary projects. Developing a network of specialists in sports facility architecture.
Current activities
Organising international seminars on various themes related to sports and leisure.
Director
Ian Mckenzie (United Kingdom)