EDRA invites you to participate in our 41st Annual Meeting, being held at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington DC, June 2-6, 2010.

Officially founded on July 16, 1790, Washington, DC is unique among American cities because it was established by the Constitution of the United States to serve as the nation’s capital. From the beginning it has been embroiled in political manoeuvring, sectional conflicts, and issues of race, national identity, compromise and, of course, power.

In the 41 years since EDRA was established, government policies have had a tremendous influence on the built environment. Funding priorities often determine the kinds of settings created: how many low-income housing units must be built, how many prison beds must be provided, the protection of natural landscapes, and so on. Legislation and rulings such as the Americans with Disabilities Act have had a significant impact on design decisions. More recently, issues such as energy efficient buildings and security have received much attention by builders, clients and designers, and have influenced how buildings are designed, how they are constructed, and how people use them. These same changes are also occurring in other cities and capitols around the world. Bringing edra to the arena of U.S. policymaking provides our organization with a unique opportunity to explore the nature of policy and the built environment, including:

• How past government policies have impacted the built environment;
• What policies are currently being considered that have a bearing on the built and natural environment;
• What support does the government currently provide for built environment research and how can this support be expanded and directed;
• How the emerging paradigm of evidence-based design might address national goals;
• What role should environmental design research play in the development of national policy; and how might it influence facility procurement and management;
• How should we research the effects of policy on the built environment;
• How to better use the research base and design expertise in edra to influence policy and support the use evidence-based design.

As EDRA positions itself as a more vital resource in the 21st Century, the DC conference provides an opportunity for edra to expand awareness and understanding of the relationship between design research and policy through an exposure to policy issues and policy makers.