In viewing the most critical areas of our profession several things stand out. Sustainability has , with the flood of publicity, become the new Hot Topic. Once the public realize it is not the automobile that is causing the problem,then the mood should shift to more urgent matters like selection of materials and environmental design. I really think that the general public senses that we as architects know something about all this but area not entirely sure that it is not a new fad and if they can accept our recommendations. Technology is evolving and we are doing a better job as architects selling some of these designs but we must get better.

Another area of importance is Survivability. All the sustainability in the world will not help us if our designs do not last. The current wave of cheapness must be ameliorated for the best value in the long term. What I mean is that best value needs to be reasonable and not "cheap". As a nation we are being trumped in many areas by other nations who are less dependent on the oil rich nations.

Finally, Design must be promoted to bring contemporary thought and styles, as never before, to the forefront of acceptability. We are living in a new time and with new technology we should be able to satisfy human needs, respecting our heritages, and harnessing our technologies.

Well, that is the view today, and the word best describes my thought is "integration". All the many influences must be used for positive growth.