The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and AIA Trust have unveiled a new Climate Risk Factsheet designed to help architects address mounting climate-related design challenges and potential liability exposure as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe.

The member-exclusive tool provides site-specific climate projections for key hazards, including wildfire, flooding, windstorm, and extreme heat. The two-page PDF resource uses geographic coordinates to generate forward-looking risk profiles with easily interpretable hazard scores and time-based projections, enabling architects to develop more resilient design strategies and document their professional standard of care.

Developed with a leading insurance and risk adviser, the factsheet helps architects communicate long-term climate risks to clients and make informed project decisions that account for foreseeable climate impacts—particularly important when existing building codes may not adequately address future conditions.

"The Factsheet fills a critical gap in project planning," said Elizabeth Wolverton, executive director of AIA Trust, emphasizing its role in supporting architects' responsibility to protect public health and safety amid increasing climate volatility. She described it as "a practical, defensible way to discuss future risk with clients and collaborators—backed by robust modeling."

The timing is strategic, coinciding with the upcoming LEED v5 rating system that will mandate climate resilience assessments for most project types. Additionally, courts are increasingly examining whether architects adequately considered foreseeable hazards beyond those specified in potentially outdated building codes, making professional liability a growing concern.