Hill Day (part of the AIA Leadership Summit) brings architects and design leaders from across the country to Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress and advocate on behalf of policies that shape the policies shaping our profession and the communities we serve.

This year, the scale of that effort is significant. More than 700 AIA members from 49 states convened on Capitol Hill to meet directly with their respective policymakers; a coordinated national moment to advocate on legislation and policies that will have a real impact on how we practice and what we are able to deliver in our communities.

As the AIA chapter for Boston and the surrounding communities, BSA’s advocacy work is grounded locally. Our role is to elevate what we are hearing from you and bring those lived experiences into alignment at the state level with AIA Massachusetts, and at the federal level to AIA National.

These conversations were shaped directly by what our members are navigating in practice every day — and they are part of a coordinated national advocacy effort focused on AIA’s legislative priorities.

We sat down with BSA Executive Director Danyson Tavares and Miranda D’Oleo, Manager of the Building Advocacy Lab to talk about their experience in Washington, why these issues matter to our members here in Boston, and what they learned from the conversations on Capitol Hill. From high-performance buildings to housing, access to architectural education, and the future of civic design, the discussion connects national policy directly to local practice.

What is Hill Day and why does BSA show up?

Danyson Tavares:

Hill Day is where the reality of practice in Boston enters a national conversation. We bring the experience of your projects, your clients, your students, and your communities into rooms where policy decisions are made.

Our formal advocacy role is local. AIA Massachusetts leads at the state level. AIA National leads federally. What we do is make sure the voice of this region is part of that larger system, and bring the momentum and relationships back to support our work here.

Many of the issues we raised came directly from conversations with members, which is exactly how this process should work.

Miranda D'Oleo:

It goes without saying that right now we are currently in a politically charged moment, where our federal leaders are navigating unprecedented times. They are looking to our local communities for solutions, for models, and for real-world evidence to help shape national strategies.

This is a clear example that public policy is not a straight line but operates as a continuous feedback loop. Showcasing that advocacy at all levels– local, state, and federal– are an interconnected structure. Highlighting that coordination at all three of these scales is essential, from BSA, to AIA Massachusetts, to AIA National.

Hill Day gives us this exact opportunity and responsibility to demonstrate our local leadership, priorities, and practice to influence federal policy.

How does the 179D energy-efficiency incentive affect work in our region?

DT:

In our region, high-performance design is not theoretical. It is happening in school modernizations, lab retrofits, affordable housing, institutional buildings, and adaptive reuse projects.

Section 179D is one of the few tools that directly connects building performance to financial feasibility. It allows our clients to invest in better envelopes, better systems, and long-term energy reduction in a way that actually works within a project budget.

Right now, the uncertainty around the construction-start deadline is affecting decisions on projects that are in design today. We are hearing from members whose clients are asking whether they can still pursue high-performance strategies.

This is about giving Boston’s public and mission-driven institutions the confidence to invest in buildings that will perform for decades.

MD:

In Massachusetts, and Boston specifically, we have set some of the most stringent decarbonization and net zero emission goals in the country for our built environment. We are dedicated to building and retrofitting existing buildings that are resilient and affordable for our communities.

However, we have heard concerns from members that projects designed to meet these goals can be difficult because of the upfront costs. During our Penciling Out Series, we were determined to navigate how designers, developers, and advocates can succeed within today’s financial and regulatory constraints. Tax credits like 179D make this possible by specifically incentivizing green design and energy efficient features.

In our region, we are leading the way on how to financially stack tax credits, federal to local, to result in innovative projects that are influencing models nationwide. We need to continue to invest in the expertise of our community through tax credits like 179D to build on the progress we have already made.

How are federal housing policies showing up in real projects here?

DT:

Affordable housing in Greater Boston is some of the most complex work our members are doing. It relies on layered funding, precise timelines, and material availability.

What we elevated is how Build America Buy America is affecting those projects in real time. Teams are redesigning based on material sourcing, carrying additional documentation requirements, and navigating delays that directly affect financing.

When a project in Roxbury, Dorchester, East Boston, or one of our Gateway Cities slows down, the impact is direct: those are homes our communities are waiting for.

MD:

We know that Greater Boston is about 38,000 housing units short of what we need today, and across the state 200,000 more homes are needed by 2030 to help stabilize the cost of housing for residents. The BSA is committed to finding ways to support the production and preservation of homes in Greater Boston and beyond.

As an organization representing 92% of the registered architects in Massachusetts, we feel an obligation to support and advocate for design standards, policies, and innovative practices that address the housing crisis we are currently facing. If we are successful in passing a bipartisan federal housing bill incorporating key provisions to stimulate housing production, modernize federal housing policy, reduce administrative burdens, and formally engage architects in housing policy development, we will be able to meet our ambitious goals locally.

What is at stake with professional degree recognition and student loan access?

DT:

Boston is a city of students and emerging professionals, and this one is personal for me. I am a first-generation college student from a middle-class family. Earning a Master of Architecture changed the trajectory of my life. I would not be in this role, in this profession, or in a position to serve this community without access to federal student loans.

If architecture is no longer recognized as a professional degree in federal loan policy, that pathway narrows immediately. Students will be pushed toward private loans with higher interest rates and fewer protections, and that creates long-term financial barriers that make it even harder to live and practice in the cities where our schools and firms are located.

MD:

The cost of higher education in this country has reached staggering levels. In eastern Massachusetts alone, we have around eight major institutions that offer architectural programs or degrees. Students travel nationally and from around the world to our city to pursue a future in architecture.At the BSA, we are driven by the mission that architecture is for everyone. We must continue to grow and protect equitable pathways to the profession. Preserving access means strengthening local affordability, supporting inclusive policies, and upholding professional recognition that enables students from all backgrounds to enter and thrive in the field.

DT:

In Boston, where the cost of living is already a challenge for emerging professionals, this has real consequences. We are working locally to build a more diverse and representative field through K–12 programs, higher education partnerships, and clear pathways into practice. This policy directly impacts whether that work holds and whether the next generation can actually stay in the profession and in the communities they are committed to serving.

Why does design freedom matter to our region?

DT:

The Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture were established under President Kennedy and have shaped federal buildings for more than half a century. They call for facilities that are efficient and economical, that embody the finest contemporary American architectural thought, and that reflect the regional character of the communities in which they are built.

That framework has allowed federal buildings across the country to respond to climate, culture, material, and place rather than replicating a single image of government.

The GSA Design Excellence Program puts those principles into practice through a qualifications-based selection process created by the Brooks Act. Designers are chosen for their expertise, their ideas, and their ability to meet the needs of a specific project and community. That approach has consistently delivered high-performing buildings, strong public value, and lasting civic landmarks.

In Boston, this is how we practice every day. Our civic work succeeds because it is shaped by community voice, by contemporary design thinking, and by the realities of our region.

This conversation is not about holding onto the past. It is about protecting a proven, bipartisan model that has delivered successful federal projects for decades and has earned public trust.

MD:

At the BSA, we hold the sentiment that design is a civic act. We continue to advocate for broader access to design that will allow communities to shape the places they live, play, and work.

Under the GSA’s Guiding Principles, the design of federal buildings must first be responsive to the people and communities who will use those buildings. For our region to uphold the importance of design freedom and design excellence, we must also uphold the value of the profession itself, while ensuring it remains accessible and inclusive. That means demonstrating architecture as a vital public service and fostering pathways for community engagement at every stage of the design process. When the profession is strong and communities are empowered, design can go much further than one thinks.

How does the AIA advocacy ecosystem work?

DT:

Advocacy happens at multiple levels.

AIA National leads at the federal level, tracking policy, mobilizing members, and advancing legislation that supports the business and practice of architecture.

AIA Massachusetts is the voice of the profession at the State House. Their sole focus is state legislative and regulatory advocacy and they are constantly reviewing, tracking, and shaping policy that affects how we practice in the Commonwealth.

BSA’s role is local. We convene the profession, elevate what we are hearing from our members, and activate our community around the issues that shape Boston and our region.

This only works if the pipeline goes both ways. We bring your experiences into the system and bring the strategy back to you.

MD:

Danyson laid out the ecosystem within the institutions that make up AIA. However, we are nothing without all of you. Beyond providing a perspective as a resident and/or local professional, architects offer unique technical expertise that is invaluable to influence policy.

Your expertise and real-life experiences within your practice can result in strategic advocacy and policy wins locally and nationally. I highly encourage all our members to get involved, and use this moment of time, as an opportunity to highlight the power and innovative solutions that design professionals have to offer.

What’s Next — We Need Your Voice

Many of the issues we are working on have real time sensitivity. Policy moves quickly and the window to influence it is often short.

Here is how you can be part of this work:

• Share project examples that show how these policies are affecting your practice
• Send testimonials about housing delays, student access, high-performance buildings, or public projects
• Reach out to your elected officials and tell them what you are seeing in your district
• Stay connected with AIA Massachusetts on state legislation
• Get involved in BSA’s local advocacy efforts

The most powerful thing we can bring into these conversations is your lived experience.

Why This Matters

These policies shape:

• Whether your project moves forward
• Whether your client can invest in performance
• Whether housing gets built in our neighborhoods
• Whether the next generation can enter the profession
• Whether civic buildings reflect the communities they serve

This is why BSA shows up — to carry your voice into the broader conversation and bring that momentum back to our local work

Stay Engaged

If there are issues affecting your practice or your community, we want to hear from you. Send a message with your concerns to [email protected] with the subject line "From Boston to Capitol Hill."