Last week, about 200 attendees and nearly 40 speakers from the design and construction professions, real-estate development, and government gathered in New York City for a “Build America” summit. The day-and-a-half-long conference, organized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), focused on infrastructure—not the traditional variety, such as roads, bridges, and water distributions systems, but so-called “social infrastructure,” including schools, community centers, libraries, and affordable housing.

The ambition for the event was to expand the national discussion about investment in infrastructure to the construction, repair, and restoration of public buildings. “Considering the current political climate, some will say we are overreaching,” said AIA President Russell Davidson in his opening remarks. “I don’t think we are.”