Alert members will have read recently of proposed changes in governance of the American Institute of Architects. On Sept. 20, the AIA Board of Directors adopted resolutions that are expected to lead to the restructuring of the board, diminishing the Institute’s governing board to an 11-member group charged with overseeing the internal management and finances. A larger council, with representatives of the diverse makeup of the AIA — regions, knowledge communities, and affiliated groups — will become the “think tank” for the profession, assessing where the profession and its professional society should be moving.
On the same day, the Virginia Society AIA Board of Directors adopted a new strategic plan that will guide its work over the next three years. Starting, of course, with the members, strategies and tactics will evolve from the fundamental statement that “Member needs, values, and aspirations will inform the Society’s programs and services.” Acknowledging that neither architects nor their professional society work in isolation, “The Society will strengthen and enrich its strategic relationships.” Addressing the profession’s expectations that the Virginia Society will act as advocate for the profession, “The Society will inform the public of its members’ concerns and achievements.” From that single statement, the Society will revisit and revise the way it talks to the public about architects and architecture. Finally, in order to achieve all that members have come to expect of its statewide society, the Society must revisit and refresh itself as an operating entity. Thus, “The Society will be structured and financed to ensure operational sustainability.” In making this statement, the Board of Directors has committed to a rigorous examination of its programs and their effectiveness, of the structure of the board of directors itself, and of the funding mechanisms that are available to provide the wherewithal to fulfill its obligations to Society members.
While much remains to unfold in the AIA’s “repositioning” project, the Virginia Society’s launching of its new strategic plan promises — in the same year it celebrates 100 years of service to the profession and to society — to provide a way for Virginia to share in the careful recalibration of a profession that will continue changing in the 21st century.
Know a recent graduate from architecture school? Please help spread the word that AIA national and the Virginia Society AIA offer recent graduates from an accredited school of architecture complimentary Associate AIA membership. While most (if not all) components in Virginia extend the free membership to new grads, they will want to contact their local chapter to confirm.
To qualify for free membership, the candidate must have graduated with a professional degree in architecture from an accredited school or program during the 2012–2013 academic years. (If they graduated before 2012, they’ll want to complete the application for Associate membership.)
To take advantage of this offer, new grads will want to:
• Contact their local chapter to inquire about complimentary membership (The AIA is a three-tiered organization where members join at all levels, and this offer only applies to AIA national and state dues);
If you thought the building code is continually changing, you would be right. Every three years, the International Code Council publishes an updated family of model codes. Every three years, Virginia spends about 18 months reviewing it.
The reviews and approval of the alterations, deletions, and additions are still under way. The latest date for implementation of the new Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code still looks like the fall of 2014. And then, traditionally, Virginia allows a one-year grace period for projects already in design to continue under the old code.
Prior to implementation, however, several hurdles still need to be cleared. These include publication, public hearings, approvals by the Housing and Community Development Board, the attorney general, the secretary of commerce and trade, the governor’s office, the codes commission and then a final publication.
Anyone considering taking advantage of the grace period should confer with the local building official first. By the same token, those who wish to incorporate portions the future code also should confer with the local building official for a variance.
The latest information can be found at the DHCD website: http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/index.php/va-building-codes/building-and-fire-codes/code-change-process.html.
The AIA’s Repositioning initiative, which began more than a year ago, is a research and assessment effort that identified specific areas in the AIA that require real and meaningful change for the organization to remain relevant to members and the profession of architecture. The recommendations of LaPlaca Cohen, the consultants that conducted the research and analysis, focused on three core areas: AIA leadership structure, institutional framework and operational focus.
The AIA has engaged Kotter International, the foremost expert in change management, to help implement the next phase of Repositioning. Their expertise, mapped onto the AIA’s strategy and vision, will point the way forward, thoughtfully and operationally. Kotter joins world-renowned design firm Pentagram in the Repositioning effort to bring clarity and focus to AIA leadership structure, institutional framework and operational focus.
The AIA will hold quarterly Virtual Town Halls to give members a forum to speak out and gather great ideas. Robert Ivy, FAIA, EVP/CEO and Mickey Jacob, FAIA, 2013 AIA President, invite you to join them as they have an open conversation about the progress of AIA’s Repositioning efforts. Registration is now open for the October and December sessions. Please share your voice.
Registration information for Friday, Oct. 25, 1-2 p.m.
Registration information for Wednesday, Dec. 4, 1-2 p.m.
A growing body of research discussing the substantial economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency has led U.S. policymakers, investors, building owners, environmental groups, and design and construction professionals to seek ways to scale up the energy efficiency retrofit market. As the energy-efficiency retrofit market develops, architects are in a position to seize a robust business opportunity by offering a new line of service — deep energy retrofits. These are retrofits that aim to deliver greater energy savings by taking a whole-building approach to energy efficiency.
The AIA and the Rocky Mountain Institute have partnered to produce a new guide that serves to not only demystify energy modeling in general, but also to provide tips and information that will help architects to better discuss energy modeling; the assumptions, the process, the tools and what the output means to potential design decisions — with their engineers, energy modelers, consultants, contractors, code officials and clients.
The AIA Foresight Report highlights key trends and their impact on business and growth in the architecture marketplace. It is intended to provide original research that applies to the current and future practice of architecture focusing on the areas of sustainability, advances in building performance, changes in project delivery and the evolution of technology.
The 34-page document focuses on key trends and how they impact your business and a profession in transition. Working the Greenway Group, a respected organization providing insights into the design and construction profession, the AIA Foresight Report, contains readily implementable strategies related to sustainability, building performance, technology, leadership, and more. With this timely research, you and your practice should enjoy a greater opportunity for success.
Key findings include:
Stiffer competition in the designs services marketplace is here to stay due to recession pressure
New markets and a growing base of talent for the A/E/C industry due to the rise of emerging economies, including Brazil, Russian, India, China and South Africa
Greater collaboration among design, engineering and construction disciplines
Increasing push for measuring the effect and benefit of design strategiesand providing building performance data
Rise in alternative and complementary services being offered by architecture firms
Strong market for green products and design
FREE to AIA Members, digital copies of the AIA Foresight Report retail for $24.99; print-on-demand paperback books may be purchased for $34.99 through our distribution partner, Lulu.
Three Virginia members — Alan L. Hansen, FAIA, Robert W. Moje, FAIA, and Elizabeth A. Reader, FAIA — have been elevated to Fellowship, the AIA announced today.
Alan L. Hansen, FAIA
Hansen, a Director at DBI Architects, Inc., is noted for his work to form the Loudoun County Design Cabinet through the county’s Department of Economic Development. The Cabinet promotes high-quality, environmentally sustainable, and culturally respectful architectural and landscape design in one of the fastest growing communities in Virginia. The Design Cabinet is made up of planners, architects, landscape architects, and engineers who, in volunteer collaboration, resolve community design challenges that arise when an agrarian county steeped in historical significance faces sweeping cultural and economic change. Having successfully set the Design Cabinet in motion, Hansen encourages every architect in a community without a design recognition mechanism to create one as a Citizen Architect, thereby embracing the AIA’s national initiative to promote design excellence through collaboration with community decision makers.
Robert W. Moje, FAIA
A founding principal of VMDO Architects in Charlottesville, Moje has advanced the practice of educational facility design considerably by developing innovative instructional environments for a multitude of school districts, enriching the spaces where children learn and where educators teach. He leads VMDO Architects’ public K-12 school projects, directing design teams to create great schools that inspire students to become active participants in the learning process. In the current fast-paced Information Age where students cannot learn enough, fast enough, solving that mission has required a new direction in educational architecture. Moje has defined this new direction with his commitment to designing every school space – hallway, cafeteria, playground, and classroom alike — in innovative ways that promote opportunities for teaching and learning.
Elizabeth A. Reader, FAIA
In a small city within a rural area, Reader has established a vibrant, diverse, collaborative architecture practice that excels in design and is committed to bettering the community. Along with her husband and partner, Beth Reader began her practice — Reader & Swartz Architects, P.C., — during the 1990 recession, in a small city of 21,950 people, proving that architecture firms don’t need to be located in large metropolitan areas to be viable. The firm has received over fifty design awards, from national, state, and regional entities for a diverse range of project types, from low-income housing, to museums, to innovative adaptive reuses of historic buildings. The firm’s work has been published in many books and magazines. Additionally, she has served as an advocate for architecture and small design firms by serving as both a juror, and a speaker, for many AIA programs. Over the years, design award juries have consistently praised her ability to achieve excellence in design. Doing good design work, despite a project’s budget or location, is an essential component of her practice.
The Fellowship program was developed to elevate those architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. Election to fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.
The 2013 Jury of Fellows from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) elevated 122 AIA members to its prestigious College of Fellows. Out of a total AIA membership of over 80,000 there are over 3,000 members distinguished with this honor.
The 2013 Fellows will be honored at an investiture ceremony at the 2013 National AIA Convention on Friday, June 21.
Everybody, so the saying goes, complains about the weather, but no one does anything about it. The same cannot be said about the building code. Architects can do something about it … including how current and future building-code officials interpret it.
For many years John McGrann, AIA, helped fashion this perspective through his tenure on the Building Code Academy Advisory Committee. But he left that position in 2008. Another architect is needed for the position.
To obtain first-hand knowledge of what is entailed in the position, contact McGrann in Richmond at (804) 343-1010 or jmcgrann@baskervill.com.
The committee meets in person at least annually and attempts to meet quarterly. Depending upon the situation, the committee can meet via conference call or email. The committee advises the Board and director of the Department of Housing and Community Development “on policies, procedures, operations, and other matters pertinent to enhancing the delivery of training services provided by the Building Code Academy.”
The Virginia Society AIA may nominate architects for one slot on the 17-person committee. If you are interested in this position, please get in touch with Duncan Abernathy, AIA, (daber@aiava.org) after conferring with McGrann.
On the heels of a nearly three-point increase, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) climbed into positive terrain for the first time in five months. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects reported the August ABI score was 50.2, up from the mark of 48.7 in July. This score reflects an increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 57.2, up from mark of 56.3 the previous month.
“Until the economy is on firmer ground, there aren’t likely to be strong increases in demand for design services,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Ph.D., Hon. AIA. “In the meantime, we can expect to see design activity alternate between modest growth and modest decline.”
Key August ABI highlights:
Regional averages: South (52.2), West (51.2), Northeast (45.5), Midwest (45.3)
Sector index breakdown: multi-family residential (53.0), institutional (50.2) commercial / industrial (47.9), mixed practice (46.8)
Project inquiries index: 57.2
The regional and sector categories are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the index and inquiries are monthly numbers.
About the AIA Architecture Billings Index
The Architecture Billings Index (ABI), produced by the AIA Economics & Market Research Group, is a leading economic indicator that provides an approximately nine to twelve month glimpse into the future of nonresidential construction spending activity. The diffusion indexes contained in the full report are derived from a monthly “Work-on-the-Boards” survey that is sent to a panel of AIA member-owned firms. Participants are asked whether their billings increased, decreased, or stayed the same in the month that just ended as compared to the prior month, and the results are then compiled into the ABI. These monthly results are also seasonally adjusted to allow for comparison to prior months. The monthly ABI index scores are centered around 50, with scores above 50 indicating an aggregate increase in billings, and scores below 50 indicating a decline. The regional and sector data are formulated using a three-month moving average. More information on the ABI and the analysis of its relationship to construction activity can be found in the White Paper Architecture Billings as a Leading Indicator of Construction: Analysis of the Relationship Between a Billings Index and Construction Spending on the AIA web site.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) on Monday, Sept. 24, announced a ten-year commitment to develop design and technology solutions for cities that address challenges faced on public health, sustainability, and resiliency to natural disasters.
“This announcement by AIA National is timely,” said John Braymer, Executive Vice President of the Virginia Society AIA. “The Keynote Speaker at Architecture Exchange East, the Society’s annual conference and trade show, is Tye Farrow. Farrow’s work has gained international recognition for the design of public and private sector buildings that enhance health. We’re pleased to continue to bring the profession’s leading thinkers to Virginia to share their influential work.”
AIA Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA, announced the Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, where more than 1,000 global leaders are gathering to address the theme, “Designing for Impact.”
The commitment by the AIA features three initiatives:
• University research on solutions-based outcomes. Three university-based projects have been selected for year-one funding that demonstrate the importance of design on public health. In addition, the 2013 Latrobe Prize through the AIA College of Fellows will fund research that aligns with this commitment.
• Community Planning Process. The AIA will mobilize interdisciplinary university teams engaged with community and professional partners in one of the world’s largest cities to address complex problems using design thinking and technology innovation.
• Show Us Your APPtitude hackathon. The hack-a-thon, in which computer experts gather to come up with the most creative app or technology based solution to a given need or problem, springboards from the community planning process byproviding related design and technology solutions. Students and other participants from a variety of disciplines will have the opportunity to compete for a prize that recognizes achievable, inventive solutions.
The recipients of the first-ever Decade of Design research grants are:
• Texas A&M University – Evaluating Health Benefits of Liveable Communities: Toolkit for measuring the health impacts of walkable communities, validated with an empirical study of a LEED for Neighborhood Development project in Austin.
• University of Arkansas – Fayetteville 2030: Creating Food City Scenario Plan: The study of planning possibilities and design solutions for creating a local food infrastructure while accommodating a quickly growing population.
• University of New Mexico – Establishing Interdisciplinary Health-Architecture Curriculum: Pilot program to develop a framework for implementing a three-year interdisciplinary program for addressing health issues in local neighborhoods.
These research projects launch the AIA’s long-term commitment to advance public health through design in the United States and beyond. As communities across the globe face increasingly complex challenges to their quality of life, the AIA will work with other partners within the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to find innovative solutions. Partners and sponsors already signed up include the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).
The AIA expects to announce additional sponsors in the near future.
About The American Institute of Architects
For over 150 years, members of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to ensure the highest standards in professional practice. Embracing their responsibility to serve society, AIA members engage civic and government leaders and the public in helping find needed solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,100 commitments, which are already improving the lives of nearly 400 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $69.2 billion.
CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
About The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture is a nonprofit, membership association founded in 1912 to advance the quality of architectural education. The school membership in ACSA has grown from 10 charter members to over 250 schools in several membership categories. These include full membership for all accredited programs in the United States and government-sanctioned schools in Canada, candidate membership for schools seeking accreditation, and affiliate membership for schools for two-year and international programs. Through these schools, over 5,000 architecture faculty are represented. In addition, over 500 supporting members composed of architecture firms, product associations and individuals add to the breadth of interest and support of ACSA goals. ACSA, unique in its representative role for schools of architecture, provides a forum for ideas on the leading edge of architectural thought. Issues that will affect the architectural profession in the future are being examined today in ACSA member schools. The association maintains a variety of activities that influence, communicate, and record important issues. Such endeavors include scholarly meetings, workshops, publications, awards and competition programs, support for architectural research, policy development, and liaison with allied organizations.
About Rocky Mountain Institute
Rocky Mountain Institute is an independent, entrepreneurial, nonprofit think-and-do tank. RMI emphasizes integrative design, advanced technologies, and mindful markets in fulfilling its mission to drive the efficient and restorative use of resources. RMI’s strategic focus is to map and drive the U.S. transition from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables by 2050. Visit http://www.rmi.org for more information.
