Legislative Update: Jan. 30, 2012

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All but one of the bills seeking to protect Virginians’ jobs from outside sources were voted down in committee Thursday night, Jan. 25.  But the bills concerning eminent domain still remain.The VSAIA and representatives of several other business organizations have scheduled a tentative meeting with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling for Monday morning.  Our complaint with the constitutional amendment and those bills seeking to modify the amendment is the uncertainty that they engender.Virginia’s eminent domain law worked well for many years.  And in reaction to the 2005 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Kelo v. City of New London, Virginia legislators in 2007 revised existing law.  This law appeared to respond to the inequities revealed in Kelo.  But in the 2011 session, legislators believed a constitutional amendment was necessary.

The amendment, which must pass two consecutive sessions of the General Assembly and be approved by the voters, and the 2012 pending legislation make it impossible to advise architects’ clients on the probable cost and time requirement for their potential projects.  Or even to suggest that one site might be better than two or three others being considered.  The members of the Joint Legislative Committee (JLC) – representing of the VSAIA, the Virginia Association of Professional Engineers, and the American Council of Engineering Companies/Virginia – believe these legislative measures go too far.  Some of this year’s legislation inserts provisions that would compensate land owners for “lost access and lost profits.”  These and other provisions make the construction projects less certain and more expensive, the JLC members believe.

The protectionism bills did not attempt to adjust the existing language that allows Virginia state agencies and localities to mimic the procedures adopted by neighboring states.  For example, protectionist language that exists in North Carolina law will be used against North Carolina vendors who wish to conduct business in Virginia.

The JLC also opposes a bill to require localities to use the e-Virginia (eVA) site to advertise their upcoming projects.  Currently, localities must advertise in a “newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the contract is to be performed.”  Architects on the JLC complained about eVA’s performance and the quality of projects generated.

Within the myriad bills and interests represented in those bills lie a few measures that the VSAIA will support.  The VSAIA will support the high-performance buildings bills introduced by Del. Chris Jones and Sen. Chapman Petersen (HB 1167  and SB 160) and three bills that support procedures already being conducted by the Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects (HB 390, HB 937, and HB 938).

Architects representing the VSAIA on the JLC committee are David Puckett, AIA, and William Evans, AIA.  The committee meets weekly during the session to work with our legislative counsel Reggie Jones and Patrick Cushing, both of Williams Mullen.

Practice
Oppose:  Bills would amend constitutional amendment concerning eminent domain

HB 5, HB 597, HB 1145, HJ 3, SB 240, SJ 3, SJ 67, and SJ 117

 

Committees reviewing these bills killed most of them January 25
HB 449, HB 529, HB 530, SB 377, SB 525,  SB 526, SB 572, SB 589, SB 601

 

Amend:  Bill would provide tax incentives for large firms hiring SWAM businesses. JLC would delete a provision to narrow the “small” definition to those only in underutilized business zones.

HB 228

 

Oppose:  Quality of e-Virginia’s product for architects does not match that found in print media.

HB 1193

 

Regulation

Support:  Would require General Assembly to receive study from DPOR prior to considering regulating any profession.   Would expedite licenses for qualified spouses of military personnel (APELSCIDLA does this for all applicants already).  Would accept qualified military experience in consideration of licensure by comity (APELSCIDLA does this for all applicants already).

HB 390, HB 937, and HB 938

 

Energy

Support:  Would establish specific energy criteria continually updated by Department of General Services and based upon LEED, Green Globes, and other standards.

HB 1167 and SB 160

 

Support:  Would require the Virginia Department of General Services to audit all state-owned buildings 50,000 s.f. or larger to determine their energy footprint and to update that analysis annually.

SB 621

 


Federal and Pro Bono Business Opportunities

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The AIA has compiled a list of opportunities and resources to help grow your business with projects funded by federal stimulus dollars and pro bono projects. Check the AIA site regularly for new RFPs and RFQs.

Finding Federal Business
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Overview
Guide to Federal Procurement

Recovery Resources—Stimulus (ARRA)

Key Federal Issues—Economic Recovery

Stimulus Resources for State and Local Components

Rebuild and Renew: The AIA’s Blueprint for Long-Term Prosperity

Commercial Buildings Federal Tax Deduction

 

Commissioned and Pro Bono Projects.


View Available Projects

The RFP Database

Projects:

• RFQ: Redevelopment of Center City, Philadelphia Property

• RFQ: GSA Design Excellence—New U.S. Courthouse in Lancaster, Pa.

• RFP: Magnolia Grove Restoration, Greensboro, Ala.

• RFP: Fire Headquarters Design and Construction in Branford, Conn.

• RFP: Riverwalk Masterplan for Danville, Va.

ABI Ticks Up After Four Months Down

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© 2006, The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.
© 2006, The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.

On the heels of a period of weakness in design activity, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) took a sudden upturn in August. 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 (AIA) reported the August ABI score was 51.4, following a very weak score of 45.1 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 56.9, up sharply from a reading of 53.7 the previous month.

“Based on the poor economic conditions over the last several months, this turnaround in demand for design services is a surprise,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. “Many firms are still struggling, and continue to report that clients are having difficulty getting financing for viable projects, but it’s possible we’ve reached the bottom of the down cycle.”

Key August ABI highlights:

      • Regional averages: Midwest (49.0), South (47.4), West (47.4), Northeast (46.5)
      • Sector index breakdown: mixed practice (50.9), institutional (48.5), commercial / industrial (46.0) multi-family residential (44.8)
      • Project inquiries index: 56.9

The regional and sector breakdowns are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the index and inquiries are raw numbers.

Your Political Action Committee

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A rousing start to the election season was generated by contributions and pledges to the VSAIA political action committee campaign by long-time supporter Gauthier Alvarado & Associates in Falls Church and relative PAC newcomer HDR in Alexandria.

Rob Morris, III, AIA, PE, presented his firm’s traditional $1,000 check to the PAC in December.  Jim Draheim, AIA, announced his firm’s pledge of $2,000 in March.  Both have combined their firms’ support with personal efforts to increase the level of participation in the PAC.  They are sending letters to their peers in several firms encouraging them to join in supporting the PAC and asking that they also encourage their employees to do the same.

Ed Gillikin, AIA, VSAIA vice president for government advocacy, and the members of the government and industry affairs committee ask that individuals contribute the equivalent of one hour’s billable time to the PAC.  They request that firms contribute a like amount. 

With all 140 seats in the Virginia General Assembly open this year, the campaign goal will be to top the PAC’s previous best year of $23,630 contributed in 2006. 

The PAC supports the campaigns of those candidates who have shown an understanding of what the profession does and of how architects affect the quality of life within their communities.  If a candidate is running for the first time, the VSAIA considers its members’ evaluations.  For incumbents, the VSAIA concentrates its support on those who serve in leadership positions and those who serve on the General Laws committees in the House and Senate.  This committee reviews nearly 90 percent of the bills affecting the profession.

A candidate’s party affiliation is not considered.  Historically, the VSAIA PAC’s contributions run just about 50-50 on supporting Democrats and Republicans.  Information on past activity can be obtained from the Virginia Public Access Project website http://www.vpap.org/committees/profile/home/600.  VAPA’s home site is www.VPAP.org. 

It takes time to build rapport and trust between the architects and elected officials.  This is done through individual meetings among the VSAIA legislative counsel, staff and members, and the legislators. Those in office depend on us for information about the possible impact of a bill.  We depend on them to weigh that information with other sources and to reach a reasonable conclusion when the votes are taken. 

To maintain the investment in these relationships, the VSAIA needs to support those candidates who supported restricting unlicensed practice, who supported limiting by contract an architect’s liability, and who support the concept of qualifications-based selection for public projects. 

In supporting the PAC, you are supporting your firm and your ability to practice your profession.  Please contribute to the PAC today by sending a check equal to one-hour’s billable time to the VSAIA PAC, 2501 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA   23220.

APELSCIDLA Update: June-July

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Draft legislation concerning unlicensed practice and continuing education was shown to architects serving on the regulatory board at their May meeting.  The architects and board staff had no official comments, but offered some suggestions.

The first of the two proposed measures aims to add flexibility to the continuing education requirements that, if passed, would put Virginia in a good position to accommodate changes being discussed at the national level by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.  The second aims to strengthen the laws identifying unlicensed practice.

Architects serving on the committee are J. Everette “Ebo” Fauber, AIA-E, James Boyd, AIA, and Michael LeMay, AIA.  Boyd was elected as section chairman for the 2011–2012 year.

In discussing continuing education, Fauber explained that the nation’s registration boards are all over the map with their requirements.  For example, Virginia requires 16 hours per biennium.  Fauber said 34 jurisdictions require 12 per year.  Most jurisdictions specifically require hours in health, safety, and welfare.  Virginia does not.  The more critical element to standardizing criteria nationally, he and Boyd agreed, was the reporting period end date. 

NCARB’s model law is being reviewed in an attempt to establish common criteria throughout the country including a single reporting date.  Currently in Virginia, the month an architect received his license is the reporting — or re-registration — date every other year.  In allowing the board to slide architects’ re-registration dates to a single date, those architects licensed in multiple jurisdictions would find it easier to manage their records.  

Delegates to NCARB’s national meeting in June will discuss and vote on the package of resolutions that includes revising its model law.

The proposals concerning unlicensed practice initially have been inserted into the list of unlawful acts that apply to any occupation requiring a license.  To the existing list of nine acts, the VSAIA is suggesting three.  These are:

  1. Entering into a contract to provide a professional or occupational regulated service or offering to provide a regulated service without holding a valid license to provide the regulated service.
  2. Advertising to provide services regulated by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation when the individual or business entity is not certified or licensed to practice the regulated occupation including, but not limited to, telephone directory listings, Internet websites, and radio and television advertisements. 
  3. Including unlicensed persons or business entities in published rosters or lists of persons who offer a regulated service where the person or business entity is not certified or licensed to offer the regulated service, including telephone directories, Internet sites, newspapers and periodicals.   

Both of these proposals were viewed earlier by the Joint Legislative Committee (JLC), which will determine how to refine the drafts prior to the 2012 legislative session.  Along with the VSAIA, the JLC comprises the two statewide engineering societies:  the American Council of Engineering Companies and the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers.

Call for Entries: Design Awards 2011

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The Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects calls architects, interior designers, and preservationists to submit to the 2011 Awards for Excellence in Architecture presented by Scott Long Construction.

Three categories, three juries:

ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, and PRESERVATION will each be judged separately by a jury of esteemed professionals.

Winners will be honored at a special session during Architecture Exchange East and at Visions for Architecture, a gala event hosted by the Virginia Society AIA. Winning projects will also be the subject of the fourth annual Design Awards exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture, and featured in Inform magazine’s annual directory.

The 2011 Design Awards are presented by Scott Long Construction and sponsored by Carolina Cast Stone Co., Inc.

Deadlines

4 p.m., June 30, 2011      REGISTRATION

4 p.m., July 21, 2011        PROJECT SUBMISSION

No faxes or mail to send! The Virginia Society AIA continues to pursue a more sustainable model of operating and therefore is accepting only electronic registrations.

Eligibility

All entries must be the work of licensed architects who have an office in Virginia OR are members of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects. This includes Associate Members of the VSAIA.

The location of projects is not restricted, but any built work submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2006.

Un-built work will also be considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.

Meet the Jury Chairs

ARCHITECTURE
Paul Mankins, FAIA
Recipient of the 2003 AIA Young Architects Award, and elected to the AIA College of Fellows at only 40 years old, Mankins is a founder and principal of the nationally recognized collaborative design practice Substance. In addition to awards from Architecture, Architectural Record/Business Week, Contract, I.D. (International Design), Interior Design and Residential Architect magazines, his work has been recognized with more than 35 Honor and Merit Awards at the regional, state and local level. In 2002 he received an AIA National Honor Award for Architecture. He serves on the National Board of Directors of the AIA, and during his time as Editor-in-Chief of Iowa Architect, it was recognized by the AIA as the outstanding component publication in the nation.

INTERIOR DESIGN
Kevin J. Flynn, FAIA, IES
Currently serving on the AIA National Board as a Regional Director from the Central States Region, Flynn has extensive experience in architecture, lighting design and theatrical design. Through his work as Executive Vice President of Kiku Obata & Company, he has been recognized for architecture, lighting, and retail design work by the AIA, Chain Store Age, the International Conference of Shopping Centers, Institute of Store Planners/Visual Merchandising & Store Design Magazine, and the International Illumination Design Awards.  In addition to his service to the AIA, he has served as president of the Illuminating Engineers Society of North America.

He is the 2012 Chair of the AIA Institute Honor Awards for Collaborative and Professional Achievement.

PRESERVATION
Eugene C. Hopkins, FAIA
Principal and co-founder of HopkinsBurns Design Studio, Hopkins is a nationally-recognized leader in historic preservation architecture. He has extensive experience in the restoration and rehabilitation of hundreds of structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places including a number of National Historic Landmarks. As president of the American Institute of Architects in 2004, he led efforts to renew the AIA/National Park Service/Library of Congress partnership; save the Farnsworth House; advance the integration of Historic Preservation principles into the architectural curriculum of colleges and universities and excluded the historic tax credit from the JOBS/Tax bill. He has received numerous recognitions for his contribution to architecture, including the 2003 prestigious Gold Medal from AIA Michigan, 2006 Gold Medal from AIA Detroit, the 2002 Robert Hastings FAIA Award and the 1992 AIA Michigan Young Architect of the Year Award. His work on the Michigan State Capitol received a National Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award in 1992 and an AIA Honor Award for Architecture in 1996. In 2008 he was appointed Architect of the Michigan State Capitol.

See the Regulations and FAQs.

Free Membership for New Grads

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© 2006, The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.The Society and the AIA national component offers 2010−2011 graduates from accredited schools of architecture complimentary membership at the Associate level for up to 18 months. Some local components charge a nominal membership fee. For questions regarding your local chapter, call 800-242-3837, option 2.

For young professionals, membership with the AIA is a critical choice at a time when it feels like there are so many life decisions to make. When you join the AIA, you immediately increase your professional network by almost 80,000 colleagues. These are people you can rely on for answers and assistance, or even just confirmation that you’re on the right track.

Member Benefits

As an Associate member, you’ll have access to these and other benefits:

  • Events, activities, support, and networking opportunities through your state and local AIA component
  • Intern Development Program (IDP) support, including help finding IDP coordinators and mentors
  • Architect Registration Examination (ARE) study resources to support you on the path to licensure
  • AIA Career Center assistance to find internship and professional opportunities
  • The Emerging Professional’s Companion, an online professional development tool though which you can gain credits towards IDP
  • AIA Transcript, to track the vast offerings of AIA CES Discovery and Continuing Education Providers
  • Subscriptions to AIArchitect, the bi-weekly newsletter of the AIA, and ARCHITECT, the magazine of the AIA.
  • National Associate Committee (NAC) programs, activities, and resources that ensure you have a strong voice within the AIA, including your subscription to the AIA AssociateNews and FORWARD email publications
  • AIA Knowledge Communities, which enable you to customize your membership and network with like-minded colleagues who share your specific interests

And if those are not reason enough to join, we’re offering you an additional incentive. Join now and get free membership through 2012. That’s up to 18 months of membership at no cost!

Joining the AIA

Some local and state AIA components charge a nominal membership fee. For questions regarding your local chapter, call 800-242-3837, option 2.

Download a membership application

As part of the join process, you will be asked to provide a copy of your diploma or degree in architecture from an accredited school of architecture/program.

For More Information

 

*The Fine Print

The AIA offers complimentary membership for 2011 graduates of accredited schools of architecture. Provide a copy of your diploma with your membership application, and you receive free membership with the AIA for up to 18 months. Note that this promotion begins upon date of graduation and not your join date (e.g., a June 2011 graduate receives complimentary membership through December 31, 2012).

Your membership will be at the associate level until you receive full licensure and have the opportunity to become an architect member. Please note that the AIA is a three-tiered organization. Although your membership is at the national, state, and local levels, this promotional offer applies only to dues for the national component.

Sustainable Preservation Expert Speaks in Richmond

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Jean Carroon, FAIA, LEED AP, is a principal at Goody Clancy, a Boston-based design and planning firm.

Virginia, and especially Richmond, venerates its historic buildings. Just take a stroll down Monument Avenue or meander around the Capitol Grounds and you’ll immediately recognize that locals, and visitors alike, worship at the altar of historic preservation.  But, can our collective desire for sustainability overcome our reverence for existing architectural treasures? Do we have to make a painful choice between sustainability and history? One of the country’s leading preservation architects and author, Jean Carroon, FAIA, responds with a resounding “No!” Hear Carroon present a nuanced look at preservation and sustainability while she discusses her new book Sustainable Preservation: Greening Existing Buildings at the Virginia Center for Architecture on Thursday, March 31, 2011 from 6–7 p.m. (1 AIA/CES learning unit). A reception and book signing follow the discussion.

 Sustainable Preservation looks at the hundreds of choices that adaptive use requires architects to make— and not just for architectural icons. Carroon considers why a 1970s strip-mall supermarket might deserve similar attention. Take a look at current research assessing the environmental value of reusing buildings and the emerging technologies that make it possible — regardless of age and style. Discover ingenious ways to redeploy existing structural elements along with time-honored techniques for natural ventilation.

Jean Carroon, FAIA, LEED AP, is a principal at Goody Clancy, a Boston-based design and planning firm, where her clients have included Harvard University, Trinity Church and the General Services Administration. She has testified before the U.S, Congress on ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the national Capitol Complex. She is currently working on the renovation of over 50 historic buildings at St. Elizabeths West Campus in Washington, D.C., for a new headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security.  A member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation Sustainability Coalition, Carroon helped develop the 2009 Pocantico Proclamation on Sustainability and Historic Preservation, which asserts that historic preservationists must play a role in sustainability efforts. She holds BA and MArch degrees from the University of Oregon. Her new book, Sustainable Preservation: Greening Existing Buildings (John Wiley & Sons), was released in November 2010. 

Sustainable Preservation: Greening Existing Buildings at the Virginia Center for Architecture is presented in cooperation with the Virginia Society AIA, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and Sweet Briar College’s Tusculum Institute. Admission is $5; free for students and members of the Virginia Center for Architecture and the American Institute of Architects. Spaces are limited and reservations are requested. Call (804) 644-3041, ext. 100 to secure your space.

“For many years now, the Department of Historic Resources has carried the banner of sustainability through the recycling of our historic buildings and historic preservation’s focus on reinvestment in our existing communities and infrastructure,” said Kathleen S. Kilpatrick, director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. “We are delighted to be a sponsor of Jean Carroon’s visit to the Virginia Center for Architecture, Sweet Briar College, and other venues in Virginia to discuss her new book and the lessons of sustainable preservation,” Kilpatrick added.

The Virginia Center for Architecture is located at 2501 Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia’s historic Fan District. The Center is dedicated to developing the understanding of the power and importance of architecture through programs, exhibitions, and its stewardship of an historic landmark. The Center is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Learn more at www.virginiaarchitecture.org.

The Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects represents more than 2,000 Virginia architects. The Society is dedicated to advancing knowledge of the art and science of architecture among professionals and expanding awareness and appreciation of architecture among the general public. For more information, contact the Virginia Society at (804) 644-3041 or visit www.aiava.org.

The Department of Historic Resources is Virginia’s State Historic Preservation Office. The mission of the department is to foster, encourage, and support the stewardship of Virginia’s significant historic architectural, archaeological, and cultural resources.

Located on the campus of Sweet Briar College, Tusculum Institute is a historic preservation resource center, dedicated to preserving and studying the region’s historic assets within a context of environmental stewardship.