AIA: Design billings increasing entering height of construction season

Design billings increasing entering height of construction seasonAll regions report positive business conditions

Contact: Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org

Washington, D.C. – May 24, 2017 – After beginning the year with a marginal decline, the Architecture Billings Index has posted three consecutive months of growth in design revenue at architecture firms. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the April ABI score was 50.9, down from a score of 54.3 in the previous month. This score still reflects an increase in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 60.2, up from a reading of 59.8 the previous month, while the new design contracts index increased from 52.3 to 53.2.

“Probably even better news for the construction outlook is that new project work coming into architecture firms has seen exceptionally strong growth so far this year,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “In fact, new project activity has pushed up project backlogs at architecture firm to their highest level since the design market began its recovery earlier this decade.”

Key April ABI highlights:

• Regional averages: South (55.3), Midwest (53.3), West (50.9), Northeast (50.7)
• Sector index breakdown: institutional (54.0), mixed practice (53.4), commercial / industrial (52.4), multi-family residential (49.9)
• Project inquiries index: 60.2
• Design contracts index: 53.2

The regional and sector categories are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the national index, design contracts 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 recently released White Paper, Designing the Construction Future: Reviewing the Performance and Extending the Applications of the AIA’s Architecture Billings Index on the AIA web site.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

AIA Public Outreach Efforts

This week, The American Institute of Architects launched the latest installment of our annual public awareness "I Look Up" campaign. This board approved initiative is intended to raise the visibility and understanding of architecture and the profession with targeted audiences. Take a look below at the latest developments: AIA television commercial

We are pleased to share with you all the final version of the commercial. It's available for you to view here. Beginning this week, the commercial will air on HGTV and Hulu for 3-4 weeks and then again in the fall for 4-5 weeks. AIA also will be among the sponsors for HGTV's popular "Urban Oasis."

Film challenge

The third annual I Look Up Film Challenge will officially launch in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can visit www.ilookup.org to watch the seed film, "Midtown: A Blueprint for Better." The Film Challenge encourages architects and film producers to tell wonderful, often emotionally touching stories that show how smart design and architecture can help to change lives, communities and society for the better. We appreciate your helping us to promote this engaging competition when it launches in June.

Topic Architecture

Topic Architecture, also known as TopicA, is the AIA's public-facing website to further show how great design can change lives. The site will build awareness and consideration of architecture services among potential clients. As the leading edge for our public awareness efforts, Topic Architecture will engage visitors with effective editorial content that's easy to digest so that they can reach the decision stage to hire an architect. (www.topicarchitecture.com)

PAID SEARCH VIA GOOGLE

Also kicking off is our paid search optimization via Google, which will also run during our spring and fall flights on HGTV and Hulu. That traffic will be directed to our newly-launched, public-facing website www.topicarchitecture.com.

The Architect's Voice

Do your part! Would you like to get involved in the public awareness campaign? The greatest impact you can have is through face-to-face, one-on-one communication with potential clients, community leaders, local businesses and in your schools. The Architect's Voice message book has tested messages to improve how you and your peers describe to key audiences the value architects bring to any project.

Learn more about Blueprint for Better here.

Please contact Caitlin Reagan, Manager, Public Affairs (caitlinreagan@aia.org) for more information.

Bisnow: Coalition Of Housing Affordability Interests Launches ‘Housing You Matters’

View original article here

Coalition Of Housing Affordability Interests Launches ‘Housing You Matters’

December 08, 2016 Patricia Kirk, Bisnow, SD Coalition Of Housing Affordability Interests Launches ‘Housing You Matters’ - Affordable Housing

A broad coalition of San Diego builders, employers, environmentalists and community planners, called Housing You Matters, aims to solve the region’s housing affordability problem. Calling 2017 the year of reckoning, San Diego County Building Industry Association president/CEO Borre Winckel said the median home price topped $500k in October for the first time since 2005, when home prices peaked. Despite extremely low apartment vacancy and new home inventories, housing production is half what it was before the housing bubble burst 10 years ago.

The organization has 51 members from 39 organizations, ranging from grass-roots groups to big corporations like Qualcomm, and has raised tens of thousands of dollars to hire staff to plan and carry out its agenda for 2017, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. Housing You Matters plans to serve as an advocate for changing policy to promote creation of sustainable housing at all income levels in cities throughout the San Diego region, not champion specific projects.

The $200M, 426-unit Park & Market project (above) is adjacent to the Trolley Station on Park Boulevard in East Village and includes 85 affordable housing units. This is the type of dense, transit-oriented project Housing You Matters believes is the answer to San Diego's housing affordability problem.

Former executive director of the local ULI chapter Mary Lydon has been hired as consultant to coordinate projects, public events and outreach efforts for the organization. She said Housing You Matters grew out of a report by Point Loma Nazarene University economist Lynn Reaser that estimates 40% of new housing costs are due to regulation and fees. The study suggested a slight reduction in housing regulations would increase annual housing production by two-thirds.

Initiatives planned for the coming year will include educational programs, including:

• Design workshops organized by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects to sketch what San Diego neighborhoods with more housing might look like in 2050.
• An innovative housing concepts event presented by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.
• Housing regulation, production and finance best practices compiled by the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center and presented by the local ULI chapter.
• A workshop by the coalition to analyze the impediments to housing production regionally and how to overcome them. [SDUT]

UrbDeZine: AIA and E+DC Open Letter About Soccer Proposal for Qualcomm Stadium

San Diego UrbDeZine posted the AIA San Diego and Environmental + Design Council's open letter regarding the Soccer City proposal for the Qualcomm Stadium site. View/read the letter on UrbDeZine here

The Daily Transcript: Series of events to address housing shortage

Monday, April 24, 2017

Series of events to address housing shortage

By Mark Armao, mark_armao@sdtranscript.com

Building on the discussion of how to accommodate the city's future housing needs, the Housing San Diego's Future alliance will host events this year bringing various stakeholders together to develop possible solutions.

Organizations, including the San Diego Architectural Foundation, the American Institute of Architects San Diego, Housing You Matters and CityAge, will host various conferences, workshops and presentations to explore ways to house the region's population, which SANDAG projects will increase by 1 million by 2050.

"It's critical now for thought leaders and practitioners to synergize their ideas and work together." said Mary Lydon, executive director of Housing You Matters, a local coalition that aims to address the region's housing needs. "These events will bring together community members, organizations, professionals and important stakeholders as a meeting of the minds to identify and envision real solutions."

The first event of the program is CityAge: Build the Future, which begins on Tuesday. The two­day conference is part of an international program that brings civic, business and academic leaders together to discuss ways for a city to catalyze growth and compete in the global economy.

Sessions will highlight topics including "Brands and the Business of City Building," "Partnerships to Build the Future City," and "The Business of Housing."

Speakers will include Mayor Kevin Faulconer; San Diego Regional Chamber president and CEO Jerry Sanders; and Mark Cafferty, president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. The event will be held at the San Diego Central Library.

The American Institute of Architects San Diego is holding workshops leading up to its Housing the Next 1 Million Planning & Design Charrette on November 4 and 5.

The event will feature presentations from 12 multidisciplinary teams of architects, planners, engineers, developers, builders, community planning­group representatives, students and faculty who will introduce ideas to increase San Diego's housing stock.

"If we're going to change San Diego, and we're going to have another million people, then everybody deserves an opportunity to help shape that future," said Phil Bona, president of AIA San Diego. During several workshops and meetings, the teams­one for each of the nine city council districts and North County, East County and South County­will take a fine­grained approach to adding housing within neighborhoods SANDAG has identified as smart growth areas.

To plan for the additional 400,000 housing units that SANDAG projects will be needed to accommodate the region's population in 2050, the teams will target sites that are conducive to urban infill and brownfield redevelopment.

"We can always sprawl, but we don't want to do that­we don't need to do that," Bona said. "There are other moves we can make and that's what we want to focus on."

With suggestions about where to put housing, the teams will also make recommendations on changes to the land­use code that would foster smart growth. These will likely include policies that would allow for residential units to be built alongside light industrial uses and would encourage the development of alternative housing forms such as granny flats, which are small, detached units built on residential properties.

After the teams' ideas are "thrown in a blender," each will develop presentations­complete with graphic representations­that will be revealed to the public at the culminating event in the fall.

On June 6, the San Diego Architectural Foundation will host Context Vol. 4, which will feature exhibits and lectures focusing on the importance of design in creating a denser, more affordable city.

SDAF's fourth annual Context forum, Neighborhoods 2027, will comprise a free public event with exhibits, films and guest speakers, and a ticket­only reception and panel discussion.

"We're having a ten­year look­ahead as to what neighborhoods might look like if we actually got busy thinking about them and planning them now," said SDAF vice president Margit Whitlock.

The event, which will be held at greenACRE Campus Pointe, will highlight studio work by design students from NewSchool of Architecture + Design, Woodbury University, USD, UCSD and others.

Vishaan Chakabarti, author of "A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America," will deliver the keynote address.

"If we keep talking about it from all these different angles, it might just sink in," Whitlock said. "As long as we're aware and we have a common mission, we can do it together."

Housing You Matters, in partnership with California Forward, will host the 2017 California Economic Summit in midNovember. During the conference, leaders from the public, private and civic sectors will develop a shared economic agenda to "expand prosperity for all," according to a release.

Bona said the ongoing discourse regarding San Diego's housing needs is imperative if city leaders want to cultivate a livable, affordable environment for future generations.

"We're no longer going to build like we've been building for the last hundred years," Bona said. "We're going to begin to build and design for the next hundred years."

A'17 Conference of Architecture Recap

Thank you to AIA San Diego President, Phil Bona, AIA for capturing some moments from the A'17 Conference in Orlanda, FL.

AIA National: William J. Bates, FAIA, elected 2019 AIA President

William J. Bates, FAIA, elected 2019 AIA President Patrick P. Panetta, AIA, elected 2018-2019 Treasurer, Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, elected At-large Director

Contact: Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org

For immediate release: Washington, D.C. – April 28, 2017 – William J. Bates, FAIA, from AIA Pittsburgh/AIA Pennsylvania, was elected 2018 First Vice President/2019 President-elect.  He has served as a member of the Board of Directors since 2011, along with stints as a vice president and the chair of the Board Community Committee from 2015-2016. In 1991 and again in 2010 he served as president of AIA Pennsylvania; he was also president of AIA Pittsburgh in 1987.

"As a profession, we solve our clients’ problems by listening and synthesizing solutions," Bates says. "These are the skills that we need to apply internally to make our profession more prosperous and inclusive for the next generation."

The vice president of real estate at Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Inc., and an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University, he received his B.Arch. from the University of Notre Dame and pursued graduate studies in Construction Management at both Pennsylvania State University and the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Patrick P. Panetta, AIA, from AIA Phoenix Metro/AIA Arizona, was elected 2018-2019 Treasurer. He is currently serving as a director of AIA Western Mountain Region and as a member of the AIA Strategic Council; in 2016 he served as the co-chair of the Council's Political Influence Study Group. He is also a member of the AIA Board Finance Committee and the AIA Board Government Advocacy Committee.

"I am enthusiastic about the recent re-organization of Institute expenditures into programmatic portfolios,” says Panetta, “and look forward to working closely with Institute staff to monitor and measure the effectiveness of each portfolio, suggesting any changes or modifications to budgeting and spending that might increase the quality and efficient delivery of member services."

The director of real estate project management at Arizona State University, he received his B.Arch. from the University of Miami and his MBA from the University of Arizona.

Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, from the Boston Society of Architects-AIA/AIA Massachusetts, was elected an At-large Director.  She served as the 2014 President of the Boston Society of Architects and was a member of their Board of Directors from 2009-2015. Her AIA service includes chairing the Equity and Future of Architecture Committee, Equity in Architecture Commission, Continuing Education Committee and as a member of the Culture Collective and Young Architects Forum.

"The AIA was created to support architects as a community of peers and a collective voice in shaping the built environment," said Grandstaff-Rice. "We have the ability, through our day-to-day work as knowledge experts and community members, to testify to and expand the power of design in shaping a better future for all."

A senior associate at Arrowstreet in Boston, she received a B.S. and B.Arch. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master’s degree in Educational Technology from Harvard University.

To view the full AIA Board of Directors and Strategic Council, visit aia.org/leadership.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

The American Institute of Architects Releases the 2017 AIA Contract Documents

The American Institute of Architects Releases the 2017 AIA Contract Documents For immediate release: Washington, D.C. – April 27, 2017 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced, at A’17 Conference on Architecture ,the release of the 2017 edition of the A201 family of documents. This release includes updated versions of the AIA’s flagship documents, developed for the design-bid-build delivery model. Working with architects, contractors, subcontractors and owners, the AIA Documents Committee updates this core set of documents every 10 years. This helps ensure that the AIA legal form and agreements reflect changes and trends in the industry, and that the AIA Contract Documents remain the Industry Standard.

“It is critically important that industry professionals learn about the 2017 revisions,” says Kenneth Cobleigh, Esq., Managing Director and Counsel of AIA Contract Documents. “The changes impact the roles and responsibilities of each of the parties directly, and understanding the changes will help everyone to promptly review and finalize project contracts. We hope that all industry participants take advantage of the significant written resources and education programming opportunities available to learn about, and understand, the 2017 revisions and the full portfolio of AIA Contract Documents.”

Some of the major owner/architect changes include:

• Single Sustainable Projects Exhibit that can be used on any project and added to most AIA contracts to address the risks and responsibilities associated with sustainable design and construction services.
• Agreements contain a fill point to prompt the parties to discuss and insert an appropriate “Termination Fee” for terminations for the owner’s convenience.
•  Architect is no longer required to re-design for no additional compensation if he or she could not have reasonably anticipated the market conditions that caused the bids or proposals to exceed the owner’s budget.
•  Services beyond Basic Services and identified at the time of agreement are now categorized as Supplemental Services, to avoid confusing them with Additional Services that arise during the course of the project.
• Agreements clarify how the Architect’s progress payments will be calculated if compensation is based on a percentage of the owner’s budget for the Work.

Some of the major owner/contractor changes include:

• New exhibit with comprehensive insurance and bonds provisions that can be attached to many of the AIA owner/contractor agreements.
• New provisions relating to direct communications between the owner and contractor.
• Revised provisions pertaining to the owner’s obligation to provide proof that it has made financial arrangements to pay for the project.
• Simplified provisions for the contractor to apply for, and receive, payments.
• Sustainable Projects Exhibit, as noted above under the owner/architect changes

The documents included in this April release are:

• A101™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor where the basis of payment is a Stipulated Sum
• A102™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor where the basis of payment is the Cost of the Work Plus a Fee with a Guaranteed Maximum Price
• A103™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor where the basis of payment is the Cost of the Work Plus a Fee without a Guaranteed Maximum Price
• A104™–2017(formerly A107-2007), Standard Abbreviated Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor
• A105™–2017, Standard Short Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor
• A201™–2017, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction
• A401™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Contractor and Subcontractor
• B101™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect
• B102™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect without a Predefined Scope of Architect’s Services
• B103™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect for a Complex Project
• B104™–2017, Standard Abbreviated Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect
• B105™–2017, Standard Short Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect
• C401™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Architect and Consultant
• E204™–2017, Sustainable Projects Exhibit

The new 2017 documents are currently available through an unlimited license or as a single customizable document on ACD5, the online platform.  The documents are also available as single, non-editable documents on AIA Documents on Demand and as paper version through some AIA Chapters.  Visit www.aiacontracts.org/purchase for more information. Comparative versions showing the differences between the 2017 and 2007 editions are also available at www.aiacontracts.org/learn.

AIASD President Phil Bona, AIA and SDAF VP Margit Whitlock, AIA KUSI - Housing Segment

KUSI News - San Diego, CA On April 21, 2017, KUSI News invited AIA San Diego President, Philip Bona, AIA and San Diego Architectural Foundation Vice President, Margit Whitlock, AIA to discuss what can be done to help with our housing crisis, and the options San Diegans might consider.

View the original clip here.

AIA National: Architecture Billings Index continues to strengthen

Architecture Billings Index continues to strengthen

 Balanced growth results in billings gains in all regions

Contact: Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org

Washington, D.C. – April 19, 2017 – The first quarter of the year ended on a positive note for the Architecture Billings Index (ABI).  As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the March ABI score was 54.3, up from a score of 50.7 in the previous month. This score reflects a sizable increase in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 59.8, down from a reading of 61.5 the previous month, while the new design contracts index dipped from 54.7 to 52.3.

“The first quarter started out on uneasy footing, but fortunately ended on an upswing  entering the traditionally busy spring season,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD.  “All sectors showed growth except for the commercial/industrial market, which, for the first time in over a year displayed a decrease in design services.”

Key March ABI highlights:

• Regional averages: Midwest (54.6), South (52.6), Northeast (52.4), West (50.2)
• Sector index breakdown: multi-family residential (54.6), mixed practice (53.7), institutional (52.9), commercial / industrial (49.8)
• Project inquiries index: 59.8
• Design contracts index: 52.3

The regional and sector categories are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the national index, design contracts 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 recently released White Paper, Designing the Construction Future: Reviewing the Performance and Extending the Applications of the AIA’s Architecture Billings Index on the AIA web site.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

The American Institute of Architects Select 14 Recipients for the 2017 Housing Awards

The American Institute of Architects Select 14 Recipients for the 2017 Housing Awards

Contact:  Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org http://twitter.com/AIA_Media

For immediate release:  Washington, D.C. – April 13, 2017 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected 14 recipients for the 2017 Housing Awards. The AIA’s Housing Awards program, now in its 17th year, was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life.

The jury recognized projects in four award categories: One/Two Family Custom Housing, One/Two Family Production Housing, Multifamily Housing and Special Housing.  Below is a list of the recipients. You can view the full press release here: https://www.aia.org/press-releases/79006-2017-aia-housing-award-recipients-selected

Please contact me for high resolution images.

One/Two Family Custom Housing

Blue Lake Retreat; Marble Falls, Texas Lake|Flato Architects

The Graphic House; Fayetteville, Arkansas Marlon Blackwell Architects

Los Altos Residence; Los Altos, California Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Pennsylvania Farmhouse; Lakewood, Pennsylvania Cutler Anderson Architects

Sawmill; Tehachapi, California Olson Kundig

One/Two Family Production Housing

Cully Grove; Portland, Oregon Green Gables Design and Restoration

Roxbury E+; Boston ISA - Interface Studio Architects and Urbanica

Stellar Residences and Townhomes at Northstar; Truckee, California Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Multifamily Housing

Hunters View Housing Blocks 5&6; San Francisco Paulett Taggart Architects Powerhouse; Philadelphia ISA - Interface Studio Architects

VIA 57 WEST; New York City

BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group; Associate Architect: SLCEArchitects, LLP

Specialized Housing

Heartland Family Works; Omaha, Nebraska Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, Inc.

The Lofts at Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.; Associate Architect: Tao + Lee Associates

The Six; Los Angeles Brooks + Scarpa

The jury for the 2017 AIA Housing Awards includes: Katherine Williams, AIA, (Chair) Fifth Generation Holdings; Joe Digrado, AIA, Danielian Associates; Blake Held, AIA, Blake H. Held Architect, PLLC; Charles Mudede, The Stranger (Journalist) and David Perkes, AIA, Mississippi State University GCCDS.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

AIA National: New study finds strong correlation between architecture firms designing high performance buildings and overall firm excellence

New study finds strong correlation between architecture firms designing high performance buildings and overall firm excellence Report examines key elements of architecture firms behind the most ecologically advanced buildings

Contact: Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org

For immediate release: Washington, D.C. – March 30, 2017 – By advancing how the architecture industry approaches design and construction, architects play a leading role in mitigating the effects the built environment can have on climate change and energy consumption. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) has analyzed the characteristics of the architecture firms that regularly produce the most advanced buildings and compiled their findings in a new report, The Habits of High-Performance Firms.

For over 20 years the AIA COTE Top Ten Awards have recognized architecture firms who have completed projects that employ the latest innovations in sustainable design to create the highest performance buildings. Closely studying these firms reveals several common traits related to their specialization, size, location, staff, and age. Of the 130 architecture firms that have won at least one COTE Top Ten Award, 29 have done so more than once and 17 have won three or more times. Of those winning more than three COTE Top Ten Awards, 59% have also been recognized as AIA Firm Award recipients, the AIA’s highest honor given to architecture firms. These findings support the concept that there is a connection between great, sustainable projects and overall firm excellence.

According to the new research, these high-performance firms have the following traits:

• Unanimous signing of the AIA 2030 Commitment
• Significantly high project performance for energy, water, and other metrics
• Energy modeling, daylighting modeling, and post-occupancy evaluations as standard practice
• Geographic concentration (47% on the West Coast)
• Medium size (average staff number of 75)
• A high percentage of women in staff (46%) and leadership positions (34%)
• Low staff turnover (under 10%)
• A high percentage of staff with LEED accreditation (48%)

You can learn more about The Habits of High-Performance Firms by accessing the full report here: https://www.aia.org/resources/72031-the-habits-of-high-performance-firms-

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

Housing the Next 1 Million in SD Charrette Kick-off Meeting

Phil Bona (2017 AIA President) presented to 35 San Diego AIA Architects and Community Leaders on Friday 2/24 at BNIM Architects for the Kick-off Meeting for the “AIASD Housing the Next 1 Million in San Diego County” Urban Design and Planning Charrette to vision how the County can absorb 330,000 new housing units by 2050.

AIA National: Entering 2017, architecture billings slip modestly

Entering 2017, architecture billings slip modestly

Despite minor slowdown in overall billings, commercial/ industrial and institutional sectors post strongest gains in over 12 months

Contact: Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org

Washington, D.C. – February 22, 2017 – The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) dipped slightly into negative territory in January, after a very strong showing in December. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the January ABI score was 49.5, down from a score of 55.6 in the previous month. This score reflects a minor decrease in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 60.0, up from a reading of 57.6 the previous month.

“This small decrease in activity, taking into consideration strong readings in project inquiries and new design contracts, isn’t exactly a cause for concern,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “The fundamentals of a sound nonresidential design and construction market persist.”

* Every January the AIA research department updates the seasonal factors used to calculate the ABI, resulting in a revision of recent ABI values.

Key January ABI highlights:

•           Regional averages: South (54.2), Northeast (53.0), Midwest (52.4), West (48.8)

•           Sector index breakdown: institutional (54.6), commercial / industrial (53.4), mixed practice (48.1), multi-family residential (48.1)

•           Project inquiries index: 60.0

•           Design contracts index: 52.1

The regional and sector categories are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the national index, design contracts 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 recently released White Paper, Designing the Construction Future: Reviewing the Performance and Extending the Applications of the AIA’s Architecture Billings Index on the AIA web site.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

Presidents Letter to Members: February 2017 Edition

February 2017 What is going on at AIA California Council?

As AIA|SD has the third largest membership in the state so proportionately we qualify for 3 delegates to the AIA California Council Board.  This year our delegates are Dan Stewart, Steven Shinn, and myself.  We attended the first board meeting for 2017 on Feb 10^th which was a very interesting and engaging Board Meeting along with representatives of the other 21 AIA Component Chapters.  Some of the topics presented and discussed included:

• The merits of ADA Continuing Education, and upcoming legislation regarding CASP.
• Legislation to mandate an architect’s role in Construction Administration.
• Legislation for the California Building & Standards Commission to adopt a 5-year code cycle.
• The AIA National Statements on Core Values promoting Architects as Stewards of Civility.
• The California Housing Crisis as it represents an attack on core human rights and needs.
• The recommendation to redefine Livable Communities as “Building Bitch'n Neighborhoods!”
• The necessity to Invite non-AIA members to our conversations on the built environment.
• Marketing campaign opportunities like the “I Look Up” and a new Twitter campaign.
• Creation of a Digital Center for Practice with robust data and dashboard based on “AIA Handbook.”
• Housing Issues: Affordability; Land use entitlements; Indemnification clauses; Liability insurance;
• New Procurement Models; QBS reaffirming statewide; seek best practices from good agency/clients.
• Fiscal Resource alternatives for the Council without income from Document Sales.
• Large State Forum on Feb 2 discussed Core AIA Values in relationship to Trump Government.
• Emerging Professional and Young Architect Forum activities around the state.
• Design strategies for AIA to Lead conversation to accomplish Zero Net Energy and the 2030 Plan.
• National Convention Resolutions: Institute Core Values and Housing.

Your Advocacy Commissioner, Sandy Gramley, will continue to work closely with AIACC V.P. of Legislative Affairs and our Sacramento Lobbyists to craft an appropriate Advocacy Agenda to provide a voice for the architectural professional that reaches your state legislature and has positive impact on your businesses. AIACC’s Government Affairs and its political action committee lobby hard for fair laws and regulations regarding the built environment, promoting design and construction industry leadership, and advocating the vital role architects play in creating livable communities. I hope you will enjoy and benefit from the attachment from Dodge Data & Analytics.

I believe AIA at all levels of the Institute is providing significant benefits to the members, to society and to the built environment.  I hope these initiatives will make the difference in attracting former AIA and other non-AIA members to join in and make our County an extraordinary case study in best practices.

Know that AIASD Executive Director, Bastiaan Bouma, is available to help you connect to the Chapter resources you need.

Sincerely,

Philip J. Bona, AIA 2017 President, AIA San Diego

AIA Federal Agenda/Statement of Values

Where architects stand: A statement of our values

Now more than ever, the collective voice of architects is essential for designing a better future for our country and planet. Even in times of change, AIA’s values remain constant. We are at the table with policymakers who are committed to a better built environment and a prosperous architecture profession. But we will not hesitate to call out those whose values we oppose.

• We have focused AIA efforts and we are staying on message. Our 2017 Federal Agenda was released last week.  It is a strong statement of key AIA positions on sustainability and the power of design to improve communities. It springs from the collective voices of thousands of AIA members who answered the “2017 Call for Issues,” from AIA components and from groups that have called upon the AIA to advocate shared values, including diversity and inclusion.

• Institute values are unwavering and they are clearly communicated to AIA members, policymakers and the public through all channels.  Our staff is on the Hill, working with coalition allies and Congressional leadership on infrastructure policies that reflect our values.  We are positioning architects as the credible experts on built environment issues before Congress and federal agencies.  When proposals are presented that run counter to our public policies—no matter where they come from—we are going to hold agencies and elected leaders accountable.

• We are hiring a new Senior Vice President of Advocacy who will head efforts on our behalf on with the agencies and on the Hill.  Given the challenges we face in this new environment, we seek an individual with powerful experience and influence in Washington, D.C. who can immediately step in to help us accomplish our goals and navigate new waters.  That position will be filled shortly, and we valued your views on qualifications for the post.

• The voices of architects must be heard. We are working closely with the leadership of COTE to advance a strong sustainability agenda, and several COTE leaders will be on Capitol Hill this week pressing for action on climate change and the 2030 targets, among other issues.  The CEOs of several large firms also will be in DC this week advocating for sustainable design and incentives for well-designed infrastructure.

• We will lead the AEC community.  We are forming a powerful coalition among leaders of the major groups in our industry, including the American Planning Association, the American Society of Interior Designers, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Urban Land Institute and the International Code Council, and the Associated General Contractors.   We are seeking consensus on collective actions to leverage the influence of our combined 8.5 million members on issues and policies that result in infrastructure that is sustainable, energy efficient, and equitable.  We have an opportunity now to garner public support and to move policymakers to smart action. In the coming weeks we will work with these colleagues to take next steps.   We can have real impact with lawmakers throughout the country, at every level.  As we heard at the “Build America Summit” and in our public survey, the public wants more investments in civic infrastructure—schools, community centers, libraries and public buildings of all kinds.   In fact, 83 percent of Americans see investments in these essential public spaces as being of equal importance with investment in roads and bridges.

• We will conduct and communicate “everyday” work. Our codes advocacy network is fighting to stop rollbacks in energy conservation codes and targets.  We are working with state components to oppose “bathroom bills” like the one enacted in North Carolina last year, offering better ideas. These actions demonstrate that the AIA’s “everyday” actions speak louder than words.

• The AIA Equity Commission results went out to our members this week, along with the actions and recommendations approved by the Board.  As part of that effort, the Board just donated an additional $1 million to fund diversity student scholarships.

• Our Grassroots conference will focus on the new challenges we face with a new Administration, including our interests in sustainability, our commitments to reversing climate change, and our diversity and inclusion agenda.  These will all be addressed head on, whenever and wherever we find opportunity.

• Our public outreach campaign includes strong statements about the contributions architecture makes to the quality of life, and about our values as architects.  The messages are clear about who we are, what we stand for and what we are doing.

• All AIA members have a voice in the AIA’s advocacy process, from offering their views on the AIA’s policies and positions, to gaining the training and tools to become better advocates for the profession through SpeakUp and other channels.

Please take a moment to review our statement of values: http://new.aia.org/resources/50766-where-architects-stand-a-statement-of-our-va

Together, our members can accomplish great things in challenging times.  We commit to you and to all members that we will remain steadfast in the resolve to uphold our values and to insist upon national policies and practices that reflect and reinforce them.  This is only the beginning.  Much work is ahead of us. We hope and trust you will continue to support our efforts and work with us.

AIA: Knowledge Community Opportunities

Knowledge Community opportunities Taliesin Colloquium 2017, February 10-12: Join the Historic Resources Committee at Taliesin West to see surprising case-studies and discuss our role as design professionals in shaping the use and reuse of existing buildings. Earn up to 11.5 LUs. Register AAH webinar Patient Safety Fundamentals for Healthcare Architects-Part 2 on February 14, 2017 at 2-3pm ET. Earn 1 AIA LU/HSW. Register. Submit your best healthcare building design, healthcare planning and healthcare design-oriented research for the AIA/AAH Healthcare Design Awards by March 13. AAH webinar Dublin Methodist Hospital: Culture Driven Design-Seven Years Later on March 21, 2017 at 2-3pm ET. Earn 1 AIA LU/HSW. Register. Free webinar: Learn how a Vermont university developed an affordable, high-performance, solar powered dwelling for cold climates. Attend and earn 1 HSW Reflect + Submit to the 2017 AIA Small Project Practitioners Pop-Up Competition; Deadline is Feb. 10. Share the good news! Submit professional accomplishments and news from 2016 to share with your peers in the annual SPP Review publication; Deadline is Feb. 10. Students: Apply for the 2017 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp Scholarship on risk management - two recipients will be awarded $5,000 towards tuition. Application deadline: March 1, 2017. Deadline February 13, 2017: Submit your project—built or unbuilt— to the Justice Facilities Review to help document best practices in planning and design for justice architecture.

AIA National: Architects set 2017 federal agenda

Washington, D.C.  January 31, 2017 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced its agenda for the new Administration and Congress, advocating programs and policies that create more livable and energy efficient communities with investments in buildings as key elements of the national infrastructure. “The AIA will continue to advance architecture as a powerful catalyst that stimulates economic activity while enhancing the common good,” said AIA President Thomas Vonier, FAIA. “Congress and the Federal agencies must expand efforts to build sustainable communities, with fair and affordable housing for all Americans.”

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AIASD Member News: Kevin Bussett, AIA and AIASD Members Weighs In On Qualcomm Stadium Site Usage

Voice of San Diego asked architects, urban planners, and design leaders for their thoughts and ideas on how the City of San Diego could repurpose Qualcomm Stadium's site. AIA San Diego Public Awareness Commissioner, Kevin Bussett, AIA, along with other AIA members, offered up their insight on how to shape the Mission Valley land into a meaningful space.

"Housing, Soccer, Housing and More Ideas for the Qualcomm Stadium Site" by Voice of San Diego

A new proposal for the Qualcomm Stadium site includes a $200 million stadium, a river park, student housing and more. It’s unclear whether San Diegans will get to weigh in with a public vote, but there’s no shortage of opinions about how this should play out. We asked local urban planners, architects and community members what they want to see happen to the site.

It’s difficult to justify a large investment to upgrade/renovate the existing stadium or build a new one without an NFL franchise. In that context, a new downsized stadium (for college football and soccer) and a new arena combined with an imaginative mixed-use development might be the drivers for a redevelopment effort. If the site remains a sports venue, adaptive reuse should be considered. This approach would repurpose the structure in part or as a whole to underpin new uses like housing, shopping or other commercial uses. The stadium remains structurally viable and is nationally recognized for its design (it received a National Honor Award for Design Excellence from the American Institute of Architects when it was first built.) However, if it is ultimately necessary to remove the structure, then we must consider the site’s highest and best use for Mission Valley and the people of San Diego. Many architects and visionary developers have proposed visions for a “Village at the Q” that mixes workforce housing, academic uses, commercial office, shopping and enhanced recreation opportunities for all of Mission Valley’s residents along an accessible and preserved San Diego river park.  This new neighborhood would be walkable, well-connected to public transit via the existing high-capacity trolley station and enhanced connections to I-8 and I-15, and provide a great opportunity for needed growth. — Kevin Bussett, AIA, architect with Studio E Architects in San Diego and 2017 public awareness commissioner for the American Institute of Architects San Diego Chapter

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First off, Qualcomm Stadium is no dump. I know the stadium well. I’ve been in the press box, locker rooms and even on the field. Qualcomm Stadium is a masterfully designed landmark with many decades of useful service remaining. The modernist structure is made of solid concrete and was built to last. It opened in 1967 as a state-of-the-art sports venue and is clearly in need of upgrades, like new video screens, scoreboard, locker rooms, a sound system, restrooms, lighting and seats. That’s a long list, but it equates to less than one-third of the cost of a new stadium. The concrete shell of Qualcomm Stadium is solid and simply needs a good power-washing. The winner of a national design award, Qualcomm Stadium is one of San Diego County’s most recognized structures – alongside the Hotel Del Coronado and Balboa Park’s California Tower. The stadium should be treated with the respect it deserves and be rehabilitated rather than imploded and sent to the landfill. Small minds in our disposable culture only want the latest new thing. But Qualcomm Stadium is a classic work of functional architecture, not an outdated iPhone. — David Marshall, AIA, architect and president of Heritage Architecture & Planning in San Diego

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I think that the Mission Valley site is most useful as a major regional River Park combined with a new lower campus for SDSU. Logan Jenkins got it right in his recent U-T column. It is critical to respect the historical status of Qualcomm Stadium and leverage it to become a new asset through creative adaptive reuse. From a sustainable standpoint alone, it would be irresponsible to grind tons of perfectly good structural concrete into dust. The only real problem with the Q is geometry – it has too much seating capacity and is too wide. For the price of the stadium demo proposed by some, you could sink the field a little and add very desirable seats close to the sidelines. Remove the horrible NFL additions and open the end back up. The lower seats will work as a more intimate stadium, and you can get creative with the unneeded upper deck. And how about the obvious – build a student trailer park. It’s proven low-cost housing sited with the romance of an Italian hill town. A village of recycled, colorful, funky trailers, repurposed as dorms and relocated to the slope of the upper bleachers will beat a boring dorm building every time, both in desirability and cost. Elevators and bathrooms are already there, just add showers. Save a few seats between groups of trailers for seminars. After three decades of endless abuse, it’s not clear that San Diegans would allow another NFL team here, even if they were adult enough to pay there own way. But should that happen, the trailer housing can be removed and the Q would be NFL-ready again. — Rob Quigley, FAIA, architect and urban planner who lives in East Village

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I think that the city should engage in an international RFP. We call ourselves America’s Finest City, and we have the greatest opportunity to design our city striving toward this goal, so we should open our biggest urban and landscape opportunities to world-class thinking. Not to say that there aren’t very skilled, visionary designers and planners in this city, because there most certainly are, but San Diego wants to be a global city, we want to be a world destination and so we should allow ourselves the opportunity to be flooded with far-reaching ideas. We should demand a development solution that promotes the very best urban planning concepts from around the globe, and to put them into practice here in San Diego. — Pauly De Bartolo, Assoc. AIA, principal at DBRDS architecture studio

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Read the complete article here

AIASD Member News: Harley Ellis Devereaux acquires Northern California-based architecture firm Deems Lewis McKinley

View original post from HED here.

Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED) is pleased to announce that Deems Lewis McKinley (DLM) has merged with HED.

A recognized leader in K-12 Schools design, DLM brings over 55 years of experience in the design of educational facilities across California.  With offices in Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco, DLM further diversifies HED’s 380-person design expertise and expands the firm geographically.

From Northern to Southern California and beyond, DLM’s designs have advanced the world of hundreds of local communities since 1959.  DLM's notable projects across California include a masterplan and complete campus replacement of the CHPS Demonstration De Anza High School in Richmond; a new Performing Arts Center for Palo Alto High School; a complete campus replacement, including a sustainability plan for Edna Maguire Elementary School in Mill Valley; a new Student Center for Monta Vista High School in Sunnyvale; and a complete design of the new 44,000-square-foot Susan B. Anthony School in Daly City that resembles a modern version of an "old red brick schoolhouse."

“The combination of DLM’s experience and reputation in the Bay Area and Sacramento and HED’s extensive K-12 Schools portfolio will provide our clients with an even broader range of services, thought leadership and design excellence,” says J. Peter Devereaux, Chief Executive Officer of HED.

“We are looking forward to merging the talents of our two teams and are excited to be part of a very talented studio with deep resources,” says Wallace B. (Wally) Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer of DLM.

DLM staff in San Francisco will relocate to HED’s San Francisco Office in February.  DLM’s Sacramento staff will remain in their current office space.

About Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED) HED advances your world. Founded in 1908, we are focused on delivering creative solutions for complex design challenges to clients around the nation and world.  As a fully integrated practice, we build on what we know — asking and resolving questions with imagination and foresight; sharing ideas and knowledge; and engaging in resourceful collaborations.  We serve clients in a broad range of markets, including Corporate + Commercial, Healthcare, Higher Education, Pre K-12 Schools and Community Education and Science + Technology with offices in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco.  See how we advance your world at www.hed.design and @HED_Corporate.

About Deems Lewis McKinley (DLM) Founded in 1959 in San Diego, California, Deems Lewis McKinley (DLM) provides a broad range of architecture and engineering services for educational institutions across California. With offices in Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco, our designs reflect responsible use of public funds, retain community trust in our clients, and serve the long-term needs of our clients’ students, educators, administrators, and neighborhoods. Learn more about DLM at www.dlm.com.