What's New
The American Institute of Architects
Designing a Financial Plan
Join the American Institute of Architects on January 15 at 2 p.m.
ET for our Webcast, Designing a Financial Plan in Uncertain
Times. This is the third in a series of Web seminars on the
subject of the current economic downturn. The program is intended
to help individual members with their financial planning
needs.
Recognizing Sustainable Projects
The AIA Committee on the Environment's annual Top
Ten Green Projects awards program is accepting nominations. The
awards program, now in its 13th year, is one of the nation's
best-known sustainable design recognition programs. Entries are due
January 19.
RFQ Listings
Are you looking for available projects? The Available Projects page lists select
requests for qualifications for projects nationwide. Clients may
have their RFQs posted free of charge.
Jobs Board Enhanced
To help members navigate a difficult economy, two new job levels
have been added to the AIA Career Center. This new feature
matches openings for short- or long-term staff positions with
qualified AIA members seeking these assignments. Firms offering
contract positions can post them to the Career Center so AIA
members can search and apply for available assignments.
Savings on Convention Registration
Registration is open for the AIA
2009 National Convention and Design Expo, which will take place
April 30-May 2 in San Francisco. AIA members will receive an
additional 5 percent discount off the registration fee when using
the promotional code, MEMBERS, when registering. In addition, all
new members may register free of charge.
Developing Your Business
The new Web seminar, Principal-Directed Business Development:
Using Tools and Data to Achieve Success, introduces
you to basic performance metrics that should be used in making
go/no-go decisions, tracking and monitoring business development
efforts, and accurately measuring their return on
investments.
Defining Contractual Relationships
AIA Contract Documents released six new documents— including a
first-of-its-kind building information model (BIM) hands-on tool.
These new documents help to build on the AIA's 120 years of
experience in defining the contractual relationships in the design
and construction industry.
Exploring Design
The AIA Committee on Design (COD) invites students and
allied design professionals to submit sketches to the annual
international COD Ideas Competition. Those who submit
sketches are asked to explore the legacy of Modernist design
through a conceptual design problem. The registration deadline is
February 13, 2009, and submissions are due by March 13, 2009.
Walking the Walk
Association Meetings magazine spotlights the AIA
as a leader in the Green Meetings movement. The article, "The
Future of Green," described the AIA as setting off "a wave of
compliance among all its vendors, venues, and exhibitors." See our
green meeting guidelines.
Recording Sustainability Data
The AIA has joined in a new effort to develop reliable
sustainability data. Launched this year, the STAR Community Index is a framework for
evaluating, measuring, and improving the sustainability and
livability of communities. The International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives' (ICLEI) Local Governments for
Sustainability, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the Center for
American Progress established a partnership to develop this
index.
Supporting Students
AIA Corporate Architects and Facility Management is
offering scholarships to students currently enrolled in an
architecture program. Applicants must submit an essay exploring how
their education might prepare them to work in an alternative
architecture career path such as facility management or corporate
architecture. Apply now.
Marketing Architecture
In our featured podcast, Marketing Architecture in an Economic
Downturn, Hugh Hochberg, a partner in the Coxe Group, opines
that a downturn can be a time to enhance the firm’s position
in the market for when the rebound occurs (and it always
does).
Finding Opportunities Overseas
In Overseas Opportunities, Mark Wells of the
U.S. Department of Commerce discusses how the agency helps U.S.
firms export their services to overseas markets.
Continuing the Discussion on America's Favorite
Architecture
Bellagio Hotel is the featured project on the AIA's
Shape of America site, where AIA
architects can share their personal stories, opinions, and insights
about the memorial and other inspiring architecture.
Discussing Schools in a Flat World Conference
Take part in an online community that is accompanying the
AIA Committee on Architecture for Education's Schools in a
Flat World conference which took place in Helsinki in September.
This is a great opportunity to interact with conference attendees
through blogs and discussion groups, see pictures from the event,
post your own comments, and react to the knowledge that is being
shared.
Assessing Your Insurance Needs
Kate Enos, FAIA, senior vice president of Victor O.
Schinnerer and Company, discusses the recent bailout of AIG as part
of the series of podcasts on Navigating the Economy.
Gaining in Compensation for Architecture
Professionals
The newly released AIA Compensation Survey shows gains for
architecture staff positions significantly outpacing compensation
gains in the broader economy in recent years.
Monitoring Economic Indicators
The most recent Architecture Billings Index (ABI) shows
billings at architecture firms experienced some growth in August
after several months of sluggish conditions. Our Work-on-the-Boards
panel reported increasing change orders recently, as well as more
than one-third of firms responded that change orders have become a
lot more common or somewhat more common in recent years.
Navigating the Economy
Do you need practical tips on navigating through these uncertain
times? If so, visit our new site, Navigating the Economy. You'll find tips
and resources for dealing with a sluggish economy.
Shopping Green
Green goes with everything so show your commitment to
sustainability. In the AIA Bookstore, you'll find a host of Walk the Walk products, including
T-shirts, door mats, jewelry, and posters.
Growing Popularity for Green Design Features
Findings from the Home Design Trends Survey for the second quarter of 2008 show that emerging features to make homes more energy efficient—such as solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, and water reclamations systems—are gaining in popularity, while less emphasis is being placed on special function rooms such as home offices and game rooms.