AIA National is sending Jane Kolleeny, AIA's repositioning consultant, to the AIANYS Convention to interview members on behalf of the repositioning project (http://www.aia.org/repositioning). Among the most important initiatives AIA has undertaken in its history, this year-long process will explore the perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, needs, and value of architects to facilitate a comprehensive plan geared towards advancing the position of architects and bolstering the national dialogue about their role in society.

     Begun in March 2012, the design and marketing firm Pentagram and the cultural institution and association consultant LaPlaca Cohen have been hired to help with the effort. Their findings will offer a new way to communicate about architecture and the AIA's role within the profession. Once this message is synthesized, the two firms will investigate what communications channels would best serve to disseminate these messages to target audiences. Their findings will be announced at the 2013 AIA Grassroots conference.

     Jane will be in the Gallery of the Saratoga Hilton Hotel on Friday, September 28 all day to interview members and get feedback. She will also be attending various events during convention.

 

 

     The 2012 AIANYS Desk Reference is now online! This digital format is user-friendly with several ways to search for members and firms and links to various resources. By linking this to the AIANYS website, everyone has access to all of this information. This year the book was designed in a landscape format making it easier to read and search.

     The firm profiles are linked directly to the firm's websites and contact emails. This year, for the first time, there is an expanded firm profile that includes three full color photographs of the firm's projects.

     In the advertising section, if you click on an ad, you will be sent directly to the company's website.

To see the entire directory, go to: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aianys/2012deskreference/.

 

 

     The 2012 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State (ECCCNYS-2010) effective December 28, 2010, is now mandatory throughout New York State. The code regulates the design and construction of buildings for the effective use of energy.

     Urban Green Council and AIA New York have developed a four-hour course to familiarize architects and engineers with the ECCCNYS-2010, the fundamentals of low energy design, and the processes available to demonstrate compliance.

     The course will address commercial buildings, including residential buildings over three stories. It will also address the Energy Conservation Code of New York City (Local Law 1-2011), which is more stringent than the State code. ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007, an alternative compliance pathway for meeting the requirements of ECCNYS-2010, will be references, but not covered in detail.

     This program is funded by NYSERDA through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

     All classes will be located at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY and are 8 AM to 12.

     This course will be held on the following dates:

 

August 29, 2012

Speaker: Tony Saracino

https://nyserdacodetraining.com/seminar.php?s=64&d=450

 

September 7, 2012

Speaker: Clare Miflin

https://nyserdacodetraining.com/seminar.php?s=64&d=451

 

     Architects: 4 LU Hours HSW/SD (AIA approved credits may also be used by NY State Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors should they be acceptable content.)

GBCI: 4.0 GBCI credits are for LEED Professionals participating in the Credential Maintenance Program.

     This course will also be offered during the AIANYS Convention on Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 8 AM-12:30 PM. Registration to convention is required. The fee for this course is $85. For more information, go to: http://www.aianys.org/2012_convention/education_seminars-saturday.html.

 

     Columbia County Habitat for Humanity will soon start work on two townhouses that will bring energy efficiency to unprecedented levels in affordable housing. Designed by AIANYS member Dennis Wedlick, AIA, the Columbia Passive Townhouses at 244-246 Columbia Street in Hudson, NY will be the first Habitat townhouses in New York to be constructed using passive energy design and engineering. This process can reduce external energy consumption by 90%.

     Wedlick explained the concept of behind passive designs: "Generally speaking, a Passive House is a high performance residence that is able to maintain a constant comfortable indoor temperature, year-round, with little need for heating or air-conditioning.  It is able to do so because of carefully calibrated construction details that include advanced wall framing and state-of-the-art insulation techniques. This Passive House concept represents today's highest standards for energy efficiency. While the Passive House concept is well established in several European countries, few buildings have been able to achieve these standards in the United States. The Columbia Passive Townhouses will be one of a handful of buildings in the nation to do so." Compared to conventional buildings, Passive House buildings have been known to use 90% less energy for heating and cooling.

     In 2011, Dennis Wedlick Architect designed and the Bill Stratton Building Company constructed the first certified Passive House in New York State in nearby Claverack that continues to receive national attention. The remarkable energy conservation that has been achieved in this structure--and will be achieved in the Columbia Passive Townhouses--is credited to the home's ability to maximize the warmth of the sun, natural lighting and internal air flow. Air quality in Passive Houses is also significantly higher than in conventionally built or renovated homes because of the Energy Recovery Ventilating (ERV) systems that complete the Passive House designs. The ERV systems provide for fresh air 24 hours a day with virtually no heat loss or heat gain.

     Habitat Executive Director Brenda Adams said: "We're now interviewing families to decide who will live in the Columbia Passive Townhouses. We'll be looking for volunteers to help on site starting September 8, the first Saturday after Labor Day." A build generally takes seven months, from foundation to move-in.

     The Columbia Passive Townhouses are Phase III of Habitat's Columbia Street Campaign. In March, Phase II completed two 2-story attached townhouses at 240 and 242 Columbia Street in Hudson. These single-family, owner-occupied residences were built to new higher Energy Star ratings for more economical and environmentally friendly energy use. Along with two similar townhouses at 444 and 446 Columbia Street, completed in 2011, these new homes are helping to revitalize the community and boost reinvestment in the neighborhood north of Warren Street. For more information, go to: www.columbiacountyhabitat.org.

     Dennis Wedlick, AIA will be presenting the program "Passive Solar vs. Passive House: A Hands on Comparison of Two Case Studies in the Hudson Valley" at the AIANYS Convention, Friday, September 28, 2012 from 9:15 AM to 10:15 AM.

 

 

Pictured (left to right): Seth Rapport, Hudson Development Corporation; Judith Nelson, Executive Director, Habitat New York State; Janis Smythe, President, Columbia County Habitat; Dennis Wedlick, AIA, Dennis Wedlick Architect;  Assemblywoman Didi Barrett; Don Moore, President,  Hudson Common Council;  Brenda Adams, Executive Director, Columbia County Habitat, and Eileen Halloran, Treasurer, City of Hudson.

Photo provided by: Columbia County Habitat for Humanity

 

     George H. Miller, FAIA, AIANYS member and 2010 President of AIA National was recently appointed to the State Board for Architecture.

     He has been a principal at the world-renowned Pei Cobb Freed and Partners for over 30 years.

     The other current members of the State Board for Architecture are: John Sorrenti, FAIA, Chair, Kyu-Jung Whang, AIA, Lisa Gould, FAIA, Susan McClymonds, AIA, Gary McNeil, Daniel Garbowit, AIA and John Sullivan, FAIA.

 

     Andrew A. "Andy" Weiss, AIA, passed away on July 25th, 2012. He graduated from East Hampton High School and dedicated his passion towards a lifelong career in architecture earning his Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the New York Institute of Technology.

     He worked out on the East End for over 30 years, responsible for numerous projects both commercial and residential. After being actively involved with AIA Peconic for many years, in 2012 he served as President of AIA Peconic, helping bring together a community of local architects. Individual donations for Habitat for Humanity, can be made privately in Andy Weiss's honor at www.habitatsuffolk.org.

 

By: Thomas L. Penn, AIA, New York IDP State Coordinator

 

     The annual conference was again held in Chicago July 26-28, 2012 and marked the 35th year of the Intern Development Program. This year New York had IDP Education Coordinator attendees from Pratt Institute (Nick Agneta, AIA), RPI (Mark Mistur, AIA), University of Buffalo, SUNY (Ken MacKay, AIA), and Syracuse University (Connie Caldwell).

     The number one item for this year's conference was that IDP 2.0 is now fully implemented with no more "grace" periods, transitions, crossovers, etc. Some significant changes were announced including upcoming supplemental experience for "construction work" experience and a maximum of 930 hours academic credit for IDP.

     On the first day of the conference, an informative "mythbuster" session was held to refute many misconceptions revealed in the 2007 Practice Analysis of Architecture. Two examples of the most widely held myths are that the IDP takes too long to complete. The average time for completion is 5 years. The most widely held misconception is that the IDP and the ARE are big money makers. In reality, both are heavily subsidized by NCARB. 

     Some time was also spent talking about two categories of candidates for NCARB certificates: the Broadly Experienced Architect Program (BEA) and the Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect Program (BEFA). Both programs are designed to help those without accredited degrees get NCARB Certificates. The two step dossier and interview process for the BEA process has been reduced to a one step dossier process with a $5,000 fee. The BEFA process requires an additional interview beyond the dossier review with a fee of $7,000 and an 18 month window to submit their dossier after their eligibility date.

     The IDP Firm Awards were announced and each award recipient made a presentation of the firm's program (www.aia.org/IDPFirmAward).

     A presentation of the new online reporting system was given with a thorough review of the new work experience settings: A-Practice of Architecture, O-Other Work Settings, and S-Supplemental Experience. The definition of Direct Supervision has been revised to a person holding a valid US or Canadian license to practice architecture. It should be noted that this does not pertain to New York or Texas. If an intern wants to get CEU's for experience credit, they will need an AIA number. The IDP Guidelines now state "whether or not employed" for reporting experience.

     A lengthy discussion was held on international Internship. For IDP there is limited credit under category A (working for a US architect outside the US) and O (working for a foreign architect).

     In a breakout session we discussed the role of the IDP State Coordinator. I mentioned the fact that a great deal of my time is now spent answering licensing questions. It was suggested by the group that the position is now an all encompassing "licensing" information coordinator and an advocate for candidates for licensure.

     NCARB By The Numbers, published in June, 2012, was introduced at the conference. Some interesting statistics were presented some of which are as follows:

-Average time to complete the IDP is 5.5 years;

-Age of licensees at first licensure- 1976, 29 yrs old; 1996 (end of paper exam), 30 yrs old; 2006 (introduction of the "Rolling Clock"), 32.5 yrs old; and 2011 (introduction of the "6 month rule"), 32 yrs old;

-Time from graduation to initial licensure- 1971, 4.4 years; 2012, 7 years!!;

-Years to complete the IDP by degree- B Arch, 4.5years; BS Arch, 5.5 years; and M Arch, 5 years;

-Median age of architects acquiring NCARB Certification - 36.37 years old;

-Average number years between initial licensure and NCARB Certification- 2.13 years;

-Women in architecture- percentage of NCARB applications in 1983, 6.2%; 2011, 40%   While the number of women applying for Architect Records has steadily increased to about 10% of the total number the number of women applying for Intern Records has now increased to 30% of the total number.

     Lastly, NCARB is working on a letter to attest to the validity of the IDP which will allow interns to defer student loans until after completion of the IDP.

 

     AIA's Council of Architectural Component Executives (CACE) and the Knowledge Leadership Assembly (KLA) met in Seattle in early August. Included in these meetings was a presentation of AIA's Repositioning by consultants LaPlaca Cohen and Pentagram.

     The 2013 Executive Committee Officers were also elected during the CACE meeting. They will be as follows: President-elect Tina Litteral, Hon. AIA, from AIA Arizona, along with Heather Vance of AIA Utah, Kate Shelton of AIA Charlotte, and Melissa Hunt, of AIA Eastern Oklahoma. Carolyn Boyce of AIA Pennsylvania will serve as President in 2013. 

 

     The International Code Council Board of Directors has announced the creation of the new ICC Corporate Membership Council, establishing a forum for the corporate and regulatory communities to foster stronger interaction and identify and examine issues of mutual interest related to the built environment. Other key objectives of the new Corporate Council include broadening the understanding of emerging construction trends and technologies and increasing the use of replicable buildings, commissioning and other approaches to streamline the building safety compliance process.
      The ICC Board will appoint a nine-member Governing Committee for the Corporate Council that will advocate for its concerns and issues, provide feedback to the ICC Board and staff, and act as a voice regarding the Code Council's activities and programs. The Corporate Council is open to any ICC individual or corporate member or any member in good standing of a closely aligned organization. Governing Committee appointments and other important details will be announced soon.
     For more information, go to www.iccsafe.org.

 

 

     AIANYS would like to welcome a new Corporate Allied Member:

 

IMAGINiT Technologies, Ray Vaughn, 1 Computer Drive South, Albany, NY 12205 Ph: 518-438-2223, Email: rvaughn@rand.com

  

     Allied Membership allows corporations and individuals not otherwise eligible for AIANYS membership to participate in some services. For more information and the online Allied Membership Application, go to: http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Onsite/Welcome.aspx?e=595c258a-ef44-488d-b1c4-cc6bb3bcf41d.