This Week in Design
April 12, 2012

Highlight of the Week   

What Makes it GREEN? Project Team Interviews

The following projects have been shortlisted for What Makes it GREEN?:  

• Bertschi School Living Science Building
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Campus
• Biodiversity Green Wall
• Bremerton Office & Studio
• Bullitt Center for Sustainable Design and Construction
• Greenfire Campus
• LOTT Clean Water Alliance - Regional Services Center
• Machias Elementary School
• SIERR Building at McKinstry Station
• Swift Building Lofts
• U.S. General Services Administration Federal Center South Redevelopment
• Walking Mountains Science Center  

AIA Programs and Opportunities 

We hear our members want to get social, but what does that mean? Contact Lisa Richmond to be part of the Social Tiger Team and help us shape AIA Seattle's social agenda. Also, consider joining us @ AIA Seattle on April 19 at 5:30PM to start right away by planning the Happy Hour series.  

April 17-18: Passive House Academy. Co-presented by AIA Seattle. Integrated Design Lab.

April 18: What Makes It GREEN? | Live Jury Interviews (9AM-Noon), Winners Announcement and Reception (5-7PM). Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room. 3CEH/3HSW/3SD.   

April 20: AIA+2030: Session 4: Skins - the importance of the thermal envelope. SOLD OUT. To be added to next year's waitlist, contact Cassandra Delaune.

April 24: Minority and Women's Business Enterprise Certification Fair for Architects and Engineers. 3-6:30PM @ AIA Seattle.    

April 24: Disaster Preparedness and Response Information Night. Presented in partnership with the AIA Seattle Disaster Preparedness & Response Committee, Architecture For Humanity, and Architects Without Borders. 5PM @ GGLO. 

April 25-28: Future Energy Conference in Portland. Co-Presented by AIA Seattle.

April 26:  AIA Seattle Board Meeting. Open to members. 4-6PM @ AIA Seattle. Who serves on the Board? Click here.

May 1 Deadline: Call for Proposals: City of Dreams Pavilion. Presented by AIA New York Chapter.   

May 2: Framed by Fiberglass. Presented by Milgard Windows & Doors as part of the CAP Collaboration Series. Noon @ AIA Seattle. 1CEH/1HSW/1SD.   

May 8: Home Design 101: Getting Started. 6:30-8PM @ Siematic.   

Find AIA Seattle on facebook and on Twitter. 

aecKnowledge offers online CEHs.  

Robert Kennedy AIA won an iPad 2 as part of AIA national's incentive to renew. Have you renewed your membership?  

To learn more about the campaign or to join or renew your membership, click here.

AIA Seattle Committee Meetings 

Member News

Are you a member, member firm, or AIA Seattle Corporate Allied Partner with news to share with our membership? Click here for instructions on how to submit to This Week in Design, our weekly Enews. 

Advocacy and Public Affairs

AIA endorsed the International Green Construction Code.    

Architectural firms that are owned 51% or more by minorities and/or women can be certified by OMWBE (the Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises) as MBE or WBE which can help when pursuing projects with public agencies. For more information, visit the April 24 Certification Fair presented by the Diversity Roundtable (info under AIA Programs).      

DPD would like to expand the electronic plan review option to the general public, but wants to know of any technological barriers future applicants could face. Take the survey online.     

City of Seattle Announces Grace Period for Energy Benchmarking Program.      

After the 6th session in the last 12 months, the Washington State Legislature has finally balanced the state's budget and adjourned at 7am on April 11 after working through the night. At the AIA's urging it passed a billion dollar capital budget to fund many new projects. Unfortunately, the budget continues the recent practice of transferring large sums from the capital budget to the operating budget, which is opposed by AIA.The legislature also passed a constitutional amendment to permanently reduce capital spending by lowering the debt limit from 9% to 8% of general state revenues.   

In the Community  

April 17: Representing Thermal Bridges in Building Energy Models. Presented by ASHRAE.     

April 17: Design/Build. Presented by ACEC Washington and DBIA.  

April 18: Darrin Nordahl and Jarrett Walker: Perspectives on Public Transit. Presented by Town Hall Seattle.    

April 19: Putting Excel to Work for You. Presented by the Society for Design Administration.   

April 19: An Evening with James Corner, Field Operations. Presented by the Seattle Architecture Foundation.   

April 19: Beyond Spreadsheets: Dealing with the Energy and Sustainability Data Quagmire. Presented by Sustainable Seattle and the Bainbridge Graduate Institute.    

April 21: Next 50 Opening Day.  

April 21-22: 2012 Green Home Tour. Presented by Northwest EcoBuilding Guild.   

April 22: Hand Truckin' @ Latona. Fundraiser for Feet First.  

April 23: FREE hands-on benchmarking assistance. Presented by NEEA BetterBricks and the City of Seattle.   

April 23 Deadline: Dream a Sound Future Competition. Presented by The Happiness Initiative, Sustainable Seattle, and the Next 50.  

April 26: 2012 WASLA Professional Awards Program.     

April 26: IES Puget Sound Illumination Awards Banquet.   

June 1 Deadline: Wallingford Home Design Awards. Presented by the Wallingford Neighborhood Association.