Architects Push for Passage of Bipartisan National Design Services Act to Cut Spiraling Student Loan Debt

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) today committed to push for passage of the National Design Services Act (NDSA), which will give architecture students the same relief from crushing student loan debt already granted young lawyers, doctors and others - in return for community service.

The bipartisan legislation, H.R. 2938, was reintroduced by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and co-sponsored by Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fl), Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN) and Rep. Brad Ashford (D-NE).

"Millions of young people aspire to help their communities build a better future - but a lack of opportunity and the crushing cost of education hold them back," said AIA President Elizabeth Chu Richter, FAIA. "As a result, the design and construction industry faces a severe shortage of talent at exactly the moment America needs to rebuild for the future.

"We commend Congressman Perlmutter for recognizing this issue, for introducing the NDSA and for enlisting his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work for its ultimate passage," Richter said. "There is no doubt they will have the full resources of the AIA as well as the architecture student community behind them."

"The National Design Services Act will help promote sustainable economic development and jobs by ensuring aspiring architects are able to gain valuable experience while giving back to their communities designing public projects such as schools, health clinics, housing facilities and libraries," said Rep. Perlmutter. "In return, the bill will alleviate some of the barriers new students face as they pursue their dreams in architecture." Continue reading...

2015 AIA Leadership Institute Venues Announced

The AIA Leadership Institute is proud to announce the selection of our 2015 locations:

• Boston, MA hosted by the Boston Society of Architects
• Cleveland, OH hosted by AIA Cleveland
• Phoenix, AZ hosted by AIA Arizona
• San Antonio, TX hosted by AIA San Antonio
• Washington, DC (Hub) hosted by the AIA Center for Civic Leadership

As partners for the inaugural year of the re-envisioned and re-designed AIA Leadership Institute, these five locations will work together with the goal to bring timely, relevant, and interactive training to AIA members across the country.

Taking place on Friday, October 23, 2015, the AIA Leadership Institute will be live broadcasted from our Hub Venue of Washington, DC to these four AIA Components. We will digitally connect in a one-day, shared national dialogue on leadership and architecture. The hybrid model leverages technology to live stream web-enabled video and in-person presentations. The program will showcase the best of national and local leadership knowledge. Anticipated attendance is over 250 participants. Please look for future communications with information on speakers, topics, and registration by visiting our website as updates continue to be announced: www.aialeadershipinstitute.com. 

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Technical Note 9A: Specifications for and Classifications of Brick

Brick selection is made according to the specific application in which the brick will be used. Standards for brick cover specific uses of brick and classify the brick by performance characteristics. The performance criteria include strength, durability and aesthetic requirements. Selection of the proper specification and classification within that specification, along with proper design and construction, should result in expected performance.

ASTM International (ASTM) publishes the most widely accepted standards on brick. These standards are voluntary consensus standards that are reviewed and updated periodically to contain the most recent information. All have been through a thorough review process by a balanced committee of interested ASTM members classified as producers, users and general interest. All of the model building codes in the United States reference ASTM standards for brick.

This Technical Note 9A identifies the standards for brick and the specific requirements for its various classifications. Other Technical Notes in this series address the fundamentals of brick manufacturing and the proper selection of brick.

Delaware Mandatory Continuing Education

• HSW CE credits only:  All of those 12 CE Hours must be completed in Health, Safety, and Welfare Subjects acquired in Structured Educational Activities through either (a) NCARB monograph programs and/or (b) Health, Safety and Welfare Programs approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
   
• License Renewal:  Failure to comply with these requirements may result in non-renewal of the architect's registration. Falsely attesting to having acquired the required continuing education could lead to the assessment of a financial penalty, letter of reprimand, license suspension or renovation.
   
• Hardship Extension:  Requests for a hardship extension must be in writing and submitted to the Board prior to the expiration of your current license. The Board may, in its discretion, grant an extension of time within which to complete the CE requirement.

Know Your Regulations:  

Download the current Delaware Board of Architects Regulations.

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AIA Knowledge Community Opportunities

Visit the AIA National Knowledge Communities a social networking website called AIAKnowledgeNet. It's a place for like-minded professionals to meet, discuss, and share information on their common interests.

Join a Knowledge Community | View all AIA Knowledge Communities

Join any number of Knowledge Communities by updating your AIA Account. To encourage cross-disciplinary discussions, enrollment in AIA Knowledge Communities is not limited to AIA members. Non-AIA-members can also create an AIA Account to stay connected.

Current Opportunities:    

• Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) Webinar: Medical Equipment 101: A Primer, June 23
• Project Management Webinar: LEAN Applications in Healthcare Design and Construction, June 24
• Housing Knowledge Community (HKC) Webinar: Within Formal Cities: Learning from Informal Communities in South America, June 29
• Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) Summer Leadership Summit. Register by July 1
• Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) Webinar: FGI Primer/Healthcare 101, July 29
• Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) 2015 Herman Miller Healthcare Intern Architect Scholarship. Apply by August 14

• Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) Fall Conference in conjunction with EDspaces in New Orleans, October 28-30. Early registration ends September 11

For the full list of KC events visit network.aia.org/RoundUp.

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Resilience - Ahead of the Surge

YAF CONNECTION: Volume 13 Issue 03 (June 2015)

In our post-convention issue, we recap many of the events that YAF was a part of and others that we found extremely valuable to the profession. Our special guest editor is the YAF's Advocacy Director and resident resiliency expert, Illya Azaroff. We have laid out stories about young leaders who are truly involved in the effort on resilience, as well as the broad spectrum that architects can get involved in. Resilience is more than a buzzword and is a great opportunity for architects to prove their impact to their communities, region, and beyond.

Read the current issue at http://www.aia.org/yafconnection.

The YAF Connection is the official e-magazine for young architects produced by the Young Architects Forum. Each edition includes articles on leadership, mentorship, and fellowship as well as book reviews by young architects. The YAF Connection is a bimonthly publication.

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ARE Update

Learn about the ARE Candidate Agreement

As a candidate with eligibilities to take the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), be aware of some recent policy changes and a new candidate agreement. These changes were made to better define your responsibility as a candidate and to outline how NCARB will handle situations where a candidate may violate exam security or act in an unprofessional way at the testing center. The updates include:  

• An updated Policy Regarding Cheating and Disclosure 
• An updated Policy and Procedures for Testing Irregularities 
• A new ARE Candidate Agreement

The new policies are now in place and candidates will start to see the new ARE Candidate Agreement in test centers beginning in July. These changes will in no way impact the delivery of the ARE or change the testing procedure at the test center.

Reminder: You can test in ARE 4.0 until June 2018

As you continue to make progress toward completing the ARE, remember that ARE 4.0 will be available until June 30, 2018. ARE 5.0 launches in 2016, at which point you'll be able to continue testing in ARE 4.0 or self-transition to ARE 5.0. You can learn more about ARE 5.0 on our website and blog.

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IDP Required Hours Reduced by a Third

Effective immediately, the Intern Development Program (IDP) will require 3,740 total hours. In September, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) announced plans to streamline the Intern Development Program (IDP). Effective immediately, the program will require 3,740 total hours defined by 17 experience areas.

Key Takeaways:  

• Review your jurisdiction's requirements. You can find out what your jurisdiction's experience requirement is at www.ncarb.org/IDPstreamline. 
• Keep reporting all experience. Doing so will help facilitate licensure and reciprocity in jurisdictions with additional requirements.
• We're here to help. NCARB will continue to support the individual requirements for all 54 jurisdictions. Plus, you can always reach out to NCARB through social media or by contacting Customer Service.

Download the IDP Guidelines

Updated July 2015, the IDP Guidelines is essential reading for aspiring architects and IDP supervisors. The document summarizes the program's reporting requirements, experience settings, and more. Download your copy today! 

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Call for Proposals: 
Speak at AIA Convention 2016

AIA Convention is one of the largest annual gatherings of architects and design professionals in the U.S., featuring hundreds of education sessions on practice strategies and opportunities, emerging trends and topics that inspire and educate. If you are an AIA member and subject matter expert with a great concept for an education session, we invite you to submit your proposal.  

• Submit your proposal by August 15, 11:59 PM PDT
• Need inspiration? See the schedule from AIA Convention 2015.

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Call for Nominations:
2016 Institute Honors Awards

For more than 60 years, the Institute Honor Awards program has recognized architectural achievements by elevating the general quality of architecture practice, establishing a standard of excellence, and informing the public of the breadth and value of architecture practice. We welcome your nominations for the following award categories:

• Institute Honor Awards for Architecture
• Institute Honor Awards for Interior Architecture
• Institute Honor Awards for Regional & Urban Design
• Twenty-five Year Award

Nominations due August 21, 5:00 PM EDT

Volunteer with the YAF

The Young Architects Forum (YAF) is a committee of the AIA and is organized to address issues of particular importance to recently licensed architects (within ten years or less after licensure). The 2015 focus of the YAF is career advancement. The YAF Handbook outlines the history and current goals of the committee.

Volunteering with AIA National can provide opportunities to develop leadership skills, network with peers, and influence the profession through advocacy.

Advisory Committee Positions Available

• Vice Chair (three year commitment)
• Community Director (two year commitment)
• Public Relations Director (two year commitment)

Time Commitment

Please note that our volunteers must be available to travel and join committee calls during business hours, as noted below. 

• YAF Transition Meeting - November 13-14, 2015, Austin, TX
• YAF Annual Meeting - Winter 2016, Location TBD
• AIA Grassroots - February 23 - 25, 2016, Detroit, MI
• AIA National Convention - May 19-21, 2016, Philadelphia, PA
• Monthly Advisory Committee Calls
• Quarterly Full Committee Calls

Visit the AIA Volunteer webpage for Position Descriptions and other information.

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Project Architect

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Intern Architect

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Full-Time Associate Architect

Meet Blue Ridge Architects

Founded in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 2004, Blue Ridge Architects serves clients up and down the Mid-Atlantic while never forgetting our small-town roots and values where actions speak louder than words, relationships are of utmost importance, and doing things right are a way of life. These values keep us grounded as we collaborate to find innovative design solutions for our clients. Read more... 

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Designer / Project Architect

Marjorie Rothberg Architecture, design-oriented downtown Wilmington firm, known for Avon Exterior Modernization, Shoppes at Louviers, Wilmington Mortgage office building, research labs and construction detailing integrating form and materials, seeks talented team members for 2 positions: Designer - Arch degree/ creative role; Project Architect - diverse role/ tech expertise. Email: info@M10x10.com. Address: 1225 King Street, Suite 500, Wilmington DE 19801 (302) 655-6595.

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Project Architect

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Fizzano Bros. CMU Plant Tour and
AIA CE Programs

When:   August 3, 2015 (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM)

Where:   Fizzano Bros. Concrete Products

              1776 Chester Pike, Crum Lynne, PA 19022

Cost:      Free (offering up to 2 AIA HSW LUs)

Registration:    By July 29, 2015 (required) 

Program Schedule

10:00-11:00

Designing with Surface Masonry Wall Systems  

This program will cover the various types of surfaced masonry wall systems for interior CMU walls. Discussion will center on the advantages and disadvantages of these different types of surfaced masonry and why choosing a system that provides a smooth, pinhole free monolithic surface can provide added protection for areas subjected to abuse, harsh environments and sanitary standards. (1 AIA HSW LU)

11:00-12:00 - Guided Plant Tour

12:00-1:00 - Light Lunch and

Thin Adhered Veneer Systems - A New Solution  

Participants will learn the aspects of thin veneer and how it is properly installed along with the failures and successes with Manufactured Stone Veneer. The program will address Masonry Veneer Installation Systems, water and air barriers, adhesives mortars and cost comparisons of masonry methods. (1 AIA HSW LU)

RSVP

Please RSVP by Wednesday, July 29th  

(provide dietary accommodations if needed).

QUESTIONS

Contact Nancy Payne via email or call to (302) 654-9817.

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HURRIPLAN:  Resilient Building Design for Coastal Community

DATE:         August 4-5, 2015 (2 day course)

TIME:         8:30 AM- 4:30 PM (lunch provided on-site)

PLACE:      DNERR St. Jones Reserve Coastal Training Center

                  818 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, DE 19901

CREDITS:   Earn up to 14 AIA HSW LUs

COST:         Free. Course space is limited, so register early.

REGISTER:  By July 21, 2015

HURRIPLAN, presented by National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC), is a two-day performance-level course which provides planning and design professionals with the knowledge and training necessary to design hurricane resilient commercial and institutional buildings. Through lectures and active learning components, existing regulations and beyond-code design guidelines are discussed and implemented. The culmination of the course includes the creation of a site plan and building design of a community safe room in a nearby hurricane-prone community.

Download Flyer and Registration Instructions.

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Senior Living Design Expert Joins the Bernardon Team

Derek A. Perini, IIDA

Bernardon is pleased to welcome to their team an experienced Senior Interior Designer, Mr. Derek A. Perini, IIDA.

Mr. Perini is well-known in the region for senior living design, and has designed the interiors for several multi-million dollar Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs). He has also been a speaker at both national and regional events for the prominent aging services organization LeadingAge, and a judge at the annual Environments for Aging Conference.

"Derek has a strong passion for design, managing and leading junior designers, and developing and nurturing close relationships with his clients," said Kerry R. Haber, President of the firm. "His exemplary career in some of our biggest target markets will make Derek a great asset to our team."

In his new position at Bernardon, Mr. Perini will be heavily involved in the firm's senior living, multifamily, and hospitality projects. He has close to twenty years of design experience, and a few of his notable local projects include the Masonic Villages of Pennsylvania and the "Harvest Table" at Garden Spot Village. His projects have also extended into a range of other states, including New Jersey, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, and Colorado.

Mr. Perini is a member of several professional organizations, including the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE). He is also certified with the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), where he serves on the exam grading committee. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior and Environmental Design from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania.

Established in 1973, Bernardon is a regional architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture firm. The firm has offices in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware. For more information call (610) 444-2900 or visit www.bernardon.com.

Becker Morgan Group in the News

Opens Newark Office

Becker Morgan Group celebrated the opening of their Newark, Delaware office with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 18, 2015. The office is located in Rittenhouse Station, a project designed by the firm in 2009. Numerous City of Newark officials were in attendance, including Mayor Polly Sierer, Council Member Margrit Hadden, and Council Member Todd Ruckle, as well as the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.

"We're very pleased to open our Newark office. After working in this community for years and employing many University of Delaware graduates, it's great to have a home here where we can better serve both existing and future clients," said Gregory Moore, P.E., Vice President.

Delaware Staff Expands

Becker Morgan Group is pleased to announce new hires in various divisions in the Dover and Newark, Delaware offices. Joining the Engineering staff is Chris Duke, P.E., PTOE, LEED AP, a graduate from University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and currently pursuing a Master of Civil Engineering from Villanova University; John Pennington, a graduate from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science in Bio Resources Engineering; and Justin Ham, a graduate from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering. Joining the Architectural staff is Cody Dodd from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Becker Morgan Group's Maryland and North Carolina offices have also welcomed additional staff, accounting for 10% growth firm wide.  

"We're pleased to be experiencing increased activity in all disciplines, in all offices. It's nice to replace jobs lost in the recent recession and we anticipate continued growth for the foreseeable future," said W. Ronald Morgan, AIA, President.

Becker Morgan Group provides Architecture & Engineering services with offices in Delaware, Maryland, and North Carolina. For more information, visit www.beckermorgan.com.

Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc. in the News

Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., is pleased to announce that Matthew T. Vega of Salisbury, Maryland, has been selected as this year's

recipient of their $1,000 college scholarship.

Matthew Vega accepts scholarship

Vega, the son of John Vega and Robin Higdon, is an accomplished senior at James M. Bennett High School who will be graduating at the end of this month. He has  

been accepted into the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College  

Park where he plans to major in civil and environmental engineering in the fall of 2015.

DBF's scholarship, awarded annually since 2002, was established to recognize an individual with an interest in pursuing a career in engineering, architecture, and/or planning. Applicants are required to commit to attend an accredited college or university with an engineering (civil, environmental, structural, coastal, or traffic) or architecture degree program, they must be a resident of Wicomico County, and must be a graduating senior. The scholarship recipient was chosen by a committee of DBF principals who based their selection upon the applicant's SAT scores, academic record, and community service.

"As a principal at DBF, it is an honor to help Matthew further his education and contribute to the future of civil/environmental engineering. I look forward to hearing about his success at the next level and beyond," stated Jason Loar, P.E.

Metzner Named as DBF's Newest Associate

Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., is pleased to announce the recent advancement of Tim M. Metzner, RLA, as the firm's newest Associate. Registered in Delaware and

Tim Metzner

Maryland, he has provided civil engineering design services on the eastern shore for the past thirteen years.

Metzner joined DBF in 2002 after graduating from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture. For a number of years, he was a key component of the growth of the firm's Milford offices.  Metzner has relocated to the firm's Salisbury location and is now overseeing and managing the site engineering team.

Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., is a full-service architectural, engineering, and surveying firm, with offices in Salisbury and Easton, Maryland, and in Milford, Delaware. Additional information can be found online at www.dbfinc.com.

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Wohlsen Construction in the News

Wohlsen Receives Top National Safety Award

Wohlsen Construction Company earned Platinum Level status in the National 2015 Safety Training and Evaluation Process award program of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). This esteemed award recognizes Wohlsen's achievement in safety management excellence, highlighted by management commitment, a quality written safety program, and OSHA incidence rates consistently below established national averages.

Wohlsen Advances 14 Places on ENR's Top 400 Contractors

Wohlsen Construction Company ranked #303 in The Engineering News-Record's (ENR) 2015 Top 400 Contractors List. Advancing 14 spots from last year's ranking, 2015's spot is a testament to Wohlsen's continued market growth over the past year.

Wohlsen's ranking recognizes our employees' commitment to continuous improvement and the trust our clients have in us to provide the construction services their projects require.

Wohlsen Construction Company, celebrating its 125^th anniversary, is a Green Plus Certified company and one of the leading merit shop construction firms in the Mid-Atlantic States.

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