WHAT HAS THE AIA DONE FOR ME LATELY?

NEW IN JANUARY:

Walking the Walk

As environmental consciousness takes full root in the American mindset, most of the public remains unaware of the relationship between the built environment and energy usage, as well as how effectively an architect can mitigate that impact. This month the AIA launches a new phase of its national advertising campaign that underscores the profession’s practice of sustainable design and architects’ commitment to meet the AIA goal of carbon neutrality for all new and renovation projects by 2030. To view the campaign launch and streaming video, please visit http://giantideas.com/aia/walkthewalk.html.

Pointing the Way

The AIA has aggressively developed resources for architects and clients to address the sustainability challenge. Because of the importance of the subject, this information has been created on many fronts— through projects from AIA Strategy and Business Development, Government Advocacy, Knowledge Communities, Continuing Education, plus collaboration with other entities and through coverage in many AIA publications. To make it easier for members and clients to find and tap this information, the AIA has created two online sustainability resource centers. A Resource Center for Practitioners (http://www.aia.org/susn_rc_default) showcases the tools available to architects to learn and apply sustainable design principles and practices. The second, A Resource Center for Architecture Clients (www.aia.org/susn_rc_cl_default, is designed to help educate clients about the issues and guide decision-making. It is hoped AIA members will use the latter to shape discussions with clients about the greening of their projects. Both centers are also tied directly to the new national Walk the Walk campaign.

Connecting You Anew to Prospects

One of the most popular features on the AIA Web site is Architect Finder. This service, while a valuable link to the profession, has been subject to limitations in the past that prevented AIA members from putting their firms’ best cases forward. In December a new version of this valued service was launched, and AIA firm principals and contacts (as identified in member records) are urged to visit the site, log in, and review and supplement the data we have on file. It is particularly important to make sure your firm has a contact listed, a field for which appears on the opening screen after you log in. Once core data are complete, continue to build your listing by adding a firm description, details on size, areas of specialization, information on where licensed, plus project portfolios. The more specific you are in identifying areas of specialization, the more likely you are to show up in search results. To get started, please visit http://architectfinder.aia.org/.

Raising Awareness

For the public to fully appreciate what architects do, the profession and its professionals must maintain a constant presence in the public eye. To that end, AIA Media Relations placed 6,406 nationwide media clips featuring AIA National representatives, local component members and staff, and member architects in 2007. The coverage includes 1,574 press stories as part of the According to the AIA outreach program. The total number of November and December highlights included coverage in the Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.

FROM DECEMBER:

Updating the Industry Standard: Contract Documents

The pace of change is swift, and the fundamentals that underlie design and construction must keep up. The AIA revises the A201 family of AIA Contract Documents every 10 years to reflect changes in industry trends and practices. These revisions were introduced in early November. Significant changes have been made to A201, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, the backbone of the A201 family of documents because it forms the relationship between the owner, contractor, and architect. Changes include:

• Parties are no longer required to resolve disputes through arbitration.
• New provisions allow for one multiparty arbitration as long as certain conditions are met.
• Owners and contractors may hire a third-party initial decision maker for dispute resolution.
• A new numbering system provides consistency in document numbering and establishes a meaning for each number.
• New digital practice documents have been added, as have new owner/architect agreements.

For a comprehensive explanation of the changes, please visit www.aia.org/SiteObjects/files/ 09.12.07_2007e Revisions Article.pdf. For more information on the 2007 update, please visit

www.aiacontractdocuments.org.

Connecting and Networking with Those in the Know

Knowledge is more than power. It is the raw material of brilliant ideas, effective problem solving, and true advances. To better deliver collective professional knowledge, the AIA has launched Soloso, now ready and waiting for you to sign in. This innovative online resource provides quick and easy access to a continuous flow of information that gives insight into important trends, solutions, products, practices, and strategies related to architecture. Get the specific information you need in Soloso’s ever-expanding content. Contribute to Soloso by creating a professional profile and uploading projects. Connect with AIA members and the architecture community at large to build a professional network that will benefit you and the architecture profession. Remember, Soloso grows exponentially with your participation. The more you use it, the better it gets. Visit http://soloso.aia.org to benefit from this new online resource.

Scanning the Horizon

As we look to the year ahead, and help in reading the economy, markets, and trends can be invaluable. AIA staff worked with outside consultants to compile a comprehensive 2007 Environmental Scan—a close examination of the past and present to help anticipate the future. This data-rich resource is offered as a free, members-only benefit for use in your own business planning. To receive a PDF of this document, send an e-mail request to enviroscan@lyris.aia.org. An auto-reply message will be sent to your inbox with the PDF file. Once you’ve reviewed the document, send us your feedback. What do you think of it? How will you use it? What sources of information would you recommend for future scans? What trends are occurring in your market that could affect the profession? We set up a second special mailbox to capture your thoughts at enviroscan@aia.org.