News:
AIA Kansas City Executive Director Dawn Kirkwood to retire on June 30
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Kansas City announced this week the June 30, 2010 retirement of Executive Director Dawn Kirkwood. Kirkwood has served in this role for the past eight years.
In a statement to the Board of Directors, Kirkwood said, “It has been a pleasure working with AIA Kansas City. I am pleased to have been able to see it through many successes, and am grateful to be leaving on such a good note. I know that AIA Kansas City has many great things ahead of it. Now is the time for me to move on to the next phase of my life.”
Kirkwood has made significant advancements to The American Institute of Architects Kansas City. Since taking the position back in 2002, she has transformed the way the organization operates, which has seen a dramatic increase in membership, programming, and advocacy efforts at the local and state levels. Other significant contributions include recently completing an office relocation and capital campaign for AIA Kansas City’s new space, she is currently serving as a liaison for the National AIA Trust Committee, she was appointed to the Crossroads Arts PIEA Advisory Committee, and has served on the boards for the Kansas City Architectural Foundation and The Urban Society.
In a statement by Kevin Klinkenberg, AIA, 2010 President of AIA Kansas City, “While we are selfishly very sad to lose Dawn, we are all very happy for her personally. She leaves some very large shoes to fill, and we have our work cut out for us to replace her energy, professionalism and thoughtfulness.”
The Board is forming a search committee to identify Kirkwood’s replacement.
AIA Kansas City Announces the 2009 Board of Directors Awards
The American Institute of Architects Kansas City chapter celebrated a successful year and announced the recipients of the 2009 Board Awards at their annual Holiday Party and Installation of Officers. These awards recognize individuals or firms whom have made significant contributions in advancing or preserving the built environment of metropolitan Kansas City. The recipients of this year’s recognitions included:
Architectural Preservationist of the Year – AMC & Cordish
For Outstanding Dedication to Excellence during the restoration of the Midland and the Mainstreet Theatre.
Architectural Advocate of the Year Award – Steve Paul, The Kansas City Star
For Outstanding Dedication and Support of Excellence in Architecture in the Kansas City area.
Educator of the Year – Joy Swallow, AIA, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Chair of the Department of Architecture, Urban Planning + Design
For Outstanding Dedication and Support of Excellence in Architecture Education
Emerging Professional of the Year – Jayne Higdon, Associate AIA, Gould Evans
For exceptional commitment and contributions to the professional development of emerging professionals.
Volunteer of the Year – Peter Sloan, AIA, 360 Architecture
For Outstanding Dedication and Contribution to the Advancement of The American Institute of Architects Kansas City Chapter.
*Architect of the Year Award – Susan Richards Johnson, AIA, Susan Richards Johnson & Associates *
For extraordinary effort and achievement advancing the profession of architecture and its role in improving the quality of the built environment in Kansas City.
Firm of the Year Award – Populous
For Exemplary Contributions in 2009.
In addition the event honored the elected officers for the 2010 AIA Kansas City Board, who were installed during the evening’s program.
AIA Kansas City Officers and Directors
Kevin Klinkenberg, AIA, President, 180 Degrees Design Studio
Neal Angrisano, AIA, Past President, Johnson County Government
Jay Tomlinson, AIA, President Elect, Helix Architecture + Design
Sean Slattery, AIA, Secretary, el dorado inc
Ryan Manies, AIA, Treasurer, Posinelli Schugart
Laura Lesniewski, AIA, 3-Year Director, BNIM Architects
Amy Eckhoff, AIA, 3-Year Director, Gastinger Walker Harden Architects
Kimball Hales, AIA, 3-Year Director, Hufft Projects
Zane Muntz, AIA, Associate Director, HNTB
Erin Pias, Assoc. AIA, Associate Director, Hoefer Wysocki
Martin Mini, Public Director, KCADC
Mike Lally, Public Director, Olsson Associates
The Holiday Party and Installation of Officers took place at the new office location for AIA Kansas City at 1801 McGee, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO in the Crossroads District on Tuesday, December 8, 2009.
AIA Kansas City Moves to 1801 McGee in the Crossroads
Kansas City, MO – The American Institute of Architects – Kansas City Chapter (AIA Kansas City), announces the relocation of the chapter office to 1801 McGee, Kansas City, Missouri. The office will take up a large portion of the first floor of the historic building located in the Crossroads District.
The relocation of the AIA Kansas City office will provide more amenable environments for our members, staff and the community. It will also accommodate future membership and program growth.
The new location at 1801 McGee is a 4,634sq ft space, which provides AIA Kansas City with the space it needs to accommodate educational programs, special events, gallery showings, staff and board needs, and space for affiliated organizations. The public space will also be available for event rental to other local organizations.
The move will be complete by December 4, 2009. There will be an Open House and Holiday Celebration held in the new space at December 8th, 2009.
AIA Kansas City has been at its 104 W 9th Street office location since 1989.
Free Online Course Helps Meet 2009 Sustainable Design Education Requirement
Integrated design and project-delivery processes are critical to the creation of next-generation, high-performance buildings. In a new Web seminar, you’ll explore how these processes help design teams collaborate more strategically to set and reach energy goals.
AIA members must successfully complete 18 LUs each year. At least 4 LUs must be in sustainable design (SD) topics. This free live Web seminar qualifies for 1.5 AIA/CES LUs (HSW/SD), helping AIA members toward fulfillment of the 2009 SD education requirement.
What You Will Learn
“The 2030 Commitment: Setting and Achieving Energy Goals with Integrated Design” will
Explain the differences between integrated design and traditional design processes
Present an integrated design and project-delivery roadmap through the design process
Show the benefits of integrated design in core, early decisions such as building form and orientation
Explore integrated-design characteristics and their implications for energy performance
Presenter
Joel Loveland is a professor of architecture and director of the Integrated Design Lab for Puget Sound at the College of Built Environments, University of Washington. He is also a daylighting consultant on over 150 projects annually.
Registration
This Web seminar is offered at no cost to AIA members, but advance registration is required. Any number of participants from your organization may attend. Registration includes
Admission to the live presentation via Internet at one location
Access to handouts
Access to an online archive of the event until April 1, 2010. However, only those who attend the live Web seminar are eligible for AIA/CES LUs.
After completing the course evaluation, each group of attendees must submit a list of those who participated via an online form that so that all receive course credit.
Register for this free Web seminar now!
For More Information
Questions? Write to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
NCARB | ARE Scoring 101
For years, rumors and myths have circulated around offices and the internet about how ARE divisions are scored. As we move further into the electronic age, candidates want to know why scores take so long and what exactly happens to their exam after they leave the test center. In this issue of ARE e-News, we answer the most common questions about the scoring process.
What is the passing standard?
The passing standard (i.e., the number of questions you have to get right) is the same for every registration board. It is not affected by the number of candidates who pass or fail each examination. There is no fixed percentage of candidates who pass or fail the ARE.
Does NCARB have retake quota?
NCARB doesn’t have any kind of retake quota or profit margin it has to meet. The ARE is heavily subsidized by other NCARB operations—even with the recent fee increase. The income generated by candidate fees only covers a portion (about half) of the actual expense necessary to support the development and administration of the exam.
How long after I take the exam will I receive my score?
Processing time varies from four to six weeks. After processing, your score is forwarded from Prometric, NCARB’s testing consultant, directly to your registration board. Your board then completes any additional processing and sends the report to you. If your registration board participates in the Direct Registration program, NCARB will process your score report and send it directly to you.
Why can’t I see my score instantly?
Your exam is not graded at the test center where you test. Your workstation at the test center only records your answers and solutions. The actual scoring of your exam takes place at Prometric and is subject to rigorous quality control processes to ensure the accuracy of the score.
Your examination is for licensure. As such, it is a high-stakes examination required by all U.S. jurisdictions and accepted by nine Canadian provinces as part of their licensure process. To protect the security of the exam, exam content must remain separate from the scoring engine.
What happens to my test data after I finish my exam?
Your answers and vignette solutions are transferred electronically from the test center to Prometric for processing. There, your multiple-choice questions and vignette solutions are separated for scoring. Scoring sets (also known as “batches”) are compiled every two weeks.
Scoring a set can take up to a week. Computerized scoring engines score all components of the exam with multiple layers of quality control checks to ensure accuracy and reliability of scores being reported to the registration boards and candidates. Multiple-choice questions can be scored rather quickly, but vignettes take additional time to process.
How do the scoring engines work to determine a final pass or fail?
Multiple-choice questions (including “check-all-that-apply” and “fill-in-the-blank” questions) are scored with each correct answer receiving one point and each incorrect or unanswered question receiving zero points.
Graphic vignettes are scored through a computer-based analysis of your solution to evaluate it against many predetermined requirements that are weighted based on its importance or significance. Based on your overall performance for each requirement, your solution is reported as acceptable, indeterminate (moderate deficiencies), or unacceptable (major deficiencies).
NCARB utilizes a process called “conjunctive scoring” in ARE 4.0 to combine your performance on the multiple-choice section and the graphic vignette section into a single score. In this scoring model, you have the opportunity to compensate for a poor vignette performance if you performed well on the multiple-choice section and vice versa.
Why have test scores been delayed the last few months?
Since early July 2009, Prometric has been involved with terminating ARE 3.1 and transitioning almost 20,000 candidates with almost 87,000 eligibilities to ARE 4.0. These changes were more complicated than expected and have taken longer to complete.
NCARB and Prometric regret any inconvenience these delays have caused candidates, and are committed to improving the process.
Why can’t Prometric just mail me the score report directly?
Your jurisdiction grants you a license to practice architecture, not NCARB or Prometric. Therefore, your registration board is responsible for the release of the score reports for their candidates according to their individual laws and regulations.
Since each jurisdiction has different policies and procedures, final processing time can vary from board to board. For instance, some jurisdictions require scores to be reviewed at a board meeting before they can be released. Other jurisdictions simply enter all of your scores into their own database before mailing you a copy.
Why doesn’t NCARB give more information on why I failed an exam?
You receive limited diagnostic information for each failed division because the ARE is a licensing examination developed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public—as such, you are required to demonstrate your knowledge, skill, and ability. The ARE is not intended to be a teaching tool nor is it designed as a placement or certification examination.
What has AIA done for me lately?
Member Support in a Challenging Economy
All of the AIA is working together to assist you in navigating these turbulent economic times. For the past year, the Institute Board of Directors and national staff, along with AIA components and staff, have focused energy and resources on direct assistance and support to you.
The Board of Directors recently announced that AIA national dues will not be increased in 2010. In addition, the membership dues payment plan, an installment payment program introduced this year, will continue for those of you experiencing hardship in paying your dues. This option will be available when you receive your dues invoice later this fall.
Free Continuing Education Opportunities
If you need learning units (LUs) to fulfill your AIA membership or state licensing education requirements, take advantage of these Web-based programs—offered by the AIA to its members at no cost. By taking advantage of all of the courses, you can satisfy your annual AIA continuing education requirements—including health, safety, and welfare (HSW) and the new sustainable design (SD).
Fourteen education sessions were recorded at the AIA 2009 National Convention. Covering a breadth of topics from sustainability to the ADA, these programs have been archived online—exclusively for AIA members who were not able to attend the convention in person. See the complete list of sessions on sustainable design, economic concerns, diversity, ADA standards, and more. Select your convention presentations and register now!
Another presentation recorded at the AIA 2009 National Convention offers a four-hour, step-by-step tutorial on 3D modeling and energy analysis tools: Open Studio, Google SketchUp, and EnergyPlus. Completion of the entire program and an accompanying quiz qualifies for 4 LUs (HSW/SD). Learn More.
In addition, a sustainable design Web seminar, “The 2030 Challenge: Setting and Achieving Energy Goals with Integrated Design,” will be presented on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 2–3:30 p.m. ET. Attendance at the free live session, a joint effort of AIA Seattle and AIA National, will qualify for 1.5 AIA/CES LUs (HSW/SD). The presenter will be Joel Loveland, professor of architecture and director, Integrated Design Lab for Puget Sound at the College of Built Environments, University of Washington. Learn more or register now!
Add Your Voice to the AIA Strategic Plan
The AIA Board in July drafted the vision, goals, and strategies for the AIA Strategic Plan 2010–2015. AIA leadership is committed to having members participate in the strategic plan process. By opening up the process, it is hoped that the plan that emerges will truly serve member needs.
Stimulus Money Begins to Reach Architects
Earlier this year, AIA members responded vigorously to our call to contact their representatives. We asked AIA members to urge Congress to make sure funds from the emerging American Recovery and Reinvestment Act targeted significant national investments, such as schools, the greening of new and existing buildings, and infrastructure. This push by the AIA and its partners had a significant impact on shaping the bill that emerged. Now it’s beginning to have an impact on putting architects to work.
In response to a question that was part of the AIA’s most recent Work-on-the-Boards survey, 4 in 10 survey panelists reported having received some degree of interest in projects related to stimulus funding. More than 15 percent of this number indicated they have received actual billable work from the stimulus plan. Additionally, just under one-fourth (24 percent) received inquiries for future projects from stimulus funds.
Building on what has been accomplished thus far, the AIA is now looking at bringing proposals to the Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, and Congress that would free up capital for large projects. In doing so, we will point out that every $1 million spent on design and construction creates 28.5 full-time jobs.
A New Navigating the Economy Resource
One of the ways the AIA is providing current information about practice in this difficult economy is through a series of Web seminars. Without leaving their offices, members can communicate quickly and economically with experts in industry-related fields to get answers to questions specific to their practice.
“Project Financing for Architecture: What Is the Real Outlook?,” originally presented on July 27, 2009, is now available as an archived program. This Web seminar and others in the AIA’s Navigating the Economy series can be found by clicking on Webcasts in the Navigating the Economy section of the AIA Web site. It’s free as a member benefit. Although learning units are not available, the information contained in the series is invaluable.
Good Design in Our Nation’s Schools
In a meeting with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, AIA leaders stressed the important role of well-designed schools in improving student and teacher performance. Topics covered included how to create “learning laboratories” for students to learn about sustainability and ways to work together when funding becomes available for school construction.
With the support of over 1,000 members who sent messages to Capitol Hill, the House passed in May legislation (H.R. 2187) that would provide $6.4 billion in grants to state and local school districts to renovate, repair, and modernize schools in all 50 states.
Sustainability Leadership Credentials of AIA Members
Announced in May at the 2009 AIA National Convention, the 2030 Challenge dramatically advances the goal of carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. By signing on to the 2030 pledge, AIA members and their firms are demonstrating the value of the profession to the public as well as to lawmakers and regulators who shape public policy. To date, well over 50 firms have made a commitment to develop multiyear action plans that include a pledge to share their data for the good of the entire profession. Learn More.
In June, the International Code Council (ICC) and the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) joined the AIA to sign an agreement to coauthor a green building code. The profession has now reached a point in the sustainability movement that requires the specificity, the reliability, and the enforceability that only a code can bring. By partnering in such an important undertaking, the AIA ensures that architects will play a key role in developing this code. This initiative complements an AIA partnership with the New Buildings Institute (NBI) to prepare a set of comprehensive and integrated revisions to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Learn More.
With AIA support, legislation was introduced that would promote energy efficiency in residential buildings. The Green Resources for Energy Efficient Neighborhoods Act (H.R. 2336) would provide incentives to lenders and financial institutions to offer lower-interest loans and other benefits to consumers who build, buy, or remodel their homes to make them more energy efficient.
Tools for Effective Practice Management
AIA Contract Documents® version 4.0 was released recently. The new version makes it easier to edit, share, and manage contract documents that guide the smooth on-time, on-budget execution of projects. The response from users has been overwhelmingly positive and validates the position of the AIA’s documents as the industry standard. Two new contract documents are coming later this year: a new Federally-Funded Projects contract and an IPD Multi-Party agreement.
AIA members receive a special member discount on AIA Contract Documents licenses.
Given the radical changes underway with respect to project delivery, AIA members need to explore new compensation approaches. “On Compensation: Considerations for Teams in a Changing Industry”:http://www.aia.org/practicing/akr/AIAB080957?dvid=&recspec=AIAB080957 is a new resource for owners and other team members created by the Integrated Practice Discussion Group. The white paper, which is offered to AIA members at no cost, looks at new value propositions, basic stakeholder motivations, and ingredients of compensation structures.
Resources to Help Architects Engage Local Officials
The AIA has updated the widely acclaimed study, “Local Leaders in Sustainability,”:http://www.aia.org/advocacy/local/programs/AIAS076930 an examination of green building policies in cities across the country. This new tool can be used to open or continue dialogue with local leaders about the role AIA members play in helping their communities become more sustainable.
In addition, information gathered from Regional/Urban Design Assistance teams and Sustainable Design Assistance teams stretching back to the 1960s is now available on the AIA Web site. This rich repository of case studies is an invaluable resource for members and community leaders in advancing the goal of more livable communities. Learn More.
NCARB’s 2009 Survey of Registered Architects
Washington, DC—The 2009 survey of state architectural registration boards by the National Council of Architectural
Registration Boards (NCARB) indicates that there are currently 101,673 registered architects in the United States.
The 2009 survey also reveals that there are 117,997 reciprocal (out-of state) architects and 219,670 total registrations.
This means, on average, an architect is registered in at least two different jurisdictions. California has the highest number
of resident architects (15,816) and the highest number of total registrations (20,251).
NCARB collects data for the survey from its 54 Member Boards, which includes all 50 states, the District of Columbia,
Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. NCARB makes this information available annually as a service to the profession.
Survey data are listed below. For more information about the 2009 Survey of Registered Architects, contact
NCARB at 202/783-6500.
Click on above document for state breakdowns.
Square Feat: Sustainable Shoes | Dan Maginn, AIA
Local architect, Dan Maginn, AIA, Principal with el dorado inc is currently being featured as a guest blogger for Good Magazine. This four part series, “Square Feat,” will explore the myths and realities surrounding affordable housing.
Click here to check out the fourth installment installment, Square Feat: Sustainable Shoes.
The AIA Survey Report on Firm Characteristics | Know the Business of Architecture
Architecture is an art, but it’s also a business. With the just-released AIA Survey Report on Firm Characteristics, you get valuable insight and information on today’s architecture marketplace. Compiled by the AIA’s market research team, and with the participation of almost 3,000 design professionals, the survey gives you a comprehensive map of the professional terrain, encompassing benchmarks and best practices in key areas of members’ firm operations.
Among the key findings:
Architecture firms realized strong business growth during the 2005-2008 period amid growing consolidation, expansion of design disciplines, and greater diversity in staffing and firm ownership. However, the end-of-decade downturn likely canceled out most, if not all, of the mid-decade gains.
Although architecture staff accounted for more than 60 percent of positions at firms, the nonlicensed share of staff has steadily grown.
Most firms in the architecture services industry remain small; four in five firms have fewer than 10 employees and focus on a single-discipline practice. Two-thirds of firms with fewer than 20 employees now focus on a single discipline, whereas just over 10 years ago, three-quarters of these firms were single-discipline practices.
From financial performance to technology investment, the AIA Survey Report on Firm Characteristics covers everything you need to better understand the design profession and the trends that are changing practice—your practice.
Buy the AIA Survey Report on Firm Characteristics
$99 / AIA Member Price: $59
Square Feat:: Fancy Steps | Dan Maginn, AIA
Local architect, Dan Maginn, AIA, Principal with el dorado inc is currently being featured as a guest blogger for Good Magazine. This four part series, “Square Feat,” will explore the myths and realities surrounding affordable housing.
Click here to check out the Third installment installment, Square Feat: Fancy Steps.