The Problem Historically, members who invest in AIA Virginia’s Political Action Committee (PAC) have received a lapel pin that can be worn to demonstrate his/her support of our legislative efforts. The existing pin has become dated as it uses the organization’s past name of VSAIA (Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects). AIA Virginia’s Government Advocacy Advisory Council and PAC Board of Trustees desires to engage the membership in the creation of a new pin that represents AIA Virginia.
Submission Requirements
The lapel pin will be given to investors of the AIA Virginia PAC
It should be suitable to be worn by both, men and women
Identify colors being proposed
Sketch your proposed design on a napkin
Submission should include recommended lapel dimensions
Under the sketch, use one sentence to articulate the vision of the design to the jury.
Submissions Due: Friday, August 16, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. EST
Prize
The winner will receive free admission to Architecture Exchange East 2019 as a guest of the Government Advocacy Advisory Council and PAC Board of Trustees
The winning submission will be presented at Architecture Exchange East 2019 in conjunction with the “Rumble in the Jungle” award
About the AIA Virginia Political Action Committee
Like many professions and occupations, architects have interests that specifically impact our profession, practice, and our community
The legislative and regulatory environment is arguably the most important arena that impacts how we provide our professional services
When proposed legislation is passed, it becomes law. Therefore, some proposed ideas have good motives, but unintentional consequences. We, as architects, want to have an influential voice in this arena which allows us to control our destiny.
We can’t have an influential voice without having relationships. As such, the PAC allows us to build these necessary relationships
Investing time [working on a campaign – knocking on doors] and capital in a candidate is the most effective way to build a relationship. The PAC invests capital. Candidates often use these funds for campaigns or other vehicles to carry out the goals of his/her constituents
Our investments provide opportunities to educate legislators about what we do. Remember, the General Assembly is comprised of members of varying backgrounds, professions, experiences, and cultures.
No
Board has reached 100% PAC participation as of June 4
5% of the AIA Central Virginia membership
has invested in the PAC [Leads all to date]
The average $/component member spans from $2.45 to $10.26
across the five components
Below outlines point allocations:
Local component Board participation Did 100% of the Board of Directors invest into the AIA Virginia PAC?
Yes = 20 points
No = 0 points
Percentage of local component’s members who have invested in the AIA Virginia PAC
Component with highest % = 40 points
Component with second highest % = 20 points
Component with third highest % = 10 points
Average investment per member from the total local component membership
Component with highest average investment/member = 40 points
Component with second highest average investment/member = 30 points
Component with third highest average investment/member = 20 points
Component with fourth highest average investment/member = 10 points
Component with fifth highest average investment/member = 0 points
The scoring will be closed on October 31, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
The AIA Virginia PAC Award looks to celebrate the engagement and commitment of a local AIA component who supports the advancement and mission of the PAC. The Award will be presented at Architecture Exchange East to the local component’s Board of Directors who will accept the award on behalf of its respective membership. The Award criteria is based on a point total calculation based on three areas: local component Board participation, percentage of local component’s membership who have invested in the PAC, and total amount of money invested by the members of the local component.
When asked to describe what it means to me, I had to give it some thought, because when it came time to do it, I would just follow that old Nike slogan, “Just Do It.”
J. Kenneth Payne, Jr., AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Appreciation: It has given me a greater appreciation and understanding of all of those who came before me and continue alongside me to better our profession and our built environment.
Discovery: It has allowed me to discover new ideas and ways to see things – I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know until I knew.
Vocalizing: It offers me a say in those things that matter most.
Opportunities: It has opened up so many new doors and put me in positions to actually influence the outcomes and make a difference.
Contributing: It involves time and/or money – but the rewards and results have been tremendous and far exceed what I have given.
Alliances: It has allowed me to develop new relationships, including some with the most unlikely groups, such as, code officials (huh?), lawyers (seriously?), and those – engineers (HA)!
Caring: It shows I care enough about something to do it; and being able to say, “Because I care” is all I need to say.
Yearning: It brings me such gratitude that it makes me want to do more.
So, I challenge you to determine what it means to you, and once you figure it out – “Just Do It.”
[Hint: Put the first letters of each bulleted word together and you got it.]
SB 1331 – Public school buildings and facilities; modernization
Introduced by: Senator
Stanley
Effective date: July 1, 2019
In
this legislation, it states that it is the intent of the General Assembly that
new public school buildings and facilities and improvements and renovations to
existing public school buildings and facilities be designed, constructed,
maintained, and operated to generate more electricity than consumed. This bill allows a local school board to enter
into a lease agreement with a private entity to achieve such standards.
AIA Virginia
worked with Senator Stanley to add language to this bill that requires the
architect that is hired under this private entity lease arrangement be done so
in accordance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act. This allows design excellence to be
maintained through selecting the most qualified design team to achieve the
scope of work.
If you have any questions,
please feel free to submit them to Corey Clayborne, AIA at cclayborne@aiava.org
No Board has reached 100% PAC participation as of May 9
3% of the AIA Hampton Roads membership has invested in the PAC [Leads all to date]
AIA Hampton Roads has raised $3,830 from 11 individuals and 1 firm
AIA Northern Virginia has raised $6,345 from 10 individuals and 2 firms
Below outlines point allocations:
Local component Board participation Did 100% of the Board of Directors invest into the AIA Virginia PAC?
Yes = 20 points
No = 0 points
Percentage of local component’s members who have invested in the AIA Virginia PAC
Component with highest % = 40 points
Component with second highest % = 20 points
Component with third highest % = 10 points
Average investment per member from the total local component membership
Component with highest average investment/member = 40 points
Component with second highest average investment/member = 30 points
Component with third highest average investment/member = 20 points
Component with fourth highest average investment/member = 10 points
Component with fifth highest average investment/member = 0 points
The scoring will be closed on October 31, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
The AIA Virginia PAC Award looks to celebrate the engagement and commitment of a local AIA component who supports the advancement and mission of the PAC. The Award will be presented at Architecture Exchange East to the local component’s Board of Directors who will accept the award on behalf of the its respective membership. The Award criteria is based on a point total calculation based on three areas: local component Board participation, percentage of local component’s membership who have invested in the PAC, and total amount of money invested by the members of the local component.
“If you are on a term contract as a design consultant and you are sitting around waiting for us to give you task orders, then you are doing it all wrong – Insert yourself into our team” — Tom Nicholas, PE; City of Virginia Beach Facilities Engineer
ACE Virginia Joint
Owner Forum Recap with Hampton Roads Local Governments
ACE is a
joint venture of the American Institute of Architects, Associated General
Contractors, and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Virginia, to educate and promote best practices of the
design and construction industry. The unique component to these forums is
that it includes those with the authority to hire architects, engineers, and
contractors or those that possess influence during the selection process of
these professionals. What has resulted
is an improved understanding of what makes projects successful from the
perspective of these key stakeholders, an intimate forum for business
development, and an opportunity to learn about future projects.
In 2019, ACE plans
to hold four collaborative events that engage various local governments
from around the Commonwealth. On April 23rd, ACE had its second forum
of 2019 in Downtown Norfolk. This event
hosted stakeholders and decision makers from the Cities of Norfolk, Suffolk,
Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach. The
event was followed by a networking reception that allowed for more intimate
conversation with the panelists.
The panel consisted of the following participants:
Wilbur Hogge, PE – Facilities Construction Manager [Chesapeake] Gerry Jones, RA – Director of Capital Programs [Suffolk] Oliver Love, Jr. – Building Systems Bureau Head [Norfolk] Tom Nicholas, PE – Facilities Engineer [Virginia Beach]
As a region, issues of importance that were identified were transportation, resiliency, and environmental stewardship. As such, great dialogue was exchanged regarding sustainability,upcoming projects, how to get work, and procurement vehicles. Each segment included the audience in a question and answer period that proved to be engaging and valuable. The below sections provide a high-level overview of the discussion.
Sustainability: In general, each municipality is a firm
believer in the importance of sustainability and has made it an integral
component of the project delivery process.
As such, design professionals and general contractors are required to
design and construct to identified sustainability standards. However, it is not uncommon for the
municipality to apply for an official sustainability certification only in
special circumstances. The conversation
on sustainability also included resiliency.
For example, the City of Chesapeake requires structures to be built 18
inches above the 100-year floodplain.
Upcoming Projects: Each panelist provided insight on current and
upcoming capital projects. In general,
public safety projects are being undertaken throughout the region (ex: fire
stations). It is noted that the City of
Virginia Beach is investing significantly in stormwater management projects, to
the tune of $644M over the next five years, to counteract sea-level rise.
How
to Get Work:
The below outlines the most prominent
tips offered by these decision-makers:
Honesty – Tell me if the proposed
budget is not going to be feasible
Quality Control – Please incorporate
our review comments
Bring
the team that will be doing the work to the interview
A
regional presence can be important – You are an extension of our staff
Keep
to the schedule
Be
realistic with your construction cost estimates so that the City can have
realistic expectations on bid-day
If
you are on a term contract as a design consultant and you are sitting around
waiting for us to give you task orders, then you are doing it all wrong –
Insert yourself into our team
Procurement
Vehicles: Each locality uses a variety of
procurement methods for project delivery identifying advantages and
disadvantages of each. Design-Bid-Build
continues to be the most common delivery method, however, each Owner shared
their concerns about lack of control over the selection of the general
contractor. Norfolk and Suffolk have
used Design-Build on projects and find it favorable. It appears that Construction Manager At-Risk
and PPEA models are the least utilized. It
was noted that annual services contracts, or term contracts, are great vehicles
for design consultants to build relationships with City staff.
The next forum will
take place in September with Northern Virginia area local governments.
Does Your Component Want to Win $1,000 for 2020 Architecture Week?
Win the RUMBLE in the JUNGLE for the AIA Virginia Political Action Committee Award.
Like many professions, architects have
interests that specifically impact our profession, practice, and our community.
The legislative and regulatory environment is arguably the most important arena
that impacts how we provide our professional services. We, as architects, want to have an
influential voice in this arena which allows us to control our destiny. We can’t have an influential voice without
having relationships. As such, the PAC allows us to build these necessary
relationships.
The AIA Virginia PAC Award looks to celebrate the
engagement and commitment of a local AIA component who supports the advancement
and mission of the PAC. The Award will
be presented at Architecture Exchange East to the local component’s Board of
Directors who will accept the award on behalf of the its respective membership. The Award criteria is based on a point total
calculation based on three areas: local component Board participation,
percentage of local component’s membership who have invested in the PAC, and
total amount of money invested by the members of the local component.
Below outlines point allocations:
Local component Board participation
Did 100% of the Board of Directors invest into the AIA Virginia PAC?
Yes = 20 points
No = 0 points
Percentage of local component’s members who have invested in the AIA Virginia PAC
Component with highest % = 40 points
Component with second highest % = 20 points
Component with third highest % = 10 points
Average investment per member from the total local component membership
Component with highest average investment/member = 40 points
Component with second highest average investment/member = 30 points
Component with third highest average investment/member = 20 points
Component with fourth highest average investment/member = 10 points
Component with fifth highest average investment/member = 0 points
The scoring will be closed on October 31, 2019 at 5:00
p.m. EST.
AIA Virginia recently hosted its 3rd Safety Assessment Program (SAP) training since the start of 2018. This time last year, we had zero trained architects, engineers, or building officials on our internal roster. Today, we just eclipsed the 100 mark for program graduates. We stand by, ready to assist the Virginia Department of Emergency Management as second-responders after a natural disaster to perform building assessments and help get communities back on their feet.
If you are interested in bringing training to your region, contact Corey Clayborne at cclayborne@aiava.org
SAP Program Graduates:(As of April 2019)
Amanda Adams Regina Alexander Elinor Angel Edward Bass Yulia Beltikova Scott Berger Sarah Bettinger Lauren Bradshaw Beverly Brandon Wayne E Buhl David Burdett Thad Broom John A. Burns Timothy Calhoun Scott Campbell Christine Carlson Sheila Christian Corey Clayborne Jim Cochrane James Colfelt Tim Colley Christopher Comeau Rob Comet William Conkey Lawrence Cook Lucinda Cordo Timothy Danforth Abhishek Desai Mark Dreyer Matt Duerksen Rebecca Edmunds John Elliott Eliza Engle Marving Farmer Manuel Feijoo Amir Fouladgar Eddie Fraher Grace Gan Lynden Garland John Gass Jason Gauthier Luke Giaccio Natasha Graves Christina Harris James Hoffler Martin Huck Peter Johnston W. Lee Jones Richard Kadlubowski Kevin Kattwinkel William Kaufmann Christine Kelly Jean Kennedy Sleeman Sarah Kimble Ann Kosmal Grzegorz Kosmal Matthew Lawhead Paula Loomis Bob Magoon Jennifer Marca Georgie Marquez Harry Martin Barry Miller Darryl Moser Philip Muse Yousef Nawas Admo Ogun Kaye Orr Howard Pace Willie Parks David Peronnet Bill Pisa Erik Quackenbush Dennis Quinn Brittany Raffin Edward Rodriguez Gigi Scovel Brett Siebenhar Jonathan Smith Kenneth Somerset Scott Spence David Spriggs Raymond Strang Frank Sturgeon Joshua Swatman Andrew Swenck Kenneth Thacker Justin Trent Mark Treon Michael Turnbull Mabel Tweddle Lam Vuong Robert Waite Timothy Walton Sabina Weitzman Mark Wenger David Werder Rick Wick Cynthia Wilson Tiffany Wilson Michael Wijdoogen Dan Zimmerman
Grassroots ’19 was awesome! Prior to attending my first Grassroots years ago, I had no idea what a compelling experience the conference can be. At that first Grassroots, with expectations low, I attended what for me stands as the most revealing and inspiring seminar ever on leadership.
With a focus again on architects as leaders in our
communities and nationally, Grassroots ’19 offered both opportunities to lead
and insights on how to do so. On topics of climate change, transportation, and
infrastructure we engaged mayors from across the country. Diversity,
inclusiveness, and equity were explored with insights from industry experts and
the personal stories of member practitioners. And finally, with our senators
and congressmen we discussed school safety and climate change, with architects
and the AIA as a key part of effective solutions.
Grassroots ’19 was crowned by Pulitzer
Prize-winning author, presidential historian, and Keynote Doris Kearns Goodwin
delivering Leadership: In Turbulent Times
– and deliver she did! A highpoint and fitting culmination, Ms. Goodwin
presented a nonstop succession of anecdotes and insights from who she considers
the greatest leaders among US presidents – Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt,
Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson – with the authentication and nuance of
five decades documenting presidential history she distilled great leadership to
perspectives and practices adoptable by all with a desire to grow and a mindset
open to change.
“…some
strengths are inborne, but far more important are ordinary talents developed to
an extraordinary degree” – Doris Kearns Goodwin
And so Grassroots ’19 challenged us all to lead, with our ordinary talents delivering extraordinary outcomes.
Sean Reilly, AIA, Vice President of Government Advocacy, AIA Virginia
On a brisk,
sunny day in early March, hundreds of architects from around the nation met
with federal lawmakers on Capitol Hill to advocate for issues that are
important to society and our profession.
AIA Virginia representatives were among the 605 total AIA members that met with
their Senators and Congressional Representatives on March 6th to
advocate for two significant issues:
Energy Efficiency and School Safety.
Architects attended a total of 474 meetings in the House and Senate. In small group settings, we briefed each
lawmaker or their staff representative on the two issues before taking
questions and asking for their support.
One of the AIA’s
top federal priorities this Congress is to create new tax incentives to
increase energy efficiency in existing buildings. There is a vast stock of existing
buildings that were built to an earlier energy code, or in many cases, to no
energy code at all. Of all
commercial buildings, 82% were built before 2000, prior to modern versions of
energy codes that guide their design and construction. Too many existing buildings are energy “guzzlers”
instead of energy “sippers” as many new buildings are. The good news is Congress is planning to
make corrections to the Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) section of the
federal tax code. Our “ask” to lawmakers is to include an amendment to the QIP
section to include energy efficient technologies. This change would allow
building owners and developers to write off a certain percentage of
depreciation related to the costs of installing energy efficient systems and
materials such as HVAC systems, building management systems, lighting, windows,
exterior walls and roofing in existing buildings.
Another top
federal priority of the AIA this Congress is to support a design-centered
approach to address school violence.
After 9-11, all three levels of government worked together to make building
design a key part of the process to address terrorist threats in public
projects. The AIA
believes a similar approach should be taken to address school safety, which has
become a necessary national conversation.
As Architects, we are the first to say that design cannot prevent school
violence, but we are an important resource that can help make facilities safer
through design. However,
school officials are often put into a position of making piece-meal decisions,
purchasing and installing safety security systems from vendors. Architects
are uniquely qualified to listen, propose solutions and integrate safety
measures into the design of schools.
In this design-centered approach, schools can be made safer while still
embodying a welcoming, positive, user friendly environment and not end up
looking like prisons.
To support school officials in making design-centered safety decisions, we
recommended lawmakers take two important actions: 1.)
Authorize design services to be an eligible use of funding in any federal
grants that support school security and 2.) Establish a federal clearinghouse
of resources and best practices for school officials to access. With a design-centered approach to
school safety education officials will be in a better position to make informed
decisions while maintaining a positive, healthy learning environment.
The lawmakers’
staff we met with were generally open and supportive of the AIA’s “asks” on
both issues. They
were generous with their time and genuinely interested in the two issues. AIA folders with contact information and
policy briefs on both issues provided an informative leave behind for each
meeting. AIA’s Government Advocacy team will follow up
and work with lawmakers to provide additional information, craft language and
facilitate lawmakers’
ongoing support of the AIA position on these two important issues.
Architects are at their best when they lead and transform the creation of better-built environments everywhere. Architecture is a relatively small profession that has the potential to bring tremendous value to people and their aspirations for a better, healthier life. Architects are not guaranteed a critical role in society. Advocacy allows us to strengthen our profession and remain relevant to the benefit of society and AIA members. The AIA gives us that voice. The Government Advocacy team at AIA Virginia continues to work hard to advance pro-built environment policies before government decision-makers and help ensure that architects remain relevant to society for generations to come. Speaking with a unified voice on Capitol Hill Day 2019, Architects were able to advocate for two vital issues to society and demonstrate the value of our profession to Senators and Representatives from across our nation.
ACE Virginia Joint Owner Forum Recap with Greater Richmond Local Governments
ACE is a joint venture of the American Institute of Architects, Associated General Contractors, and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Virginia, to educate and promote best practices of the design and construction industry. In 2018, its inaugural year, ACE held three collaborative forums that engaged the Virginia Department of General Services and various higher education clients. We define clients as those with the authority to hire architects, engineers, and contractors or those that possess influence during the selection process of these professionals. What resulted was an improved understanding of what makes projects successful from the perspective of these key stakeholders, an intimate forum for business development, and an opportunity to learn about future projects.
On February 21st, ACE had its initial Joint Owner Forum of 2019 at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Richmond. This year, we will engage various local governments from around the Commonwealth. This forum hosted stakeholders and decision makers from the City of Richmond and the Counties of Hanover, Henrico, and Chesterfield. The event was followed by a networking reception that allowed for more intimate conversation with the panelists.
The panel consisted of the following participants:
Mark Olinger – Director of Planning and Development Review [Richmond] Edward Bass, AIA – Senior Capital Project Manager [Henrico General Services] Al Ciarochi – Assistant Superintendent of Operations [Henrico County Public Schools] Steve Rusch – Purchasing Division Director [Hanover] Allan Carmody – Finance Director [Chesterfield]
Great dialogue was exchanged regarding sustainability, upcoming projects, how to get work, the labor market and procurement vehicles. Each segment included the audience in a question and answer period that proved to be engaging and valuable. The below sections provide a high-level overview of the discussion.
Sustainability: Energy efficiency is expected regarding the design and construction of buildings. Henrico County Public Schools’ aspiration is LEED Silver for projects. In addition, Henrico County has a dedicated energy manager who looks to reduce energy consumption while maintaining interest in the push towards net-zero. Similarly, the City of Richmond has a sustainability department that explores how to reduce GHGs on projects. The City would like to see more integration of solar PV and green roofs.
Upcoming Projects: Each panelist provided insight on current and upcoming capital projects. In general, the region has invested noticeably in school projects. These projects range from deferred maintenance to major school renovations and new construction. Other upcoming project types shared were new libraries, fire stations, public safety buildings, and stormwater management projects. It was noted by the panelists that the first two years of CIP projections are the most reliable in terms of forecasting.
How to Get Work: Each panelist stressed the importance of using eVA, or Virginia’s eProcurement Portal. This is the Commonwealth’s online, electronic procurement system that allows state agencies, colleges, universities, and many local governments to conduct purchasing and sourcing activities for goods and services. Small business participation is encouraged by each locality and can be seen as advantageous for certain opportunities.
In addition, the below outlines the most prominent tips offered by these decision-makers: • Demonstrate specific expertise in building type • Bring the team that will be doing the work to the interview • Follow the required RFP format in the solicitation response • Remember that you are an extension of staff • Individual credentials of team members is more important than firm name and recognition • Over-communicate and don’t rely on email • Show innovative approaches to solving the problem at hand • Chemistry in the interview matters • Know your audience when you write and speak (ex: for public schools, it will be K-12 educators)
Procurement Vehicles: Each locality utilizes the Design-Bid-Build project delivery method as its prominent vehicle. However, Chesterfield County has developed model procedures or PPEA /PPTA and exploring model procedures for Design-Build. Ultimately, localities desire flexibility. The key point is owners need to have multiple tools available in addition to the traditional methods. Throughout the dialogue, several of the General Contractors indicated that CM-at-Risk allows the general contractor to bring value and insight to the project early which lends it to be a preferred project delivery method on certain project types.
Labor Market: The labor market for design and construction is challenging. In the design industry, it is proving difficult to find mid-level architects and engineers with 10 years of experience. In the construction field, sub-contractors must be brought on to the team very early. The timing of project solicitations is critical as sub-contractors are being lobbied for numerous project opportunities.
The next forum will take place on Tuesday, April 23 in Norfolk with Hampton Roads area local governments. Register today>>
