NCARB Will Assist Record Holders, ARE Candidates in Areas Affected by Hurricane Katrina

From NCARB:

"NCARB will assist all record holders in their needs for replacement of lost documentation, work with ouraffected member boards on credential transmittals for reciprocity, and attempt to mitigate effects on other submissions.

Working with our partners at Thomson Prometric we will assist all affected ARE candidates to return to a normal testing environment at the earliest possible time. In order to most effectively assist our record holders and member boards the Council is putting the following guidelines into effect as of 1 September 2005, until further notice.

1. For a period of six (6) months, forgive Transmittal fees for those architect certificate holders who resided in the affected areas and who are seeking registration in other jurisdictions.

2. For a period of three (3) months, forgive fees for missed divisions and/or reschedule fees for candidates, in affectedareas, in the ARE process unable to test due to closing of test centers in affected locations.

3. For a period of six (6) months, forgive fees due at the completion of IDP, for those in the process in the affectedareas, prior to the free transmittal of the council record to a jurisdiction for ARE eligibility.

Our deepest sympathy is extended to all who have suffered losses due to Hurricane Katrina."

For more information: www.ncarb.org

Health By Design Conference

This just in from AIA Central Valley:

Architects, planners, builders, public health officers, health-care representatives and government officials will come together in a unique one-day symposium, Health By Design, to explore how our health is being compromised as we struggle to keep up with population growth and the need for additional housing, schools and job centers.

The symposium is Thursday, October 20, 2005 and is sponsored by AIA Central Valley and UC Davis. All AIA East Bay members should receive a registration brochure by mail.

For more information: http://www.healthbydesignconference.org

Rebates for Design Teams

Forwarded from David Arkin, AIA:

"Here is some additional information about PG&E's Commercial New Construction Program known as http://www.pge.com/biz/rebates/new_construction/index.html you'll find a Letter of Interest you should complete and submit for all new commercial projects. Please feel free to share this with your colleagues.

To begin the process, a Participation Letter is all that is initially required. The information doesn't need to be complete - just complete as much as you know now. Once the Participation Letter is received, PG&E will assign a Project Engineer to work with your Design Team for the plans and drawings when you are ready.

The letter should be copied on customer letterhead and sent to:

Shirley Fudge-Mueller, PG&E
3480 Buskirk Avenue, Suite 150
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523"

For more information: Shirley Fudge-Mueller, SFF1@pge.com Account Services

Make News-For Free

This just in from National AIA:

"ArchiWire, the AIA electronic, online news service that showcases project and other firm news, is offering free postings through the end of the year. The service allows firms to post new or existing press releases of all types for easy access by the public and the press. It even notifies users when requested, specific news based on geography, project type, and budget is posted.

Don’t have a formal release? ArchiWire has an easy-to-use interface that will build one for you. And your releases, over time, build a firm-news archive that will keep you work on display. So visit www.aia.org/archiwire, register for free, and share your good news with the world."

For more information: www.aia.org/archiwire

Help Katrina's Victims

During the next few days, the victims devastated by Hurricane Katrina can best be helped by your generous donations to the Red Cross.

As soon as we have an understanding of the complete rebuilding needs, the AIA staff will be in touch with its membership. Until then, please do donate to the Red Cross.

To Donate: http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html

Vernon DeMars, FAIA, Memorial Celebration

A memorial celebrating the life and accomplishments of Vernon DeMars, FAIA, UC Berkekey CED Architecture Professor Emeritus and Former Department Chair, will be held on Saturday, September 10th, 2005, in the Wurster Hall Courtyard from1 to 4 p.m.

Please RSVP to Lawrence Lawler at lawler@berkeley.edu.

Green Building Fair

The AIA Santa Clara Valley's Committee on the Environment will be holding a 2-day Green Building Fair September 9 & 10, 2005 at the Parkside Hall in San Jose, part of the Convention Center Complex.

Green Building Fair's purpose is to educate construction professionals on the means and materials to create sustainable buildings and to preserve and even repair our delicate environment. This year's event is bigger and better with added value for attendees and exhibitors.

For more information: http://www.greenbuildingfair.org/

Free Online Continuing Education

Are you behind in your CES units? Ron Blank & Associates offers free online continuing education--and there's a wide variety of topics. If you can't get out to the chapter office for our free continuing education programs (like the Lunch & Learns, tours, presentations, etc.) you should certainly check out Ron Blank's site.

Don't forget to share your thoughts. Is it worth your time?

For more information: http://www.ronblank.com/ce_course_home.htm

AIA Procurement Guide

The AIA Government Advocacy team has launched a new online guide on how architects can apply for and win design commissions with the federal government, including filling out the Standard Form 330, the key document the government uses to engage A/E firms.

The AIA Guide to Federal Procurement offers AIA members concise, accurate, and up-to-the-minute information on everything that firms need to know about seeking government commissions, from how to register as a government vendor to where to look for the best opportunities.

For more information: AIA Guide to Federal Procurement

The 2005 IDP Mentor Guidelines

More unburied information from the Institute Update:

"The AIA, in cooperation with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), is pleased to present this new edition of the “IDP Mentor Guidelines.” Originally produced by the AIA in the early 1980s, the mentor guidelines were out of print for a number of years. Then, from 1996 to 2002, NCARB published a version of the “IDP Mentor Guidelines” that primarily served as a resource for mentors unfamiliar with IDP requirements.

This new edition is broader in scope, focusing on the benefits of mentoring for interns in the Intern Development Program (IDP), strategies for successful completion of IDP requirements with the help of a mentor, and information about mentoring to help both interns and their mentors. Although addressed to interns and mentors, it may also be helpful for IDP supervisors who provide encouragement to interns on a regular basis."

For more information: Download the 2005 IDP Mentor Guidelines

2005 Internship Conference - Designing Tomorrow’s Architect.

The Institute Update from Norman Koonce, FAIA, is usually a 10+ page memo chock-a-block with information. Here's one of the highlights:

"2005 Internship Conference - Designing Tomorrow’s Architect. The 2005 Internship Conference will be held next month in San Antonio. About 70 invited participants and speakers will convene...setting the stage for discussions about the important transition from education to practice. In order to best engage all interested parties in the dialogue, the advisory committee has hosted forums at the annual meetings of each collateral organization and collected stakeholder input from various groups within the profession while shaping the conference agenda.

The advisory committee was overwhelmingly pleased by the response of 158 emerging professionals to the essay competition they hosted to select 25 emerging professional participants. They agreed that the entrants put forward thoughtful and passionate essays on internship, both their personal experiences as well as proposed changes. The Web site, www.designingtomorrowsarchitect.org has been updated to include the names of selected participants and links to their essays. Also posted are the essays of the non-selected entrants in order to stimulate the discussion concerning internship issues prior to the conference.

You will also find background information and suggested reading on internship issues as well as progress reports from the collateral organizations outlining their accomplishments in this area. "

For more information: www.designingtomorrowsarchitect.org

Survey: Urban Public School Design & Construction

National AIA's Committee on Architecture for Education is conducting a survey on Urban Public School Design and Construction:

"The planning process for schools can be highly variable, ranging from integrated project delivery to linear planning, programming, design, bid, build processes. As a CAE initiative, we are interested in gathering information related to project delivery and the affected outcomes. We appreciate your cooperation in responding to the attached survey. Results will be correlated and presented as part of the Fall Conference in Hartford, Connecticut."

To participate: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB224KN4UKPWS