Contribute to the AIA’s Credible Voice on the IGCC

March 18, 2010

On June 29, 2009, the AIA, along with the International Code Council (ICC) and ASTM International, announced the formation of the Sustainable Building Technology Committee (SBTC) and charged it with creating an International Green Construction Code (IGCC).

Since then, an enormous amount of time and effort on the part of the members and staff of all three organizations, as well as a broad range of stakeholder participants, resulted in the development of a draft IGCC. For its part, you can be proud of those who represented the profession’s interest in this endeavor. In every chapter and on every page, their presence and their influence can be seen.

The AIA’s participation assured that architects had, and will continue to have, a role in shaping a significant portion of the overall building code development effort – an effort that will prove to shape so much of what, and how, we design.

We announce to you the release of Public Version 1.0 of the IGCC, which is now available for public comment. While this milestone brings us one step closer to completion, we cannot realize this goal without your participation.

The IGCC is vital to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the natural and built environments. It is equally critical to ensure that economic and regulatory implications to our profession are not negatively affected. As architects, it rightly falls to us to meet the challenge, become involved, and help define the final version of the code.

To that end, the AIA has developed a web form at www.aia.org/igcc where you can review and submit comments on Public Version 1.0 of the IGCC (and subsequent versions). Your participation is vital to our success, so please take advantage of this opportunity.

Thank you in advance for your valued assistance.

With best regards,

George H. Miller, FAIA Christine W. McEntee

President Executive Vice President/CEO

NJ Young Professionals Event

The Young Professionals Multi-Group Mixer is an extraordinary event that will combine both business and social networking. 400-500 Young Professionals from 26 different YP organizations are expected to attend the EIGHTH bi-annual event scheduled for April 22nd at the Heldrich in New Brunswick, NJ.  Registration is now open so grab a ticket and save the date!



Atmosphere:

* This event is strictly for those 21-39 years old and is open to all career types.

* The YP Mixer will run like an extended cocktail hour with drink specials and passed hors d’oeuvres.  

* Lights and music will be low but not too low.

* The dress code is Business or Business Casual.

* Bring at least 30 to 60 business cards and any literature you may have.  Some past participants have also brought resumes and portfolios.

AIA Media Relations Needs Your Help

Every quarter, AIA issues a Home Design Trend Survey, based on the work of 500 architecture firms that concentrate their on the residential sector. The last report, issued March 9, [link to http://www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB082441] showed that kitchen and bathroom designs were more modest than before. However, according to AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA, because “kitchens remain the nerve center of the home, doing more with less space is a key consideration. Integrating kitchens with family space remains a design priority, as does including areas devoted to recycling, pantries, computer workstations, and spaces devoted to recharging laptops, cell phones and PDAs.” AIA National’s media relations team is looking for architect members in the tri-state area that have recently completed kitchen or bath projects that reflect these trends, for possible inclusion in a CNBC television feature. If you are interested, contact Scott Frank, sfrank@aia.org

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity Trenton Area is currently in need of an architect to work pro bono or reduced fees to design a two story single family home of approximately 1200 square feet. The room requirements are 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, kitchen, living/dining room combination with a full basement. The house will be located in an urban setting on a city main street and brick front is required. Interested parties may contact us through our website at www.habitatta.org. Join us in helping make the dream of homeownership come true for those in need.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide faith-based organization whose mission is to ensure that all people have adequate housing. Our mission is to make the housing needs of low income people a matter of conscience. Wherever possible, Habitat seeks to accomplish its goals by volunteer contributions of time, talents, money and materials. Volunteerism is not just a means of keeping costs low. It is a decision to appeal to the basic generosity of the human spirit. Since its founding in1986 Habitat for Humanity Trenton Area has worked to provide qualified families the opportunity to own a home which they can afford to maintain. Our primary focus is one of the small neighborhoods of the city which is East Trenton.

NJBIZ List of NJ Architectural Firms

New Jersey’s leading business newspaper and reference source, is preparing a list of New Jersey’s Architectural Firms, ranked by the number of New Jersey licensed architects. We seek your cooperation in adding information about your organization to our database. This will ensure that your company is considered for the list read by business professionals and consumers statewide.

The top 25 companies with the highest rank will be listed in our April 19, 2010 issue. In December, every year, lists are compiled in the annual Book of Lists, which is used by companies and consumers across the state as a directory of services. Information from all companies that respond to the survey will be available online at http://www.njbiz.com, whether or not a company qualifies for the list published in the paper.

There is no charge to be included. Simply complete/verify the form and send it to Danielle Neufell preferably via online submission. You can also email the form to dneufell@njbiz.com or fax it to (732) 846-0421. Please note, leaving fields blank will automatically generate an NA (not available) or WND (would not disclose) response. Required fields must be completed to be included on the list. It would be much appreciated if you would include a contact person’s name and e-mail address for our personal use. (We will not print nor share this information.)

Feel free to call us with any questions you might have at (732) 246-5733. Thank you for your assistance.

Menendez: Feds won’t bail out unemployment insurance fund

Monday, March 1, 2010
Last updated: Monday March 1, 2010, 6:48 PM
BY CLAIRE HEININGER

STATE HOUSE BUREAU

TRENTON — The federal government will not bail out New Jersey’s insolvent unemployment insurance fund, but it may find ways to lessen the state’s burden, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez said Monday.

With 27 states having borrowed about $30 billion from the feds to pay their unemployment claims, it is “just not possible” to cover all of the costs “in this budget climate,” Menendez (D-N.J.) said following a meeting of New Jersey’s congressional delegation with Governor Christie. Menendez said he would work to delay New Jersey’s interest payments, or perhaps forgive them entirely, to provide some degree of federal help.

The College of Architecture and Design at NJIT

—Architects, Real Estate Professionals, Students and Alumni to Gather at Design Exhibit—

NEWARK, N.J. (February 24, 2010)—The College of Architecture and Design at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will host its fifth annual Design Showcase on April 15, 2010, at Weston Hall on the NJIT Campus in Newark, New Jersey. From 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, registrants are invited to view the work of some of NJIT’s best student and alumni designers, whose design boards will be on display throughout the show. The premiere exhibit will feature a networking gala for alumni, students, real estate professionals, suppliers and developers, as well as vendor table displays and an opportunity for architecture firms to recruit some of New Jersey’s finest up-and-coming designers. Participants can earn CEU credits and all proceeds from the event will benefit student scholarships at NJIT.

AIA-NJ has sponsored a lecture by Bernard Tschumi, that is free to all AIA-NJ members. The lecture begins at 6:00 pm. Tschumi is an architect, writer, and educator who works and lives in New York and Paris. He was Dean of the Graduate School of Architecure, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University from 1988 to 2003.

New to the event this year is a commercial real estate roundtable that will focus on the “Future of Real Estate in New Jersey.” Panelists will include Robert Ambrosi, President of ARC Properties; Jeffrey Milanaik, President of Heller Industrial Parks; and Thomas Walsh, Principal of Normandy Real Estate Partners. The roundtable will be moderated by Jonathan A. Schein, President and CEO of Schein Media and Publisher of NJ&Co. magazine.

“The Design Showcase is always a great success and an outstanding networking event,” stated Urs Gauchat, Dean of The College of Architecture and Design at NJIT. “We are excited to offer the real estate roundtable this year, which is guaranteed to be an informative and interesting new element to the gala. We look forward to seeing all of this year’s student designs and encourage all to join us, as contributions help the school’s continued growth, and enable us to prosper as one of the leaders in architectural education.”

The Design Showcase was created by the College of Architecture and Design’s Dean’s Executive Council, which is chaired by Matthew B. Jarmel, Principal of Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers, Inc., and the Board of Visitors, which includes members of leading architectural firms, real estate developers, property managers, real estate brokers and other real estate industry service providers. This year’s event chairmen include Robert Zampolin, CEO, Zampolin & Associates (’81 Alumni) and Charles Dietz, President, The Dietz Partnership, LLC, (‘83 Alumni).

To find our more information or to register go to:

Message From The President

Jason Kliwinski, AIA, LEEDap

AIA-NJ has hit the ground running in 2010, starting in January with the AIA-NJ Awards Dinner and many local section Inaugural Dinners to install local officers. February began with the annual trip to Washington DC for AIA Grassroots during which we experienced one of the year’s worst snowstorms. This did not stop AIA-NJ from getting to the Hill and pressing issues important to our members which are well outlined in AIA’s “Blueprint for Economic Recovery”. Directly affecting local business, AIA-NJ pressed our Senator’s to support a federal bailout of the ailing Unemployment Insurance Fund to avoid unfair penalization of New Jersey’s small businesses to replenish the fund depleted by former administrations’ use of surpluses for other State needs throughout the years.

Locally, AIA-NJ has been intimately involved with proposed legislation S239 to incorporate green building standards in school construction and the development of interim green building standards recommended to the Governor’s office. Our focus is to ensure the State provides clear direction to the design community by establighing one, consistent, implementable standard, optimizes sustainability by setting the bar appropriately and including verification of achievement, and recognizes the key role architect’s play in successfully and cost effectively integrating sustainability in to School construction, or any project type. You can review Bill S239 at the State web site. This is precedent setting legislation and AIA-NJ has become an important and central voice in creating a unified green building standard for NJ.

Our Mega Issues, which include Sustainability, the Architect as Lead professional, Value of the Architect to the public, and Zoning Ridiculousness are the central focus of our legislative, education, and implementation efforts this year. I am pleased to say the month has very busy with our committees and Mega-Issue champions gearing up for events throughout the year around the Mega Issues both locally and at the State level. Most notable of these is the East Coast Green conference taking place in conjunction with AIA-NJ Design Day September 16th and 17th at Bally’s in Atlantic City. This event will not only provide educational opportunities for our members but will showcase our expertise to the world on key issues such as sustainability and carbon neutrality that will help expand your firms’ job opportunities.

Finally, AIA-NJ is your voice. We have a focused and full agenda for 2010 but we encourage your comments, feedback, and involvement to make the most of your membership and help us represent the profession to the fullest extent possible in the State and Nationally. I would like to thank all members who completed the Member Survey, your ideas and opinions are important on what direction we, the officers of AIA-NJ, take the organization over the next few years. Please look at the committees on our web site and get involved in the things you are passionate about. Look for more information on all events in your e-Bulletin’s and Newsletters. To get involved with the mega issues, please visit our website.

I look forward to a prosperous, safe, and sustainable year with you all!

Jason Kliwinski, AIA, LEEDap
2010 AIA-NJ President

Grassroots Recap from Regional Director

From David DelVecchio, AIA, LEEDap
AIA-NJ Regional Director

AIA-NJ delegates at AIA Grassroots

Here’s a brief re-cap of the 2010 Grassroots Conference in Washington, DC earlier in February including some information about bylaws changes that will be the subject of a vote at the Annual Meeting of the Institute in June at the convention in Miami.

Including information on AIA-NJ delegation visits to Capital Hill, AIA Blueprint plan to Help Communities Rebuild, AIA By-Laws Amendments, and the AIA Strategic Plan.