AIBC eNews
February 28, 2011
Sustainability in an urban setting is taken for granted today, but what happens when the LEED standard is applied to a wilderness setting? The North Vancouver School District, McFarland Marceau Architects Ltd., and contractor D.G.S. Construction are doing just that as they construct a $5.8 million environmental learning centre in a 165 hectacre ecological reserve in the Cheakamus River Valley near Squamish, B.C. More …
February 25, 2011
Ever since the beginning of the current Canadian building boom almost 20 years ago, the prolific Vancouver urbanist and architect James K.M. Cheng has been refining the art of residential intensification in his home town. The many condominium complexes he has designed for downtown Vancouver tend to be composed of glass towers allied with low banks of small buildings (often townhouses) that open toward the street or onto a garden. This arrangement is a response to concerns much on the minds of planners and ordinary citizens in Vancouver. More …
February 25, 2011
An RIBA Building Futures report says architects will have to become better businessmen to compete with foreign firms. UK architects will have to toughen up and become better businessmen if they are to have any chance of surviving the next 15 years, an RIBA report into the profession says today. More …
February 25, 2011
Twenty-one years ago, Dubai was a desert. It sprang up seemingly from nothing into the lively and technologically advanced world-class city that it is today. This is just one example of the dramatic speeds with which cities can change, sometimes rendering their skylines virtually unrecognizable within decades. More …
February 24, 2011
APEGBC’s Division of Environmental Professors invited you to tour the False Creek Energy Centre, North America’s first untreated sewage-heat-recovery based thermal plant. The FCEC provides heat for the Neighbourhood Energy Utility which in turns delivers thermal energy for space heating and domestic hot water to the Southeast False Creek area of Vancouver. It was awarded APEGBC’s Sustainability Award for 2010. This tour will include a presentation on NEU operations followed by a walking tour of the plant. Photography is permitted, and hard hats will be provided. The tour is scheduled for Friday, March 11, 2011, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 pm, beginning at the energy centre, 1890 Spyglass Place (corner of West 1st Avenue and Spyglass Place, north of the Olympic Village Canada Line Station and under the Cambie Bridge). There is limited parking east of the plant. Registration is limited so early sign-up is recommended. The cost is $10 ($5 for DEP members). To register, visit https://secure.apeg.bc.ca/imispublic_live/AsiCommon/Controls/Shared/FormsAuthentication/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/imispublic_live/Core/Events/eventdetails.aspx?iKey=DEP1MAR11. For more information, contact dep.apegbc@gmail.com.
1.5 Core LUs
February 24, 2011
The deadline for early-bird registration for the Canada Green Building Council’s National Existing Buildings Symposium closes on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. The symposium is being held from April 13 to 14, 2011, in Toronto. It will focus on existing buildings and communities, with interactive sessions discussing such topics as low-carbon communities, building envelope design, community regeneration models, and energy benchmarking. Delegates will learn state-of-the-industry information participate in collaborative education sessions, network with likeminded individuals, and hear from leaders in the green building industry. For more information and to register, visit http://www.cagbc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/TheCaGBC/NationalEvents/2011Symposium/default.htm.
February 24, 2011
Building upon the success of last year’s ARE Preparation seminars, the IAC committee continues to offer free study sessions for Intern Architects who are preparing for the ARE Exams. This year, the emphasis will be placed on approaches for working through the vignette portions of each exam with a focus on problem-solving and time management strategies.
These seminars are designed to provide strategies and other tips for each exam, and are not intended to cover specific exam content. It would be helpful for participants to have some familiarity with the exam materials and some experience with the graphic practice program prior to attending the respective seminars, except, of course, for the introductory seminar.
March 9, 2011: Introduction Seminar
This seminar will provide an overview of the process and study techniques for the NCARB ARE exams. Information about AIBC study resources and external study resources will also be addressed. Learn how to prepare for, book and take your ARE exams. Much of the information that will be covered can be found on the AIBC web site (http://aibc.ca/member_resources/intern_resources/exam_resources.html).
March 30, 2011: Vignette Seminar Programming, Planning + Practice (PPP)
This exam has one graphic vignette (site zoning).
Site Planning + Design (SPD)
This exam has two graphic vignettes (site grading and site design)
April 14, 2011: Vignette Seminar
This exam has three graphic vignettes (accessibility/ramp, stair design and roof plan)
May 18, 2011: Vignette Seminar
This exam has two graphic vignettes (interior layout and building layout)
June 1, 2011: Vignette Seminar
This exam has one graphic vignette (structural layout)
Building Systems (BS)This exam has one graphic vignette (mechanical and electrical plan)
Construction Documents + Services (CDS)This exam has one graphic vignette (building section)
Each seminar will generally run from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the AIBC Architecture Centre. To reserve a spot, or if you have any questions, you can contact Registration and Licensing Administration Assistant Emily Tyler (phone: 604-683-8588 ext. 324; e-mail: etyler@aibc.ca).
February 24, 2011
1.5 Core LUs
February 24, 2011
This seminar will provide an update on changes that have been made to the 2009 Canadian Electrical Code (CEC), officially adopted for use in B.C. in October 2009. The new code contains many changes that will have a significant impact on all electrical installations. Presenter Ted Simmons, Chief Instructor, Electrical Trades Programs – British Columbia Institute of Technology, will an overview of requirements while helping participants understand the newest requirements and changes to the CEC including:
This half-day session will be of interest to anyone involved in the design, installation, maintenance and inspection of electrical equipment in Canada. It takes place Friday, March 4, 2011, 12:30 – 5:00 p.m. at the Coast Canadian Inn, 339 St. Paul Street, Kamloops. For more in formation and to register, go to http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/2009_CEC_kamloops.html.
4.0 Core LUs
February 24, 2011
New Deadline: March 28, 2011 at 12:00 Noon
The Architectural Institute of British Columbia invites submissions for its upcoming View From the Edge exhibit. This is an open call; any AIBC registrant may enter materials for display consideration. Given the nature of this exhibit, all AIBC registrant categories, including intern architects and students, are encouraged to take part. Subject matter is not limited to actualized projects; both completed and purely ideas-based representations are welcomed… Full Details Here
February 24, 2011
Several members of the British Columbia chapter of Architecture Canada are interested in working together in support of small practices and emerging practitioners. In following up on a meeting held last April, we are extending an invitation to participate in a “work session” to be held on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the AIBC offices. Membership in the RAIC is not required, simply an interest in being part of defining, implementing, and benefiting from initiatives to enhance the ability of small practices and emerging practitioners to succeed in our chosen field. It is anticipated that the focus will be in the areas of advocacy, mentoring and collaboration/networking. Please confirm your attendance by e-mail to Karl Gustavson MRAIC MAIBC at karl@kgarchitect.ca.
February 24, 2011
Share your insight and knowledge, and make a difference in the industry by presenting a seminar at IIDEX/NeoCon Canada 2011. Presented by Interior Designers Canada, this conference takes place September 22-24, 2011 in Toronto. With over 3,000 attendees and 75+ sessions, IIDEX is widely recognized as an industry leader by providing thought provoking and insightful hands-on educational opportunities for the design, architectural and facility management communities. If you, or someone you know, have a ground-breaking, can’t-miss topic, please submit on-line by April 20, 2011. Speakers and seminars will be selected based on varying criteria including: relevancy to the industry, timeliness, speaker experience, and how the particular topic compliments the overall seminar program. We also look for sessions that are at the basic, intermediate and advanced skill level in order to provide a wide range of learning opportunities. Go to http://www.iidexneocon.com/2011/presentations.php.
February 24, 2011
Anne Adriance thought her architect was kidding. She couldn’t fathom the idea of building a 3,000-sq.-ft. (280 sq m) coastal retreat in Maine out of cargo containers. Yes, the same rectangular shipping containers that you see piled high in ports worldwide are being recycled as homes, office buildings and even traveling museum exhibits. Architectural use of the containers doubled in 2010 compared with the previous year, according to Barry Naef, founder of the Intermodal Steel Building Units Association. And the trend — dubbed “cargotecture” by Seattle architect Joel Egan — is being fueled partly by sustainability but mostly by sassy artistic sensibility. More …
February 24, 2011
Nominations packages for members to AIBC Council, as well as the Intern Architect liaison to council, will soon be arriving in the mail. Note: the terms for the current Building Designers and Architectural Technologists liaison representatives do not expire until 2012.
As a regulatory body serving the public interest, the institute has a challenging and significant mandate. The work of AIBC Council is important not only to the institute, but also to the public trust. It is through the leadership of its elected council that the AIBC remains a vibrant, active and effective organization. You are encouraged to consider standing for election. Candidates are also encouraged to review the obligations and expectations of a council member / liaison, which are detailed within the nomination forms. All nomination forms, with original signatures, must be received at the AIBC offices before 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, 2011. Nomination forms can also be accessed online (Members: http://www.aibc.ca/cl2011-nom-maibc.pdf; Intern Architects: http://www.aibc.ca/cl2011-nom-ia.pdf). Please note that there will be a governance workshop for all candidates as well as sitting council members on Tuesday, April 26 at the AIBC offices.
February 24, 2011
With more than two million residents each, Vancouver and Portland, Oregon, are practically the same size. Portland is considered the premier example of “smart growth” in the United States, based in large part on its extensive rail transit system. Even so, Vancouver’s system, which is about the same age, carries vastly more passengers and has created vastly more dynamic “transit oriented developments” than Portland. If Portland is considered a leader in the US but trails Vancouver so significantly, what is the future of rail transit in America? Dr. Arthur Nelson will identify key lessons the United States can learn from the kind of rail transit planning and development engaged in Vancouver. Dr. Nelson, FAICP, is Presidential Professor of City & Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah where he is also Director of the Metropolitan Research Center;, Adjunct Professor of Finance in the David Eccles School of Business; and Co-director of the Master of Real Estate Program. For the past 30 years, he has conducted pioneering research in growth management, urban containment, public facility finance, economic development, and metropolitan development patterns, with some 20 books published and more than 300 other works. His current work focuses on how demographic economic forces, along with shifts in housing preference, will reshape America’s metropolitan areas for the rest of this century. This presentation will also include an open dialogue to explore the nuances of Vancouver’s lessons. It takes place Wednesday, March 9, 2011 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Creekside Community Recreation Centre, 1 Athlete’s Way. Vancouver. For more information and to register for this free presentation, visit http://tls2011anvancouver.eventbrite.com/ or contact Joyce Shen by e-mail (joyce.shen@cascadiagbc.org) or phone (604-909-9559).
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