Important Information: Annual Meeting & Special Meeting

In order to accommodate the increased attendance anticipated for the AIBC Annual Meeting and AIBC Special Meeting scheduled for Saturday, May 12, 2012, the institute has been able to reserve a larger meeting space. As a result, the location for these meetings has been changed.

The 2012 AIBC Annual Meeting and AIBC Special Meeting will take place in Room 211 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, 1055 Canada Place.

To further accommodate this change, the start time for each of the meetings will be 45 minutes later than originally scheduled. As a result, registration for the AIBC Special Meeting will begin at 8:45 a.m. with the meeting to commence at 9:30 a.m. In the afternoon, registration for the 2012 AIBC Annual Meeting will start at 1:15 p.m. while the meeting will be called to order at 1:45 p.m.

In preparation for the annual meeting, all members have been provided with a meeting package that includes election ballots,  the meeting agenda, draft minutes from the 2011 Annual Meeting, information on this year’s Honorary Membership nominee, and details on the proposed bylaw amendments (All can be accessed here.). You are strongly encouraged to review this information prior to the meeting and bring your own materials to the meeting. This applies to the material for the Special Meeting as well, which can be found here.

In addition, the 2011 Treasurer’s Report and 2011 Executive Director’s Report are now available. To review the entire 2012 Annual Report package, click here.

Two additional resources are provided so that attendees know what to expect with regard to proceedings and procedures at these two meetings: What to Expect at the AIBC Special Meeting and Annual Meeting and Lawmaking: AIBC Legislation & Bylaws.

Position Papers – Associates Resolution Working Group

From AIBC Council
To the Attention of AIBC Members and Associates

Position Papers –
Associates Resolution Working Group

At its strategic planning session in June of 2011, AIBC Council formed the Associates Resolution Working Group. The members of the group are: Gord Richards MAIBC, Paula Grossman MAIBC, Robert Chester MAIBC, Eszter Csutkai MAIBC, Michael Currie AT, Dave Boswell BD and Scott Kemp MAIBC. In 2008, AIBC Council introduced new associate categories in the institute. Some members of the institute support the initiative, others do not. The mandate of the Associate Resolution Working Group is:

“ to develop clear and comprehensive council attitudes and policies respecting:

(a) the present and foreseeable future of associates within the AIBC’s existing legislative framework; and

(b) fundamental beneficial/consequential considerations and transitions apropos associates’ identities/designations/competencies within (a) above.”

Towards that goal, the working group has prepared two position papers (here and here) elaborating the issues involved. The intent is to distribute the papers to the members and elicit feedback.

Also, AIBC Council is in the process of preparing a comprehensive survey of its members. Included in this survey will be questions regarding the associates. An independent consultant has been engaged by the institute and the survey is scheduled to be conducted in June 2012. With the information gained from the survey, the working group will then formulate its final recommendations to council.

The two position papers provided are from the working group, which is still in the process of fulfilling its mandate. AIBC Council has received the position papers but does not endorse either at this time. The position papers are part of council’s and its Associates Resolution Working Group’s process and are distributed herewith for members’ information and to generate dialogue.

Respectfully submitted;

Scott Kemp  Architect MAIBC
AIBC Council member / vice-president
Associates Resolution Working Group chair

04 May 2012

Please direct all questions and comments to scott@smkarchitect.com.

New Educational Provider: Canadian Passive House Institute

The AIBC is pleased to welcome the Canadian Passive House Institute (CanPHI) to the institute’s Registered Educational Provider Program. CanPHI is a registered non-profit educational organization based in both Wakefield, Quebec and Vancouver. The organization’s goal is to provide Canadians with the knowledge, tools, networks and confidence to design and construct buildings that meet the world’s highest level of energy efficiency, the international Passive House Standard. For more information on this and other AIBC Registered Educational Providers, visit the AIBC web site at http://www.aibc.ca/member_resources/professional_dev/CurrentREP.html.

Oral Reviews: June 19-20, 2012

Updated May 22, 2012

The AIBC will be hosting its next set of oral reviews on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 19 and 20, 2012. The oral review is an interview-based examination open to those intern architects who have:

• completed and logged at least 2800 hours; and
• completed the required AIBC courses.

Click here to view complete details and download the application form. Applications, along with an employer’s letter and fee payment, must be received by Wednesday, June 6. Eligibility will be confirmed by the Registration & Licensing Department. In addition, the AIBC will be hosting a free Oral Review Preparation Workshop on Wednesday, May 23, 6:00 p.m. at the AIBC offices. (Cancelled) All IAs and alternative qualifications candidates are welcome to attend. For any questions or to r.s.v.p. for the Oral Review Preparation Workshop, contact Administration Assistant Emily Tyler at etyler@aibc.ca.

All in The Family: Architectural DNA

By Laura Raskin, Architectural Record

May 2012

Architects beget architects, so it seems. Eliel Saarinen had Eero Saarinen. Two of Frank Lloyd Wright’s sons, Lloyd and John, became architects. Walter Gropius’s father was an architect. And if not begotten, then nearly so: Maya Lin’s architect aunt, Lin Huiyin, helped conduct the first comprehensive study of architecture in China. Charles Eames was the nephew of architect William Eames. Henry Smith-Miller, of Smith-Miller + Hawkinson Architects, could (and perhaps should) write a book about his family of architects, which stretches back, with baroque twists and turns, to Silas Smith, an engineer and carpenter who left for Chile after the Civil War. Smith-Miller discovered this history after his architect father’s death. “My father was extremely progressive. He thought family history was totally unimportant,” he says. More … 

America’s Cities Shaped (and Mishaped) by Rules

By Emily Talen, City Limits

April 30, 2012

We live in a world in which the physical character of cities is a largely a product of rules. Mostly these rules are not helping us create better cities. In fact, they are making it much more difficult. Analyzing the effect of rules is a form of social history, and much is revealed: what do these rules say about how American society values place – as well as neighborhood functionality, community organization, and social integration? More … 

re:THINK Housing Ideas Competition

The City of Vancouver has announced a global ideas competition for affordable housing. The competition, titled re:Think Housing and an initiative of the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing Affordability, has been vetted by the AIBC. It is intended to generate a broader discussion of possibilities for Vancouver’s affordable housing crisis, inviting  bold new ideas for both general and site-specific solutions that address Vancouver’s affordability challenge head-on. The competition is aimed at everyone who has an interest in affordable housing: architects, designers, planners, philanthropists, non-profit organizations, financial institutions and the general public. Applicants may submit proposals for public or private land in two categories: Building Bold and Vibrant Neighbourhoods. Each proposal must explain how affordability will be maintained over the long term without government subsidy. It should also include ideas on how a project would protect and enhance green space; integrate with neighbourhoods; and be financially viable. Winners will be selected by a five-member jury with $8,000 in prize money distributed. For more information, go online to vancouver.ca/rethink.

Construction Specifications Canada – Vancouver Island Chapter (Victoria): Six-storey Wood Frame Design – Design Concerns and Considerations

Recent regulatory changes in British Columbia now allow for the construction of six-storey wood frame buildings. While there are many benefits to designing and constructing these types of structures, there are also challenges that affect more than the structural and seismic requirements. In this presentation, Leon Plett P. Eng. LEED AP from Read Jones Christoffersen will cover these considerations as well as the affected concerns of architects, engineers, interior designers and builders. It takes place Tuesday, May 8, 2012 from 12:00 noon – 1:15 p.m. at the Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites, 345 Quebec Street, Victoria. Register online at http://vancouver-island.csc-dcc.ca/.

1 Core LU

ASTTBC Commits to Enhanced Practice Rights for BDs and RDs

In a recent communique, the Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of British Columbia reiterated its commitment to bringing about enhanced practice rights for building designers and residential designers, challenging the limitations currently in place under the Architects Act. The communique can be accessed at http://www.asttbc.org/docs/building.pdf .

Role Call: City of Victoria Advisory Design Panel

The AIBC invites applications from architects interested in serving on the City of Victoria Advisory Design Panel. The role of an advisory design panel member is to give impartial, professional advice directly on any proposal or policy affecting the community’s physical environment in the public interest. To learn more about the procedures for serving on a panel, please refer to the following documents:

• AIBC Bulletin 65: Advisory Design Panels – Standards for Procedures and Conduct (here)
• ADP Frequently Asked Questions (here)

An application form is available on the AIBC web site at https://aibcenews.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/design-panel-application-form-revised-feb-14-12.pdf. Please forward all submissions to the attention of Practice Coordinator Ryan Dinh by e-mail (rdinh@aibc.ca).

Vancouver Heritage Foundation – Lecture: Evolution of the Vancouver House

In this pre-tour lecture, Michael Kluckner, author of Vanishing Vancouver: 20 Year’s Later, will discuss the historic homes that will be featured on the foundation’s 2012 Heritage House Tour on Sunday, June 3, 2012. This lecture takes place in on Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Church Hall, 949 West 49th Avenue, Vancouver. Register online at http://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org/projects/openvan.html.

2 Core LUs

Vancouver Heritage Foundation – 10th Annual Heritage House Tour

This one-day, self-guided tour features a 10 historic Vancouver buildings including a church converted to strata units, a resurrected corner store converted into a coffee shop and residence, and a restored wood-framed bank building with strata units located at the rear. Included is a 24-page guidebook with a location map and write-up about each house as well as guest essays by local authors. The numbered guidebook is also your ticket to gain access to the tour homes. It takes place Sunday, June 3, 2012, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Register online at http://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org/projects/openvan.html.

6 Non-core LUs

University of British Columbia Centre for Sustainability – LEED Green Building Strategies and Green Associate Exam Preparation

This 36-hour course will provide comprehensive preparation for the LEED Green Associate exam, a first step towards becoming a ”green building” practitioner. The LEED Green Associate credential distinguishes practitioners with a sound knowledge of green design, construction and operations. Designed by the Canada Green Building Council, LEED Green Building Strategies and Green Associate Exam Preparation provides an overview of the techniques, approaches, materials and technologies used in the LEED rating systems. Using a wide range of examples, case studies and site visits, this course prepares prepare participants to:

·         Understand the imperative for a green transformation of our built environment;

·         Explain the key components of the LEED rating system;

·         Apply core concepts and strategies to achieve success using the LEED rating system; and

·         Determine where different LEED rating systems can be applied.

Instructors include Christian Cianfrone LEED AP BD+C; Brenda Martens, LEED AP BD+C; Jason Packer LEED AP BD+C; and Eesmyal Santos-Brault, LEED AP BD+C. This course will benefit students, those involve with building trades, and all professionals looking to demonstrate knowledge in green building issues. No previous experience is required. Attendees will be eligible and prepared to write the LEED Green Associate exam upon successful completion of this 10-session course. It will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from May 29 to June 21, 2012, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., and on two Saturdays (June 9 and June 16, 2012), 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The location UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street, Vancouver. For more information and to register, visit http://www.cstudies.ubc.ca/sustainability/professional-credentials/index.html.

36 Core LUs

AIBC Vancouver Island Chapter – Chapter Luncheon: Scale and Performance Capabilities of Solid Wood Glazing

Roy Manion of B.C. Wood Specialties Group, in partnership with Jim Eisenhauer of Unison Windows & Doors, will discuss how wood glazing systems utilizing sustainable engineered wood components and high-performance glazing can be used in multi-story “window wall” applications to achieve superior thermal values. Learn about water performance ratings and how locally-manufactured wood glazing systems that utilize low maintenance exteriors and high-performance multi-point locking hardware are able to achieve many structural advantages without the environmental impact of alternative systems. It takes place Wednesday, May 30, 2012, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. at the Ambrosia Centre, 638 Fisgard Street, Victoria. To register for this free event, contact Roy Manion at rmanion@bcwood.com by May 23, 2012. Lunch will be provided.

1.5 Core LUs

BC Heritage Branch REI

Expressions of Interest are now being invited for the selection of pre-qualified contractors able to undertake comprehensive condition surveys at 10 provincial heritage properties that are open to the public. The condition surveys will encompass historic and non-historic buildings and structures;  the electrical, plumbing, fire suppression and security systems; and the site infrastructure. There is also an expectation that an overview assessment will be made of the condition of the site artifacts. The listing (REI# HB 001) is available by browsing the BC Bid web site by organization for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations,  or by topic under Services – Cultural Services. The details of the REI are contained in an attachment to the BC Bid listing.  The closing date for the REI is May 31, 2012. Should you have any questions or comments, please direct them to Mark Brown at the Heritage Branch.