Role Call: AIBC Professional Conduct & Illegal Practice Board

The AIBC is seeking an additional member for its Professional Conduct & Illegal Practice Board (PCIPB). The PCIPB provides advice and guidance to the AIBC’s Professional Conduct & Illegal Practice Department, including development of policies for AIBC Council’s consideration with respect to ethical, conduct and illegal practice matters. The PCIPB includes representation from the chairs of the institute’s  Investigations Committee, Illegal Practice Committee and Consensual Resolution Review Panel, who report on developments and issues of concerns in those areas of professional conduct and illegal practice. The PCIPB meets at the offices of the AIBC every second month for approximately two hours, with an average of five meetings per year.  The board is particularly interested in applicants with an interest and background in professional conduct, ethical, illegal practice and policy matters, as well as a solid understanding of the AIBC’s regulatory mandate and governance model. Interested members should e-mail an expression of interest, with a or curriculum vitae or brief summary of professional background, to Professional Conduct Coordinator Gayle Roberts at groberts@aibc.ca.

Role Call: AIBC Investigations Committee

The AIBC is seeking an additional member for its Investigations Committee, which conducts investigations of unprofessional conduct complaints and makes recommendations to the institute as to how to proceed. The committee meets once per month (with generally only one summer meeting), from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The AIBC believes that the public interest and the profession are best served by a committee that includes members with diverse backgrounds and experience, and encourages qualified architects from both large and small firms to consider this opportunity.  Those members interested in contributing to the institute’s professional conduct process are invited to submit an expression of interest along with a curriculum vitae or brief summary of professional background.  For further information or to submit an expression of interest, please contact Professional Conduct Coordinator Gayle Roberts at (604) 683-8588 x310 or groberts@aibc.ca.

20-storey Buildings … Made of Wood?

By Dan McGinn, Globe and Mail
November 14 2012

When Michael Green imagines the buildings of the future, he sees skylines built from a material that is not only cheaper and more environmentally friendly than steel and concrete, but one that has a distinctly Canadian feel. Now the Vancouver architect just has to convince the country of the benefits of wood skyscrapers, which are beginning to crop up in several countries around the world. More … http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/architecture/20-storey-buildings-made-of-wood/article5308574/?utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_source=Globe%20Life&utm_type=text&utm_content=GlobeLife&utm_campaign=99323817.

Cost Predictability Guide

The Canadian Construction Association has made available a new guide that aims to improve cost predictability for construction projects. Developed by a joint industry and federal government task force, The Guide to Cost Predictability in Construction: An Analysis of Issues Affecting the Accuracy of Construction Cost Estimates provides practical advice to improve construction project cost projections. The resource looks at how best to tackle the growing problem of large discrepancies between pre-tender estimates and actual bids. While it is beneficial to industry, it is primarily directed to owners and design consultants. The guide’s taskforce included representatives from Defence Construction Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, contractors, architects, engineers and costs consultants. It delivered a series of recommendations reflected in the finished product, including:

• Utilizing qualified estimating personnel throughout the life of the project;

• Ensuring all stakeholders have input early and often;

• Allowing designers sufficient time to finalize bid documents;

• Including sufficient contingency to address market volatility, timing of construction, and other exclusions; and

• Providing a widely usable database for the Canadian market.

 

The guide with its complete recommendations is available free of charge by visiting the Canadian Construction Association web site at http://www.cca-acc.com/en/.