Healthier Communities Through Design

By Brooks Rainwater, Metropolis Magazine
February 16, 2013

Health indicators are pointing in the wrong direction. Healthcare costs are rising to unprecedented levels. To address these challenges, it’s become imperative that our municipal policies and initiatives be reconsidered. How can design help? As I see it, design provides a key preventative strategy. Designers can improve public health outcomes and enhance our everyday environments. The lens of design can help us focus and re-conceptualize the public health impacts of our cities and buildings. More … http://www.metropolismag.com/pov/20130216/healthier-communities-through-design.

Role Call: AIBC Qualifications Committee

Volunteer members are required for current vacancies on the AIBC’s Qualifications Committee. The Qualifications Committee is responsible for conducting the assessment of qualifications received from applicants to the AIBC for registration. In support of this undertaking, the committee ensures the administration of these assessments is effective, consistent, and fair for the registration of architects under Section 37 of the Architects Act (Alternative Qualifications). The committee reviews candidate files, assigning a member to further review and return with a recommendation. Members of the Qualifications Committee are also asked to act as panelists for oral assessments. In addition, the committee is charged with providing analysis and advice to the AIBC’s Registration Board and to AIBC Council, leading to development and maintenance of certification standards for entry to the profession.

To review the Qualifications Committee’s Terms of Recerence, go to http://www.aibc.ca/boardscommittees.html. If you are interesting in serving on this committee or would like more information, please contact Registration and Administration Coordinator Emily Tyler at (604) 683-8588, ext. 324, or by e-mail at etyler@aibc.ca.

Gondolas Could Help Seattle Rise Above Traffic Mess, Some Say

As crosstown traffic becomes intolerable, a few Seattle thinkers are suggesting gondolas — from Capitol Hill to Belltown, or the waterfront to the convention center.
By Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times
February 19, 2013

As crosstown traffic becomes intolerable, a few Seattle thinkers are suggesting a gondola as the best way out of the mess. One possible route would go from the light-rail station being built on Capitol Hill to Olympic Sculpture Park, serving the South Lake Union, Seattle Center and Belltown areas. Another idea would run overhead cars between downtown and the central waterfront. More … http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020384060_congestiongondolaxml.html.

Save The Date: 2013 AIBC Annual Meeting

Date:                        Saturday, June 1, 2013

Time:                       1:00 – 5:00 p.m. (registration at 12:00 noon)

Location:                Segal Building, Simon Fraser University (500 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC)

Additional information regarding the annual meeting, including meeting agenda and supporting materials, will be provided prior to the event.

As Land Use Planning Changes, ‘Zoning’ is no Longer Appropriate

By Roger K. Lewis, Washington Post
February 15, 2013

Let’s dump the word “zoning,” as in zoning ordinances that govern how land is developed and how buildings often are designed. Land-use regulation is still needed, but zoning increasingly has become a conceptually inappropriate term, an obsolete characterization of how we plan and shape growth. Principles and methods of land use planning, transportation, regulation and real estate development are changing, as are demographics and social norms. Zoning conventions are no longer conventional. Throughout metropolitan Washington, zoning transformations are evident in dozens of new development or redevelopment projects. More … http://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/as-land-use-planning-changes-zoning-is-no-longer-appropriate/2013/02/14/574feb12-6643-11e2-93e1-475791032daf_story.html.

Nomination Deadline: 2013 Cascadia Board of Directors

Friday, February 22 is the nomination deadline for those interested in serving on the 2013 Board of Directors for the Cascadia Green Building Council. Cascadia is looking for candidates that represent a wide variety of stakeholders including the utilities, finance, development, education, government and research sectors, and who are interested in taking a leadership role in the bioregion’s most influential green building NGO. There are three seats open in the upcoming election, including one for a British Columbia representative. Eligible candidates must be CGBC members. For detailed information and to bring forward your nomination, go online to http://legacy.cascadiagbc.org/people/elections/board-elections-2013/.