Issues & AdvocacyIssues & Advocacy

AIA Fights S Corp Tax, Backs BuildingSTAR; Federal Procurement, State Energy-Efficient Buildings Also at Forefront; Indiana Member Elected to School Board; Convention Preview; and more

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AIA Continues to Fight S Corp Tax Increase As Bill Stalls in Senate

The AIA continues to lobby against a proposed tax increase on S corporations that would affect hundreds of small architecture firms.

Last week, the House endured a prolonged battle to pass a so-called “extenders” bill. The legislation would extend a series of provisions that expired on May 31, including unemployment benefits and COBRA coverage.

The bill also would subject distributions made by certain S corporations to payroll taxes. Although supporters of the provision argue that it would close a loophole that allows some S corporations to avoid paying payroll taxes, the AIA and other professional associations have argued that it would punish small, service-oriented businesses all around the nation that follow the rules.

After narrowly clearing the House, the bill will be taken up by the Senate shortly after Congress returns to Washington on June 7. To date, AIA members have sent more than 11,000 messages to Capitol Hill opposing the provision. To contact your representatives, click here.

Members are urged to contact their senators, voice their opinion, and follow the latest developments by clicking here.

For additional information, contact Andrew Goldberg, senior director, Federal Relations, or Cooper Martin, manager, Federal Research and Policy Development.

BuildingSTAR Legislation Introduced in House

Prior to leaving town for the Memorial Day recess, Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced legislation to create a BuildingSTAR programs to provide rebates for energy efficient commercial retrofits.

The bill, H.R. 5476, is a companion to Senate legislation (S. 3079) introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in March. Both bills include language recommended by the AIA to ensure that retrofit work is done in compliance with applicable state or local building codes.

It is not clear yet when the legislation would be voted on. For more information on the bills, click here.

For additional information, contact Andrew Goldberg, senior director, Federal Relations.

White House Officials Meet with Architects, Engineers at AIA to Discuss Federal Procurement

Architects and other design industry professionals met with Obama administration officials at the AIA last week to discuss programs and contracting for A/E services.

During the Council on Federal Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services’ (COFPAES) Spring Forum, Daniel Gordon, administrator for the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), participated in a one-hour roundtable and discussed many of the current problems in federal procurement, including the defense of the Brooks Act (QBS); abuse of the GSA schedules; the A/E Acquisition Workforce; and the bundling of A/E and non-A/E services. Gordon expressed concern with the diminishing acquisition workforce and vowed to work with the design professions to address the issues.

The group also met with Elizabeth Wilkins, the White House Advisor on Sustainable Communities; Glen Walker, executive director for the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board (RATB); and Ed Loeb, director of Federal Acquisition Policy at GSA, to discuss various administration programs and the expanding role of design professionals.

COFPAES is a coalition of the AIA; American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE); American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM); and the Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (MAPPS), and coordinates the unified voice of the design community on federal procurement issues.

For more information, please contact Billie Kaumaya, manager, Federal Regulatory Relations.

Members of Congress take Philadelphia by Storm(water), with Help from AIA Members

From left: Julie E. Hoffman, AIA, president-elect, AIA Philadelphia; Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-PA); Don M. Jones, AIA, past president, AIA Philadelphia; and John Claypool, AIA, executive director, AIA Philadelphia

Seizing the opportunity of having two AIA congressional champions in town, AIA members in Philadelphia held several events around Representatives Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Earl Blumenauer, Hon. AIA (D-OR), in mid-May. The first, a fundraising event, offered a Q&A session and great networking opportunities, while the second event featured a panel discussion on making a federal/local partnership work for livability and historic preservation and revitalization.

Schwartz brought Blumenauer back to her home district for a whirlwind two-day tour of the Philadelphia area. Among their many activities related to livability was a meeting with city officials to talk about revitalizing areas of the city and sustainability initiatives, including site selection, historic preservation, stormwater issues, and other topics. They also participated in both of the AIA member events, which took place May 17. This visit was a follow-up to a similar visit that Schwartz made to Blumenauer’s district last year.

The first event was a fundraiser hosted by John Claypool, AIA, executive director of AIA Philadelphia, with Walter Palmer of the General Building Contractors Association. More than 40 AIA members and others from the historic preservation and livability communities attended the event, which benefited Schwartz’s re-election campaign. During the reception, Schwartz and Blumenauer fielded a variety of questions ranging from highway reauthorization to energy taxes to solutions for the revitalizing the city. They even discussed with the group the many opportunities for architects to get work with preservation and sustainability projects in cities like Philadelphia.

After the first event, Schwartz and Blumenauer sat on a panel, “Livable Communities and Philadelphia,” at the Academy of Natural Sciences hosted and moderated by Harris Steinberg, FAIA, of Penn Praxis. Joining them were Alan Greenberger, acting deputy mayor, Planning, Economic Development, and Director of Commerce; John Gattuso, senior vice president, Liberty Property Trust; Tony Sorrentino from the University of Pennsylvania; and Shawn McCaney of the William Penn Foundation. The panel focused on capitalizing on assets older cities like Philadelphia already have and how the four main sectors – public, private, institutional, and philanthropic – impact sustainability policy and development.

For more information on these events, of if your component is interested in holding issue forums or fundraisers for candidates, contact Hannah Wesolowski, manager, Political Programs.

Washington In Brief

Big Changes. Big Choices -- What Does Health Care Reform Mean For AIA Members?

On May 19, the AIA hosted a webinar on what the new health care reform law means for architects and architecture firms. An archived recording of the webinar is available for download by clicking here.

Building Champion Offers High Performance Building Resolution

Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL), co-chair of the High Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus, introduced a resolution (H.Res.1407) last week in support of the goals and ideals of High Performance Building Week (June 13-19).

Resolution Honors Andrea Palladio

Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), is sponsoring a resolution (H. Con. Res. 259) honoring architect Andrea Palladio. The resolution, endorsed by the AIA and several other organizations, celebrates Palladio’s influence on Western architecture through his built works and treatise “The Four Books of Architecture.”

CSG’s Economic Summit Sheds Light on Benefits of Energy-Efficient Building

AIA State Relations staff traveled to New York to attend the Council of State Governments’ Economic Summit of the States May 19-22. While there, team members Angie Taylor (director, State Relations) and Mark Wills (manager, State Issues and Programs) connected with many other organizations and government officials and discussed the tough economic issues facing state governments in this time of crisis.

Notable among the functions attended was a breakout session entitled “Energizing Growth: Opportunities in the New Energy Economy.” The panelists during this presentation painted a picture of energy efficiency serving as a job creator -- not just in the energy industry, but also in support roles and final use roles – including the architectural field. With a three-fold spending increase in energy efficiency expected this decade over last – and according to Lisa Wood of the Institute for Electric Efficiency, approximately 13,000 jobs created for every $1 billion spent on efficiency measures – it has become ever more apparent that “green” living and building is the future of architecture – if not the economy as a whole.

To further that point, Paul Kaplan of the Green Bank of Kentucky pointed out that his institution, created to provide loans for energy efficiency upgrades, is already demonstrating results. For example, the state’s Department of Education took out a $1.3 million loan, which is expected to save $2.1 million over the term of the loan; that is, the retrofitting and renovations pay for themselves -- and then some. Beyond the cost savings, those upgrades allowed the department to cut 1,381 tons of carbon emissions just in the first year post-loan. There is a vast demand and unmet need for funding green projects at the state level, Kaplan noted, and the green bank model is an efficient, effective way to foster energy savings development.

For more information on the Summit, contact Mark Wills, manager, State Issues and Programs.

“Citizen Architect” Wins Indiana School Board Seat

In May, Anthony “Tony” Costello, FAIA, won a contested seat on the Muncie Community School Board in Delaware County, Indiana; he will take office July 1, 2011. Prior to running for the school board, Costello was a professor at Ball State University’s School of Architecture for 40 years, as well as a community activist and firm principal.

Costello – an advocate for community-based urban design, affordable housing, and historic preservation – founded the Ball State University’s Muncie Urban Design Studio and Small Town Assistance program in 1980. He also worked as a design architect for several community organizations.

Costello plans to apply the architectural principles of community-building, urban design, and marketing to school board affairs. He believes that schools are the heart and soul of a community and that having good schools in the community will attract businesses and jobs to the area.

For more information, contact Shannon Clarke, Local Relations Consultant.

AIA Members and Staff Discuss Economy Via Twitter “Chat”

In trying to keep up with the ever-evolving needs of members and state chapters, AIA’s Government and Community Relations team is actively engaged in broadening its impact through new media. Many of you may already follow our activities and news postings on Twitter (@AIA_Advocacy, @aialobbyist, @CitizenAIA, @AIAStateAffairs), but now the Institute is beefing up its social media presence. One notable addition to our complement of communications tools is #AIAChat, a now-monthly event (taking place on the first Wednesday of every month. June 2 saw the most recent chat, during which staff, members, potential members (i.e., emerging professionals), and the general public entered into a meaningful (and concise, given that one only had 140 characters per entry to convey one’s message) dialogue about how to turn the “lemon” that is today’s less-than-ideal economic climate into “lemonade.” For a transcript of this chat, click here.

For more information on participating in the next #AIAChat or about social networking for advocacy purposes, please contact Mark Wills, manager, State Issues and Programs.

Citizen Architect Exchange & Civic Engagement Reception

The Citizen Architect Exchange will be held on Wednesday, June 9. The Exchange is a forum for networking with other advocacy-minded and civically-engaged members to explore the development and employment of design and leadership skills in the public arena.  The agenda will include a keynote speaker, break-out sessions, and a panel discussion focused on how components can develop Citizen Architect programs; we can engage emerging professionals and students further in advocacy efforts; and architects can positively affect the community through civic engagement.

The Exchange is a pre-Convention event taking place at the Convention Center between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., with the reception at the nearby Shore Club between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

For more information on the Citizen Architect Exchange, contact Brooks Rainwater, director, Local Relations. 

The Federal Agency Connection

The federal government spends more than $3 billion each year on design and construction services across the country and around the world, representing a largely untapped market for many architects. During this particularly difficult economic downturn, more and more architects have been turning to public sector clients to find work. Unfortunately, the process of procuring projects can be arduous and confusing. Join us at the Federal Agency Connection (FAC) at the 2010 AIA National Convention and Design Exposition in Miami (June 10-12) to learn how you can work with the federal government.

Key federal agency personnel from seven agencies will be on hand to talk to architects one-on-one and to answer any questions concerning rules, procedures and forms. In addition, the FAC will offer a series of courses (all available for CES credit) educating architects about various federal programs.

Agencies hosting a booth include:

• U.S. General Services Administration

• Naval Facilities Engineering Command

• U.S. Air Force

• U.S. Small Business Administration

• U.S. Department of State

• U.S. Postal Service

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

To view the Federal Agency Connection course schedule, click here.

Contact Billie Kaumaya, manager, Federal Relations, for more information.

ArchiPAC Alumni Challenge & Reception

At this year’s AIA National Convention, ArchiPAC is relaunching the ArchiPAC Alumni Challenge, along with a host of other activities. ArchiPAC, the AIA’s only federal political action committee, is using the opportunity of having thousands of AIA members in Miami to build on its peer-to-peer network, which encourages AIA members involved in the AIA’s advocacy efforts to encourage other architects on a personal level to get involved, as well. The Alumni Challenge is a great opportunity to not only foster healthy competition, but get new support from the architecture community.

Among the other activities that ArchiPAC will be hosting is a special signing by Past AIA President Marvin Malecha, FAIA, of his Acropolis sketches – only for ArchiPAC donors. In addition, on Thursday, June 10, ArchiPAC will be hosting its “Mojitos & Cigars” reception for donors. Finally, ArchiPAC will be launching its new website during the Convention.

The ArchiPAC booth will be located in the lobby outside of the AIA Bookstore at the Miami Convention Center.

For more information on any of the above activities, or for questions concerning ArchiPAC, please contact Hannah Wesolowski, manager, Political Programs.

Disaster Assistance Training

Much attention has recently been given to the valuable role that the architectural profession plays in responding to natural disasters. However, it is not enough to react and respond to these crises; preparedness is essential. At the AIA National Convention in Miami, attendees will have the opportunity to be trained and accredited in building damage assessment in the session AIA Disaster Assistance Program: A Comprehensive Training.

The Safety Assessment Program (SAP) curriculum was developed by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CA OES). It accepts civil, structural, geotechnical, and architectural licenses from any state, along with many ICC building inspector certifications. The program works in compliance with national disaster management protocols, including ICS, SEMS, and NIMS.

To register, visit the Convention website.

For more information about this session, contact Cooper Martin, manager, Federal Research and Policy Development.