Washington Report

House Committee Approves High Performance Schools Bill
Legislation would provide billions for school modernization

Earlier this week, the House Committee on Education and Labor approved AIA-backed legislation that would provide $6.4 billion in grants to state and local school districts to renovate, repair, and modernize schools. The 21st Century High Performing Public Schools Act (H.R. 3021) directs funding to projects that improve health, safety, energy efficiency, and the overall learning climate in school facilities.

The AIA actively lobbied for this legislation, which the Education Committee approved by a vote of 29-18. Under the bill, each state would receive funding that would then be dispersed to local school districts for modernization projects. Eligible projects include replacing building systems, lighting, doors, and other modifications that would improve the teaching and learning environment.

Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, senior director, Federal Relations, praised the work of the committee at a time when schools across the country are in desperate need of renovations. "Architects have long known that properly designed, high-performance schools offer a far better learning environment for students," he said.

Education Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) indicated that this bill could be voted on by the full House later this year. Stay tuned to The Angle for updates.

AIA Leads US House of Representatives Capitol Design Assistance Team

During the week of April 15, past AIA Vice President Norman Strong, FAIA, and a team of top design professionals supported by members of the AIA staff conducted a design charrette at the US House of Representatives. The purpose of the charrette was to explore ways to improve circulation, worker productivity, and enhance the sense of place while transforming the House office buildings into a 21st century workplace. An important outcome of the study was to elevate the importance of sustainable design practices while addressing the issues identified by the House Leadership.

The four-day Capitol DAT charrette used existing background documents, face-to-face interviews with House staffers, a series of steering committee meetings, open houses, and a final presentation.

To view the final report, visit the Communities by Design Web site.

House Begins Debate on Housing Relief Bill

The House of Representatives has started debate over legislation to address the mortgage foreclosure crisis. The legislation, H.R. 5370, overhauls Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, authorizes the Federal Housing Administration to provide $300 million for refinanced loans for struggling homeowners, and permanently raises the FHA loan limits.

However, the White House has indicated opposition to parts of the bill. The Senate passed a bipartisan, but much narrower, version of the bill earlier in April that did not include the FHA expansion or overhaul of Fannie and Freddie.

To read a summary of the House bill, click here.

AIA Staffer Named to Environmental and Energy Study Institute Advisory Board

AIA Senior Director of Federal Relations Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, has been appointed to the advisory board of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). Created by Congress in 1984, EESI promotes the development of public policy options that will sustain people, places, and the environment. Goldberg will provide EESI with expertise on the built environment and the role of architects in designing a sustainable future.

AIA Senior Director of Federal Relations, Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA.

EESI is committed to encouraging sustainability in all sectors of the economy. The group produces briefings, publications, and presentations to political leaders and industry groups to promote environmental stewardship and intelligent energy policy. EESI focuses on four program areas: energy and climate, agriculture and energy, transportation and energy, and energy and smart growth. Goldberg will help EESI craft policy ideas and formulate program activities, especially relating to the building sector.

According to Paul Mendelsohn, vice president, Government and Community Relations, "Given that the built environment is responsible for a majority of our nation's energy use, it is only natural that EESI would choose Andrew to provide an expert's view on sustainability and buildings. Andrew will bring the voice of America's architects to EESI's policy discussions."

Visit the EESI Web site for more information. 

State and Local Update

Component Spotlight: AIA SW Wisconsin Promotes Citizen Architects

The Component Spotlight highlights the important work of the more than 300 components across the country. To highlight your component, contact the Angle and describe your component's recent successes and/or innovative initiatives.

AIA Southwest Wisconsin's AIA150 - Allied Drive Initiative. From left:  Thomas Hirsch, AIA, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, and Kelly Thompson-Frater, AIA.

AIA Southwest Wisconsin has built a strong program of component excellence through relationship building under the direction of its elected leaders. "The continuing efforts by the component's membership on behalf of their communities has resulted in an overall understanding of the value of the architect's experience in the built environment and their ability to engage in and facilitate discussion on topics that affect the whole community," said AIA Southwest Wisconsin President Richard C. Lundeen, AIA, LEED AP.

The component has an innovative agreement with the City of Madison that provides them with the opportunity to submit nominees for placement on the Urban Design Commission. Additionally, the Urban Design Commission Ordinance has been structured so that three members of the nine-member commission must be registered architects. This ordinance, Chapter 33.24, has been in place for over 20 years and creates important relationships between the city and the architecture community.

AIA Southwest Wisconsin also developed one of the first AIA150 initiatives in the country, the Allied Drive program. As a result, former President Kelly Thompson-Frater, AIA, was appointed to the City of Madison Community Development Authority, in which she has been an integral part of the proposals for redevelopment recommended in the AIA150 program.

The leadership and advocacy exhibited by AIA Southwest Wisconsin are an example of how architects can serve as the bridge between the community and government on matters ranging from design to land use issues and beyond. "Whether it's participating in influential neighborhood associations, writing letters to the editor, or serving on city and county committees and commissions, AIA members in Madison and the surrounding area are making a difference in their communities and demonstrating the problem-solving skills that architects bring to the table," noted AIA Wisconsin Executive Director Bill Babcock, Hon. AIA.


New York City Buildings Commissioner Resigns, City Reviews A/E Requirement
AIA Speaks Out on Need for Architect or Engineer as Commissioner

Patricia Lancaster, FAIA, recently resigned as the head of New York City's Department of Buildings. Following her resignation, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's (I) administration has proposed removing the current requirement, originally introduced in 1977, that the Buildings Commissioner be an architect or engineer.

Many view Lancaster's departure as an unfortunate result of her being wrongly blamed for a recent spike in construction deaths. Her defenders point out that the Department of Buildings has been underfunded and understaffed, while building starts in the city have increased dramatically. Despite this, during her tenure Lancaster managed to reform the city's building codes while improving the overall building department.

In the wake of Lancaster's departure, New York City Councilmember Simcha Felder (D-44), by the request of Mayor Bloomberg, has introduced a truncated version of the current law that omits the following section:

The commissioner shall be a registered architect or a licensed professional engineer in good standing under the education law.

"The Health Commissioner in the City of New York needs to be a physician, so doesn't it stand to reason that the individual in charge of buildings in the city be a licensed architect or engineer?" comments AIA New York Executive Director Rick Bell, FAIA.

Bell adds, "Why should New York City, currently undergoing the largest construction boom since the jurisdiction's founding, alter its standards for who should be the next commissioner? Fundamentally, this position requires that the individual understand how buildings come together--not only the design aspects of buildings, but also the health, safety, and welfare impact."

AIA New York, AIA Queens, and the other New York City AIA components, have teamed with AIA New York State and the local engineering professional societies to distribute a petition to membership and other interested parties that clearly explains the importance of keeping a licensed architect or engineer in this crucial city position, particularly because of their professions' education and strict licensure requirements. More than 3,000 people signed the petition before it was presented at a City Council hearing on this issue yesterday, May 7.

In addition, AIA Executive Vice President/CEO Chris McEntee wrote to the City Council, urging that the A/E requirement be maintained. "In order for New York to remain a global leader and a truly international city, it must remain at the vanguard of building design and construction," McEntee wrote. "This demands that the next Buildings Commissioner have the education, training, and experience that by definition professional architects and engineers possess."

AIA Local Relations Director Brooks Rainwater points out that as the city pursues PlaNYC--a sustainability initiative that has led to many new, innovative, and consequently complicated green building projects--an architect or engineer's unique understanding of green buildings further reinforces their necessity in the role of Buildings Commissioner.

For more information, contact the AIA Local Relations team.


Los Angeles Passes New Green Building Law on Earth Day

Los Angeles is moving forward with an ambitious green building law that makes it the largest city yet to pass sustainable building rules for private buildings. In line with similar moves in cities like Washington, D.C., and Boston, the city will require all buildings larger than 50,000 square feet to meet LEED® Certification standards. The new green building law is meant to further the city's goals of cutting carbon emissions to 35 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

The City Council passed the new ordinance unanimously on Earth Day, April 22. City officials estimate that the law will affect about 7.5 million square feet of real estate annually, or approximately 150 new and renovated buildings a year.

Observers agree that transforming L.A. from a city reliant on cars and one with many smog problems to one with more livability and greener practices will be a long process, but that this policy is a strong first step. Approximately 85,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be eliminated over the next five years as a result of this law, translating into the equivalent of removing 15,000 vehicles from the city's roads.

AIA LA Committee on the Environment member Heidi Sawyer Creighton, AIA, LEED AP, an associate principal at Davis Langdon, commented, "L.A.'s green building ordinance is a good step in the right direction, in that it signals the city's commitment to sustainability. We hope that the process goes smoothly; the plan is ambitious and, to be effective, must be efficiently integrated into city processes."


Issue Analysis: AIA Components Face Legislation Affecting Title and Practice

Though it may not be commonly thought of as a hot-button issue by the general public, licensure for interior designers is currently hitting legislatures in California (S.B. 1312), Pennsylvania (H.B. 807), and Ohio (H.B. 340). Moreover, there are signs that legislation may be pending in states like Idaho, where a bill is being considered for the 2009 session, and Texas, where architects are being polled by a group claiming to work for the state with questions such as:

• "Do you think that individuals who design to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act should be licensed?"
• "Do you think that individuals who design to meet life safety codes should be licensed by the state?"
• "Are you aware that persons calling themselves interior designers must have a college degree (implied to be in interior design), continuing education in health, safety & welfare of the public, and are regulated by the state?"
• "Do you think it is confusing to the public when a person calls themselves an interior designer if they do not have a background in interior design?"

The California State House. California is one state facing interior design licensure and title.

Interior designers are often integral members of the design team, making valuable contributions to the design and construction process. The AIA is committed to working with all groups to ensure the public's health, safety, and welfare (HSW). However, the sole purpose of registration and licensing laws in the building industry is to protect HSW. The AIA would be remiss if it allowed something to negatively impact HSW, and nearly every interior design legislative proposal of late would extend stamp and seal privileges to interior designers.

In fact, already this year proposed legislation to regulate interior design has been rejected in over a dozen states, and several AIA state components are still in the process of addressing how stamp and seal legislation for interior designers may compromise the HSW of buildings and their occupants. Their efforts both help inform the issue and serve as a primer for other components wishing to advocate in a similar way.

Click here to learn how AIA California Council and AIA Pennsylvania are addressing the issue and why they are concerned that the interior design legislative proposals may negatively impact the public.

Components utilize coalition building
It is not just architects who oppose licensure and title. Groups like the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and the conservative legal foundation, The Institute for Justice, have also weighed in on this issue in many states. In fact, the Institute for Justice has been waging a battle against new certification standards for interior designers in states including Texas and New Mexico. They're circulating a white paper about their fight against increased certification for designers, "Designing Cartels." The organization's Clark Neily penned an April 1 editorial in the Wall Street Journal warning of people who want to "pass a law making it a crime to give advice about paint colors and throw pillows without a license." They have also touted recent successes, including an October decision by the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that state's design certification law was unconstitutional.

For more information on the history of this issue from a legislative perspective as well as an overview of current AIA National policy, click here.


State Legislatures Begin to Adjourn

Most states have finished their 2008 legislative sessions. However, a few states remain. This month, Hawaii, Florida, Colorado, and Connecticut have adjourned, and Alaska, Alabama, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oklahoma will join them before May is up. To find more details on your state's legislative session, click here.

Design Vote08

DesignVote08 Releases Congressional Candidate Questionnaire

AIA members attending this year's AIA National Convention and Design Exposition in Boston will see the latest offering from the DesignVote08 team: the AIA Congressional Candidate Questionnaire.

One of the key goals of DesignVote08 is to increase the profile of the issues important to architects and the Institute. To accomplish this, the DesignVote08 staff worked with members of the Board Advocacy Committee to develop a Congressional Candidate Questionnaire that focuses on key issues.

"The goal is to get members of Congress and candidates for congressional office to fill out the questionnaires. We hope to make it as easy as possible so that we can get these responses out to AIA members in order to inform their voting decisions come November," offered Mickey Jacob, AIA, DesignVote08 Chair.

The distribution strategy for the questionnaire encourages AIA members to sit down with their candidates to discuss the topics and seek responses as a relationship building exercise. "AIA members are interested in a lot of issues that, to be frank, politicians do not often campaign on," added Jacob. "This questionnaire achieves several goals. First, the process will inform AIA members on what candidates think about the issues important to the AIA. Second, it enables the AIA and its members to serve as a resource to candidates when it comes to developing policy. And third, it helps us get our message out."

For additional information about the questionnaire email us at DesignVote08.

ArchiPAC Round-Up

ArchiPAC Heads to NY, Boston to Support Members of Congress

ArchiPAC, the AIA's nonpartisan federal political action committee, joined several allies in the design, engineering, and construction fields to co-host fundraising events featuring Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Hon. AIA (D-OR), and Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH) in Boston and New York last month.
 

The New York event, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on April 18, was organized by Blumenauer, and also featured Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. At the event, Speaker Pelosi praised the AIA for its leadership on sustainability and design issues before Congress.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Hon. AIA, attended both recent fundraising events organized by architects.

Barbara A. Nadel, FAIA, Principal, Barbara Nadel Architect and Editor-In-Chief of Soloso, organized the event for ArchiPAC. "This event was very successful for several reasons. Along with a significant contribution from ArchiPAC and individual AIA members, we indicated our support for Speaker Pelosi's issues, because they're our issues too. Building stable communities, promoting sustainability, and balancing national security with design excellence are issues on which AIA members can provide expertise to members of Congress when crafting legislation and public policy positions. The six AIA New York leaders who attended this event effectively articulated these points over breakfast with the three House leaders."

Blumenauer Joins Boston-Area Architects to Support NH Congressman
On April 14, Boston architect Michael Binette, AIA, of the Architectural Team, hosted a fundraiser at his firm for Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH). The luncheon was also attended by Rep. Blumenauer. Both Congressmen are supporters of several AIA-backed initiatives on livable communities.

Hodes, a first-term Congressman representing New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District, serves on the Oversight and Government Reform and Financial Services Committees. Hodes has a long history fighting to clean up the environment. As a prosecutor, he argued the first successful prosecution against polluters. Currently, he is an original cosponsor of a green housing bill that will soon be introduced by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO). (See last week's Angle article.)

As the 2008 election nears, ArchiPAC will continue seeking opportunities to support candidates from both parties. For more information on ArchiPAC, please contact Government Relations.

Archive
April 24, 2008 April 10, 2008 March 27, 2008 March 13, 2008 February 28, 2008 February 14, 2008 January 31, 2008 January 17, 2008 January 14, 2008 January 3, 2008		December 19, 2007 - Special Edition December 13, 2007 November 29, 2007 November 8, 2007 October 25, 2007 October 11, 2007 September 27, 2007 September 13, 2007 August 30, 2007 August 16, 2007