March 2009

Dear Members of the Corporate Architects and Facility Management Knowledge Community (CAFM):

As the 2009 chair, I would like to thank you for your membership in CAFM. Approximately 6,400 AIA members have identified themselves with this Knowledge Community. Many are architects, and others are working as corporate architects and facility managers. We want to understand your particular interests and challenges and provide resources for you to network and equip you in your role. I would like to take this opportunity to update you on CAFM's accomplishments for 2008 and inform you of our goals and programs for 2009:

2009 Projects and Events

  • CAFM Events at the AIA 2009 National Convention
    Join us for these events presented by the CAFM:

    SF Federal Building ImageW38 Corporate Approaches to Designing for Diverse Work Styles HSW
    April 29, 2009, 1–5 p.m., $155
    3.75 LUs
    Changes in business, technology, lifestyles, and the environment are driving an ever-increasing range of workplace solutions. This workshop is devoted to a detailed exploration of design options and emerging ideas from a broad range of corporate and public design perspectives. The first part of the workshop will include presentations by each of the panelists, representing workplace solutions relevant to the changing environment in biotechnology, high-tech, and SF Federal Building Imagegovernment. A roundtable discussion and breakout sessions will then focus on emerging trends. The workshop will take place at the new San Francisco Federal Building.

    E07 AIA Committee of Corporate Architects and Facility Management and AIA Public Architects Committee Event at the San Francisco Federal Building
    April 29, 2009, 6–8 p.m., $50
    Join local and national members of the AIA Committee of Corporate Architects and Facility Management (CAFM) and AIA Public Architects Committee (PA) at a hosted reception in the new San Francisco Federal Building designed by Morphosis. Enjoy food and drinks in this stimulating environment and meet clients and practitioners in public and corporate architecture.

  • Allied Organization Collaboration
    CAFM build relationships with other Knowledge Communities, academic institutions with degrees in architecture and facilities management, and allied organizations including such as the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), Building Owners Management Association (BOMA), Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), and Corporate Real Estate Network, (CORENET).

  • International Facility Management Association (IFMA)
    IFMA is a separate professional organization that represents many of the same constituents as CAFM. Each year, CAFM collaborates with IFMA to prepare and present an educational sessions at the IFMA World Workplace conference
  • Component Connection Events
    The expertise of architects working in alternative careers is reinforced by the knowledge generated through CAFM, and their professional experience and goals can be enhanced through membership in the AIA. One way that we are doing this is through our Component Connections events that we are hosting along with the Public Architects Knowledge Community (PA). These networking events offer an opportunity to meet with local professionals to discuss the level of interest in developing a CAFM/PA component in their city. The events are typically held in conjunction with another AIA event at a venue that would be of interest to architects, corporate architects, and facility managers.

  • 2009 CAFM Scholarship
    Each year, CAFM awards scholarship(s) to qualified students interested in pursuing a career related to CAFM to develop awareness about career opportunities in corporate architecture and facility management. Submission for the 2009 CAFM scholarship has closed. Scholarship recipients will be announced this spring.
  • CAFM Web Site
    CAFM will continue to provide articles, resources, and case studies to members on our Web site: www.aia.org/cafm.

2008 CAFM Highlights

  • 2008 Convention Workshop
    Last year, CAFM hosted a popular workshop at the 2008 AIA National Convention. This off-site pre-Convention work session convened in the AIA award-winning Genzyme headquarters, renowned for its innovative sustainable design. A panel composed of the owner, architect, and builder will engaged attendees in a discussion of the Genzyme project. This was followed by an open discussion with a panel of three owners committed to sustainable design as a corporate strategy: Genzyme, Kaiser Permanente, and Bank of America.

  • 2008 Networking Reception
    Last year, CAFM organized and hosted a Networking Reception in conjunction with the Public Architects Knowledge Community at the Lighthouse II facility during the national AIA Convention. The reception provided an opportunity for Knowledge Community members to network, as well as to build a relationship with the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) membership through their Freedom by Design program. Sponsorships from the event provided grant money to AIAS / Freedom by Design and solicited volunteers for a convention city Freedom by Design project.

  • 2008 CAFM Scholarship Program
    CAFM was pleased to present scholarship to three students. Their essays are available on the AIA Web site.

CAFM wants to support and equip you with the resources you need to achieve your professional goals. We would very much like to hear from you regarding your needs and challenges so that we can better address them. If you have any questions or comments or wish to become more involved in CAFM please email cafm@aia.org.

Sincerely,

Peter Shannon, AIA
2009 Chair, AIA Corporate Architects and Facility Management Advisory Group

 

Images: San Francisco Federal Building, architect: Morphosis, photographer: Steve Proehl.