If you are coming to the AIA Conference on Architecture (A’23) this year (June 7-10 in San Francisco), here are some sessions that may be of interest!
Wednesday
AEC Cares: Help us renovate Lark Inn at A'23
7:30am-4:30pm | Sign up at aeccares.com/volunteer
On June 7, 2023, a group of volunteers will give Lark Inn, a shelter in the Tenderloin district, a massive makeover. Larkin Street Youth operates the shelter, a temporary home for young people ages 18-24. Come join us as we paint, build furniture, install lighting, organize, and give this space a beautiful upgrade! Together, a little effort from all of us can make great things happen. The day will be from 7.30am to 4.30 pm, and food/tools will be provided.
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Digital/Hybrid Practice: A New Paradigm for Owner, Architect & Contractor
WE204 | 10-11:30am | 1.5 LUs
Including remote expertise in design and construction presents unique opportunities for collaboration. This session will address the underlying technology that supports the digital/hybrid practice model and the behavioral adjustments that team members must adopt to be successful. Learn from panelists’ experience with projects involving diverse teams and how they benefited from early design-process input from trade subcontractors and fabricators and connecting remote experts to the construction site.
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How Vanderbilt University Overcame a $90 Million Budget Overage
WE411 | 2-3pm | 1 LU
Nationwide, we are experiencing a volatile construction market. Material shortages, high inflation, and rampant escalation have made it incredibly challenging to meet schedules and budgets. Over the past seven years, Vanderbilt University has been implementing a residential housing plan that includes four phases of residential colleges, totaling over 800,000 square feet. When a $90 million budget overage was discovered, it was critical that a target value design (TVD) process was implemented to achieve budget alignment while also prioritizing program and quality. Join Hastings Architecture and Covalus as they discuss the specific steps taken to reconcile design and budget.
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Reimagining the International Code Council Performance Code
WE508 | 4-5pm | 1 LU/HSW
This session will provide an overview of the International Code Council's initiative to review and update the ICC Performance Code for Buildings and Facilities (ICCPC), a code that was first developed in the 1996–2000 code cycle and has had very few revisions since. The process entails an internal review of the ICCPC in its current form and a comparison with other performance-based building codes currently in use around the world. This session will describe how the new ICCPC will serve as an invaluable resource for innovative construction and creative design.
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Deconstruction, Not Demolition
WE516 | 4-5pm | 1 LU/HSW
The construction industry in the United States produces 40% of landfill waste, and globally, the construction industry is responsible for 40% of carbon emissions. The session will share how deconstruction (not demolition) and recycling of building materials happens in other countries and how deconstruction helps not only in reducing construction waste but in reducing overall construction costs, as well. The session will provide a comparative breakdown of cost savings associated with the deconstruction process and compare deconstruction with the conventional demolition process.
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Thursday
Fast Forward: Supportive Housing in 10 Days
ET201 | 10-11am | 1 LU/HSW
Imagine you could jumpstart production and produce supportive housing in under two weeks—all while reducing cost. In the SoMA district of San Francisco, Tahanan Supportive Housing has done just that, with studio homes for adults who have experienced homelessness. This tour—by project leaders Daniel Simons, FAIA, Principal, and Jonas Weber, AIA, Associate/Modular Lead—showcases the prototype of a new financing structure for permanent supportive housing. The product of a partnership between the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund and housing developer/operator Mercy Housing, the modular building offers 145 studio homes created from 80 modules, stacked by the contractor in 10 days. Its resource-rich ground floor features community spaces, social services, and commercial spaces. Please meet at tour start at least 15 minutes prior to departure time.
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Rethink BIM 2023
EX401 | 10:30-11:30am | 1 LU
When you work with software that continues to innovate, improve, and build on providing productivity, you can transform your practice. Santa Cruz–based Fuse Architects switched to BIM, and it has changed everything for them. We’ll explore how Fuse Architects changed their workflow. Accessing intuitive tools in BIM, enabling integrated workflow, and automating documentation processes improved the firm’s efficiency and increased profitability. (LO #3: Identify rapid concepting strategies that can engage architecture, engineering, and construction partners earlier in the design process, allowing contractors to explore the 3D model in real time to discuss ideas and identify efficiencies.)
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Reduce Waste, Cost & Delivery Time With Modular Construction
LL504 | 3-4pm | 1 LU
Rising construction costs and skilled labor shortages fuel demand to transform the construction industry and seek innovation in traditional delivery methods. Modular construction is an alternative delivery method that successfully drives construction efficiencies. It also addresses the demand to reduce construction time and improve coordination of trades. These factors, along with green construction’s goal of reducing construction site waste, have made modular construction a method of choice in today’s commercial construction. This session explores solutions for designing high-performance façades to support modular construction trends in commercial and multifamily segments.
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The Fundamentals of an Effective Custom Residential Contract
TH214 | 4-5pm | 1 LU
The custom residence is, in many ways, the epitome of architectural practice—most architects began their architectural journey thinking about houses. And the relationship between architect and homeowner can be among the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences an architect can undertake. It can also be fraught with contention and frustration. What makes the difference can be as simple as aligning expectations and outlining each party’s responsibilities. Developing a contract can help discuss and memorialize those expectations. This session covers the fundamental components of a contract and how to use it to discuss responsibilities, scope, and compensation with your clients.
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Friday
Project Delivery Knowledge Community Open Forum
EV306 | 10-11:30am
Within the ever evolving design and construction industry, the owner, architect, and builder find that traditional roles and relationships are transforming rapidly. What does this mean for project delivery systems, which are at the nexus of these transformational forces? In this critically important and timely forum, Project Delivery Advisory Group members will lead the way as you engage in an open discussion to share input and ideas for future programs and initiatives.
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AIA Research Panelists Meetup
EV302 | 10-11am
Maybe you're one of the panelists who help make the Architecture Billings Index the leading economic indicator that accurately predicts nonresidential construction activity—or perhaps you've been part of the effort that has made the Home Design Trends Survey a recognized resource for trends in the home construction industry. Whether you’re one of AIA's esteemed research panelists or curious about the path to becoming one, this meetup offers you the chance to enjoy refreshments and a robust exchange of ideas.
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The Confluence of Government Economic Policy & Construction in 2023
EX405 | 10:30-11:30am | 1 LU
The last 18 months have witnessed the aftereffects of the unprecedented public largess that powered world economies through the COVID-19 pandemic. Since early 2022, public-sector leaders have been on a quest toward the normalization of the U.S. economy. Michael Guckes, senior economist for ConstructConnect, will discuss the impact that this quest is specifically having on the construction sector at present and what it could mean for the future.
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Firestopping Specifications: What Architects Need to Know
EX505 | 10:30-11:30am | 1 LU
According to the International Building Code, “construction documents shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of this code...as determined by the building official.” Failure to properly to do so can jeopardize life safety and property and result in serious liability. In this session, learn about the importance of firestopping specifications and leave with resources and solutions to help you with this work.
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Bridging Design & Collaboration
EX306 | 12-1pm | 1 LU
Benefits from BIM continue to expand as technology savvy firms bring it forward in their design process. Profitability and efficiency increase when a design-focused workflow supports immersive and collaborative technologies. Often, the typical design workflow does not capitalize on these elements. This session focuses on ways to break that cycle. Within the new normal of remote work, firms can improve communication, develop stunning presentations, and enhance building systems coordination within a single BIM platform.
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Sonrisa Downtown: Mass Timber Affordable Housing in Sacramento
LL907 | 1:30-2:30pm | 1 LU
Sonrisa is the first project under Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-06-19 for Affordable Housing Development, which directs the development of affordable housing on excess State-owned sites and the pursuit of sustainable, innovative, and cost-effective construction methods. Sonrisa is a five-story Type IIIB building with 58 LIHTC-regulated affordable apartments, a majority of which are 270 square foot microunits. While there were many cost increases for implementing the novel CLT system, the immeasurable benefits of environmental sustainability paired with the exposed warm wood and significantly higher ceiling height made it an easy choice. Sonrisa is the first ground-up CLT project in Sacramento and was developed through a public-private partnership between the Capitol Area Community Development Corporation (CACDC) and CFY Development.
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The True Cost of True Zero in Our Built Environment
FR102 | 2-3:30pm | 1.5 LUs/HSW
The real cost in achieving the significant shift and improvement in global greenhouse gas reduction and elimination for zero carbon must be viewed holistically and include alternative materials, lifecycle design effects, and global practices related to the built environment. Through an active and robust dialogue, panelists will share perspectives that shed light on the need for a broader unified network and connected data ecosystem, provide ways to effect change, and understand that the financial investment in sustainable materials is not always as great a burden as it’s perceived to be. (LO #4: Learn the social and ethical costs of construction-related activity from a global perspective and how to track and measure these costs.)
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All in the Details: New Approach to Energy Code Compliance
FR121 | 2-3:30pm | 1.5 LUs/HSW
Bridging the gap between complex energy regulations and the construction industry, this session leverages the potential of architectural details to communicate both the nuts and bolts of building while also elevating understanding throughout the many stakeholders involved in project delivery. The result is a win-win—more efficient project delivery for design professionals and increased building performance and code compliance. Hear the perspectives of a builder, an architect, and a building code consultant regarding the role of content and organization of construction documents in creating better outcomes for everyone, including the community at large.
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Enhanced Visualization & Reality Capture from a Bird’s Eye View
FR202 | 4-5pm | 1 LU
New technologies for visualization and reality capture are expanding what the architecture, engineering, and construction industry can do when assessing a site, which is an arduous task that often doesn’t capture the big picture or the small details. Photos and drawings offer a small glimpse of an overall site, but it can be challenging to visualize and understand how elements relate to one another. This panel of experts will discuss strategies for maximizing drone capabilities and technologies to enhance architectural lighting and security design and to visually communicate between design teams and clients.
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Saturday
Risk & Reward in the Era of Building Performance Standards
SA304 | 11:30-12:30pm | 1 LU
Building performance standards are underway in dozens of jurisdictions, requiring owners to assume lifetime accountability for building performance and carbon emissions. Architects can manage risk and reward under these new policies through contracts, project management, contract documents, and delivery process. This session will review suggested modifications to owner-architect and architect-consultant agreements, as well as Division 1 specifications and project management tools, and provide an overview of how these changes can provide a solid foundation for a more rigorous design and delivery process with more oversight on building performance outcomes.
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