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Who We Are

The mission of the AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) is to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. The objectives of the AIA SFx are three-fold:

1. Advocate the value of small firms, the national SFx, and local SFx groups, both within the AIA and to the public.

2. Curate and disseminate the most pertinent resources and information, from the AIA & elsewhere, that benefit small firms.

3. Inform the AIA of current issues facing small firms and areas in which current resources/information are lacking.

Approximately 75% of all firms within the AIA are small firms (less than 10 employees), which equates to 14,459 small firms within the organization.

~26.8% = sole practitioners = 5,173

~33.5% = 1-5 employees = 6,459

~14.7% = 5-10 employees = 2,827

For context, small firms share of staff is 16.0% and share of billings is 12.0%

We need to find ways to leverage that size for collaboration and influence, just like the individual large firms do.

   

  

Webinar: The Business Case for the 2030 Challenge

  • 1.  Webinar: The Business Case for the 2030 Challenge

    Posted 09-25-2014 12:50 PM

    Please Join PMKC and 2030 Commitment for our upcoming webinar!!!

    Thursday, October 16, 2014, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))

    DESCRIPTION:

    The value of pursuing the 2030 Challenge is providing sustainable buildings that enhance building performance and improve user productivity as a result of engaging energy modeling, daylighting modeling, and comfort modeling during the design process.  This session outlines how engaging the 2030 Commitment allows your firm to be more competitive in the market.  We will discuss how 2030 Challenge design metrics and tools inform design and how as one takes on the mantle and becomes a champion of the 2030 Commitment, he or she can translate that value added proposition to firm leadership, decision-makers, in-house design teams, and client stakeholders.  Whether delivering the message as an individual designer or as a design firm committed to the 2030 Challenge, you will leave with an enhanced ability to convey how greater value is brought to the project and the client through energy analysis, resulting in not only a reduction in energy consumption and lower building operations costs, but increased environmental quality.  Understanding that modeling results in a high quality design that improves user comfort and productivity, the session will provide participants the tools to facilitate the discussion of why an upfront investment in modeling and tracking energy metrics integral to the design process more than pays for itself in the product of the resultant building and site design, as well as the resultant operations performance of the completed building.

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After participating in this webinar attendees will:

    1. Acquire an understanding of where the design community is with 2030 Challenge goals.
    2. Adopt a framework for leveraging the 2030 Commitment to build long-lasting 'trusted-advisor' relationships with clients.
    3. Learn about updated 2030 Commitment design metrics and tools that inform the design process.
    4. Develop an outline of the value added proposition that can serve as an executive summary for firm leadership, decision-makers, in-house design teams, and client stakeholders to facilitate buy-in and support for investing project budget time that supports the 2030 Commitment.

    IDEAL AUDIENCE: This webinar is geared for both small and large firms with a growing expertise in integrated design practice looking to increase the impact and influence of their firm in the sustainable design industry.  The webinar is for both firms that are already a part of the 2030 Commitment looking to deepen their portfolio of projects and clients that support the 2030 Challenge, as well as firms interested in signing onto the 2030 Commitment that need to know more about how it will benefit their practice.

    PRESENTERS:

    Rico Quirindongo
    , AIA, is an architect with DLR Group who focuses on community design, social sustainability, and not-for-profits serving the public good. Rico believes that existing buildings provide a rich context for our daily lives and that maintenance of this building stock, both in preservation and in adaptive reuse, is the ultimate expression of a sustainable architecture and a critical component of a new green economy. Rico sat on the AIA+2030 national steering committee, a committee that has seen to it that 24 cities nationally are providing curriculum to help design teams and owners meet the 2030 Challenge.  Rico was recognized in 2011 by The Institute as a Citizen Architect on the Move.  Rico just completed a term as a member of the AIA National Communications Committee, was an Advisory Group member for AIA's Sustainability Scan, and was just awarded the AIA Seattle Young Architect Award in 2014.


     Premnath Sundharam is an architect with an engineering background and he is a passionate advocate for sustainable design and the aims of Architecture 2030. He is a Certified Energy Manager and a certified Building Energy Modeling Professional. Prem is an expert resource for energy modeling and sustainable design, and he plays a vital role on integrated project teams across the country. Prem is also a member of the DLR Group Practice Forum. In this role he champions the process of integrated design, energy modeling, and mastery of building information modeling (BIM) to design teams in Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson to produce high performance design solutions for clients in every market sector.

    Nathan Kipnis, AIA, LEED BD+C is the principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning, recognized as one of Chicago's premier green and sustainable architectural practices. Mr. Kipnis currently serves on the AIA's National 2030 Commitment Working Group as a small firm representative. The mission of the group is to take the aspirational goals of the 2030 Challenge and transition them to the reality of achieving tangible, strategically targeted, performance goals on every project that architects work on.




    This webinar is free for AIA members and $39.99 for non-members.
    This webinar is 1 LU.

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    Lynnea Garrett
    Manager, Knowledge Communities
    The American Institute of Architects
    Washington DC
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