Advocacy Update – October 2021

STATE NEWS

Washington’s Tax System Overhaul Committee Would Like Your Feedback
Are you fed up with Washington’s tax system? This is your opportunity to let legislators know what you’d like to see instead. The state’s Tax Structure Work Group, led by a bipartisan group of state legislators, is conducting outreach to the public for feedback on six potential scenarios to revise the state’s taxation system. The Work Group is conducting listening sessions for North and Central Puget Sound residents, including Seattle, on Wed. Oct. 27. There are two sessions to choose from, 2:30-4pm and 6:30-8pm). More info on the Town Hall is here. While the entire tax system is up for discussion, you can read more about the treatment of the B&O tax, which AIA is tracking, here.

SBCC Commercial Energy Code Proposals Move to Public Comment
This month the State Building Code Council voted to move its Energy Code Technical Advisory Group’s package of commercial energy code proposals forward for public comment. These include AIA-supported proposals to require heat pumps for heating and water heating. The comment period is not yet open; we will notify you when it is. For more information on these proposals, please contact the archtiect representative on the SBBC, Kjell Anderson.

LOCAL NEWS

Two Housing Bills Passed by the Seattle City Council
An update on two Seattle housing bills that we reported on previously: the City Council voted unanimously to change the name of the city’s single family zoning category to “Neighborhood Residential.” This change does not make actual changes to the existing zoning (any changes will be part of the 2024 Comp Plan Update), but it will set the stage for future action by more accurately reflecting the reality that currently exists in single family zones and pointing to a need for greater inclusivity in land use policy. The Council also voted to revise previously passed legislation that provides development bonuses for affordable housing on land owned by religious organizations. At the urging of Donald King FAIA, the Council agreed to change the target for projects to 80% AMI from 60% AMI. Black churches in particular argued that the lower AMI threshold left them unable to participate in the program because only large developers can secure the major grants and federal tax grants needed to develop them. AIA supported both bills.

King County Council Considers Climate Legislation
King County’s Council is considering several items related to climate this month:

C-PACER: two years ago AIA worked at the state level to pass authorizing legislation to allow Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy & Resilience (C-PACER) financing programs. These private loans, administered as a lien on the property by a county, provide funding for building owners to perform deep energy and resilience-related retrofits. Importantly, these liens stay with the building when sold and not the owner, so the loans do not show up on an owner’s books. Each Washington county must authorize its own C-PACER program, and King County’s will provide critical financing for building improvements.

Green Building Ordinance Update: the King County Council is considering legislation to update the County’s 2013 Green Building Ordinance per its Strategic Climate Action Plan. The ordinance applies to King County-owned or -financed capital projects. The update places greater emphasis on equity and social justice in sustainable development; affirms the County’s carbon neutrality goals; and promotes green building in the private sector. More info here.

Building Code Update – Energy: King County has developed proposed updates to its building code to include stronger energy provisions based on Seattle’s recent energy code update. The changes are for new commercial or multifamily (4 stories or higher) buildings in unincorporated areas. Key improvements include restricting electric resistance and disallowing fossil fuel heating; requiring heat pump water heating; requiring 10% higher efficiency for lighting and windows; and eliminating substandard building envelopes.

The C-PACER and Green Building ordinances will be up for consideration in committee on Oct. 27. The Building Code update will likely be considered longer-term. If you are interested in reaching out to your King County Councilmember on any of these issues, please let Kirsten know.

Seattle Dept. of Construction and Inspections Updates
DADU Addresses: SDCI is now establishing separate, regular addresses and building numbers for detached accessory dwelling units. More info

Plan Review: SDCI announced that it will implement a new plan review process using the Bluebeam software application. The department plans to stop sending standard letter-based corrections for plan reviews and begin providing marked-up documents created with Bluebeam.

OPPORTUNITIES

AIA Seattle Housing Policy Statement
AIA’s Housing Task Force and Public Policy Board have been updating our 2019 Housing Policy Statement. Once approved by the Board of Directors, this statement will guide our work on local and regional housing policy and policy-oriented programming. We are looking for member feedback on the draft statement. You may review the document here; please send your comments to Kirsten.

Seattle Design Commission Seeks an Architect Member
The Seattle Design Commission is looking for an architect member. The Commission reviews city-funded capital projects and projects that seek long-term or permanent use of a right of way. Commissioners typically serve 15 hours a month in meetings that occur during the day. Commissioners receive a small stipend for their time. For more information, contact Michael Jenkins, Executive Director of The Seattle Design Commission, Michael.Jenkins@seattle.gov.

AIA|WA Advocacy Training
AIA Washington Council’s free Advocacy in Action series aims to turn you into an architect advocate on any issue that is important to you. It is designed for emerging professionals and students, but everyone is welcome. In this 3-part webinar (Nov. 4, 11, 18 | 12-1pm), you will discover how to navigate policy discussions in Olympia and elsewhere, build relationships with your elected representatives, and participate in AIA’s policy efforts. LU credits are provided.

Associates: Apply to join AIA National’s Associates Committee
AIA Washington Council is seeking candidates for appointment to serve as Washington’s State Representative to the AIA National Associates Committee (NAC) for a 2-year term. The NAC represents associates, in both traditional and non-traditional paths, by providing information and leadership to AIA components. The NAC representative will be involved in addressing local and national issues and will help to shape and dictate new policy. The appointed representative will also become an AIA|WA Board Associate and ex-officio member of the AIA|WA Board of Directors for the duration of their NAC term. Applications are due November 30, 2021. More information, including qualifications and how to apply, is available here.

EVENTS

AIA’s Public Policy Board Presents: Seattle Housing Policy Update
Seattle needs more housing, and fast. What is on the city’s short- and long-term housing agenda as we enter this pivotal period in our city? Join us for a review of current initiatives and a discussion of what’s missing and how AIA Seattle can help drive the agenda. Oct. 26 @ noon. More info.

AIA Seattle Committee Meetings
AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force meets monthly via Zoom on the second Thursday of each month at noon. All are welcome. For info on how to access the meeting, contact Kirsten.

Bellevue City Council Candidates Forum
Bellevue residents: the Housing Development Consortium (AIA is a member) is hosting an Affordable Housing Forum with Bellevue city council candidates on October 25, 3-4 pm.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Design Review Reform

*This page is not intended for your reference, not the public – please do not forward the link*

Seattle Design Review Coalition Documents

Seattle for Everyone issue page

Seattle Design Review recommendations 7/21

Design Review talking points for budget hearings 10/21

Statement of legislative intent (Strauss) 9/21

Posted in Uncategorized

AHC Call for Board Members 2021

White text on purple background: Architecture for Health Committee

The Architecture for Health Committee is pleased to open the call for new members to its board. The committee is seeking two replacements this year:

Architect member from Washington
Affiliate member from Oregon

Architect Board Member Thane Eddington and Affiliate Board Member Anthony Morton will be completing their terms this year. We thank them for their considerable contributions and years of generous service!

AHC Board Structure and Terms

The AHC Board consists of five Architects and two Affiliate Members from Washington and Oregon.

Architect Board Member Requirements

Practicing member of an architectural professional firm in the State of Washington
AIA Member
Licensure is not required (committee requirement of three licensed professionals has been met by remaining board members)
5-year term commitment beginning on January 1, 2022

Affiliate Member Requirement

Practicing member in a healthcare design and construction field in the State of Oregon
Open to engineers, contractors, interior designers, vendors, Owner’s representatives, or similar
2-year term commitment beginning on January 1, 2022

Architect members cycle through the leadership positions during their tenure. Affiliate members do not cycle through the leadership positions but serve in an advisory role and are actively involved in planning and organizing AHC meetings throughout their tenure.

AHC Board Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the board include establishing educational topics, planning programs, arranging for venues and speakers, moderating programs and outreach to professionals and academic communities in the Northwest region.

Programs are held three times a year, including co-sponsorship of the AIA Seattle Medical Design Forum in February. Board meetings are held virtually on a monthly basis.

Application

If you are interested in serving on the AHC Board, please send an email expressing your interest in a position and include a brief description of your background in healthcare design to Connor Descheemaker connord@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud by noon on Friday October 8, 2021. The current board will review applications and make selections at their next scheduled meeting on October 15, 2020.

If you are selected, you must be available for our annual all day board retreat in early December. Note: we anticipate this will occur virtually.

Posted in Uncategorized

AHC: Call for For Fall 2021 Conference Lightning Talks

OVERVIEW

This year’s AIA AHC Fall Event includes two days of virtual interdisciplinary presentations, design case studies, and conversations continuing the theme of resiliency in design and construction, while maintaining our focus on emotional well-being and mental health for all occupants. How we can overcome obstacles and challenges inherent in wholistic and resilient design in healthcare environments? On November 4th and 5th we welcome AEC and healthcare professionals to join us at this dynamic program.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

The AHC Fall Event audience includes: Architects, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, Healthcare Practitioners and Policymakers, Facility Owners/Managers, Urban Designers and Planners, and Public Health Professionals. The planning task force welcomes emerging professionals to the program, as their partnership is central to defining a sustainable future.

CALL FOR LIGHTNING TALK PRESENTATIONS

Submission Deadline: October 6, 2021

We seek to convene a series of short “lightning” talk presentations (think PechaKucha format) that will deepen the audience’s understanding of current research and design innovations driving towards a focus on:

Resiliency: humanistic
Resiliency: built environment
Resiliency: natural environment
Disaster preparedness
Infrastructure innovation
Wholistic healthcare environments

Lightning Talks are an opportunity to share ideas and concepts under development and pushing the bounds of convention. We welcome a diversity of proposals from a variety of disciplines deploying design thinking to build a brighter future and strongly encourage emerging professionals and young designers to propose.

PRESENTATION TOPICS

Proposals should specifically address innovation in the context of healthcare or healthcare environments. Possible subtopics are included below, but the list is not comprehensive, and should not limit submitters.

Innovative planning or design strategies that support healthy communities
Processes or techniques that integrate disaster preparedness into design (eg. wildfire, earthquakes, active shooter, pandemic).
Methodologies for measuring and monitoring care during construction.
Integrating mental health of patient care providers in design.
Integration and innovation in the natural environment supporting healthcare
Aging infrastructure, system redundancy, and the level of resiliency required.
Integrating wellness technology into patient care and staff care.

PRESENTATION FORMAT

Lightning talk presentations are short and should be no more than seven (7) minutes in length. Inspired by PechaKucha’s concise format, presentations must limit their slides (number of slides may vary), and set them to advance automatically.

Standard audio, visual, and digital media will be supported.

Presenters must submit their final PowerPoint presentation files to AHC no later than 5:00pm PST on Thursday, October 28. A PowerPoint template will be provided in advance, and late presentations will not be accepted.

We encourage presenters to use the following questions as a guide to prepare their short talks:

WHAT is the INNOVATION that your lightning talk will focus on? Is it a process, a tool, a product, a space, an interaction, etc.?
WHY the innovation? Identify the problem or challenge that prompted the innovation.
HOW was the innovation developed, tested, implemented in the context of healthcare environments?
WHO were the stakeholders in research, funding, implementation, etc.? Who was impacted by the innovation? Who was required to embrace the change and/or assume the risks?

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SELECTION PROCESS

Lightning talk proposals will be evaluated by the AIA Seattle AHC Board Members with AIA staff. Successful proposals will:

Align with the event theme and objectives
Deepen audience understanding of a particular design innovation
Offer fresh insight and relevant information through the combination of words and visuals

Speakers should be able to effectively communicate messages to a variety of audience members. While relevant examples of innovation projects can be used for presentation (and credit given to the appropriate individuals/teams), the lightning talk sessions are not a platform for marketing a person or firm’s portfolio, services, or, strategies. Preference will be given to proposals by emerging professionals and young designers.

SUBMISSION PROCESS + KEY DATES

Please complete the submission form by 5:00pm on October 6, 2021. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Schedule and Deadlines

September 20, 2021: Call for lightning talks goes out
October 6, 2021: Proposals due
October 18, 2021: Acceptances issued
October 28, 2021: Final PowerPoint presentations due to AHC Committee
November 4 or 5, 2021: Presentations at 2021 AIA AHC Fall Event: Resiliency Through Physical Design, 8am – 12pm both days. NOTE: Exact date and time of presentation TBD pending finalization of conference schedule.

Registration

Free registration is offered to all presenters who want to attend the 2-day AIA AHC Spring Event. Please be advised that presenters will be responsible for any expenses incurred.

Inquiries

Please address any questions to:

Architecture for Health Committee

Fall Event Committee

AHCchairs@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Click here for full application and details **same as link above**

Posted in Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – September 2021

STATE NEWS

Washington’s Tax System Overhaul Under Discussion
Washington has a multi-year Tax Structure Work Group led by a bipartisan group of legislators and charged with researching, evaluating, and conducting public outreach around developing a new state taxation system that is not the most regressive in the nation. (Legislation is not expected to be considered until 2023.) AIA has been following this process closely with respect to the B&O. The Work Group has now released actual tax system overhaul scenarios with varying combinations of taxes. Two of these scenarios would leave the B&O unchanged; four would replace it with a new tax or combination of taxes. More info on the scenarios is here.

AIA member input is needed. Getting the tax right from the beginning will be critical for architecture firms. Please consider providing input in one or both of the following ways:

Send AIA|WA your initial thoughts on the alternative taxes by the Work Group. Although we do not yet have much information on each proposal, your initial thoughts will be helpful in guiding AIA’s path forward.
AIA Task Force: AIA is putting together a workgroup of architects and firms willing to review the tax proposals more closely and identify a preferred alternative(s) by architects. If you or your firm is interested in participating, please contact Kirsten.
The state’s Tax Structure Work Group is conducting listening sessions on its proposed scenarios across the state – and input from architects is critical. Consider taking part in one of the 90-minute sessions.

State Contractor COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
A reminder that all contractors working onsite at projects for state agencies, medical facilities, or in educational settings must provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status per Gov. Inslee’s vaccine mandate by Oct. 18. More info is available from AIA Washington Council here.

LOCAL NEWS

Legislation to Rename Seattle’s Single Family Zones Moves Through Council
Legislation to rename Seattle’s single family zoning category from “Single Family” to “Neighborhood Residential” will be voted on at a Sept. 24th City Council Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee meeting. This legislation does not make actual changes to the existing zoning (any changes will be part of the 2024 Comp Plan Update), but it will set the stage for future action by more accurately reflecting the reality that currently exists in single family zones and pointing to a need for greater inclusivity in land use policy. Please consider emailing your councilmember in support: more info here.

Seattle City Council Considers Revised Legislation for Affordable Housing on Land Owned by Religious Organizations
In July, the City Council passed and Mayor Jenny Durkan signed legislation to allow religious institutions to access additional development capacity when they redevelop their properties for long-term rent- and income-restricted affordable housing. Donald King FAIA and the UW’s Renée Chang FAIA publicly argued that this change eliminated the ability of the Black churches that are working with the Nehemiah Initiative to utilize the program because projects at 60% AMI are so financially perilous that only large developers can secure the major grants and federal tax grants to develop them. Thanks to strong outreach by Donald and his coalition, the Council is taking the unprecedented step of considering new legislation to return to the original policy of 80% AMI. That legislation is up for a vote by the full Council on Monday, Sept. 27. Please consider emailing your councilmember in support: more info here.

AIA Seattle Coalition Releases Design Review Recommendations
AIA Seattle is participating in a coalition working to identify recommendations for reforming Seattle’s Design Review process. The list, containing a range of administrative and legislative changes, was recently released to the public. If you have comments, please let Kirsten know.

2020 ADU Production Report Released
Seattle’s Office of Planning & Community Development and Department of Construction & Inspections released a report on the first year of ADU production under new rules passed in 2019. The city issued permits for 237 AADUs and 276 DADUs in 2020, an increase of 53% and 112%, respectively, over units permitted in 2019. AIA would like to know what trends our members are seeing in terms of ADU design, permitting, and construction. Please send any comments to Kirsten.

OPPORTUNITIES

AIA Seattle Housing Policy Statement
AIA’s Housing Task Force and Public Policy Board have been updating our 2019 Housing Policy Statement. Once approved by the Board of Directors, this statement will guide AIA’s work on local and regional housing policy and policy-oriented programming. We are looking for member feedback on the draft statement. You may review the document here; please send your comments to Kirsten.

Seattle Public Schools Clean Energy Task Force
In February, AIA Seattle supported a Seattle Public Schools Board resolution on transitioning the district away from fossil fuels, which passed. Now, the District is organizing the Superintendent’s Clean Energy Task Force to help chart a path to: 1) transition the district away from fossil fuel use for operations by 2040; and 2) transition to 100% carbon-free renewable energy. If you are interested in helping to move Seattle Schools forward on clean energy, apply to join the Task Force by Oct. 8. More info here.

Seattle Budget School
Seattle’s annual budget process kicks off on Sept. 29, with the mayor and councilmembers identifying and negotiating priorities for the coming year. You can learn more about the budget process and how citizens can have an impact from Omari Salisbury of Converge and Kevin Schofield of Seattle City Council Insight via their YouTube series. Episode 1 – What is the Budget? and Episode 2 – Budget and the Law are available now. Look for more episodes soon.

MISC.

Check out AIA Seattle member David Mead’s video for the AIA Film Challenge. It’s time to MAKE IT ZERO!

EVENTS

Climate Advocacy Action – King County Energy Code
Climate Advocacy Action is back to provide support for local energy codes aimed at getting fossil fuels out of buildings. The 2021 edition will focus on King County’s effort to update its energy code for commercial and large multifamily buildings. King County’s changes will be similar to but slightly different than the Seattle Energy Code update that was the subject of last year’s Climate Advocacy Week. We’re looking for AIA members who live in King County and are willing to join a group meeting with their King County Councilmember. We’ll provide background info, talking points, and a group prep session. We’ll also be hosting a webinar with King County sustainability staff for those who want to learn more about the process.

If you don’t know who your King Council Councilmember is, this is a great way to find out!

Climate Advocacy Action Webinar: Oct. 12 @ noon
King County Councilmember meetings: October-November
More info or RSVP here.

2021 Seattle Elections: Candidate Forums

Housing Development Consortium: Affordable Housing
AIA Seattle members are invited to attend the Housing Development Consortium’s Seattle Candidate Forum on Affordable Housing on Sept. 28^th at 4pm. This forum will cover the mayoral race as well as Council positions 8 and 9. More info and RSVP here.

Seattle Times + We Are In: The 2021 Homelessness Debates
Seattle mayoral candidates Bruce Harrell and M. Lorena González will engage in a 1-hour debate starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Candidates running for Metropolitan King County Council District 3, Seattle City Attorney and Seattle City Council position 9. Thursday, Sept. 30 @ 5:30 pm. Register here.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Seattle’s City Council Takes a New Look at Policy for Affordable Housing on Property Owned by Religious Organizations

Background
Earlier this year, in compliance with state legislation (HB 1377) passed in 2019, the Seattle City Council passed and Mayor Jenny Durkan signed legislation to allow religious institutions to access additional development capacity when they redevelop their property for long-term rent- and income-restricted affordable housing.

The state law requires such projects to target households at a maximum of 80% AMI (area mean income), but it allows local governments to lower that threshold. The City Council passed an amendment to the bill that lowered the threshold to 60% AMI – so that projects housing households at 61-80% AMI would not receive the development bonuses.

Concerns by Black Churches
Donald King FAIA and the UW’s Renée Chang FAIA publicly argued that this change eliminates the ability of the Black churches that are working with the Nehemiah Initiative to utilize the program because projects at 60% AMI are so financially perilous that only large developers can secure the major grants and federal tax grants to develop them.

Thanks to strong outreach by Donald and a coalition of churches and other organizations, the Council is taking the unprecedented step of considering legislation to return to the original policy of 80% AMI. That legislation is up for a vote by the full Council meeting on Monday, Sept. 27.

Outreach to Councilmembers Needed
If you live in Seattle, please consider sending an email to your councilmember asking them to support this legislation. You can send a separate email to Councilmembers Lorena González and Teresa Mosqueda, who represent the entire city, or just copy them on the email to your district councilmember.

Note that Councilmembers Mosqueda and Dan Strauss are the sponsors of this new legislation, so they will vote yes. If you live in Councilmember Strauss’ district, you are welcome to send an email thanking him for his leadership on this issue.

Here’s how:

You can find email addresses here. (Phone calls are also fine.)
Start your email by telling the councilmember(s) where you live (your neighborhood) and asking that they vote yes on CB 120157.
Tell them why passing this bill is important to you or to the city. AIA is focusing its comments around the need for BIPOC communities to be able to control their own development projects. You can see AIA’s and NOMA NW’s letter on the original legislation here and read Donald King’s letter on the current legislation from the Nehemiah Initiative here.
This can be very brief! “Please vote yes on CB 120157” is actually sufficient.

Emails should be sent by Sept. 26.

That’s it! It can be very brief. If you have questions, please reach out to Kirsten.

Thank you!

Posted in Advocacy

Housing Advocacy: Neighborhood Residential

Legislation to rename Seattle’s single family zoning category from “Single Family” to “Neighborhood Residential” will be voted on at a Sept. 24th Land Use & Neighborhoods City Council Committee meeting. This legislation does not make actual changes to the existing zoning (any changes will be part of the Comp Plan Update), but it will set the stage for future action by more accurately reflecting the reality that currently exists in single family zones and pointing to a need for greater inclusivity in land use policy.

Importantly, changing single family zoning does not mean getting rid of single family homes. It means getting rid of a zoning category that only allows single family homes and prohibits duplexes/triplexes/etc. and smaller multi-family in most residential neighborhoods.

What you can do
Outreach to committee members is needed Sept. 20-23. The legislation will be discussed at a public hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 22 and will be voted on by the committee on Friday, Sept. 24.

It’s as easy as sending an email
Please send an email to your councilmember (as well as Councilmember Gonzalez, who represents the entire city) asking them to support CB 120155 in the Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee this week. You can also call if you prefer.

Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee Members
4 – Alex Pedersen
5 – Debra Juarez
6 – Dan Strauss
7 – Andrew Lewis
At large – Teresa Mosqueda (Mosqueda is sponsoring the legislation and will be a yes)
At large – Lorena González

*If your councilmember is not on the committee, we’ll ask you to weigh in a bit later, as this legislation is expected to go to the full Council for final approval on Oct. 4.

Messaging
The email can be very brief! Start with where you live (your neighborhood) and ask that they vote yes on CB 120155 in the Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee this week.

Tell them why this change is important to you, which could include:

Our existing residential zoning categories are based on historical redlining policies that intentionally excluded people of color. It is important that we reverse this policy, and this legislation starts to do that, even if in name only.
Existing zoning is not currently single family only even if it is called that. ADU and DADU units were authorized three years ago to be added to single family parcels. Grandfathered in apartment buildings and ‘plexes also exist in these zones.
The upcoming Comp Plan Update is the most critical in our city’s history. This change sets the stage for that process by acknowledging that we need to increase housing opportunity and inclusivity in our land use policies.
“Single family” doesn’t accurately or inclusively reflect the diverse households that exist across Seattle—multigenerational households, group households, and multiple families living on a single parcel are all not reflected in this terminology.
Add your own!

Public Comment
The opportunity to provide 2-minute public comment via phone is available at both meetings (Sept. 22 and Sept. 24) – if you are interested, contact Kirsten for more info.

If you need help or have any questions, please reach out to Kirsten.

Thank you for taking the time to engage in advocacy on this important issue – your input makes a difference!

Posted in Advocacy, Housing, Public Policy Board

Climate News Roll

AUGUST 2021

AIA Media Outreach
In the wake of the “heat dome,” The Everett Herald ran an op-ed by AIA Seattle Board Member Michael Stevens AIA of Dykeman Architects about the use of heat pumps as a climate-friendly way to cool and heat homes. This was particularly timely in light of the August release of a long-anticipated and particularly damning U.N. scientific report on climate change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

FEBRUARY 2021

Seattle Schools Chart Path to Fossil Fuel Free
In February, Seattle Public Schools became the first school district in Washington to pass a resolution to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2040 by eliminating all use of fossil fuels in district electricity, heating, cooling, cooking, and transportation. The school board also resolved to halt constructing new buildings with fossil fuel infrastructure immediately, to choose electric and other clean appliances for any major renovations and replacements, and to prioritize zero-emission vehicles where feasible for any new vehicle purchases. AIA Seattle sent the School Board a letter in support of the resolution.

FEBRUARY 2020

Mayor Issues Executive Order on a Green New Deal for Seattle
In January, Mayor Durkan signed an Executive Order committing Seattle to making sure that all new or substantially altered City of Seattle buildings operate without fossil fuels and developing a strategy to eliminate fossil fuel use in existing city buildings by January 2021. The Executive Order also requires annual Green New Deal reports through 2030 and directs the Office of Sustainability & Environment to engage stakeholders to achieve the following goals of the Green New Deal:

Reduce pollution to limit average global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C;
Promote economic opportunity and inclusive access to stable, well-paying jobs; and
Advance environmental justice by ensuring the benefits and investments of the clean energy transition accrue to those communities and populations historically most burdened by the fossil fuel economy.

AIA Seattle applauds these moves and hopes that the city’s actions will help further work to address emissions from privately-owned buildings, including a ban on new gas hookups that is currently being considered by the City Council.

JANURARY 2020

Durkan Announces an Electric Municipal Building Directive
This month Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan signed an executive order that will require all new and substantially altered city buildings to operate without fossil fuels and direct the city to develop a strategy to eliminate fossil fuel use in existing city buildings by January 2021. Last year, the City Council passed a Green New Deal resolution that said Seattle would seek to eliminate climate pollutants in the city by 2030. This order instructs the Office of Sustainability and Environment to convene an interdepartmental team, start work on various Green New Deal actions, and engage with stakeholders. AIA Seattle members will participate in this process and are currently participating on a City Council workgroup aimed at passing legislation to ban gas hookups in new buildings. This legislation was proposed by former councilmember Mike O’Brien last fall and stakeholders are working with new and remaining councilmembers to find a new legislative champion. Bellingham is also considering a ban on natural gas for residential heating.

NOVEMBER 2019

Natural Gas Ban
A group of AIA Seattle members met with Councilmember Mike O’Brien and a larger group of stakeholders to discuss the electrification of buildings and their work on successful projects that were built without gas. O’Brien is sponsoring legislation to ban gas hookups in new buildings, but the proposal has received significant pushback from labor groups. It is unlikely to pass in the time remaining and, given O’Brien’s retirement, it will need to find a new champion in 2020.

SEPTEMBER 2019

Climate Legislation Moves Through Council
The Seattle City Council acted on legislation related to climate change, including the tax on heating oil and the Seattle Green New Deal reported on last month. The full Council previously passed a resolution outlining goals for the Green New Deal and, on Sept. 16, passed an ordinance establishing an Oversight Board to recommend policies, projects, and programs based on the goals outlined in the resolution. The full City Council passed the legislation to tax heating oil and help low-income households convert to electricity on Sept. 23. In addition, the Council’s Sustainability and Transportation Committee has been holding hearings on legislation to prohibit new gas hook-ups in all new buildings permitted after July 1, 2020. AIA Seattle’s Public Policy Board approved support for all of these initiatives with clarification that we would like to see the Green New Deal goals prioritized according to how much each will reduce carbon emissions. Individuals interested in joining the Seattle for a Green New Deal effort can find more info here.

AUGUST 2019

Seattle Passes Local Green New Deal Resolution
Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien introduced a resolution laying out the agenda for a Green New Deal for Seattle and an ordinance creating a Green New Deal Oversight Board. The resolution endorses the Federal Green New Deal and identifies five goals for a Seattle Green New Deal:

Make Seattle free of pollutants that have climate impacts by 2030;
Prioritize investments most harmed by economic, racial, and environmental injustices;
Advance an equitable transition from an extraction-based economy to one based on “regeneration and cooperation;”
Ensure that those with the least amount of power and wealth are positioned to lead during the transition;
Create stable, living-wage jobs that prioritize local hiring, and protect jobs with Project Labor Agreements and Labor Harmony Agreements.

Specific initiatives can be reviewed in the resolution text. The resolution was fast-tracked through the Council process and was approved by the full Council on Aug. 12. The ordinance was reviewed at the Aug. 6 Sustainability and Transportation Committee meeting and will be revisited by that committee at a future meeting. AIA Seattle has generally supported the Green New Deal at both the national and local scales.

Seattle Proposes Speeding Up Oil to Electric Heating Conversions
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a plan to speed up the conversion of homes that burn oil for heat to cleaner electric heating as part of the city’s 2018 Seattle Climate Strategy. The Mayor is expected to send the City Council legislation this month that would impose a tax on heating oil and require heating oil tank owners to decommission or upgrade all existing underground oil tanks by 2028. Revenue from the tax will provide rebates and grants for Seattle homeowners to install energy efficient electric heat pumps. Although AIA Seattle has not weighed in on this specific proposal, we have supported this concept as part of our work with Shift Zero to move Washington closer to a zero net carbon built environment.

NOVEMBER 2019

OCTOBER 2018

OSE Issues Benchmark Report
The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment released a new benchmarking analysis report to update trends from energy performance data reported to the City from 2014-2016. The report highlights key building energy and emissions metrics for the 3,300 benchmarked buildings and reveals that continuously benchmarked buildings have reduced emissions, saved money, and improved performance over time. AIA supports funding for energy benchmarking at both the city and state levels.

SEPTEMBER 2018

AIA Supports I-1631
Both AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council have endorsed I-1631, the November ballot measure initiative to put a fee on carbon and reinvest the funds into projects that will reduce carbon communities and assist heavily impacted communities. Here are some ways to get involved:

AIA Seattle Phone Bank
AIA Seattle is hosting an I-1631 phone bank for volunteers who would like to help solicit support for the initiative. The campaign will provide phone numbers and talking points, and we’ll be calling fellow citizens to encourage their support. Wednesday, Oct. 10, 6-8:30 pm (attend anytime); pizza provided.

Support I-1631 Signs for Your Firm
AIA Seattle has “This Business Supports Clean Air” window signs in support if the I-1631 carbon fee ballot measure available for any members or firms that would like one. Signs can be picked up at our office at the Center for Architecture & Design, 1010 Western Ave., Seattle. Hours are 10-6, Monday-Thursday and 10-5 Friday.

JULY 2018

Seattle 2030 Challenge Pilot Program
The Seattle City Council and Mayor Jenny Durkan enacted legislation creating the 2030 Challenge Pilot Program in July. The Pilot will provide up to two additional floors and a 25% floor area ratio bonus (30% for unreinforced masonry buildings) in exchange for major renovation projects meeting the performance goals of the 2030 Challenge for energy usage, water management and transportation. For more information, see the city’s Pilot Program website.

APRIL 2018

Mayor Jenny Durkan Announces Climate Priorities
AIA Seattle Executive Director Lisa Richmond joined Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan as she announced short- and long-term actions to achieve benchmarks laid out in the Paris Climate Accord. Her proposal to study congestion pricing in downtown Seattle received the most attention, but Durkan also identified plans to require electric charging stations in new construction, phase out fossil fuels in city vehicles and fund the conversion of 18,000 homes from oil heat to electric. She called out building energy use as the second largest source of climate emissions, repeating a previous commitment to a 20-building pilot project that will offer additional height and space incentives for energy use upgrades and announcing the expansion of Seattle City Light’s pay-for-performance energy efficiency program to encourage building owners to invest in deep energy upgrades. Durkan also pledged to double previous funding to cut energy use and carbon emissions in municipal buildings.

MARCH 2018

AIA Letter to Mayor Durkan on Climate
In response to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s comments on climate as part of her State of the City address in February, AIA sent Durkan a letter thanking her for making climate change a priority of her administration, emphasizing the importance of policies that encourage high-performing buildings and stressing the need to include climate issues on all City department agendas.

Posted in Uncategorized

Welcome to Melissa K. Neher – Our New Executive Director!

Melissa is from upstate NY, and from a small town start has lived all over the world, including London, Japan, Chicago, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Sydney. Melissa and her family made Seattle home in 2009, embracing the natural beauty, outdoor lifestyle and community values of a thriving region.

Melissa has decades of experience in nonprofit leadership as a problem solver. She began her career as a social worker for adults with physical disabilities, realizing early on that systemic inequity was the underlying cause of most of the challenges her clients faced. Melissa sought systemic solutions through advocacy by attending law school. As a social justice lawyer, Melissa advocated for underserved and marginalized communities, including asylum seekers and migrant workers.

Melissa witnessed firsthand the transformative power of the built environment when a legal clinic she co-founded received a donation of space for their work with asylum seekers. More than just a safe place for vulnerable people, the space became a place to make connections and build community. Before her time at Architects Without Borders Seattle, Melissa secured support for Refugee Women’s Alliance’s (ReWA’s) expanded flagship facility in Rainier Valley for immigrant and refugee populations at a time when such communities were disproportionately impacted by regressive federal policies.

Melissa enjoys working side by side with architects as problem solvers and community builders, and is dedicated to and excited to lead the combined vision of AIA Seattle and Seattle Design Festival’s culture of design that fosters equitable, resilient, thriving communities. She views climate change as an urgent social justice issue, and AIA Seattle as a leader for advocacy and responsible action in the sphere of the built environment.

Please join us in welcoming Melissa to the organization! We are excited to be working alongside Melissa, as we navigate a “new normal” in our region and profession. She will have a running start implementing our new five year strategic plan, supporting the board of directors and managing a dedicated and resilient staff. Together we will continue to bring members the programs, resources, and connections they need to thrive, and continue our collective work on our strategic imperatives: Climate, Housing, and Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.

Sincerely,
Myer Harrell AIA
President ’21-22
Weber Thompson

Brendan Connolly AIA
Past-President ’20-21
Mithun

Marisa H. Zylkowski

Past-President, Seattle Design Festival ’20-21

Rushing

Melissa K. Neher’s pronouns are she/her. She begins her time with AIA Seattle + Seattle Design Festival today, September 13. She received her BA in Public Relations with a minor in Art History from James Madison University, and her Juris Doctorate from University of San Diego School of Law where she was a lead articles editor for San Diego Law Review and received the Outstanding Public Interest Advocate award. Melissa can be contacted via email and phone number listed on our staff page.

Posted in Design In Public, For the Profession, For the Public

Career Ladder Webinar

Asian American Designers Union (AADU) is a committee that was established under AIA Seattle earlier this year. Conceived as a support system that connects, empowers, and advocates for Asian American designers here in the Seattle area, AADU assists in promoting diversity and equality within the architecture and design industry, and connects professionals from different industries, within the US and abroad, to foster relationships and shared experiences.

As the first discussion of a new series hosted by AADU-S, Career Ladder which will be held virtually on September 29th, from 12- 1:00 pm, invites Asian American designers and other designers in leadership positions to share their experiences and career insights with students, recent graduates, as well as young and seasoned professionals. Acknowledging the intersectionality of all our experiences and struggles, the event welcomes the voices and stories of all members of the architecture and design community. We are hoping that this will be a space to reconnect designers and professionals within our communities, to advocate for the Asian American presence and experience in the design industry, and to render a better understanding of the influences that diverse Asian cultures have had on architectural approach and practice.

Panelists:

Alex Rolluda | Owner | Rolluda Architects

Chi Aoyama | Associate Principal | Mithun

Grace Kim | Founding Principal | Schemata Workshop

Hui Tian | Owner | Studio 19 Architects

Moderator:

Kailin Wang | AADU-S

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Posted in Asian American Design Union, Uncategorized

Day of Dialogue: Design for Early Learning

Over four segments, this year’s Day of Dialogue will provide a forum for leading-edge thinking around the design of spaces for early learning, with a focus on the impact these spaces have on the child, educator, family and community. Where do our youngest children spend their days, and how can these spaces designed to foster children’s learning, health, social interaction and happiness? How can kids’ and families’ early learning experiences be made more equitable and inclusive? How can we include delight, wonder, play, and access to the natural world in every space designed for young children?

REGISTER HERE!!

The symposium seeks to:

· Cultivate relationships between design professionals and early childhood education professionals, with an eye toward closing the distance between design thinking and pedagogy.

· Use design to foster increased inclusion and resilience in our facilities

Presentations and discussions will allow attendees to examine new ideas and perhaps even challenge long-held beliefs. Short videos will provide a brief break mid-session, and highlight some of the region’s exemplary programs and spaces. A post-symposium program will create and fund partnerships between design professionals and early learning practitioners to foster continued cross-field dialogue.

Participation will benefit those working in the following areas: early learning program design and administration, child development, public policy, social services, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture.

Outcomes/Learning Goals include:

· Recognition of the importance of healthy spaces for children, educators and families

· Engagement with appropriate materials and effective uses of space for early learning

· Review of child development as it relates to facility design

· Increased design responsiveness to identity, equity and cultural context

· Development of interdisciplinary connections and partnerships between educators and design professionals

REGISTER HERE!!

Schedule and Themes:

Monday, September 13, 2021 8-10 AM Design Thinking: Common Language

We will ground the symposium in thoughts about how intention, planning and design thinking can benefit all users of a space, and how kids, parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and the community will do better if the spaces they all use are well-designed. We introduce the link we want to foster between professionals in early learning and architecture; invite Diane and Alissa to discuss the origins of this idea; and talk with the panel about fostering empathy, flexibility, and impact through design. Finally we preview the last session, which will focus on including kids in the design process and creating a common language for collaboration.

Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 8-10 AM Design Lens: Welcoming ALL Kids and Families

Inclusion has many facets in early learning, both explicit and implicit. As with many aspects of our daily lives, early learning spaces need to sharpen their focus on welcoming all children and their families, and on the process by which all voices are heard. And at a larger scale, we must ensure that ALL families – and all members of those families – have access to excellent resources during early childhood. We will consider the role of practitioners, administrators, parents and designers in the development of environments that allow for equitable participation by members of diverse communities.

Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 4-6 PM Design Lens: Resilient People, Places and Programs

Resilience is important at all scales. Facilities and programs must be designed to ensure that their facilities, operations and financial models are resilient and sustainable. Resilience must also be cultivated in individuals, in families and in classrooms. This past year has highlighted our ability (or lack thereof) to pivot, to be nimble, to cultivate agility. What does it mean to design for resilience? What do spaces for young children look like when they are created with agility and flexibility in mind? What factors test our resilience, and how can we support each other as we prepare for the next challenges?

Saturday, September 18, 2021, 10 AM-noon Design Partnerships

As we prepare to connect designers and early learning professionals, we will turn our attention to partnerships. We will consider partnerships that include the adults who lead and manage learning environments, as well as designers, builders, agencies, foundations, cities, counties, state governments, and of course the children themselves. We will touch on the process of building partnerships, engaging design teams, and infusing everything you do with your mission, vision, values and core purpose in mind.

Event Sponsors:

DLR Group
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center
Bamford Foundation
AIA Seattle – Committee on Architecture for Education
Natural Pod – Learning Furniture

Organizers:

Alissa Rupp, FAIA, FRAME | Integrative Design Strategies
Diane Kroll, Imag(e)ine

Posted in Uncategorized

AHC Honor of Distinction – Call for Nominations

Early in 2020, the AHC Board introduced an initiative to dedicate time and resources to recognize members of our AHC community who have gone above and beyond in their careers to contribute, mentor and lead. This AIA AHC Honor of Distinction is intended to recognize a single individual who has distinguished themselves in the design and construction healthcare arena. The time has come to introduce this honor and make a call for nominations!

Please take some time to think about individuals who have inspired you to excel in the Healthcare Design and Construction Industry. We are seeking nominations for individuals who have contributed to exceptional Design Excellence, Mentorship, Advanced Learning and Public Service throughout their career. Follow the link below to learn more about this recognition and to submit a nominee. The Board will review all applications and select the Honor of Distinction recipient to be recognized at our upcoming Fall Event.

Download the Nomination Instructions and Application Here.

Posted in Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – August 2021

LOCAL NEWS

2020 MHA Report Released
Seattle’s Office of Housing released its first annual report on the city’s Mandatory Housing Affordability and Incentive Zoning program, including long-anticipated data on housing projects’ use of payment versus performance under the program. While any adjustments to the MHA pricing will likely occur only as part of the city’s major Comprehensive Plan update (2021-24), AIA is interested in member comments on what you are seeing in this report. Please contact Kirsten.

Legislation to Rename Seattle’s Single Family Zones Moves Through Council
Legislation to rename Seattle’s single family zoning category to “neighborhood residential” was discussed during the Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meeting on July 28 and will be up for a public hearing in the same committee on Sept. 22 followed by a committee vote tentatively scheduled for Sept. 24. If you would like to weigh in with your city councilmember(s) on this issue, you can do so via email or phone. You can also testify via phone at either of the Sept. 22 or Sept. 24 committee meetings. This change would impact the name only; it would not impact what is currently allowed in single family zones. Any changes to existing zoning will be part of the major Comprehensive Plan Update scheduled to be completed in 2024.

Council Committee Passes Legislation to Fill Downtown Storefronts
Legislation to allow additional uses for downtown storefronts was approved by the City Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee on July 28 and will move to the full City Council for approval in September. The legislation is aimed at finding uses for empty downtown spaces by allowing additional uses that are currently allowed in other neighborhoods but not downtown. The ordinance would be temporary, lasting for 12 months (unless Council extends it), but any permits authorized under it would be permanent. Additional info is contained in the Director’s Memo. This is a good time to contact your city councilmember(s) if you would like to comment on this legislation.

Small Lot Development Standards Legislation Introduced
Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development has proposed legislation to support development on small lots in the Downtown Mixed Residential zones of Belltown. The purpose is to simplify building forms, allowing more consistent floor layouts that will enable modular and panelized construction. The goal is to facilitate more housing in Belltown’s DMR zones by implementing one of the recommendations of the Affordable Middle-Income Housing Advisory Council on innovative construction. This legislation is currently pending before the Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee.

Seattle’s Stormwater Code Update Takes Effect
Seattle’s updated Stormwater Code and Manual went into effect on July 1. There are some significant changes, which you can review on SDCI’s Stormwater Code website. SDCI will hold Q&A sessions on the code every Wednesday in August from 2-3 pm.

Regional Housing Strategy Open for Comment
In July, the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) released its draft Regional Housing Strategy (RHS). The strategy is a collection of regional and local measures to preserve, improve, and expand the region’s housing inventory. It is intended to support the region’s many housing actors and future housing planning actions, including Washington’s Growth Management Act and PSRC’s (King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties) Vision 2050, that help direct the four-county region’s growth. You can read more about the Strategy itself here. The PSRC is seeking public comment on the draft document, which you can access here.

Shoreline Moves Forward on Energy Code Proposal
On August 16, the Shoreline City Council voted to direct city staff to develop an ordinance that would adopt stronger energy code provisions for commercial and large multifamily buildings. Shoreline is taking the lead from Seattle’s 2021 code language, which largely eliminates fossil fuels from new commercial buildings. See the Shoreline City Council notes here. AIA Seattle submitted a letter in support of this action. Thank you to C. Ray Allshouse AIA, Shoreline’s building official, and Duane Jonlin FAIA, Energy Code & Conservation Advisor for the City of Seattle, for helping to move this proposal forward.

OPPORTUNITIES

Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board Seeks New Members
The Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board is a public volunteer board that advises the Mayor, City Council, and City Departments on projects, policies, and programs that improve or impact bicycling conditions in Seattle. Three seats are currently open on the Board. More information is available here. Applications are due by Friday, August 27.

EVENTS

Join us at the Seattle Design Festival! Aug. 21-22
The Seattle Design Festival Block Party is a two-day street fair celebrating the powerful ways design affects our lives. This fun outdoor event is an opportunity for the design community and the public to come together and interact through large-scale design installations, performances, and design activities all centered around the Festival’s 2021 theme, EMERGE. Join us Aug. 21-22 at Lake Union Park!

AIA Seattle Committee Meetings

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force meets monthly via Zoom on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom. For info on how to access the meeting, contact Kirsten.

Upcoming Events – Dates TBD
These online events will occur in September or October but do not yet have a firm date. If you would like to be notified when one or more are scheduled, please let Kirsten know.

Seattle Housing Policy Update – AIA’s Public Policy Board will provide an update on the many pieces of housing policy swirling around Seattle right now (late September).
Seattle Budget Process 101 – Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda’s staff will lead us in an overview of how Seattle’s annual budgeting process works and how you can provide input and advocacy (mid-September – the budget process itself will run October-November).
Climate Advocacy Week – this event is back to provide support for local energy codes designed to get fossil fuels out of buildings. The 2021 edition will focus on King County’s effort to update its energy code for commercial and large multifamily buildings. King County’s changes will be similar to but slightly different than the Seattle Energy Code update that was the subject of last year’s Climate Advocacy Week. We’ll be looking for AIA members interested in joining a virtual group meeting with their King County Councilmember and presenting a webinar for those who want to learn more about the King County process and other building electrification measures locally and statewide (early October).

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

AIA Seattle Announces 2021 Honorees

Honorees are nominated by their peers and selected by the Fellows & Honors committee each spring. AIA Seattle is delighted to recognize these recipients for their exceptional achievements and to showcase the diversity of professionals who make our region’s design community so purposeful and beautiful. Please join us in congratulating the 2021 Honorees!

Individual Awardees Celebration Monday, November 8 at Town Hall Seattle

This year, we are excited to recognize and celebrate our individual awardees for their outstanding contributions to the profession and our community at the Individual Awardees Celebration on Monday, November 8 at Town Hall Seattle.

Individual Awardees Celebration | Town Hall Seattle’s Forum

4:30pm – Doors Open for Individual Awardees Celebration (Forum Entrance off Seneca St)
- Bar opens (21+)
5:15pm – Individual Awardees Celebration Begins | Town Hall Seattle’s Forum
6:30pm – Program Ends
- Those also attending the Honor Awards Live Event will make their way to the lobby

Interested in continuing the night with us at the Honor Awards for Washington Architecture Live Event? Learn more and get tickets here.

2021 HONOREES

Gold Medal

Anne Schopf FAIA

Anne Schopf FAIA has been recognized, over her 37-year career, with more than 80 international, national, regional, and local design awards, including four AIA COTE Top Ten Awards. Anne joined Mahlum Nordfors McKinley Gordon in 1990 and became Design Partner in 2004, helping to transform the practice into a Design First Firm. She continues to drive the firm’s vision of creating healthy and sustainable environments for the communities they serve. Elevated to Fellow of the Institute under Category 1 Design, Anne was awarded the Medal of Honor from AIA Northwest Pacific Region in 2013, and under her leadership, Mahlum received the AIA NWPR Firm Award in 2014.

Anne’s deep commitment to design excellence and building performance has led her to participate at a national AIA leadership level with both the Committee on the Environment and the Committee on Design. With the aim to transform the culture of design into one that examines environmental performance and social impact as an imperative, Anne has driven performance metrics into design awards programs nationwide through the development of the Common App, sparking local AIA Components and Knowledge Communities to incorporate performance metrics as a part of their submission and jurying process. Anne has also successfully sponsored over 25 international architects for elevation to Honorary FAIA. In Seattle, Anne served as Chair of the Honor Awards program, previously sat on the Board of Directors, participated in numerous committees, and served as AIA Seattle’s President in 2010.

Young Architect Award

Chris Hellstern AIA

Chris is the Living Building Challenge Services Director, architect and author with The Miller Hull Partnership in Seattle with a variety of project experience including five certified Living Buildings and several more currently in design. Chris has dedicated his career to progressing sustainability within the built environment. Having completed numerous projects including public and private facilities he works with teams to initiate, plan and coordinate the execution of sustainable goals ranging from Zero Energy certification to Living Building Challenge Certified projects.

His book, Living Building Education, chronicles the story behind his first Living Building, the Bertschi School. Chris founded the Seattle 2030 Roundtable and co-founded the Healthy Materials Collaborative. A Living Future Accredited professional and a Living Building Challenge Hero, Chris is a university guest lecturer and speaker at numerous conferences across the country. He works on state and local environmental policy with AIA Washington, publishes articles and volunteers with local school groups mentoring students about sustainable practices and advocacy. As an Affiliate Instructor with the University of Washington, Chris teaches a graduate sustainability course for the College of Built Environments.

Margaret Knight AIA

Margaret is a licensed architect in the state of Washington, has served on AIA Seattle’s Board of Directors, and is a past chair of AIA Seattle’s Diversity Roundtable (DRT). As a woman of color, Margaret is passionate about encouraging and promoting diversity within the architectural profession.

Following her graduation from Cornell University, Margaret conducted participatory design workshops in Kenya, to create productive public spaces outside of Nairobi. Since joining Schemata Workshop in 2015, Margaret has worked on several community-focused projects centered around EDI issues impacting Seattle area communities. From affordable housing projects to neighborhood design guidelines in Seattle’s Central Area and Chinatown-International District, Margaret is passionate about the role community engagement can play in the design process, especially in communities of color. She believes that representation matters, and has focused her efforts outside of the office on exposing minority youth to the design profession through Architects in Schools programming, Hip Hop Architecture camps, and Sawhorse Revolution collaborations. Margaret speaks publicly about the power of community engagement and the importance of diversity, and strives to incorporate these themes in all of the work that she does.

Honorary AIA Seattle Membership

Jennifer Guthrie FASLA, PLA

Jennifer Guthrie is a founding partner of GGN and a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Jennifer’s design leadership merges a guiding, experiential vision with innovative and precise detailing. Her work ranges broadly, encompassing urban districts of green streets and mixed-use housing, public squares, rooftop gardens, urban farms, and cultural institutions. Examples of these diverse project types include the University of Washington’s West Campus Residences & Streetscape, the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park in Chicago, the Spring District in Bellevue, and the Long Beach Civic Center in California.

GGN was the recipient of the 2017 ASLA National Landscape Architecture Firm Award. Additionally, Jennifer and her partners received the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Landscape Architecture in 2011. Jennifer’s work has received numerous national and regional Honor Awards from ASLA and AIA. She is a former President of the Landscape Architectural Foundation Board and she currently serves on the CEO Roundtable.

Kristine Kenney ASLA, LEED AP

University Landscape Architect & Director of Campus Planning + Architecture
University of Washington

Kristine is an accomplished and dedicated steward of the University of Washington campus, where she directs the planning and physical development of the built environment, both inside and out. With a strong commitment to solving complex issues through creative solutions, Kristine is adept at strategically navigating and cultivating cross-functional discourse amongst campus leaders, trade experts, and design professionals to effectively balance limited resources with unlimited ambitions. Throughout her career, she has been recognized by her peers with professional awards commending the positive and inclusive culture she fosters, resulting in high-impact, results-oriented teams. Within the design profession, she has earned great respect for her tenacious advocacy and encouragement to continually strive for design excellence, resulting in numerous project design awards at the University of Washington. One of her proudest accomplishments is the vision and insight she provided over a ten-year timeframe, resulting in the reenvisioned lower Rainer Vista, an iconic and campus-defining landscape. In her free time, Kristine enjoys relishing in the seasonal beauty of the Pacific Northwest, whether that’s getting her hands dirty in the garden or actively immersing herself in nature with family and friends.

Nicole DeNamur WELL AP

Nicole DeNamur is an attorney, WELL AP and Faculty, Fitwel Ambassador, EcoDistricts AP and LEED Green Associate. She helps her clients identify and manage the risks of sustainable innovation so they can do great work without the surprises. Before launching her consulting company – Sustainable Strategies – Nicole practiced construction and insurance coverage law in the Seattle area for more than a decade. She leverages this experience to guide her clients as they pursue robust sustainability goals, and her strength lies in her ability to view sustainability issues through a legal and risk management lens.

Nicole’s work focuses on creating collaborative spaces and uniting diverse groups to mitigate climate change through the built environment. She also specializes in issues related to the intersection of buildings with human health and wellness. Nicole is particularly focused on creating safe, accessible and inclusive spaces that allow all occupants to thrive. In addition to her consulting work, Nicole is an award-winning contributing author and has developed and taught graduate-level courses at the University of Washington and Boston Architectural College.

Tory Laughlin-Taylor

Tory Laughlin Taylor is a real estate advisor in affordable housing development, engaged in organizations and strategies that leverage values-driven capital to deliver enduring affordability in our Puget Sound communities. For over three decades she has been financing, building and operating multi-family housing for low-income working people, driven by the conviction that economic access to desirable housing is the foundation of a healthy equitable society. In her career she has originated over 1,000 units of permanently affordable housing for people earning about half of median income.

A Seattle native, Tory has a BA from Harvard College and an MBA in Real Estate Finance and Development from George Washington University. She has served on the Seattle Design Commission, the Seattle Housing Levy Oversight Committee, and the Washington State Affordable Housing Advisory Board.

Community Service Award

Kate Simonen AIA, SE

Kate Simonen, AIA, SE is the executive director of the Carbon Leadership Forum and Professor and Chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington. Connecting significant professional experience in high performance building design and technical expertise in environmental life cycle assessment she works to spur collective action to bring net embodied carbon to zero through cutting-edge research, cross-sector collaboration, and the incubation of new approaches. Kate directs the research of the Carbon Leadership Forum and convenes collaborative initiatives such as the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (the EC3 tool) and the Structural Engineers 2050 Challenge.

Allied Organization Award

Sawhorse Revolution

Founded in 2010, Sawhorse Revolution fosters confident, community-oriented youth through the power of carpentry and craft. We are inspired to create equitable change within a framework of “feet-on-the-ground” education and job-training, empowerment, and leadership, in and for our community. Sawhorse programs team teens with professional carpenters and architects to build and design projects that make a real difference in their community. We partner with schools and low-income housing organizations in central and south Seattle to ensure our free programs reach youth furthest from educational justice – so that they can make a real difference in their own neighborhoods. To date, Sawhorse students have built 58 structures, partnered with 100+ community groups, and Sawhorse has served over 800 youth in Central and South Seattle. The structures we build with our students stand as testaments to the long-term benefit of our programs; these projects can be anything from a series of projects built for BIPOC-led food justice organizations, to 25+ tiny homes for the homeless placed in city-sanctioned encampments, to a 225 sq. ft social justice lending library. By responding to a variety of local needs, we give students leadership and agency in their own communities, allowing them to apply their creativity collaboratively to change the worlds around them.

NATIONAL HONORS

2021 Young Architect Award

Myer Harrell AIA

2021 Honorary AIA

Vincent Martinez Hon. AIA

2021 AIA College of Fellows

Brian Court FAIA
Grace H. Kim FAIA
Eric Lagerberg FAIA, LEED AP
Erica Loynd FAIA
Richard E. (Rick) Mohler, FAIA, NCARB

View the 2021 Fellows and National Awards announcement for more information.

Posted in For the Profession

2021 Honor Awards

AIA Seattle’s Honor Awards for Washington Architecture is a nationally-recognized program that explores and honors projects designed by architects throughout the state of Washington. This annual program provides an important opportunity for the design community to share and celebrate its achievements both among practitioners and with the community at-large. Awarded projects are revealed for the first time at the live event.

2021 HONOR AWARDS ON NOVEMBER 8 AT TOWN HALL SEATTLE

This year’s program on November 8 will return to in-person celebrations of our greater design community, recognizing both project teams and — for the first time — individual awardees. The program consists of two distinct events, connected by the themes of recognition and celebration, both hosted on November 8 at Town Hall Seattle.

Individual Awardees Celebration | Town Hall Seattle’s Forum

4:30pm – Doors Open for Individual Awardees Celebration (Forum Entrance off Seneca St)
- Bar opens (21+)
5:15pm – Individual Awardees Celebration Begins
6:30pm – Program Ends
- Those also attending the Honor Awards Live Event will make their way to the lobby

Honor Awards Live Event | Town Hall Seattle’s Great Hall

5:30pm – Lobby Opens for Honor Awards (Lobby Entrance off 8th Avenue)
6:15pm – Live Pianist Performance by Jovino Santos Neto Begins in the Great Hall
7:00pm – Honor Awards Program Begins
- Livestreaming of the Honor Awards Program begins for remote ticket-holders
9:00pm – Program Ends

THE JURY PROCESS

Jury Deliberations will take place virtually this year. Each juror individually reviews all projects submitted before group deliberations. Over the course of two days (this year online), the jury will agree on criteria and selections for award recognition. Awards are the final determination of the jury.

MEET THE JURY

Katherine Darnstadt AIA, NOMA, LEED AP | Latent Design | Chicago

Katherine Darnstadt is the founder of Latent Design, a progressive architecture and urbanism firm leveraging civic innovation and social impact to design more equitable spaces and systems. Since founding her practice in 2010, Katherine and her firm have prototyped new urban design systems to advance urban agriculture, support small business, created spaces for youth makers, advanced building innovation, and created public space frameworks. She and the firm have been published, exhibited and featured widely, most notably at the International Venice Architecture Biennial, Architizer A+ Awards, Chicago Ideas Week, NPR, American Institute of Architects Young Architects Honor Award winner and Crain’s Chicago 40 Under 40. She currently teaches at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and previously at Northwestern University.

Sharon Johnston FAIA | Johnston Marklee | Los Angeles

Sharon Johnston, FAIA, is founding partner of Los Angeles-based firm Johnston Marklee and Professor in Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Since its establishment in 1998, Johnston Marklee has been recognized internationally with over 50 major awards. Projects by Johnston Marklee span thirteen countries and are diverse in scale and type. Recent projects include the Menil Drawing Institute in Houston; a renovation of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; the new Dropbox global headquarters in San Francisco; and the new UCLA Margo Leavin Graduate Art Studios in Culver City. Publications on the work of the firm include House Is a House Is a House Is a House Is a House (Birkhauser, 2016); 2G N. 67 and El Croquis N. 198. In 2019, Sharon was named Architectural Record’s Women in Architecture: New Generation Leader. Together with partner Mark Lee, Sharon was Co-Artistic Director of the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial.

Helena Zambrano AIA, CPHC | Mahlum | Portland

Helena is a licensed architect in the United States and Mexico with over 10 years of national and international experience. She is a Project Architect at Mahlum with a passion for environmental systems, and a strong advocate for the use of evidence to inform design. Emphasizing the design of daylit spaces, Helena’s work has been recognized with local, national, and international design awards. Prior to joining Mahlum, Helena was Sustainability Director at Overland Partners in San Antonio, TX. She currently serves on the AIA’s National Committee on the Environment, in which capacity she worked to establish the Framework for Design Excellence and led the development of both the “COTE Super Spreadsheet” and the ‘“AIA Common App”, two tools that raise the status of sustainability metrics and reframe the way design awards recognize architecture.

BROADEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RESILIENCE IN DESIGN

Every year, jurors praise submissions that reveal the story behind the marketing images. What concepts and considerations drove the design? How did the design team creatively address the project parameters? What is the project’s benefit or impact? Ultimately, what makes this an award-winning project? We encourage submitters to use the project narrative, captions, and the inclusion of process work as opportunities to graphically tell a design story.

In addition to the jury’s own criteria, the AIA Seattle community has identified four considerations for the submission review process:

Inspiration | How does the project manifest its stated intent–in form and function–revealing innovation in both thought and practice?
Problem-solving | How does the project creatively address challenges inherent in its site, budget, program, materials, collaboration, and context? What are the organizing principles informing design?
Environmental Sensitivity | How does the project exhibit serious intent to minimize negative environmental impact and enhance its relationship to the environment?
Social Impact | How does the project enhance the community in which it is situated? How does it help promote a vibrant and equitable community?

Additionally, the Common App offers BUILT project submitters Ten Measures for Design Excellence to consider as you tell your project story.

YOUNG VOICES SELECTION

Initiated in 2018, the Young Voices Selection (YVS) program aims to elevate and engage the voices of young designers through direct participation and representation in AIA Seattle’s Honor Awards for Washington Architecture. Three young designers, nominated by firm leaders within AIA Seattle’s Firm Network and selected by the Honor Awards Committee, will be given the opportunity to review, deliberate, and select ONE Built project submission. This chosen project, the “Young Voices Selection,” will be recognized at the Live Event in November and selected by this year’s Young Voices…

Kayla Ford | Integrus Architecture
Alex Ianchenko | The Miller Hull Partnership
Ryan Nungester | Environmental Works

QUESTIONS?

Questions about attending the Live Event? Contact AIA Seattle Programs Coordinator, Andrea Aguilera

Questions about the Live Event? Contact AIA Seattle Programs Manger, Zoe Guckenheimer.

Sponsorship Questions? Contact AIA Seattle Associate Director, Growth & Operations, Kristen Lound.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 HONOR AWARDS SPONSORS

Posted in For the Profession, Honor Awards, Uncategorized

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: 2021 Northwest Washington Design Awards

Well-lit, beachside home interior with blue sky in background. Purple text band with white font on top reads: Call for Submissions. Purple text band with white font on bottom reads: AIA Northwest Washington. Purple text bubble in bottom-right with gold font reads: 2021 Design Awards

AIA Northwest Washington’s Steering Committee invites you to share your most dynamic, new work!

We invite you to submit to AIA Northwest Washington’s 2021 Design Awards. The intent of the Design Awards is to encourage excellence in architectural design and planning and to provide an avenue through which architects may gain recognition by their peers and the public. The ultimate goal is to raise the standards of architectural design excellence by both the architectural community and the public. We encourage you to join the conversation and tell your design story.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Call for Submissions opens: August 2, 2021
Submission Deadline: DEADLINE EXTENDED to September 9, 2021 5pm PDT.

We invite you to submit to AIA Northwest Washington’s 2021 Design Awards. The intent of the Design Awards is to encourage excellence in architectural design and planning and to provide an avenue through which architects may gain recognition by their peers and the public. The ultimate goal is to raise the standards of architectural design excellence by both the architectural community and the public. We encourage you to join the conversation and tell your design story.

Submission deadline: September 9 at 5:00pm PDT. Finalize and complete payment before this deadline.
Please submit for the following categories:

Residential
Commercial
Unbuilt Project

Submission Fee: $150 for first project submitted, $100 for each additional project. (If submitting multiple projects, submit each project separately.)

Complete this application and upload the four (4) described documents to the below link.
**This application sheet details all submission requirements, and includes a form that you will submit to the below link.

**At the discretion of the AIA|NWW Design Awards Committee, late submissions may be accepted after 5:00pm PDT on September 9, and a late submission fee will be applied. No fees will be refunded for submissions that are disqualified or incomplete.

NEW THIS YEAR: 25-YEAR AWARD

The 25-Year Award showcases buildings that set a precedent. The award is conferred on a building that has stood the test of time for 25+ years and continues to set standards of excellence for its architectural design and significance.

Any AIA|NWW member, group of members, or committee may submit their own project(s) or submit by nominating a project by a different architect or firm.

Submission Fee: None

Complete this application for the 25-Year Award and upload the three (3) described documents to the below link.
**This application sheet details all submission requirements, and includes a form that you will submit to the below link.

LIVE EVENT ON OCTOBER 7

The Northwest Washington Design Awards is a marquee program, drawing over 100 attendees and featuring an awards presentation and keynote presentation. Full details on the virtual program can be found here. This program provides an essential occasion for the San Juan, Skagit, Island, and Whatcom county architecture community to celebrate its progress and growth within itself, and in conversation with the community at-large.

QUESTIONS?

Questions about Submitting? Contact AIA Northwest Washington Program Manager, Karen Bacon.

Questions about attending the Virtual Event? Contact AIA Seattle Member Engagement Manager, Connor Descheemaker.

Sponsorship Questions? Contact AIA Northwest Washington Steering Committee chair, Dave Christensen.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2021 HONOR AWARDS SPONSORS

Posted in Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – July 2021

NATIONAL NEWS

California Gas Ban Lawsuit Dismissed
A federal court in San Francisco dismissed a preemption challenge to the ban on gas hookups in new construction in Berkeley, California. California has more than 40 cities that have implemented gas bans or other restrictions, and this outcome will inform further efforts there and in other states. Seattle attempted a gas ban for new construction in 2019, but the effort, led by former Councilmember Mike O’Brien, was unsuccessful. Seattle’s new energy code does not ban gas but restricts the use of gas (and electric resistance) for space heating and water heating in commercial and taller multifamily buildings. Other gas uses, such as cooking and decorative fireplaces, are not impacted.

STATE NEWS

Stamping Questions Return to the Attorney General
AIA Washington Council submitted formal comments to the Attorney General’s office in response to a request, likely spurred by an engineering firm in the Yakima area, for an official opinion allowing engineers to stamp a full set of drawings, including architecture drawings, that fall outside of the exemptions outlined in state statute. This request was apparently triggered by a separate opinion released by the Attorney General’s office earlier this year, which found that engineers are not allowed to stamp documents that are architectural in nature. (AIA|WA made the request for this opinion.) While local governments allowing engineers to stamp architectural drawings has largely been an issue on the east side of the state, an unfavorable opinion by the Attorney General’s office will impact western Washington as well. Complicating the matter is the fact that state statute does not clearly define engineering or architectural work – rather, it says only that architectural work is work that requires an architect’s education and training, and it provides similar language regarding engineering work. There is no timetable for the Attorney General’s office to respond, and it could take more than a year.

State Begins Outreach to Owners on the Clean Buildings Performance Standard
The Washington State Department of Commerce reminds owners and operators of commercial properties 50,000 sq ft and above to review the list of buildings that are subject to Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard. Building owners should expect to receive a letter later this summer notifying them that their building is likely subject to the standard and providing additional direction on next steps – and they will have questions for their architects. Reporting and compliance requirements are phased in beginning June 2026 based on building size. Owners may be eligible for the state’s Early Adopter Incentive program, regardless of whether they are required to make energy efficiency improvements to comply with the standard or not. The program offers performance-based incentive payments to building owners who get a head start on compliance or who simply choose to make qualifying improvements to their buildings.

LOCAL NEWS

Seattle Approves Policy for Affordable Housing on Property Owned by Religious Organizations – with a Disappointing Change
In compliance with state legislation (HB 1377) passed in 2019, the Seattle City Council passed and Mayor Jenny Durkan signed legislation to allow religious institutions to access additional development capacity when they redevelop their property for long-term rent- and income-restricted affordable housing. The state law requires such projects to target households at a maximum of 80% AMI (area mean income), but it allows local governments to lower that threshold. AIA strongly supported this legislation, but we have concerns about the final version, which was amended to provide development bonuses only to projects at 60% AMI or below.

Donald King FAIA and Renée Chang FAIA have publicly argued that this change eliminates the ability of the Black churches that are working with the Nehemiah Initiative to utilize the program because projects at 60% AMI are so financially perilous that only large developers can secure the major grants and federal tax grants to develop them. AIA is working on a letter to be cosigned by the National Organization of Minority Architects Northwest (NOMA NW) to Mayor Durkan and City Councilmembers echoing these comments and arguing that the final legislation will deny the independent, bottom-up community organizations that have the opportunity to most impact BIPOC lives and communities access to the program that was intended to serve them. AIA is calling on the City Council to recall the legislation and revisit the AMI threshold.

Growth Strategy Racial Equity Toolkit Report Released
In 2019, a budget proviso requested by Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda provided funding for a racial equity toolkit analysis of Seattle’s urban village growth strategy. That report was delayed by the Durkan administration, in part due to COVID. It was finally released this week and was presented to the City Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee by Rico Quirindongo AIA, Director of the Office of Planning and Community Development. You can watch that Council hearing here. The document itself is here. The report will help guide Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan Update that kicks off this year and will inform a deeper analysis of Seattle’s existing urban village growth strategy using the city’s Racial Equity Toolkit. We encourage AIA members to review the report and send any comments to Kirsten – or directly to your Councilmembers.

Renaming Seattle’s Single-Family Zones
In June, City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda announced that the renaming of Seattle’s single-family zoning category to “neighborhood residential” will kick off with a public hearing during the Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meeting on July 28. AIA Seattle has supported this change because it provides a better reflection of the current make-up of these zones and is an important step in the direction of greater equity among neighborhoods. While this is a small adjustment, it will be important to secure this change as Seattle heads into its major Comprehensive Plan update. Importantly, this proposal will be part of the annual Comprehensive Plan update legislation considered by the Council this year, not the multi-year Comprehensive Plan update that has yet to begin.

Mayor Durkan Proposal to Fill Downtown Storefronts
In June, Mayor Durkan announced legislation to allow additional uses for downtown storefronts in an effort to fill empty spaces and revitalize downtown. The ordinance would be temporary, lasting for 12 months, unless Council extends it. The proposal would expand the uses that would be allowed in these spaces to include bike parking, art installations, gyms, medical offices, museums, and other items not currently allowed under the city’s usage guidelines. The ordinance is not yet scheduled to go before Council. AIA Seattle’s Public Policy Board argues that this program should do more to encourage more affordable spaces and should specifically target the BIPOC community. They also question why this change should be temporary. If you have comments to add to the discussion, please let Kirsten know. AIA Seattle will likely send a letter to Mayor Durkan and councilmembers on this topic, and we’d like your feedback.

OPPORTUNITIES

Built Environment Candidate Forums
If you missed our Built Environment Candidate Forums for city of Seattle candidates, you can view the recordings here:

Ballots will be mailed this week and must be mailed back by Aug. 3. Please vote!

Lid I-5 Newsletter
Support Lid-I-5’s campaign for federal funding as part of federal highway mitigation legislation; walk the freeway during Lid I-5’s July 28 tour; read the City of Seattle’s recently-released I-5 Feasibility Study.

EVENTS

AIA Seattle Advocacy Committee Meetings

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force meets monthly via Zoom on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom. For info on how to access the meeting, contact Kirsten.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy, Housing, Public Policy Board

Letter from Executive Director, Lisa Richmond: Farewell

Dear AIA Seattle Colleagues,

As most of you know, next Wednesday, June 30 is my last day with AIA Seattle, and these final days are bittersweet. I have enjoyed every moment of my time within this community. You have inspired me daily with your commitment to excellence, your passion, your creative ideas and willingness to share them. Thank you for welcoming me into the fold 15 years ago.

AIA Seattle will be announcing a new Executive Director within the next few weeks. I know you will embrace them as a valued member of our AIA family.

The next 12 months will be an exciting time for AIA Seattle. In addition to welcoming a new director, we will see the fruition of plans and changes that have been in the works over the past year. Our Board of Directors is finalizing three new Imperative Statements, formally committing to leadership on Climate, Equity and Housing. We will be implementing a refined brand strategy and more efficient governance model for the Seattle Design Festival, recognizing the power, momentum and recognizability of the festival to the public. And coming out of COVID, the staff is ramping up for in-person programming this fall and a full complement of events, classes, exhibits and advocacy efforts in 2022.

I’m taking a gap year to reflect and renew before stepping into the next chapter of my career. My time will include travel and outdoors adventures, volunteering, education, and maybe even some continuing connection with AIA. If you’d like to keep in touch, you can also find me on Linkedin.

All the best to you, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to call AIA Seattle home.

Sincerely,
Lisa Richmond Hon. AIA
Executive Director
AIA Seattle + Design in Public

Posted in Design In Public, For the Profession, For the Public

2021-2022 Board of Directors

AIA Seattle’s Board Nominating Committee is pleased to present this slate of accomplished members to fill open seats on our Board of Directors beginning September 1, 2021. All AIA and Associate AIA members were eligible to vote. Votes are yes or no for each nominee, and write-in votes are allowed. Voting by at least 10% of the membership is required to validate an election.

Voting closed on June 15, 2021

Heather Skeehan AIA – President-Elect
Member since: 2014 | Pronouns: She/Her

Through working in the architecture (ZGF), construction (GLY), and now owner/developer (citizenM) sides of the industry, leading teams and developing a diverse array of projects, I have learned an approach to projects that focuses on: identifying shared values and goals; deep collaboration and empathy; and use of tools to embed and support the use of diverse data that can be used throughout the life of a building.

I went to Tulane School of Architecture and was a member of the inaugural Tulane URBANbuild teams. In addition to the AIA Seattle Board, I am on the advisory board for the Tombolo Institute at Bellevue College. I have served on the board of the Washington Ensemble Theater and been a member of the Swedish Standing Advisory Committee. I regularly present to industry groups and participate in panel discussions of topics driving the industry.

More than anything, I am passionate about food.

Statement of Interest: The way buildings come to be is technically complicated, involves a diverse array of individuals, and is often behind other fields in the adaptation of technologies and cultural attitudes that shape high-performing/high-profiting teams in other industries.
As the industry continues to diversify and buildings continue to become more complicated, the importance of coming back to the shared goals and values of a project & the built environment is increasingly important, as is leaning on and helping guide the expertise of the broad team (the designers, the architects, the project managers, the builders, the engineers, the inspectors, the client, the users, and the surrounding community). As the impact of the built environment on communities and the climate is increasingly clarified, the role of the architect is expanding to encompass responsibilities and skills that may not have been previously considered but which we, as a profession, are excited and willing to learn and embrace.

Michelle Hill AIA – Secretary
Member since: 2006 | Pronouns: She/Her

Michele is an Architect at Broderick Architects, with over 12 years of experience in architecture and urban planning. Her work is varied among institutional, commercial, ecclesiastical, and residential projects, with expertise in early learning centers and projects with complex land use or code issues. A consistent thread throughout her work is an emphasis on beautiful and functional spaces that improve people’s daily lives. Within AIA Seattle, Michele is active in the Women in Design committee and currently serves in appointed positions on the Membership Steering Committee, Member Advancement Steering Committee, and JE:DI Task Force. Michele holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech, with minors in public & urban affairs and French, and a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington, with an environmental planning specialization. Outside of work, you can find Michele exploring the Pacific Northwest on foot or by sailboat.

Statement of Interest: AIA Seattle has placed itself at the forefront of AIA and the architecture field as a leader in responding to climate change and, more recently, in addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion within our profession. The visionary work that has elevated our chapter as a national leader is due to the collaborative efforts of our members, AIA Seattle staff, and the Board of Directors. I look forward to continuing this legacy of leadership as we remain focused on addressing today’s wicked problems. I am particularly excited about the concrete steps we are taking toward becoming a truly inclusive profession, enriched and empowered by the diverse voices we contain and we serve.

Heather Pogue AIA – Dev Com
Member since: 2008 | Pronouns: She/Her

Heather Pogue is the lead designer and Registered Architect behind Jeunesse Architects. Having worked on almost all project types over her career, Heather found that custom homes and small retail & restaurant spaces were where she could offer the most value, working closely with the project team and designing both interior and exterior environments from a more holistic approach. She delights in finding solutions that are as beautiful as they are budget conscientious, finding ways to manipulate materials into textures, and understanding architecture as an ever-evolving space made living by the people who activate it. Having also participated in every stage of the architectural process over the years, Heather knows that each piece matters to make an overall successful project. That rigor extends into her practice: listening, providing insight, and delighting in the collaboration. With clear communication from the start and a detailed eye through the final days of construction, she founded Jeunesse Architects with client advocacy, quality service, and design rigor in mind.

In addition to architecture, she is a published writer, podcast developer, and former college-radio DJ. She lives and works in Seattle and can be found cross country skiing or mountain biking in the Methow Valley and volunteering as a Garden Steward with the Washington Park Arboretum.

Statement of Interest: There are two intentional reasons why I joined AIA. As a member, to be engaged through thoughtful programming and as an architect, to find abundant resources. I was in Austin at the time of my early career and AIA had pulled me in with its zeal to serve the community. They ran the hippest homes tour every year, screened the indie architecture films when they came to town, and engaged the public as much as the architects. Most importantly, they actively listened to what the architects were seeking and used agility to find the answers, and adjusted programming to meet those needs. This kept their position of relevancy to the members they were serving. I found that time to be rewarding and thrilling because I was always looking to AIA Austin for ways to be inspired and ways to have a more successful career.

I became interested in serving on the board in Seattle to provide the same to others what I found early in my Austin career as an emerging architect. I see AIA Seattle as a place to knit that kind of community, mingling architects with the public to spread the audience we reach, and serving the members’ needs with agility and relevancy. I would like to make use of my position on the board to give back to others what I received during those early days of my career, to find ways to provide sources for community, connection, and encouragement to those we serve.

Marijana Misic AIA – Mem Com
Member since: 2013 | Pronouns: She/Her

A native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Marijana (pronounced Mariyana) Misic has moved to Seattle in 2001 in her pursuit of BA in Architecture at the University of Washington. Her current career focus at Mahlum is on higher education projects, specifically student housing. The majority of her career has previously revolved around mixed-use urban developments. With the understanding of the importance a built environment has on one’s well-being, Marijana strives to bring thoughtful design closer to the everyday user. She believes that smart growth and strong communities create better and more livable cities.

Marijana has been a licensed architect in the State of Washington since 2013. In 2017 she has received the AIA Seattle Young Architect Award. She has been an active member of AIA Diversity Roundtable since 2015, and its co-chair from 2018-2020. With a few of her esteemed committee members, she is currently championing DRT’s collaboration with Sawhorse Revolution through mentoring youth about architecture, and stewarding youth envisioned designs towards built projects.

When not “architecting around,” Marijana enjoys coffee, reading, biking, and skiing.

Statement of Interest: Through my active participation in AIA Seattle’s Diversity Roundtable committee for the past 6 years, I learned to appreciate the importance of amplifying diverse perspectives within our profession. With my personal investment in this goal, as well as experience as co-chair of the Diversity Roundtable committee, I believe I can be an asset to the AIA Seattle Board of Directors, specifically to Membership Steering Committee. I strongly believe in members shaping the future of our AIA chapter and am excited for the opportunity to serve and channel our members input towards that future.

Matt Hutchins AIA – PPB
Member since: 2007 | Pronouns: He/Him

As a founder of CAST architecture, Matt has spent more than twenty years working to increase the vitality of cities and protect the environment. Through his design and policy work, Matt is an advocate for better density, abundant housing options, vibrant urban spaces, open space, and sustainable building.

Matt is a Seattle Planning Commissioner and former Design Review Board Member. For AIA Seattle he has served on the Housing Task Force, Residential Design Forum, and Public Policy Board, and was honored as Volunteer of the Year in 2020. He co-founded the grassroots group MOAR (More Options for Accessory Residences) to support zoning reform for accessory dwellings in Seattle. In 2019, he was named one of 35 Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine. He received a Master of Architecture from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado. He is a Certified Passive House Designer.

Statement of Interest: Architects have a unique ability to look at the world and visualize how it could be. Today, we’re faced with deep challenges around housing affordability, climate change, and systemic racism, and as architects, we have a responsibility to use our insight and vision to project persuasive solutions and ultimately build resilient, connected, sustainable communities. As a Director, I would work to create opportunities for architects to leverage their experience, knowledge, and vision to serve our common good.

Nicole DeNamur – Finance
Member since: 2019 | Pronouns: She/Her

I grew up in rural Wisconsin, had the opportunity to study at BioSphere 2, and graduated from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment. Through these experiences, I gained a deep appreciation and reverence for our natural world, which directly translates into my work.

I began my career as a construction and insurance coverage attorney, practicing law for more than a decade in the Seattle area. During this time, I learned how construction projects succeed – and how they fail, and how contractual, legal, and regulatory frameworks can impact project success. In 2020, I saw the opportunity to leverage this experience to effect greater change and launched my own consulting company – Sustainable Strategies.

I am a LEED Green Associate, WELL AP and Faculty, Fitwel Ambassador, and EcoDistricts AP. I am also a proud Affiliate Instructor at the University of Washington, Department of Real Estate, where I teach my course, Risk and Reward in Sustainable Development. Teaching is an incredibly rewarding experience, and I learn so much from my students.

I believe that sustainable spaces should be inclusive and accessible, and I am passionate about empowering communities to advocate for healthier spaces to live, learn and work. Much of my work focuses on creating safe and collaborative spaces and uniting diverse groups to mitigate climate change through the built environment.

Statement of Interest:

I am interested in serving on the AIA Seattle Board of Directors because it presents the opportunity to support an industry and an organization that is positioned to drive real change. I have truly enjoyed co-chairing the Professional Practice Steering Committee, and look forward to applying the skills I learned, and the relationships I built in that role, to a leadership position with the Board.

The design community, and related industries, play a significant and important role in shaping our communities. I believe that diverse perspectives, and collaboration across industries, are some of the keys to solving big challenges like climate change. I want to lend my personal and professional perspective to this role, and the Board’s work. I also know how much representation matters and I would bring my whole self to Board service. As an organization, I believe AIA Seattle should be working on driving deeper and broader equity through the built environment. And while I recognize and appreciate that as an organization the AIA has already prioritized this work, I know that there is a long way to go and a lot of work to be done – I look forward to diving even deeper into this work.

I want to be an active voice in this critical dialogue, even if these conversations are uncomfortable or awkward at times. Equally important, I look forward to actively listening and learning from my peers.

Cory Hitzemann – Dev Com
Member since: 2003 | Pronouns: He/Him

Cory has spent his entire 20+ year career with Coughlin Porter Lundeen designing structures throughout Puget Sound. He has extensive experience with education, office, residential, and civic facilities, with particular expertise with steel and mass timber. As a longtime supporter of the sustainable design movement, he also enjoys existing building renovations where a structure’s valuable embodied carbon can be preserved for decades to come.

Statement of Interest: As a longtime AIA Allied Partner, my career has benefitted from the program offerings and networking opportunities AIA provides. Joining the board would allow me the chance to give back and help AIA Seattle to continue to thrive and play an active role in the region. Engaging younger members and the community at large are things AIA Seattle should continue to focus on as the region continues to grow and evolve.

Posted in For the Profession, Home Page

Advocacy Update – May 2021

STATE NEWS

State Legislative Session Adjourns
Washington’s Legislature adjourned on April 25, ending a historic, nearly all-virtual session in which Democratic leadership focused on four key areas: COVID relief, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change. Gov. Inslee is still signing bills into law. You can read AIA Washington Council’s final legislative report here. If you have questions, contact Kirsten.

AG’s Office Issues Opinion on Stamping of Architectural Documents
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office issued an opinion that only architects may stamp architectural plans submitted to local governments for review. Last year, AIA Washington Council asked a state legislator to submit a request for this formal opinion to respond to Kennewick city officials, who had been allowing engineers to stamp architectural drawings against current law. A 1990 Attorney General’s opinion supported this practice, but the law it cited was changed by the Legislature in 2010 as a result of AIA-requested amendments to the Architects Practice Act. Kennewick officials said they would not follow this law without a new opinion by the Attorney General’s office.

The formal opinion, available here, was issued on March 31 and applies to all local jurisdictions in the state. It confirms that, under the 2010 amendments to the Architects Practice Act, the stamping and submission of architectural drawings constitutes the practice of architecture and thus requires registration with the Washington Board for Architecture. An engineer may not stamp architectural drawings.

LOCAL NEWS

Seattle Comprehensive Plan 2024
This fall, Seattle will begin its process of developing the city’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan under the state’s Growth Management Act (GMA), which requires most counties and cities to prepare comprehensive plans that show how they will manage population growth over the following two decades. The GMA defines a set of goals for managing growth and lays out the basic contents of comprehensive plans. But Seattle will have significant opportunities to craft the scope and content of its plan, and that process will be open to public input throughout the plan’s development cycle. Seattle’s process is expected to revise the city’s existing growth management strategy, address the need for significantly more housing units, enhance racial and social equity, incorporate ways to address climate change, and more.

Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development will begin the scoping process this fall, and AIA Seattle will be offering programming to get architects and members of the public prepared to participate. If you are interested in helping with this effort, please let Kirsten know.

OPPORTUNITIES

Built Environment Candidate Forums
Along with ULI, ASLA, NOMA NW and others, AIA Seattle will be hosting two city of Seattle candidate forums on built environment issues in June/July. One forum each will be dedicated to the mayoral race and the council races for positions 8 and 9. If you are interested in helping design the forums, please contact Kirsten.

NCARB Committees
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) is accepting applications for volunteers to serve on committees for July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. More information about NCARB committees can be found here. Applications are available here.

EVENTS

West Coast Downtowns: Resilience, Recovery and Beyond – Wednesday, May 26 | 5-6:30 pm
AIA Seattle and the City of Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development present a panel discussion on how San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle are looking to transform their downtowns beyond the central business district into active, vibrant neighborhoods that serve all residents and center each city. More info.

15-Minute City Series – June
In June, AIA Seattle presents 15-Minute Seattle: Creating Livable Places for All, a comprehensive look at how Seattle can become a city of complete neighborhoods where residents can work, shop, access services, and socialize – all within a short walk from their homes. The featured event, Housing Innovation in the 15-Minute City, includes a keynote presentation by Kristian Skovbakke Villadsen of Gehl in Copenhagen and a separate panel discussion on housing policy that supports the population needed for 15-minute city neighborhoods. Look for additional programming to be added to the series site, here.

Seattle City Light Lighting Design Lab Code Compliance Classes – June
Seattle City Light’s Lighting Design Lab is offering a series of three heat pump webinars in June that will cover the new Seattle code requirements for heat pump space heating and water heating. The Lighting Design Lab now offers AIA learning units for these free courses. Additional upcoming classes are listed here.

Heating Multifamily Units in Seattle June 10, 10:00-noon
Heat Pump Space Heating for Commercial and Institutional Buildings June 15, 10:00-noon
Heat Pump Water Heating in Seattle June 22, 10:00-noon

AIA Seattle Committee Meetings
The Center for Architecture and Design is closed until the governor’s Stay Home Stay Healthy order is lifted. All meetings and events are either canceled or moved to an online or conference call format. Check AIA’s events page for more details on specific events.

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force continues to meet monthly on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom.
AIA Seattle’s Transportation Task Force meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 pm via Zoom.

For info on how to access either meeting, contact Kirsten.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy

Join Us For 15-Minute Seattle: Creating Livable Places for All

Want to learn more about the 15-minute city concept? Visit the 15-Minute City Resources Page!

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Housing Innovation in the 15-Minute City

Kristian Skovbakke Villadsen’s 15-Minute Cities for People

Monday, June 7 | 10:30 – 11:30am PT | Opening Keynote

Housing Density in the 15-Minute City: Policy and Purpose

Tuesday, June 8 | 10:30am – 12:30pm PT | Panel Discussion

Join us June 7-8 for the series kick-off event, Housing Innovation in the 15-Minute City, to examine the concept of complete neighborhoods as an urban design framework and explore how Seattle can support full-service neighborhoods by providing a mix of housing options for homeowners, renters, and people of different ages and walks of life. Registration includes continuing education credit (Full Program: 3 AIA LU HSW; Keynote-Only: 1 AIA LU HSW).

Recipes for Walkability: A Forum on 15-Minute Cities by Seattle Neighborhood Greenways

Thursday, June 10 | 6:00 – 7:30pm PT

Everyone should have access to their daily needs within a short walk. Cities around the world used to be based on this principle, but then many, including Seattle, lost their way by remaking cities to be car dependent. Now, this idea is making a comeback. It has a huge potential to make Seattle a safer, healthier, more equitable, more sustainable, and more enjoyable place to live. This Seattle Neighborhood Greenways presentation features panelists Dhyana Quintanar Solares, Jeff Hou, Radhika Nair, Shannon Nichol, and moderator David Goldberg.

When It Takes You Two Hours And Three Buses To Get To The Grocery Store

Monday, June 14 | Noon – 1:00pm PT

How can we create a transportation system that encourages people with the privilege to drive to choose to do it less? Start with those who can’t drive. A presentation by Disability Rights Washington, featuring Anna Zivarts, Director of the Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington.

Designing for Dignity: Rethinking Our Role in Solving Seattle’s Homelessness & Housing Crisis

Thursday, June 17 | 4:00 – 5:30pm PT | Presentation and Group Discussion

Elizabeth Mahan, winner of the 2018-2019 IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Northern Pacific Chapter’s Spencer de Mille Traveling Fellowship, presents her research on the impact of design on homelessness abroad. Her work explores how design choices impact the housing retention rates of formerly homeless individuals and families and supports the restoration of their dignity.

People Centered Design in Smaller Cities: Rediscovering the Small-Town Roots of the 15-minute City

Monday, June 21 | 4:00 – 5:30pm PT

How are urban design concepts from larger cities being used to generate better small city experiences? Join us for a look at how the 15-minute city can impact city design wherever you are. Featuring Rodney Rutherford and Cary Westerbeck.

Equity Considerations in the 15-Minute City by AIA Seattle’s Urban Design Forum

Wednesday, June 23 | 5:30 – 7:00pm PT

Seattle’s current growth strategy has led to displaced individuals and communities and starkly unequal outcomes based on race and income level. Can our new growth strategy address these historical wrongs? How can we ensure that planning for Seattle’s future means planning for everyone?

15-Minutes in Cascadia: A Conversation with Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver City Planners

Tuesday, June 29 | 4:00 – 5:30pm PT

The 15-Minute City concept originated in Europe but has quickly influenced neighborhood planning and city design across the word. Cascadia is no exception, with the region’s large (and small) cities exploring how to develop more complete neighborhoods that put people-centered design at the forefront of land use decisions.

Questions?
Contact Kirsten Smith, Manager of Policy and Advocacy at AIA Seattle

Posted in For the Profession, For the Public, Housing

Advocacy Update – April 2021

NATIONAL NEWS

Housing Supply & Affordability Act
In Congress, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota introduced the Housing Supply and Affordability Act to encourage cities and rural communities to lift barriers to new housing construction. The bipartisan bill would authorize $1.5 billion for federal grants to local governments that commit to increasing their supply of local housing. Eligible local governments will be able to apply for grants to build out housing policy plans, or local roadmaps, that will identify a pathway to creating greater housing affordability and availability. AIA National has endorsed the legislation. Legislation enacted in Washington in 2019 (by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle) has been successful in providing similar local government funding to boost planning around increased housing capacity.

STATE NEWS

State Legislative Session Nears April 25 Adjournment
With a week and a half to go in the legislative session, bills that have not passed both the House and the Senate are dead for the year (all dead bills will return in 2022). There is an exception for any bill necessary to implement the budget, and the remaining days will be spent by legislators out of public view, negotiating the final Operating, Capital, and Transportation budgets. Although not finalized, the Capital Budget will be the largest ever produced by the state.

You can read AIA Washington Council’s March legislative report here. You can also follow along at AIA|WA’s Legislative Center. Highlights since our last report include:

Climate: HB 1050 to further reduce emissions from HFCs passed both the House and the Senate and is awaiting signature by Governor Inslee; HB 1280 to require large public buildings to undergo all-electric analysis in the planning phase passed the House but did not make it to consideration on the Senate floor and is dead until next year; SB 5141, to add environmental justice requirements to state agency decision making processes, passed both houses and is headed to the governor.

Tax: legislation to implement a capital gains tax passed the Senate and is currently in the House Finance Committee (this bill is budget-related and the normal deadlines do not apply). This remains the only major tax bill that is likely to advance this year, as both the House and Senate Operating budgets (controlled by the Democrats) are tied to a capital gains bill passing.

Growth Management: legislation (HB 1220) to add more robust housing elements to the Growth Management Act, requiring planning for a wide range of housing needs, including homeless housing, passed both houses and will go to the governor. HB 1099, to add a new climate element to the GMA, including a focus on reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips, died twice after a last-ditch effort to add it to a separate bill that was moving. AIA|WA supported both bills, and we will work with stakeholders to get HB 1099 passed next year.

Housing: unlike last year, most bills related to encouraging greater housing availability did not survive this year. One that did, SB 5235, would prohibit owner-occupancy requirements for lots with an ADU and ban local limits on the number of persons who can reside in a home beyond state law. That bill has been sent to the governor. Two housing financing bills, HB 1070 to allow the use of local tax revenue for affordable housing and related services to include the acquisition and construction of affordable housing and facilities; and HB 1189, to authorize tax increment financing for local governments, are on their way to the governor. HB 1277 would create a permanent state-funded rental assistance and housing stability program with a new $100 document recording fee on real estate-related transactions; it passed the House but, because it is budget-related, it has more time to pass the Senate.

Race & Social Justice: a key priority of Democratic leadership, a significant number of criminal justice and police reform bills passed the legislature this year. These include legislation to prohibit private detention facilities; restore voting rights to individuals with felony convictions who have completed their post-sentence requirements; provide greater state oversight over use-of-force incidents; require police officers to intervene when a colleague uses excessive force; and more. You can see the full list on AIA’s bill tracking matrix.

For more information, contact Kirsten. You may view AIA’s bill tracking matrix here.

LOCAL NEWS

King County Commercial Energy Code Update
Following the successful adoption of Seattle’s commercial energy code update, King County is proposing similar improvements to its commercial energy code, which covers unincorporated parts of the county. Draft codes, including a plain-language summary of the proposed updates, can be found on the King County website. If you would like to comment on any part of the proposed code, send your comments to permittinglegislation@kingcounty.gov by April 30.

Light Rail Station Neighborhood Designs Released
Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development released a draft plan for the neighborhoods surrounding the future light rail station areas at 130^th and 145^thstreets in north Seattle. They are seeking public feedback via an online open house and survey – responses must be filed by April 16. AIA has worked to support policies that encourage denser housing opportunities around transit stations – the city’s draft plan has been criticized for providing lackluster housing density in station neighborhoods. We will be monitoring the progress of these plans as they develop and provide comments where appropriate.

Charter Amendment on Homelessness Filed
Compassion Seattle, a group of non-profits, business organizations, and community organizations ranging from the Downtown Seattle Association to the Downtown Emergency Services Center and the Housing Development Consortium, filed a city of Seattle charter amendment that would mandate a comprehensive strategy of housing, services, and clearance resources to address Seattle’s homelessness crisis. It would also mandate sweeps of homeless encampments on public property. Critically, the amendment fails to identify sources of funding for the services and housing it would offer. The measure will require 33,000 signatures from Seattle voters to qualify for inclusion on the November ballot. AIA Seattle would likely not take a position on the initiative prior to it reaching the ballot, but AIA’s Committee on Homelessness will be leading that discussion. Everyone is welcome to attend COHO meetings on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month at noon. More info here.

OPPORTUNITIES

Built Environment Candidate Forums
Along with ULI, ASLA, and others, AIA Seattle will be hosting two city of Seattle candidate forums on built environment issues in June/July. One forum each will be dedicated to the mayoral race and the council races for positions 8 and 9. If you are interested in helping design the forums, please contact Kirsten.

15-Minute Seattle Series
AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force is developing 15-Minute Seattle: Creating Livable Places for All, a series of programs that will kick off in June. The series will present a comprehensive look at how Seattle can become a city of complete neighborhoods where residents can work, shop, access services, and socialize – all within a short walk from their homes. The Housing Task Force will present the featured event, Housing Innovation in the 15-Minute City, with a keynote by Kristian Skovbakke Villadsen of Gehl in Copenhagen and a separate panel discussion on housing policy that supports the population needed for 15-minute city neighborhoods. We are looking for AIA committees and partner organizations that are interested in providing complementary programming under the 15-Minute Seattle banner (think: other amenities and characteristics of the 15-minute city, like walkability, child care, access to food options, etc.). For more information, please contact Kirsten.

Next to Lead Leadership Training
Next to Lead, a new AIA National leadership training program for ethnically diverse women in architecture, is looking for candidates who are AIA members with at least 5 years of experience in architecture (you do not have to be licensed) for its pilot cohort. This 2-year program is designed to teach essential leadership skills alongside successful, diverse women leaders with decades of experience. It includes a one-year leadership impact residency – a volunteer leadership opportunity within AIA where participants will serve on a collaborative project developed with a local or state component or with the AIA. Applications are due April 30. AIA Washington Council will pay the participant cost for any AIA member from Washington selected for the program.

Seattle Comprehensive Plan 2024
This fall, Seattle will begin its process of developing the city’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan under the state’s Growth Management Act (GMA), which requires most counties and cities in the state to prepare comprehensive plans that show how they will manage population growth over the following two decades. The GMA defines a set of goals for managing growth and lays out the basic contents of comprehensive plans. But Seattle will have a significant opportunity to craft the scope and content of its plan, and that process will be open to public input throughout the plan’s development cycle. Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development will begin the scoping process, and AIA Seattle will be offering programming to get architects and members of the public prepared to participate. If you are interested in helping with this effort, please let Kirsten know.

New WA Energy Code Trainings
The 2018 Washington State Energy Code went into effect February 1, 2021. BetterBuiltNW has produced a series of on-demand training videos, Chasing Opportunities in the Washington Energy Code. The videos take a deep dive into the new requirements, focusing on the following:

Efficient Building Envelope Options
Build Tight & Ventilate Right
H/AC System Inside Options

Watch the videos anytime on BetterBuiltNW’s Youtube Channel. For additional training opportunities on WSEC-R, visit the WSU Energy Program website.

NCARB Committees
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) is accepting applications for volunteers to serve on committees from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. More information about NCARB committees can be found here. Applications are available here.

EVENTS

AIA Seattle Committee Meetings

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force continues to meet monthly on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom.
AIA Seattle’s Transportation Task Force meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 pm via Zoom.

For info on how to access either meeting, contact Kirsten.

Carbon Leadership Forum Building Reuse Webinar – April 16, 9-10 am
Join the CLF with guest speakers Larry Strain, Donald King FAIA, and Kristian Kicinski to discuss building reuse. The group will address embodied vs. operational carbon for new and renovated buildings, as well as the community considerations related to these development decisions. Register

Northwest Green Home Virtual Tour – May 1, 8, 15
The Northwest Green Home Tour is the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild’s annual educational event that showcases local, sustainable, and green new homes, remodels, and energy retrofits in the Puget Sound area. Sites are still being accepted for the virtual tour.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy

2021 Culture Change in Practice: A Leadership Cohort

Culture Change Leadership Cohort graphic

This four-part, peer-based learning program was designed by a team of architects and allied professionals over the past nine months to specifically provide architecture and allied firms the tools and community to meet the explicit goals and metrics laid out in NOMA NW’s Call-to-Action.

The architectural profession is still predominantly white and predominantly male. Of the AIA Seattle’s over 2,600 members, just 33 are African American, and 4 are Indigenous American, while only 31% are women according to AIA members’ self-reported data. Creating culture change within architecture firms is a critical step to creating a more diverse and equitable profession. And through this professional change, AIA Seattle hopes to influence broader cultural change, due to the unique role of architects in crafting our physical environment.

This program builds off AIA Seattle’s Intercultural Leadership Program and Conversations Toward A More Equitable Practice series in 2019, and is part of our Racial Justice Commitments, enumerated following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Manuel Ellis, Ahmaud Arbery, and numerous others in 2020 and our local Racial Justice Town Hall in June. In the wake of a spring of anti-AAPI violence and a deeply embedded set of built environment-centric challenges, AIA Seattle is using this program as another opportunity to equip ourselves and our members to learn how to be antiracist, and build more equitable relationships in our firms, and in the projects and communities we serve.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS – FIRM LEADERS

We invite a dedicated cohort of 40 firm leaders who have committed to, or are considering, the NOMA NW Call-to-Action Pledge. This peer-to-peer learning cohort, facilitated by Dr. Anu Taranath, will support firms’ ability to live up to the goals of the pledge and equip leaders to catalyze change outward in their own firms.

(40) Firm Leaders: lead firms, lead practice groups, lead teams, are direct supervisors, make key decisions and have significant influence and power in shaping the culture and staffing of the firm or projects i.e Principals, Partners, Owners – with the intent of facilitating broader impact within their firms and industry

Space is limited to 40 total registrants. At this time, we request that no more than two (2) individuals per firm participate.

FULL SERIES COST

PLEASE NOTE: Each registration confirms a spot for one individual based on the size of their firm. Up to two (2) individuals per firm may participate.

$350 1-7 Employees (firm size)
$800 8-49 Employees (firm size)
$1200 50+ Employees (firm size)
$1200 CAP Sponsors

Registration has closed.

Registration Deadline: Thursday, May 21, 5:00pm PT. All sessions and speakers subject to change.

Registration includes all four courses in the series. Individual course registration is not available. All registration questions can be directed to Andrea Aguilera.

In recognition that this fee may present a hardship to some firms who are nevertheless committed to investing in the work, limited reduced rate options are available on a first come, first serve basis (priority given to AIA members). Please submit the Scholarship / Reduced Rate Request Form via email by Thursday, May 21, 5:00pm PT.

COMMITMENT + SCHEDULE

Series registrants commit to participate in all four courses, understanding that the content will be designed sequentially for cohort-based learning.

Session 1 | Monday, May 24, 9:00am-12:00pm PT

Session 2 | Monday, June 21, 9:00am-12:00pm PT

Session 3 | Monday, October 4 October 11, 9:00am-12:00pm PT

Session 4 | Monday, December 6, 9:00am-12:00pm PT

Guiding questions and readings will be sent to participants prior to, and following, each session.

MEET THE FACILITATOR

Dr. Anu Taranath, Dr. Anu Consulting: dialogues for justice | Dr. Anu Taranath brings both passion and expertise to her work as a speaker, facilitator, author and educator. A University of Washington professor for the past 20 years, she teaches about race, gender, equity, and global literatures. As a DEI and racial equity consultant, she offers coaching, training, facilitation and other types of partnerships. Her book Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World was named a Finalist for four book awards including the Washington State Book Award. Included in Fodor’s Travel’s “13 Books to Inspire Your Travels” and Oprah Magazine’s “Best 26 Travel Books of All Times,” Dr. Anu and her book have been profiled in YES!, AFAR, Bitch, Mindful and National Geographic magazines. Please visit www.anutaranath.com for more on Dr. Anu and her work.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR FIRM LEADERSHIP TRAINING SPONSORS

ARUP | Betts, Patterson & Mines P.S. | Coughlin Porter Lundeen | FSi Engineers | AP Design Professionals

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PLANNING TEAM

Whitney Lewis, Assoc. AIA, Diversity Roundtable/GGLO | Jennie C. Li, Planning in Color | Meredith Everist AIA, Baylis Architects/AIA Seattle Board Past President | Marijana Misic AIA, Mahlum Architects | Simba Mafundikwa Assoc. AIA, GGLO/NOMA NW | Michael Bryant, Mithun Architects/NOMA NW | Veronica Barrow Assoc. AIA, Veronica Barrow Design/NOMA NW | Richard Murray, Diversity Roundtable/Planning In Color | Patreese Martin AIA, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson | Susan Frieson AIA, NOMA NW/Weber Thompson | Genevieve MacNeil Assoc. AIA, Gensler | Kristen Riley Assoc. AIA, LMN Architects | Mathew Albores AIA, The Miller Hull Partnership | Mark Chubb Assoc. AIA, Code Unlimited

Registration or Credit Questions?
Contact Andrea Aguilera, Programs Coordinator at AIA Seattle

Program Questions?
Contact Connor Descheemaker, Member Engagement Manager at AIA Seattle

Sponsorship Questions?
Contact Kristen Lound, Associate Director of Growth & Operations at AIA Seattle

Posted in Uncategorized

2021 Northwest Washington Section Scholarship

AIA Northwest Washington Section is proud to offer its annual scholarship fund, designed to encourage and assist local residents pursuing a degree in architecture. The scholarship is open to students (inclusive of those with immediately family) from Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties currently enrolled in an accredited school of architecture, regardless of location. The scholarship is awarded to 2-3 applicants per year, for up to $5000 in funds raised by the annual AIA Northwest Washington/Associated General Contractors of Washington Scholarship Golf Tournament.

Applications for the scholarship are due at 5pm 0n Wednesday, June 30 to the Section’s staff contact, Connor Descheemaker. Complete application and submission details here.

Learn more about the AIA Northwest Washington section and get engaged here.

Posted in Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – March 2021

NATIONAL NEWS

Biden Reverses Trump’s Classical Architecture Order
In February, President Joe Biden reversed Former President Donald Trump’s move to preference classical architecture in federal buildings as part of the new administration’s review of Trump-era executive orders. Under former President Trump’s executive order, government agencies could mandate an architectural style preference for federal courthouses and other federal buildings. It also promoted “classical” and “traditional” architecture above other designs and required extensive justification to use other styles. AIA National worked to stop the order for more than a year. “By overturning this order, the Biden Administration has restored communities with the freedom of design choice that is essential to designing federal buildings that best serve the public,” said AIA 2021 President Peter Exley FAIA in AIA National’s statement.

STATE NEWS

State Legislative Session Passes the Halfway Mark
We are more than halfway through Washington’s 2021 state legislative session; bills that have not passed out of their house of origin (except for bills necessary to implement the budget) are dead for the year. You can read AIA Washington Council’s February legislative report here. You can also follow along at AIA|WA’s Legislative Center. Highlights for AIA thus far include:

Practice: alternative project delivery reauthorization for state contracting continues to move towards enactment. AIA-opposed bills to weaken both professional licensing and local governments’ ability to review architectural and engineering plans have died.
Climate: AIA’s priority bill to promote building electrification failed to win enough support among Democrats and is dead for 2021; AIA will work with stakeholders on this bill over the summer and fall to be ready to move it forward in 2022. Embodied carbon legislation also died, but a pilot program may be resurrected in the budget negotiations at the end of the session. Bills that continue to move include HB 1050, reducing emissions from hydroflourocarbons; HB 1184, water quality standards for greywater systems; and SB 5141, environmental justice.
School construction: once again, bills to amend Washington’s constitution to lower the threshold for voters to pass school bonds for new construction failed to move forward.
Tax: legislation to implement a capital gains tax passed the Senate and is currently in the House. This is the only major tax bill that is likely to advance this year.
Growth management: legislation to add climate, equity, and more robust housing elements to the existing planning requirements under the Growth Management Act (HB 1099 and HB 1220) passed the House and are currently being considered in the Senate.
Housing: unlike last year, most bills related to encouraging greater housing availability did not survive the house of origin cut-off. One that did, SB 5235, would prohibit owner-occupancy requirements for lots with an ADU and ban local limits on the number of persons who can reside in a home beyond state law. That bill is pending in the House. AIA is also tracking bills that add additional funding mechanisms for local governments to pay for affordable housing.
Social justice: AIA is tracking a large number of bills on renter’s rights, criminal justice, legal reforms, and additional equity-related measures and encouraging members to weigh in with their legislators on bills that are important to you. These bills –particularly criminal justice reform – have been prioritized by Democratic leadership. You can see the full list on AIA’s bill tracking matrix.

You may view AIA’s bill tracking matrix found here (‘AIA’s bill tracker’ under Tools).
For more information, contact Kirsten.

LOCAL NEWS

Democracy Vouchers Available for Seattle Elections
Seattle residents should have received your four Democracy Vouchers for the 2021 campaign season. Hard copies were mailed in early February. If you signed up for online vouchers in 2019, you will not receive hard copy vouchers but should have received an email from the city linking to the online system. The vouchers are worth $25 each and can be signed over to individual candidates for Seattle mayor, city council, and city attorney anytime through November. Campaigns turn the vouchers over to the city for reimbursement. Seattle residents can send their vouchers to any qualified campaigns they choose for the primary or the general election. However, be aware that campaigns can max out on Democracy Voucher money before the end of election season. More info on how to use your vouchers is available here.

Seattle Comprehensive Plan 2024
This summer, Seattle will begin its process of developing the city’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan under the state’s Growth Management Act (GMA), which requires most counties and cities in the state to prepare comprehensive plans that show how they will manage population over the following two decades. The GMA defines a set of goals for managing growth and lays out the basic contents of comprehensive plans. But Seattle will have significant opportunity to craft the scope and content of its plan, and that process will be open to public input throughout the plan’s development cycle. Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development will begin the scoping process this July, and AIA Seattle will be offering programming to get architects and members of the public prepared to participate. If you are interested in helping with this effort, please let Kirsten know.

15-Minute Seattle Series
AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force is developing 15-Minute Seattle: Creating Livable Places for All, a series of programs that will kick off in June. The series will present a comprehensive look at how Seattle can become a 15-minute city where residents can work, shop, access services, and socialize – all within a short walk from their homes. The Housing Task Force will present the featured event on housing innovation in the 15-minute city with a keynote by Kristian Skovbakke Villadsen of Gehl in Copenhagen. Using the concept of complete neighborhoods as a framework, we will explore how Seattle can provide a mix of housing options for homeowners, renters, and people of different ages and walks of life. We are looking for AIA committees and partner organizations that are interested in providing complementary programming under the 15-Minute Seattle banner (think: other amenities and characteristics of the 15-minute city, like walkability, transit, green spaces and public spaces, child care, access to food options, etc.). For more information, please contact Kirsten.

OPPORTUNITIES

Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board
The Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board is seeking two new members to serve two-year terms starting this spring. The Pedestrian Advisory Board advises the Mayor, City Council, and city departments on projects, policies, and programs that improve or affect walking and rolling conditions in Seattle. Members also serve as stewards of Seattle’s Pedestrian Master Plan vision. More info available here. Applications are due March 23.

Seattle Renters’ Commission
The City of Seattle is seeking community members to serve on the Seattle Renters’ Commission (SRC). The Seattle Renters’ Commission advises the City on policies and issues of interest to renters citywide. Members of the Seattle Renters’ Commission must be a renter within the City of Seattle at the time of their appointment and throughout their term. The Commission consists of people living in an array of rental housing types, to include students, low-income renters, LGBTQ renters, people with past felony convictions, people in subsidized housing, and those who have experienced homelessness. Those interested in being considered should complete the online application by Monday, April 12 at 5 p.m.

Washington State Board for Architects
The Washington State Board for Architects will have a Board Member position available starting in June 2021. The seven-member, governor-appointed board is made up of six registered architects who reside in Washington and have at least eight years’ experience in responsible charge of architectural work or teaching – and one member of the public. The Board’s primary function is to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare through regulating the practice of architecture. Board member responsibilities include:

Attending board meetings (approx. 4 a year)
Participating in board committees for specific projects
Acting as a case manager or as part of the judicial panel in disciplinary cases
Representing the board responsibly to the profession and the public
Attending national council meetings as needed
Reviewing applications as needed

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to participate in shaping the profession; women and architects of color are encouraged to apply. More information about this position is available here. Applications should be submitted by April 15.

EVENTS

AIA Seattle Committee Meetings

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force continues to meet monthly on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom.
AIA Seattle’s Transportation Task Force meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 pm via Zoom.

For info on how to access either meeting, contact Kirsten.

Post-COVID Urbanism by AIA’s Urban Design Forum March 24
This roundtable event provides a platform to discuss opportunities and challenges regarding the tactical urbanism measures Seattle has implemented to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on our communities. As we prepare for a future beyond the pandemic, we ask, “What is Post-COVID Urbanism?” How do we maintain a safe, healthy environment that provides a connected system of neighborhoods and that brings economic viability equitably to all businesses? More info

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy

Letter from Executive Director, Lisa Richmond: Transition

Dear AIA Seattle Community,

I am writing to share some bittersweet news. After 14 wonderful years with AIA Seattle, I will be stepping down as Executive Director at the end of June. After so many fulfilling years in this role, I plan on taking a gap year to spend time with family, travel, and explore new ideas.

Working with AIA Seattle has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. We have accomplished so much together: successfully advocating for local policy change to promote an equitable, well designed, and sustainable city; creating the Seattle Design Festival and the Center for Architecture and Design; leading the Institute through national education programs like AIA+2030 and Materials Matter; and elevating the ideas and interests of AIA members through myriad committees and events.

AIA Seattle is a collective endeavor, the sum of the energy and passion of engaged members, committed leaders and capable staff. Its success is not dependent on any one individual. AIA Seattle will continue to thrive and grow, dedicated to the mission to champion the central role of architects in creating and sustaining a better built environment. The Board of Directors is actively working with an executive search firm and will soon be sharing more information about an executive director hiring process.

I remain totally invested in AIA Seattle’s success, and plan to set your new director up for success. Our whole team is committed to a smooth, successful, and transparent transition process. Look for more information about the hiring process and farewell events in coming weeks.

It has been my great honor and pleasure to serve as your Executive Director, and I will take with me not only pride in the work we have done together, but also the warmth of the relationships we have forged. Thank you for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Sincerely,
Lisa Richmond Hon. AIA
Executive Director
AIA Seattle + Design in Public

Posted in Design In Public, For the Profession, For the Public

AHC: Call for Spring 2021 Conference Lightning Talks

Call for Lighting Talk Presentations

AHC Spring Conference: Resiliency Through Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health
April 22 & 23, 2021 – Virtual

OVERVIEW

This year’s AIA AHC Spring Event includes two days of virtual interdisciplinary presentations, design case studies, and conversations around how we can address design and construction resiliency, while maintaining an ever-present focus on emotional well-being and mental health for all occupants. How we can overcome obstacles and challenges that prevent us from truly wholistic and resilient design in healthcare environments? How do we measure the environmental, economic, and psychological value of regulation, manage risk, and keep humans at the center of design? On April 22^nd and 23^rd we welcome AEC and healthcare professionals to join us at this dynamic program.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

The AHC Spring Event audience includes: Architects, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, Healthcare Practitioners and Policymakers, Facility Owners/Managers, Urban Designers and Planners, and Public Health Professionals. The planning task force welcomes emerging professionals to the program, as their partnership is central to defining a sustainable future.

CALL FOR LIGHTNING TALK PRESENTATIONS

Submission Deadline: March 17, 2021

Community
Mental health
Well-being
Jobsite Safety
Resiliency
Wholistic healthcare environments

PRESENTATION TOPICS

Innovative planning or design strategies that improve health outcomes.
Processes or techniques that integrate disaster preparedness into design (eg. wildfire, earthquakes, active shooter, pandemic).
Implementation of innovative techniques or technologies for jobsite and occupant safety.
Methodologies for measuring and monitoring care during construction.
Integrating mental health of patient care providers in design.
Aging infrastructure, system redundancy, and the level of resiliency required.
Integrating wellness technology into patient care and staff care.
Systems solutions addressing present and future pandemic preparedness and vaccine distribution.

PRESENTATION FORMAT

Lightning talk presentations are short, and should be no more than seven (7) minutes in length. Inspired by PechaKucha’s concise format, presentations must limit their slides (number of slides may vary), and set them to advance automatically.

Standard audio, visual, and digital media will be supported.

Presenters must submit their final PowerPoint presentation files to AHC no later than 5:00pm PST on Thursday, April 15^th. A PowerPoint template will be provided in advance, and late presentations will not be accepted.

We encourage presenters to use the following questions as a guide to preparing their short talks:

WHAT is the INNOVATION that your lightning talk will focus on? Is it a process, a tool, a product, a space, an interaction, etc.?
WHY the innovation? Identify the problem or challenge that prompted the innovation.
HOW was the innovation developed, tested, implemented in the context of healthcare environments?
WHO were the stakeholders in research, funding, implementation, etc.? Who was impacted by the innovation? Who was required to embrace the change and/or assume the risks?

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SELECTION PROCESS

Lightning talk proposals will be evaluated by the AIA Seattle AHC Board Members with AIA staff. Successful proposals will:

Align with the event theme and objectives
Deepen audience understanding of a particular design innovation
Offer fresh insight and relevant information through the combination of words and visuals

SUBMISSION PROCESS + KEY DATES

Please complete the submission form linked below by 5:00pm on March 17, 2021. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Schedule and Deadlines

March 4, 2021: Call for lightning talks goes out
March 17, 2021: Proposals due
April 1, 2021: Acceptances issued
April 15, 2021: Final PowerPoint presentations due to AHC Committee
April 22 or 23, 2021: Presentations at 2021 AIA AHC Spring Event: Resiliency Through Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health 8am – 12pm both days. NOTE: Exact date and time of presentation TBD pending finalization of conference schedule.

Registration

Free registration is offered to all presenters who want to attend the full 2-day AIA AHC Spring Event. Please be advised that presenters will be responsible for their travel, lodging and any other expenses and arrangements.

Inquiries

Please address any questions to:

Architecture for Health Committee
Spring Event Committee
AHCchairs@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Architects, For the Profession

THE STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION – A LOOK AT TODAY & TOMORROW

White background, with red-to-blue gradient image of small group, duo, and independent education images with VR and computers. Text: The State of Higher Education; A look at Today and Tomorrow; A panel discussion of what is working, what's not, and what to try next. Wednesday, January 20th, 12-1pm PST

While the pandemic shone a spotlight on the vulnerabilities that have plagued higher education, it also represents an opportunity to improve the system holistically. As an extension of DLR Group’s ongoing research into The Evolution of CampusSM, Jackie Eckhardt moderates this Jan 20th discussion touching on aspects of the current realities facing local institutions including panelists’ perspectives from Bellevue College, Central Washington University, and Washington State University-TriCities.

Click here to view a full recording of the live webinar.

MODERATOR

Jackie Eckhardt, AIA, LEED AP BD+C | Higher Education Leader | DLR Group

PANELISTS

Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: Committee, Design, Education, Major Programs, Webinar

AIA Seattle Announces 2021 Fellows & National Awards

2021 AIA Seattle Fellows and National Awardees collage

Brian Court FAIA has brought sustainable design to the forefront of the public realm with his performance-driven design process that works in harmony with natural forces, shaping our environment and establishing a low-impact, regenerative future. Since joining Miller Hull in 2001, Brian has led the design of numerous high profile and complex landmark projects using a deft combination of time-tested and innovative design strategies and emerging technologies. This has earned him the reputation as an advocate for groundbreaking sustainable design.

Brian has a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Washington and continues to give back to the program as a guest reviewer and thesis critic. Pushing the boundaries of current practice make him a highly sought-after speaker and instructor who regularly shares his insight and experience with other designers and students. Additionally, Brian was honored with the distinguished and singular Young Architect Award by AIA Seattle in 2013.

Grace H. Kim FAIA is an architect and co-founding principal of Schemata Workshop, a Seattle-based architectural practice with a keen focus on building community and social equity. Her clients include a range of public housing authorities and social service providers, as well as municipalities and private clients. Her work is deeply rooted in race, equity and inclusion – and she seeks to include the voices and cultures of people of color and marginalized populations through her projects.

Grace is also the founder of Capitol Hill Urban Cohousing, a collaborative residential community which includes her street level office and a rooftop urban farm. She walks the talk of sustainability – leaving a small ecological footprint while incorporating holistic ideals of social and economic resilience into her daily life. She is an internationally recognized expert in cohousing – her TED talk has over 2.4M views.

Grace serves on the Seattle Planning Commission and on the Board of Directors for the Housing Development Consortium – a membership organization that advocates for housing policy at the local and state levels.

Eric Lagerberg FAIA, LEED AP has led a career of nearly 30 years, emerging as a global guiding force in the design of retail and consumer-focused environments. A consummate leader, Eric brings the unique perspective of a professional who has worked and lived around the world—as a designer as well as a client. This broad view allows him to see the work from all aspects and to drive solutions that accommodate operational considerations without compromising design.

Lagerberg’s professional experience includes leadership positions at, among others, Starbucks, Callison and CRTKL, the global architecture, design and planning firm. At CRTKL, he directed the efforts of nearly 400 creative professionals across 22 offices internationally. Under his leadership, the practice developed an award-winning portfolio of work for some of the world’s most recognizable (and demanding) brands and retailers. With Eric at the helm of its retail team, CRTKL consistently ranked as the top retail design firm in the world.

A passionate but diligent ambassador for the profession, Eric has taken a global path in his career. In the late 1990’s, he relocated from Seattle to London and, eventually, to Beijing to work with Western retailers expanding into emerging markets—an assignment that tested his skills as an architect as much as a diplomat. Eric’s commitment to quality design, business integrity and client service proved to be invaluable in helping American commercial interests break into what many had considered an impenetrable market. And, in the spirit of a true educator, he wasted no time in sharing his knowledge through lectures, articles and talks that encouraged colleagues, peers and even competitors to test their limits and push boundaries.

Eric received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from the University of Washington and a Master of Architecture degree from The Ohio State University. He currently lives in Seattle with his wife Park.

DLR Group Principal Erica Loynd FAIA is a national justice design expert leading teams to elevate conditions for disenfranchised people, creating environments and setting innovative justice standards that support wellness, equity, & transformative programs to successfully return people to their communities. Erica engages clients and organizations to empower change from the top down, addressing physical and operational policies and practices related to mental health, programs, medical treatment, enhanced physical environments, safety for inmates, public, staff, and officers. Her projects have led to $1.7 billion dollars of construction for justice and civic projects and over 5.25 million total square feet of space. Volunteering with AIA WA Council as the state licensure advisor, AIA Seattle’s mentorship programs and membership steering committee, she has worked with architects and aspiring candidates to enrich their careers in architecture. As an expert in government facility design and construction, Erica has been leading the national AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice Knowledge Community to push for innovations in research and operations to better serve all people.

Richard E (Rick) Mohler, FAIA, NCARB is an Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Washington College of Built Environments with over thirty-five years of professional practice garnering more than a dozen local and regional AIA awards and multiple design competition wins. His teaching, research, practice and advocacy are focused on the nexus of urban housing, transportation and the public realm and he leverages his teaching to address these issues while strengthening connections between the profession, academy, government and community. Rick co-chaired the AIA Seattle Public Policy Board, is co-chair of the Seattle Planning Commission, an Affiliate Fellow of the UW Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies, an Urban@UW Fellow, an NCARB Scholar in Professional Practice and a founding member of Sound Communities, a volunteer group of civic leaders focused on leveraging the region’s $60B transit investment to build complete neighborhoods with an abundance of affordable housing at transit hubs. He is the recipient of a 2020 R+D Award from ARCHITECT magazine for ADUniverse, an online application for Seattle homeowners to determine the feasibility of building an accessory dwelling unit on their parcel and a 2021 ACSA/AIA Housing Design Education Award for his “Neighborhoods for All” design studio focused on missing middle housing types taught in collaboration with the Seattle Planning Commission.

The work of these Fellows demonstrates the power of architecture to address issues of urban housing, retail design, justice facilities, cohousing and social equity, and sustainable design.

The Fellowship program was developed to elevate those architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. Election to fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.

Out of a total AIA membership of over 90,000, there are approximately 3,000 distinguished with the honor of fellowship and honorary fellowship.

National Awards

Honorary AIA

Through his 14-year tenure at Architecture 2030, Vincent Martinez, Hon. AIA, has been working to solve the climate crisis by catalyzing global building decarbonization efforts through the development and activation of robust networks focused on private sector commitments, education, training, and public policies. Vincent also helps set the organization’s vision and currently leads Architecture 2030’s work on urban zero-net-carbon buildings and public policy. Vincent is an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and was the 2018 chair of the AIA Energy Leadership Group, a former member of the AIA Sustainability Leadership Group, and is a current member of the AIA Committee for Climate Action and Design Excellence.

This award is given to an allied professional whose contributions the Institute bear national significance.

The 2021 Fellows and National honorees will be honored by AIA National in the year to come, and celebrated at the AIA Seattle awards ceremony in Fall 2021.

Young Architect

Myer Harrell, AIA, LFA, LEED AP BD+C, Homes is a trusted industry leader in high performance design, drawing on his teaching, research, and volunteer service to inspire commercial design practice. He is a Principal and Director of Sustainability for Weber Thompson, an integrated design firm in Seattle nationally recognized for their commitment to sustainability.

Myer was named AIA Seattle Young Architect in 2011, has served on the AIA Seattle Board of Directors since 2016, and is the current president-elect. Nationally, he serves on the AIA Continuing Education Committee. His past service includes the USGBC Greenbuild Program Working Group, the USGBC Education Events Committee, and the Cascadia Green Building Council Board of Directors.

Myer earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the University of Maryland and a Master in Architecture and Commercial Real Estate Certificate from the University of Washington. He has co-instructed architecture studios at the University of Washington and has been invited as a guest lecturer and studio critic. His current research includes building-integrated agriculture, land-use incentives for deep green projects, and crafting a business case for sustainable design choices.

Posted in For the Profession

Advocacy Update – February 2021

NATIONAL NEWS

Green Infrastructure Investments
During AIA National’s virtual Grassroots conference this week, AIA members from across the country met with their U.S. senators and representatives to discuss Congressional investments in green building infrastructure that can address public health and housing needs related to COVID, the pandemic-related economic recession, and our ongoing climate crisis. Attendees from Washington met with the offices of Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Marilyn Strickland to discuss the climate impact of buildings and the importance of green infrastructure investments.

STATE NEWS

State Legislative Session
The state’s first online legislative session has been progressing smoothly. Bills needed to pass out of their policy committees by Feb. 15 to remain alive, and bills that have moved on to fiscal committees must pass out of those by Feb. 22. The virtual format means that architects have been able to testify directly to legislators on bills that impact the profession – thank you to all those who have done so over the last several weeks! You can read AIA Washington Council’s January legislative report here; look for an updated version after the fiscal committee cut-off next week. You can also follow along at AIA|WA’s Legislative Center. Highlights for AIA thus far include:

Practice: alternative project delivery reauthorization for state contracting is moving quickly through the process. A group of occupational licensing bills which AIA opposed because they impacted architect licenses failed to pass out of committee. One bill which AIA does support, to allow individuals with prior criminal convictions to petition a licensing body to become licensed, did pass out of committee.
Climate: bills to address building electrification; embodied carbon requirements for state contracts; reducing emissions from HFCs; water quality standards for greywater systems; and environmental justice all passed out of their policy committees and are pending before fiscal committees this week.
School construction: a bill to amend Washington’s constitution to lower the threshold to 55 percent for voters to pass school bonds remains alive; but, because a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote of both houses, it will be difficult to pass.
Tax: the big tax bills that have gained media attention – the wealth tax, the capital gains tax, and the high value assets tax – all have extra time to pass out of their fiscal committees. The Senate version of the capital gains tax was heard this week and amended to include higher thresholds and a lower tax rate.
Growth management: legislation to add climate, equity, and more robust housing elements to the existing planning requirements under the Growth Management Act remain alive and pending before the House Appropriations Committee.
Housing: a slew of bills related to facilitating more housing; preventing eviction; and providing affordable housing funding mechanisms for local governments remain alive. We will have a better sense of which bills have traction after the Feb. 22 fiscal committee cut-off.
Social justice: similarly, AIA|WA is tracking a large number of bills on renter’s rights, criminal justice, legal reforms, and additional equity-related measures. Next week’s fiscal committee cut-off will give us a clearer picture of the areas legislators are prioritizing.

For more information, contact Kirsten.

LOCAL NEWS

State and Local Codes
A reminder that last month Governor Inslee reversed a decision by the State Building Code Council to further delay the implementation date of the 2018 state building codes, which means they went into effect on February 1.

The Seattle City Council approved the Seattle Construction Codes this month (except for the Fire Code, which is pending), and they take effect on March 15. As of February 1, SDCI will accept permit applications using either the 2015 or 2018 codes. After March 15, SDCI will only accept permit applications that use the 2018 codes.

Seattle Energy Code: on Feb. 1, the City Council approved the Seattle Energy Code updates by a vote of 9-0. This code was the subject of AIA Seattle’s Climate Advocacy Week in December, when members met with city councilmembers to discuss the importance of strengthening the city’s energy code requirements. Thank you to all AIA members who participated in outreach to the Council – your efforts made a difference! Special thanks to Mike Fowler AIA, Chris Hellstern AIA, and Nathaniel Gundersen Assoc. AIA for representing architects and AIA Seattle by providing testimony at Council hearings. And particular kudos to Duane Jonlin FAIA of Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections, who shepherded this code through the long technical and political processes.

OPPORTUNITIES

Applicants Sought for the Seattle Women’s Commission
The Seattle Office for Civil Rights is currently recruiting to fill seven vacancies on the Seattle Women’s Commission. The Commission seeks candidates with diverse backgrounds in women’s rights, community engagement, law, public policy, advocacy, social services, education, and business and who are committed to racial equity. The Seattle Women’s Commission advises the Mayor, City Council, and city departments on matters that relate to women’s issues. The deadline to apply is March 8. More info here.

EVENTS

AIA Seattle Committee Meetings

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force continues to meet monthly on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom.
AIA Seattle’s Transportation Task Force meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 pm via Zoom.

For info on how to access either meeting, contact Kirsten.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy

Celebrating Black History Month

We are also committed to a process of transparency in what measurable actions we are taking in pursuit of racial justice. We have established an evolving list for the sake of mutual accountability in our member-led organization. Read the full evolving list of Racial Justice commitments here.

Organization Updates:

As a corollary to our 2019 Intercultural Leadership Program, AIA Seattle is partnering with NOMA NW and Planning in Color to develop a firm leadership cohort for 2021, focused on architecture (and allied) firm culture change. Through peer-based learning, this group will develop and share with one another best practices to meet the objectives laid out in the NOMA NW Call-to-Action. Stay tuned for details – this program is scheduled for May.
Last November, the AIA Seattle Board approved the formation of a JE:DI task force. The intent of this group is to facilitate actionable change in making the profession of architecture within our local community more equitable, just, anti-racist and truly inclusive.Task Force Members include: Rob Misel AIA of Miller Hull and Whitney Lewis Assoc. AIA of GGLO (current co-chairs), Amarpreet Sethi, Michele Hill AIA, Michelle Yates Assoc. AIA, Osama Quotah AIA, and Susan Frieson AIA.

Diversity Roundtable Committee Updates:

The “Diversity by Design” exhibition is being updated for 2021, and will be displayed on screens at King Street Station in August. Submissions are still being accepted here.
While “Architects in Schools” program is currently on pause, DRT is working with the Wild Students in collaboration with Sawhorse Revolution, virtually mentoring high school students about the design and build process. In the Spring, they will transform the design of the Garden Shed for Danny Woo Gardens into a set of construction documents that the students can build.
Follow Diversity Roundtable’s Architecture Spotlights campaign this month on Instagram. @drt_aiaseattle

NOMA Updates:

NOMA National, with the help of spatial activist and founder of Kulima Design, Prescott Reavis, is curating a month of Black history in architecture spotlights on Instagram .
NOMA is saddened to report that last founding member of NOMA, Jeh Johnson AIA passed away recently. More info here.
NOMA partners with Black Spectacles to ease licensure process for minority architects.
In Portland? @NOMAPDX will have their first meeting on February 16, 4:30-6:00 pm

Events and resources throughout the month of February and beyond:

Black History Month Virtual Festival exploring this year’s theme theme of The Black Family, Representation, Identity and Diversity. February 1 – 28.
Be in the know about upcoming NOMA Seattle events on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or their website.
The AIA Guides for Equitable Practice are a resource to help ensure organizations meets professional and cultural awareness expectations of employees and clients.
#28BlackArchitectsIn28Days is an annual series highlighting the accomplishments of African American architects during Black History Month.
Fireclay Tile has partnered with the Architecture Foundation to sponsor a Diversity Advancement Scholarship to support Black Women in Architecture. More information here on ways to donate!
And of course, join Diversity Roundtable! The Diversity Roundtable attracts, retains and empowers individuals of underrepresented backgrounds in the profession of architecture through scholarship, community service and activism. DRT meets (virtually until further notice) the first Tuesday of every month at 5pm.

Have another event or resource we should share? Tell us about it here.

Posted in For the Profession, For the Public, Missions, Visions, Values

Register Now for our Upcoming Decoded Seminars

Join us for five upcoming sessions to learn from Code experts.

Session 1 | Decoded | Tall Wood: A New Path Forward – Code Provisions and Design Steps
February 24, 2021 | ONLINE | 12:00PM – 2:00PM // Class Credit: 2 LU/HSW

Session 2 | Decoded | 2018 IBC Update Redux
April 28-29, 2021 | ONLINE | 12:00PM – 2:00PM // Class Credit: 4 LU/HSW

Session 3 | Decoded | Practical Guide to the Residential Energy Code
July 30, 2021 | ONLINE | 12:00PM – 2:00PM // Class Credit: 2 LU/HSW

Session 4 | Decoded | Multifamily Accessibility
September 21-22, 2021 | ONLINE | 12:00PM – 2:00PM //Class Credit: 4 LU/HSW

Session 5 | Decoded | Seattle Land Use Roundup
November 30 – December 1, 2021 | ONLINE | 12:00PM – 2:00PM //Class Credit: 4 LU/HSW

All session dates and times subject to change.

Special Thanks to our 2021 Code Series Sponsors

Code Unlimited | Hensel Phelps | Puget Sound Energy

Code Committee

Special thanks to the Code Committee for planning this series of sessions!

Registration or Credit Questions?
Contact Andrea Aguilera, Programs Coordinator at AIA Seattle

Program Questions?
Contact Connor Descheemaker, Member Engagement Manager at AIA Seattle

Sponsorship Questions?
Contact Kristen Lound, Associate Director, Growth & Operations at AIA Seattle

Posted in Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – January 2021

STATE NEWS

State Code Returned to Feb. 1 Implementation Date
On Jan. 12, Governor Inslee reversed a Jan. 8 decision by the State Building Code Council which delayed the implementation date of the 2018 building codes from Feb. 1 to July 1, 2021. The governor’s decision returns the implementation date to February 1. AIA does not anticipate further changes to this much-amended date. You may read Gov. Inslee’s letter on his decision here.

The 2018 Seattle codes will maintain an effective date of March 15, 2021, pending Council approval of the Seattle codes in February. Starting February 1, SDCI will accept permit applications using either the 2015 or 2018 codes. After March 15, SDCI will only accept permit applications that use the 2018 codes.

State Legislative Session Kicks Off
A state legislative session like no other – nearly entirely conducted online – began on January 11 and will run for 105 calendar days. AIA Washington Council will be reporting on the session regularly. You can also follow along at AIA|WA’s Legislative Center. Key issues for AIA include:

Practice: alternative project delivery reauthorization for state contracting; efforts to reduce the threshold for predesign work on state contracts.
Climate: building electrification; embodied carbon requirements for state contracts; reducing emissions from HFCs; water quality standards for gray water systems; environmental justice.
School construction: amending Washington’s constitution to lower the threshold for voters to pass school bonds.
Tax: capital gains tax; eliminating state tax on COVID-related financial support.
Growth management: adding climate, equity, and more robust housing elements to planning requirements under the Growth Management Act.
Housing: housing benefit districts; facilitating ADUs; fully funding the state’s Housing Trust Fund; eviction prevention; affordable housing funding mechanisms for local governments.

For more information, contact Kirsten.

LOCAL NEWS

Seattle Seeks Green Building Incentives Feedback
The City of Seattle is updating its green building incentives, which encourage energy savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions beyond the code to support Seattle’s clean energy future. These incentives include the Green Building Standard, which allows projects in certain zones to achieve extra floor area, and Priority Green, which allows expedited permitting. OPCD and SDCI are seeking comments on its initial proposal, available here. Please direct your comments by Jan. 29 to:

Brennon Staley
Strategic Advisor | OPCD
brennon.staley@seattle.gov | 206.684.4625

Permanent Supportive Housing New Land Use Code
On January 27, the Seattle City Council’s Select Committee on Homelessness Strategies will consider legislation by Councilmember Andrew Lewis to create a new land use code that will exempt permanent supportive housing from Design Review and eliminate some space requirements like onsite bike parking. The proposal also exempts floor area used for on-site supportive services from calculations for FAR limits and allows for certain SDCI waivers to be made as an administrative decision. AIA Seattle sent a letter to councilmembers expressing support for the overall legislation while expressing mixed opinions about the provisions related to bike parking. If you would like to comment on the legislation, contact your councilmembers.

Rico Quirindongo AIA joins Seattle OPCD
AIA member Rico Quirindongo has joined Seattle OPCD as the agency’s deputy director. In this role he will manage OPCD’s Community Planning, Long Range Planning, and Land Use Policy Divisions; help to align City planning functions and prioritize the City’s capital investments; expand cohesive community outreach strategies to reach traditionally underrepresented populations; and develop the department’s annual work program. Congratulations Rico!

EVENTS

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force continues to meet monthly on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom.
AIA Seattle’s Transportation Task Force meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 pm via Zoom.

For info on how to access either meeting, contact Kirsten.

CODE SESSIONS

Lighting Design Lab’s Cost Effective Code Compliance Classes
These classes are free and cover the Washington and Seattle energy codes.

Jan. 26: Building Envelope
Feb. 2: Lighting
Feb. 9: Water Heating

AIA Washington Council Webinar of the State Commercial Energy Code
Feb. 10, 3:00-4:30pm
This session will cover the significant changes to the 2018 Washington State Energy Code for Commercial Buildings. We will explore the new code in the context of Washington State Energy Code goals, alignment with the new state energy strategy, and the state’s implementation timeline. More info here.

AIA Washington Council Q&A with State Rep. Davina Duerr
State Representative Davina Duerr (D-Bothell) will be speaking to AIA members as part of AIA|WA’s Capital Connections event. Rep. Duerr is the only current architect in the State Legislature and this will be her first opportunity to speak with AIA members as a group. All members are invited. Rep. Duerr will speak to what it’s like to bring architect thinking to the Legislature; her experiences from her first year and a half in Olympia; and her priorities for 2021. She’ll also answer your questions. Register here.

UDF: Equitable TOD w/ King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci
Claudia Balducci, King County Regional Council Chair and former Bellevue Mayor, will join UDF to discuss King County’s approach to transit oriented development (TOD), specifically related to the expanding light rail and bus rapid transit in the ST2 and ST3 packages, through the lens of the King County Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. More info.

King County Stakeholder Meeting: C-PACER
Jan 27, 2-3:30pm, Register
Join King County for an online workshop about the development of the County’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy + Resilience (C-PACER) program. Staff will provide a brief overview and context of the C-PACER program, highlight resources and King County’s process, and hold a facilitated discussion to get input from stakeholders.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy

Benefits of Resilient Design in New Construction

A new generation of buildings featuring resilient design will perform better in earthquakes with less damage, faster recovery, and reduced repair and business interruption costs.

Champion: California Manufacturers & Technology Association

More Panelist to be Announced

Dave Mar, SE, Owner, Mar Structural Design
Lance Hastings, President + CEO, California Manufacturers & Technology Association
Maryann Phipps, SE, President, E Structure
Craig Stockbridge, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, GBD Architects

Regisiter Here

Posted in Uncategorized

2020 Advocacy Actions

Local

We endorsed the Seattle Planning Commission’s Growth Strategy White Paper, Evolving Seattle’s Growth Strategy.
We provided feedback to SDCI on the Seattle Services Portal.
We organized architect focus groups for Seattle Public Utilities’ update on solid waste planning and solid waste storage, access, and collection design issues.
We supported Mayor Durkan’s Green New Deal Executive Order requiring new city buildings to operate fossil fuel free.
We supported legislation to make emergency changes to Seattle’s Design Review requirements during COVID-19.
We monitored City of Seattle discussions to make refinements to the city’s Mandatory Housing Affordability program.
We worked with Councilmember Mosqueda to adjust last year’s ADU rules as part of the SDCI Omnibus bill.
We supported Seattle’s Safe Healthy Streets program by sending a letter to Mayor Durkan, SDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe, and City Council Sustainability & Transportation Committee Chair Alex Pedersen. We also endorsed Seattle Neighborhood Greenways’ proposal calling on the city to convert 130 miles of streets to Stay Healthy Streets and make other improvements to allow people to safely walk, roll, and use micromobility devices during COVID and beyond.
We monitored the Seattle budget process for impacts to AIA Seattle’s core issue areas.
We supported a resolution to require Seattle City Council staff to evaluate the carbon impacts of city projects starting in January 2021.
We developed an online ADU Showcase in place of the in-person ADU Tour.
We supported the Seattle Energy Code update with technical and advocacy support and sent a letter in support of SDCI’s determination of non-significance under SEPA. Our members advocated for the new code as part of AIA’s first ever Climate Advocacy Week.

State

We monitored Governor’s Inslee’s proclamations on construction and professional service work during COVID-19 and provided resources to members.
We held a Climate Comprehensive webinar to recap AIA’s work on climate issues across many policy levels – including AIA National’s Big Move on climate.
We participated in rulemaking for Washington’s Clean Buildings Act (HB 1257, 2019), which required the Department of Commerce to develop a state energy performance standard for commercial buildings greater than 50,000 square feet. We provided a webinar session for members to learn about the program.
We commented on the draft 2021 State Energy Strategy to support the state’s goals related to climate.
We passed and supported the rollout of Washington’s C-PACER program, which will provide a private financing mechanism for building owners to complete deep green retrofits and resiliency improvements.
We protected architect licensure from legislative attempts to weaken licensing requirements.
We supported housing legislation to facilitate more ADUs, help increase housing affordability, and stem the tide of homelessness.
We successfully opposed legislation to weaken predesign requirements in state contracting.
We continued to advocate against the B&O tax structure for professional services with large subcontractor payments as part of the state’s overall taxation system reform.
We supported efforts to address embodied carbon in building materials for state-funded projects.
We defended the state energy code and the State Building Code Council’s mission and structure.

National

We opposed a Trump Administration proposal to designate “classical” architecture as the preferred style for federal buildings.
We supported the YIMBY Act (HR 4307), which passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would address the country’s affordable housing crisis by streamlining affordable housing production and zoning for high-density single-family and multifamily housing.
We sent a letter to AIA National’s Board of Directors in support of a proposal by AIA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct prohibiting members from knowingly designing spaces intended for execution and torture, including indefinite or prolonged solitary confinement.

Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board

Advocacy Update – December 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

AIA National Approves Rule on Justice Facility Spaces
In December, AIA National’s Board of Directors approved new rules to the AIA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct prohibiting members from knowingly designing spaces intended for execution and torture, including indefinite or prolonged solitary confinement of prisoners for 22 hours or more per day without meaningful human contact, for more than 15 consecutive days. The Board expressed its opinion that the design of such spaces is inconsistent with the profession’s fundamental responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public and uphold human rights. AIA Seattle sent a letter in support of this change to the Board.

STATE NEWS

A Legislative Session Like No Other
The state legislative session begins on January 11 and will be conducted largely virtually this year. As always, you can follow along on TVW and by reading AIA Washington Council’s legislative updates during the session. If you are interested in more information about how to follow a particular issue or bill, or if you have questions, let Kirsten know. For more detailed information about how to impact state policy during the session, consider attending AIA|WA’s Navigating the State Legislative Session webinar, described under Events below.

For more information about AIA’s agenda for the session, see AIA|WA’s legislative preview here. Key agenda items from AIA Seattle’s perspective include:

Climate

Measures to decarbonize buildings by supporting building electrification
Embodied carbon requirements for state-funded buildings
Clean energy retrofits for public buildings
State Building Code Council – energy code and fending off attacks on its structure or mission
Growth Management Act – adding a climate element to planning requirements

Housing

Permanent funding source for the State Housing Trust Fund
Growth Management Act – amend the GMA’s existing housing element by requiring counties to:
- Plan for housing based on targets, income, and type
- Plan for duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes
- Plan for homeless housing
- Work to limit displacement from market forces in high-risk areas
- Further fair housing principles
Incentivize and remove barriers to missing middle housing, including ADUs
Housing Benefit Districts – planning and land acquisition around high capacity transit stations for complete communities, with a focus on low-income housing

Racial & Social Justice

In addition to understanding and incorporating BIPOC and low-income community concerns in its focus areas, AIA|WA will be tracking policy issues related to race and social justice during the 2021 legislative session. While we may not be able to actively support the wide array of proposals in this category, we intend to make members aware of them and provide information on how individuals and firms can weigh in as they wish. For firms that have signed on to the NOMA Call-to-Action Pledge, this information may be used to help comply with Ongoing Commitment #5:

Become engaged at the state and local levels in public, housing, and education policy. Advocate for policies that promote integrated neighborhoods; legislation that benefits the growth, resources, infrastructure and, therefore, prosperity of all communities and demographics.

Currently, our list includes these areas:

Assistance for individuals and families hit hardest by COVID.
Criminal justice system reform
Police reform
Homeownership opportunities
Investments and revenue
- Provide new investments in BIPOC communities and maintain existing social safety net programs.
- Identify more progressive sources of revenue to invest in long-term commitments
Broadband access

If you are interested in helping AIA|WA navigate these issues by providing feedback and helping to weigh policy proposals, please let Kirsten know.

Governor Announces Climate Priorities
Gov. Inslee announced his climate priorities for the state legislative session, including a Healthy Homes, Clean Buildings Act that provides a statewide approach to systematically decarbonize buildings. Although the details are not yet finalized, here are the main components:

Requires any new buildings to be zero-carbon by 2030 and puts the state on a path to eliminate fossil fuels from existing buildings by 2050
Strengthens state building codes to incentivize electric appliances over gas
Creates a heat pump and electrification program to support clean electricity for space and water heating
Authorizes public utilities to provide incentives for high-efficiency electric equipment, paving the way for utilities’ existing energy efficiency funds to be spent on climate-friendly appliances rather than gas
Requires transition planning by utilities:
- Requires utilities to produce plans for transitioning their gas workers to new jobs
- Requires utilities to align long-term plans for their gas systems with the state’s climate goals, and requires planning for an equitable transition away from gas in buildings

The Governor’s budget also includes proposed capital budget investments of $141 million for programs and projects to support the transition to cleaner buildings. This includes:

Healthier homes for low-income families: $55 million to weatherize and support energy efficiency investments for 7,000 low-income residences.
Clean energy retrofits for public buildings: $66 million to retrofit more than 200 public buildings.
Next-generation “smart buildings”: $20 million to shift from fossil fuels to high-efficiency electric heat pumps and other electric equipment.

LOCAL NEWS

AIA Seattle Climate Advocacy Week – thank you!
Thank you to our members who participated in AIA Seattle’s first Climate Advocacy Week. Your meetings with Seattle City Councilmembers on the city’s commercial energy code showed strong support for the code and for green building in general. The questions you received helped us to understand what councilmembers are concerned about and to share that information with our coalition partners who will be conducting similar meetings. The code will come before the Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee on January 13 and the full council later in January. We will keep you updated on its progress and additional opportunities to weigh in with your support.

Permanent Supportive Housing New Land Use Code
Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis is working on legislation to create a new land use code for permanent supportive housing with the intent of reducing cost and ensuring time savings. The legislation will exempt permanent supportive housing from Design Review and eliminate some space requirements like onsite bike parking. It also exempts floor area used for on-site supportive services from calculations for FAR limits and allows for certain SDCI waivers to be made as an administrative decision. This legislation will be considered in January. Read more details about the proposal here. AIA Seattle’s Public Policy Board has expressed support for this legislation but has mixed opinions about eliminating bike parking in any type of multi-family housing. If you have comments on this proposal for AIA to consider, please let Kirsten know.

Affordable Housing on Religious Organization Property
This month Mayor Durkan announced the development of land use policies to provide religious organizations with more flexibility to develop their land with long-term, income-restricted affordable housing. The state Legislature passed a bill in 2019 requiring cities to allow additional density for affordable housing on property owned or controlled by a religious organization. The affordable housing must be reserved for low-income households with incomes under 80 percent of area median income for at least 50 years. Faith-based organizations own more than 300 acres of land in Seattle. The policy will likely allow taller buildings in multi-family zones and denser development in single family zones. OPCD is working on the details and Durkan is expected to send legislation to the City Council early in 2021.

OPPORTUNITIES

Seattle Design Review Board Vacancies
Seattle is looking for candidates to fill 15 upcoming openings on the city’s Design Review Boards. Board members evaluate the design of new buildings based on citywide and neighborhood-specific design guidelines. The boards review large mixed-use developments, multifamily housing, and commercial projects. These volunteer positions will start on April 4, 2021, when retiring board members’ terms expire. Design profession representatives are specifically sought for the Northwest Board and the West Board, but other positions (development, landscape design, local residential/community) are also available. Applications are due Dec. 31. More info here.

EVENTS

AIA Seattle’s Housing Task Force continues to meet monthly on the second Thursday of each month at noon via Zoom.
AIA Seattle’s Transportation Task Force meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 pm via Zoom.

For info on how to access either meeting, contact Kirsten.

Navigating the State Legislative Session Jan. 8, 2021
AIA|WA is hosting this webinar immediately before the legislative session begins to review how the legislative process works and help you learn to navigate the state’s legislative website with ease. These skills will allow you to follow the bills and issues you are interested in and better understand how you can maximize contacts to your legislators and best impact the process. More info here.

AIA Washington Council’s Capitol Connections Jan. 24-29, 2001
Sign up for AIA|WA’s Capitol Connections, architects’ annual lobby day in Olympia, where members get to discuss issues important to the profession directly with their legislators. The event will be entirely virtual this year, with a kick-off webinar briefing, an opportunity to hear from key legislators on our issues, and online meetings with legislators throughout the week. We’ll be talking to legislators specifically about building electrification and housing. Be part of the political process from your home office or dining room! More info here.

We’d love to hear from you! To comment or for more information on these or any other topics, please contact:

Kirsten Smith
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
AIA Seattle & AIA Washington Council
206-957-1926 | kirstens@aiaseattle.temp312.kinsta.cloud

Posted in Advocacy