Kjell Anderson FAIA, LEED Fellow, practices architecture and serves as a Principal and the Director of Sustainable Design at LMN Architects, working with all of LMN’s clients to set and exceed sustainable design goals. He wrote the first architect-centered book…
NATIONAL NEWS National Building Performance Standard Effort At the United States Conference of Mayors winter meeting in January, President Biden announced a new partnership with state and local governments to reduce carbon emissions from the built environment. Known as the…
STATE NEWS State Building Code Council Releases 2021 Commercial Energy Code The 2021 commercial energy code amendments have been released by the State Building Code Council; you can view the proposed rule here. Public comments can be emailed to sbcc@des.wa.gov…
STATE NEWS Washington’s Redistricting Process Ends Washington’s redistricting saga has ended, with the state Supreme Court declining to develop its own district maps and allowing the maps approved after the deadline by the state’s redistricting commission to take effect. You…
STATE NEWS Washington Redistricting Washington’s redistricting commission, charged with determining new state and Congressional legislative districts after the 2020 census, failed to meet its Nov. 15 deadline to agree on new district maps. The failure of the panel, made up…
SEATTLE, November 9, 2021 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle hosted the 71st annual Honor Awards for Washington Architecture to celebrate excellence in design on November 9, 2021. The distinguished jury included Katherine Darnstadt AIA, NOMA, LEED AP (Latent…
AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable (DRT) committee attracts, retains, and empowers individuals of underrepresented backgrounds in the profession of architecture through scholarship, community service, and activism. Sawhorse Revolution is a non-profit that teams professional carpenters and architects with high-school-aged youth to…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
SEATTLE, November 16, 2020—The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle chapter hosted the 70th annual Honor Awards for Washington Architecture on November 16 to celebrate excellence in design. The distinguished jury included Marsha Maytum, FAIA, LEED AP (LMSA), Pascale Sablan, AIA, NOMA, LEED…
This year we recognize Matt Hutchins AIA; the Seattle Design Festival Core Team; and the Committee on the Environment, co-chairs: Shannon Bunsen and Gaurav Mehta. AIA Seattle Volunteer Award: Matt Hutchins AIA Matt Hutchins is a founder and principal of CAST…
FEDERAL NEWS AIA National Policy Platform AIA National has released a federal policy platform in advance of this year’s presidential elections. General categories include: A future economy Climate action Healthy and equitable communities STATE NEWS Clean Energy Transformation Act The…
The Honor Awards for Washington Architecture is AIA Seattle’s annual marquee program, drawing hundreds of attendees to an event of unique rigor and breadth. This nationally-recognized program provides an important opportunity for the design community to share and celebrate its…
BLACK LIVES MATTER AIA Seattle joins powerful community voices raised to condemn the murder of George Floyd and the broader system of racism, violence, injustice, and inequity that it represents. In the coming weeks, you will hear more about our…
As we continue to navigate work in these unprecedented times, AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council are striving to make sure you have the resources you need to take advantage of federal, state, and local programs designed to help firms…
SDCI Q&A On May 20, AIA Seattle held an online Q&A with SDCI about their project-related processes during COVID. You can watch that video here. Use password 8x+8M8uA Codes SDCI Delays 2018 Construction Code Implementation to November On March…
ARCHITECT ADVOCACY IN ACTION Seattle Firm Prompts New Rulemaking for Common Sense Bar Design This report is written by Joe Herrin AIA, Principal at Heliotrope in Seattle. Heliotrope is fortunate to have collaborated with many of Seattle’s most successful restauranteurs.…
FEDERAL NEWS Support Federal Legislation to Phase Down HFCs Architects Advocate, an independent group of architects and firms formed to advocate for policies to mitigate climate change, is calling for architects to support two bipartisan bills in Congress that would…
STATE NEWS Washington’s 2020 Legislative Session is Underway The state legislative session kicked off this week and will run through mid-March. AIA Washington Council will be providing weekly updates on the bills it is tracking and any new developments. Key…
NATIONAL NEWS ICC Vote on AIA’s Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix In coordination with Architecture 2030, AIA National submitted a Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix to become part of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The Appendix is optional…
SEATTLE, November 5, 2019—The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle chapter hosted the 69th annual Honor Awards for Washington Architecture on November 4 to celebrate excellence in design. The distinguished jury included Bryan C. Lee Jr. (New Orleans), Lisa Matthiessen…
NATIONAL NEWS ICC vote on AIA’s Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix AIA National submitted a Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix to become part of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). If approved by the International Code Council (ICC) voting…
NATIONAL NEWS AIA Makes Big Move on Climate This month AIA National launched an initiative to drive climate action within the architecture profession. As part of this effort, AIA called on architects around the world to support humanity’s collective call…
Its aim is to form a collective voice to advocate on behalf of zero net carbon buildings; inform policy solutions; and educate policymakers at all levels of government. Shift Zero’s diverse membership of local, regional and statewide organizations unites a…
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 City Council with consider legislation that would…
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…
On May 8, Mayor Durkan signed Electric Vehicle Readiness legislation into law. The new rules went into effect on June 7. The legislation will require all new buildings with off-street parking to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The goals are…
After months in limbo, Seattle’s Central City Connector Streetcar line was approved by Mayor Durkan to move forward, albeit with higher cost estimates and a timeline five years later than initially planned. Some design and engineering for the project will…
The ordinance will implement MHA in Seattle’s 27 urban villages and all other commercial and multifamily residential areas. All urban villages and multifamily residential and commercial zones will see zoning changes, allowing slightly larger or taller buildings. Additional development capacity…
