The AIA online continuing education site, eClassroom, just posted five programs derived from five of the most popular seminars at this year's AIA national convention in Denver. An eight-minute segment from one of the courses is available free as a sample of how the audiotape and slide presentations work together to recreate the seminar experience.

The five courses each carry two AIA/CES learning unit hours, which encompasses the time required to take the course and complete the quiz. For AIA members, the eClassroom system automatically notifies the AIA/CES record keepers of the earned learning units. A printed transcript is available for nonmembers. Two of the new courses cover health-safety-welfare topics. The cost for each course is $99.95 for AIA members and $149.95 for nonmembers.

The course sampler is taken from the amusing and informative talk by Michael Graves, FAIA, and Daniel Libeskind on urban design for the future. (The opening eight minutes feature Graves' slide show introducing the concept of object and figurative space.)

The five new courses:

S13 Real Estate Development Fundamentals: How to Utilize Architectural Skills to Develop Real Estate Projects
Increase an architect's financial control and understanding of the development process, and you expand his/her role at the project initiation stage. You'll hear about strategies, processes, project descriptions, pro formas, and project histories from three architecture firms that became their own best clients by developing real estate projects.
You'll learn:
• New business strategies that put architects in the driver's seat on making their own projects happen
• Basic financial feasibility analysis and how to seek out and initiate project development opportunities
• The components needed for compiling a real estate development pro forma and how to adjust the numbers to reach a financially successful conclusion.
Course presenters: Brad Buchanan, AIA; J. Richard Kremer, FAIA; and
Chris Widener, FAIA.

S36 Eight Ways to Negotiate More Profitable Fees
As traditional architectural services become more merchandised, clients expect to pay lower, more competitive fees. Profitable firms employ specific negotiating strategies and are perceived as providing unique services and/or delivering exceptional results. After examining how clients evaluate fees, you'll learn how to change clients' perceptions of the value architects provide and see ways to communicate the value for which clients are willing to pay more.
Learn how to:
• Present fee proposals that communicate the value of the architect's fees and services from the client's perspective
• Focus discussions on areas of greatest profit potential
• Differentiate your architecture firm in order to command better fees
• Negotiate fees based on value provided
• Incorporate favorable fee provisions and avoid dangerous ones.
Course presenter: Michael Strogoff, AIA.

S64 Design-Build: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Design-build is becoming an increasingly popular delivery method for architects. The panel examines the influence of design-build on the profession of architecture, how to define the scope of work in an agreement, the liabilities involved when doing design-build, and the AIA's contract documents.
You'll learn:
• What issues and liabilities to be aware of when doing a design-build project
• What changes are proposed for the AIA's family of documents
• How to effectively use agreements to address crucial issues and liabilities.
Course presenters: Edward Rothe, FAIA; Paul G. Sieben, FAIA; and Timothy Twomey, AIA, Esq.

S125 Designing for the Future: Urban Thinking
This panel of prominent architects, including 2001 AIA Gold Medalist Michael Graves, FAIA, will inspire you with their broad and historic perspective on current trends in architecture as they relate to issues of livability and aesthetics.
Learning Objectives:
• Review the responsibilities of architects as key determinants in the quality of life in society
• Learn the impact of the built environment
• Discover the qualities, ideas, and practices needed to achieve architectural excellence.
Course presenters: John Anderson, FAIA; Gordon H. Chong, FAIA; Michael Graves, FAIA; and Daniel Libeskind.

S135 Crafting High Performance Buildings—A Roadmap for Commercial Buildings of the 21st Century
For the last two years, more than 250 building-industry representatives from more than 150 organizations have been developing a Technology Roadmap for High-Performance Commercial Buildings. Facilitated by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Roadmap prescribes a 20-year plan and set of four strategies for achieving healthy, productive, and high-performance commercial buildings.
You'll :
• Learn about new and emerging technologies that will affect the way tomorrow's buildings are designed, operated, and maintained
• Be introduced to collaborative design models that help create high-performance buildings
• Investigate resources for designing and operating high-performance commercial buildings: Web sites, software, tools, guidelines, standards, and materials.
Course presenters: Drury B. Crawley, AIA, and Gail A. Lindsey, FAIA.

Copyright 2001 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.