work-on-the-boards
December Easing Not Enough to Change Momentum Heading into 2006
Concerns resulting from strong design market head list of issues for coming year
AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA, reports that business conditions at architecture firms eased in December, as the AIA’s Architectural Billings Index dropped to 50.4, a full eight points off the 58.4 reading in November (but up from December 2004’s score of 47.8). The December softness is likely to be only temporary, Baker says, as inquiries for new projects remain strong. Firms also are expressing their optimism for 2006, along with some business concerns that are the offshoot of a strong market.

AIA Nebraska Honors 12
AIA Nebraska presented four Honor Awards, seven Citations, and one Honorable Mention at their Tribute to Architecture banquet in Omaha, held in conjunction with the chapter’s annual fall conference. Selecting AIA Nebraska’s 2005 Design Award recipients from a record 126 entries was a jury from Chicago: Chair Mark Sexton, AIA, Krucek & Sexton Architects; James Baird, AIA, Holabird & Root; and John Ronan, AIA, John Ronan Architect. The distinguished jury made their selections from the possible categories of new construction, extended use, details, masonry (sponsored by the Nebraska Masonry Institute), and unbuilt architecture.

Diversity and the Profession: The Story Continues
“When an organization leverages diversity, it sees things that cannot be seen working from the basis of sameness. Leveraging diversity results in greater innovation and greater capacity for change,” write Frederick A. Miller and Judith H. Katz in The Inclusion Breakthrough. As the AIA marks its 150th year, the Institute continues to look inward and outward to provide more opportunities to make architecture a more inclusive profession. AIArchitect interviewed AIA President Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, on issues relating to diversity and inclusiveness.

Texas Attorney General Rules Against the Engineers Board
In this article, reprinted from the Texas Society of Architects Web site, TSA General Counsel Yvonne Castillo tells how, in a long-awaited ruling, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a January 10 opinion that the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) was incorrect in claiming architecture as a subset of engineering.

Faucheux Becomes Louisiana Sen. Landrieu’s Chief of Staff
Ron Faucheux resigned his position as the AIA Government Advocacy team vice president effective January 20 to become chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.). A New Orleans native and former Louisiana state legislator, secretary of commerce, and publisher of Campaigns & Elections magazine, Faucheux joined the AIA in early 2004. Among his Government Advocacy team’s accomplishments were developing and implementing a new multi-year government advocacy plan; restructuring the AIA federal issues agenda and winning significant Capitol Hill legislative victories; and increasing the AIA federal PAC, ArchiPAC, by more than 214 percent. “Ron has provided the AIA with the framework to continue a new, higher level of government advocacy for a long time to come,” says 2006 AIA President Kate Schwennsen, FAIA. “I deeply regret leaving the AIA, but this was a call to civic duty I could not turn down," says Faucheux. All the best, Ron!

REMINDER
Your Grassroots Representatives Storm Capitol Hill February 9
One of the primary objectives of the annual Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference is for AIA component leaders to take the AIA’s messages directly to the Capitol Hill offices of our members of Congress. Component officers and executives will prepare for Hill visits February 8 to make their February 9 visits maximally effective. Go to the Grassroots portion of AIA.org for more information on the conference, which also includes leadership workshops and issues discussions through February 11. (Attendees can register online—registrations are due January 26.)

project watch
Research Facility to Support Biodiversity Inventory
LEED™ Rating System guides design of energy-efficient facility
The National Park Service began construction earlier this month on the Twin Creeks Science and Education Center, a first-of-its-kind research facility that will support the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI). The ATBI is an initiative to document all life forms in this half-million-acre national park and help scientists make critical decisions about protecting and preserving the park’s ecosystem. Architects Lord, Aeck & Sargent designed Twin Creeks as a high-performance, sustainable laboratory facility that emphasizes flexibility to accommodate changing research activities and foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers.

Your Kiplinger Connection (members only, AIA.org login required)
The economy: Expect an upswing in manufacturing this year.
Health care: Health Savings Accounts look promising.
The world: Sanctions against Iran?
AIArchitect offers AIA members exclusive access to three stories a week to help them manage their practices and plan for the coming year. Nonmembers may subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.

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