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AIA eClassroom, the Institute's distance learning
program, has just issued a sixth program developed from presentations
offered at the AIA national convention in Charlotte, N.C. The program
(TH26, "Killer Molds and Other Visitations from the Future")
addresses the growing concerns of liability for design professionals where
molds in buildings have created health problems.
Victor O. Schinnerer Company, the AIA commended
insurance program, has compared the current threat of mold-related claims
to the spate of asbestos claims from the 1980s. Mold litigation already
is widespread in "damp states," such as Louisiana, Florida,
Oregon, and Texas (which has the most claims). Although the vast majority
of mold-related claims have to date been against building owners and insurance
companies, Schinnerer warns that architects and other design professionals
may be viewed as "deep pockets" for mold-related concerns.
The
"Killer Molds" distance learning program can help designers
avoid mold-related claims to buildings through techniques such as client
education and design for proper maintenance. More generally, the course
addresses indoor air quality as a growing concern for design professionals.
With design continually requiring more expertise and specialization, architects
must understand the variety of ways to unknowingly invite air quality
problems and create professional liability risks.
Through this course, you can explore:
The effects of VOCs and offgassing on building inhabitants
How to specify and design interior and exterior building materials/components
to avoid future problems
The role and the importance of proper ventilation design and operation
in the enhancement of the interior environment.
Katherine Davitt Enos, Assoc. AIA, Victor O. Schinnerer & Company,
Inc.; and Sam F. Miller, AIA, CSO Architects Engineers & Interiors
present the course. It offers two learning units, and is approved for
AIA CES credit in health, safety, and welfare.
"Killer Molds" is one of the top 20 convention
programs that will be offered as distance learning programs through eClassroom.
It joins five additional new programs first offered last week:
TH08: The Hyatt Skywalk Collapse: 20 Years Later
TH29 Removing the Barriers to High-Performance Design
FR1 Gold Medalist Forum
FR5 Value-Based Team Design Decision Making
SA25: Architect Liability Under ADA and Other Federal and State Laws for
Accessibility.
If you haven't taken an AIA eClassroom course yet,
you should know that signing up for one is fast and easy. You simply:
Enroll through the secure
e-commerce capabilities of AIA eClassroom. AIA Members pay $49.95 per
learning unit; nonmembers pay $74.95.
View the program and supplemental
learning materials, then take a quiz.
LU hours will be recorded
for AIA members at the University of Oklahoma, keeper of the AIA's Continuing
Education System records. Just provide a valid AIA member number when
you register. Nonmembers may request a certificate of completion.
Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects.
All rights reserved.
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This course offers two learning units and meets the AIA/CES criteria
for health, safety, and welfare (HSW).
For a complete list of AIA eClassroom programs, go
to eclassroom.aia.org.
CES Reminder: The following states have a June 30 reporting date
for continuing education credits: Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota,
Oklahoma, Oregon, and West Virginia. July 31 is the reporting date
for Arkansas, New Jersey, and Texas.
Victor O. Schinnerer Company offers a number of articles about
mold litigation through its Guidelines
for Improving Practice newsletter, notably in the November/December
2001, July/August 2001, and the January/February 2002 issues. Visit
their Web site for more information.
The "Killer Mold and Other Visitations from the Future"
program was put together by the AIA Risk Management Committee. The
committee is made up of six members appointed by the AIA president.
The committee's charge is "to endeavor to make risk management
strategies available to AIA members so that they may control the
risks inherent in their practice while reducing insurance and associated
costs." For more information, contact
AIA General Counsel Jay Stephens, Esq., jstephens@aia.org or
202-626-7379.
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