March 23, 2007
  No Bones About It
BoneyardNW, a new Web site, facilitates buying and selling of used construction materials
A new online marketplace called BoneyardNW offers the free selling and buying of reusable construction materials taken from renovation or demolition. Located at www.BoneyardNW.com, the site lists materials from the Portland region but is available to persons anywhere. Metro, the regional government serving the Portland area, created the public Web site to help the local construction and demolition industry increase recycling. BoneyardNW lists items such as windows, doors, flooring, and soil. Even items like old phone booths and water fountains are listed. Metro hopes that architects and builders can benefit by reusing the material listed on the site.

best practices
Who’s On First?
Covering your bases in a resource-challenged industry
“A reality in the design, development, and construction industry is that we are only as good as our project team,” note Jim Atkins, FAIA, and Grant A. Simpson, FAIA. Even the small practitioner who relies on occasional contract labor may have difficulty in finding help when that larger commission arrives. They offer options for handling increased work with current staff.

Remember the Alamo! Remember to Register!
Convention advanced registration closes March 28
The AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Expo takes place May 3–5 in San Antonio. Register for the full convention by March 28 to save $100 on the registration fee and increase your chances of getting the workshops, tours, special events, programs, and travel and hotel accommodations you want. Theme speakers this year include the Honorable Al Gore; Raymond J. Cole; Chrisna du Pessis; William G. Reed, AIA; and David Suzuki. The continuing education programs are more extensive than ever before. Check out the convention Web site and register today. (Photo © Nancy H. Belcher.)


A FRIENDLY REMINDER:
Don’t Lose Your AIA Connection: Renew Your Membership by March 31
If you haven’t yet paid your AIA dues, you can do it the easy way—online. You can review your invoice, update your membership profile, and submit credit-card payment for 2007 renewal dues. Visit www.aia.org and click “Renew Your Membership” in the left-hand column. It’s that easy—thousands of AIA members already have done it. Questions? Send an e-mail to AIA Information Central or call 800-242-3837. (If you want to pay your dues by mail, you can log in and download your renewal form.)

 

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Welcome to the Practice Zone
This is the home of the weekly Best Practices column, news of tips and tools that you can use in your day-to-day practice and case studies illustrating “how-tos” and “lessons learned” for all stages of practice. The Practice Zone also features reports of research in architecture and related fields.