ECONOMY
AIA Florida Victorious over Tax Amendment
State component a key member of Coalition to Protect Florida’s Economy
When voters go to the polls in Florida on November 4, they won’t find Amendment 5, an initiative that would have eliminated a minimum local property tax for schools. AIA Florida, working with the Coalition to Protect Florida’s Economy, also sees the Florida Supreme Court decision to remove the amendment as another victory against the possibility of a sales tax on professional services.

“Greenstep” Video #9 Highlights Daylighting
Two-minute programs augment the Institute’s Walk the Walk campaign
On October 27, the AIA launched the ninth of 12 short video episodes for architects to share with clients who want to plan a new building or renovate an existing one using green building principles. “Daylighting” explains to clients how this strategy can save on lighting and heating energy—thus reducing the owner’s bottom line—and also increase the well-being of the inhabitants. (The first video is on water conservation; the second covers smart controls; the third, radiant heating and cooling; the fourth, vegetation and sun control; the fifth, the whole building approach; the sixth, green tags; the seventh, energy modeling; and the eighth, green roofs.)

kiplinger connection
Crisis Fallout • Energy • Marketing
Crisis Fallout: Tight credit means tricky cash flow control.
Energy: OPEC ploys aside, expect $70 a barrel through the winter.
Marketing: New trends in virtual world and “cause campaigns.”

U.S. Green Building Council’s Education Provider Program Calls for Reviewers
The U.S. Green Building Council has issued an ongoing call for USGBC members interested in joining the team that peer reviews the courses and content that make up its Education Provider Program. The council is seeking both green building subject matter experts and educators for the team. USGBC recently launched the Greenbuild365 education portal, which includes a catalog of courses offered by the council and others. The USGBC is looking to expand its reviewer base both to increase the number of reviewed courses and ensure the ongoing excellence of the program. The council also intends to launch a review process for conferences and one-time events. To learn about specific qualifications for reviewers, visit the USGBC Web site.