If you have any trouble viewing this page please click here

Wood WORKS! BC, part of the Canadian Wood Council, is accepting nominations for the 2009 Western Canada Student Catapult Design Competition. More...

The next Oral Review session will be held on February 18 and 19, 2009. The application form is now available to download from the AIBC website. Oral Reviews are open to those Intern Architects who have both completed and logged at least 2800 hours (preferably completed all required hours) and completed the required AIBC courses.

The Intern Architect Committee will be hosting an Oral Review Preparation Workshop on Wednesday, January, 28, 2009, 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the AIBC offices. Those candidates planning on take part in this round of Oral Reviews are invited.

Former MAIBC Peter Oberlander FRAIC OC PhD LLD (Hon) passed away on Saturday, December 27, 2008. Peter earned his Bachelor of Architecture in 1945 from McGIll University, followed by his Master’s in City Planning and a Doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning from Harvard University. He joined the AIBC in 1950, eventually becoming a partner with Thompson Berwick Pratt & Partners, and an associate partner with Downs/Archambault & Partners. In 1972 he was named a Fellow of the Royal Architectual Institute of Canada. Peter’s distinguished career included professorship at the University of British Columbia, where he was the founding director of UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning, the country’s first Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, and subsequently the founding director of the Centre for Human Settlements. From 1970 to 1973 he served as Deputy Minister for the newly-established federal Ministry of State for Urban Affairs. Peter championed an impressive list of community and international service projects including a lasting involvement with the United Nations - he was a driving force behind the World Urban Forum’s first Habitat conference in Vancouver in 1976. A recipient of the Order of Canada along with his wife Cornelia (MAIBC.Hon), Peter played a key role in many of the decisions that have shaped today’s Vancouver. His broad legacy includes the redevelopment of Granville Island and the creation of the Vancouver Jewish Film Festival.

A celebration of Peter’s life will be held this spring. Those wishing to make a donation in his name are encouraged to do so to the Vancouver Jewish Film Festival Society, The Salvation Army, B.C. Cancer Foundation, or the Vancouver General Hospital / University of British Columbia Hospital Foundation.

» Special Meeting Follow-up

Thank you to all who attended the recent special meeting to discuss proposed changes to the provincial legislation that governs the profession. Close to 300 members, associates and other interested parties took part in the lively interaction at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue. While many questions were posed and answered during the course of the meeting, many more were submitted at that time and in the days since. AIBC staff is in the process of gathering, sorting and responding. Those responses will be posted on the New Legislation web site (www.aibc.ca/proposed_legislation) as soon as they are available. More...

AIBC Special Meeting Recorded Webcast
Click here to view a recorded version of the webcast online.
(Requires QuickTime 7)

» City of Vancouver: Regulatory Review Survey

The AIBC is pleased contribute to a consultation group brought together by the City of Vancouver’s Development Services Department as part of a regulatory review aimed at streamlining, updating and, where possible, eliminating outdated and/or conflicting local regulations. This includes the city’s Zoning & Development By-law, Official Development Plan By-laws, and Land Use Development Policies and Guidelines. The city’s permit processing is also under review.

AIBC members and associates are encouraged to contribute to the review process by completing a short survey. Note; in order to make it easier for you to share your concerns and ideas, an online version of the survey is now available. This is your chance to identify the regulations and processes that you find most difficult or unreasonable. Situational examples are invited. This is one of those rare opportunities for the profession to be heard, and to influence the regulatory process with which we deal on a daily basis. I hope that you will take a few minutes out of your day to complete the survey. The deadline is February 1, 2009.

To access the online survey, click here. To access the hard copy version, click here.

Michael A. Ernest MAIBC
Director of Professional Practice

» Greenhouse Gas Initiative

The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and BC Hydro have launched a joint effort to improve the design, construction and operation of buildings. The intent is to help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of buildings in British Columbia through energy conservation. “Buildings account for 30 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. There’s an opportunity to dramatically reduce these levels by improving the way we design, build, operate and occupy our buildings,” says Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the CaGBC. “The key is a cross-sector commitment and collaboration.” The two organizations will work together to: develop customer-focused programs for energy conservation for buildings; increase the number and skill level of industry professionals focused on energy efficiency through joint training programs; create demonstration projects featuring sustainable communities and energy infrastructure; and look for opportunities to promote the LEED® green building rating system in conjunction with Power Smart. For more information, visit www.cagbc.org.

» New Assisted Living and Residential Care Resource

The Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport is please to announce the availability of a new publication, Assisted Living and Residential Care Fire and Life Safety. Appreciation goes to Scott Gordon MAIBC, who participated as a member of the advisory committee responsible for developing the resource. The intent of the publication is to provide insight regarding the requirements that apply to community care facilities and assisted living residences, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the various groups involved in their development, operation and regulation. It is available for download at http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/ccf/publications/index.html.

» Six-storey Wood Frame Buildings: Latest AIBC Submission to Government

The period for industry comments on the provincial government’s proposed code changes and future ideas concerning six-storey wood frame buildings has now closed. The AIBC would like to thank those members-at-large and the Regulatory Coordination Committee volunteers who passed along their informed feedback. A letter outlining our views, including some serious concerns, as well as recommendations has now been sent to the Building and Safety Policy Branch. It conveys the organization’s conditional support for the initiative, and details specific related issues with potential negative impact on both the public interest as well as the profession. To view the letter, click here. The government’s indicated timeline for implementation of the code changes is January 15, 2009.

Michael A. Ernest MAIBC
Director of Professional Practice

» AIBC Member Feedback Invited for New CCDC Design/Build Contract

The Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC) is pleased to provide a consultation draft, as well as covering commentary, of its new Document 14: Design-Build Stipulated Price Contract. This document, for use between an owner and the design-build entity, is a significant development in that design-build is gaining increased traction within the industry on projects of varying sizes and sectors. It also underpins the contractual relationships of most public /private partnerships apropos design and construction. While design-build models can be appropriate for project delivery, it is necessary to ensure that expectations and terms of professional performance are consistent with the architectural profession's standards, including scope of service, appropriate allocation of risk, insurability and public protection.

To access the draft document, click here. For the covering commentary, click here. Members are encouraged to review this draft and provide comments to the attention of Practice Coordinator Erica Holt (eholt@aibc.ca) by January 12, 2009.

Michael Ernest MAIBC
Director of Professional Practice

» Consultation Opportunity: Construction Management Contracts

Notwithstanding the increasing usage of certain forms of construction management delivery processes for both public and private sector projects of varying size, the fact remains that there is no industry-standard form of contract in place. This can, and does, lead to confusion, uncertainty, and incompatibility respecting a project’s complete suite of contracts. The AIBC is pleased to advise that the Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC) has produced “consultation drafts” for two proposed industry-standard agreements in response to that gap and with express priority from our industry. Draft document CCDC- 5A (whereby the CM acts as the owner’s representative in a consulting role, sometimes referred to as CM-as-agent) and draft document CCDC-5B (whereby the CM acts as a contractor, providing work in addition to services, sometimes referred to as CM-at-risk) are now available for viewing and feedback.

As an active member of and contributor to the Public Construction Council of British Columbia and the CCDC, the AIBC encourages architects to review and comment upon these two consultation drafts. Please visit the AIBC web site (see ‘quick links’ at www.aibc.ca) to view the documents, then forward your comments to AIBC Coordinator of Professional Practice Erica Holt at eholt@aibc.ca no later than January 13, 2009. This will allow us to submit a comprehensive, coordinated response. The AIBC Contracts Committee, chaired by Monica Baillie MAIBC, along with our Practice Board, will also be engaged in this effort.

Michael A. Ernest MAIBC
Director of Professional Practice

The Homeowner Protection Office (HPO), a provincial crown corporation responsible for licensing residential builders in and administering Owner Builder Authorizations in British Columbia, is pleased to launch its New Homes Registry. This online registry is a free resource for homebuyers, realtors, lawyers, local governments and others interested in quickly checking the status of a new home or new homes under construction. This convenient registry can be used to determine if a project has a policy of home warranty insurance policy or an exemption, including whether or not the home is permitted to be offered for sale. The registry includes single detached homes and multi-unit homes including duplexes. Visit the Homebuyers section of the HPO website at www.hpo.bc.ca.

» Exemplary Waste Diversion Projects Wanted

As part of Buildex Vancouver 2009 this coming February, Metro Vancouver’s BuildSmart program is preparing a seminar on the topic of waste reduction initiatives on construction and renovation sites. The purpose is to highlight exemplary waste reduction initiatives on construction projects by profiling two local projects that have achieved high waste diversion rates. The format of the session will be a panel discussion involving the building owner, architect, general contractors and waste hauler. AIBC members are invited to submit projects fitting this description to be profiled at the conference. It can be either a Metro Vancouver commercial construction or renovation project, ongoing or completed, that has achieved a waste diversion rate of at least 70% and targeting the recycling of all Metro Vancouver materials banned from disposal (visit http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/solidwaste/disposal/Pages/bannedmaterials.aspx).

For further information or to make a submission, contact:

Valliant Tang
Project Engineer - Sustainable Business Services Division
Metro Vancouver's Policy and Planning Department
Phone: (778) 452-2616
E-mail: vaillant.tang@metrovancouver.org

» Vancouver Operating Budget Consultations

Each year, the City of Vancouver consults residents and businesses about important decisions. If you are interested in participating in the city’s 2009 Operating Budget consultation, please register on the City of Vancouver website here. Those who sign up will be registering for the budget consultation only, and any private information requested will only be used for contact purposes. For additional information regarding the city’s EcoDensity Charter and Initial Actions, please visit the EcoDensity website at www.vancouver.ca/ecodensity.

Those interested are invited to attend the Northern Economic Summit (January 22-23, 2009) and/or the British Columbia Economic Summit (February 3-4, 2009). These two forums will bring together business, government and community leaders to consider the choices, challenges and potential of the B.C. economy. A slate of prominent speakers will join Premier Gordon Campbell and provincial cabinet ministers at each two-day summit, providing a thoughtful interactive forum aimed at shaping the economic future of the province. For information on the Northern Economic Summit in Prince George, visit http://www.regonline.ca/Checkin.asp?EventId=679406. For details on the British Columbia Economic Summit at the Sheraton Wall Centre in Vancouver, go to http://www.regonline.ca/Checkin.asp?EventId=679459.

» Where’s The Square?

Public squares form the heart of many great cities around the world. When well-designed, they provide a central location for accessible, year-round activity. They are engines of cultural and local economy, as well as the spatial realization of democratic principles. Vancouver has a number of public squares scattered throughout the city but is missing the type of “grand public square” that could – and should - act as a centre point for civic life. With that in mind, the Vancouver Public Space Network has launched a public competition aimed at generating ideas about where such a square might be located in the city, and what it might look like. The official design brief and evaluation criteria was posted on November 15 with a submission deadline of March 15, 2009. A speaker series, panel discussions and public forums will be held during that time period. Note: This will be a competition for the best ideas, not necessarily the best drawings. For more information, visit http://vancouverpublicspace.ca/index.php/campaigns/urbandesign/index.php?page=wts
or e-mail info@vancouverpublicspace.ca.

Alberta Infrastructure, in collaborative with the Alberta Association of Architects and the Consulting Engineers of Alberta, has been working on a Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) compliant Architecture and Engineering consultant services selection process. This includes recommendations to ensure the process is aligned with the process in British Columbia. B.C. architects and firms who may be affected by the proposed new process are invited to attend either of two upcoming breakfast sessions. These orientation sessions will:

• Update consultants providing A&E services on TILMA compliance requirements;
• Outline the process and collaborative participation of AAA and CEA representatives in the preparation of the Alberta Infrastructure A&E consultant selection process;
• Provide an overview of the proposed vendor registry system including its purpose and use by Alberta Infrastructure and the expected roles and responsibilities of consultants for information accuracy and updates;
• Highlight the key elements of the A&E consultant selection process;
• Solicit questions of clarity on the proposal for the A&E services consultant selection process from those attending the session; and
• Describe ongoing collaborative roles of the AAA and CEA in communicating opportunities and evaluation of the process and system.

Calgary:      Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Radisson Hotel Calgary Airport, 2120 – 16 Avenue NE
7:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Edmonton: Thursday, January 15, 2009

Greenwood Inn & Suites, 4485 Gateway Boulevard
7:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Those wishing to attend are asked to register in advance by visiting http://www.e-officepro.com/admin/contentx/default.cfm?PageId=7630.

Registration is now open for BUILDEX Vancouver, February 11-12 2009 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. This event includes Design Northwest, the BC Construction Show and the Homebuilder & Renovator Expo, and will feature more than 45 sessions and 100 presenters. Visit www.buildexvancouver.com to view the latest seminars and to register online.

» Call for Submissions: Twenty + Change

Twenty + Change is an ongoing exhibition series dedicated to profiling budding talents in architecture, landscape and urban design. The exhibition provides a public forum for young designers who have yet to receive widespread public and media attention for their speculative or completed work. The first edition of Twenty + Change, in 2007, showcased the work of Toronto’s emerging design practices. Based on the success of the first exhibition, a second edition is going national with a Canada-wide call for projects. The coordination committee extends an invitation to emerging Canadian design practices to submit projects to be considered for the exhibition, which will open on June 3, 2009 in Toronto before travelling across the country. Those projects selected will also be included in an exhibition catalogue. The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 16, 2009 at 5:00 pm. For more information, please visit www.twentyandchange.org.

» Interior Design Show West (IDSWest)

Planning is already underway for the next Interior Design Show West, September 17 - 20, 2009 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. As with the recently-concluded edition, this event will brings a host of new feature opportunities to architects, designers, suppliers, manufacturers and builders. IDSWest is more than just a trade show. It is a design experience featuring never-before-seen, provocative exhibits and installations highlighting the work of Canadian and International designers. The 2009 show will introduce a variety of space concepts and feature areas focusing on pushing the boundaries of local and international design and architecture.

Special sections include:

• Designers on the Block – dedicated space for up-and-coming designers, providing an opportunity to get their feet wet by displaying in small, prebuilt structures.
• Stories Behind Design – showcasing the lesser known stories that help shape many of the designs on display.

Contact Jason Heard (jheard@mmart.com) to learn more about how you can get involved.

» Kwantlen Polytechnic University Design Students' Grad Showcase

Save the date for the 2009 Kwantlen Polytechnic University Design Students' Grad Showcase: April 22, 2009 in the AIBC Gallery. For the complete invitation, click here.

» Building Sustainable Communities

The Fresh Outlook Foundation is hosting its third annual Building SustainAble Communities conference from February 24 to 26, 2009 at Kelowna's Delta Grand Okanagan Resort. More than 100 speakers from the public, private, non-profit and academic sectors will address a range of topics including sustainable agriculture, sustainable business, and community sustainability. To register online, click here. For more information, go to www.freshoutlookfoundation.org.

» B.C. Real Estate Convention

The 5th B.C. Real Estate Convention 2009 will take place February 26-27 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. This annual event is a unique Western Canada tradeshow created for the professionals and public alike who are interested or engaged in investing in residential or commercial real estate in British Columbia. It brings together a range of different professionals, organizations, associations, and businesses involved in the real estate industry. For interested exhibitors, display booths are sold on a first come-first serve basis. For additional up-to-date information, please visit http://www.bcrealestateconvention.com/.

» BC Wood WORKS!

Student Catapult Design Competition

BC Wood WORKS! is accepting entries for its third annual Western Canadian Wood Catapult Competition. This unique event, open to registered college and university students, will be held on March 28, 2009 at the University of British Columbia’s Whit-Matthews Field. The purpose of the competition is to challenge students to design and build a wood siege engine capable of accurately hitting targets at 20, 30 and 50 meters using a cement ball. Teams consisting of students and one faculty member are required to submit a short report on their catapult design prior to the competition. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams as well as prizes for Best Presentation, Maximum Distance and Aesthetics/Spirit. The deadline for registration is January 16, 2009. For more information and to register, visit http://www.wood-works.org/BC%20Wood%20WORKS/Competitions/?Language=EN or contact Wood Catapult Competition Coordinator Linda Shauer (lshauer@wood-works.ca)

2009 Wood Design Awards

Wood WORKS! BC, a project of the Canadian Wood Council, is now accepting nominations for the 2009 Wood Design Awards. This competition honours excellence in wood-based projects and recognize the people and organizations that are pioneering and presenting the use of wood in British Columbia. Nominated projects will showcase the special qualities of wood such as strength, beauty, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. The award categories include Interior Wood Beauty – Residential; Residential’ Green Building; Multi-unit Residential; Commercial; Institutional Wood Design; Western Red Cedar Award – Residential; Western Red Cedar Award – Non- residential; Industry Leader; Architect; Engineer; Wood Champion; and a new category for Interior Wood Beauty – Commercial. The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 6, 2008. Projects commissioned after January 2006 will be accepted. For additional information and nomination forms, visit http://www.wood-works.org/BC%20Wood%20WORKS/BC%20Gala/?Language=EN or contact Event Coordinator Lorna Malone by e-mail (lmalone@wood-works.ca) or phone (1-877-929-9663, ext 4).

» Call for Nominations: 2009 City of Vancouver Heritage Awards

The City of Vancouver is currently accepting nominations for its annual Heritage Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that have furthered the goal of heritage conservation in the city. The deadline for nominations is Friday, January 23, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. More information, including submission requirements and nomination forms, is available at: www.vancouver.ca/heritage or by calling Bonnie Eng at (604) 873-7141.

» BEEP Module I:

Building Science and the Building Envelope (Available Online)

Topics for Module I include:

• The Outdoor and Indoor Environment
• Conditions Within the Envelope
• Materials and Their Moisture Content
• Rain Penetration
• Pressure Differences Due to Wind
• Predicting Building Envelope Performance

For more information, please contact Professional Development Coordinator Catherine Bolter at cbolter@aibc.ca or at (604) 683-8588, extension 312.

18 Core LUs

»

The AIBC 2009 PD/CES Course Schedule and Registration Form are available online at www.aibc.ca/member_resources/professional_dev/index.html

Making Change Happen – Building Commitment to Create Sustainability

This course will enhance your capacity as an effective sustainability champion, whether newcomer, social-change enthusiast or old-hand sustainability change agent. Instructors: Vanessa Timmer and Dagmar Timmer. Guest speakers include: Amanda Carr - The Ethical Funds Company; Ann McAfee; Bob Purdy - Fraser Basin Council; and Esther Speck - Mountain Equipment Co-op. For course details or to register, please visit http://www.sfu.ca/city/courses.htm. For a complete list of SFU City Program courses and free lectures, go to http://www.sfu.ca/city.

Friday and Saturday, January 23-24, 2009, 9:00 a.m. -5:30 p.m., SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouver
Fee: $600

7 Non-core LUs

BUILDEX Vancouver 2009

Registration is now open for BUILDEX Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest conference and exhibition for real estate, property management, interior design, architecture, renovation and construction. It includes Design Northwest, the BC Construction Show and the Homebuilder & Renovator Expo, with more than 45 sessions and 100 presenters. Program highlights include an keynote panel on “Architecture and Community Development -- Shaping our Communities for the Future”, moderated by AIBC President David Wilkinson MAIBC and including Alan Boniface MAIBC, Michael Heeney MAIBC, Norm Hotson MAIBC and Sean McEwen MAIBC. Bruce Haden MAIBC will present a case study on the award-winning Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre. There will also be an Interior Design Keynote Panel, moderated by Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia President Jim Toy, to discuss “Design for Change”. It takes place February 11 - 12, 2009 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. For detailed session information and to register, please visit www.buildexvancouver.com.

Core and Non-core LUs available

Construction Contract Administration

This course is designed for those individuals involved in construction administration, including contract administrators, property managers, architects, engineers, interior designers, specification consultants, building authorities, and bonding and insurance agencies. It begins on January 12, 2009. To register, please fax in the registration form.

13 Core LUs

Technical Representative

The Technical Representative course (formerly CTR Level 2) will provide a better understanding of contract documents and bidding procedures, product representation, professionalism, and ethics. It will also afford a new depth of understanding and explanation of concepts beyond what was previously introduced. The course begins on January 12, 2009. To register, please fax in the registration form.

13 Core LUs

CSC January Breakfast Meeting

Topic: The Future of Transportation in Metro Vancouver or How to Spend $15 Billion

Presented by Gary Vlieg, M.Sc., P. Eng., Manager, Road and Infrastructure Planning. Translink is the agency responsible for planning, funding and building the road and transit network for Metro Vancouver. As one of the major gateways between Asia and North America, it is critical that the region’s transportation infrastructure maintains and enhances economic competitiveness on the world market. The recently announced Provincial Transit Plan, as well as provincial initiatives on Green House Gas reductions, have given an even greater impetus to the work that TransLink does. This presentation will cover current projects as well as discuss those on the horizon. This includes SkyTrain expansion, Rapid Bus BC, rehabilitation and expansion of Expo Line stations, Pattullo Bridge, the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor grade separations and the North Fraser Perimeter Road. For details or to register, please visit http://www.csc-vancouver.ca/meeting_schedule.htm.

1.5 Non-core LUs

Green Building Market Forum

This forum, for the fourth quarter of 2008, will focus on commercial real estate and responses to the economic downturn. Topics include the latest trends in demand for green real estate and high performance homes, commentary on emerging policy and legislation, updates on the most recent education and training opportunities relevant to your profession, and details on the hottest new products and emerging building-related technologies. The keynote speaker is Tom Douglas, Director - Leasing and Development for Discovery Parks Trust. Panel members will include: Norm Taylor, Assistant Vice President, Client Representation Group for Colliers International; Bill Tucker, Managing Partner of Omicron and past president of NAIOP; and Gordon Wylie, Director of Development with Ivanhoe Cambridge. These industry leaders will share insights and analysis of the latest realities facing the commercial real estate sector. Light House’s successful Market Insights program, now in its third year, is regularly attended by architects, builders, design consultants, developers, property managers, municipal and government staff, building owners, realtors, product manufacturers and suppliers, and representatives of industry associations. To register, please visit http://marketinsightsq42008.eventbrite.com, call (604) 682-5960 or e-mail amanda@sustainablebuildingcentre.com.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 7:30 - 11:00 a.m.
HSBC Hall, University of British Columbia Robson Square, 800 Robson Street, Vancouver
Cost: $62.50 ($42.50 for students and non-profits)

3 Non-core LUs

» APEGBC Professional Development Seminars

Time Management
Are you feeling caught between a clock and a hard place? We are now in the "value era", a hyper-competitive world where clients are demanding more from companies and, in turn, companies are demanding more from their people. This is a proven, practical and principle-based workshop in which the participants develop time management strategies and systems that are right for their personality types and job functions. It takes place February 5, 2009 in Victoria. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/timemgmt_victoria_09.html.

Fee: $460.95

7 Non-core LUs

IStructE Examination Preparation Seminar & Workshop

This two-day session will provide an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the IStructE examination, allowing participants to determine whether or not this is the route they wish to pursue. For those already signed up to challenge the exam, this seminar and workshop will provide insight into the contents as well as tips for success. It will be presented by past candidates who have successfully completed the exam. Sessions take place February 6 - 7, 2009 in Vancouver, BC. The fee for both seminar and workshop is $555.45; seminar or workshop only is $299.25. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/istructe.html.

12.5 Non-core LUs

Introduction to Business Writing: The Importance of Written Words in Proposals

Learn to write clearly and concisely in a business context. Understand the key elements of a well-written proposal. This seminar is designed to help develop the confidence necessary to excel in ones proposal writing - writing that is both direct and proficient. It takes place February 10, 2009 in Vancouver. The session fee is $450.45. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/intro_business_writing.html.

6 Non-core LUs

Advanced Business Writing: The Importance of Written Words in Proposals

Interested in learning to write a compelling proposal that clearly and concisely articulates the core benefits for a client? Curious to know what to look for in a Request for Proposals? Through this series of hands-on workshops, gain feedback on your writing and develop the confidence necessary for RFP success. The fee is $450.45. For the February 11 2009 workshop in Vancouver, register at http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/adv_business_writing.html. For the April 21, 2009 workshop in Burnaby, go to http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/adv_business_writing_bby.html.

6 Non-core LUs

Practical Intellectual Property Strategies

This seminar will give participants an overview of intellectual property concepts while explaining, comparing and contrasting legal protection for trade secrets, copyright, trademarks and patents. The session fee is $242.74. It takes place February 13, 2009 in Vancouver. You can also participate via webcast. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/intellectual_property.html.

3.25 Non-core LUs

Expert Witness

At some point in your professional career you may be called upon to write an expert report or testify in a trial. Are you fully aware of what will be expected? This seminar will discuss the factors to consider before agreeing to deliver expert witness testimony, as well as the benefits and risks of doing so. It takes place February 26, 2009 in Vancouver. You can also participate via webcast. The session fee is $219.45. For more information, or to register, please visit http://www.apeg.bc.ca/prodev/events/expert_witness_dec08.html.

3 Non-core LUs

» University of Victoria Cultural Resource Management Program

Downtown Revitalization through Heritage Conservation, On-Campus Offering

Historic urban districts provide a valuable resource for sustainable urban and community renewal as well as economic and tourism development while contributing to our “sense of place.” Through an analysis of approaches to revitalization as well as case studies and applied site visits, participants will build their understanding of the issues facing Victoria’s historic downtown and neighbourhood commercial districts, and also develop innovative strategies that meet sustainable heritage conservation goals while realizing community and social benefits. This course runs from February 23 – 28, 2009. Please register by January 26, 2009 (late registrations will only be accepted if space permits). For detailed course information or to register, please visit http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/crmp/courses/ha489a-downtown.aspx. For a complete list of upcoming courses offered through the University of Victoria’s Cultural Resource Management Program, please visit http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/crmp/upcoming.aspx.

36 Non-core LUs

Resource Management

Defining the heritage value or significance of historic places and resource is the foundation on which any heritage conservation process is built. Determining Significance of Historic Resources is a distance learning course that begins with an exploration of the range of historical, aesthetic, social, and scientific values that establish the character-defining elements of historic resources. This includes buildings, structures, historic districts, and cultural landscapes. The course will address various methods of inventory and evaluation, from numerical scoring systems to systems that establish historical contexts of thematic studies, along with their roles in guiding subsequent conservation planning and decision-making. The course runs from January 12 to April 19, 2009. The registration deadline is December 10, 2008 (though late registrations may be accepted if space permits). For detailed course information and to register, go to http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/crmp/courses/ha489c-2.aspx. For additional information on upcoming courses offered through the University of Victoria’s Cultural Resource Management Program, please visit http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/crmp/upcoming.aspx.

36 Non-core LUs

» Pacific Business and Law Institute (PBLI)

Construction Contracts: Practical Guidelines to Prevent Costly Mistakes

In today’s market, there is no room for error in construction contracts. A small contractual oversight can end up costing a significant amount of money in litigation at a later stage. From identifying the critical issues in a construction contract to resolving construction disputes, you need to be informed and prepared. This event will provide you with current, practical advice for addressing challenges at all stages of the contractual process. It takes place on January 27, 2009, at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside, Vancouver. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.pbli.com/744/ or download the full brochure at http://pbli.com/conferences/conferences/744/documents/ConstructionBrochure.pdf

7 Core LUs

» Current Exhibit: David Marshall Sculptures

January 7 – February 19, 2009
AIBC Gallery: #100 – 440 Cambie Street, Vancouver

This exhibit features the work of Vancouver sculptor David Marshall (1928 – 2006). The installation consists of 17 of Marshall’s most meticulously crafted sculptures in stone, bronze and wood - including three bronzes never before displayed. Marshall’s remarkable legacy has received limited public exhibition and exposure. While largely unrecognized in his home country, his work has been exhibited and installed in Europe, Mexico and the United States. The exhibition will be held jointly with the launch of a new book, The Life and Art of David Marshall, by Monika Ullmann.

» Canadian Architecture Students' Ideas Shine

Lisa Rochon, Globe and Mail
Friday, December 12, 2008

A tectonic shift has occurred in the Canadian Architect magazine's Awards of Excellence. For the first time since the 1968 launch of the national awards, the winning projects from the student competition are getting more recognition than those by Canada's professional architects. The number of student awards has been doubled, and, in addition, jury members were so impressed by the global reach of the winning work they recommended the student work be honoured at the front of the magazine rather than relegated to the back pages. The awards issue comes out next week. More …

» Get Lost ... and Get Better Architecture

Testing subjects in a virtual building could lead to improved design

By Bryn Nelson, MSNBC
Monday, December 15, 2008

Getting test subjects lost in a virtual building could reveal a lot about how to construct more people-friendly hospitals, schools and other spaces, according to a unique collaboration by a group of California neurologists and architects. The merging of neuroscience, architecture, psychology and virtual reality is allowing researchers to track the brain signals of study participants as they navigate through a simulated building within a high-tech room called the StarCAVE. More …

» Uncool: Vancouver's Olympic Architecture

It's ever more clear we should have set designers free

By Adele Weder, TheTyee.ca
Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Why is Vancouver, with design talent that more than matches Beijing, shaping up to offer such an unremarkable Olympic architectural legacy? Sure, Winter Games are smaller-scale, lower-profile and a lot colder than Bejing 2008. But aside from that, it's a bit of a head-shaker. The firms responsible for the 2010 venues include a few of Vancouver's top architects. Neither their names nor their imagination, though, will carry much weight in 2010. China used architectural bravura to argue its new importance in the world. VANOC, by contrast, seems determined to keep its architecture as unremarkable and anonymous as possible. The VANOC website brags about the impending world-class facilities, yet there isn't a trace of information about the architects, apparently because that would dilute the value of the corporate sponsors' names. More …

By Michael Cannell, New York Times
Saturday, January 3, 2009

Few of the arts benefited from the late economic boom more than design. After all, when the wealth is flowing, people don’t covet the concerts you see or the books you read. They covet the couch you bought, and then they buy a cooler one. In the recent giddy years, signature architects and designers came to be known by their first names — Rem, Philippe, Zaha — and they were photographed as prolifically as Bono in new design hotbeds like Miami and Dubai. Brooklyn designers became the apotheosis of indie cool (thin portfolios notwithstanding), and the British collective Established & Sons and other skilled maneuverers learned to breed their self-conscious furniture selectively into limited editions that sold for the kind of prices more often found in the art world. All of which was chronicled in self-celebratory books like “S, M, L, XL” by Rem Koolhaas, a 1,300-page monograph as lush as glazed fruit and weighty as firewood. More …

By Lisa Rochon, Globe and Mail
Sunday, December 28, 2008

Like the greatest love affairs, architecture can provoke plenty of pain and waves of joy. For Americans living in the bloated suburbs of Los Angeles or Phoenix, architecture has become a tacky souvenir of a hollowed-out dream. The Chicago Spire by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava – imagined as a tightly curved seashell rising 150 storeys above the edge of Lake Michigan – has been reduced to a gaping hole and almost $14-million is allegedly owed to the acclaimed architect. But during the summer of 2008, the world also experienced the ecstasy of the human mind: The national stadium in Beijing, rendered by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as a monumental bird's nest, was awesome enough to make us temporarily forget China's human-rights record. Last month, Jorn Urtzon, architect of the Sydney Opera House, died at the ripe old age of 90. He had captured the new Aussie spirit when he won an international competition with a scheme of white roof shells opening away from the Sydney Harbour, like a ship's sails, giving an indelible image of a city's blossoming civic spirit to trade through the ages. In Canada, Frank Gehry's redesign of the Art Gallery of Ontario is the architectural moment of the year – a work of virtuosity that will endure because it is exultant without being excessive. More …

By Jay Walljasper, PLANetizen
Monday, January 5, 2009

Solutions to our global ills can be found in your local neighborhood, says Jay Walljasper. Great examples can be found in communities from South Bend, Indiana to Mississauga, Ontario. You may get a glimpse of our future strolling the tree-lined streets between Notre Dame and downtown South Bend, Indiana. That few people ever make that walk -- too far, too slow, too dangerous -- doesn't diminish the importance of places like this in determining the fate of America and, perhaps, the earth. These few blocks illuminate our hopes and fears, the problems we face and the solutions we seek. What happens in such neighborhoods over the next few years will decide whether or not we move in the direction of environmental sustainability, social harmony and economic stability. More …

By Elizabeth Razzi, Washington Post
Sunday, December 28, 2008

What will new homes look like after this recession, which has brought construction nearly to a halt? Consumers who have learned the bitter lessons about declining home values, burdensome debts and ephemeral retirement savings values may well demand different houses than the ones that dot our recently built neighborhoods. History hints that this downturn could change our tastes. Homes built in the 1940s and '50s, for example, were usually smaller and simpler than large, frilly Victorians that had been in style before the Great Depression and World War II. Materials remained scarce for years after the war, and returning veterans, boosted by mortgage assistance provided under the GI Bill of Rights of 1944, bought Levittowns full of simple new houses as quickly as they could be made. More …

By C. J. Hughes, Architectural Record
Monday, December 29, 2008

In moves that will surprise no one who has followed the barrage of grim economic news, architecture firms across the country are laying off workers at unprecedented levels. Over the past few months, Perkins Eastman, one of the country’s largest firms, has let go 10 percent of its staff, or about 80 of 800 employees, according to Bradford Perkins, FAIA, firm chairman. “It’s very unfortunate when this happens,” says Perkins, adding that the cuts are the deepest in the firm’s 24-year history. More …

The recession won’t bring every building project to a halt - but it will curb some overblown designs

By Hugh Pearman, Sunday Times
Sunday, January 4, 2009

What will new homes look like after this recession, which has brought construction nearly to a halt? Consumers who have learned the bitter lessons about declining home values, burdensome debts and ephemeral retirement savings values may well demand different houses than the ones that dot our recently built neighborhoods. History hints that this downturn could change our tastes. Homes built in the 1940s and '50s, for example, were usually smaller and simpler than large, frilly Victorians that had been in style before the Great Depression and World War II. Materials remained scarce for years after the war, and returning veterans, boosted by mortgage assistance provided under the GI Bill of Rights of 1944, bought Levittowns full of simple new houses as quickly as they could be made. More …

By Mike Lewis, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Among the signs of a slumped economy, count John Morefield's. There it sits among the produce and fish, amid sellers of honey and jewelry and pastry in the Ballard Sunday farmers market. Simple and unadorned, it reads like a wry joke - except maybe to anxious students in the University of Washington's Gould Hall: Architecture 5¢. More …

When environmentalism finally became cool

By Sarah Williams Goldhagen, The New Republic
Tuesday, January 6, 2009

To accurately assess trends in architecture and urbanism one needs a time horizon longer than 365 days. Just to design a building often takes longer than that. Even so, 2008 may come to be seen as a watershed year for contemporary architecture. The electrifying campaign for the U.S. presidency, the sputtering housing market and the global economy's free fall, the ever-more chilling and urgent need to slow the pace of global warming: these developments and more awakened architects to the realization that they've more important things to design than monolithic, high-end goodie bags. 2008 just may be the year in which doing the right thing, or at least thinking about how one might go about doing the right thing, became cool. Many of the year's most important developments were in arenas where architecture met social need: environmental responsibility, urban design, and infrastructure. More …

» Verico Ellis Mortgages Canada (EMC)

VERICO Ellis Mortgages Canada (EMC) is one of the largest independent mortgage representatives in Canada. EMC was the recipient of the “Mortgage Broker of the Year" award from Canadian Mortgage Professional magazine in 2007.

EMC is proud to be part of the AIBC’s Member Benefits program and is pleased to offer the Corporate Mortgage Discount Program for AIBC m embers, associates and staff. Annually funding billions of dollars in mortgages creates volume discounts which may include, and are not limited to deeply discounted interest rates, reduced closing costs for legal and appraisal services, “cash back” rewards and other seasonal promotions. EMC can assist you with any mortgage need, including mid-term interest rate reductions, purchase financing, end-of-term renewals, equity take-outs and home equity lines of credit (HELOC). Contact Ama Joppa at amaj@emcmortgages.ca or visit www.emcmortgages.ca.