The title is not completely correct, cars are not really good, but they are less bad than buildings.

We hear constantly:

• “Cars cause Global Warming” (more accurately contribute to Climate Change).
• People are purchasing hybrids to do their part to help save the earth and lower our need for fuel.

We rarely hear:

• Buildings are the main problem. (They are)

BIM, specifically the data component, holds great promise to dramatically improve the performance and operation of buildings, as well as insuring that ecologically superior building products are specified. BIM is dependent upon accurate and available data.

In November I attended the Greenbuild Conference and Exhibition in Phoenix. There were hundreds of presentations, 1,800 booths (mostly Building Product Manufacturers) and over 24,000 attendees — more attendees than either the AIA or CSI National Conferences and Exhibitions. Al Gore was the keynote speaker. What is remarkable about this conference is that it clearly demonstrates that the architects, engineers, contractors and owners (private and government) are aware of the importance of the “green” movement. While many people have known of the advantages of well designed buildings for both energy savings and people productivity increases for decades, it has only been in the last few years that their efforts have turned into a movement.

There are fundamentally two components that determine if you have a “green” building:

• Design – Site selection, orientation, massing, shading, layout, mechanical and lighting conceptual approach, etc.
• Materials and Equipment – Specific products, carpet, tile, paint and equipment, fans, chillers, light fixtures and lamps, etc.

If you have a great design concept but select poorly performing materials and equipment the results of your efforts will be minimized. At Greenbuild, manufacturers promoted their messages as “green” manufacturers. The challenge to those that select and specify manufacturer products is finding out specifics on the products “greenness”, how it quantitatively compares to other products and what approaches were used to make the claims. For example a product could perform extremely well within the building environment but have major negatives associated with its manufacturing process, component materials, or disposal at the end of the buildings life. You need much more information than you can easily find to make the best selection, and you need this information on hundreds of thousands of products and materials.

The selection process becomes even more difficult because the manufacturer’s products data is supplied based upon the products in a “stand alone” condition. Little data is available on how products and equipment combine to perform in the assemblies that are the building. How the window frame is attached to the building structure will greatly determine heat gain and heat loss. We have data on the building wall, and the frame and glass, but what about the performance of the connection of the two elements?

Today BIM is really BiM; we need to get the “i” to grow up to a big “I”. We need more information on products and assemblies. Where are we going to get that information?

Many manufacturers have tremendous testing facilities. US Gypsum has very sophisticated facilities. There are private labs like UL and the NAHB Research Center, there are Universities that have focused programs, the military has research programs such as those managed by the Corp of Engineers, and there are the National Labs like the Lawrence-Berkeley Lab that has a massive collection of data on glass performance.

There is no one Lab devoted to buildings; the materials, assemblies, and design influences on performance. The construction industry is the largest industry in the world, buildings account for almost 50% of all the energy consumed in the world (cars account for 12%). Building construction costs and operations are the largest expense, after employees, for most companies. Through proper design, material selections and operations these costs can be reduced 30%. Buildings are often one of the greatest assets of a company, but only if they have maintained their value and not fall into disrepair or become obsolete.

Automobile manufacturers know tremendous amounts of information on every part and piece that goes into their cars; they are tested, modified, and improved on a continual basis. Cars cost about the same per square foot as a new furnished building, and I have yet to have a sunroof on a car leak, yet I have not seen a building that did not have at least one roof leak. We also know how to make informed purchasing decisions on a car because we have massive amounts of data on performance, options, resale value, reliability and the prestige factor. Ask a car purchaser if they will spend $1,600 more for the sport suspension they can make a quick decision, ask if they want to spend $200 more for a more efficient light fixture and you may get a blank stare. There is simply no easy way to get the data to answer all the questions on the performance and impact of a more efficient light fixture, door, window, etc.

A couple of years ago a collection of architects were asked what contributed to greenhouse gas emissions, the list of options included cars and trucks as well as buildings, the group indicated that 40% was caused by cars and trucks and seven percent from buildings. The actual answer was 12% from cars and trucks and 42% from buildings. If you do not know what is causing a major problem there is a good chance you will not contribute to the solution, so step one to making buildings less bad is that the owners, architects and engineers need to know what is creating the problems, step two is to give them the detailed and scientific information they need to solve the problems through an interface that makes searching for and finding the information needed at the time it is needed.

Topics for this event will include:

• What is BIM Content?
• Where do I find content?
• 3D Content vs. 2D content and how much detail should be included.

Presenters: Jim Jacobi and Jeff Chittenden.

Invitations and more information about this event will be sent out via email within the next few weeks. You can also check back with this site for updates.

Venue: Wyndham Chicago

Schedule | Session Descriptions | Online Registration | Print Registration Form | Transportation | Things to Do | Restaurants

Architects practice in a world that is changing at a breathtaking rate, requiring near-constant reassessment of business models and professional practices. Join us in Chicago for a conference aimed at providing you with the resources and skills that will give your firm an advantage in today’s unstable economic climate. “Changing Times | Time for Change” will explore the major areas of challenge and opportunity that are reshaping architecture practice, including BIM, sustainability, and interoperability.

Five tracks of interdisciplinary presentations will explore how design professionals can apply cutting-edge technology, collaboration, networking, and knowledge to respond swiftly and effectively to natural, cultural, and economic forces.

Office: business process systems and best practices for efficiency
Tools: design tools, including BIM, and interoperability
Delivery: integrated project delivery and design-build
Market: new economic realities and changing client needs
Green: environmental forces and sustainable practice

One Conference, Two Knowledge-Boosting Events
An optional half-day workshop, “Design-Build 101,” adds a compelling overview of basic designer-led design-build practice. The course—from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday, September 24—offers 3 additional AIA/CES LUs. “Design-Build 101” is not available as a standalone event; only conference registrants have access to this extra opportunity for an additional fee.

Networking Site
We are pleased to present a networking site in conjunction with this conference. This site provides a venue to network with conference attendees and other practitioners through blogs and discussion groups, see pictures from the event, post your own comments, and react to the knowledge that is being shared. Create an account and participate at the Changing Times | Time for Change networking site.

This conference is presented by AIA Small Project Practitioners (SPP) Knowledge Community, AIA Emerging Professionals, AIA Practice Management (PM) Knowledge Community, AIA Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Knowledge Community, AIA Design-Build (DB) Knowledge Community, and AIA Integrated Practice / Integrated Project Delivery Discussion Group (IPDiG), with the support of AIA Illinois and AIA Chicago.

We would like to thank Reed Construction Data and Graphisoft for their sponsorship of this event.

Interested in sponsoring this event? Contact Kimberly Yoho.

Registration Fees

Register before July 31 and save!

Design-Build 101:  Preconference Workshop
Separate ticketed event: $50.00
Thursday, September 24, 2009
8:30am - 12:00pm
3 Learning Units
(Conference registration required to attend)

Conference Registration

Please choose one of three ways to register:

> Register Online (if you experience difficulties registering online please contact register@aia.org)

(***Please note that the online registration site may not work properly with browsers other than Internet Explore. If you are using a different browser and experience difficulties, we recommend that you complete and submit the registration form per the instructions below. We are working to correct this issue and apologize for any inconvenience***).

> Mail the completed registration form with payment to

Changing Times
P.O. Box 64591
Baltimore, MD 21264

Please make checks payable to the American Institute of Architects

> Fax the completed registration form with payment information to 202.626.2569 or email to register@aia.org

Special Needs
The AIA is committed to making meetings and conferences accessible to all to the degree reasonably possible. Please notify us at the time of registration if you have special accessibility needs or specific dietary requirements. Contact Chris Capistrant, 202-626-7355.

Registration Confirmations
Registration confirmations are received immediately upon submission of registration. If you do not receive confirmation, please contact AIA Meetings. If you fax the registration form, please keep the fax transmittal confirmation for your records. For registration questions, please contact AIA Information Central, 800-242-3837.

Registration Policy
Registrations postmarked after September 11, 2009 will not be processed in time to be included on the attendee roster. Registration and nametags will be produced on-site. All registrants will receive a registration confirmation via mail within 10 business days of sending your registration.

Cancellation Policy
Refunds, less a $100 cancellation fee, will be made for cancellations received in writing by Friday, September 11. No cancellation refund is available after September 11, 2009. Please fax your cancellation requests to AIA Registrar, 202-626-7365 or email to register@aia.org.

Accommodations
A limited block of rooms has been reserved at the Wyndham Chicago at 633 North St. Clair in Chicago. Reservations must be received no later than September 2, 2009 for the group rate; however, the block may sell our prior to the deadline. You are responsible for making your own reservations. To make your reservation, contact the hotel at 312-573-0300 or 800-006-3426. Mention that you are with the AIA Changing Times conference to receive the group rate of $199.00 for a single/double occupancy plus 15.4% percent state and local taxes. All reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card when you make your reservation. The group’s cancellation policy requires cancellations be made 24 hours prior to arrival.

Travel
The AIA is pleased to offer discounted airline and car rentals for this conference. To make your reservations, contact the AIA’s official travel agency,Ovation Corporate Travel, at (800) 925-4055 (or 516-624-0308 for international callers). Please note, you are responsible for your travel.

Air
American Airlines offers special rates and numerous discounts on round-trip fares in the United States. Attendees will receive a 5 percent discount off coach and first-class fares by using discount code A2199AC. Please note American Airlines only services O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

How to book on American:

• Contact your travel agent and advise them to call the American Airlines Meeting Services Desk toll-free, 800-433-1790, and refer to discount code A2199AC. The hours of operation are 5 a.m. to midnight Central Time every day. Reservations for the hearing and speech impaired are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-543-1586.
• Call American Airlines Meeting Services desk directly toll-free, 800-433-1790, and refer to discount code A2199AC.
• Reservations may also be made directly through Ovation Corporate Travel at 800-925-4055, or by logging on to the AIA Web site.
• Or online directly through American Airlines

Delta Air Lines is offering 5-10% discounts off eligible published fares to AIA members.
How to book Delta:

• Call Delta’s Association Desk (booking fee applies), 800-455-2720. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST (Mon. – Fri.). Reference number: DP4J

Train
Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount off the lowest available rail fare to Chicago from September 21 to September 29. Although convention travel cannot be booked via the Internet, you can make your reservation through the AIA’s official travel agency, Ovation Corporate Travel 800-925-4055. Please be sure to refer to convention fare code X56V-953 when making your reservation. Fare is valid on Amtrak Regional and Acela service for all departures seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts. This offer is not valid on Auto Train but it is valid with sleepers, business class, and first class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges.

Car Rental
Hertz: Special meeting rates are yours with Hertz. Hertz operates in more than 150 countries with almost 1,800 locations in the Unites States alone, including more than 1,000 suburban locations. Call 800-654-2200 to make a reservation. To receive the special meeting rates, use code CV#022Q3890.

Hertz Green Collection: Now you can reserve fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly cars that are easy on the wallet and suitable for families and small groups traveling together. Reservable by specific make and model, with an EPA highway fuel efficiency rating of 28 miles or more per gallon, the Hertz Green Collection includes the following models:

• Toyota Camry
• Ford Fusion
• Buick LaCrosse
• Hyundai Sonata
• Subaru Outback

Please note the Green Collection is available in select cities and based on availability.

Avis: Avis is pleased to offer special discounts to all AIA meeting attendees. Reservations can be made directly with Avis by calling 800-331-1600 (refer to Discount Code A991499), visiting the AIA Web site and clicking on the Travel Accommodations tab or visiting the Avis Web site.

Continuing Education
Participants may earn up to 17.5 AIA Continuing Education System (CES) learning units (LUs) for attending the entire conference, including the preconference workshop. A participant will not be eligible to receive credit for LUs unless we have received a completed registration form and payment.

Greening the Meeting
To help create an environmentally sustainable conference and reduce waste, the AIA is not distributing printed handouts and printed attendee rosters. As an alternative you will receive the advance attendee roster via email a week prior to the meeting if you register by the September 11 deadline.

You are encouraged to do your part as well to assist in greening. For example, offset travel emission by participating in a “carbon balanced traveler” program such as www.my-climate.com or www.greentagusa.org.

Contact
If you have questions about this conference please contact Kimberly Yoho. If you experience difficulties registering for this event please contactregister@aia.org.

Force Majeure
The performance of this agreement by either party may be affected by force majeure (including, but not limited to, acts of God, acts of war or other acts of enemies, government regulation, disaster, strikes, floods, civil disorder, curtailment of transportation facilities, or other emergency or event beyond the control of the parties), thus making it inadvisable, unsafe, illegal, or impossible to provide required accommodations and/or meeting facilities, hold the meeting, or travel to the meeting. In event of force majeure, either party to this agreement may terminate the agreement upon providing written notice to the other party without penalty or obligation. Such right of termination shall not be unreasonably exercised.

In addition, the AIA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel this meeting. In that event, the AIA shall refund you all registration fees that it has received from you for this meeting, but shall have no further obligation to you of any type, whether monetary or otherwise. Accordingly, the AIA shall in no event have any liability to you based on claims for indirect, special or consequential damages of any type whatsoever, and shall have no other obligation to you of any type except as expressly stated in the preceding sentence.