MaineNews

The Newsletter of the Maine Chapter of The American Institute of Architects

spring 2014

volume 174

Des ign Awa rds 2014On May 12th AIA Maine members gathered in Lewiston to celebrate the outstanding work of AIA Maine architects with the 2014 Design Awards program.

A Montreal-based jury of five distinguished architects met in March to review forty-six total entries. After a day of careful review and discussion, the group awarded six projects in the categories of Honor, Merit, and Citation.

Design Committee Chair, Jesse Thompson and President, Judy Johnson presented the awards to:

• Honor Award – Mills House, Carol A. Wilson Architect

• Honor Award – Sauna 1105, WMH Architects

• Merit Award – Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science, WBRC Architects Engineers in association with Perkins+Will

• Merit Award – Bare Bones Sculpture Studio, Scott Simons Architects

• Citation – House on a Cove, Elliott + Elliott Architecture

• Citation – Downeast Coastal Residence, Winkelman Architecture

The evening began with a tour of Albert Kahn’s Bates Mill No.5. Tour guide Allan Turgeon of Platz Associates discussed the building’s history and the group Grow L+A discussed their plans to bring the building back to life. With 2014 marking the building’s 100-year anniversary, the Chapter honored the Bates Mill No. 5 with a “100 Year Award for Design Excellence.”

After the tour, guest convened for a cocktail reception where all of the submitted work was displayed. Attendees were asked to vote for their favorite projects, resulting in two “People’s Choice Awards.” One to Scott Simons Architects for Pondicherry House and the other to Caleb Johnson Architects + Builders for Deering Block. Congratulations to the award recipients and to all who submitted. It was an impressive collection of work!

Honor Award – Mills House, Carol A. Wilson Architect Honor Award – Sauna 1105, WMH Architects

Merit Award – Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science, WBRC Architects Engineers

Merit Award – Bare Bones Sculpture Studio, Scott Simons Architects

Citation – Downeast Coastal Residence, Winkelman Architecture Citation – House on a Cove, Elliott + Elliott Architecture

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President’s Report by Judy Johnson, AIA

Maine Officers

Judy L. Johnson, AIA

President

Robert C. Tilllotson, AIA

Vice President

John Charette, AIA

Secretary

John D. Morris II, AIA

Treasurer

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the AIA Maine Board of Directors.

Maine Board

Scott E. Brown, AIA

Gavin L. Engler, Assoc. AIA

Joseph Hemes, AIA

Gunnar Hubbard, AIA

Stephen B. Rich, AIA

Scott R. Simons, AIA

Kathleen Stevens-Rosa, AIA

James Jesse Thompson, AIA

Derek J, Veilleux, AIA

Kathryn J. Wetherbee, Assoc. AIA

Maine Staff

Susan C. KochExecutive Director

8 Ferry Road

Scarborough, ME 04074

tel/fax 207.885.8888

susan@aiamaine.org

Jeannette A. SchramCommunications Director

71 Beckett Street

Portland, ME 04101

tel 207.838.6313

jeannette@aiamaine.org

It has been a very busy winter for AIA Maine and in addition to the good work our committees are doing we have been focused on strategic planning, advocacy and transition.

Strategic PlanningThe AIA Maine Board of Directors has been working very diligently throughout the winter months on wrapping up our strategic planning process. To see a summary of our work please see page 14.

AdvocacyIn March, Jeannette Schram and I both attended the Grass Roots Conference in Washington, DC. This conference is focused on National Advocacy of issues that are pertinent to architects and the profession. On behalf of AIA Maine we met with representatives from Senators Susan Collins and Anus King’s office as well as Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud’s office. It was a very busy and productive day. This year AIA focused on three topics:

• Promote Financing for Energy Efficient Building. The AIA urged Congress to extend the 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction which expired at the end of 2013. This incentive encourages energy efficient design while providing funds to help architecture firms hit=re additional employees, competitively price jobs and expand their practice. Status: Has passed the Senate and has moved to the House of Representatives.

• Reform Procurement Laws that Block Good Design. The Design-Build Efficiency and Jobs Act of 2013 (HR 2750) would update federal design build laws to improve competition, ensure more businesses can participate and save taxpayers money. This will require agencies to shortlist no more than five teams thus ensuring that design-build competitions provide more opportunities for short listed teams to win. Status: This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

• Help Young Architects Help their Communities. HR 4205, the National Design Services Act of 2014 would enable architecture students and recent graduates to work with non-profits and communities for a set period of time in exchange for student debt relief. Doctors, lawyers and other professions currently have similar student loan debt forgiveness in exchange for public and community service. This bill will help revitalize underserved communities while relieving the financial burden of the next generation of architect. Status: This bill has

(President’s Report...continued to page 3)

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been referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

The entire delegation was very interested in hearing from us and discussing the issues that are important to architects Nationally as well as here in Maine.

TransitionsAfter almost six years of service Susan Koch, AIA Maine’s Executive Director, retired as of May 1st. Susan’s contributions to AIA Maine have been invaluable. Her positive attitude and willingness to be a resource to the membership has allowed AIA Maine to continue to grow and the voice of AIA architects to be heard throughout Maine. AIA Maine thanks Susan for all she has done for the organization and wish her well as she begins a new chapter in her life.

We are also delighted to announce and welcome our new Executive Director Jeannette Schram. Jeannette has served as AIA Maine Communication’s Director for the past year and a half and has been transitioning into the position of Executive Director for the past several months. The position of Communications Director will be eliminated and those duties will be folded into the Executive Director’s responsibilities. We are confidant that the transition will be seamless to our membership.

We always welcome ideas, opinions and feedback from our membership as well as your involvement on committees and initiatives. Please contact Jeannette Schram (jeannette@aiamaine.org) and she will make sure that you are directed to the appropriate person or committee.

(President’s Report...continued from page 2)

“After almost six years of service Susan Koch, AIA Maine’s Executive Director, retired from AIA Maine.Susan’s contributions to AIA Maine have been invaluable. Her positive attitude and willingness to be a resource to the membership has allowed AIA Maine to continue to grow and the voice of AIA architects to be heard throughout Maine. ”

AIA Maine Welcomes...

This past Design Awards event was my last official day working for AIA Maine. I have decided to take some time off and then see what might be next, or maybe retire completely.

It has been a pleasure to get to know many of you and I have great admiration for the work that you do. Maine has some very fine architects, builders, and support for the built environment.

I would like to acknowledge the Board of Directors and recognize the countless hours that they spend volunteering for this chapter. A lot has been accomplished in the past 5 years with part time staff, and it never would have been possible without the work of many.

I am also happy to say that you will be in great hands with Jeannette Schram as the new Executive Director. She is smart, capable, a good listener, and very creative. A wonderful combination of traits to take AIA Maine to the next level. You can reach Jeannette at: jeannette@aiamaine.org.

Thank you for all of your thoughtful comments, participation, and warm collegiality the past 5 years years.

Until We Meet Againby Susan Koch, Executive Director

Ethan M. Scott Assoc. AIADelhaize Group

Christian Corson Assoc. AIAEcocor LLC

Eric Stark AIA University of Maine, Augusta

Mathew L. Ward AIA WBRC Architects/Engineers

James W. Broadbent AIA Kaplan Thompson Architects

Mike L. Sealander AIA Sealander Studio

Nathaniel A. Cram AIA Scott Simons Architects

Kristi Emery Assoc. AIA Merritt Associates

Susan Koch, Executive Director

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On March 27th, AIA Maine’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) presented, Architect + Builder = Passivhaus, the second lecture of its 2013-2014 lecture series at the Maine Audubon in Falmouth with Jesse Thompson AIA, principal at Kaplan Thompson Architects and Jesper Kruse, owner of Maine Passive House.

The lecture focused on Passivhaus from an architect’s perspective as well as a builder’s perspective. Passivhaus buildings use approximately 90% less energy to heat. They are primarily heated by solar gain and secondarily from the heat of inhabitants and electronic and electrical appliances.

For those of you might have missed this lecture, you can view it online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FDPWBjnkC8

The final lecture of the 2013-2014 Lecture Series is coming up on June 16th. The lecture is The Living Building Challenge with Bruce Coldham, FAIA.

COTE Report

Innovation In Housing at BE14.

by John P. Gordon, AIA

On March 5 & 6, I attended the BuildingEnergy14 conference in Boston. This annual event is conducted by NESEA (Northeast Sustainable Energy Association). Per the NESEA website, “BuildingEnergy (BE) is the most established, most cross-disciplinary renewable energy and high-performance building conference and trade show in the northeastern United States. NESEA members drive the content from questions that come up in their professional lives”. This year was the third time I’ve attended in the past four years. I continue to be amazed at the quality of the presenters and their messages.

During my two days at BE14, I attended seven 90 minute sessions - The Living Building Challenge - Two Northeast Regional Case Studies; Energy Positive Homes in Devens MA; Affordable Net-Zero Modular - Chasing The Golden Trifecta, Scraping Knees Along the Way (presented by Maine’s own Phil Kaplan, AIA and Parlin Meyer); De-Materializing Buildings - Building Better With Less; Learning From Innovative, Responsive and Large Scale Energy Efficient Housing in Europe; Home Performance Is Awesome - So Why Isn’t Every Homeowner Beating Down Your Door?; and, Closing Forum - Big Thinkers Answer the Big Questions. PHEW!!!! Lotsa information in just the session titles! From the 64 sessions offered, I was able to compile a fairly diverse curriculum mostly focused on residential sustainable design (my practice focus).

I’m a sucker for innovation. So, when it comes to the design and construction of houses, I’m a mostly frustrated practitioner. Innovation is elusive in an industry (and society?) dominated by risk aversion and conservative lending practices. In recent times, the Great Recession has further suppressed the potential for innovation. Nonetheless, there has been progress. Herein, I will share some of what I learned at BE14 that nurtured my innovation-lust. Please note that the information presented barely scratches the surface of these projects/topics. I have provided links to online resources that should satisfy a variety of reader interests.

ENERGY POSITIVE HOMESR. Carter Scott of Transformations, Inc. in Townsend, MA specializes in developing and building sustainable Zero Energy communities and homes. Their new Zero Energy homes are designed to produce more energy than they consume over a years time. Here are the basics of how they do it.• Basics: Several projects/homes located in Harvard,

Townsend, Princeton, Devens and Roxbury MA. Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Indexes as low as -37! These homes are “traditional” in appearance and have 3 bedrooms as a standard with an additional Bonus Room that could be finished off later as a 4th bedroom, office or recreation room. Square footage varies pending model, options, etc., but a HERS certificate referenced for this narrative states 2698 s.f. of conditioned space.

(Innovation In Housing...continued to page 7)

• Well-insulated, Tight Building Shell: 12” Double Studded R-45 Low Density Foam Walls, R- 63 Cellulose Attic Insulation, R-20 Closed Cell Foam on the Basement Walls, R-5 Windows, and R-10 Rigid Insulation Under the Basement Slab. Infiltration rate 1.26 ACH50 (blower door test).

• Ventilation: Panasonic Whisper-Green exhaust fan or Fantech HRV depending upon house size.

• Heating: One Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) per floor at two story houses, commonly known as a “mini-split” system. Transformations claims one ASHP will heat & cool up to 1,700 s.f.

• Hot Water: Gas-fired on-demand hot water maker (Navien 180) or ASHP hot water maker. The aforementioned HERS certificate claims 24 gallons of propane will provide hot water for an entire year.

• On-Site Renewable Energy: 7.59 to 18.33 kW Grid-tied Solar Electric Systems.

• Cost: The price range of the market rate homes is from $350,000 for an attached 1500 square foot 2 bedroom home to $500,000 for a detached 2300 square foot home.

A significant point of innovation is Transformations stated goal of going beyond net zero energy. Their philosophy is the excess energy will address carbon emissions of the transportation sector. The following is taken directly from their website: “With a net zero energy home you solve your share of the 48% carbon emissions that come from the building sector---and you don’t have any utility bills to pay. We now can go beyond this and address another 33% of the carbon emissions from the transportation sector. Now you can use your car to power a portion of your house when the grid goes down---with vehicle to home back up power.”

A few points worth noting....Massachusetts is Climate Zone 5 vs. Maine’s Zone 6 (or 7 for Aroostook County). Massachusetts has a robust solar incentive program offered by the government and utilities. These include State and Federal Income Tax Credits, Property Tax Exemption, Sales Tax Exemption, Utility Rebates and Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). Important factors when we consider the basics outlined above including the market rate pricing shown. Clearly, a very different “solar environment” than we currently enjoy here in Maine! Learn more about Transformations, Inc.’s work at http://transformations-inc.com

SWEDISH HOUSINGArchitect Greg LaVardera practices in New Jersey and has an extensive understanding of the Swedish housing industry. He has been collaborating with Scott Hedges (based in Sweden for several years) to further this understanding. Learn more about their work at Letters From Sweden.

In response to the 1970’s energy crisis, Sweden re-worked its housing marketplace. A high level of cooperation between industry, academia and government produced a re-vamped approach to housing with an intense focus on energy-efficiency, quality, cost and financing (a 1985 book

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• Dynamic and Textile Membrane Façade: The dynamic textile membrane brings together renewable energy and architecture. It reacts flexibly, similar to the principle of the sunflower that follows the sunlight. With integrated photovoltaic cells, they generate electricity and serve as sun protection.

• Smart Curtains: Mobile, translucent curtains structure the spacious inner rooms, support lighting and serve residents as individual regulators of heat and light. The “smart curtains” run through the rooms on curved rails allowing the space to be altered according to individual taste.

• Sustainable Solid Wood Construction: The Soft House is a Passive House built of solid wood. The building material wood binds CO2 and, furthermore, its production consumes significantly less CO2 than do conventional building materials.

An understanding of this relatively small building requires visual imagery (you know, that picture worth a thousand words thing!). If Soft House interests you, then follow these links to see and learn more.

Download Soft House white paper. Download Soft House project flyer.

Finally, make sure you check out this Living With Wood timeline (shared by Greg). VERY interesting.

entitled “Coming In From The Cold: Energy-Wise Housing In Sweden” by Lee Schipper documents this transformation). One result being practical and efficient methods of construction that employ a sophisticated wall system and off-site construction.

95% of houses in Sweden are built off-site (in factories). The walls, floors and roof components are panelized, trucked to the site and erected by a small crew and crane in one day. Greg had a time-lapse video of the erection of one such house (including coffee and lunch breaks!). In one day, an entire house was erected, all exterior walls complete with windows, doors and siding. The wood-framed roof structure was lifted into place including roof decking/weatherproof underlayment and roofing tiles loaded for installation the following day. Pretty amazing. You can read and see more about this assembly process and view the video here.

There’s so much more to share, but the Green Column has limited space. Fortunately, Greg has an extensive collection of information available online. He is incredibly generous in the sharing of his time and information. I encourage you to explore the following list of topics. Enjoy!

• Learning From Swedish Home Building video series. Why we would look to Sweden for a model for improving the performance of our homes in the US.

• Swedish Platform Framing. The Swedish Platform Frame is the next evolutionary step in stud framing.

• USA New Wall. The USA New Wall design is informed by the building practices in Sweden which are in turn a natural evolution of the building techniques widespread in the USA. By looking at the results of 30 years of building science development in Sweden we can take away some very plain lessons on how to improve our building without upsetting the apple cart that is the industry.

• Slideshow shared by Greg showing many of the images from his BE14 presentation. Here you will see images of a factory where entire walls are assembled (framed, insulated, sheathed, sided, utility rough-ins, etc.).

GOING SOFT (Innovations for Low Carbon Living in Germany)Sheila Kennedy is an American architect, innovator and educator. She is a Professor of the Practice of Architecture at MIT and a Principal of Kennedy & Violich Architecture Ltd. (KVA). Sheila presented Soft House, a carbon neutral 4-unit housing project and KVA’s competition winning submission for the International Building Exhibition Hamburg - IBA_HAMBURG.

Sheila’s opening statement was “We need to take the wall back!” She defined this as reducing the materiality of a wall. In short, “Get rid of drywall!” As it turns out, redefining the wall is just one innovation of Soft House. Others include a dynamic and textile membrane façade, smart curtains and sustainable solid wood construction. Here are brief descriptions of each innovative system:

(Innovation In Housing...continued from page 6)

UMA Architecture Up-to-Date: Getting student designed projects BUILT!by Eric Stark, Associate Professor of Architecture, University of Maine at Augusta

This year at UMA architecture we’ve been exploring new and different ways to engage our community through design. Our mission, “We Engage Community” is focused on placing our students in direct contact with real-world clients representing non-profits and municipalities.

This work gives our students first-hand experience, and demonstrates to the community the power good design can yield for their respective needs. This year one of our goals has been to increase the work that gets built. To that end we have 3 projects slated for construction this summer.

Kennebec Valley Camp for Kids – Director’s CabinThe Kennebec Valley Camp for Kids, a state-licensed day camp on Maranacook Lake in Readfield, Maine, contacted our program about designing a new Director’s Cabin. Two senior architecture students, Arielle Counsens and Ben Stoodley, took on the project as a test of what they have learned in the architecture program. The assignment is a 1500 square-foot building that will hold main administrative facilities, a large indoor classroom, much-needed storage, and was designed to be rentable during winter months. The Camp Board enthusiastically received the project, and is now moving ahead, raising funds with the hope of beginning construction by the end of the summer.

UMA Garden GreenhouseThe UMA greenhouse project was done in a third-year design studio and is now looking to be built. The project will take the existing UMA vegetable garden, already supplying the Augusta Food Bank with over 1200 pounds of food annually, and greatly lengthen its growing season. Designed by three UMA architecture students, Karl Schadlich, Greg Buzzle and Ben Stoodley, their work was selected through a competition as most responsive to the site and the client needs. Members of UMA’s Office of Civic Engagement are leading the effort and have raised funds towards the projects construction. The hope is to break ground early this summer.

Garry Owen HouseThe Gary Owen House to be built in Montville, Maine is a project being led by the Garry Owen Motorcycle Club. Club members contacted the architecture program

Jaimee Lee Anderson, recent graduate of UMA Architecture and former ex-officio AIA Maine Board member received national recognition from AIAS National as the March 2014 Chapter Leader of the Month.

Jaimee was nominated for Chapter Leader of the Month because of her accomplishments getting the University of Maine Chapter involved at the national level and for getting more students involved at the local level by organizing special events and for her fundraising work through the University of Maine at Augusta.

Jaimee Lee has been involved in AIAS for four years and upon joining had no idea how much the organization would mean to her and her path toward licensure. Through her two years in the position of president she has made the chapter more relevant, vibrant, and beneficial to the students at her school. This past school year she has organized events like a welcome back BBQ, a trip to Louis Kahn’s Exeter Library and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Zimmerman House, a social with AIA Maine, an upcoming firm crawl, Spring Quad, a graduation party, and Grassroots.

Congratulations, Jaimee Lee!

UMA’s AIAS President Nationally Recognized

South Elevation for the Director’s Cabin, Kennebec Valley Camp for Kids. Drawing by Arielle Cousens and Ben Stoodley

(UMA Architecture Up-to-Date...continued to page 9)

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earlier this year looking for design work in order to house what they see as a growing problem: to house homeless Veterans in need. Five UMA architecture students, who are also veterans, have been volunteering their time, working with Assistant Professor Amy Hinkley, to come up with a design in response to the clients’ vision and the veterans’ needs. The students – Richard Bannister, Jesse Libby, Karl Schadlich, Chad Ceccarini and Jessica Robichaud – have met with the client and have been busily working on designs, with the goal to break ground this summer. They will be working with Coffin Engineering of Augusta in order to bring the schematic design up through construction documents.

In all of this work we are certainly grateful for our community partners, and always amazed by the care, energy and thoughtfulness that UMA

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Professor Amy Hinkley leading a group charette discussion

Architecture students put towards this work. What it gives our students is invaluable experience, and what it hopes to give to these community partners is nothing less than life changing. The effect of their efforts can be easily imagined.

For more information on UMA Architecture, to join our email list, or to contact us please go to our web site: http://www.uma.edu/bachelor-of-architecture.html. We welcome your inquiry and appreciate your support.

Up-to-Date...continued from page 8)

ACE of MaineSteve Pedersen, AIA and Jill Johanning, AIA

As a national mentoring program, ACE Mentoring was recently recognized as a 2014 AIA Institute Honors for Collaborative and Profession Achievement. This is a great recognition for the national organization and the mentoring programs in Maine.

The Southern Maine region was hosted at Casco Bay High School in Portland, and was a great opportunity for students from Casco Bay, Deering, Portland, Cheverus, and McAuley High Schools to meet other students with similar interests in the building industry. Student projects this year were to create a program space on the CBHS campus for the public using shipping containers. Throughout the year the group also had the opportunity to explore the CBHS facilities, visit the Cumberland County Civic Center construction site, and hosted guest speakers that addressed wind energy, and urban design.

The Northern Maine region students visited the new planetarium project, currently under construction at the University of Maine. Walls were open and much of the building infrastructure was visible, affording the students an opportunity to observe building systems. Workshops continue as students refine their final projects, having fun with this year’s design problem: to create a group living facility for a fictional cast of characters of the student’s choosing, drawing from books, TV shows, and movies.

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Scholarship awards are an additional incentive for winners at the final project presentation, scheduled to take place this spring. Finals will be judged by a jury of design and construction professionals at the event to be attended by families, friends, and peers.

If you are interested in working with the construction industry’s fastest-growing high school mentoring program or know of a high school student who may be interested in meeting other students with similar interests please contact a mentor in one of the Maine Regions to join the program next semester.

Top: Students tour Cumberland County Civic Center construction site with WBRC AE and Cianbro Corp.; Middle: Students finish pasta and gumdrop structures before load testing.; Above Left: Student team at work with mentor Jessica Lothian.; Above Right: Students gather to tour of the new UMaine planetarium with mentor Dave Witham.

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by Richard Eustis, PE, FCSI, CCCA, Maine QBS Facilitator

What is QBS and Why is it Important?

Reduced to its simplest terms, “Qualification Based Selection” is a process by which the “buyer” of a service selects the individual or firm to provide a service based on the qualifications of the “provider”. The intent is to find the “best-qualified” provider from among the many individuals or firms who are qualified with the expectation that retaining the “best-qualified” individual or firm will result in a better outcome. No matter if the purpose is to select a surgeon for an operation, a lawyer to defend in a civil suit, or the selection of a design professional for the design of a construction project, the “buyer” of the service needs to feel confident there has been match of the qualifications of the “provider” to the needs of the “buyer”.

Perhaps “Confidence” is the key word. If the client does not have confidence that the right design firm has been selected, the project starts on the wrong foot. Confidence cannot be established by a low bid where there is not a clear understanding by all parties of the extent of the required work, and the desires of the client and the applicable requirements and regulations. Even the best attempt to provide a written description of the required services does not replace discussions and negotiations.

The QBS process recognizes that the design fees on any project are only a very small portion of the facility cost over the life of the facility. Adequate time spent in the design phase by a well qualified design team can easily result in long term cost-savings in the areas of utilities, operations or maintenance costs. This should be of major interest to any client.

In the design field, there have been some excellent procedures established to assist clients or the “buyers” of a service in selecting the best-qualified individual or firm to perform the desired service. Detailed information on these procedures can be found on the Maine QBS Program website www.meqbs.org . These same procedures are applicable to the selection of geotechnical firms, landscape architects, and land surveyors or any other professional service where qualifications are the major selection factor.

For more information visit www.meqbs.org or contact Dick Eustis, PE, 35 Pride Street, Old Town, ME 04468 ( 207.827.2238 or eustis@infionline.net).

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Program

Emerging Professionals Welcomes New Chair, Kathryn Wetherbee, Assoc. AIAWith a new year came some changes for the Emerging Professionals Committee. Kimberly Tuttle stepped down as chair to accept a new position working for NCARB in Washington D.C. She will continue to be an active advisor to the committee bringing her experience and engagement with other Emerging Professionals Committee’s from about the country. Kathryn Wetherbee, a new board member, is now the chair of the committee. We welcomed new members as well as said goodbye to some. We are seeking energetic motivated interns or newly licensed architects to join our committee! If you are looking to become involved in Maine AIA and the Emerging Professionals Committee please contact kathrynwetherbee@gmail.com.

ARE Testing materials have moved to Harriman at 123 Middle Street. This is a free borrowing service to Maine Emerging Professionals studying for their exams.

Be sure to stay updated and connected and Like Maine AIA Emerging Professionals on Facebook!

The Program Committee is working on some fun, semi-regional social events (with learning units thrown in for good measure). We are still making arrangements, so stay tuned to the AIA Maine website for details.

One program we are developing for the summer is in collaboration with the Bar Harbor Historical Society in conjunction with their involvement in the renovation of the Vanderbilt Carriage House for the 2014 Maine Home + Design/Sotheby’s International Designer Showhouse. Additionally, we hope to create a series of tours of award winning Maine projects.

We are looking for nominations for tours of Maine member’s current or recent work around the state. This is a fun way to get together and share what we’ve been doing. If you have a project you’d like to share with fellow AIA Maine members, please contact me at kay@a4architects.com.

The Committee is still in search of a Portland area member! This is your chance to be part of a fun group! Please contact Kay Stevens Rosa or Jeannette Schram if you are willing to volunteer or if you have any suggestions for programs that you feel would be beneficial to explore.

The AIA Convention will be in Chicago on June 26-28th this year. What a fabulous city to take in some of the best American architecture! The event promises to offer a wealth of information, education, brotherhood, fellowship and fun.

Programs Committeeby Kay Stevens Rosa, AIA

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Time affects accessibility: Part 2by Jill S. Johanning, AIA

The extensive snowfall Maine experienced this winter is a good reminder that building owners need more awareness of how to maintain new facilities to meet the requirements of the ADA. This past winter also stressed the importance on the design team to consider ongoing maintenance during the design process for safe access for everyone.

The coordination of snow storage locations with building owners may include planning to sacrifice one adjacent parking space next to the accessible parking at the end of a row for overflow snow storage, or installing radiant entrance areas on the public right of way where there is no space for snow storage.

Restrooms may also need to be designed larger for the coordination of storage cabinets, trash cans, and large toilet and bath accessories that will be supplied by vendors or installed by building staff. Maintenance examples may also include specifying pipe protection under accessible sinks that can be easily reinstalled after plumbing maintenance.

A project that may meet accessibility requirements when it opens will be impacted over the life of the building by the maintenance and operations activities. Include accessibility information in O&M manuals, and when train¬ing staff on the new building systems and equipment emphasize what areas must always be clear. Or consider

adding accessibility to the commissioning scope to make sure that all building systems are installed as designed for access. Educating building owners to understand how their maintenance policies impact access will improve accessibility for everyone using the facility.

Clockwise from top: Plowed wheel stops blocking pedestrian walkway; Restroom trashcan located in the clear floor space of the door that needs to be moved; Accessible parking space used for snow storage; Snow covered ramp blocked by snow storage; Accessible parking space used for snow storage.

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The AIA Maine Board of Directors have made it a priority for 2014 to demystify the AIA Fellowship process for our member architects. To that end, we have formed the Fellows Committee. The committee is chaired by Robert Tillotson AIA and made up of a number of past AIA Maine presidents.

The committee gathered interested members for an information session on April 7th at Harriman’s Portland office. At this session, we reviewed the basics of the application process and shared the Chapter’s willingness to provide a nomination for members interested in pursuing Fellowship.

The AIA Fellowship program was developed to elevate those architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. Election to Fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of the architect as an individual, but also honors before the public and the profession a model architect who has made a significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.

If you missed this information session but are interested in learning more about Fellowship please contact Jeannette Schram at jeannette@aiamaine.org.

Fellows Committee

AIA Maine Survey Resultsby Susan Koch, Executive Director

Last November, we contacted our AIA Maine members to ask that you consider participating in a membership survey that we hoped would inform our strategic priorities going forward. We were delighted that 84 members responded, giving us some tremendous feedback and much to consider as your Board of Directors.

While a full summary of the responses can be provided upon request, let me attempt to “hit the high points,” describing not only what we heard from the membership but also what we plan to do with that information.

What we heard:

• The AIA brand/credential has value, as do the connections to the architectural community that AIA Maine provides. Members told us they appreciate having access to information that allows them to “stay current” and that they are aware of and supportive of our work legislative work in Augusta and Washington D.C.

• When asked how much value AIA Maine provides in exchange for the cost, 22% of respondents said that it provides “a lot of value,” 53% said it provides “some value,” and 25% say “not enough value.” There is significant room for improvement here, and the AIA Maine Board of Directors is committed to doing so.

• When asked what AIA Maine could do to increase the value of AIA membership, members told us we need to provide more programs, educational opportunities, and networking events throughout the state. We also got a strong message that we can help architects get work—and the right kind of work—by more actively educating the public and promoting architects and architecture.

• While most respondents were generally happy with the quantity of communication they receive and the vehicles we use to communicate with them, it became clear that the AIA Maine Board of Directors has not been doing a good job of communicating about who we are, how you can provide input to us, and what we are doing on your behalf.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the survey results was that 47% of the respondents indicated an interest in being more active in AIA. There is an opportunity here, and your AIA Maine Board of Directors wants to find ways to maximize that opportunity. A board member leads all committees, but we have a great need for additional people to be involved. We want to foster meaningful involvement and encourage leadership. Please consider volunteering to be part of it. It is your AIA!

We realize, however, that we must do a better job of communicating with you about what we are doing, where AIA Maine is heading, and how you can help us get there. With that said, the AIA Maine Board of Directors has been developing a strategic plan to guide our chapter’s work over the next 3 years. In addition to a more concise mission statement, and the articulation of a vision for the future, you will find 4 strategic priorities that will guide our work.

Strategic priorities

a. Deepen relationships with current membersb. Demonstrate to the public, potential partners, and clients the value of AIA architectsc. Strengthen our legislative knowledge, voice, and cloutd. Promote design excellence

New Mission Statement

AIA Maine supports architects and architecture through leadership, advocacy, fellowship, and design excellence.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. I assure you that the board heard you loud and clear, and is committed to enhancing the value of AIA Maine membership. Please contact Jeannette Schram for more information or to find out how to join a committee. Jeannette@aiamaine.org.

Maine News

15

spring 2014

Snapshots: Design Awards 2014

Atrium at Bates Mill, Lewiston