News from American Institute of Building Design, California Society

Our annual Conference is March 10 -12 2011. The location is at the Jack London Lodge in Glen Ellen which is close to the town of Sonoma, CA. We have reserved the entire lodge and can not hold the rooms after January 10, 2011, so please make your room reservation as soon as you can. Room rates are $95 for Thursday night and $125 for Friday night. As usual there will be a Board Meeting on Thursday afternoon, a welcome reception Thursday evening, and tours on Friday including a guided tour of Historic Sonoma with a Trade show Friday evening, and Educational Seminars and the Design Awards Luncheon on Saturday.

We had three Board members attend the National Delegate Session and Convention in July in Portland Oregon. Attending with me were Gordon Hoehle and Carole Chapman. A motion to merge with NCBDC was defeated by three votes with our 4 State votes saying "no". AIBD will look further into the possible merger and study the impacts. Two of our California AIBD members won a National's ARDA or American Residential Design Award for Renovation 1500 SF& under, at the Convention. Both members are from the Monterey Bay Chapter; John Craycroft 1^st place and Richard Emigh 2^nd place.

The number of people belonging to AIBD is declining; this is a trend on both the State and National level. I am asking every member to take a more active part in having Chapter meetings and events three or four times a year. Each of you can call your Chapter officers to set up a meeting, which we can and will post on the State Website. Remember you get out of AIBD what you put into it. I encourage you to invite non members to the local meetings to let them know how we (AIBD) have helped and continue to help protect our ability to design homes in California.

I would like to give a special thank you to John Ford for organizing a Code Seminar on the changes in the Building Codes starting Jan 2011. 23 people attended the seminar in Clovis 10/9/2010. The AIBD members in attendance obtained 5CE hours. He is planning additional code seminars this fall.

Richard Emigh

President, AIBD, California Society

Please extend a welcome to our new members!!

Michael Gates, Owner of Sacramento Design Systems, Gold River, CA. Email sacdesignsys@comcast.net. Michael has over 31 years of design experience including Retail Store Designing. Michael has an AA degree in Drafting and Design and additional education in Construction Management.

Eric Lytle, Owner of Absolute Design, Tulare CA. He has been in business for ten years. He has an additional 7 years of drafting and designing. Email eric@absolutedes.com Take a look at some of his designs at www.absolutesdes.com.

Leslie Hunter, Owner of Hunter Best Cleaning, Inc. of Culver City, a full service cleaning company with over 22 years of experience, including construction clean-up, commercial, residential and janitorial services. Leslie has joined as a Business Associate of AIBD.

Please email them and welcome them to AIBD if they are in your area.

National Design Competition Winners!!!!

Both John Craycroft and Richard Emigh of our California Society, entered the American Residential Design Award Competion in the Renovation category at the AIBD National Convention in Portland this past summer and both were rewarded for their efforts and talents !!

JOHN'S PROJECT (1st Place)

RICHARD'S PROJECT (2nd Place) BEFORE:

AFTER

CHANGE IS GOOD (?!?!?!)

CALIFORNIA'S VERSION of

INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE

On Saturday, October 9th, AIBD, California Society, presented a seminar in Clovis, dealing with the new Residential Building Code that will be going into effect on January 1, 2011. Twenty-four members and friends of the Society were in attendance. The following is a brief summary of the material covered:

The biggest change is that fire sprinklers will be required in all NEW one and two family dwelling structures. Fresno County is going to require the schematic plans as part of the permit process (permit not issued until schematic approved by fire or building official.) Check with your local building departments to find out what documentation will be required on plans to meet this requirement for plan check.

New "Green" (Title 24) building requirements for residential structures, which will be part of working drawings under the new code, will be the subject of upcoming seminars. Watch your email in-box for AIBD CA Society bulletins stating dates, times, and locations.

Not having to do with building requirements, the most immediately obvious change from the Uniform Building Code to the Residential Building Code will be the numbering system and the arrangement of information. The Mechanical, Electrical, Fire, Plumbing codes are in separate code documents!

Brandguard Lofo PRODUCT CORNER

BRANDGUARD VENTS

Have you wondered how to spec in Brandguard vents into the eave or soffits? Does it affect the structural? Is it approved in Fire Zones? Does it interfere with Decorative soffit trim? Is it noticable?

We now have Eave/Soffit CAD Details available showing Brandguard Vents and placements of 2x blocking to get the most effective structural plan with beautiful aesthetics.

These are generic, but can be used with any of our eave/soffit products. They have been approved by Cities, Counties, and Structural Engineers across the state both in Fire Zones and non fire zones.

Brandguard Website

PS- Don't forget the CRC Ventilation code will go to 1/300 effective 1/2011 with the use of Undereave Vents. NO Vapor Retarder required!!!

CHAPTER NEWS!!!

With what appears to be the beginning of some rumbling of new business out there, chapters should be inspired to resume holding meetings, workshops, seminars and/or social get-togethers! Email your chapter news and announcements of upcoming events to be included in upcoming newsletters. Contact the newsletter editor (Carole Chapman, AIBD-CAnewsletter@comcast.net) to have bulletins sent out to your email list. It's free! It's easy! Just provide the email addresses and the Where-What-Why & When of your local event.

GOLDEN GATE CHAPTER has a new president, Mike Roeder, and Rodger Griffin is Chapter Director.

Central State Chapter has a new director, Scott Turner (new member in Feb. 2010) and John Ford is Chapter President.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Of the 14 bills that the Legislative Committee has been tracking for the 2009-10 legislative session, 6 of them have passed the legislature and have been signed into law by the governor. They are:

AB 1693 Regulating the code cycle of Building Standards Commission

SB 183 Requirement for installing Carbon Monoxide alarms - similar to the requirement for smoke detectors.

AB 758 Residential Energy Audit. Whenever a house title is transferred, an energy audit will be required to be performed on that house and the house will have to be upgraded before title can transfer. The audit is to be designed by the California Energy Commission.

SB 189 Had to do with how Design Professionals can receive protection for non-payment through Mechanics Lien. Does not apply to non-licensed Design Professionals.

SB 518 Requires the Building Standards Commission to take responsibility (as opposed to the Water Board) for the use and installation of "Grey Water" systems.

SB 972 Had to do with indemnifying Design Professionals in public contracts.

The most interesting bill this session was AB 1809, which tried to create a "Practice Act" for Professional Home Inspectors - an unlicensed profession trying to become licensed. It was sent back to the house Appropriations Committee. Which is an indication that it was unlikely to ever be funded - at least in the current fiscal condition of the state. We will keep an eye on it for the future.

Jeff Rice

Rice Design Associates

NO EXCUSES!!! CONTINUING EDUCATION

It's that time of year again when some of us realize that we haven't met our membership obligation of obtaining continuing education credits. Ron Blank & Associates, Inc. provides access to many FREE on-line courses that qualify for credits. Ron Blank & Associates, Inc.

Another source for FREE on-line education is CertainTeed Building Solutions. They have a series of approved subjects including some on "Green" construction. Check out CERTAINTEED COURSES for available on-line courses.

When you have completed a course (unless it is AIBD sponsored and therefore automatically reported) be sure to visit the Member Center at the AIBD National Website and record your credits!!!!!

BACK TO THE OLD DRAWING

BOARD

Musings of Veteran Designer

The requirement for continuing education becomes a bone of contention this time of year. As the deadline approaches for recording and validating your credits, varying emotions rise to the surface. Everything from "Who the hell do they think they are telling me I have to take classes to prove to "them" that I know what I'm doing?" to "OMG, I don't have the time or the money to spend in seminars and classrooms!!" We've heard 'em all. We've probably voiced a few of them ourselves!

Continuing education is GOOD!! Almost all professions require it. Who wants to go to a doctor who isn't current with the latest procedures and medications? Designers are no different. The dizzying onslaught of new materials, "Green" methods, code changes, and material handling requirements as well as the latest trends in design provides a limitless source of subject matter for classroom, workshop and on-line courses. As designers, we must be prepared to provide both technical and aesthetic solutions to our clients. Being educated on the most up-to-date design-field related issues is part of the service we provide.

Check out the No Excuses!! article directly above this humble "thought" piece for easily accessed FREE sources for continuing education courses. The deadline for submitting your CEU report is Dec 31, 2010 for all but the most recent new members. Members who have joined after 9-1-2010 or who have upgraded from Practicing Associate by turning in lacking 2009 CE hours will have a reporting deadline on their anniversary date of their joining or upgrading in AIBD. Don't be caught with your CEU pants figuratively down!!

Carole Chapman