| Vol. 3, Issue 3 |
May-June 2004 |
Table of Contents
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President's Letter
This is written with mixed emotion –
this is the last President’s Message that Mary Mauerman will ever have
to nag me for! If you have not already heard, Mary is retiring after 17 years
as our Executive Director. During that time, I have served on the AIA Northwest
Washington Board twice, AND twice on the AIA Washington Council Executive
Board, so I have witnessed many times Mary’s passion for politics, and
her tireless enthusiasm for the issues that are of interest to us as architects.
Mary will be missed, and fondly remembered, by all of us who have served on
the Board. Happy trails, Mary!
As difficult as it may seem, I do believe that we have found a good replacement
for Mary. After conducting a nationwide search, the Executive Board has hired
Stan Bowman as Mary’s replacement.
Stan has been the Director of Government Affairs for the Washington Restaurant
Association for the last three years. Prior to that, he was Director of State
and Local Affairs for the AIA in Washington D.C. from 1999 to 2001. From 1995
to 1999, he was the Government Affairs Manager for the American Society of
Landscape Architects in Washington D.C. Concurrent with his time at AIA and
ASLA, he also served as Secretary for the Council on Federal Procurement of
Architectural & Engineering Services. A desire to raise his children in
his native state of Washington is what brought him back here.
He was born and raised in Chehalis, where he lives today. He ran for State
Senate in 1994, and has assisted Senator Slade Gorton and Rep. Rod Chandler.
His mother was a State Legislator, and he managed her re-election campaign
in 1992, and assisted in 1988 and 1990. He graduated with a B.A. in Communications
from Northwestern College in 1991.
So as you can see, Stan has been very attuned to political and architectural
issues, and he is working with Mary every day to make the transition as seamless
as possible. Between the Council’s reorganization over the last two
years, and finding a new Executive Director, the changes at AIA Washington
Council have been profound. Through it all, our mission has been to be of
ever increasing value to you, our members, especially where we can be most
effective, in the political arena.
Looking ahead to the next legislative session, we have a full agenda. The
interior designers are going to continue their push for registration. The
surveyors are going to continue their push for mandatory continuing education,
and other engineering professions and the Council are being lobbied to join
an effort to require mandatory continuing education for all of us. Tort reform
will be an issue, particularly in light of the scarcity and exorbitant high
price of liability insurance for those of us designing condominiums. Our Qualifications
Based Selection (QBS) lawwill surely be subject to review in some form or
other. The rest of the I-Code needs to be adopted. There will be many bills
dealing with the Growth Management Act. Mandatory Silver LEEDS rating for
public buildings will be re-introduced.
And the beat goes on . . . . . . . . welcome aboard, Stan!
See you in Chicago!
Michael E. Smith, FAIA
Mary came to us without any architectural experience, or even any exposure,
but had a solid history of having lobbied the Washington State Legislature
for six years, worked for three different associations for nine years, and
worked for the House of Representatives for three years.
Learning architectural terms, public works processes, licensing requirements,
and the internal organization of The American Institute of Architects was
a big hill to climb, but when she was able to translate “architecturaleze”
into terms legislators and other lobbyists could understand, she knew she
had arrived.
The Council has matured greatly under Mary’s seventeen-year leadership.
We are well connected to many people “on the Hill” as well as
to other organizations with compatible interests. Her legislative accomplishments
include rolling back the B&0 tax, adopting the Intern Development Program,
protecting Qualifications Based Selections, and keeping stock school plans
out of state requirements.
Mary reports she has mostly enjoyed her tenure here, and will always have
a fondness for the many wonderful people she has met throughout the organization.
“Best of all,” Mary says, “is I’ll continue to recognize
and appreciate architectural details, something I never noticed before coming
to work for AIA”.
Stan Bowman
Stan comes to us experienced in lobbying
the Washington State Legislature and in state and local issues associated
with AIA. He was in the job market after having worked for the Washington
Restaurant Association for three years as their Director of Government Affairs.
Prior to that, Stan directed AIA State & Local Affairs in Washington D.C.
where he reinvigorated the state legislative program by increasing grassroots
training and improving communications with state chapters.
It is fortuitous that Stan would be available to be Executive Director of
AIA Washington Council at about the same time Mary was looking around to see
if there were ways to build more “fun” in her life (meaning not
working)! Welcome aboard, Stan.
Council Board Meeting
The newly constituted Board of Directors
held their second meeting of the year in Bellevue at the firm of MulvannyG2,
Bellevue on April 2, 2004, to follow the Council’s new Mission Statement
to “serve its members through influencing state government with
regard to issues that impact the practice of architecture.”
Craig Curtis, the Council’s delegate to the Architect Engineer
Legislative Council (AELC) reported on the issues that group was following
during the 2004 Legislative Session and proclaimed that the Council had done
well in dealing with the Legislature this session.
Networking Committee Chair, Blake Bolton, led a discussion
about the 2004 Capitol Connections/Civic Design Awards program in February.
No resolution was reached on how to carry this worthwhile, but lightly attended,
program forward.
The Communications Committee is up and running and Lois Wardell,
Chair gave a report on the successful efforts of the Council’s new web
master. The Member Services Committee Chair, Mike Smith,
announced the doubled number of members who’ve joined the Council’s
new insurance plan with Kitsap Physicians Service. Jennifer Hawkins,
Westside IDP Coordinator reported on the IDP Conference in Washington D.C.
and her need for more mentors for the program.
The rest of the Board’s energy was focused on where the Council should
direct their efforts to prepare for the 2005 Legislature. Four issues emerged
as the most important: tort reform, interior designer licensing, unlicensed
practice, and mandatory degree/continuing education. Watch the Council’s
website at www.aiawa.org
for developments.
Architects Political Action Committee
Candidate Sue Lani Madsen, AIA, receiving a “large”
APAC check from the two Council Board members from AIA Spokane, Time
White, AIA, and Chuck Horgan, AIA. |
Immediately following the Board meeting,
the Trustees of the Architects Political Action Committee (APAC) met to plan
their fundraising for the 2004 election cycle. APAC has been listed as one
of the top fifty PACs in Washington State for the last two years, and the
Trustees have every intention of staying in that elite group.
One of the first checks distributed to candidates this year went to Sue
Lani Madsen, AIA, running for the 7th District seat in the House
of Representatives now held by Rep. Cathy McMorris, who is currently running
for Congress. Sue Lani was a member of the Council Board from 2001-2003, but
has been active in Resource Group activity for many years. She came to Olympia
to testify on a couple of occasions and stayed in close contact with her legislators,
Senator Bob Morton and Rep. Cathy McMorris.
Update on State’s A/E Fee Schedule
The Council remains committed to ongoing
dialogue with state agencies to maintain adequate funding for design services
and to discuss, develop, and implement improved programming and design processes,
methods of contracting, contract administration, and project delivery with
the intent of maximizing the efficient use of public funds while maintaining
equitable business relationships with consulting entities.
The new A/E Fee Schedule, announced this spring, will become effective with
budget development for the next biennium, state agencies were told at a briefing
in Olympia recently. Agencies can use the new schedule now, as long as the
new schedule doesn’t exceed their overall budget.
It was announced that hourly rates will be reviewed in the Fall of 2005, and
draft changes to the state’s Conditions of Agreement will be made over
the next six months. The new fee schedule can be accessed at http://www.ofm.wa.gov/budget/instructions/ae/aefeeschedule.pdf
.
The State of Green Building In Washington
The Council supports the principles
of Sustainable Design as a means to sustain and improve the environment, and
the role of the architect in preserving and protecting our planet from environmental
damage, and promoting the long term economic benefits of sustainable design.
In 2002, Governor Locke signed Executive Order 02-03, Sustainable Practices
by State Agencies. This executive order directed state agencies to develop
sustainability objectives and to develop a sustainability plan, aimed at modifying
their practices regarding resource consumption; vehicle use; purchase of goods
and services; and facility construction, operation and maintenance.
The 2004 Capital Budget, passed by the Legislation, contained these words:
“Sustainable or ‘green building’ design and construction
is an important way for state agencies to meet the objectives….”.
The state maintains green building can save on operations, provide healthy
and productive work/learning spaces, and minimize environmental impacts both
locally and globally. The first tool identified for agencies to consider was
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This is a consensus
document developed by the US Green Building Council, an international organization
with over 3000 member organizations listed in their membership, including
Washington, King County, Snohomish County, and Cities of Seattle, Tacoma,
Bellevue and Issaquah. It references standards and codes that are familiar
to design professionals, such as ASHRAE, CSI, ASTM, SMACNA, etc.
Related is a set of standards being developed for Washington schools. Five
schools are currently being designed to these draft standards, which are estimated
to be equivalent to the LEED Silver level. A report is due in December on
the success of the design standards.
The Capital Budget language encourages sustainable designed facilities to
achieve a minimum of a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver Standard, or
an equivalent standard. For projects over $5 million, a sustainable design
charette during the predesign will be required. Legislation is expected next
year that would provide incentives to design to LEED, such as tax breaks.
To better understand how the state’s construction program measures up
to a sustainable standard, OFM will begin collecting data on all major projects
seeking allotment of construction funds in the 2005-07 Biennium. As part of
the allotment process, OFM will require agencies to provide a self-assessment
of the project and discuss the strategies used during design. Projects not
meeting a sustainable standard will be required to provide reasons why the
standard was not met.
Additional information on sustainability can be obtained from
http://www.ofm.wa.gov/sustainability/links.htm; the Governor’s sustainability
coordinator, Lynn Helbrecht, at (360) 902-0557; and the Department of general
Administration’s Engineering and Architectural Services Energy Section
at (360) 902-7272.
State Capital Budget
Capital facilities owned by state agencies
represent a significant financial investment by the citizens of the State
of Washington and high quality design services are critical to the creation
of high quality facilities. Design of such capital facilities also represents
a significant amount of work for architects licensed and practicing in the
state.
The Council remains committed to ongoing dialogue with state agencies
to maintain adequate funding for design services and to discuss, develop,
and implement improved programming and design processes, methods of contracting,
contract administration, and project delivery with the intent of maximizing
the efficient use of public funds while maintaining equitable business relationships
with consulting entities.
JLARC 2003-05 Capital Studies
The 2003 Legislature required the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee
(JLARC) to conduct three studies related to the state’s investment in
facilities.
On May 6, 2004 JLARC reported to the Office of Financial Management’s
(OFM) Capital Policy & Communications Committee on the status of these
studies.
Performance Audit of Capital Planning, Budgeting and Implementation
As directed by the Legislature, the performance audit is
evaluating performance related to major projects valued over $5million that
have been funded over the past five biennia (1995-97 to 2003-05). JLARC has
selected eight agencies for examination, representing the vast majority of
major projects over the specified timeframe. These agencies include: UW, WSU,
WWU, DOC, DSHS, GA, Military Department and SBCTC. Within the Community College
system, JLARC is focusing on four colleges: Bellevue, Spokane, Grays Harbor
and Highline. In addition to agencies that receive major project funding,
performance of agencies that have statewide responsibilities association with
major capital projects will be examined: OFM, GA, SBCTC and HECB.
The state’s accounting systems currently do not provide ready access
to key budgeting, management and performance information for major state projects
funded in the Capital Budget. JLARC is building an “Investment Portfolio”
for major projects authorized in the Capital Budget over the past ten years
within the eight agencies. This will explore the feasibility and potential
benefits of collecting this information on a routine basis for budget, oversight,
and performance accountability purposes.
GC/CM Review
Since the early 1990s, some state agencies and local governments in Washington
have had the option of using the General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM)
method of contracting with construction firms for major capital projects.
Authority to use GC/CM is currently set to expire in 2007.
JLARC’s review of GC/CM includes an updated inventory of GC/CM projects,
comparison of GC/CM to other contracting methods and to public works procurement
“best practices”, and detailed review of actual GC/CM experiences
on selected state and local case study projects. Both quantitative and qualitative
information will be incorporated into the review. This work will result in
an analytical framework designed to assist the Legislature in weighing the
benefits and costs of GC/CM and its future use in Washington.
Expansion of Higher Education Comparable Framework
During the 2001-03 biennium, JLARC developed the “Comparable Framework”
of college and university facilities data to support preservation planning
and budgeting at the state level. JLAR is working with higher education institutions,
SBCTC, OFM, HECB and the Council of Presidents to refine and expand the Comparable
Framework in campus and site infrastructure, facility modernization and cyclical
renewal of facility systems.
JLARC has also begun discussions with OFM to explore how the Comparable Framework
might relate to future efforts to rebuild the Facility Information System
(FIS).
State Energy Code
The Council supports a basic energy policy that encourages development
and uniform adoption and enforcement of energy conservation standards consistent
with economic feasibility. These efforts should be coordinated through the
State Building Code Council for adoption in the State Energy Code.
Amendments
The Energy Code Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the
State Building Code Council (SBCC) met early in May to consider a number of
amendments to the State Energy Code. One proposal was brought forward by the
Lighting Design Lab to convert Table 15-1 to the lighting power density (LPD)
tables from the 2004 edition of the ASHRAE/IESNA standards. That proposal
was initially rejected, but is expected to be presented again during this
cycle.
The State Building Code Council had received a letter from Governor Locke
requesting them to reconsider Energy Code amendments that were not adopted
in November 2003. They are currently under consideration by the Mechanical,
Ventilation and Energy Codes Committee, which supported them in written testimony
and at the SBCC public hearing last year.
The Committee is also considering a second group of change proposals they
expect to recommend disapproval, including all Non-Residential building envelope
proposals, presented by the NW Concrete Masonry Association and T-Foil Enterprises.
Others may be approved with modification. These are residential component
performance., non-residential mechanical, economizers with humidification,
economizers and mechanical equipment efficiencies.
Resource Group Activity
The WA Council AIA Codes & Energy Resource Group is looking at potential
alternatives to Washington State's energy code. Adoption of a national consensus
model code instead of a custom-built code would be in line with AIA policy.
Advantages could include ease of working in multiple jurisdictions and states;
agreement with national energy policy and standards; less vulnerability; questionable
amendments from special interest lobbying groups; and conservation of limited
state building code staff resources.
The code being looked at most seriously is the International Energy Conservation
Code, because it is part of the same I-codes family as our building, fire
and mechanical codes. AIA members are comparing the codes informally at this
point, to see how they compare for performance requirements, ease of use,
and Washington's climate zones. John Cochran, AIA, is attending
national conferences and is involved as the architect representative on the
Washington State Building Code Council. John Hogan, AIA,
is deeply involved in the energy code development process for both the State
code and the IECC. Input from other AIA members is invited. The SBCC will
be comparing the current WA State Energy Code with the upcoming 2006 International
Energy Code when it is available for review this fall. The year 2006 is likely
to be the earliest date for a change in codes.
Legislative Action in the other Washington
The U.S. Senate recently approved an AIA-supported amendment to the corporate
tax bill that puts architects into the legislation’s tax cut provisions.
The amendment, sponsored by Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, extends a $200
million tax cut to architects and engineers. To become law, the tax cut must
survive a House-Senate conference committee and then be signed by President
Bush. After the Senate accepted the Hutchison amendment, it approved by a
95-5 vote S. 1637, the Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act, which also
repeals export tax breaks that European Union leaders say violates international
trade rules.
AIA identified the Hutchison amendment as one of the issues Grassroots participants
lobbied in March while on Hill Visits. That, followed by thousands of phone
calls, letters and e-mails, turned the tide according to Ron Faucheux, AIA
Government Advocacy Vice President. National staff kept the pressure on until
the vote. The day of the vote, AIA Washington Council was called and asked
to contact Senator Maria Cantwell one more time. We did, with pleasure.
The amendment passed on a voice vote, so we don’t know how our two Senators
voted.
