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In This Issue
• A Message from the President
• Vote for ISDC People's Choice Award
• 2022 Design Award Winners
• Report Early & Often
• Autumn Social Registration Open
• AIA VA PAC
• Scholarship Opportunities for EPs
• In-Depth Structures Course
• Professional Practice
• Code Training Courses
• Membership Update
• Annual Sponsors
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Celebrate: 2022 Design Award Winners!
Photo Credit: Milton Bian
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From the President: Sonia R. Jarboe, AIA | |
Celebrate: 2022 Design Award Winners! | |
Congratulations to this Year's Recipients
We celebrated the winners in our 2022 AIA Northern Virginia Design Awards program at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Va. on Aug. 25, 2022. Our Philadelphia juries reviewed 117 entries and ultimately selected 35 award winning projects. Kevin Sneed, FAIA, Principal of OTJ Architects, served as the event’s Master of Ceremonies as he led the program overseen by Co-Chairs Roland Lemke, AIA, and J. Paul Lewis, AIA, along with the Design Awards committee.
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RESIDENTIAL
AND
HISTORIC
CATEGORY WINNERS
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CONCEPTUAL
AND
TRANSPORTATION
& INFRASTRUCTURE
CATEGORY WINNERS
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INSTITUTIONAL
CATEGORY WINNERS
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COMMERCIAL
AND
COMMERICAL INTERIORS
CATEGORY WINNERS
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The 2022 Design Awards Gala simply would not have been possible without the support and generosity of our Sponsors. We’d like to thank them for their continued support of our Design Awards program and are excited to continue working together in 2023! | |
Show Us Your Work!
We are always looking for projects to celebrate and publish. There are three sections to showcase our members’ work: On the Boards - Featured Projects - Sketches. Complete this form or email your materials to [email protected] to be featured in an upcoming AIA Northern Virginia e-publication.
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Report Early and Often: The Risk of Failing to Report "Claims" to Your Insurer
By Dalene A. Radcliffe, Esq.
Lee/Shoemaker PLLC
Most professional liability policies include an insurance condition requiring the insured design professional to timely report to its liability carrier losses, incidents or circumstances that could result in a claim. While the exact language may differ, each policy outlines when and how claims need to be reported typically using phrases such as “promptly,” “immediately” or “as soon as practicable”. This article discusses how to avoid the pitfalls of the claim reporting requirements while taking advantage of the benefits.
Avoid the Risk of Untimely Reporting
As an insured, the design professional has a contractual obligation to report to its professional liability carrier incidents and circumstances that have the potential to generate claims. Courts in most jurisdictions will enforce the reporting requirements of insurance policies. Failure of the design professional to notify its professional liability carrier of a claim or potential claim when it first becomes aware may risk its ability to receive a defense and/or indemnification under the insurance policy. Depending on the nature of the claim, this could result in significant legal and/or financial exposure to the design firm and could result in personal liability for the design professional. The risk of untimely reporting can be easily avoided.
• Understand the claim reporting obligations of your professional liability policy.
• Understand what triggers a claim or a pre-claim under your professional liability policy, whether it be a dispute or claim made on the project level, having been named as a defendant in a lawsuit, or simply having been served with a subpoena for documents and/or deposition.
• Immediately report all incidents, circumstances and disputes that arise on a project that implicate or could implicate your services even when a formal claim has not been made.
• When in doubt, report it to your carrier.
Benefits of Timely Reporting
1. Pre-claim Assistance
As many insurance carriers realize the importance of resolving potential issues without allowing those issues to escalate to a formal claim, including litigation, professional liability policies may include pre-claim assistance whereby the carrier will pay at its discretion all reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses in the investigation of a potential claim reported by the design professional. The carrier’s payment of pre-claim expenses typically does not implicate the deductible or reduce the coverage limits of the professional liability policy.
Pre-claim assistance is usually triggered when the design professional feels that there may be issues on a project notwithstanding that the design professional has not received a formal notice of claim. There are numerous issues that arise on a project that could implicate the design or construction administration services of the design professional. The performance of site visits, and the reviews of submittals, RFIs, change orders and payment applications can be used by contractors and/or owners to create claims against the design professional. The simple receipt by the design professional of a subpoena requesting documents regarding a project at issue in a litigation can give rise to a potential claim depending on the nature of the documents requested and the circumstances giving rise to the lawsuit.
2. Limitation/Reduction of Liability Exposure
Timely or early reporting of potential and formal claims provides many benefits to the design professional.
• The insurance carrier is afforded the opportunity to begin handling the claim immediately allowing for a quick determination of liability.
• The carrier is afforded the opportunity to immediately assign legal counsel to ensure compliance with legal requirements, to limit or avoid liability exposure, and to reduce the likelihood of escalation of the claim.
• It allows for early and economic settlement of the claim.
Conclusion
Failing to comply with the insurance policy’s reporting requirements could result in negative consequences for the design firm and/or the individual design professional. The prudent design professional will review and understand the reporting requirements of its professional liability policy and will take advantage of pre-claim assistance, if available.
Dalene A. Radcliffe is a lawyer at Lee/Shoemaker PLLC, a law firm devoted to the representation of design professionals in DC, Virginia, and Maryland. The content of this article was prepared to educate related to potential risks but is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice.
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NoVA Member & Program Headlines | |
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Reconnect with your Colleagues at the Autumn Social
Oct. 19 at 6:30pm
We cordially invite all members to attend the Autumn Social at Wilson Hardware Kitchen & Bar in Arlington to view the work of the Chapter as we present the results of the 2023 Chapter elections, introduce the 2023 Executive Committee and Board Directors, plus announce and fete the 2022 recipients of the Chapter’s Honors & Awards.
Join us to network with your colleagues, in addition to meeting Chapter Committee Chairs recruiting volunteers for 2023. Have you always wondered what a particular committee did? Now is the time to get that answer and to commit to sharing some of your time in service. The Chapter needs you now – so join in, pick your spot and get involved so that we can make AIA NoVA even more of what you currently enjoy. Purchase your tickets now!
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ELA Scholarship Opportunity
Applications Due Oct. 12
AIA Northern Virginia is pleased to announce a scholarship opportunity for 2023’s AIA Virginia Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) program which is designed to allow select designers and architects from across the commonwealth to hone their skills as future leaders. AIA Northern Virginia will award 50% of the program’s tuition cost to assist a deserving AIA NoVA member to participate in the program.
Begun in 2009, ELA is an intensive program of educational sessions structured around presentations, discussions, team exploration, analysis, consensus-building, collaboration, and case study activities undertaken over the course of a year by a small cadre of participants (16) selected for their potential to be outstanding contributors to the profession and the community.
The seminars are interactive, drawing on real examples and actively involving participants. They rotate among sites in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Richmond, Alexandria, and Norfolk in conjunction with the firms, schools, and the local AIA component in each area. The class project for 2023 will be in Charlottesville, VA, so many sessions and the project workdays will be located in the Charlottesville area.
Required documents to submit for scholarship consideration include:
• A letter to the board of directors explaining why AIA NoVA should nominate you
• A copy of your current resume
• A draft of your essay required for the ELA application
Documents must be uploaded no later than 5pm on Oct. 12 to register your submission. Apply Now. Good luck!
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Vote Now for the 2022 Interschool Student Design Competition People’s Choice Award
Voting closes Sept. 22 at 10pm EDT
Students from the DMV’s accredited university architecture programs, including: The Catholic University of America, Howard University, Morgan State University, Virginia Tech Washington-Alexandria Architectural Center (WAAC), the University of Maryland and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), were hard at work this past Saturday participating in the 2022 Interschool Student Design Competition. This year’s design challenge and program focused on Sustainable Urban Farming and was written by UDC.
Take some time to review the team’s design solutions and vote for the new People’s Choice Award.
Want to get involved in next year’s competition? We are always looking for volunteers, so send us an email.
The Interschool Student Design Competition at the National Building Museum and sponsored by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), has been a collaboration of the Washington DC Metro area chapters of the American Institute of Architects – AIA Northern Virginia, AIA|DC, and AIA Potomac Valley, for more than 20 years.
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ARE Prep Scholarship Opportunity
Applications Due Oct. 12
Every year AIA NOVA’s Young Architects Forum (YAF) finances the costs for the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) through a scholarship program they developed to support testing and encourage young architects to get licensed. This scholarship is intended to recognize a NoVA Associate AIA member who has made significant contributions to the profession at an early stage in their career and to encourage their pursuit of licensure.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must be an Associate member in good standing of AIA NOVA and have an active record with the National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB).
Each applicant must submit an application in PDF format, consisting of the following:
• Completed application form
• One professional biography and/or resume (limited to two pages)
• A 500-word essay on the following topic: “Why do you want to be licensed, and how do you think it will affect your career?”
A successful application will demonstrate a passion for the pursuit of architectural licensure and significant contributions to the profession, community, and/or the advancement of emerging professionals. All applications must be submitted as one PDF and must be received by 5pm on October 12, 2022. PDF file to be named as lastname_AIANova-ARE-Scholarship-2022.pdf. Send completed application (PDF) via email with the subject line “2022 ARE Scholarship Submission” to [email protected].
SELECTION PROCESS
One candidate will be selected to receive financial support to cover the costs of the six tests of the ARE®, whether each test is passed or not. Valid for one calendar year, the chapter will reimburse up to $1,410 of the recipient’s testing fees as each test is taken. The recipient will be recognized at the chapter’s Autumn Social in October. Learn more.
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AIA Virginia announces Resiliency Week
Oct. 3-7
Resiliency is the ability to quickly recover from disruption. But, how quickly can our buildings and systems bounce back from natural or man-made disasters? Can our infrastructure rapidly adapt to changing environmental, social, and economic conditions? Join AIA Virginia for an exploration of resiliency in the built environment and discover why investing in resilient solutions can help protect us all. Program topics include:
• Shoreline Restoration and the Elizabeth River Project
• Carbon Sequestration and Local Economies
• Decarbonization and the Built Environment
• Master Planning for Resiliency
Learn more.
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Structures: A Visual for Aspiring & Established Architects
Oct. 8 & 9, 9am - 4pm, Virtual
Join Prof. David Thaddeus as he presents Digesting Structures: A Visual Presentation of Structural Themes for Aspiring and Established Architects, in which he will review the basic concepts of statics and the mechanics of materials, along with a selection of appropriate structural systems for different design criteria. Presented virtually as a set of criterion and in-process construction photos, the seminar will include general discussions of axial, perpendicular and eccentric loading. Additionally, focus will be on the lateral stability of building structures, including discussion and presentation of concepts such as Moment Resisting Frames, Braced Frames, Diaphragms and Shear Walls. A survey of foundations and retaining walls, along with an overview of wind and seismic forces, will also be covered.
Whether you are an established architect or are studying for several divisions of the ARE® exam, this seminar will be two days worth of learning that will refresh much that you may have forgotten! 12 AIA LU|HSW. Register now! Cost: AIA Members: $99; Non-members: $125
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Online Safety-Assessment Program (SAP) Training
Sept. 23, 8:30am - 3:30pm
Provided by AIA Virginia, post-disaster Safety-Assessment Program (SAP) training provides architects, engineers, and building inspectors with the knowledge to provide evaluations of facilities and buildings in the aftermath of a disaster. Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to consistently and safely assess structures for habitability and attendees will receive a nationally recognized Cal OES registration ID card from the state of California. You will need to purchase 2 Field manuals for this class. Virtual. 6.5 AIA LU|HSW. Cost: $105 AIA members; $180 non-members. Learn More.
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ATTENTION FIRMS!!!
Do you have news to share with the AIA Northern Virginia Community? Complete this form to have your announcements included in an upcoming chapter publication.
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Do you know about the AIA Virginia Political Action Committee?
by Eliza Beth Engle, AIA, LEED BD+C, WELL, NCIDQ, AIA Virginia PAC Trustee Chair
Recently, while I was at the Design Awards event (see image), I was sharing with my fellow Virginia architects our recent legislative ‘wins’ that could not have happened without our AIA Virginia political action committee (PAC). Some architects that I spoke to did not even know that we had a PAC. So, I want to share what the PAC is, what it isn’t and how you can help us continue to build on the great work we have been doing since 2018!
What is the AIA Virginia PAC? It is a fund, that any person or any company can contribute to, that AIA Virginia uses to create relationships with legislators in the Commonwealth. We introduce ourselves, tell them what we do and how we can be a resource to them. This relationship can then help us when legislation that effects architects in the Commonwealth comes up in the General Assembly.
What the AIA Virginia PAC isn’t? We do not contribute to any specific political party…we represent the political party of Architecture! We are NOT partisan. We create relationships with a variety of state legislators, regardless of their political affiliations.
What has the PAC done for your lately? Because we had a ‘seat at the table’ we were part of a 43-Member Coalition that successfully advocated for the $100,000 deduction cap for the Virginia PPP Forgivable loan tax conformity bill vs. another bill whose cap was only $25,000. We helped defeat HB2259 which would have allowed the Governor to issue a license, of the kind granted by a regulatory board (DPOR, for architects), to any person whose application for such a license to such board has been denied.
How can YOU help us in this work? We are looking for increased participation but understand that not everyone has the ability to invest. Your investment of $15, or more if you are able, will help us continue the great work we have been doing since 2018. Why 2018 you ask? That was when we reinvigorated the PAC and increased our fundraising from what was $6,000 annually to what we have been doing lately, around $30,000 annually. This is what gives Virginia architects a ‘seat at the table’ and we couldn’t do it without you!
Please invest in the PAC today so we can continue this great work!! If you have any questions or would like to discuss our work, please email me!
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City of Alexandria offers FREE Building Code Training
On Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, the Department of Code Administration will offer a full day of free CODE TRAINING from 8am to 4pm. Training will be provided on the 2018 International Building Code – “Means of Egress” with a focus on the Virginia Construction Code (VCC) requirements for design and construction professionals. All are welcome to attend but you must RSVP to Penny Gausman by Tuesday, Sept. 27 to reserve a spot for yourself.
The class will be provided by the International Code Council (ICC) and is recognized by AIA, ICC, and DHCD for 8.0 LUs. Workbooks and boxed lunches will be provided. The facility, which offers free parking, is located at 2932 King St, Alexandria, VA 22302. Space is limited so RSVP now. For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Pete Mensinger or call 703.746.4210.
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Podcast on Influential Women in Architecture and Design
The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) has received a $100,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for their work on a major podcast series, called New Angle: Voice, dedicated to preserving and sharing the incredible lives of the most influential women in the history of architecture and design. The series offers a valuable example of how digital media plays an essential role in the preservation of women’s histories.
The outright award for audio documentary series New Angle: Voice – Pioneering Women of American Architecture, cites the project director Cynthia Phifer Kracauer, AIA, executive director of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF). Hosted by Kracauer and produced by Brandi Howell, the first season of New Angle: Voice debuted last year and featured five legendary names in architecture: Julia Morgan, Natalie de Blois, Helen Fong, Florence Knoll and Norma Sklarek.
The second season premieres in early October with the story of modernist industrial designer Ray Eames (1912–1988). Subsequent episodes will present the lives of Boston’s legendary TAC founders Jean Bodman Fletcher and Sarah Pillsbury Harkness; the African-American architect and hidden talent Amaza Lee Meredith; inventor and suffragist Anna Wagner Keichline; and the first-ever winner of a Pulitzer Prize for architecture criticism, Ada Louise Huxtable. Current episodes are found everywhere podcasts are available, including on Apple Podcasts and on BWAF's website.
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FREE NCARB Practice Exams
NCARB is pleased to offer six free Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) practice exams,
one for each division, to all licensure candidates. While this resource was previously available to those with active exam eligibilities only, candidates can now access these practice exams at any time to help prepare for their next steps on the path to licensure.
To access the free practice exams if a candidate does not have active exam eligibilities, they can simply login to their NCARB Record, navigate to the Overview tab, and select “Practice the ARE®.” If a candidate has active exam eligibilities, they can continue to access the practice exams through the “Exams” tab of their NCARB Record. For questions, please reach out to Council Relations at [email protected].
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2023 National Committee Nominations Now Open
Volunteer leadership is a great way to support the work of the profession and help advance AIA's mission. Learn more about National committee volunteer opportunities. The deadline to submit for the 2023 appointments cycle is 5pm ET, Monday, Oct. 17.
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Women’s Leadership Summit 2022: Sept. 28 – Oct. 1
A signature leadership event for architects & designers This event is about women empowering women through leadership, knowledge, community, and belonging. Register now.
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Looking for an opportunity to get published?
The National Young Architects Forum (YAF) publishes a quarterly digital publication called “Connection” which speaks to issues cogent to the profession, emerging professionals and young architects. The current issue, Connection Q2: Career Evolution, discusses how young architects are grappling with the rapid evolution of the design professions, plus how they are building personalized careers, spotlights alternate career paths, building mentorship pipelines, discussing firm culture, and more.
If you are interested in writing an article for the publication or are curious about learning more, this is an accessible way to get out "there," have your voice be heard, and grow your resume. The next issue's theme is "E.D.I. & Belonging." Drafts are due for the Q3: issue by Oct. 28, so reach out to the Editor-in-Chief and get writing!
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ABI August 2022: Billings continue to grow at architecture firms
Business conditions remained generally strong at architecture firms in August. The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for the month ticked back up to 53.3 from 51.0 in July, as more firms reported an increase in billings. Inquiries into new projects also increased modestly in August from July, while the value of new design contracts held steady at the same rate of growth it has been at for the last two months. Many firms are still struggling to find enough employees to meet the amount of work they have coming in. Read more.
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The Month Ahead
Get the latest list of continuing education opportunities, committee meetings and activities, plus chapter events.
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September 22
Porcelain Pavers – Quality To The Core
Identify porcelain paver advantages while increasing your knowledge of uses and limitations in a variety of applications. This session offers 1 AIA LU|HSW. Presented by Hanover Architectural Products.
Sign-up now.
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September 29
Fiberglass Fenestration in Commercial Buildings
Examine the benefits of specifying fiberglass composite windows and doors in any climate and building type. This session offer 1 AIA LU|HSW. Presented by Pella Mid-Atlantic. Sign-up now.
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September 29
YAF Happy Hour
Join us and bring your colleagues. You don't need to be an AIA member to participate in this opportunity to connect and engage with our design community. YAF is excited to meet all the local emerging professionals after such a long pandemic hiatus. Hope to see you there! RSVP.
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October 3
Women in Architecture Committee Meeting
Please join us on the first Monday of each month to plan upcoming events for Women in Architecture. Learn more.
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October 7
Embodied Carbon & Adaptive Reuse
Discover strategies for maximizing the potential of the already embodied carbon in existing building stock.
This session offer 1 AIA LU|HSW. Presented by the AIA Virginia Historic Resources Committee. Sign-up now.
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October 8-9
Digesting Structures: A Visual for Aspiring & Established Architects
Review the basic concepts of statics and the mechanics of materials, along with a selection of appropriate structural systems for different design criteria. This session offers 12 AIA LU|HSW. Presented by Prof. David Thaddeus. Register Now.
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October 11
AIA Northern Virginia Board Meeting
Meetings are currently virtual. All are welcome to attend. Email [email protected]
for the participation link.
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October 19
Autumn Social
Join us at Wilson Hardware Kitchen & Bar to view the work of the Chapter, hear results of the 2023 Chapter elections, and celebrate the 2022 recipients of the Chapter’s Honors & Awards. Learn more.
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What do you call an architect holding a fishing rod?
An Angler!
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