CEUs

Urban branding is the application of large-scale distinctive markers to civic environments, corporate precincts, institutions, and sporting and cultural events. It can incorporate logos, visual themes, lighting, colors, symbolism, and typography. Integrating multiple design disciplines and creative tools, urban branding can create a sense of arrival, a sense of shared experience, and a sense of place.

Gerding Edlen is a Portland, Oregon, real estate development company with a mission to create vibrant, sustainable, and inspiring places where people can work, learn, and live. They are currently developing three new multi-family projects in the Boston area, including the recently completed 63 Melcher, 319 A Street, and 275 Albany Street, which will feature highly sustainable design and a dedication to the firm’s “20-minute living” concept.

There are common challenges many of us face when homeowners’ decline architectural services during the construction phase. Is this something you have encountered in your practice? Do the projects come out as successfully as intended? Are your clients pleased, or do they end up regretting the decision? Join the MetroWest Network on May 31 at 8:30 am at the offices of John Chapman, Architect (12 Fletcher Road, Wellesley) as we discuss construction administration.

Pro bono work can be a wonderful way to support worthy efforts, stretch capabilities, work with diverse client groups, and teach a broader public about architecture. Join local area architects who are involved in community service projects as they discuss how their volunteer work enriches their lives and the lives of those they work with when the MetroWest Network meets on April 26 at 8:30 am at the offices of John Chapman (12 Fletcher Road, Wellesley).

"What will my project cost?" This is the critical question for all of our clients, and architects sometimes struggle to provide solid information, particularly in early design phases. Chris Powers, chief estimator of Colantonio, joins the MetroWest Network on January 25 at 8:30 am to offer a contractor’s view on the bidding process and estimating. We’ll cover bid solicitation, bid set-up, materials and labor take-off, final pricing and the architect’s role in cost-estimating during the design phase.

Ian Finlayson of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and Tom Riley of the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) present to the K-12 Educational Facilities Committee on May 23 at 9:30 am at BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston). Finlayson will speak about a pending new version of the Mass Energy Code, and Riley addresses current thinking at BBRS regarding implementation of a new edition of the Mass Building Code, in the context of updated versions of the IBC.

Chris Schaffner, the USGBC's expert on LEED v4, joins the K-12 Educational Facilities Committee on March 28 at 9:30 am at BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston) for a presentation of the changes to LEED for version four. This new version will be released shortly, and the presentation will be critical to understanding the new requirements and making well-informed decisions for our clients.

November’s K-12 Educational Facilities Committee meeting addressed architects’ experiences on the design and construction of schools under the MSBA, and generated interesting discussion about how MA-CHPS and LEED for Schools ratings systems impact school design and how the processes might be improved. On January 24 at 10:30 am at BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston) we will build on that discussion with two teleconferences, first with the USGBC (10:30 am) and then CHPS (11:30 am).

Stephanie Horowitz AIA of Zero Energy Design (ZED) joins the Housing Committee on March 28 at 8:30 am at BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston) as a follow-up to the energy standards in housing panel held earlier this month. Horowitz will present her work on Passive House projects with ZED and give an architect’s perspective to the process of designing and certifying a Passive House.

To learn more about the Housing Committee, visit architects.org/committees/housing-committee.

Declan Keefe, director of Boston design-build company Placetailor, joins the Housing Committee on February 28 at 9:00 am at BSA Space (290 Congress Street Boston) to discuss what makes Placetailor a bit different than most. Keefe will present the details of Passive House in Placetailor’s projects around Boston, the reemergence of the “masterbuilder” design-build model, and their “Powahouse” project as an indicator of how super energy-efficient housing was received by the market.