ArchiTypes – Winter 2013

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

Is It Time To Get Rid Of LEED?

In our recent past, we have be inundated with the “new” concept of creating sustainable design.  We have seen USGBC take ownership of the concept and we now have over 185,000 LEED APs all over the world.  We have accredited this and certified that.  We now even have sub credentials to our LEED status, in fact approximately 65,000 of those LEED APs have a specialty status.   In other words we have finally become “green”.  We are now qualified to design sustainable buildings.  It took a long time to get here, but here we are.

I suppose a question to ask is: “What do we call all the sustainable structures designed worldwide without LEED status that were designed many years ago?”   Places like the primitive huts of the Daasanach tribe in Africa, or a traditional Icelandic home, or the Navaho Mud Hut?

Of course these structures were sustainable.  They had to be.  There were only limited resources available and those groups of people did what they could to use their resources wisely.  And that is precisely what we should do with every building that we design or influence.  Use our resources wisely.  But, USGBC developed rules and a series of scoring sheets to numerically determine that a building actually meets criteria to be called sustainable.  And now we have LEED. 

For those of you who have been elsewhere since 2001, (Yes.  It’s only been 12 years), LEED is a design tool.  It is not a performance measuring tool.  It is not completely climate specific either.  But it has done a lot of good to raise awareness for the value of sustainable design.  It is a good thing.  It has been positive for our environments.  LEED is an easy brand to understand.  Green is easy to understand.  Trees are green.  Trees are a part of nature.  Nature is good.  Therefore Green is good. 

We must also understand that before LEED there were, and still are other energy and sustainable design standards.  LEED just put a branded and measurable face on the situation.  We all rallied behind this.

Many of our clients love the idea.  They all want LEED buildings.  But many of those same clients, once they find out that there are additional fees, time, costs, etc. as well as additional complications, choose to “design to a LEED standard” and not go through the certification process.  Even if we don’t get a certified building, we get a better building than not using the criteria.

In recent years, many jurisdictions have modified their codes and requirements to respond to the “Green LEED” initiative.  Many material suppliers have modified their products.  Many contractors have modified their construction methods, and of course many architects have engaged in the idea of designing sustainable projects regardless of LEED.

So LEED has and continues to serve a purpose.   Obviously it is here to stay for at least until we all catch up to the notion of sustainability, but we must be open to change in the system, the name, and the process in the coming years.

But, is it time to just call things the way they were centuries ago?  Design the right way.  Don’t be wasteful.  Think about nature.  Think about energy consumption.  Think about culture and living cities.  Think.  Don’t just keep score.  Practice what we preach.   Be healthy.  Don’t waste resources. 

Sure this all sounds good and many of us have good intentions.  But we also have other factors standing in the way.  Certainly we are not perfect.  But we try.

I’m challenging all of you to not only be sustainable in your practices, but also be sustainable in your health and lifestyle.   To help improve your “personal environment”, I encourage all of us to get a bit healthier in 2014 by taking the “AIA Ohio PAC 5K Selfie Challenge.”

Starting December 1st of this year, when an AIA Ohio member participates in a 5k (or longer) running, walking, or even crawling event, I will make a $10 donation to the AIA Ohio PAC.  All you have to do is to email me a “selfie” of you at the finish line with your racing bib, (for those of us lay event goers, that is the number thing you pin to your shirt so they can find you when you are lost, or sprawled in the road), with the name or location of the event displayed somewhere in the background.  I will donate up to a maximum of $2,500 for this effort.  So if you are counting that is 250 AIA Ohio members.  Only one event to a member.  I will create a poster of all the pictures, names and events and display it at the AIA Ohio State Convention next fall.  As long as you send me the picture, etc. by August 31st, 2014, the event is eligible.  I will present the check to Bruce Sekanick, AIA, our Regional Representative and PAC pusher at the convention.

So let’s start conserving resources for ourselves.  Get healthier in the process and set a real example of sustainability.

Thanks.

Michael Schuster FAIA

AIA Ohio President

Email all “selfies” (photos for those of you who don’t carry a smart phone) to: 

mschuster@msaarch.com 

AIA Ohio Planning Retreat

Members of the 2013 and 2014 AIA Ohio Boards of Directors together with local component leaders met Nov. 7-8 in Westfield Center, Ohio, to set goals for AIA Ohio for 2014.  Let by President-elect Elizabeth Corbin Murphy, FAIA, the two day retreat focused on engaging members and meeting the needs of young professionals.  The retreat began with a Government Affairs update from David Field, CAE, Hon. AIA, and an update and discussion on the AIA’s Repositioning efforts, led by Bruce Sekanick, AIA. 

The retreat culminated in the development of four goals for 2014:

1.  AIA Ohio ARE Study Program – AIA Ohio will work to coordinate an ARE study program throughout the state, to ensure that every member has the opportunity to participate.  Coordination may include the development of a speakers bureau for local components to use, as well as an incentive program for participants.
2. Make a Difference Program – AIA Ohio will visit Ohio’s schools of architecture periodically to present to students to teach them what they should expect of the profession upon graduation. 
3. Getting the Word Out – AIA Ohio will develop a public relations/marketing campaign to offer throughout the state that will publically recognize achievements and projects by members and member firms. 
4. Collegiality – AIA Ohio will bring inspiration to members through virtual and face-to-face meetings among members, for members.  This includes significantly promoting the National convention in Chicago, IL, in June of 2014 to members, and working to assist them in attending this event. 

AIA Ohio has set lofty goals for 2014.  Your leadership is on board to see that they are accomplished.  Your support and enthusiasm will be needed as we move forward into the new year.  Come join us!

Legislative Alert

David Field, Hon. AIA, CAE

Executive Vice President  

Chemical Industry Asks Ohio Senate to Derail LEED!!

The chemical industry has attacked the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED program in Ohio.  Their weapon is a Resolution introduced into the Ohio Senate October 31, SCR 25.

They want to end a very successful green building program that has resulted in almost 100 new healthy, high-performance schools throughout Ohio, and hundreds more on the way. These schools are cleaner, safer and more energy efficient places for our children to learn and grow. And new schools mean new jobs created across the state and money saved by tax-payers.

Now for the “rest of the story….”

Early this fall the American Chemistry Council (ACC) approached members of the Ohio General Assembly and the Kasich Administration, seeking their support for a resolution that would prohibit agencies of state government from moving from v3 to v4 of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program, which measures the sustainability of state construction projects.

ACC retained Tom Niehaus, Immediate Past Ohio President of the Ohio Senate, as a lobbyist to pursue an“anti-LEED v4” resolution.  As a result, Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 25 was introduced in the Ohio Senate on October 31, sponsored by Senator Joe Uecker, chairman of the Senate State Government Oversight and Reform Committee, and Senator Tim Schaffer.

Federal Gov. Rejected a Similar ACC Proposed LEED Ban Last Year:

SCR 25 is patterned after a proposal submitted in 2012 by ACC to the US General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which would have ended the use of LEED on federal projects.

At that time, ACC told the House committee that the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED standards adversely impact producers of energy efficient building products.

ACC claims that LEED v4 is a significant departure from the previous version of the green building rating system because it reduces or eliminates the use of “trusted, proven and beneficial products of chemistry used in building and construction products.”  ACC believes that LEED is a monopoly that is poorly grounded in science,  and which gives ‘credits’ for avoiding proven U.S.-made products.

However, as recently as October 25, 2013, GSA rejected those arguments when it submitted its recommendation to the Secretary of Energy.  After an open and collaborative evaluation process spanning several years, and allowing for agency, public, and private sector input, GSA recommended that agencies use one of two green building certification systems that best suit agency missions and portfolio needs:  the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes® (2010) and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (2009).  GSA also submitted other recommendations putting forth ideas on how the government should stay involved with green building certification systems as they evolve over time.

SCR 25 Would Ban the Use of LEED v4 in Ohio

Now ACC is attempting to convince the Ohio Senate with the same arguments GSA rejected just last month!  SCR 25 declares that the “LEED v4 green building rating system (will) no longer be used by Ohio’s state agencies and government entities until the USGBC conforms its system development to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) voluntary consensus standard procedures or until the state, after an opportunity for public comment and participation, incorporates the LEED v4 system by reference, in whole or in part, into the administrative rules for state agency or government entity building standards.”

It directs the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission’s (OFCC) Office of Energy Services to “review the availability and suitability of alternative private sector green building rating systems, codes, and other standards that advance state energy efficiency and environmental performance objectives” and that “OFCC continue to incorporate energy efficiency and sustainable design features into approved school projects through the use of alternative green building rating systems, codes, and standards other than LEED v4.”

OFCC Position

OFCC has yet to decide to take a formal position on SCR 25.  If the resolution begins to move through the legislative process, sources indicate that the Commission’s current preference is to work with the Administration and Senate to address issues. 

AIA Ohio Opposes SCR 25

AIA Ohio is opposed to any proposal that would inhibit the use of any recognized sustainability rating system.

Architects know that buildings matter.  People are more active, alive and productive in buildings that inspire us through design and that are optimized with best-practice building elements.  Healthy indoor air, harnessed daylight, smart materials, responsible management of energy, water and waste – these are a few of the better, greener building concepts that LEED has helped to inspire building owners and developers to demand and architects to deliver.

Click here to see the message AIA Ohio delivered to Ohio’s thirty-three (33) Senators

Contact Your State Senator Now:

Now’s the time for you to tell your state Senator that you oppose SCR 25 and want the state to continue using the USGBC LEED program to maintain Ohio’s national leadership in sustainable design and construction.  

To find and then send your state senator an e-mail all you need to know is your zip code.  Find your senator here.

JOHN RADEMACHER, AIA, CINCINNATI, APPOINTED TO BOARD 

Rademacher has worked in Architecture, development and construction for more than 30 years.  Currently he is a Principal at SFA Architects, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he has worked for thirteen years.  Prior to this position, he served as a Director of Design for regional development and design/build firms for seven years. 

He is past member of the Board Advocacy Committee for the national component of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), is past president of AIA Cincinnati, and has served as a member of Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory’s Climate Protection Steering Committee. 

Mr. Rademacher has been actively engaged, working on behalf of his clients on legislative and funding issues.  As a civically engaged Architect, Mr. Rademacher has used his insights, talents, training and experience to contribute meaningfully, beyond self, to the improvement of the community and human condition.

Mr. Rademacher received a Bachelor’s of Architecture degree from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP).  He is registered as an Architect in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).

Notable projects for Mr. Rademacher include Lebanon City Schools new high school, West Clermont Local School District, Riverview East Academy for Cincinnati Public Schools, the Summit Behavioral Healthcare Facility for the Ohio Department of Mental Health, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College’s Advanced Technology and Learning Center and the renovation of 525 Vine Street building in Downtown Cincinnati. 

Mr. Rademacher’s current clients include the Mariemont City School District, North College Hill City School District, Three Rivers Local School District, Miami University, Sinclair Community College, Wright State University, United States Air Force (Wright Patterson Air Force Base), United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Mr. Rademacher volunteers his time supporting local youth.  He is active within the Boy Scouts of America, YMCA and is a youth coach for the St. Columban basketball program and the Queen City Wheels Lionhearts youth cycling team.

Mr. Rademacher has lived in the Greater Cincinnati area for 48 years and currently resides in Loveland with his wife and two children. 

Rademacher’s term began on October 3, 2013 and ends on October 2, 2018. He replaced Jeff Skapin, Stow, whose term expired. 

ARCHITECT RENEWALS UNDERWAY

Amy Kobe, Executive Director
Ohio Architects Board 

Renewal notices for architects licensed to practice architecture in the state of Ohio were mailed November 1. If did not receive a renewal notice because you moved or changed jobs, please contact the Ohio Architects Board office for a duplicate renewal application.

All licensees are required to complete 12 Health, Safety and Welfare Continuing Education hours prior to December 31, 2013. This reflects the updated annual requirement, effective January 1, 2012. All hours must be structured coursework. Activities such as teaching, publishing and community service are no longer allowed for CE credit. For detailed information on the requirements, including the CE rules and a list of CE resources, please visit the Board’s website at http://www.arc.ohio.gov/ContinuingEducation.aspx

The only persons exempt from the CE requirement are those who have been approved by the Ohio Architects Board for Emeritus status. This is different from AIA Emeritus status, as they are not automatically exempt from the Board’s requirements.

Audits will be conducted on a random basis beginning January 1, 2014. Licensees should not send CE records with their renewal notice. Licensees being audited will receive a letter in the mail.

Frank Gates 2014 Group Rating Enrollment Reminder

Enrollment materials for the July 1, 2014 Frank Gates Workers’ Compensation Group Rating Program have been sent to all employers that qualify.

If you have not enrolled in the Program yet, the deadline for Frank Gates to receive your enrollment materials is February 21, 2014, but we strongly recommend enrolling as soon as possible to lock in your rate and make sure you don’t miss out on the discount.

If your company hasn’t taken advantage of the great rate reduction and services included in the plan, there is still time to be evaluated for the upcoming year!

To see how your company can benefit from the group program you must complete an AC-3 (Temporary Authorization to Review Information) in the near future.  To request a no-cost, no-obligation quote, please contact Frank Gates at (800) 395-4119. Note that employers currently in the Frank Gates Group Rating Program do not need to send an AC-3 as they are automatically reviewed for the Group Rating Program. 

The deadline to join the 2014 Group Rating Program is approaching!  Please call Frank Gates to help find the best option for your business.

An Unusual Client Takes His Architecture & Architects to Extremes

By Stephanie Aurora Lewis, RA, LEED AP

Independent Freelance Writer & Stringer for Engineering News Record

Historic buildings hold so many lessons from which we can still learn today. When the historic Penn Station in Manhattan was torn down in the 60’s to build a mind-numbing bus station, there was great remorse. It was said by the New York Times, “We will probably be judged not by the monuments we build but by those we have destroyed.” This historic building, called the Piggery, about which I am going to offer just a glimpse into its past is one of those buildings that I hope we, Ohioans, plan to preserve.

The entrepreneur Ohio Columbus Barber became wealthy by taking over his father’s business and turning it eventually into the Diamond Match Company; one of the only companies that produced matches at the end of the 19^th Century. This man known as O.C. Barber continued to found other companies and to eventually develop Barberton, Ohio, just outside of Akron. He was a remarkable man whose love for highly stylized architecture led him to develop an extensive farmlands area in Barberton called the Anna Dean Farm with some of the most carefully articulated architecture Ohio had seen to date. The Anna Dean Farm project began in 1912, which now marks the beginning of a series of centennial celebrations to honor his buildings.

When recently driving through Barberton this fall, I was greatly intrigued as we stumbled upon the Piggery building, now only one of the eight remaining buildings left from the Anna Dean Farm. This elaborately designed barn, nicknamed the “Pork Palace”, was the last of all the Anna Dean Farm buildings built with a budget that today would equal nearly $750,000. The architecture is nicely proportioned with fine details. Indeed, the careful thought that went into this building used to house pigs really stands out amongst historic buildings scattered about Ohio. For starters, the architectural style is that of French Renaissance Revival, a style not typically seen in the Midwest. Barber’s 52-room mansion was built in like style only a couple years prior to the start of construction for the Anna Dean Farm. The mansion was later coined by The New York Times as, “the finest mansion between New York and Chicago.” It was later torn down for a strip mall.

In his quest to build an idealistic farm complex replete with scientific advancements in agriculture and stunning architecture, Barber had insisted that an architect from the Akron firm Harpster & Bliss come with him to Europe for several tours so they could study architecture together. It is said that the overly-exuberant Barber would drag the poor architect along with him for 12+ hour days of walking and walking around Europe, particularly in France, to admire and study the buildings. Additionally, Barber made the architect do many series of drawings and to measure the buildings to their most minute detail. As Harpster & Bliss worked on designs, he would micro-manage them and make them redo the drawings over and over again until satisfied. Barber harassed contractors as well. If his buildings were not built to the exact dimensions he had in his plans, then he would make them tear it down and start over. In fact, he would do the dimension back-checking himself, not even trusting them for an accurate account of their measurements.

Barber was an extraordinary character that bred excellence, perhaps by taking extreme measures. Most noteworthy, however, is the observation that Barber believed in the power of architecture to increase business and to influence people. He built several different farming buildings in like manner to that of the Piggery, with architecture designed much more ornately and carefully than any other agricultural building had ever encountered. It was Barber’s desire that his Anna Dean Farm would have been donated to a local higher education institution to become a department of agriculture. Barber believed that if the architecture were superior, people wouldn’t want to ever tear it down. This rationale reminds me of another extraordinary character who had similar beliefs. It was Frank Lloyd Wright who said of his beloved Guggenheim that it would be the only building left standing in New York City because its architecture would be great enough to cause it to endure.

Make plans to come to Barberton to take a look at these amazing buildings. Each May, on the Saturday after Mother’s Day and the Sunday before Memorial Day, the Barberton Historical Society sponsors a walking tour of the Anna Dean Farm (annadeanfarm.com). Staff from the Barberton Historical Society may be easily contacted to provide additional information about the buildings and their dramatic histories.