AIA SFV March 2011 Elevations

March 2011

March Evening Program AIA SFV Installs 2011 Board, Recognizes Service & Design Excellence

The AIA San Fernando Valley held its 24th An‐nual Installation and Design Awards Banquet on February 5, 2011 at the Warner Marriott in Woodland Hills. Over 150 attendees gathered at the Grand Ballroom to participate in the installation of the 2011 Board and to recognize member’s contributions to the Chapter as well as design excellence. 30 design awards were given for commercial and residential projects in a wide range of project types, including educa‐tional, medical, retail, recreational, institu‐tional, cultural, and multi and single family residential.

Following the cocktail reception with musical entertainment by The Last Set, President‐elect, Arturo Yanez AIA, began the evening’s pro‐

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1 Elevations | March 2011

A Backstage Pass to the New Valley Performing Arts Center Join the AIA San Fernando Valley Chapter for a very special tour of the newly opened Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.

CSUN’s Campus Architect, Nathaniel S. Wilson, AIA, AICP, LEED AP will guide the tour, starting at the Performing Arts Courtyard promptly at 6:00 pm. The group will ad‐journ to the University Club (adjacent to the Performing Arts Center) where a presen‐tation will continue during a delicious buffet dinner served by the Orange Grove Bis‐tro. Design, and energy saving and sustainable features will highlight this portion of the evening. The complete Tour and Program will give participants 2.5 hours of HSW and Sustainable learning units. Parking is located at lot G1. ($6 parking included in cost of event). The PAC is directly across the courtyard from the University Club.

Space is extremely limited for this one time PRIVATE tour. Please RSVP early to guarantee a space to the Chapter office at 818‐907‐7151 or [email protected] . AIA Members: $36 cash or check; $39 credit card Non Members: $46 cash or check; $50 credit card

Continued on page 6

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AIA SFV joins in congratulating and expressing our gratitude to Leslie Nathan AIA, Chapter Executive Director, for 10 years of committed and continued service to our Chapter. To honor Leslie, contribu‐tions can be made to the AIA SFV Fund, which provides much needed scholarships to architecture students.

Announcements

Elevations is a monthly publication of the AIA San Fer‐nando Valley, a Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Elevations is inviting questions, comments, story ideas, news, and digital photography. Please sub‐mit contributions to: [email protected] by the third Thursday of the month for inclusion in the following month’s newsletter. AIA San Fernando Valley is not responsible for state-ments or opinions expressed by contributions and re-serves the right to edit or refuse submitted content.

▪ Contributions Wanted

As part of its commitment to a sustainable future and eco‐friendly practices, AIA SFV is offering to all its mem‐bers Elevations in digital form. If you wish to accept a full color paperless newsletter please submit your re‐quest to [email protected] or respond to a sched‐uled email blast announcement.

▪ Paperless Elevations

This Month……. Page 4… Use Less, Waste Less Page 6… Installation & Awards Banquet Page 8... Northridge Vision Page 10… Committees

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the voice of the architectural profession, dedicated to serv‐ing its members, advancing their value, and improving the quality of the built environment.

Since 1857, the AIA has represented the professional interests of America’s architects. As AIA members, more than 75,000 licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners in design express their commitment to excellence and livability in our nation’s buildings and communities.

President’s Message

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2011 BOARD MEMBERS Arturo Yanez, AIA President Brad McDonald, AIA Vice President V. Blair Seibert, AIA Secretary Michael Silva AIA Treasurer Kenneth D. Lee, AIA Immediate Past President Richard L. Gemigniani, AIA AIA/CC Delegate DIRECTORS Tom Cestarte, AIA Christos Chrysiliou, AIA George De La Nuez, AIA Terry Lynn Downing, AIA Vladimir Elmanovich, AIA Matthew Epstein, AIA Miguel Maio, AIA Murray Siegel, AIA Mark L. Smith, AIA ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR George Avetisyan, Assoc. AIA ALLIED DIRECTOR David Murray HONORARY BOARD MEMBER Peter Puzo EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Leslie A. Nathan, AIA

Elevations | March 2011

Over the years, I’ve learned to ‘expect the unexpected.’ The unex‐pected provides opportunities to set new courses with a fresh per‐spective and with an openness to embrace what lies ahead.

Recent industry publications have touted cover headlines of “What Now” and “What’s Next?”, in reference to the uncertainty of the architectural profession, given the numerous forces pulling it in different, sometimes opposing, directions. But within the uncer‐tainty, glimmers of optimism are visible as a new year and decade unfold, bringing new opportunities and possibilities.

As I assess the state of our Chapter, I am reminded about the ‘leap of faith’ taken by the founding members of our Chapter nearly 25 years ago, when the AIA San Fernando Valley was established as a distinct Chapter of the AIA. While it was certainly a time of unknowns and uncertainty about what might lie ahead, great strides were made by the Chapter’s lead‐ership in significant areas, quickly making the AIA SFV a model Chapter on the national level. I take great inspiration from the forethought, vision and accomplishments of these past leaders.

As the curtain rose for the 2011 Board early last month at our Installation and Awards Ban‐quet, I was encouraged by the spirit, creativity, and commitment with which this diverse group of professionals have approached, in common, the challenges ahead. They have hit the ground running, working to raise public awareness about our profession, increase diver‐sity within our membership, ramp up relevant monthly programs, increase member re‐sources, and enhance communication with our membership. I invite you to participate in upcoming Chapter programs, discussions, and activities and welcome your suggestions to better serve the current needs of our Chapter.

I’m truly honored to be leading the AIA San Fernando Valley as Chapter President for 2011. As I embark on this journey, I look to our past leadership for guidance and continuity of thought, while acknowledging the current needs of our Chapter and recognizing the impor‐tant role that our emerging professionals must play in setting the course of the Chapter into the future. Together with our 2011 Board and Chapter staff, I remain confident about what we can collectively accomplish through strong collaboration, vision, and creativity as we move forward – always remembering to ‘expect the unexpected’.

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Use less, waste less Architects take projects in the right direction when we “design out” waste

by Blair Seibert, AIA, LEED AP, CSBA , GPR

A rchitects generally focus on the vision for a

project. We imagine how it will appear, how

it will function and how it will serve our cli-

ent’s needs. But these days, we have a greater responsi-

bility: to consider: the process of building a building as

much as the result. That’s because the way a building is

designed has a lot to do with the waste it will generate. It

disturbs me deeply knowing that 40 percent of the materi-

als on a construction site will leave that site as waste.

When they go to a landfill, all the energy and fossil fuels

used to make them and move them is wasted.

As architects, we can change those numbers. We can

choose approaches that “design out” waste, meaning we

design projects in ways that make the best use of energy

and materials. In the next three columns, I’m going to take

a look at how we can serve the guidelines of “reduce, re-

use, recycle.” Those three words tell us a lot about how we

can better use materials, reduce costs for our clients and

avoid waste. When we think about reducing, what can ar-

chitects do to serve this mission? Why should we care?

First, some facts: When we waste virgin or recyclable ma-

terials we unnecessarily increase the demand for addi-

tional virgin materials. What’s more, when we haul away

this waste, we contribute to smog and the problems of

burning fossil fuels. With fewer landfills than just a decade

ago, trash has to be taken farther away, expending more

fuel and emitting more carbon dioxide.

Another disturbing figure comes from the EPA, which re-

ports that approximately 22 percent of municipal landfill

waste is construction waste. Once at the landfill, this waste

contributes to methane gas emission and other problems..

While civil engineers have tried “capturing” hazardous bi-

products of waste degeneration (such as methane gas)

with clay soil and plastic liners, ground water systems

have been contaminated in communities near landfills and

rain on the landfills leaves as contaminated run-off. So a

good first step is to stop throwing away materials that can

be used by our project, or someone else’s, and avoid toss-

ing away these items’ embodied energy. Utilizing the

guidelines to reduce, reuse, recycle, let’s explore the ar-

chitect’s first step: reducing the materials used in a project.

The possibilities are endless. An architect’s job is to cre-

ate things. As such, we can start a project on the right

foundation by addressing waste from the beginning. We

must admit that the act of building generates waste ( al-

most anything generates waste!) , but by keeping the end

in mind, we can reduce waste generation.

Remodel Reducing waste starts with an analysis of whether a new

building is needed at all. This is not exciting for an archi-

tect to hear but due to embodied energy, the greenest

buildings already exist. Is there a building your client

could remodel rather than starting from scratch? Can you

help her find and purchase an existing building with good

skin and bones that is just too small? Additions and re-

models still provide work for architects and engineers.

Maybe even more!


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Maximize Results with Design Efficiencies Architects have keen analytical skills. There are many

ways to provide clients’ spatial needs creatively. Consider

ways of reducing the footprint of your projects. Beyond

reducing the energy bills for the LIFE of their projects,

shouldn’t we encourage owners to consider multi-

functional space over single use? Two story over one?

What about reducing circulation space by incorporating it

into rooms?

Think Modularly Whether in architecture school or working on our own

homes, we learn early on that building materials come in

standard sizes. Yes, we can always cut the brick or chop

off the end of the stud but for waste reducing design, the

overall dimensions of a structure should fit within the di-

mensions of the industry standard building/framing sys-

tem. If you think working this way is going to be boring,

consider Frank Lloyd Wrights’s Usonian homes, his an-

swer to cost effective housing. When working with brick

or CMU it’s almost impossible (and looks absolutely ridicu-

lous) to work outside the dimensions of the building units.

Therefore, working modularly is pretty simple. The real

challenge comes from working modularly with the seem-

ingly flexible stud.

Optimum Value Engineering or Advanced Framing

For many years the home building industry has been en-

couraging its members to exploit wood products for their

actual engineered capabilities. This system is called Opti-

mum Value Engineering or Advanced Framing in the Pa-

cific Northwest. It has become popular and accepted by

building code officials and inspectors. This “engineering

based” system consists of many parts and pieces that can

be taken in part or in whole and generates a building that

consumes less material while maintaining structural integ-

rity. The National Association of Home Builders has a

great website with a detailed description of the following

OVE system explanation. They also have CAD details for

download. I encourage you to visit:

http://www.toolbase.org/TechInventory/TechCAD.aspx?

ContentDetailID=625

Panelizing

For many reasons, pre-fabricated panels or modules are

becoming popular again. Even the Frank Lloyd Wright

School of Architect in Scottsdale, Arizona has designed

and built the Taliesin Mod.Fab, “a residential prototype

that employs modular fabrication techniques, is big on

modern aesthetics and quality, modestly sized, and flexi-

ble enough to operate on or off the utilities grid.”

Taliesin Mod.Fab

When portions of buildings or entire buildings are made off

site they not only reduce waste but improve the structural

integrity of the building’s construction and shorten the con-

struction time. On a commercial scale, precast concrete

panels have been around since the 1960s. Newer on the

market are prefabricated panels with stucco, masonry and

other finishes.

Prefabricated rooms

I’ve been working on a project that is utilizing prefabricated

rooms. The completely “finished” jail cells for the 1,400

bed detention center will be installed by cranes in a matter

of weeks rather than months. Another project considered

using prefabricated bathrooms to save time and money.

These single room bathrooms work well for hotels, apart-

ments and condominiums.


Continued on page 9

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24th Annual Installation &

gram with a welcome message, followed by a special invocation by Chapter Board member and Past President Mark Smith AIA. Outgoing President, Kenneth Lee AIA presented outgoing remarks and handed out Chapter service awards, including 30‐year service awards to Joseph Bri‐cio AIA and Robin Jaffe AIA. David Murray was awarded the President’s

Design Awards Banquet

Right: Installation of 2011 Board by Immediate Past President Sylvia Botero: Ken-neth Lee, Arturo Yanez, Keong Ng, Brad McDonald, Tom Cestarte, George De La Nuez, Christos Chrysillou, Peter Puzo, Murray Siegel, Michael Silva, Mark Smith, Matt Ep-stein, George Avetysian, Vladimir Elmanovich, Miguel Maio, Richard Gemigniani (Not present: Blair Seibert & Terry Lynn Downing)

March 2011 | Elevations

Continued from page 1

Photography: Ted Pang

Award for Distinguished Service to the Chapter. The formal installation of the 2011 19‐member Board was graciously delivered by Immediate Past Presi‐dent Sylvia Botero AIA.

Keynote speaker, Michael Rotondi FAIA, presented an uplifting message fol‐lowing the dinner program and was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by newly‐installed President Arturo Yanez as recognition for a lifetime of distinguished achieve‐ment and exceptional con‐tributions to the field of architecture.

The Design Awards presen‐tation was kicked‐off with Leslie Nathan, Chapter Executive Director, hand‐ing out the 20‐Yean and Best Client Awards. Led by Keong Ng, residential de‐sign awards Chair, the residential project jurors


Continued on page 13

A Long‐Term Vision for the Community of Northridge (excerpts from Northridge Vision Fact Sheet & Media Brief as prepared by The Mulhollad Institute)

A project to create a new vision for the future is under way

in Northridge, California—a project intended to guide the

re-invention and improvement of Northridge and the North-

ridge business district over the next twenty years. Natural

assets, economic clusters, unique advantages and points

of interest will combine to lay a foundation for future com-

munity enhancement and economic growth.

The leadership of Northridge and the north San Fernando

Valley have launched an aggressive campaign to establish

a vision and develop a strategic “concept plan.” The vi-

sioning group is incorporating community goals, the exist-

ing Northridge Community Plan and local and regional

demographics, to determine the potential for public and

private redevelopment. They are seeking strategies for

working with, and improving, the current mix of commercial

tenants. As an important part of this effort, they are evalu-

ating the relative success of other plans in Los Angeles

and the San Fernando Valley, and of prior local initiatives.

The vision will also focus on the Cal State University

Northridge campus as the hub of the community—how

best to develop the “college town” personality, synergies

between the university’s new Valley Performing Arts Cen-

ter, and cultivate “walkable village” areas in the business

district.

The final report will provide a vision and a model from

which to launch implementation efforts. It will recommend

best practices from similar projects in similar communities.

This will set the stage for Northridge leaders to guide the

community into the future.


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Manufacturer’s Take-Back Programs If you sole source products like clay roof tiles, bricks, ce-

ramic tiles, etc., find out if the supplier has a buy back pro-

gram or take back policy. Manufacturers for carpet and

acoustical ceiling tiles have been doing this for years.

Even if they will not pay you for the returned products, if

they will pick them up for reuse or donation, it will save you

from having to send to landfill (or finding a home for it,

which we’ll talk about in subsequent articles). Ask your

product reps about this. If their company does not offer it

now, they may offer it in the future if enough people ask. If

the general contractor will be selecting any of the materials

that are bought in bulk, include wording in the project

specifications or general notes directing them to send un-

used items back.

With all of these options, architects can offer clients

choices that will not only satisfy the project’s needs, but

also provide them with pleasing results. As architects, we

can help reduce their costs, while guiding them toward

more sustainable practices. In the end, their projects will

work better, look better – and reduce their environmental

impact.

Blair Seibert, AIA, LEED AP, CSBA , GPR is principal and founder of Verde Concepts, a sustainability consultancy firm in Los Angeles, CA - [email protected].

The AIA SFV Chapter is

collaborating with The Valley Economic Alliance and The Mulholland Institute in a UDAT (Urban Design Assistance

Team) for the Northridge Vision Project An introductory charrette meeting is

scheduled for Saturday,

March 12, 2011, 10 am to 2 pm

at the Valley Economic Alliance

5121 Van Nuys Blvd #200

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Architects and other professionals interested

in working with the community of the San Fer-

nando Valley to encourage revitalization and

urban improvement are invited to participate.

Please contact the Chapter Officer to RSVP

or Arturo Yanez AIA, AIA SFV President, at

[email protected] for any questions.

Visit www.northridgevision.org for additional

information.



Committees


The Committees illustrated below represent the basic (shaded) and standing committees of the AIA San Fer‐nando Valley Chapter for 2011, with the aim of respond‐ing to relevant issues affecting the architectural commu‐nity. Committees are the basis from which the Chapter posi‐tions itself in the field of architecture and the commu‐nity, including discussion, advocacy, policy making and development, event planning, and other endeavors. These Committees launch the majority of the programs held by the Chapter, and are the main avenue for direct involvement by the membership within the Chapter. AIA members, AIA Associate Members, AIA Student Mem‐bers and non‐members are all welcome and encouraged to participate in committees. For more information about getting involved with a com‐mittee please contact Leslie Nathan, Executive Director, at [email protected]. Look for committee updates and activities in upcoming issues of Elevations.

• COMPETITIONS/ AWARDS

EcoHome presents the 2nd annual EcoHome Design Awards, honoring the best sustainable homes for innova‐tive design, green building features, environmental per‐formance, and integration with their sites and communi‐ties. Award winners will be featured in the July/August issue of EcoHome magazine and on ecohomemagazine.com. Register online at ecohomedesignawards.com See Web site for entry requirements, eligibility and judg‐ing details. Registration and fee due April 8, 2011 Complete entry due May 4, 2011 Entry fee: $125 QUESTIONS Call 202.736.3303 or e‐mail [email protected]

• RESOURCES/ EVENTS

Building Codes Because of a lawsuit making mandatory codes ACCESSI‐BLE to the public, you can now download Building Codes from around the country at no cost: http://bulk.resource.org/codes.gov/ This website has the 2009 IBC errata plus the 2010 CBC supplements you may need. http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/codes/Pages/errata.aspx Sustainable Sundays at the Natural History Museum — Go Green with the Experts Sustainable Sundays takes that familiar phrase and turns it into an engaging, creative day that shines light on a host of conservation issues, and helps connect visitors with organizations dedicated to environmental causes. We invite you and your family to take part in this stimu‐lating monthly series, bringing together Museum scien‐tists and guest researchers to weigh in on issues that af‐fect us personally and globally. http://www.nhm.org/site/activities‐programs/ sustainable‐sundays

The Impact Series: Game Changers in Sustainability Green Builder Media's 2011 webinar series Henry Cisneros Unplugged: Ruminations on Sustainable Living and Urban Development Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 11:00 Pacific/2:00 Eastern Impact Series webinar featuring Henry Cisneros, former HUD secretary, who now focuses on sustainable cities. Mr. Cisneros will join Green Builder Media founder and president, Ron Jones, for a conversation on sustainable living and urban development. Henry Cisneros has served on several national commissions in urban affairs including the Partnership for Sustainable Communities Leadership Advisory Council. http://www.greenbuildermag.com/impactseries

• CONTINUING EDUCATION AIA‐registered architects are required to earn 18 LUs in a calendar year. For more information on AIA/CES require‐ments, please visit http://www.aia.org/education/index.htm. Following are qualified online courses:

"Choosing Sustainable Finishes" This sustainable design presentation includes the in‐formed selection of materials, products and manufactur‐ers to reduce environmental impacts and improve build‐ing performance. The program is available as either an in‐person presentation or as a self‐guided online course ac‐cessible at www.Linetec.com/architect_resources.html “Introduction to Coatings: Field Performance and the Application Process” This program helps the building community better under‐stand field performance and the application process of architectural coatings. It explains the anodizing, painting and powder coating processes, describes specifications and compares the field performance of architectural fin‐ishes. Participants in either the online or in‐person course are eligible for 1.0 LU/HSW.www.Linetec.com/architect_resources.html

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(Bill Corneli, AIA, Miller Fong, and Norman J. Kravitz) announced the Citation and Merit Award winners for 9 residential projects, and presented jury comments. Commercial design awards Chair, Richard Gemigniani, recognized the Citation, Merit, and Honor commercial award winners.. The evening’s program was closed by President Arturo Yanez, congratulat‐ing the award winners and banquet planning participants, and anticipating an exciting and productive year for the Chapter. Congratulations to all the winners !

Right: Outgoing President, Kenneth Lee, presents David Murray with the President’s Award for Dis-tinguished Service to the Chapter.


Photography: Ted Pang

March 2011 16255 Ventura Blvd., Suite 515 Encino, CA 91436

AIA SFV March 2011 Elevations

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