Licensed Architect Spring 2011 by Lisa Brooks

Association of Licensed Architects

$6.00 Volume 15, No. 1 Spring 2011

LicensedArc hitect

• 2010 ALA Awards Banquet • Mediation and Arbitration 101 for Architects • Claims in Excess of Policy Limits • Sound Attenuation • Continuing Education Article • Interior Finishes - The Real Killer

The Art of Plastering Class that Lasts!

It’s a fact! No wall finish provides better fire protection, sound control or design flexibility than plaster. Chicago Plastering Institute 5611 West 120th Street Alsip, IL 60803 708-371-3100 Fax 708-371-8290

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

Today’s plaster walls may be made with conventional plaster and lath, or a faster and more cost-efficient veneer plaster system. Either way, plaster’s tougher surface means that it stands up to abuse better than any other interior finish. And only plaster can offer detailed ornamental treatments, and mouldings that look better, install faster and actually cost less than wood alternatives. For more information about plaster systems and the best professionals to apply them, call us.

LicensedArchitect

Vol. 15, No. 1, Spring 2011

COVER DIRECT SUPPLY Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Firm: Continuum Architects + Planners, S.C. Photography: Greg Gent Direct Supply is a supply chain and e-commerce services company in Milwaukee that provides all the necessary products and associated services to run a skilled care or senior living facility. The company looked to Continuum to help them develop a ten-year master growth plan that involved designing infill buildings between their nine existing one-story masonry structures. The ultimate goal is to have sufficient office space for a total of 1,400 employees, a conference center, a fitness and wellness clinic, a high-quality cafeteria, and an employee daycare facility. The first phase was the design of a three-story, 90,000 square-foot building for offices and employee gathering areas. The curved glass element, which holds large conference rooms, visually links the new and existing buildings.

ARTICLES 8 Claims in Excess of Policy Limits The prospect of a claim of any sort for more than the amount of available insurance coverage is one which obviously should be avoided if possible. Read in detail about these type claims. by Shawn E. Goodman, Sabo & Zahn, Attorneys at Law

11 Sound Attenuation Usually when you talk about noise pollution, it seems to be in connection with residential areas protesting expansion of airports. Now, in this age of multi-family dwellings, sound transmission is becoming a growing concern for design professionals. by Robert Stanton, CPCU, ARM, RPLU

13 I heard a rumor. . . The Department of Justice has finally adopted the 2004 ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines. With a few minor revisions, they have renamed it the 2010 Standard for Accessible Design. by Kimberly Paarlberg, ICC Senior Staff Architect, Codes and Standards

32 Mediation and Arbitration 101 for Architects With civil litigation’s rising costs, mediation and arbitration are growing in popularity as potentially quicker and more cost-effective alternative dispute resolution forums. Architects who incorporate well-considered mediation and arbitration clauses into their service agreements may have an advantage over those who don’t. by Gary L. Cole, ALA, AIA, Esq.

35 Continuing Education: Integrating High Definition Laser Scans with Building Information Modeling As more and more building design projects commonly incorporate renovations, refurbishments or retrofits and require building information modeling (BIM) as part of the design process, architectural firms are looking for ways to leverage new laser scanning technologies to rapidly develop accurate 3D models of existing environments. by Beau Turner, Director of Business Development, IMAGINiT Technologies

41 Design Awards 2010 One hundred thirty-seven architects, building professionals, clients and guests attended ALA’s annual banquet at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, IL on Friday, November 12th to honor the 2010 Design Award Winners.

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

PUBLISHER’S INFO

OUR REGULAR FEATURES

PUBLISHER ALA, Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jeffrey N. Budgell, FALA - President James K. Zahn, Esq., FALA, Vice President Mark Van Spann, FALA - Secretary Patrick C. Harris, FALA - Treasurer Joanne Sullivan, Executive Director Steven H. Pate, FALA Past President

ADA Advice

ALA Chapters

ALA Design Awards Banquet

Architecture Conference and Product Show

DIRECTORS: James J. Belli, FALA Doug Gallus, FALA (Chapter Delegate) Rick Gilmore, FALA Tom Harkins (Affiliate) David Roth, ALA Jeff Whyte, ALA Horatiu Wolff, FALA (Illinois Delegate)

EDITORS Lisa Brooks Robert Davidson, FALA Patrick C. Harris, FALA Steven H. Pate, FALA

ADVERTISING SALES

Code Corner

Continuing Education Article

Contributed Article

Insurance Info

Peg McLean

GRAPHIC DESIGN/MAGAZINE

Legal Issues

Membership

New Members

Midwest Type and Imaging ALA, Inc. serves the architectural profession. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Published in the U.S.A.,© 2011 by ALA, Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of ALA, Inc. Any reference to a product or service is not to be construed as an endorsement of same. Advertising published in Licensed Architect does not constitute nor imply an endorsement or recommendation of the advertiser’s products by ALA, Inc., or any of its members. ALA reserves the right to review all advertising for acceptability. For advertising, or membership information, call or write Joanne Sullivan at: ALA, 22159 N. Pepper Road, Suite 2N, Barrington, IL 60010 Phone: (847) 382-0630; Fax: (847) 382-8380; E-mail: ALA@alatoday.org

- Advertisers Thank you to our Advertisers - they make this magazine possible A & E Group of Willis HRH . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Berg Engineering Consultants, Ltd. . . . . .15 CertainTeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Chicago Plastering Institute . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Chicagoland Roofing Council . . . . . . . . .23 Coleman, Hull & van Vliet, PLLP . . . . . . .34 CPI Daylighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Crivello, Carlson, S.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

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LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

Joanne Sullivan at ALA 22159 N. Pepper Road, Suite 2N, Barrington, IL 60010 Phone: (847) 382-0630 • Fax: (847) 382-8380 E-mail: ALA@alatoday.org

ALATHEPRESIDENT’SLETTER

ell as we lunge into the New Year with hopes that 2011 will be better than 2010, your ALA staff is springing into action planning an exciting and event filled year for all of our members. Events like the many educational seminars, the Conference and Product Show, the golf outing, the Design Awards and the Annual Meeting / Holiday Party just to name a couple. Take some time to read the article and enjoy the photos of the 2010 Design Awards Banquet in this issue. It was a terrific event attended by many and if you missed it, please start preparing your projects for submission and plan on attending this year’s program. It is a great evening of socializing and networking at a great venue and who knows, one of your submissions may win! I would personally like to welcome all the new ALA members. Joining the ALA is a terrific idea which shows your commitment to our profession whether you are a professional member, affiliate member or a student member - not to mention what an incredible value it is. The educational, resource and networking opportunities provided by the ALA are second to none. The growth of any organization is critical to its success. To that end, I challenge that if every current member were to enlist a new member into the ALA in 2011 as a professional, affiliate or

student member, our ranks, reach and abilities would double before the end of this year. It is not hard, someone in your firm that is not already a member? A supplier or vender that you work with regularly? Or, a student or intern that you know? They are all candidates for the ALA and you will be doing them and our organization a favor. Thinking about joining a committee? The ALA has several standing committees (Budget, Organization, Membership and Marketing) and several ad hoc committees (Design Awards, Annual Conference, Continuing Education Providers to name a few) that are always looking for new members. Participating in committees is a great way to stay informed and give back to the profession. It is not as time consuming as you think and remember, the vitality and growth of our organization depends on the willingness of our members to participate. Call the office at 847-382-0630 to discuss open committee positions and join in.

Jeffrey Budgell Jeffrey N. Budgell, FALA, LEED AP President

EDITORIAL Dear ALA Board Members, It is with great pleasure that we report to you that the Illinois Supreme Court has issued today an opinion in our favor in the Thompson v. Gordon matter in what is sure to be a landmark ruling that profoundly affects the interests of design and construction industry professionals in Illinois and most likely throughout the entire United States. The Illinois Supreme Court reaffirmed bedrock industry and legal principles that a design professional’s contract defines the professional’s scope of duty in connection with a construction project. The court soundly rejected efforts from the personal injury trial bar to hoist upon design and construction industry professionals unbargained-for and unanticipated "extra-contractual" duties defined through the opinions of an out-of-state "expert". As you know, we prepared an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief pro bono on behalf of the Illinois Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Association of Licensed Architects. With the invaluable assistance of your members, we helped show the Illinois Supreme Court the vital importance of the construction contracting process. By providing the

essential perspective of design professionals, we helped the court understand that construction contracts purposefully allocate safety and project responsibilities in accord with actual practice and fundamental principles of certainty, transparency and accountability. We further succeeded in our efforts to demonstrate for the Illinois Supreme Court the chilling effects on business and safety of permitting "experts" to potentially broaden a design professional’s contractual scope of duties in unanticipated ways, many years after the fact. Together, we have achieved a great result here of the utmost importance to the design and construction industry. We thank you for the opportunity to have assisted you in this matter and welcome any questions or comments you may have regarding the Illinois Supreme Court’s opinion. Jeffrey T. Kubes Attorney at Law Schuyler Roche Crisham One Prudential Plaza, Suite 3800 130 E Randolph Street Chicago, IL 60601 www.SRCattorneys.com

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

by Kelly P. Reynolds ALA Code Consultant

CODECORNER

INTERIOR FINISHES - THE REAL KILLER t’s not the building that kills most people in a fire, but the toxic smoke and gases given off from the interior finishes - carpeting, wall coverings, ceilings and floors. Here are some of the events:

• Cocoanut Grove: Boston, MA - November 28, 1942 - 492 killed and numerous injuries. Problem: Flammable decorations throughout. • The Hartford Circus Fire: Hartford, CT - July 6, 1944 - 168 persons died. Problem: The tent was coated with paraffin wax and gasoline for weather-proofing and straw on the floor. • Beverly Hills Supper Club: Covington, KY - May 28, 1977. Problem: combustible interior finishes and multiple concealed ceiling spaces. • MGM Hotel & Casino: Las Vegas, NV - Nov. 21, 1980 - 85 dead, 650 injured. Problem: wallpaper, glue and plastic mirrors on casino floor area. • The Station Nightclub: Warwick, RI - February 20, 2003 - 100 killed. Problem: Pyrotechnics and combustible foam-plastic sound proofing material installed. All of these fire tragedies had a contributing factor - combustible interior finishes. Chapter 8 of the 2009 International Building Code sets the minimum requirements for Interior Finishes. Wall and ceiling finishes determine whether the fire gets to the Exit before

CLASS A = 0-25 / CLASS B = 26-75 / CLASS C = 76-200 (Over 200 not permitted) you do. The code refers to a variety of approved fire and smoke tests that can make that determination. Table 803.9 (above) bases your choice of materials by use group and three areas within the fire area (exit enclosures, corridors and rooms) and then divides that into fire sprinkler vs. non-sprinklered. The Steiner Tunnel Test (below) is used to determine flame spread. The tested product is rated on a scale of Class A, B or C. They are just an index classification - they don’t measure temperature, Btu’s or any other term. Smoke development can never exceed 450. Some materials have a slow burn rate, but give off large amounts of toxic gases when burning. Flame Spread Ratings The Code gives a rating for each Classifications use group. For example, Class A for A-1 use group in nonClassification Index Rating sprinklered buildings is limited to a very restrictive selection of A 0 - 25 materials that can be installed. B 26 - 75 C 76 - 200 However, if you look at the same Over 200 Not Permitted use group for a fire sprinkled building, the requirement drops to Class B. A fire sprinklered building gives the designer a greater assortment of interior finishes.

What Makes Willis HRH“different?” HRH A&E has been the leading broker specializing in Architects and Engineers insurance for more than 30 years. No other broker has more experience, expertise and resources dedicated to providing insurance and risk management solutions than HRH A&E. •

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The A&E Group of Willis HRH www.hrhae.com (877) 474-2821

DIFFERENT BY DESIGN ®

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

LEGALISSUES

CLAIMS IN EXCESS OF POLICY LIMITS by Shawn E. Goodman, Sabo & Zahn, Attorneys at Law

he prospect of a claim of any sort for more than the amount of available insurance coverage is one which obviously should be avoided if at all possible. For starters, design professionals today should, if at all possible, probably be carrying at least $2 million in coverage. However, there is no way to completely insulate oneself from ever being exposed to a claim which, if successful, could outstrip the amount of coverage and leave the insured subject to personal exposure for the difference. It has long been the law that an insurance company which fails to take advantage of an opportunity to settle a claim within its policy limits, and thereby avoid subjecting its policyholder to personal exposure, can be liable to that policyholder for bad faith failure to settle. It has also long been the law that, generally, the insurer controls the defense. That means, among other things, that it is the insurance company, and not the actual defendant, which selects defense counsel of its own choosing. This is important for a number of reasons. For one, insurance companies tend to set “panel counsel” rates which are less, sometimes far less, than those paid for comparable services on the open market.1 For another, regardless of the rates, assigned insurance defense counsel is paid, not by the actual party he or she represents, but rather by that party’s insurance company. Because it is the insurer that pays, it is the insurer that gets to pick the attorney for the design firm. This often means the cheapest, not the best, law firm. Assuming that the insurer is prepared to be fully responsible for all costs, not just of defense, but of liability, i.e., settlement or judgment, then this issue is less of a concern. However, what happens when the claim being brought is greater than the amount of coverage? In such a scenario, which is not at all uncommon, the potential for a conflict of interest between the insurer and its policy holder is much greater and, frankly, dangerous to the interests of the design professional. Some recent case law has recognized this danger and provided some additional measure of protection to insureds facing such situations. In R.G. Wegman Const. v. Admiral Ins., the plaintiff construction company was an additional insured on a policy issued by the defendant insurance company.2 That policy featured a $1 million limit. Admiral furnished an attorney for Wegman and

controlled the defense. The case went to trial and the result was a $2 million verdict against Wegman, or well more than the policy limits. Wegman also had an excess policy for $10 million. However, Wegman failed to put that excess carrier on notice until just days before trial. As a result, coverage under the excess policy was denied for late notice. Wegman then filed suit against Admiral. Wegman contended that, because Admiral did not notify Wegman of the danger of an excess verdict, Wegman lost its right to excess insurance coverage. At the trial court level, Wegman’s claim was dismissed, the court holding that Admiral discharged its duty to Wegman by providing it with a defense attorney. The appellate court reversed, ruling that, pursuant to Illinois law, in the event of a “nontrivial probability” of an excess judgment or settlement, a potential conflict of interest between insurer and insured is created which triggers a duty on the part of the insurer to notify the insured. Because the insurance company controls the defense, its duty includes not only hiring defense counsel, but also keeping itself informed of the circumstances of the litigation, as necessary, so that it will be in a position to act on settlement offers. Furthermore, once the policyholder gets notice of the potential conflict of interest, it can assume the control of its own defense and hire its own attorney whose reasonable fees must be paid by the insurance

“It has long been the law that an insurance company which fails to take advantage of an opportunity to settle a claim within its policy limits, and thereby avoid subjecting its policyholder to personal exposure, can be liable to that policyholder for bad faith failure to settle.”

(Continued on page 34)

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

MEMBERSHIP

Association of Licensed Architects

Join now and become a member of a dynamic growing organization of architects ALA (The Association of Licensed Architects) is an organization open to all architects and professions related to architecture. It represents architects registered or licensed in any state, territory or possession of the United States, and foreign countries. ALA was founded in 1999 by a group of architects who formerly served as Board Members of other Architects’ Associations. Later that year, ALA was joined by ISA (Illinois Society of Architects), the oldest independent state organization in the country, which brought valued expertise and historic significance to the Association. ALA has experienced rapid growth, continues to maintain affordable dues and publishes a professional magazine for its members. ALA’s mission is to advance the Architectural Profession through education and by supporting and improving the profession’s role in the built environment. ALA’s vision is to positively impact the Architectural Profession through the power of organization. Its purpose is to unite, educate, promote, and advance the Architectural Profession and address critical issues confronting it. ALA will support the efforts of other Associations, when combined efforts will produce benefits for all. ALA will work and speak for members of the Architectural Profession and improve communication with the community through programs offering information, education and cooperation. It proposes to advance and contribute to the health, safety and welfare of the general public and believes in stimulating and encouraging continuing education plus the advancement of the art and science of architecture. ALA’s motto is:

“Architects united to advance the Profession of Architecture”

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BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS: Professional, Senior & Emeritus Members. Associate, Student and Honorary Members Same as professional members with the exception of voting privileges and professional designation. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Professional Designation Project Referral Legislative Monitoring Continuing Education Programs at Reduced Rates Quarterly Magazine – “Licensed Architect” Hot Lines: Legal, Code, Insurance, and ADA Short Form Electronic Legal Contracts Membership Wall Certificate Job Posting Mediation Annual Design Awards Program Student Merit Awards IDP Assistance Networking with Affiliate and Professional Members Online Member and Resource Directory Annual Conference and Product Show Logging of ALA Program Hours Volunteer Opportunities Voting Privileges

Affiliate Members • Same as professional members with the exception of voting privileges and professional designation plus . . . • Networking with Professionals • Special Member Rates at Annual Conference and Product Show • Sponsorship Opportunities

Involvement is an Investment in your Future! Share Experiences, Write an Article, Publish Design Work, Serve on a Task Force

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LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

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Please complete the application below and mail with your tax deductible check made out to ALA, 22159 N. Pepper Road, Suite 2N, Barrington, IL 60010 For information call 847-382-0630 or E-mail: ALA@alatoday.org Registration is now available on-line at alatoday.org

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(5) Project types: (6) Number of employees in firm/corporation: (7) Current Membership in other Professional Organizations: (8) Referred by: Make Check payable to ALA (9) ALA Membership Category Applying For: ■ PROFESSIONAL - Licensed architects = $100.00 ■ SENIOR - Licensed retired architect 65 or over = $65.00 ■ AFFILIATE - Industry or related professionals = $150.00 ■ ASSOCIATE - Architecture degree/non-licensed = $65.00 ■ STUDENT - Full time/Architecture Schools = $25.00 ■ International Members (add for postage) ■ Europe = $35.00 ■ Far East = $40.00

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LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

INSURANCEINFO

Sound Attenuation by Robert Stanton, CPCU, ARM, RPLU ave you ever been to a professional conference requiring you to stay overnight in a hotel? As you check in, you note there is going to be a party in the hotel that night. You go to bed knowing you have to get up early to get back to the office. A proposal is due to a major client in a couple of days, and it is not ready to go? So, you behave, excuse yourself from the cocktail hour sponsored by this or that insurance company, and retire for the evening. Suddenly, it is 2am, the lounge just closed and a horde of happy party guests head for their rooms. Their party isn’t over, but your night’s sleep sure is. The next morning, exhausted and unprepared, you begin your long drive home and to the office to work. Sound familiar? Usually when you talk about noise pollution, it seems to be in connection with residential areas protesting expansion of airports. Now, in this age of multi-family-type dwellings, sound transmission is becoming a growing concern for design professionals. When discussing the issue of sound transmission, the technical term used for it is "sound attenuation," which means to "thin" or "reduce." The problem is that a sound level that is totally acceptable in mid-afternoon may be totally unacceptable at 3am. When asked why there seems to be more issues related to sound attenuation, it seems most experts suggest it is due to the emphasis on lighter and lighter materials being developed and used in the building process. Lighter gauge metal framing is an example of these "lighter materials." These lighter materials appear to transmit sound vibration more readily than previously used materials. For example, wood framing appears more able to attenuate sound than metal frame buildings. Therefore, on buildings with lighter gauge metal, greater focus must be paid to how the sound will be attenuated via use of interior components and materials. It appears this is not quite as easy as it seems. There are three basic ways to dampen sound. They are 1) Sound Barriers, 2) Sound Absorbers, and 3) Vibration Dampeners. The problem for the design professional is that the budgetary concerns of the owner of the project may prohibit what would be the most

effective method of dampening the sound. Generally, sound barriers are the best method of attaining the desired sound attenuation. Unfortunately, such barriers are frequently expensive or take up too much space to be practical. Also, the greater the range of sound levels one intends to dampen, the more expensive and more voluminous the material can become. The idea is to dampen the sounds within some stated range of noise level. That is the only way the project could be economically feasible. Sound attenuation issues are both horizontal (from room to room on the same floor) and vertical (from one floor to a floor either above or below). These two types of sound transmission can overlap at the upper and lower sections of walls. Aside from the specification of sound reducing building materials, proper insulation is also a necessary tool in the proper reduction of sound transmission. The proper installation of insulation and caulking above ceilings and between walls is a vital piece of the puzzle. With horizontal transmission of sound, the proper sealing of openings, for thermostats and electrical outlet and switches, also need to be addressed in the specifications in detail. As more hotels/condos/apartments and townhomes are beginning to include Jacuzzi-type bathtubs or spa-type showers, more challenges have been raised to the design professional. With the Jacuzzi tubs, there is sound suppression matting that is used to reduce the transmittable vibrations. To add to the problem, these types of tubs are normally installed in an environment that greatly enhances the transmission of sound. Bathroom areas are usually tiled, and

“Sound attenuation issues are both horizontal (from room to room on the same floor) and vertical (from one floor to a floor either above or below). These two types of sound transmission can overlap at the upper and lower sections of walls.”

(Continued on page 12)

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

INSURANCEINFO (Continued from page 11)

therefore have no sound muting properties. Jacuzzi-type tubs usually come with vibration reducing padding to address the noise levels, and detailed instructions on how to install the tubs. These directions may or may not include some discussion of sound attenuation in the adjoining areas. If these are absent, the designer should contact the manufacturer or distributor to determine whether there are recommendations for the area around the tub as well. Also, sealing of joints with specialized caulk is a method of reducing sound transmissions. This caulking should be done around the tub itself, even under the decking for the tub. Airspace is an effective attenuator of sound. If there is a demand for a high level of attenuation, increasing the space between the abutting walls using furring strips can be an inexpensive, effective tool. The furring strips need not be thick, as small increases in space allow for further attenuation. In addition to caulking, these tubs are usually installed in such a layout wherein the tubs share a common wall. The lack of proper insulation between the two tubs along the walls frequently results in high noise levels. This is a problematic area as frequently installation of insulation in this area is overlooked as a way of reducing construction costs. Design documents must make sure specifications call for the proper insulation in these areas. When discussing specialized items, there are some things that should be watched closely. Many times, the performance specifications of many of the sound attenuation materials on the market reflect what is called laboratory performance. These are

STC Standards. STC Standards are established by taking a section of the wall/floor/ ceiling, erecting it in a concrete sound laboratory. The section of floor/wall/ceiling is a continuous panel, with no openings. Two speakers are placed next to the wall, and "pink noise" is broadcast through the speakers. This pink noise is much like static on a television after the station goes off the air. The STC Rating is then the amount of sound that is reduced or thinned going through the wall. For example, an STC rating of 35 means the sound level was reduced by 35 decibels. There is a second standard called the NIC Standard. The same test as is run in the STC testing is performed for the NIC. However, there is one significant difference…it is done in the field. Therefore, when this test is done, it is done with openings in the sections and with background noise as well. The industry standards suggest that an NIC Rating of 3-6 points lower than the STC Rating means the sound attenuation of both are performing at the same level. There is even some literature on sound attenuation in Canada suggesting the difference between STC and NIC Ratings can be as high as 10 points. What are the proper sound levels allowable for a project? Normally, the local building codes will detail to what standard the sound levels should be. In my experience with hotels, it would appear that a standard of STC 50 is to be achieved. So, what do you do? Here are the steps you need to follows: 1) Check the local building codes relative to what are the acceptable STC standards. 2) Discuss these standards with the owner to determine whether the owner wants a higher standard of sound attenuation. Document that discussion and the discussion made therein. 3) In looking at the performance specifications for different products, take into account the performance results could be laboratory results, and not field results. Therefore, it might be advisable to make adjustments to ensure the desired sound attenuation is achieved in the field. 4) Make sure your contract documents give specific detail relative to insulation at the top and bottom of the walls as well as under the floors, sealing of openings in the walls is properly detailed in the design documents. 5) If inclusion of Jacuzzi tubs or other amenities that create a high level of vibratory sound are to be included in the project, include the manufacturer’s specifications relative to installation and sound attenuation in all documents to be used for bid. 6) When in doubt, retain an expert to ensure you have done the proper analysis. This is an area that seems to be on the rise in the architects and engineers claims activity area. As such, we suggest you begin to give serious consideration to the issue of sound attenuation. If you don’t consider this, you’ll likely hear some noise from someone in the near future. Bob Stanton, CPCU, ARM, RPLU is Vice-President at Willis specializing in Risk Management and Claim Advocacy. He has over thirty years experience in claims, with fifteen years focused on handling claims for design professionals. More risk management materials are available on-line at WillisAE.com.

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

ADAADVICE

I heard a rumor. . . by Kimberly Paarlberg, ICC Senior Staff Architect, Codes and Standards he Department of Justice has finally adopted the 2004 ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines. With a few minor revisions, they have renamed it the 2010 Standard for Accessible Design. Starting March 15, 2011, when a building is constructed new or being altered, there is the alternative of using either the 1991 ADAAG or the 2010 ADA Standard for compliance. After March 15, 2012, using the 2010 ADA Standard will be required. The rumor that I had heard, unfortunately from several different ‘informed’ sources, is that all elements that are not compliant with the new standard must be retrofit by March 15, 2012. That is NOT the case. The use of the term ‘safe harbor’ is causing confusion. What ‘safe harbor’ means is that elements that were covered in the 1991 ADAAG or UFAS, and were built compliant, can stay that way even if the provisions in the 2010 ADA Standard may be different. The most common and obvious application of this will probably be the single occupant bathrooms. The 2010 ADA standard requires a clear floor space next to the water closet, while the 1991 ADAAG and UFAS allowed for the lavatory to overlap that space. The intent of the new provisions is to allow space for a side transfer to the water closet. The 2010 ADA Standard allows for the door to swing into the bathroom as long as there is a clear floor space past the swing of the door, so that a person can enter the room, shut the door

“The rumor that I had heard, unfortunately from several different ‘informed’ sources, is that all elements that are not compliant with the new standard must be retrofit by March 15, 2012. That is NOT the case. The use of the term ‘safe harbor’ is causing confusion.”

and then maneuver. The 1991 ADAAG and UFAS did not allow the door to swing over the clear floor space for any of the fixtures. While 2010 ADA standard still requires this in multi-stall bathrooms, it is not required for single occupant bathrooms. Once you shut the door in a single occupant bathroom, you can lock it so someone else will not enter and possibly hit you with the door. (The DOJ has done a wonderful service by offering a section by section comparison, including bathroom configuration comparisons in Appendix B to part 36 (http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/ titleIII_2010/reg3_2010_appendix_b.htm). Well worth a visit. ‘Safe harbor’ is not applicable to items covered in the 1991 ADAAG when the building is undergoing an alteration or is new construction. For example, if you alter the bathrooms or build new bathrooms, they must comply with the 2010 ADA Standard. In existing buildings, altering the bathrooms may be part of improving the accessible route for primary function spaces.

Plan 1A Pair: 1991 Standards with out-swinging doors Two 5’-0" x 7’-3" rooms 72.50 sq.ft. total

Plan-1B Pair: 2010 Standards with out-swinging doors Two 7’-0" x 5’-0" Rooms70.00 sq.ft. total

There are several areas in the 2010 ADA Standard regulations that were not covered in the 1994 ADAAG. Mainly these are the residential facilities and all the recreational facilities. Although these items are not covered by the ‘safe harbor’ provisions, it is not intended to require immediate mandatory compliance with (continued on page 14)

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ADAADVICE (continued from page 13)

the new provisions. For example: If my school has a swimming pool, as a Title II entity I am obligated to continually look at program access for classes/activities offered in the pool. (Any Title III building needs to maintain barrier removal.) If I have program access, I do not have to do anything. If I do not have program access and I decide to perform alteration to fix that, or if I just make alterations to the pool, I must follow the new requirements for pools in the 2010 ADA Standard. If I build a new pool, I must follow the new requirements for pools in the 2010 Standard. For swimming pools there are different entry options offered, such as zero level entry, transfer steps, ramps or mechanical chair lifts. The number of entry points and options depend upon the pool size and the type of pool. Large swimming pools may require two entry points, while lazy river pools may only need one entry point. Pools that are catchments for slides are exempted from providing accessible entry points: for that matter, water slides and diving boards are also exempted from accessibility.

feasible. With an aging population, that is where the largest market will be, so take advantage of those alterations, additions and new construction to make buildings more accessible for everyone! I am afraid I cannot end without a plug for the International Building Code (IBC). ICC is very proud that the IBC is referenced in the 2010 ADA Standard for accessible means of egress. Also, the 2010 ADA Standard and the IBC and ICC A117.1 are extensively coordinated. Coordination of the requirements in the codes and the federal accessibility provisions makes compliance easier for architects and contractors. After all, we are all aiming for the same goal.

These are just simple examples, and I am sure there are lots of "what if’s" that are not addressed, but there is not a mandate to totally retrofit by March 15, 2012. The idea is that over time existing buildings will become as accessible as technically

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The US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division has posted a new technical assistance document, entitled ADA 2010 Revised Requirements: Effective Date, Compliance Date on their website. The document is available in HTML format at: http://www.ada.gov/revised effective dates-2010.htm and in PDF format online at: http://www.ada.gov/revised effective dates-2010.pdf

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

847-733-0015 www.moshecal.com • Design of New or existing Buildings’ Modifications • • • • •

Resolutions of Building Code Violations Façade, Iron & Porch Inspections Evaluation of buildings’ Distresses & Accidents Consultants to Building, Fire & Police Dept’s. Peer & plan Reviews

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Featured Architects pages 16-18, 20-22, 24-26, 28-30

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Featured Architect

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Conrad + Nutt Studio is a full-service architecture firm and creative art studio owned by partners Marcy Conrad Nutt and James Nutt. Their workplace is a true studio environment where curiosity, collaboration, and innovative ideas are encouraged between the clients, designers, and construction team. As a company standard, C+N combines Building Information Modeling (utilizing 3D programs such as Revit and Sketch Up) with hand-made work (sketches and models). This combination of new and old, computer and craft, is a process that fosters an environment of creative solutions while also giving the clients of C+N perspective views of their project from the very beginning of the process. Both partners have a solid background of experience in diverse building types and client structure (private, developer, committee). Rather than follow the conventional business model of specialization in a limited range of functions, the studio is rooted in a cross-pollination approach to design. C+N values diversity in project type and believes that this approach leads to unique insights and crossover opportunities while avoiding stale and overused design solutions. The partners’ project experience covers singlefamily residences, multi-family residential buildings, interior office tenant outfits, smallscaled conference centers, a large music school, churches, a variety of specialty educational buildings, multiple libraries, retail, and restaurants. Conrad + Nutt Studio is passionate about small to medium sized commercial projects, researching and encouraging sustainable solutions, adaptive reuse opportunities, and all scales of residential needs. The firm is intentionally small and flexible to allow for a customized process to fit their client’s needs and direct relationship building between the partners and clients. Through careful listening and excellent communication, C+N solves practical problems with creative solutions. www.conradnuttstudio.com

All Photography by Marcy Conrad Nutt

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Café Republic: Coffee and Connection Minneapolis, Minnesota Our client approached us with a vision and a poem. He desired a unique café experience that promoted civic and community engagement through impromptu conversations with neighbor and barista, invited political speakers, and community meetings. The design response is a wood "soap box." This communal heart of the space acts as the ceiling, booth seating, community bookshelf, floor, and espresso bar. The oak strips are salvaged from locally damaged or diseased trees. To further send a message of caring for the community through design, other sustainable elements include discarded pipes upcycled into screens and post-consumer materials. Windows in the back overlook an urban food garden.

Featured Architect

The Sassy Pig Barbeque Restaurant in Blaine, Minnesota With a small budget and demanding schedule, two new restaurant owners needed to transform an existing Italian restaurant interior into their own unique brand identity. The owners and design team chose to reinterpret the usual cliché of BBQ restaurants. The materials typically found in old Southern BBQ joints such as weathered steel, knotty pine, and wire mesh were simplified in a fresh, fun, and deliberate manner. The colors are bright and warm, and the furnishings remain casual, evoking a summer picnic. The Sassy Pig is a modern, vibrant twist to a deeply historic, well-known restaurant typology.

Final sketch before construction

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Featured Architect

Kitchen: Old and New in Harmony Minneapolis, Minnesota The original kitchen was a tired combination of yellow plastic tiles, laminate counter, and vinyl flooring. The 8’ x 9’ space had inefficient cabinetry and few storage options. However, instead of starting from scratch, C+N was inspired by the unique, original, green-tinted woodwork. The upper cabinets remained and a new opening to the dining room was created with salvaged trim. The kitchen was revitalized with a palette of rich materials. A new buffet and a burst of ceiling color enhanced the dining room. The result was a harmonious joining of old and new, respectful of the 1939 era home.

Almost Furniture Small Moves of Beauty At C+N no project is too small, and some fantastic detailing can be created in interior remodels that boarder on furniture creation. One of our clients asked us to add an island and new lighting to their existing kitchen, while another desired an artisan upgrade to their ordinary downtown condominium bathroom. In both situations, C+N created unique details, carefully selected rich and sensible materials, and worked closely with the talented craftsmen selected for each job. In the kitchen, a cherry bar-height table is joined to the cream and rich brown working island. In the bathroom, new wall tiles and stainless steel bars compliment the linear lines of the cast concrete counter and sink.

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Featured Architect

Continuum Firm Profile In 1996, Falamak Nourzad, Ursula Twombly and Robert Barr formed Continuum Architects + Planners based on their diverse knowledge and professional experiences. They are committed to maintaining the firm’s medium size to better serve clients in a more personal environment. This vision of positive and personal architecture remains the bedrock of Continuum’s philosophy. Currently, the firm has 13 team members including 11 licensed or degreed architecture professionals with two administrative staff. Together, the team’s experiences, enthusiasm and determination are a dynamic combination well suited to addressing their clients’ needs in a variety of market types. It is Continuum’s belief that good architecture can affect a community’s quality of life. Well thought out, sustainable design can be a great source of pride to the community. They believe that architecture and the built environment play important roles in the way companies and building occupants are perceived by other members of the community, and that architecture needs to facilitate rather than discourage this important interaction. The design process should be an enjoyable experience for all participants, with emphasis on a highly interactive process in which client input is just as important as the firm’s professional expertise.

BISHOP’S CREEK FAMILY HOUSING Milwaukee, Wisconsin Project Description In a Milwaukee neighborhood, desperate for revitalization, a former tannery was the perfect spot to build affordable housing. After extensive site remediation, there was a lot of pressure on the design to fit into the part industrial, part residential neighborhood; create a high-end look without the high price; and eliminate the stigma of affordable housing.

Lobby connecting front and back entrances

Continuum accomplished these goals by designing a townhousestyle building with walk-up units and porches; urban landscape; and front and back entryways; all of which encourages social interaction and good caretaking. At the same time, the exterior complements its industrial neighbors through the use of heavy façade panels and metal touches. The three-story, 55-unit building contains two- and three-bedroom units with convenient features usually only found in luxury apartments such as dishwashers, microwaves, washer/dryer hookups, off-street parking, a playground, fitness center, and community room. The development received over 350 applicants.

All Photos by: Tricia Shay Photography

Front Entrance

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Featured Architect

MILWAUKEE JOB CORPS CENTER Milwaukee, Wisconsin Continuum transformed 25-acres of Milwaukee farmland into a community of learning for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program. The highly sustainable project consists of eight buildings totaling 155,000 square feet accommodating 300 students who stay on campus 24/7. The day campus includes an education and administration services while a central dining hall leads into the night campus that includes two dormitories and a recreation center.

Campus food service (Phil Weston)

Working within the limited $28 million budget, the team based the campus design on the patterns of a quilt to represent the diverse backgrounds of the students coming together to create a secure, warm environment meant to have a significant positive impact on their performance. Sustainable Design Objectives • Buildings will be 30% more energy efficient than typical facilities • Be 20% more efficient in water use • Use geothermal heating and cooling • Use hydronic heating • Incorporates natural daylight into all occupied spaces • Install low-flow toilet fixtures • Plant native prairie grasses that are low maintenance and need no irrigation • Establish rain gardens and storm water retention ponds to minimize run-off

Dining Hall Courtyard (Continuum Architects)

Dormitory common area (Phil Weston)

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Featured Architect

DIRECT SUPPLY Milwaukee, Wisconsin Project Description Direct Supply is a supply chain and e-commerce services company in Milwaukee that provides all the necessary products and associated services to run a skilled care or senior living facility. The company looked to Continuum to help them develop a ten-year master growth plan that involved designing infill buildings between their nine existing one-story masonry structures. The ultimate goal is to have sufficient office space for a total of 1,400 employees, a conference center, a fitness and wellness clinic, a highquality cafeteria, and an employee daycare facility. The first phase was the design of a three-story, 90,000 square-foot building for offices and employee gathering areas. The curved glass element, which holds large conference rooms, visually links the new and existing buildings.

Infill building

All Photos by: Greg Gent

Central Staircase

Conference center

PRAIRIE APARTMENTS Milwaukee, Wisconsin Project Description Continuum designed a new four-story, 24-unit apartment building to accommodate people transitioning from homelessness. Their goal was to develop a creative, cost-effective design to eliminate the stigma of placing supportive housing in residential neighborhoods. Although, the existing building could not meet the project’s needs, the foundation wall and concrete slab were reused to save money and gain creative points for LEED certification—the project eventually received Gold. Another creative choice was to apply the economical materials typically used for single-family homes to create unique textures and striking features similar to luxury apartments. Cement fiber board panels in three different height sizes create a modern pattern, while double-hung windows add drama to the corners of the building.

Front Entrance

All Photos by: Al Gartzke

Commons Area

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Featured Architect

Founded in 1985, Muller+Muller, Ltd. provides complete architectural services for a wide variety of projects types including municipal, transportation, educational, institutional, commercial and residential. Many of our projects include interior architecture design services which we also provide. With a large client base in the public / institutional sector we are often given the task of providing durable, interior spaces which can be constructed within strict budgets and do not project ostentation. This need not translate to mean bland space. We design interior workspace that meets these criteria but also provides attractive and enriching work environments for the user. We do this with great attention to planning and by careful use of material, color, surface, and light to gain the maximum advantage each can offer.

West Ridge Elementary School Chicago, IL

Client: Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC) Completed 2010 Prototype Design Architect: SMNG-A Architects

West Ridge Elementary School in Chicago was designed to achieve LEED Silver. The building maximizes exposure to day-lighting, good air quality, and optimal acoustics for an ideal learning / teaching environment. Muller+Muller integrated unique building interiors and sustainable features into the design within tight budget constraints. To enhance the individuality of the school, the long corridor floors were provided with educational terrazzo patterns. Three themes include a timeline tour of the American Presidency from Washington to Obama, the non-repeating mathematical constant value referred to as "pi" (π), and a scale version of our solar system. Each floor pattern was developed for use as a teaching tool, captivating the minds of students and teachers while also providing the space with exciting color and pattern.

Photographer: John Faier

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

Featured Architect

The French Pastry School Chicago, IL Client: The French Pastry School of Chicago Completed 2010 Expansion of the prestigious French Pastry School of Chicago included new offices and 4 new teaching kitchens. Administrative space includes contemporary open office furnishings, extensive natural light, and subtle use of color derived from the tones of pastries and candies. A kitchen designated for testing is visible through a glass wall from the administrative area providing a direct link to the core mission of the school. Teaching kitchens were designed to be efficient, flexible and easy to clean. They are visually simple with white walls contrasting with the high tech stainless steel equipment finishes. This allows the beauty and color of the student baking projects to become the focus of the space.

Photographer: Mark Ballogg

City Colleges of Chicago, District Offices Chicago, IL Client: City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) Completed 2010 Muller+Muller is currently designing a multiphase renovation of the City Colleges of Chicago’s 15 story District Office building in Downtown Chicago. The project includes master planning and interior design for all college administrative departments. The first new floor to come on line is a space designed for an administrative group tasked with ‘reinventing’ the college. Their space is open and visually exciting allowing for a high degree of flexibility and collaboration. Bold colors and contemporary open workstations encourage and promote a creative atmosphere which encourages interaction and dialogue. The completed CCC District Office will offer its users an energized and efficient work space with the use of bold color, refreshed finishes and logical planning.

Photographer: Mark Ballogg

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Featured Architect

Millennium Park Bicycle Station Chicago, IL Client: City of Chicago Department of Transportation Completed 2005 This facility was designed to provide amenities to bicycle commuters in Downtown Chicago. Much of the facility is below grade within the spectacular new Millennium Park. It includes storage for 300 bikes, shower and locker facilities, bike repair, rest rooms, and headquarters for the Chicago Lake Front Police. We used bright contemporary materials and surfaces to provide an exciting and inviting space. It is organized for ease of security and use. Entry is through a dramatic glass atrium. Dappled sunlight filters into the atrium through climbing vines. Translucent rooftop photo voltaic arrays create intricate patterns of light which stream through the glass ceiling. The result is a facility worthy of a journey’s end.

Photographer: Robert Murphy and Nathan Kirkman

NIU Center for Study of Family Violence Dekalb, IL Client: Northern Illinois University Completed 2004 This facility provides lecture rooms, offices, a visiting researcher apartment and flexible research space for an independent part of the Psychology Department of Northern Illinois University focusing on family behavioral research. Muller+Muller, Ltd. worked closely with the client to meet a very tight, four month design schedule mandated by funding sources. Driven by client needs, spaces are efficiently arranged to accommodate multiple types of research and lecture formats while promoting interaction among researchers. Elegant finishes such as wood veneer and fabric panels are strategically place for maximum impact providing the building with a contemporary professional environment.

Photographer: Hedrich Blessing

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Featured Architect

George DeWitt began working independently in London, England in 1988. Since then, his company has evolved (under several different names) into STUDIO DUO. His first independent project was Chubb Insurance’s European Headquarters in London. As a registered architect, George’s career up to that point had been focused on high-level corporate interiors while working for Gensler in San Francisco. From 1985 to 1990, he left Gensler to work overseas. He worked as an interior architect for an Australian architectural firm in Singapore for two years, then for an English firm in London. Returning to San Francisco in 1990, he reestablished his private practice to focus on residential interior design. Eight years later, George had the opportunity to design a Lake Michigan home (both outside and in) near Holland, Michigan. That project, along with several others, inspired a move to Grand Rapids, Michigan. There, George’s major focus became residential architecture and interior design, with the occasional corporate interiors project. In 2000, Brendan Van Stee partnered with George to create STUDIO DUO. George’s long client list (having spanned his 40 years as an architect and interior designer) includes the Chubb Europe office, three homes and an art gallery for actor Danny Glover and his family, and homes falling into the price range of $200,000 to well into the millions. For STUDIO DUO, every new home and remodel has involved both architecture and interior design, taking advantage of George’s multi-disciplined and international experiences combined with Brendan’s interior design expertise. Together, they meld the two disciplines to create truly cohesive results. STUDIO DUO’s tenet is, "We don’t have a look. We help our clients find theirs." By staying small, it is able to develop intimate relationships with its clients. As a result, its projects have spanned styles from contemporary to traditional to extremely eclectic; each custom tailored to its owner and its location.

Beecken Lake House on Lake Michigan Saugatuck, Michigan Description: 5,500 sq. ft., 5-bedroom, 51/2-bath residence on Lake Michigan. Full house design, exterior and interior. The client’s direction was for STUDIO DUO to create a new house to replace their existing lakefront cottage. Its look was to be inspired by the Hamptons-type "cape house," but to also reflect the mid-western location. The high-ceilinged, three floor completed interior has a feeling of humble richness, welcoming "coziness", and whimsy – expressing the personalities of its owners and every season of the year.

Photographer: Patrick Chambers

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Featured Architect

Chambers Residence Remodel Ada, Michigan Description: Remodel of a two floor 4-bedroom, 3-bath home on a five acre wooded lot. The client had lived in the house for many years, having made no substantial changes to it since he’d moved in. The house was built in the early 80’s and still had a generic suburban look throughout. At the start, the client had no idea what changes he wanted. In the end, the remodel included a large addition, a complete gut, and a design that reflected his quiet, sophisticated personality.

Chubb European Headquarters London, England Description: New corporate offices in the old, unusually configured Royal Mint Court. After designing Chubb’s new 11,000 sq. ft. UK headquarters on Fenchurch Street in the City of London, George DeWitt was asked to design the offices for their new European Headquarters in London’s Tower Hill district. The completed design reflected the more contemporary continental look of mainland Europe while also capturing the more international personality of Chubb Insurance. Its floor plan took advantage of the odd space and helped to create the highly organized atmosphere desired by the European Director.

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Featured Architect

Thornburg Residence Ada, Michigan Description: Complete gut and remodel of the interior of a 3-Bedroom, 21/2 Bath Residence The client had lived in the house for over a decade. Recent events in her life had left her single and unsure of herself. The house was a basic suburban residence with vaulted ceilings, painted white throughout, with white carpet, pink floor tiles and pink laminated cabinetry – not at all reflecting its owner. STUDIO DUO’s task was to help her find herself using the remodel of her house as the means toward that goal. The client’s Arizona roots and her interest in Asia were used to inspire the design of this truly personal home.

Photographer: Patrick Chambers

Van Wyk Risk & Financial Management Grand Rapids, Michigan Description: New corporate offices in East Grand Rapids. Van Wyk, having outgrown their neutral, "no personality" old offices, asked STUDIO DUO to create new offices that would help the staff and their clients better understand the success and grounded-ness of their company. This was accomplished by combining dark wood and traditional elements in a modern environment.

www.STUDIODUO.net

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Enter your projects in the

2011 ALA Design Awards Program Purpose To give professional recognition, to excellence in Design by selecting award recipients whose work exhibits the creative and aesthetic characteristics deemed relevant by their peers and associates and to foster adoption of this quality by the general public.

Eligibility All submittals must be completed works designed by ALA members. No entry may be submitted which has previously won an ALA or ICARA Design Award.

Awards Entries will be judged on their own merits based on: • • • •

Submittals

Categories

Program Solution Site and Space Planning Overall Design Solution Construction System and Details

Certificates will be presented in order that the Firm, Owner, Contractor and Developer may be recipients. The following awards will be issued: - Presidential Award (1) - Gold Medal Award - Silver Medal Award - Award of Merit

Entries shall be labeled in one of the following categories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Residential I - Single Family Homes Residential II - Multi Family Homes, Apts Commercial/Industrial Renovation Institutional Religious Unbuilt Design Interior Architecture

Jury/Judging The jury panel of five jurors will be composed of architects and other design professionals such as college professors, journalists, interior designers, etc. It will meet shortly after the submission deadline to evaluate and select the building projects to receive awards. Decisions of the jury shall be final. None of the jury members may submit entries for judging or be associated with a firm submitting entries.

Submittals Each entry must be submitted in the following manner. 1. Submit no less than one (1) or more than two (2) 20” X 20” boards, the composition of which shall be at the discretion of the entrant. 2. After Declaration of Intent, each participant will receive a detailed

Our Continuing Education Providers A listing of all the approved programs is available on our website at www.alatoday.org Please contact ALA Providers to present seminars at your office. • American Groundwater Trust • Brick Industry Association • CalStar Products, Inc. • Chicago Roofing Contractors • IMAGINiT Technologies • Kelly P. Reynolds & Associates, Inc.

• Passive House Midwest • Professional Products of Kansas • Schuyler, Roche & Crisham, P.C. • The Wood Products Council • Vectorworks

description of entry requirements by August 12th, 2011 to guide in the preparation of the boards. Minimum requirements will be enumerated along with accompanying information. 3. Boards and accompanying material must be received at ALA Headquarters by close of business on September 9th, 2011.

Award Winning Entries Award recipients will be requested to furnish additional photos or electronic versions for press releases and to display their boards at the Awards Banquet.

Presentation of Awards Certificates will be presented to applicants at the 2010 Awards Presentation Dinner on Friday, November 11, 2011 at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois. Clients are invited to attend along with entrants and guests. Additional certificates will be made available at the applicant’s request for a nominal fee.

Mark These Dates August 12, 2011: Declaration of Intent Sept. 9, 2011: Submission of Entries

In May more information will be sent and available on our Website:

www.alatoday.org

Become an ALA Education Provider!

ALA can offer you: ➣ Affordable provider rates ➣ Targeted market ➣ Increased visibility ➣ Added credibility ➣ Quality assurance

...Plus it’s easy and hassle free! Register now on our website at www.alatoday.org or call ALA Headquarters at 847-382-0630

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

CONTRIBUTEDARTICLE

Mediation and Arbitration 101 for Architects by Gary L. Cole, ALA, AIA, Esq.

[Author’s note: Nothing in the following article should be construed as legal or business opinions or advice. Readers should always consult their legal or business professionals for specific advice and information.]

ith civil litigation’s rising costs, mediation and arbitration are growing in popularity as potentially quicker and more cost-effective alternative dispute resolution forums. Architects who incorporate well-considered mediation and arbitration clauses into their service agreements may have an advantage over those who don’t, and who later find themselves embroiled in costly and protracted litigation. Mediation and arbitration, however, differ fundamentally in their approaches and some conflicts may be better resolved in one forum over the other.

“Like any negotiation, successful mediation is dependent on the parties’ good faith in seeking a mutually agreeable resolution to their dispute.”

Mediation Basics Broadly speaking, mediation is a more informal dispute resolution process than arbitration in which a neutral party – a mediator – assists two or more parties in reaching a negotiated settlement on their own. Mediation is private, confidential and generally nonbinding, unless a settlement agreement is entered into by the disputing parties. Many contracts, especially design and construction agreements, contain requirements that parties attempt to resolve any disputes through mediation as a prerequisite to pursing arbitration and/or litigation. Mediation can occur though a process known as facilitative mediation, in which parties propose their own solutions and a mediator serves more to facilitate productive communication toward reaching a settlement. Or, when requested by all parties, the mediator may express an opinion regarding a possible solution in a process known as evaluative mediation.

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But mediation has its limits. Like any negotiation, successful mediation is dependent on the parties’ good faith in seeking a mutually agreeable resolution to their dispute. But as a practical matter it’s unlikely that disputing parties will approach mediation with exactly the same conciliatory attitude, so it’s the mediator’s role to facilitate and maintain a productive dialogue with that goal in mind.

“In disputes where parties are unlikely to arrive at a mutually agreed upon solution to their dispute, arbitration may be the better forum”

Arbitration Basics In disputes where parties are unlikely to arrive at a mutually agreed upon solution to their dispute, arbitration may be the better forum. Arbitration’s proceedings are more formal than mediation, but typically less so than civil litigation. However, unlike mediation, disputes in arbitration are not resolved by the parties, but by a neutral – an arbitrator - (or sometimes a tribunal of arbitrators), who, in the case of binding arbitration, renders a binding judgment, much like a judge in traditional litigation. Arbitration is generally conducted through a formal hearing in which the arbitrator hears the arguments of the disputing parties. In advance of the hearing, the parties and the arbitrator conduct one or more conference calls to agree on the date of the hearing, discovery scope, deadlines and other relevant issues. Discovery may include subpoenas for the production of documents and witnesses to appear at the hearing for examination and cross-examination. Following the hearing, which can be accomplished in as little as a day, the arbitrator may request additional information from the parties. Once all post-hearing issues are resolved, he will then render his judgment, known as an award. And, absent a clear showing of factors such as an invalid arbitration agreement, or corruption, fraud, partiality, or misconduct by the arbitrator, it’s extremely unlikely that an award will be vacated if appealed. Mediation and Arbitration in Architectural Practice Like every business, architecture is vulnerable to disputes, some foreseeable, many not. It’s possible for an architect to have a long and productive practice and never be drawn into a legal conflict.

Unfortunately, architects, like other professionals, sometimes make mistakes. But even when not at fault, absent a contractual requirement for mediation and/or arbitration, proving so may require architects to first endure lengthy and expensive legal battles. But as the saying goes: "The best defense is a good offense," and architects should consider understanding how to plan properly for disputes using mediation and arbitration clauses in their contracts and service agreements. Contracts and Service Agreements It’s rarely a good idea to provide architectural services without a written contract, whether it’s an industry-standard form agreement, something home-grown, or even a letter agreement. And even so, some architects focus more on an agreement’s business terms that affect them in the present: scope of work, deliverables, fees, etc.; than the risk management provisions that may affect them in the future, such as insurance, limitations of liability, warranties, indemnities – and, of course – mediation and arbitration clauses. An agreement for professional services can be thought of in two ways: (1) as a business plan for governing the interaction between parties working together toward a defined outcome; and/or, (2) a pre-arranged battle plan in the event a dispute arises. And it’s a mistake to think that just because a dispute doesn’t arise between the time of a contract’s execution and a project’s completion that it never will. Statues of limitations can extend the period of potential legal liability for many years. All services architects provide harbor potential disputes; every well-drafted agreement for services ensures that some protections against disputes are in place. But regardless of the type of owner-architect agreement used, it’s important to remember that a form is just a form and can be modified nearly any way that’s agreeable to parties in an arm’s length transaction. This includes whether and how agreements provide for mediation or arbitration. Industry-standard form owner-architect agreements often contain carefully crafted dispute provisions. For example, the Association for Licensed Architect’s (ALA) OA3-2002 Short Form Owner/Architect Agreement provides in relevant part: "Should any claim arise between the Owner and Architect, the parties agree to submit such claim to mediation, as a condition precedent to litigation. Mediation shall be conducted by and under the rules of the Association of Licensed Architects, unless the parties mutually agree otherwise. Should the parties fail to resolve the claim through mediation, the claim may then be litigated." [Section 9.0] Notice that the parties are required to try and resolve their dispute through mediation as a condition precedent (prerequisite) to litigation. And I say try because mediation may fail – the parties may not come to an agreement – in which case the drafters of the ALA’s form agreement wisely skipped requiring arbitration as a prerequisite to litigation. I say wisely because the threat of litigation can be a powerful motivator for the parties to amicably settle their disputes in mediation. But even if mediation fails, and absent an express requirement to arbitrate in their

contract, disputing parties can generally still agree to pursue binding arbitration. Factors When Considering Mediation or Arbitration Proper planning is the key to having control over the forum used to resolve a dispute. As discussed above, absent contractual provisions that require parties to mediate or arbitrate, or some later agreement to do so, most irreconcilable disputes stand a good chance of ending up in court. In preparing contractual mediation and arbitration clauses, there are a number of factors that architects should consider, with a few of them as follows: • What’s the likely nature of any dispute? • Is it likely, or even desirable, that a business relationship with the other party be salvaged in the event of a dispute? • What’s the best venue (location) for the mediation or arbitration? • What specific rules should govern the mediation or arbitration? • Who selects the mediator or arbitrator? • What’s the timeframe for commencing and completing the mediation or arbitration? • What are the associated costs and fees? • What professional experience is required of a mediator or arbitrator, including the extent of their understanding of design and construction issues? This last consideration is one of the most important - whether a mediator or arbitrator has the proper training and experience in design and construction matters to understand the complexities of a construction-related dispute. Even a dispute as seemingly straightforward as breach of contract for nonpayment may require a mediator or arbitrator to understand not just whether an architect delivered the services they contracted to provide, but whether the non-payment occurred because of alleged defective design work, improper execution by the contractor, other factors, or a combination of all. How effective will a mediator be in helping the parties reach an agreement, or how effective will an arbitrator be in rendering a fair award, if they’re unable to grasp the substance and subtleties of the parties’ claims because of a lack of knowledge and experience in the design and construction industries? There’s no way for architects to completely prevent disputes from ever occurring, but handled correctly during contract preparation, mediation and arbitration may provide quicker and more cost effective solutions than traditional litigation, and architects can get back to the business they’re best at – designing and building. About the Author: Gary L. Cole AIA, ALA, Esq. is Chicago-based Illinois and Floridalicensed attorney and Illinois-licensed architect. He practices design & construction, real estate, preservation and accessibility law, is a Certified Mediator and on the roster of Mediators for the Association of Licensed Architects, and is a member of the Roster of Neutrals for the American Arbitration Association’s Construction Division. His website is at www.lawarkbuilding.com.

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

LEGALISSUES

Legal Services for Architects (Referred by ALA Chapter Boards)

Illinois

Minnesota

Helping design professionals find creative, common sense solutions to their legal problems.

Wisconsin

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

(Continued from page 8)

company. Finally, the court expressly stated that the failure by Admiral to afford Wegman the chance to trigger excess coverage was a harm which is protected by the insurer’s obligation of good faith and which is grounds for a claim for breach of that duty. When faced with the peril of personal exposure to a judgment for more than the limits of its insurance coverage, a professional design firm may be able to insist that its insurance company either settle the case within policy limits, if at all possible, and/or allow that design firm to choose its own defense attorney, on the insurance company’s dime. In addition, there are other recent cases suggesting that, once defense counsel of the insured’s own choosing has been selected, the insurer cannot force that attorney to accept the company’s lower, panel counsel rates and further cannot likely force that attorney to adhere to the company’s own defense counsel guidelines.3 These recent cases, viewed both separately and in light of each other, provide some strong leverage for a party facing a potentially catastrophic claim to persuade its insurance carrier to do everything within its power to avoid such an outcome. For those architects facing such personal exposure, they should not hesitate to consult their own, personal attorneys, in addition to assigned panel counsel, to make sure that the obligations owed by their respective insurance carriers are met.■

“Because the insurance company controls the defense, its duty includes not only hiring defense counsel, but also keeping itself informed of the circumstances of the litigation, as necessary, so that it will be in a position to act on settlement offers.”

Insurance companies generally have what they call “panels,” i.e., lists of “approved” attorneys, meaning approved by the insurance company itself, to handle claims of a certain type. It is from these lists that attorneys are selected by insurance adjusters to represent architects and engineers once a claim is brought and must be defended.

Docket no. 09-2022 (7th Cir. Jan. 14, 2011)

See American Serv. Ins. v. China Ocean Shipping, 402 Ill. App. 3d 513, 530, 932 N.E.2d 8, 24 (1st Dist. 2010) (quoting Taco Bell v. Continental Cas., 388 F.3d 1069, 1077 (7th Cir. 2004): “We add that the duty to defend would be significantly undermined if an insurance company could, by the facile expedient of hiring an audit firm to pick apart a law firm’s billing, obtain an evidentiary hearing on how much the insured’s defense costs it had to reimburse.”).

Association of Licensed Architects Continuing Education

Integrating High Definition Laser Scans with Building Information Modeling by Beau Turner, Director of Business Development, IMAGINiT Technologies

Learning Objective: Understand how HD laser scanning can improve the accuracy of building information modeling, leading to greater design and construction accuracy and efficiency.

Summary As more and more building design projects commonly incorporate renovations, refurbishments or retrofits and require building information modeling (BIM) as part of the design process, architectural firms are looking for ways to leverage new laser scanning technologies to rapidly develop accurate 3D models of existing environments. Historically, integrating data from HD laser scanners with BIM has been an onerous, time-consuming task. A new software application has made it possible to directly import point cloud information into BIM-compliant software such as Autodesk Revit to create highly precise building models. BIM enables analysis of accurate data and models that markedly demonstrate improved accuracy in design, fabrication and construction, which was simply not possible in the past. From a business standpoint, architectural firms will now be able to supply clients with accurate data to be used throughout the building lifecycle process which will result in saving both them and their client money by eliminating multiple downstream reworks. Retrofits and Refurbishment Projects Drive the Need for Accurate As-builts Current economic realities dictate that for the next 10 to 20 years, most "new" mid-sized building projects will likely consist of refurbishing or retrofitting existing structures. Whether to save money in tough economic times, increase safety, preserve historic buildings, or achieve green design goals such as LEED certification, brownfield projects require accurate knowledge of the existing built environment to underpin accurate modification. The data produced by the building information modeling process is powerful because it allows almost every decision about a building's construction to be conceptualized during the design phase. Because building information modeling is practically a requirement these days, the question of how best to create a building model for an existing structure arises. Generating an accurate rendering for design, structural and MEP purposes from CAD as-builts and site observations can be time-consuming and therefore costly. Using tape measure and note books, field personnel can bring back enough data points to

construct a model from scratch, but the old adage of garbage in, garbage out applies here. Even the best physical measurements will produce an inaccuracy, which means model accuracy will suffer as well. As a result, object validation often requires multiple site visits. Furthermore, most projects that begin with tape measurements record two dimensions, not three – all but eliminating the hope of efficiently generating an accurate building model on time and within budget. With improvements to high definition scanning (HDS), there is an alternative. Laser Scanning Established in Other Industries Established in civil engineering over the last 10 years, HD laser scanning allows survey professionals to generate accurate models of structures or terrain for new roads, bridges and other civil projects. The benefits include increased survey safety, fewer site visits and reduced staff requirements. At the same time, the work produced using scanners is far more accurate than using traditional triangulation.

Figure 1. High Definition Laser Scanners have been used with success by civil engineers for over a decade.

In the manufacturing industry, HD laser scanners have been used to define existing walls, lines, robot placements, etc. in order to more effectively design new assembly lines in existing facilities. Due to the complexity and sophistication of assembly line processes, scanning technology allows designers to place new ‘virtual assembly lines’ inside an existing, digitized environment to detect any interferences between new equipment and existing structures. Faced with a higher proportion of renewal projects and the requirement to deliver BIM-compliant data to their clients, the architectural community is beginning to use HD laser scanning for similar reasons. (Continued on page 36)

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Association of Licensed Architects Continuing Education (Contnued from page 35)

Figure 2. The scanner can aim its laser beam in a wide range; as its head rotates horizontally, a mirror flips vertically. The laser beam is used to measure the distance to the first object on its path. The scanner captures each ‘point cloud’ in a digital environment that can be imported to an application for modeling.

Laser Scanning and Point Cloud Development HD laser scanners bounce laser light off of objects to collect digital data on shape and appearance including color and reflectivity. 3D scanners are similar to cameras. They can only collect information about objects that are not obscured. While a

Figure 3. High Definition laser scanning for architectural purposes allows designers to work with more accuracy. This point cloud of a church will form the basis of a BIM model.

camera collects color information about surfaces within its field of view, 3D scanners collect distance information about surfaces within their field of view. The data produced by a 3D scanner describes the distance to a surface at each point in the picture. The latest scanners not only capture digital points, but also take photographs of the same area for later reference. For most situations, a single scan will not produce a complete

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

model. Multiple scans, from different directions are usually required to obtain information about all objects of interest in a built environment. Multiple scans have to be brought into a common reference system, a process that is usually called alignment or registration, and then merged to create a complete model. This whole process, going from the single range map to the whole model, is known as the 3D scanning pipeline. Laser scanning has come a long way. The latest HD scanners are able to capture 50,000 data points per second – including geometry for non-linear objects. They can accumulate billions of points in a few minutes. Scanners output a form of data called a "Point Cloud". A point cloud is a massive set of vertices in a three-dimensional coordinate system. These vertices are defined by x, y, z coordinates, and represent the external surface of objects. Scanning allows design and structural geometry from sites to be extracted in hours versus days…and at much more accurate levels. Taking Accurate Scans Means Developing an Accurate Model Accuracy for as-built models is of great importance because no building in the real world is perfect. Construction for retrofits in particular requires as much data as possible regarding imperfections in current conditions. For example, how level is the floor? In what way is it not level? How much is it off by in a given location? Laser scans can help designers understand these realities to ensure that when new fabrications are ready for construction, they integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure. The more accurate the model, the more precise design and construction, and the less time and money wasted on expensive, onsite rework. Taking as-built measurements using tape measures and notebooks can result in tolerances from a few inches to two feet or more -- depending on the size of a project. In addition, this method most often results in a relatively simple 2D line drawing. By comparison, the tolerances produced when using HD laser scanning are within sixteenths of an inch and generate a 3D model that includes accurate structural deformations. To properly capture as-built information, scanner configuration is key. And it is not always simple. Depending on the project, the number of scans and scanner positions required to identify key objects should be planned in advance. For example, piping field staff will need several scans from different angles and will likely need to remove ceiling tiles in order to access HVAC ducts and service corridors. An interior scan can take from 15 to 30 minutes, while a wide angle outdoor scan may take between 30 and 60 minutes a scan including set up depending on complexity. In buildings such as airports, manufacturing sites and industrial facilities, supporting columns, beams and trusses are often exposed and the laser scanner can "see" them and immediately collect their x,y,z coordinate information into the point cloud. If structural columns and beams are not exposed,

Association of Licensed Architects Continuing Education

field personnel can scan ceiling spaces to obtain supporting column, truss and cross member information. In some cases, surveyors may not only have to scan, they might also have to perform on-site inspection to identify specific architectural elements, using non-destructive methods to locate beams or other hidden structures. In either case, starting with HD laser scans means these actions are taken more for validation than model creation. Scanning can dramatically reduce the amount of time spent in design coordination against existing conditions and pays real dividends during the construction administration phase with reduced requests for information. At an investment of $40,000 to $160,000 for the least expensive and most expensive units, laser scanners are a significant investment. There are three ways for firms to approach obtaining accurate scans: 1. Contract with an experienced partner to perform the work and deliver either a point cloud and the photos, or a complete BIM model. 2. Rent a scanner to start performing the scanning work, without incurring the large equipment costs associated with ownership. You will need someone familiar with scanning in order to obtain accurate scans. 3. Purchase your own scanner and develop scanning expertise in-house. Creating a BIM Model from a Point Cloud After HD scanning, the design team still has to work with the digital points in a point cloud that do not represent built geometry (i.e.; no surfaces or geometry). Up until recently, the process of identifying geometry in a point cloud, to building a model in Revit has been an arduous, time-consuming task that often required many complicated steps. Here’s a brief description of this common and all too complex path from cloud to model: From a typical Leica HD scanner, the point cloud needs to be

Figure 4. The long and winding path to converting a point cloud to a Revit model. Nevertheless, firms saw the advantages and would go to the trouble to integrate point clouds into BIM.

‘registered’ using Leica Cyclone software. Next, the file could go to Leica Truview or Leica CloudWorx and on to other geometry recognition software tools which help to identify the points that make up walls, ducts, pipes, and structural members. Firms tend to use two to four of these other applications, which vary in cost. These tools help users work the point cloud into real geometry and then export that to an Autodesk AutoCAD .dwg file format. From there they would port the AutoCAD data into Revit for use as a reference and remodel the building using native geometry and objects in Revit. Then the Revit model would be exported again to Navisworks in order to look at the original point cloud against the new Revit model. Several iterations would occur between CloudWorx and the geometry extraction software and then more back and forth between Revit and Navisworks. This made getting an accurate model in Revit a long, expensive and resource-intensive process. One obvious problem this complexity creates is communicating changes across the entire building team. Typically more than one person works on this workflow and all the back and forth introduces communication chain complexities that tend to breakdown. Team members need to know exactly which item needs to change and in what way as the point cloud progresses slowly toward a 3D model in Revit. Despite this complexity, to take advantage of the increased accuracy from HD laser scans and exploit the benefits of BIM, firms have persisted along this long and winding road because it was the only way forward. Thankfully new technologies are taking some of the curves out of that road. A Welcome Shortcut: Direct Scan to BIM As scanning technology and BIM converge, the process of conversion from point cloud to model is still widely recognized as a significant undertaking. Even the Government Services Administration (GSA), with their announcement of over $180 million in scanning funding, sees the value that it brings, but is nevertheless still concerned about how many dollars per square foot that accuracy costs to produce. To help, scanner technology has steadily improved and price points for entry have dropped. So too has the software that processes point clouds to populate modeling applications for design, structural and MEP work. Matt Mason, Director of Software Figure 5. New streamlined process Development at IMAGINiT Technologies using Scan to BIM Addsays, "We realized that if modeling in to Revit (Continued on page 38)

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Association of Licensed Architects Continuing Education (Contnued from page 37)

software could read a point cloud directly, designers could perform conversions more easily, eliminating much of the workflow complexity by collapsing many steps into one." Mason’s team built an application called Scan to BIM that does just that. Scan to BIM software imports industry standard .pts and .ptx point clouds and allows Revit to visualize and interact with the point clouds. By storing the point cloud as a separate database and using a plug-in to Revit that calls only the points necessary for each view, the solution eliminates the tendency for models to bloat in file size. The Revit add-in recognizes geometry and performs tasks like "build" a wall to start working from the point cloud to create a full blown model directly from laser scans with a small amount of input/review from the user. Similarly the application can recognize piping and ductwork and build them into the model as well. The process of creating reference line work, also called construction lines, is one that most users will be able to translate from the process above. Scan to BIM allows designers to select a few references from the point cloud directly inside Revit 2011. From these references designers can actually generate walls without the need for reference line work. The Figure 6. Scan to BIM allows designers to "grow a wall" from a point cloud based on adjustable planar tolerances. Here a application designer can select a few points and then tell the application analyzes to place a wall based on those points. selected points and will "grow", or extend a wall object by searching the cloud top to bottom, left to right, to find where points on the same plane stop and start. Then designers can view the new object, make any adjustments if needed and place geometry in that location i.e.; walls, pipes, ducts, etc. Working from Reality Improves Accuracy and Efficiency AEC firm, The Beck Group recently produced a BIM model from their HD laser scans to support the $9.5 million restoration, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the historic Hinman Research Building at Georgia Tech’s College of Architecture. The Beck Group used Scan to BIM to create a construction-level model that would enable the various stakeholders during design and construction to conceptualize and visualize the entire building process. By adhering to a BIM process they would ensure that stakeholders were armed with data required to make informed business decisions while

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

meeting project timelines within defined budget limitations. Working from ‘reality’ on the desktop reduced the amount of time needed to go back to the Figure 7. The application automatically selects the points in a field for constant plane within the tolerance settings and assigns them to the feedback. On the new object – "wall" Georgia Tech project this meant that Beck could produce highly accurate fabrication drawings for difficult to model objects. They maintained historical integrity by fabricating extremely intricate millwork relating to stairs that were close to a hundred years old in which nothing was plumb or true, based on the models from laser scans. Because the Beck team started with laser scans, they knew exactly where walls were not square with steps, how far away from true they were with each other and how ceilings and walls interfaced down to a very fine tolerance. What this accuracy allowed them to do was to create millwork fabrication drawings for staircase millwork right from the model. In this case they created an assembly from incredibly accurately sized pieces as determined in the building model. The final installed work was within sixteenths of an inch of the original, aged staircase. This level of accuracy was previously not possible and Beck avoided weeks of potential re-work and saved precious installation time. Upon project completion, Beck will provide Georgia Tech’s facilities management team with the complete BIM model that will allow them to monitor and manage the building’s performance over its entire lifetime. As laser scanner technology and conversion software improve, the challenge to integrate HD laser scans with building information modeling becomes a significant opportunity. The move toward HD laser scanning to BIM will drive new techniques and designs for building preservation and architectural renewal projects, as well as energy and seismic retrofits. Beau Turner - BTurner@rand.com Beau Turner is a recognized industry speaker on building information modeling, building industry trends and visualization solutions. He has made hundreds of presentations and worked with hundreds of AEC companies seeking to implement best practices and technologies. IMAGINiT Technologies IMAGINiT Technologies www.imaginit.rand.com is a division of Rand Worldwide, a global leader in providing technology solutions to organizations with engineering design and information technology requirements. Customers include organizations in the building, infrastructure, manufacturing and facilities management industries.

Association of Licensed Architects Continuing Education

ALA Continuing Education Questionnaire -

Integrating High Definition Laser Scans with Building Information Modeling Learning Objectives: After taking this course, the reader will understand how HD laser scanning can improve the accuracy of building information modeling, leading to greater design and construction accuracy and efficiency. 2. How does a laser scanner work? a. By bouncing laser light off objects to identify surface points b. By beaming laser light through objects to determine their density

Program Title:

Integrating High Definition Laser Scans with Building Information Modeling ALA/CEP Credit: This article qualifies for 1.0 HSW LU of State Required Learning Units and may qualify for other LU requirements. (Valid through March 2013.) Instructions: • Read the article using the learning objectives provided. • Answer the questions. • Fill in your contact information. • Sign the certification. • Submit questions with answers, contact information and payment to ALA by mail or fax to receive credit.

QUIZ QUESTIONS

3. How should small to mid-sized firms approach generating HD Scans? a. Rent a scanner and develop inhouse survey expertise b. Contract with a survey team to perform scans and supply equipment c. Purchase a scanner and develop in-house survey expertise 4. Point Clouds from HD Scanners consist of: a. x, y coordinates b. x, y, z coordinates c. x, y, z coordinates plus color and reflectivity information 5. A modern HD scanner can accumulate how many points per second? a. 10,000 b. 20,000 c. 50,000 d. 100,000

1. What industries have made use of high definition laser scanning successfully? a. Automotive b. Manufacturing c. Mining d. Civil Engineering

6.) Revit can import point cloud information directly with the Scan to BIM plug-in. a. True b. False

Contact Information:

First Name:

Middle Initial:

10. The accuracy/tolerance of the point cloud is measured as: a. Less than a 1/4 inch b. 1 inch c. 1 foot

■ Please send me a certificate of completion (required by certain states & organizations) that I may submit.

Fax: 847-382-8380 Address: Association of Licensed Architects, 22159 N. Pepper Road, Ste. 2N, Barrington, IL 60010 Attn: ALA/CEP Credit

Address: City:

Expiration Date:

9. What are the benefits of integrating HD laser scans with BIM-enabled software? a. Improved construction accuracy b. Improved ability to visualize new designs c. Reduced rework in the field d. Faster time to model e. All of the above

Your test will be scored. Those scoring 80% or higher will receive 1 LU HSW Credit.

Firm Name:

Credit Card No:

8. What does a .pts or .ptx file extension stand for? a. Point cloud b. Revit drawing c. Navisworks file

PAYMENT: ALA/CEP Credit or Certificate of Completion: Cost: $15 (ALA Members) $20 (non-members) ■ Check or ■ Credit Card

Last Name:

Tel.:

7. Using the Scan to BIM add-in, you can create the following from the point clouds: a. Reference/construction linework b. Walls, curtain walls c. Duct, piping d. All of the above

State: E-Mail:

(VISA or MASTERCARD only)

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Certification: (Read and sign below) I hereby certify that the above information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and that I have complied with the ALA Continuing Education Guidelines for the reported period. Signature:

Date:

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

ALA Awards Banquet Friday, November 12, 2010 ne hundred thirty-seven architects, building professionals, clients and guests attended ALA’s annual banquet at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, IL on Friday, November 12th to honor the 2010 Design Award Winners. The elegant Medinah Country Club with its history of architectural style provided a spectacular setting for this special evening. Attendees were treated to a gourmet dinner, graceful harpist music and participation in the recognition of architectural excellence and outstanding contributions to the profession. Attendees viewed the boards of all 114 entries during a cocktail reception generously hosted by: Chicago Plastering Institute, Chicagoland Roofing Council, IMAGINiT Technologies, Marvin Windows and Doors, Masonry Advisory Council, M.G. Welbel & Associates, Willis A&E and WoodWorks. The Music Underwriter for the evening was Andersen Windows and Doors. ALA President, Steven Pate, FALA introduced this year’s Master of Ceremonies, Geoffrey Baer, who is the Emmy Awardwinning producer for WTTW Channel 11. Mr Baer is best known for the popular "TV Tours" he writes and hosts for WTTW. These programs highlight the architecture and history of the Chicago area. His architectural insights and humor were enjoyed throughout the evening. Mr. Baer opened the program by introducing the 2010 Board of Directors and Executive Director, Peg McLean who recapped ALA’s impressive accomplishments for the year. Peg, who retired at the

close of 2010, was presented with an engraved plaque and bouqet of flowers by Steve Pate in appreciation of her outstanding commitment and service to ALA. James Zahn, FALA, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Steve Pate for his dedicated leadership as President of the ALA National Board of Directors for the past eight years. Norman Lach, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Architectural Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, received the Fellowship Award for his numerous contributions to the association. After dinner the 2010 Design Award Program winners were recognized. The Gold Medal, Silver Medal and Merit certificates were awarded to architects from Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. ALA thanks the distinguished and discriminating panel of judges who gave their time and expertise in selecting the winners. The 2010 judges were: August Battaglia, FAIA, FGM Architects; Lynn Bichler, ALA, Lynn Bichler Architects; Garret Michael Eakin, Garret Michael Eakin, Architect; Howard M. Hirsch, ALA, AIA, LEED AP, Hirsch Associates, LLC and Matt Kramer, ALA, MKA Design Studio. It was an evening to be remembered for how far the Association of Licensed Architects has come and how far they will continue to go with the support and participation of its members. A special thank you to the Design Award Committee: Jury Chairperson LeRoy Herbst, FALA; Assistant Jury Chairperson: Richard Barnes, ALA; Steven Pate, FALA; Peg McLean and Kay Rennels.

Guests enjoyed a wonderful reception

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

Winner of Gold & Presidential Awards

Presidential Award Todd DePaul, Steve Cavanaugh, ALA, Dennis Bane, Dr. Kathryn Birkett,

DLR DLR DLR DLR

Group Group Group Group

Gold Award Winners Mark Kluemper, Myefski Architects, Inc.

Steve King, INVISION Architecture Mark Nevenhoven, INVISION Architecture

John Fricano, Nuazio Fricano, Fricano Construction Jacob Wahler, Peter Nicholas, Nicholas Clark Architects, Ltd.

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

Phil Blackwell, First United Methodist Church Susan Turner, Bailey Edward Architecture Robin Whitehurst, Bailey Edward Architecture

Spero Valavanis, ALA, AIA, LEED AP, Design Organization, Inc.: Architects

William Warner, ALA, Carr Warner Architects, Inc. Richard Carr, Carr Warner Architects, Inc.

Silver Award Winners David Steele, Muller & Muller

James Gould, Johnson Lasky Architects Larry Lasky, Johnson Lasky Architects

Scott Davis, Plunkett Raysich Architects

Mary Case, University of Illinois at Chicago Angela Lee, Bailey Edward Architecture Wendy Wagoner, University of Illinois at Chicago Ellen Dickson, ALA, Bailey Edward Architecture

Juli Ordower, SMNG-A Architects, Ltd. Todd Niemiec, SMNG-A Architects, Ltd.

Jonathan Scoll, Barbara Scoll, Muller & Muller William Conway, ALA; Marcy Schulte, Conway & Schulte

Jacob Wahler, Nicholas Clark Architects, Ltd. Peter Nicholas, Nicholas Clark Architects, Ltd.

Robert Nickola, ALA, Jaeger, Nickola & Associates, Ltd. Monsignor Daniel Mayall, Holy Name Cathedral Greg Veith, Archdiocese of Chicago Brian Ward, Ward Contracting

Tom Feldmann, INVISION Architecture Mark Nevenhoven, INVISION Architecture

Roland Ganter, INVISION Architecture Eric Ritland, INVISION Architecture

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

Merit Award Winners Peter J. Bolek, AIA Holzheimer Bolek+Meehan Architects

Louise Kowalczyk, ALA SRBL Architects

Ryan Ven Huizen SRBL Architects

John Freshnock, AIA, LEED AP Williams Spurgeon Kuhl & Freshnock Architects

Roc Roney, Crescent Rock, Inc. Laura Wallace, Sullivan Goulette & Wilson Lew Wilson, ALA, Sullivan Goulette & Wilson

Dan Roszkowski, Larson & Darby Group Chris Anderson, Larson & Darby Group

Grant Currier, Linden Group, Inc. Greta Keranen, Linden Group, Inc. Michael Matthys, Linden Group, Inc.

LICENSED ARCHITECT • VOL 15 NO. 1 • SPRING 2011

Mary Martin, Myefski Architects, Inc. Mark Kluemper, Myefski Architects, Inc.

Marta Gazda-Auskainis, SMNG-A Architects, Ltd. Todd Niemiec, SMNG-A Architects, Ltd.

Margaret McCurry, ALA, FAIA, Tigerman McCurry Architects Jeremy Hinton, Tigerman McCurry Architects

Scott Davis Plunkett Raysich Architects

ALANEWS Norman Lach, FALA, received the designation of Fellow at the 2010 Design Award Banquet. Norm has been a member of ALA since 1997. He is the Program Director and Assistant Professor of Architectural Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Norm has been a loyal supporter of ALA and in 2003 received the ALA Educator of the Year Award. He is a member of the Illinois Licensing Board, serves on the Illinois AIA Board of Directors and is the IDP Illinois State Coordinator. Also, he is a member of the Construction Specification Institute and the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute. In addition to these activities, Norm is respected and admired by his students for his dedication and compassionate guidance. The designation of "Fellow" is granted to members who have been a member of ALA for a minimum of 10 years, have shown evidence of exemplary service to the association and whose application is approved by a majority vote of the Executive Board. ALA congratulates Norm for all of his accomplishments and we look forward to working together in the future. Norm Lach, FALA, receives the Fellowship Award from Peg McLean, ALA Executive Director.

ALA Welcomes New Members - Spring 2011 Professional Members Mr. Daryl Atchley Mr. Angelo Biondi, ALA Mr. Michael Bonick, ALA Mr. Michael Breseman, ALA Mr. Jonathan Cecelia, ALA Mr. Mark Dye, ALA Mr. Matthew Dzik, ALA Mr. Michael Eggen, ALA Ms. Daniela Fitzgerald, ALA Mr. Mark Allen Garzon, ALA Ms. Susan Johnson, ALA Mr. Yiwei Liu, ALA Ms. Jeanne Marker, ALA Ms. Elizabeth McNicholas Ms. Elissa Morgante, ALA Mr. James Nutt, ALA Mr. Kevin Oldland, ALA Ms. Jennifer Pack, ALA Mr. James Prisby, ALA Ms. Deena Roumeliotis, ALA Mr. Carl Rudenborg, ALA

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ALACHAPTERS ALAWISCONSIN ALA-Wisconsin LinkedIn On Tuesday, December 7th 2010, ALA-WI members became acquainted with "The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success". Wayne Breitbarth, President of M&M Office Interiors, Inc. also known as the "LinkedIn Guru", presented this program. In our current trying economic times, networking and communicating with other professionals is essential to our business practices. The Internet is an important tool in this process. This program helped us to know how to build a network of business professionals on the world's business social networking site for finding customers, suppliers, employees and jobs and virtually network with business professionals on events, information and connections that can help accomplish all business related goals. All attendees received valuable information as well as enjoying a great social hour and a delicious Mexican buffet dinner.

Photo: Wayne Breitbarth presenting program.

ALA-WI Schedule of Future Events April 20, 2011 – Tour of SWEET WATER ORGANICS, a transformed abandoned industrial building into a showcase of potential living technologies and urban agriculture. Aquaponics in the City, sustainable urban farming. Raising tilapia and perch in re-circulating systems for sale in the local markets and grown vegetation including lettuce and tomatoes using the fish waste as a natural fertilizer for plant growth. June 15, 2011 – Tour of Johnson Controls, Inc. Headquarters Campus, Glendale, WI. This 33-acre complex includes 306,359 square feet of new and completely renovated office space in four buildings and surrounding grounds. This innovative facility employs Solar thermal systems; green roof and permeable paving capturing snowmelt and rainwater; and passive solar heating and cooling systems which provides more than 30 percent of hot water needs. Following the tour there will be a networking

social at a local pub and eatery. Application for USGBC Platinum certification has been filed. July 26, 2011 – Pragmatic Construction tour of two completed sustainable homes in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee. These homes are targeting LEED-H Platinum certification. Pragmatic Construction is a Green design-build firm specializing in the integration of multiple green principles and technologies. We will be touring two of their sustainable homes which feature SIP wall construction, passive solar heating and cooling, and many reclaimed interior finishes just to name a few of the technologies implemented in their design. August 2011 – Summer cook-out event at the South Shore Yacht Club, Milwaukee. Program to be announced. September 27, 2011 – Tour of the Indian School, Franklin, WI. Details TBA.

ALAMINNESOTA In February, ALA Minnesota held a meeting at Jax Cafe in Minneapolis on "Advanced Curves and Surfaces" in architecture. This presentation was given by a local architect, Chuck Mears, who invented and developed a tool to custom bend and crimp stock steel studs. His company, Radius Track, has done fabrication for many famous buildings that utilize complex curving surfaces including Disney Concert Hall and New World Symphony designed by Frank Gehry. One attendee commented, "You have rediscovered the science of architecture." It was a great turnout, and everyone learned a lot about math and how to collaborate with others to bring our wildest visions to reality. Upcoming Events: May 12, 2011: Designing with Precast August 11, 2011: Architectural Copper SC

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For more information and registration, contact: ALA-Minnesota 2001 University Ave SE #100 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Tel: 612-623-1800 minnesotaALA@gmail.com

ALACHAPTERS ALAILLINOIS January Program

"The Essentials of Letter Agreements" with Jim Zahn, FALA, (left) and Werner Sabo, FALA of (L to R): Sponsors Rick Stalle, John Rodolico and Michael Muth from Sabo & Zahn Attorneys at Law was held on January Graphisoft ArchiCAD Joanne Sullivan, Executive Director of ALA, 18 at Meridian Banquets. welcomes over 140 members and guests.

Upcoming Events: Tuesday, March 15: "Code You Need to Know" with Kelly Reynolds and Allan Bilka 7:30 – 11:30 AM The Metropolitan Club in Willis Tower, Chicago 3.5 LU/HSW

Wednesday, April 20: "Complete Heavy Timber" with Kris Spickler. Sponsored by WoodWorks. 5:30 – 8:30 PM at The Carlisle, Lombard, IL 1.5 LU/HSW

ALAMICHIGAN New Michigan Chapter Underway If you are interested in being part of the Board to form ALA’s Michigan Chapter please contact… Jeff Hammond, ALA Senior Architect / Planner Spectrum Health Facilities Planning & Development MC 116 648 Monroe St. NW Suite 410 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 phone 616.391.2655 cell 616.915.3687 Jeff.hammond@spectrum-health.org

Richard A. Schramm, ALA Architect Architectural Workshop 7540 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, MI 49049 269-375-2472 richard@archworks.us

ALAMISSOURI 2011 Program Schedule - “No Architect Left Behind Series” All programs are held from 12:00 - 2:00 at the Masonry Institute of St. Louis (except for May 10). Attendees earn 2.0 LU’s. Cost per seminar is $35 members/$45 non-members. Discounted rates are available when registering for 3 or 6 seminars. For more information or registration, please contact David Dial at 636-230-0400.

- March 8: “Exterior Wall Systems” - May 10: “St. Louis Cathedral Basilica Tour” - July 12: “2009 IBC - Deal with it!” - September 12: “How Architects can stay out of Trouble” - November 8: “Dry by Design”

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