He'll find out next Tuesday. Tuesday, October 21, 2025 – 02:00 pm ET High-Performance Homes Team - Scuttle Hole Design (1.0 P4 CE)Cost: $25 (Free for AIBD Members) Building departments are increasingly scrutinizing attic access (scuttle hole) details in plan reviews, raising questions about how to meet evolving safety, accessibility, and insulation requirements as codes become more focused on energy efficiency and quality construction. As standards shift, design teams may feel...
1 day ago • 1 min read
October 13, 2025, Edition Ignite your mind and improve the way you are #CreatingWherePeopleLive This weekly newsletter is created by and for those designing homes in North America. Its editorial staff is the American Institute of Building Design, Inc., the premier association of residential design professionals. Here's what you get: Field Notes Nuts & Bolts Highlights Workshops & Gatherings What We're Up To Amazing sponsors who help keep this newsletter free for the industry. Let's dive in....
2 days ago • 3 min read
A great title that stands out! We are excited to announce the launch of our new On-Demand Course system, now fully integrated into the AIBD Member Hub for seamless access to professional development opportunities. Easy Access Through Your Member Hub The new on-demand learning system is directly integrated into your existing AIBD Member Hub. AIBD Professional Members, including Lifetime and Retired Professional Members, can access these courses as a complimentary benefit of their membership....
5 days ago • 2 min read
Earning your trust, one email at a time. We've noticed a trend in email marketing that we don't like. Recently, we received an email invite to this event. Maybe you did too. This looks interesting, but it's missing some key details. Such as the date and location. It reminds me of the five "Ws" we learned in school: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. It seems that modern marketing is starting to leave out the "where" and "when," focusing only on the "who," "what," and sometimes the "why." Why...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Congrats on surviving Monday and crushing Tuesday. Now, Wednesday beckons you to take a break and step into a pattern of discovery. Welcome to the Midweek Meander. The Great Chicago Fire was a devastating blaze that swept through Chicago, Illinois, from October 8 to 10, 1871. Claiming the lives of approximately 300 people, the fire annihilated 3.3 square miles (9 km²) of the city, destroying over 17,000 buildings and leaving more than 100,000 residents homeless. The inferno...
7 days ago • 6 min read
Ask the pro. After developing your floor plans, roof plan, and basic foundation plan, and completing your exterior elevations... ...You may be unsure about how to fine-tune your drawings for maximum clarity and professionalism, or how to choose materials that achieve your design vision. Without the right answers, it's easy to feel stuck or hesitant to move forward. Join a focused Q&A with Joey Martin, Senior Project Coordinator at Nicholas Design Build and a Chief Architect specialist with...
8 days ago • 1 min read
October 6, 2025, Edition Ignite your mind and improve the way you are #CreatingWherePeopleLive This weekly newsletter is created by and for those designing homes in North America. Its editorial staff is the American Institute of Building Design, Inc., the premier association of residential design professionals. Here's what you get: Industry News Announcements Events & Training Recent Committee Activities Amazing sponsors who help keep this newsletter free for the industry. Let's dive in....
9 days ago • 3 min read
Hello Reader, Building officials aren’t just gatekeepers; they are our collaborators in creating safe, functional, and beautiful spaces. The better we know them, the smoother the path from concept to permit, and beyond. Jack Butler, Chairman of AIBD's Building Codes and Standards Committee, recently shared an insightful experience with the A-Team. While working on a small project as a homeowner builder, Jack encountered a visit from the building inspector. The project was nearly red-tagged...
12 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Remember a few weeks ago when we shared the news about an "AIBD Design Firm Wins Landmark Copyright Case"? A big thank you to everyone who replied! One of those responses, which addressed a case involving the use of a preliminary drawing, really caught our attention, and we think it's worth taking a closer look at together. In Jim Beverly Co. v. Martin et al., the Jim Beverly Co., a luxury home design company in New Mexico (and an AIBD member since 2014), brought a lawsuit...
13 days ago • 3 min read
