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.

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If Massachusetts' proposed Ballot Question 7 passes, it will override municipal minimums to allow as-of-right single-family construction on lots as small as 5,000 square feet with public water and sewer. For small residential firms, this could radically reshape local project pipelines—opening doors for infill starter homes, accessory-style footprints, and compact suburban designs, while bypassing grueling local zoning board delays.

Source: The Provincetown INDEPENDENT

While big-box spec builders are bearing the brunt of a multi-year market downturn, the custom and small-firm segment is proving far more resilient—though not entirely immune. According to NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz, single-family production is projected to slide another 3% through 2027, driven by lingering high mortgage rates, tariffs, and tightening labor markets.

Source: Scottsman Guide

While Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are being touted as a magic bullet for the housing crunch—with permitting surging in upstate hubs like Kingston—building them is far from plug-and-play. For small residential design firms, navigating $250k+ construction price tags, strict municipal footprints (under 1,000 square feet), and infrastructure hurdles like septic tie-ins can quickly devour project timelines.

Source: WAMC

Designing in flood-prone or coastal regions just got more precise. The newly released Highlights of ASCE 24-24 report breaks down critical changes to foundation performance, structural fill, wet and dry floodproofing, and material durability that directly impact your construction documents and local permitting.

Source: FEMA / ASCE

Michael Do, CPBD, #38-716, DoCo Interiors, Salem, OR (10/06)

Certification demonstrates a professional's mastery of industry-specific experience and knowledge.

Just Added! October 20 - Western North Carolina Chapter (Virtual) - 10:30 am ET - Sustainable, Attainable Housing by Rob Howard | Building Science

RSVP by Wednesday! October 24 - Eastern Shore Chapter - 11:30 am ET - AIBD Connect MD - Ledge House: A Private Tour - RSVP now!​

November 4 - Board of Directors - everyone welcome!

November 6 - AIBD Office Hour (Virtual) - 11:00 am ET - 60 minutes (or so) of open discussion and collaboration (Members Only)

November 17 - National Council of Building Designer Certification (NCBDC) quarterly meeting

RSVP Now! February 2, 2027 - AIBD's Viva Las Pizza Party (In Person) - Las Vegas, NV - 5:30 to 8:00 pm

October 13 - Members Helping Members - 2:00 pm ET - Registering a Residential Design-A Live Walkthrough (1.0 P1 CE)

October 20 - ​High-Performance Homes Team​ - 2:00 p.m. ET - Natural Swimming Pools

October 27 - CE Watch Party - 2:00 p.m. ET (45 min) - An ADU for U: Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition

October 29 - From Site Measurements to CAD in Seconds: A More Efficient Workflow with InnoDraw (1.0 P3 CE)

to November 3 - Members Helping Members - 2:00 pm ET - Making Designer Docs More Client-Friendly (1.0 P1 CE)

to November 12 - 3:00 pm ET - Hiring Your First Employee: What You Need to Know (1.0 P1 CE) - Sponsored by Griffin Resources, LLC​

November 13 - Coffee with Bernie - 10:00 a.m. ET - Creating Where People Live (1.0 Elective CE)

AEC Daily - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

AIBD 2027 Annual Conference - Save the Dates: July 28-31, 2027 - Williamsburg, VA

Green Home Institute - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

International Builders Show - February 2-4, 2027 - Registration is open.

NADRA Summit - March 3-5 at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village. Cape Coral, FL

SelectSIPs Expo and Annual Meeting 2027 - March 8-9, 2027 - Phoenix, AZ - Registration is Open!​

SoftPlan - Virtual & On-Demand Training​

Traditional Building Conference - November 3-4, 2026 - Charleston, SC. Registration is Open​

A virtual tour through iconic haunted houses reveals how architecture itself becomes a tool for fear. The Winchester Mystery House, Disney’s Haunted Mansion, Eastern State Penitentiary, Netherworld Haunted House, and more highlight design specialties that together combine into lessons that form the blueprint for designing a haunt that is immersive, unpredictable, and architecturally terrifying. You may not design haunted houses often, but after this episode of Coffee with Bernie, you’ll walk away appreciating every shadow, creak, and corridor that makes them unforgettable.