Residential Design’s premier annual event is coming to Cleveland, and we want you there.

The American Institute of Building Design’s Annual Conference is our central gathering for building designers, industry professionals, and partners. It brings together advocacy, certification, education, networking, and recognition for the residential design profession over four focused days.

You’ll experience:

• Annual Business Meetings, including the National Council of Building Designer Certification, College of Fellows, and Board of Directors
• The AIBD Annual Membership Meeting
• The two-day Design+Build Cleveland Conference, with educational sessions, Lunch & Learns, and a D+B Expo Happy Hour
• An Architectural Tour, including the Louis Penfield House, with transportation provided from the hotel and back
• The American Residential Design Awards Gala Dinner—AIBD’s biggest evening of the year, featuring awards, recognition, and plenty of fun

This year’s program also includes “Business in a Box: Building a Repeatable, Profitable Residential Design Practice.”

What if building a residential design firm was as clear and structured as creating a set of construction drawings? Every successful project begins with a plan—yet many designers are left to build their businesses without one.

Business in a Box is a concept program created for AIBD members to change that. This session introduces a new way of thinking about your firm—not as a collection of tasks, but as a complete system, much like a well-organized drawing set. From foundation to finish, we’ll explore how a business can be structured into clear phases, defined components, and repeatable processes that support long-term success.

This is not a step-by-step lesson. It is a vision for what could exist within AIBD—a shared framework where members can find guidance, contribute experience, and build stronger businesses together.

Whether you are:

• Starting your first firm
• Trying to bring structure and clarity to your current operations
• Scaling beyond what you can handle alone
• Or preparing for transition or retirement

This program is designed to help you identify:

• The decisions you need to make
• The options available to you
• And the resources that can support your next step

More importantly, it is designed to grow with the collective knowledge of AIBD—built not just for members, but by them. This session will showcase how this concept can begin serving members today—and how your participation can shape what it becomes tomorrow.

The conference will be held July 29–August 1, 2026, at Metropolitan at the 9 in downtown Cleveland:

Metropolitan at the 9
2017 E 9th St
Cleveland, OH 44115

Standard kings and doubles are available at a special conference rate, along with king suites, so you can stay on-site and be steps away from every meeting, tour, and event.

Registration is coming soon—but you can act now:

• Save the dates: July 29–August 1, 2026
• ​Reserve your room at Metropolitan at the 9​
• Begin planning your travel so you’re ready when registration opens

We’ll send another message as soon as registration goes live. For now, secure your hotel and travel, mark your calendar, and make plans to join us in Cleveland for four days dedicated to the future of residential design.

See you there,
The AIBD Conference and Education Committees