The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is a professional association that promotes the highest standards of excellence in residential building design.
AIBD offers a variety of resources to its members, including continuing education, networking opportunities, and marketing assistance.
AIBD is a valuable resource for anyone interested in a career in residential building design. If you want to improve your skills, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, AIBD is the perfect organization for you.
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.
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Field Notes
Nuts & Bolts
Highlights
Workshops & Gatherings
What We're Up To
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Field Notes
In Loving Memory
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of our most active certified members, Larry Stephenson. Larry was a dedicated attendee and a valued contributor to our High-Performance Homes Team and the monthly Coffee with Bernie programs.
A service has not yet been scheduled. In lieu of flowers, his wife, Carol, has requested that a tree be planted in his memory.
The American Institute of Building Design's central gathering for building designers, industry professionals, and partners, offering a platform for advocacy, certification, education, networking, and recognition within the field.
All residential industry professionals are eligible to enter individual or collaborative projects. Entries previously submitted to ARDA are still eligible, provided they haven’t yet won recognition in the same category. Entries may be entered in multiple categories (e.g., Custom Homes and Green Design), and all completed projects are eligible regardless of completion date.
Based on the March 2026 Monthly New Residential Construction report, the data reveal a complex landscape for residential design professionals. While "Housing Starts" show a strong upward trend, "Building Permits" suggest a potential cooling period ahead.
The regional data for permits shows extreme volatility. While the South and West saw declines in permits, the Northeast saw an 8.0% increase in total units authorized.
NAHB Debuts New Resource That Estimates Quarterly Remodeling Spending by State
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) just launched the State Projections of Remodeling (SPR), a quarterly breakdown of spending in the renovation sector. For design professionals, this provides a useful map of market share and spending shifts across all 50 states.
While California and Texas lead in total volume, growth isn't limited to the usual suspects. Michigan and Alabama are seeing double-digit spending surges, signaling a huge localized demand for remodeling services.
Innovative Materials and Technologies in Architecture and Interior Design
Is your material library feeling a bit 2010? The boundary between high-tech and high-design is disappearing, and Kimble Roden explores the ten innovations redefining residential interiors. From self-healing "living" materials to porcelain slabs that hide integrated induction hobs, the tools at your disposal are becoming as smart as they are beautiful.
The tray ceiling remains one of the most effective tools for adding instant architectural volume and "wow" factor to a primary suite or formal living space. This piece explores how to move beyond basic offsets to create sophisticated, multi-layered focal points that define a room's character.
If you’ve been looking at residential design as a series of separate checklists—structure, HVAC, aesthetics—you might be missing the forest for the trees. The Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) is challenging professionals to pivot toward a more integrated, synergistic approach that treats a home as a singular, high-performance system rather than a collection of parts.
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What We're Up to
The Backbone of Excellence: Join the Certification Council
July 29, 2026 Annual Meeting
Operating an industry-wide certification program is a massive undertaking. To align with international standards, it requires more than just an exam—it demands significant financial investment and specialized man-hours to manage, audit, and promote the integrity of our credentials.
The American Institute of Building Design relies on volunteers to power the committees that keep our certification engine running. We are now seeking leaders to step into the role of Council Members.
The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is a professional association that promotes the highest standards of excellence in residential building design.
AIBD offers a variety of resources to its members, including continuing education, networking opportunities, and marketing assistance.
AIBD is a valuable resource for anyone interested in a career in residential building design. If you want to improve your skills, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, AIBD is the perfect organization for you.
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If you want your next American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) submission to stand out, your photos need to tell a clear, compelling story—not just document a project. That is exactly what our newly added course, Architectural Storytelling Through Photography, is designed to help you do. New: Third course added to the bundle The Win An ARDA Bundle now includes a third course, Architectural Storytelling Through Photography, taught by three-time ARDA winner Roberta D’Andrea. You’ll learn how...
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. Did someone forward this to you? Please consider subscribing. There have been many times in design history when the world is reminded that greatness is not born from comfort. It is born from courage. It rises from the willingness to create differently, think differently, and challenge the accepted limits of what...
