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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Why your clients are secretly hating two-story foyers [Monday MINUTE]
Published about 2 hours ago • 5 min read
June 29, 2026, Edition
#CreatingWherePeopleLive
Wishing everyone a safe and happy 4th of July!
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
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Let's dive in.
Email servers may truncate this newsletter because it is too long. Read the complete Monday Minute at AIBD.org/mondayminute.
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Field Notes
Important Update: Annual Conference Room Block Glitch Resolved!
If you recently tried to book a room at the Metropolitan at The 9 and were told the block was sold out, we have some great news: it was a technical glitch!
A temporary error in the hotel’s online reservation system incorrectly showed no availability for our group. We are happy to report that the system is fully fixed, and rooms are still available at our exclusive, discounted AIBD group rate.
Because of this system error, we are currently tracking behind our room commitment to the hotel. If you have been waiting to book your stay—or if you were turned away due to a system glitch—now is the perfect time to secure your spot.
Deadline: The hotel room block closes strictly on July 8.
You have the opportunity to review and vote on incredible residential design entries. All industry professionals are eligible to participate, so don't miss your chance to help recognize design excellence and decide who takes home the honors this year.
Global Choice voting is open from 12:00 am (ET) on July 1 through midnight on July 15 (PT).
Sign in using your Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn accounts and vote.
Are your clients moving away from two-story foyers?
Stop wasting valuable square footage on empty vertical volume that clients ultimately hate paying to heat and cool. Post-pandemic buyers are demanding that every square inch work for them—reclaim that high-ceiling air space and repurpose it into functional, high-demand areas like a dedicated home office, a pocket den, or a secondary gathering room.
What’s in the Final 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
This bill packs over 60 pieces of legislation into a single package, moving major levers in American housing development. For residential design professionals, the biggest takeaway is the unprecedented focus on expanding housing supply through regulatory relief.
For a micro-sized residential design firm, the bill is highly favorable if you position yourself correctly. To capitalize on it, focus your marketing on infill development, single-stair multifamily layouts, and adaptive reuse/repairs, while trying to get your foot in the door with local municipal pre-approved plan programs.
By John Brighenti from Rockville, MD, United States - Lincoln Memorial at dusk, CC BY 2.0,
Do you know the Lincoln Memorial? Think again. The National Park Service just pulled back the curtain on a massive, $69 million underground museum built directly into the monument’s historic foundations.
Visitors can now walk through the undercroft's 122 massive concrete pillars to see interactive exhibits, architectural mock-ups, and historic graffiti from the original 1914 construction crew. It’s a great example of how historic engineering can meet modern public space design.
Your client won’t stop asking for revisions. Should you walk away?
We’ve all dealt with "tinkerers," but some clients take over-analyzing to an absolute art form.
This article breaks down why firing a high-paying, ultra-particular client isn't always the answer—and how your own business model might actually be feeding the beast.
Our smooth, quiet, and dependable door and window automation systems are preferred by leading architects, designers, builders, and installers globally.
Traditional Building Conference - November 3-4, 2026 - Charleston, SC
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.
Read more from American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)
Let’s be honest: in the past, architectural tours at the AIBD Annual Conference were sometimes squeezed into the agenda like an afterthought. Not this year. We know how much you value getting outside of your own head, seeing how other master designers work, and soaking in fresh inspiration. In fact, one attendee recently told us: "I'm a brilliant, world-class designer - just kidding, sort of - but people get stagnant if they don't get outside of themselves and see the work of others,...
Good news if you’ve been waiting to book your stay for the AIBD Annual Design & Build Conference at The Metropolitan at The 9 in downtown Cleveland. Our host hotel has released additional inventory into our group block, which means there are once again rooms available for AIBD attendees at our special conference rate. Availability is still limited, and rooms are being booked daily, but as of now you can secure your stay directly through our link. If you need dates before or after the official...
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. Today is June 24, a date connected to the summer solstice and festivals in Europe. It is known as Saint John’s Day/Midsummer Day in the United Kingdom, Festa di San Giovanni Battista in Italy, Sânziene in Romania, Juhannus in Finland, and also my birthday....
