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.
New AIBD Hub Preview + Four Upcoming Webinars
Upcoming AIBD Webinars & Office HourAIBD has four upcoming live webinars covering residential design, business growth, copyright registration, client communication, and more. Plus, join this month’s AIBD Office Hour for a first look at the new AIBD Hub. AIBD members can attend webinars at no cost. Visit AIBD.org/webinars to register and get the complimentary-access coupon code. AIBD Office Hour: A First Look at the New AIBD HubFriday, October 2, 2026 · 11:00 a.m. EDT Join AIBD Technical Director Garrett Mickley for this month’s AIBD Office Hour and get a first look at the new AIBD Hub. Garrett will demonstrate the new Membership Account page and the AIBD Community, including the new forums and activity feed. Learn where to find the tools, information, and member connections that can help you get more from your AIBD membership. AIBD Office Hour is a relaxed, members-only virtual meetup where building-design professionals can ask questions, exchange ideas, and help one another solve real-world challenges. No slides, no script—just members helping members. Join through AIBD.org/webinars Coffee With Bernie: A Virtual Tour of the Best Architectural Haunted Houses in AmericaFriday, October 9, 2026 · 10:00 a.m. EDT Architecture can make a place feel exciting, uneasy, or downright terrifying. Join Coffee With Bernie for a virtual tour of memorable haunted houses and spaces—including the Winchester Mystery House, Disney’s Haunted Mansion, Eastern State Penitentiary, Netherworld Haunted House, and more. Explore the design decisions that create immersive, unpredictable experiences—and come ready to share your screen, ideas, and favorite coffee mug in this interactive peer discussion. Register at AIBD.org/webinars Members Helping Members: Registering a Residential Design — A Live WalkthroughTuesday, October 13, 2026 · 2:00 p.m. EDT You have completed a new residential model—but what comes next when it is time to register the design with the U.S. Copyright Office? AIBD Executive Director and practicing residential designer Steve Mickley will share his screen and walk through the registration process using one of his own new models. See the decisions involved, the materials to prepare, and what the application process looks like in practice. With Copyright Office fees likely to increase in mid-November, this is a timely opportunity to get oriented before submitting your own registration. Register at AIBD.org/webinars Members Helping Members: Making Designer Docs More Client-FriendlyTuesday, November 3, 2026 · 2:00 p.m. EST Technical precision matters—but client-facing proposals also need to be clear, easy to understand, and focused on value. Join Steve Mickley, FAIBD, for a fast, AI-assisted approach to turning standard AIBD Designer Docs into more client-friendly proposals. Learn how to clarify your scope, reduce friction during sign-off, and build trust earlier in the relationship. You will leave with practical updates you can make to your proposals in minutes. Register at AIBD.org/webinars Hiring Your First Employee: What You Need to KnowThursday, November 12, 2026 · 3:00 p.m. EST Hiring your first employee is a major milestone for a growing residential design business—but it also brings new responsibilities, compliance requirements, and management decisions. Michelle Griffin, Ph.D., PHR, SHRM-CP, CEO of Griffin Resources, LLC, will provide a practical roadmap for business owners making the transition from working independently to becoming an employer. You will learn how to:
Michelle advises organizations on workforce strategy, compliance, employee relations, talent acquisition, leadership development, and HR best practices. This session is designed for small business owners and decision-makers preparing to hire their first employee or build a small team. Register at AIBD.org/webinars Register and Earn CEVisit AIBD.org/webinars to register for any upcoming session, access the webinar coupon code, and review continuing-education details. |
American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)
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.
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. I have to admit something: I am not "hip." If you had asked me a week ago who Virgil Abloh was, I would have given you a blank stare. We definitely didn’t hang in the same circles (Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Venus Williams, Joe Jonas,...
I’ve been working on a new members-only community inside AIBD.org. Residential designers regularly need advice that cannot be found in a manual or downloaded from a resource library. Sometimes you need to ask another designer how they handled a difficult detail, talk through a client or business problem, find someone to collaborate with, or simply see what other people in the profession are working on. That is what we are building for AIBD Members. I had help from a review panel made up of...
September 28, 2026, Edition #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. Email servers may truncate this newsletter...