The only conference built specifically for residential building designers


Design+Build Cleveland is July 29 – August 1, and seats are going fast.

This year’s conference at the Metropolitan at the 9 in downtown Cleveland is packed with sessions you won’t find anywhere else — because no one else is building this event for you.

Here’s what’s on the schedule:

Thursday, July 30

  • Business in a Box with Dennis Fletcher, CPBD — learn how to structure your firm as a complete, repeatable system so you stop reinventing the wheel on every project
  • The Future of AIBD: Rising Stars — a panel of emerging professionals sharing how they’re navigating the industry right now
  • D+B Expo Happy Hour — meet the vendors and tools shaping residential design

Friday, July 31

  • From Blueprint to Birth: Completing Frank Lloyd Wright’s Final Vision — hear directly from the owners of the Louis Penfield House and the newly completed RiverRock House about the challenges of bringing Project #5909 to life under modern building codes. This one is genuinely one-of-a-kind.
  • Efficiency, Health, and the Real Value of Your Air with Harry Boody — the financial and health case for getting mechanical systems right from the start
  • Integrated Technology — how to plan smart home ecosystems from the earliest design stages, not as an afterthought - 6 in 60 Membership Roundtable — your chance to directly shape AIBD’s 2026–2027 strategic agenda
  • Dine Around Cleveland — explore the city’s restaurant scene with your fellow designers

Saturday, August 1

  • Architectural tours: the Louis Penfield House, the James A. Garfield House, and an Early Cleveland Beaux Arts walking tour
  • The American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) Gala — celebrate the best residential design work in the country

And you’ll walk away with 8+ continuing education credits — potentially your entire year’s requirement, handled in one trip.


Registration starts at $575 for the full educational conference, which includes the Wednesday kick-off party at Progressive Field, lunches, all sessions, and the Expo. Hotel rooms at the Metropolitan at the 9 start at $219/night.

(Note: Wednesday, July 29 is reserved for AIBD organizational meetings — most attendees join starting Thursday.)

[Register for Design+Build Cleveland →]


“This information is really truly life changing. Thank you guys so much for putting this together. This is literally info I have been seeking over the course of the past year. So grateful for this conference!” — Megan Musgrove, Dover, Arkansas

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.

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