Join Coffee with Bernie today at 10 AM Eastern for a roundtable with Cody Rutledge, Jenna Saunders, Jared Laferty, and Jimmy Avalos, recipient of the 2026 Bill and Annette Farmer Memorial Scholarship. These rising professionals will explore how new technology, timeless design principles, and mentorship are shaping their careers—and how AIBD can evolve alongside the next generation. Start the conversation before we go live: Watch our newly posted course, The Future of AIBD: Design+Build...
1 day ago • 1 min read
We’ve recently added courses covering some very different parts of residential design practice — from wall bracing and remodeling workflows to short-term rentals, architectural photography, and more efficient drafting. Here’s what’s new: A Wall Bracing Methodology for Residential Design Wall bracing can be one of the more complicated parts of the residential code — and it can sometimes lead to projects being sent to an engineer when a prescriptive solution may have worked. Residential...
2 days ago • 2 min read
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. On September 9, 1965, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was officially created. HUD has never drawn a floor plan, specified a foundation, or helped a family choose between a single-story layout and a two-story design. Yet for 61...
3 days ago • 4 min read
Stay Current. Earn CE. Join the Conversation. September’s AIBD live learning lineup brings practical market intelligence, high-performance design discussion, a look at solar roofing, and an opportunity to hear directly from the next generation of AIBD. From peer-to-peer conversations to actionable tools for growing your practice, each session is designed to help you bring stronger ideas, greater confidence, and more value to your work. Coffee With Bernie: Rising Stars — Meet AIBD’s Future...
4 days ago • 2 min read
Quick question: when’s the last time you got stuck on something at work and just wished you could ask someone who’s actually dealt with it before? That’s exactly what AIBD’s live sessions are for. But we get a lot of members asking us the same thing: “What’s the actual difference between Office Hours, Roundtables, and Webinars?” Fair question — so here’s the breakdown. AIBD Office Hour: The most laid-back option on the list. Held the first Friday of every month at 11:00 AM ET, it’s a free,...
8 days ago • 1 min read
AIBD has been collecting documents and resources for building designers for years. If you haven't looked through Designer Docs lately—or you've never looked at it at all—you might be surprised by what's in there. There are around 80 resources covering just about every part of working as a building designer. You'll find things you can use with clients, including a New Home Design Questionnaire, Client Information Outline, Design Worksheet, Home Design Proposal, Room & Budget Calculator, Client...
9 days ago • 1 min read
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. Wednesday, September 2, was immediately followed by Thursday, September 14, in 1752, as Britain abandoned the Julian calendar and adopted the Gregorian one. This isn't the first time in human history that a significant stretch of time has been lost or...
10 days ago • 5 min read
August 31, 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...
12 days ago • 3 min read
The smarter way to find your next career move My Account | Job Search | Manage Resumes | Job Alerts Right now, employers are browsing profiles on the AIBD Career Center — not just waiting for applications, actively searching. Some are filling roles that haven't been posted publicly yet. If your profile is visible and current, you're in consideration. If it's not, they've already moved to the next candidate. The professionals getting found aren't necessarily the ones who are looking. They're...
15 days ago • 2 min read
