BP&R REVITALIZATION: an open discussion

AIA|LA Building Performance & Regulations Committee presents….

BP&R REVITALIZATION: an open discussion

Are you available to help kick-start a revitalized AIA|LA Building Performance & Regulations Committee?

Thanks to the efforts of Robert Crawford, AIA, Zinayda Reyes, AIA, and Ben Loescher, AIA, we’re revitalizing the AIA|LA Building Performance & Regulations Committee and invite interested architects, designers, and emerging professionals to join us in an open discussion. This meeting will serve as a forum to reinstate the mission and vision of the committee and collect feedback from participants. We’ll host an open discussion on future topic ideas, programs, presentations and prospective advocacy initiatives to advance.

Prospective Topics:

• Are there specific building codes that seem to stymie creative solutions and are needlessly prescriptive (and needn’t be that way)?
• What are some reach measures we would like to see the city of LA and/ or the state of California adopt?
• Are there technologies the group finds of interest that the building code seems to have not yet caught up to?
• Are there items outside of the building code, but related to it – for example upcoming ballot measures that pertain to zoning that we desire to educate ourselves on and then advocate for or provide some educational information to the voting public to help ensure informed decisions are made?
• Are there items that are not likely to be codified as building codes (and likely are not the best venue to do so), but things we are passionate about seeing the AEC industry start to adopt more readily and how we might help accelerate that?
• Review our proposed mission statement, goals, and objectives and solicit feedback on them.

Here is a collection of some of the ideas for further discussion:

• 02/05/2020 (5pm to 7pm) Wednesday
◦ a reinstatement of the committee, introduce ourselves to the group, and lead an open discussion of what members would like to see the committee get involved in
• 04/03/2020 (8:30am to 10am) Friday
◦ ICC or LADBS event
◦ Solicit from the state & city what is being considered for future code cycles (2022, 2025 etc.)
◦ Identify what is lacking and should be advocated for in these future code cycles
• 06/03/2020(5pm to 7pm) Wednesday
◦ case studies and lessons learned from jobs
◦ Agency review of building systems and approval process e.g. LARRs
• 08/07/2020 (8:30am to 10am) Friday
◦ LABDS Event
◦ Possibly reviewing Deferred Submittals and impact on building permit issuance
• 10/07/2020 (5pm to 7pm) Wednesday
◦ Meeting with LADBS Officials to discuss viability of our desired updates to their amendments
• 12/04/2020 (8:30am to 10am) Friday

Potential future topics:

1. Q&A with Plan-Checkers and Building Inspectors to gain insight into their code interpretations. And to also cover best-practices and the most common mistakes architects are making (from the POV of the plan checkers and inspectors, etc).
2. Greater clarity on ADU’s and how to streamline the process.
3. Greater clarity on EV requirements.
4. Mass Timber and CLT

Committee Leadership:

Robert Crawford, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, EDAC – – Associate | Architect, SmithGroup

Robert Crawford is involved with the Building Performance and Regulations Committee aiming to positively impact the wellness of occupants and energy efficiency of buildings. He is an experienced practicing architect with an interest in using recent technological advancements to inform and create human-experience-centric, environmentally conscientious, and socially just projects.

Crawford is an Associate at SmithGroup in Los Angeles where he has been recognized by ENR California as a Top 20 Under 40 design and construction professional. Prior to SmithGroup, he previously worked for Shigeru Ban Architects, wHY Architecture, and Michael Maltzan Architects. Robert has lectured in the US and abroad. His work has won multiple awards and been published in leading journals.

Robert holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University where he was the recipient of the William Ward Watkin Traveling Fellowship for best senior architecture project.

Zinayda Reyes, AIA, NCARB – Project Architect, WARE MALCOMB

Zinayda Reyes, AIA, is a licensed architect based in the Los Angeles area. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona, and completed her 4th year at the International Program in Florence, Italy. Throughout her career, she has worked in the planning, design, and construction of a variety of architectural typologies, consisting of residential, commercial, mixed-use and historic renovations and rehabilitations. Her work has emphasized code analysis and interpretation, materials and systems research, document control, and construction administration. Zinayda’s main interests are building performance, user-centered design, and accessibility-compliance. She also inspires others in her professional life, by mentoring recent graduates and by teaching architecture to new generations of students. She has taught architecture at the Art Center for Kids program in Pasadena, CA. Born and raised in El Salvador, her interests are influenced by the needs she has observed in her community, and by the social consciousness acquired both during her youth and in her experiences in the greater-LA community. In addition to being an AIA member, she holds an NCARB certificate and is actively involved with the International Code Council, Los Angeles Chapter.

Ben Loescher, AIA, LEED AP – Principal, Loescher + Meachem Architects, Inc.

K. Ben Loescher, AIA, a founding principal of Loescher Meachem Architects, is a licensed architect in California, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida and is a LEED Accredited Professional. As a workplace expert at LMA, Ben has provided leadership and guidance as a Project Director on multiple projects for the Beats by Dre Headquarters in Culver City as well as the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Prior to founding LMA, Mr. Loescher was a Senior Associate/Project Director at Clive Wilkinson Architects for six years, where he designed and led projects at FIDM, the Google Headquarters in Mountain View, and the Media Technology Campus at Santa Monica College.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Miami University in Ohio, a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Arts degree from The Architectural Association in London.