Photo by Andre Beneteau courtesy of the Daniels Faculty

George Baird, an architect, and Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada passed away at his home in Toronto on October 17, 2023, at the age of 84. Baird was a former Dean of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design (2004-2009) and a partner in the Toronto-based architecture and urban design firm Baird Sampson Neuert Architects. He was also a member of the Order of Canada (OC). For more information on his many achievements, click here.

The RAIC is committed to helping you achieve success, whether it's by providing engaging networking opportunities, curating expert-led webinars, or advocating for the profession. By renewing your membership, you'll remain a valuable part of a thriving community that prioritizes collaboration, professional development, and meaningful relationships.

Learn more about this year’s offer for renewing before January 18, 2024. 

Renew online using a credit card or select the cheque option to be emailed an invoice. For assistance with login or questions about your membership, please contact membership@raic.org or 1-844-856-7242 ext 2000.   

Build Accessible Communities with the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ - now open! 

We all experience disability at some point in our lives and need accessible communities to live fully. Join the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) Training to be part of Canada's accessibility movement.  

Whether you are an architect, general contractor, engineer, urban planner, design-builder, or someone who is interested in accessibility in the built environment, becoming an RHFAC Professional can equip you with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to assess a building's overall accessibility in compliance with the RHFAC program.    

Register by January 12, 2024 and enjoy $200 off: https://raic.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=629 

*This discount is applicable only with registration through the RAIC store.   

The RAIC opened its call for submissions for its annual awards. The Architectural Practice Award, the Emerging Architectural Practice Award, the RAIC Advocate for Architecture Award, the RAIC Architectural Journalism and Media Award and the RAIC Research & Innovation in Architecture Award are all accepting submissions. These awards will also be accompanied by a call for nominations for Honorary Membership.  

The RAIC annual awards are a celebration of creativity, innovation, and excellence in Canadian architecture. The awards highlight work that challenges us and changes our built environment for the better, showing the value of architecture and its positive impact on our lives. If you know of a person, project, or practice that demonstrates these qualities, the RAIC annual awards are an opportunity for them to gain national recognition. 

The deadline for submission for all 2024 annual awards is 10:00 p.m. ET on January 11, 2024. Applicants must submit their work through the online RAIC awards platform.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and the Canada Council for the Arts invite architects to submit projects for the 2024 Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. 

Presented every two years, up to 12 medals are awarded to celebrate outstanding design in recently completed built projects – big or small – by Canadian architects. The 2024 program, updated this season to reflect the critical values of both organizations, continues a tradition initiated by the Massey Medals in 1950. It provides an important source of understanding of the nature of Canadian architecture and the regional, cultural and historic forces expressed in the built environment. 

The 2024 submission fees have been reduced as part of the RAIC’s commitment to greater inclusivity. For more pricing and updated submission details, please refer to the Governor General’s Medals in Architecture call for submissions.  

The deadline to submit a project for consideration is December 7, 2023, at 10:00 p.m. ET. Applicants must submit their work through the online RAIC awards platform.  

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) are pleased to announce that submissions are now being accepted for the 2024 National Urban Design Awards. 

The National Urban Design Awards are awarded every two years and recognize the important link between architects, planners, and landscape architects in achieving successful urban design. They strive to raise awareness of the crucial role that urban design plays in maintaining and improving the quality of life in Canadian cities and acknowledge the efforts of individuals, organizations, firms, and projects in this field. 

Beginning this year, up to 12 submissions will be selected from any of the six categories specified. To learn about the updated Terms of Reference, eligibility, and submission requirements, as well as past recipients, please visit the following links:  

• National Urban Design Awards 
• Call for Submissions 

The 2024 submission fees have been reduced as part of our commitment to greater inclusivity. For more pricing and updated submission details, please refer to the NUDA call for submissions.    

The deadline to submit a project for consideration is January 11, 2024, at 10:00 p.m. ET.

ON DEMAND SESSIONS

• Resilient Buildings Are Sustainable and Protect Life 

• A Bottom-Up Approach to a Healthier City 

• NBCC Part 3 & 9 Bundle

• RAIC 2023 Conference on Architecture is now On Demand!

• The Sum of all Parts: Disability Culture as a key component of Inclusive Design

• Introduction to the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada - Free for everyone!

The NBCC Part 3 and Part 9 course is designed specifically to help you succeed. 

This popular course is taught by Jensen Hughes Consulting Canada Ltd., the leading name in safety and risk-based science in Canada. It’s conveniently available on-demand as a series of 8 2-hour learning sessions (16 hours in total), so there’s no need to worry about missing a session.  

*The ExAC was developed to test the minimum standards of competency acquired by an Intern during the Internship period, to ensure both public safety and the professional and skilled delivery of architectural services. It is adopted by all the Canadian Licensing Authorities. These webinars are not endorsed by the Committee for the Examination for Architects in Canada.  

We're excited to share that a new version of The Path: Your Journey Through Indigenous Canada has been launched.  

Since its creation in 2017, this powerful online course has been highly regarded for its impact in helping members gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous culture and their relationship with the land.  

The updated course features 25% more content and an enhanced interactive format with plenty of engagement opportunities and new material, including lessons on land acknowledgements, unmarked graves, 'pretendians', urban Indigenous realities, and Canada's UNDRIP Act. 

This platform provides multiple learning resources including videos, texts, exercises, and assessment questions. It uniquely covers all three Indigenous peoples: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, and is accessible in English and French (available starting December 4). 

The course is on-demand and takes approximately 6 hours to complete with a certificate provided upon successful completion. 

Past participants are not expected to re-register if they have completed the course.  

Sign up today and learn how to create a more culturally safe sector!  

P.S. - Have unanswered questions? Find answers by visiting our Q&A page.

SAVE THE DATE - NOVEMBER 30

• TIME: 12:00 P.M. - 1:30 P.M. PT
• COST: $15.00 members; $25.00 non-members
• SPEAKERS: Graeme Verhulst, Founder, Passive House Accelerator & Dallas Hordichuk, Chief Operating Officer of Energy Code Solutions
• TOPIC: Is the Greenest House the One Already Built?  Real Life Case Studies 
• LENGTH: 1.5 hours 

This webinar has been approved for 1.5 AIBC Core LU.

Description: 

The oft-heard phrase, “the greenest home is the one already built,” emphasizes the importance of embodied over operational carbon. To adequately combat climate change, we must consider both operational carbon emissions together with embodied carbon in buildings. Two of their recent projects offered a unique opportunity to analyze the data. The question Waymark Architecture and Energy Code Solutions focused on is whether, using overall embodied carbon (embodied plus operational) as a measurement, we should keep the existing homes as they are, renovate them, or deconstruct them and replace them with high-performance homes, enabling us to make data-driven decisions for a low-carbon future. 

Registration will close November 28th @ 5pm ET.

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, it’s time to start preparing your home for winter. Here are some tips to help you lower your heating bills and prevent some damage.

1. Store away summer furniture and toys

Clean and dry your seasonal patio furniture, pool chairs, and children’s outdoor play equipment. Store these items inside a shed or garage or cover them with a heavy tarp to protect them from the elements.

2. Prepare your lawn and garden

Trim down your plants and cut off dead tree branches to help prevent... click here to read more.

Taking the time to get your home winter ready will help you prevent some damage to your property and could lower your heating bills. For extra peace of mind, make sure your home is also properly insured. Learn about the insurance options The Personal offers to meet your specific needs.

To find out more, call 1-888-476-8737.

Or visit thepersonal.com/raic.

CANADIAN ARCHITECT |  THE RIGHT ANGLE JOURNAL | CONSTRUCTION LINKS NETWORK | SABMAG | KOLLECTIF | RAIC FOUNDATION | CANADIAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS | CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF PLANNERS | ENGINEERS CANADA |  UNION INTERNATIONALE DES ARCHITECTES