Energy, Currency & Memory: Sustaining the Value of Historic Resources

Conference: November 17-19, 2006
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis

Proposals Due: June 2, 2006, 5pm EST

Conference Overview
Many preservation advocates have been saying for some time that one of the highest forms of sustainable design is the reuse of existing buildings yet, to date, sustainable design measuring criteria has not allowed much credit toward existing building reuse. Should there be, and should there be an even greater sustainability incentive to reuse historic buildings?

Many advocates also believe the sustainability and preservation communities share many common goals and objectives. Should they reconcile their respective interests and objectives and become more integrally linked? The intent of this conference is to explore the relationship between historic preservation and sustainable design raised by these and other compelling questions.

Presenters
Charismatic speakers and knowledgeable individuals in the historic preservation and sustainable design fields willing to share their expertise, research, case studies, enthusiasm, and passion about these and other related and stimulating ideas

Session Themes
Questions and topics to be addressed in presentations include

• How do you balance embodied energy versus energy performance? Should sustainable performance be judged solely on energy consumption moving forward? What about embodied energy in existing materials; the cost of demolition; trucking and land filling debris; and the creation, delivery, and installation of new materials?
• What is the value of historic buildings and districts in the sustainability equation? Are historic buildings really less efficient than new ones? Did our predecessors have many of the sustainable design concepts figured out long ago?
• How do you calculate the true cost of rehabilitation versus the true cost of replacing historic buildings? Many historic buildings and districts contain materials and craftsmanship no longer available. Should they be thrown away for less durable, manufactured materials? What is the value of the labor intensive skills often needed to work on historic buildings? How does one calculate the increased worth that an historic building or district brings to a city?

Evaluation Process
Proposals will be evaluated by the following criteria:

• Well-defined proposal focus
• Overall quality and potential to contribute to a well-balanced conference program
• Relevance to the various professions represented
• Proposed level and type of attendee interaction
• Practical applications of materials or ideas
• Timeliness of topic
• Scope of topic
• Presenter’s experience

Successful proposals offer topics that make professional, educational contributions to the Institute and its members, as well as the other professions represented at the conference. Presentations may not sell, promote, or pitch any specific product or service, and the content must contribute to the continuing education needs of architects, be relevant to a changing profession, and contribute to the body of knowledge of architecture.

Presentation Formats
The majority of the individual presentations are to be of approximately 20 minutes in length, with additional time allocated for questions and discussion with attendees. All presentations must be highly interactive and open to attendee interaction and feedback.

Consider the following popular formats and methods when designing and describing your presentation:

• Short talks—Use a short talk at the session’s start to generate discussion or provide a series of short talks, each followed by discussion
• Case studies—A favorite among architects, this format presents facts, problems, and/or data with questions to generate discussion and solutions
• Graphic presentations—Videotape, film, computer display, or PowerPoint may be used as the basis of substantial, interactive discussion
• Panel Presentations—Series of short talks with a substantial question-and-answer segment coordinated by a moderator

Conference Proceedings Dissemination
The AIA Historic Resources Committee will publish conference materials on the AIA Web site. Presenters are requested to provide a 500-word synopsis of their presentation no later than seven days following the conference, including all relevant materials in a format suitable for Internet access.

Presenters are requested to provide a copy of their presentation in Microsoft Word so it can be easily posted to the AIA Web site. For example, presenters using hand-drawn overheads can supply scans of their graphic outputs, copied into Word or other Internet-ready programs and suitably identified.

Speaker Benefits

• Visibility as a leader in the industry 
•  Complimentary registration to the conference
• Promotional coverage in advertisements and direct mailing campaigns
• Biographical listings on the AIA web site and Program Guide, which is distributed to all attendees
• Published abstract of the presentation on the HRC home page of the AIA Web site
• Networking opportunities with preservation professionals and educators

Requirements 
Presenters are required to

• Complete the proposal submission and include all required attachments (incomplete proposals may be disqualified)
• Make no substantive changes in content, or of presenters, without prior written approval from conference chair
• Provide handout materials in electronic form, or hard copy, for distribution
• Provide a substitute presenter of equal expertise if, due to unforeseen circumstances, they cannot be present (conference chair must be notified and must approve replacement speaker).

Submitting Your Proposal
All proposals must be submitted electronically (CD or e-mail) in a Microsoft Word compatible format. Proposals must include

• Presenter info:
  a. Full contact information (name, title, organization, address, phone, fax, e-mail address)
  b. Speaking experience
  c. A 100-word biography
• One of the following categories selected as the most appropriate track for your presentation:
  a. How do you balance embodied energy versus energy performance?
  b. What is the value of historic buildings in the sustainability equation?
  c. How do you calculate the true cost of rehabilitation versus the true cost of replacing an existing building?
• Detailed proposal abstract between 400 and 500 words in length. This abstract should identify:
  a. The key issues, topics, and concepts you will address
  b. Your intended audience and why they will be interested in this presentation
  c. Anticipated learning objectives and presentation outcomes
• Learning objectives: List three to five learning objectives (or outcomes) for session participants, specifically what they will be able to do as a result of participating in your session. (for example, Participants will diagram, list, analyze, develop, etc… or Participants will be able to identify, calculate, apply, etc…)

Questions?
Contact:
Charles D. Liddy. Jr., AIA, Conference Chair 
Kathleen Lane, AIA Project Manager

Submissions
All proposals must be submitted electronically (CD or e-mail) in a Microsoft Word compatible format.

To send via e-mail, attach your proposal file and send it to klane@aia.org with "2006 HRC Proposal" in the subject line. A CD is acceptable, but e-mail is preferred. Proposals that fail to meet the guidelines will be disqualified. Confirmations will be sent within one week of receipt.

Send proposals to
2006 HRC Call for Presentations
Attention: Kathleen Lane, Project Manager
The American Institute of Architects
1735 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20006-5292
E-mail: klane@aia.org

Deadline
Friday, June 2, 2006, 5 p.m. EST

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