Saturday, October 6, 2012

Will there be a shortage of architects?

 
By | October 4, 2012, 6:35 PM PDT
By 2014, architecture firms in the United States won’t have enough qualified designers to meet their workloads. That’s according to a survey by McGraw-Hill Construction, as reported by William Hanley in Architectural Record.
The survey of 1,007 U.S. designers found that nearly one-quarter of respondents anticipated a shortage of architects resulting from a combination of designers exiting the profession, baby boomers retiring, a lack of skills among architects looking for work, and less talent in the pipeline as job prospects discourage students from entering the field. Firms both large (more than 50 employees) and small (less than 10) anticipated some kind of shortage of designers, but nearly half of respondents from larger firms expect it to be severe.
In light of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) survey that revealed architecture firms lost 40 percent of revenue and more than 28 percent of staff during the recession, the news is not a shock, but it is worrisome. The most recent Architectural Billings Index, however, showed minor positive growth despite a huge drop in construction spending, from $1 trillion in 2008 to just under $800 million in 2012.
What do these ups and downs mean? Taking a break from this leftover recession porn to look around architecture offices, it means less architects are doing more work on lower quality, less profitable projects. Combined with the brain drain, the picture of the profession in coming years is grim.
“Architecture firms need to think strategically,” said Bernstein (vice president of industry insight and alliances for McGraw-Hill Construction). “Not only about how to draw talented professionals to their firms, but also about how they will attract more architects to the profession.”
Survey Predicts Architect Shortage by 2014 [Architectural Record]

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/will-there-be-a-shortage-of-architects/1734?tag=nl.e660&s_cid=e660

Friday, October 5, 2012

Free prelodgment advice services with council

Issue 2012-09

The introduction of free prelodgement advice by Sunshine Coast Council is set to turn development potential into development action. 

Getting expert advice early can save time and money in the development application process. This council initiative encourages people who have a development in mind to get free specialist advice first, before lodging an application.

Key features of the new service include:
• Three options to gain prelodgement advice – phone, counter, meeting
• Expert council planners provide advice for each option
• Multiple prelodgement meetings
• Meeting notes provided at the end of each meeting
• All advice services are free of charge.

For all initial enquiries, use council’s efficient and informative phone service. Call council’s dedicated planning phone number during normal business hours on 5475 PLAN (5475 7526). Development service counters are open at council offices in Maroochydore, Tewantin, Nambour and Caloundra. Visit Maroochy on First or Tewantin to specifically meet with council Duty Planners. 

Prelodgement meetings are available for customers who require detailed advice on complex proposals that are at a significant stage of their project development. Senior council officers attend prelodgement meetings to provide direction and explain the type of information required to reduce assessment processing times. 

At prelodgement meetings advice can be provided about the planning scheme and questions answered about planning, engineering, environmental health, traffic and urban design. Applicants are encouraged to provide substantial information about the development proposal before the prelodgement meeting. Information should include scaled plans that detail lot layout, building location and elevations, setbacks, access, parking, natural or environmental features and other relevant information for discussion at the meeting.

Multiple prelodgement meetings are useful for dealing with complex issues early in the development application process. Well prepared development applications can reduce assessment timeframes.

To request a prelodgement meeting, applicants can email a prelodgement meeting request form with supporting development application information. If the information is provided in hard copy, four copies of plan(s) and supporting reports are required. Prelodgement meetings are arranged by appointment and are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 First Avenue, Maroochydore.  Download the prelodgement advice services information sheet for more information on the benefits of council’s prelodgement advice services.

To find out more about council’s development services, call our dedicated planning phone number or drop into one of the service counters.  During business hours visit council offices at 10 First Avenue in Maroochydore or the Nambour, Tewantin and Caloundra offices.  Council has a phone number specifically for development application enquiries, 5475 7526 or 5475 PLAN.

Scienta Hesse I Personal Assistant to Executive Director Regional Strategy & Planning
Regional Strategy & Planning | Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Phone:    07 5441 8182
Email:     scienta.hesse@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
Website: www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
Mail:       Locked Bag 72 Sunshine Coast Mail Centre Qld 4560

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

SUNSHINE COAST BDAQ OCTOBER MEETING

Wednesday, 10 October, 2012.
Pacific Paradise Bowls Club.
13 Menzies Drive, Pacific Paradise

  • Meeting Commences 6.00pm
  • No charge to attend meeting.
  • (Tax deductible 2 course meal available for $20)
RSVP by 8 October to allow notice to club & advise of any special dietary advice.


SPONSOR:

SOLATUBE AUSTRALIA –
Matt from Coastal Skylights will update members about the products & services offered by Solatube.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

BDAQ marketing strategy, and other general business.

Rsvp to Brad Read at brad@brdg.com.au

Profile of Sunshine Coast community



Profile of Sunshine Coast community 

Issue 2012-08

 

Sunshine Coast Council has made it easy to find and understand census data specific to the Sunshine Coast using Community Profile. It’s a free online tool available on council’s website that provides data about Sunshine Coast activity centres and 44 localities.

 

The data provides valuable facts and figures about the Coast population such as age, family, education, income, housing, transport and religion. You’ll pick up interesting facts and figures about the Coast community like 65% of households have a mortgage or fully own their home, and 1 in 5 residents were born overseas.

 

Community groups, investors, business and students can use Community Profile to assist in decision making, funding applications, research projects, investment decisions and business growth planning.

 

Community Profile presents the data in simple, clear tables and charts and provides supporting factual interpretive information. Users can download figures and reports about specific geographic areas of interest.

Community Profile can also be used to compare the characteristics of different areas including locations within the Sunshine Coast, neighbouring councils, South East Queensland, Queensland and Australia.

To find Community Profile data on council’s website, click on the About Sunshine Coast tab, and look under Statistics and Maps.

 

Council is hosting a free information and training session about Community Profile at the Lake Kawana Community Centre on 22 October from 4pm to 6pm. Spaces are limited and registration of attendance is necessary, check council’s website for information and registration, email communityprofile@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au or call 5475 7272.