Academy of Architecture for Health

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibilities Guidelines for ADA Titles II and III, which the Accessibility Board released in 2004, are available for public review, with a deadline for comments of August 18.
Please click here to view the AIArchitect article on this topic.

AIA Diversity Recognition Program
This program celebrates and invites the contributions of AIA members toward the goal of a more diverse profession. Up to twelve submissions will be selected annually to be recognized as Diversity Best Practices. All individuals submitting a proposal must sign the waiver/release form. Electronic submissions are preferred and should be sent to diversity@aia.org. Hard copy submissions may be sent to:
Yvette Morris
Manager, Diversity
The American Institute of Architects
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Healthcare 101: a new resource for emerging professionals and those interested in pursuing healthcare architecture, including free presentations from the popular introductory Healthcare 101 Webinar series!

2008 AIA National Healthcare Design Awards
The AIA Academy of Architecture for Health is proud to announce the recipients of its new AIA National Healthcare Design Awards program. This award program showcases the best of healthcare building design and healthcare design-oriented research.

Opportunity for emerging professionals: Herman Miller Intern Scholarship
Eight professionals will be awarded $1,000 each so that they may attend Healthcare Design.08. Applications are due August 8, 2008. This scholarship program is part of Herman Miller’s continuing commitment to excellence in health-care architecture and support of young architects.

Analysis of Departmental Area in Contemporary Hospitals
Authors: Professor David Allison, AIA, AC and Associate Professor D. Kirk Hamilton, FAIA, FACHA
This study documents and compares the relationship between departmental net and departmental gross square footages in five primary patient care, diagnostic, and treatment departments within contemporary hospitals, including Emergency, Radiology,
Surgery, Acute Care Inpatient Units, and Intensive Care Units.

Volume 10 of the Academy Journal Now Available
The Academy Journal is the official publication of the Academy. The Journal electronically publishes articles of particular interest to AIA members and the interested public involved in the fields of healthcare architecture, planning, design, research, and construction. Its goal is to promote awareness and educational exchange between architects and healthcare providers and to broaden our base of understanding about our clients. Volume 10 of the Academy Journal is now available.

Graduate Programs in Healthcare
The number of architectural schools that offer postgraduate programs in healthcare is growing. See a list of these schools, with links to their programs.

AAH - Allied Organization Events
Dates and locations of major healthcare conferences and events nationwide. Also, see a list of related links.

National Survey on Critical Issues in Healthcare Environments
The Coalition for Health Environments Research, part of the Center for Health Design, is conducting a national survey to identify critical issues in healthcare environments (ambulatory, acute, and long-term care). The survey centers on issues that have a bearing on the physical environment. Its results will identify critical issues in the healthcare environment, with implications for facility planning, design, and construction. Your opinion is important. To thank you for your time, we offer a substantial discount on one downloadable research report from the center's Web site. Details follow the survey. Respond to the survey by clicking on this link.

Research Reports and Papers
Since 1993, The Center for Health Design has been actively engaged in initiating research to promote the use of evidence-based design to create healing environments in hospitals, clinics, physician offices, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. Click here to find current, relevant information on pressing issues related to healthcare using evidence-based design. Browse through white papers, research reports and summaries, issue papers, and reports from The Coalition for Health Environments Research.

Upcoming Web Seminars on Climate Change and Health Care
A February 2, 2007, article in the New York Times reports the findings of the United Nations scientific panel studying climate change: "evidence of a warming trend is 'unequivocal,' and that human activity has 'very likely' been the driving force in that change over the last 50 years." This report not only reflects the mounting evidence that the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases has played a role in raising the average surface temperature of the earth but has "also added new momentum to a debate that now seems centered less over whether humans are warming the planet, but instead over what to do about it."

What is the healthcare sector's role in combating climate change?
As providers of care, the healthcare sector is called into action to demonstrate a collective commitment to public health, through instituting a multipronged approach to combating climate change. For more information, visit http://www.h2e-online.org/.

The Fourth Factor Is Now Available!
The Fourth Factor: A Historical Perspective on Architecture and Medicine is now available through the AIA Bookstore. This detailed look at the history of healthcare architecture, written by John Michael Currie, AIA, FRSH and published by the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health in celebration of the AIA's 150th anniversary, was made possible through the financial support of member and allied individuals and firms.

The Fourth Factor is the Academy’s gift to the profession and to the greater healthcare community, as an extension of the AIA150 celebration. We plan to distribute this book to members of Congress and other legislators, healthcare institutions, medical schools, architecture schools, and other significant contributors to healthcare delivery in America.

A limited number of copies are available for a retail price of $39.99 (member price $34.99). If you are interested in purchasing ten or more copies at the special price of $29.99 each, call the AIA Bookstore at 800-AIA-3837 (800-242-3837) and choose option 4, or click here to order.

Memorial Fund Established in Memory of Donald C. Axon, FAIA, FACHA
The Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation has announced the founding of the Donald C. Axon, FAIA, Memorial Fund, to support healthcare architectural education and research activities, including support of participation in International Union of Architects (UIA) activities. Pledges and donations should be made payable to the AAH Foundation, designated for the Axon Fund, and sent to:

Kurt A. Rockstroh, AIA, ACHA
Steffian Bradley Architects
100 Summer Street, 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-305-7100

Any questions should be addressed to Georgeann Burns at gburns@rtkl.com.

AIA Featured Podcast: "Relationship between Design and Healthcare for Patient Healing"
From AIA PodNet: Gordon Chong, FAIA, presents findings from the research study, “Multi-cultural Influences on the Design of a Healthcare Setting.” Using integrated databases of information gathered from over 30,000 patients, they incorporated techniques from psychology, sociology and neuroscience to understand how spatial configurations, light, noise, and temperature can be designed to mitigate stress.
Read More | Bio

More AIA podcasts of possible interest to AAH members
Full AIA Architecture Knowledge Review podcast series