Events Reminder - July 13, 2026 
Potomac Valley Events
DEADLINE APPROACHING—SUBMIT YOUR BEST WORK BY JULY 20
There's still time to submit your best work to the 2026 AIA Potomac Valley Excellence in Design Awards competition, but don't wait—entries close Monday, July 20 at 11:59 PM (no late submissions accepted). Showcase projects that demonstrate design excellence, innovation, sustainability, and community impact while gaining recognition for your firm, clients, and collaborators.
Entries will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of firm leaders from AIA Arkansas (see below) led by Head Juror Marlon M. Blackwell, FAIA, Founding Partner + Design Director, Marlon Blackwell Architects. Award winners will be honored at AIAPV’s Design + Leadership Awards on the evening of Thursday, October 22. Save the date!
2026 Call for Entries
Submit a Project
Sponsorship Opportunities
Uses, Applications & Advantages of Perforated Metal & Profile Wire
July 22, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Webinar | 1 LU/HSW | REGISTER
This course will explore architectural uses for perforated metals, wedge wire, and profile bar. Participants will gain insight into how this material is manufactured, designed, specified, and used in various applications. It will also explore its optimal uses as cladding, sunshades, ventilation grilles, grating, entrance flooring; as well as other decorative elements.
RISK MITIGATION FOR THE BUILDING ENVELOPE
September 1, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Webinar | 1 LU | REGISTER
This presentation explores proactive risk mitigation strategies for building envelope design throughout both the design and construction administration phases. The course examines inherent risks associated with improper detailing, material selection, coordination failures, and poor construction practices that can lead to water and air infiltration, condensation, structural deterioration, energy inefficiency and long-term durability concerns. The session also emphasizes the critical role of commissioning, field-testing, and performance verification in ensuring the building envelope meets intended safety, durability, and operational standards.
AIA Potomac Valley Committee Meetings – Join Us!
July 15 | Emerging Professionals Committee (Virtual) 6:30 PM
Aug 12 | Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) Committee (Virtual) 1:00 PM
Aug 14 | Committee on the Environment (COTE) (Virtual) 11:00 AM
Events, Education & Opportunities
July 13, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Webinar | 1 LU/HSW | REGISTER
Presented by the Housing and Community Development Knowledge Community, this webinar looks at stacked flat middle housing as a solution for adding housing to existing neighborhoods. The seminar will discuss how stacked flat middle housing can be a template for integrating new housing opportunities in existing neighborhoods, at a more efficient scale for development. Stacked flats present opportunities to unlock new housing supply in neighborhoods that have not seen new investment or on sites that would otherwise be overlooked by large multifamily developers due to size or difficulty. The seminar will highlight creative vertical circulation that is often necessary, such as single stair code reform and multi-story units to achieve viability.
PASSIVE HOUSE DC CHAPTER MEETING
July 16, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Virtual | REGISTER
Attend and network with others working to transform the building industry across the US. Get the latest, regional, national and international Passive House news. Hear reports on ongoing efforts and help brainstorm new ones. Please invite friends or colleagues who may be interested. Zoom link is provided with registration.
Passive House Washington DC is part of The Passive House Network, in affiliation with the International Passive House Association, and the Passive House Institute. Questions welcome: [email protected]
Guides in Action: Compensation
July 16, 4:00 PM
Virtual | REGISTER
Explore how compensation influences equity during the next Guides in Action session. This interactive discussion highlights Chapter 3 of the Guides for Equitable Practice and demonstrates how the Activation Kit can help identify strategies that promote equitable compensation practices. Space is limited and registration is required for those planning to attend. Contact Andrea Milo with questions.
2026 ARE® PREP: CONSTRUCTION & EVALUATION (CE)
July 18, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Virtual | 5 LU/HSW | REGISTER
Organized by AIA Northern Virginia
Prepare for the Construction and Evaluation section of the Architect Registration Examination® 5.0 (ARE® 5.0) with our comprehensive course. As one of the six divisions in ARE® 5.0, this program delves into construction, contract administration, and post-occupancy evaluation of projects. Explore critical areas like construction observation, shop drawing and submittal review, bidding and negotiation, and project closeout, all essential elements for safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of building occupants. Join us for a practical and thorough preparation experience.
When Contracts Go Wrong: 3 Core Provisions That Shape Project Success
July 21, 1:00 – 2:00 PM
When a project goes sideways, who's responsible? The answer is usually written in a few provisions you may not think about until something goes wrong.
Join AIA Contract Documents (ACD) for a discussion on three contract provisions that routinely influence project outcomes. You'll hear from professionals on the design and legal side of the industry as they work through real project scenarios.
RESTORATIVE SONIC ENVIRONMENTS: SOUND, SLEEP, DEMENTIA, AND DESIGN
July 21, 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Presented by the Design for Aging Knowledge Community, this webinar asks: How do dementia care environments sound at night? And what does that mean for the people who live and work there? This session brings together a design strategist and researcher, a dementia care educator with deep operator experience, and an applied science practitioner working at the intersection of sleep science and dementia care. Together, they will examine the nighttime care environment as an interconnected system.
ECONOMIC UPDATE Q3 2026 ABI INSIGHTS
July 24, 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Virtual | 1 LU | REGISTER
Join AIA Chief Economist Richard Branch for a quarterly conversation about the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The ABI is a leading monthly economic indicator that uses proprietary AIA data to predict nonresidential construction activity 9–12 months ahead. Get ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities and inform your strategic planning with key insights into the industry’s latest economic data and trends.
AIA CRAN SYMPOSIUM 2026
September 23 – 26
San Antonio, TX | REGISTER
The annual CRAN Symposium brings together residential architects and allied professionals from across the country, including firm leaders, emerging professionals, builders, product suppliers, and sponsors. The symposium provides opportunities to network, share ideas, and gain insights into the ever-changing residential markets.
Join CRAN for three days of curated seminars, inspiring home tours, special networking events, and an innovative vendor showcase.
Calls, Competitions & Deadlines
2026 AIAPV EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS COMPETITION
Submission Deadline: July 20, at 11:59 PM
Submissions are closing soon for the 2026 AIA Potomac Valley Excellence in Design Awards competition. This prestigious program honors projects that exemplify creativity, sustainability, community impact, and design excellence across all scales and typologies.
Whether you're breaking new ground or preserving cherished history, this is your chance to be recognized for elevating the built environment through design. The competition is more than an awards program—it's a platform to honor architectural innovation, highlight the vital role of collaboration, and celebrate the transformative power of design.
AIA27 CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Submission Deadline: July 21, at 11:59 PM
Submissions are open for sessions and tours at the next AIA Conference on Architecture & Design®, which will take place in Philadelphia from May 19–22, 2027. Submit a proposal.
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR NEXT TO LEAD
Deadline for Applications: August 7, 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 Next to Lead cohort. Next to Lead is AIA's leadership development program for racially and ethnically diverse women in architecture who aspire to become volunteer leaders within AIA. Through a ten-month experience that combines virtual learning, in-person workshops, mentorship, and networking, participants gain the skills, confidence, and connections to take the next step in their leadership journey.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: AIAPV 2026 KEA MEDAL
Submission Deadline: August 15
The Kea Medal, awarded biennially, recognizes professionals, volunteers, and colleagues whose exceptional efforts have elevated public awareness of the role of architecture. Chapter members are invited to submit nominations for consideration in one of three categories: a) Service to the Profession; b) Leadership; and c) Architectural Advocacy.
If you know of someone whose contributions deserve recognition, now is the time to nominate them! The 2026 Kea Medal will be presented during the Chapter’s Design + Leadership Awards ceremony in October.
AIAPV 2026 STUDENT AND EMERGING PROFESSIONAL DESIGN COMPETITIONS
Submission Deadline: September 14
Calling all architecture students and emerging professionals! Start preparing your entries now for AIAPV's 2026 Student and Emerging Professional Design Competitions. These programs offer an opportunity to showcase your creativity, tackle real-world design challenges, and earn recognition and prizes at AIAPV’s Design + Leadership Awards celebration this October.
2026 AIAPV Student Design Competition: Reimagining Urban Spaces in the DMV
This competition, sponsored by the Potomac Valley Architecture Foundation (PVAF), invites any Undergraduate or Graduate student enrolled in an Architecture program in Maryland, DC, or Virginia to submit a previously completed studio project that transforms an underutilized urban space in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. into a vibrant, sustainable, and community-centered environment. Projects completed during studies may be submitted up to 1 year after graduation.
• Student Design Competition details can be found HERE.
2026 AIAPV Emerging Professional Design Competition: Revitalizing Urban Spaces in Maryland
AIA Potomac Valley invites individuals and teams (up to four members) to enter the 2026 Emerging Professional Design Competition, focused on revitalizing neglected urban spaces across Maryland—from vacant lots in Baltimore to abandoned buildings in Frederick and waterfronts in Annapolis. Participants will submit a digital file of a 36"x48" board featuring site analysis, a compelling design proposal with drawings and 3D renderings, and a community impact strategy. Entries will be judged on innovation, sustainability, feasibility, site integration, and visual communication.
• Emerging Professional Design Competition details can be found HERE.
Submissions for both of these competitions are free and must be uploaded through the online portal by Monday, September 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT.