Make your voice heard in Olympia
AIA Washington Council is your advocate in state government, working for you on key issues impacting the architecture community. The AIA Washington Council Political Action Committee (APC) engages with lawmakers who will champion our advocacy priorities by supporting their campaigns and raising issues important to architects. APC enables architects to become the voice of the design and construction industry by positively impacting the relationships AIA has with legislators.
But we can’t do it on our own. Your advocacy is critical for the profession of architecture. Your contribution to APC will assure that we can have important conversations to advocate for Washington architects’ priorities. APC provides architects with a strong political voice by investing your donations in candidates who support our issues.
Donate Today Download Brochure (PDF)Message About APC
APC is our aggregated voice advocating for policies and regulations that affect us. Our support helps shape our future and ensure that, while the world changes and while specific tasks and responsibilities shift, architects continue to play a vital role in shaping our world and providing for the general welfare of our communities.Brian Carter AIA, CEO and Principal, Integrus Architecture
We provide financial support to the Architecture Political Committee because its work helps secure funding for architectural projects and initiatives throughout the state. The APC also advocates for legislation related to issues that matter to architects, such as climate, energy, and professional practice.Doug Ito FAIA, Managing Principal, SMR Architects
How We Support Architects + Firms
We support the campaigns of candidates who are working on issues key to architects and the practice of architecture. AIAWA members look at the candidate’s record and positions in the following areas:
Practice Issues
- Contracts
- Project delivery
- Public Private Partnerships
- Quality Based Selection
- Condo liability
- Architect licensing
- Changes to the Architects Practice Act
- General business issues
Taxes
- B&O tax
- Comprehensive tax reform
Capital Budget
Support robust capital budgets that fully funds projects and proposals to pilot sustainability and other programs on state projects.
Livability + Housing Affordability
- Robust regional planning
- Affordable housing
- Urban density
- Planning
- Transportation
- Growth Management Act
Sustainability
Support efforts to reduce carbon emissions, particularly around the built environment, including:
- Carbon pricing policies
- Energy efficient building incentives
- Programs to fund energy retrofits
- Electrification
- Reducing the use of HFCs in refrigerants
Codes
Building, energy, and other codes that impact architects’ work, including issues related to the State Building Code Council.
School Construction
- K-12 school construction, including thresholds for local levies,
- School construction assistance program,
- OSPI funding formulas
- Taxes related to funding public education
- Stock school plans
Recent Victories
- Secured Passive House building code reforms that will:
- Remove regulatory barriers for architects implementing Passive House standards
- Allow insulated walls to extend into setbacks and buildings to exceed height limits for additional insulation
- Passed transit-oriented development and parking reform legislation that will:
- Create walkable, mixed-use communities near transit hubs with minimum density requirements
- Establish affordability requirements and new tax exemptions for qualifying projects
- Limit parking requirements and eliminate minimum parking for affordable housing, senior housing, and small commercial spaces
- Advanced permitting reform while maintaining public safety by:
- Allowing architects to self-certify permit drawings for detached ADU projects with appropriate oversight measures
- Successfully opposing overreaching self-certification provisions that could have compromised public safety
- Continued working to ensure fair compensation for architectural services by:
- Initiating collaboration with the Office of Financial Management to update the state fee schedule and guidelines
- Establishing a year-long process to address what is included in “basic services” and maintain compensation levels considering inflation
- Securing stakeholder input to ensure fair compensation for public building design work across Washington state
Make Your Voice Heard
Your contribution to APC will assure that we can have important conversations to advocate for Washington architects’ priorities.
Where is your Donation Spent? All of your contribution goes directly to support candidate campaigns, administrative costs are covered by AIA Washington Council.