OWNERS
INTRODUCTION
Preparing for and teaching continuing education courses to Owners gives us the opportunity to interact with a significant number of
people who provide valuable feedback and perspective through the questions and comments they offer during the course of our interactive presentations. The presentations
are made by a practicing architect rather than a seminar leader so the audience can explore the depth of knowledge and practical experience of the instructor rather than
adhering to a set agenda. This allows the audience to steer the discussions into related topics so they gain an even greater perspective.
The format and duration of the course can be adjusted to fit virtually any scenario. The audience can also request a
combination of topics be discussed. This flexibility and ability to customize the content make the CE courses popular with Corporate HR Departments, Religious
Organizations, Alumni Associations, Private Clubs, Neighborhood Associations, etc.
Popular Cont Ed Discussion Topics Include:
Sustainable Design Strategies
Energy Efficient Design & Construction
Alternative|Green Energy Sources
Indoor Air Quality
Water Collection, Use & Conservation
Recycling Construction Waste
Residential Zoning Ordinances
Site Analysis
Infill Development
Smart Growth
Coastal & Island Construction
Hurricane Resistance
Tropical Architecture
Design for Aging Owners
Accessibility
Equestrian Communities
The popular topics listed above are design and construction issues... they don't describe the process. We've developed and
continually refine a CE course titled "From Idea to Construction: The Process of Building", designed to show you how to get from start to finish. Without the right
process, you won't be able to apply your knowledge of the design and construction issues.
From Idea to Construction: The Process of Building
This twelve hour course is currently offered throughout the year: twice each year through Emory University's Center for
Lifelong Learning with additional dates by request (up to ten additional dates). The seminar has been taught as a four session course and as a two session
course. Though the course covers a tremendous amount of information, the two session structure is generally preferred by participants. The following
is an excerpt from the advertised description of the course:
Planning to build or renovate? This is the course for you. While most
seminars describe building products and systems, this course is designed to describe the process from start to finish.
We'll fill in the gaps that the home improvement shows and magazines can't cover in their limited formats. We'll talk
about collecting ideas to determine your needs, finding the right design professional, analyzing your project site, zoning
issues, standard contracts between the owner and project team, communicating through drawings, permitting and inspections
by your local authorities and managing your job site liability.
Ryan Taylor, AIA, taylor28design LLC Founder and President, teaches the course. "The need for the course
became obvious early on in my practice when I realized that I was having almost exactly the same discussion with each new client. They had a collection
of parts and pieces based on various media sources, the experiences of family|friends and their own research though they didn't know how to get from
start to finish.", says Ryan.
Ryan uses an outline to guide the course. At the beginning of the course, he'll present the outline and
explain how it has evolved into it's current form. He'll also explain that the outline is the "base content", though participants are
encouraged to ask questions as a means of steering the course. Furthermore, Ryan will start the course with some questions for the participants
to assess the general knowledge and experience level of the group. This allows him to teach to the level of the class rather than delivering a "canned"
presentation.
The curriculum evolves each time Ryan teaches the course. By repeatedly refining the outline that directs
the course, you'll find the curriculum now anticipates most of your questions and provides content and case studies to explain the issues. You'll also
find that even though a six hour session sounds like a long time, you'll be amazed how quickly the time will pass. This is largely due to the active
participation of the audience and the engaging content of the course.
In addition to the hand-outs, you're welcome to review the substantial amount of documentation used during
the course: live drawings sets for renovations and new construction, building codes, ordinances and other relevant information. Before|after the course
and during the breaks, people look through the materials at their own pace. They also engage Ryan in follow-up questions and other discussions. It's not
uncommon to have a group stay after the class to discuss a particular subject like infill development, sustainable design, etc. You can even ask specific
questions about your project(s).
The course is popular with inexperienced Owners, people who have been through the process and want to
improve future work by learning how to avoid common issues and professionals in related fields: realtors, investors, etc. Ryan's experience presenting
the course, writing and years of practice allow him to offer very candid comments about the who, what, when, where, why and how of the building industry
in plain English. You're encouraged to enquire about the next course offering by using the contact information available on this web site.
Infill Development
taylor28design LLC's consulting work with neighborhoods facing incompatible infill development has taught us that
education is one of the keys to the success of the neighborhood. Educating the residents about the process of site analysis, use of zoning ordinances
and use of the tools to control infill development allows the residents to make objective decisions about how to best address the issues affecting their
neighborhood.
If the laws and ordinances of the municipality are relatively clear, all parties reviewing the potential of
a piece of property should come to exactly the same conclusions. Gathering the residents for a live site analysis followed by a question and answer
session will allow the residents to see how a piece of property (or an assemblage) could potentially be developed. This increased perspective and the
chance to ask questions about property rights, potential protections and how to address proposed infill development can go a long way toward settling a
neighborhood and uniting it toward a common goal.
These gatherings are also a chance to acknowledge that not all infill development is bad or undesirable.
Having an Architect create a frame of reference allows residents to see the options from the perspective of the developer and municipal authority. This
is particularly helpful when dealing with the municipal authority because you have to put on your "fifty year glasses" to think about long term planning
through future land use maps and other mechanisms that allow the authority to steer growth over a long period of time. Most citizens don't see their
surroundings in this manner... they only see isolated issues rather than the long-term goals. Without the long-term perspective, these continued, apparently
isolated issues can be very frustrating and fatigue a neighborhood to the point of apathy.
You're encouraged to enquire about how we can help you address the quality and character of your neighborhood
through education of the residents. We have experience working with out-of-state neighborhoods and can provide support through a number of formats.
SINGLE-SESSION COURSES
taylor28design LLC can craft a single session course specific to your needs: breakfast
or lunch seminars, half-day seminars or whole day seminars designed to address the topic(s) of your choice. Some popular
choices for single-session owner seminars may include: how to find a design professional, basic site analysis and
standards contracts.
RENT AN ARCHITECT
In some cases, an owner wishes to discuss issues specific to his|her property rather
than attending a seminar. In such cases, you can contact taylor28design LLC to arrange a limited on-site consultation.
You'll know your expenses for the site visit up-front and you can always schedule another consultation if you have
follow-up questions. This is a great solution for people tackling small projects or experienced builders|renovators who
want a second opinion or some direction.
REALTORS
MULTI-SESSION COURSES
taylor28design LLC does not currently offer any multi-session courses developed
specifically for realtors. If you'd like to discuss development of a specific curriculum or the adaptation of another
multi-session course, please use the available contact information to begin a discussion. (Development of the course is
free-of-charge if the request will generate a minimum negotiated number of attendees.)
SINGLE-SESSION COURSES
The Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) requires realtors to accrue twenty-four hours of
continuing education every four years. The GREC minimum requirement for a single-session course is three hours.
If you review the continuing education curriculum offered through the
"Approved Schools" on the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) web site, you're likely to find many courses designed to
educate realtors about topics from proper use of contracts to desktop publishing. There are very few courses that
describe architecture: the commodity of the realtor.
The taylor28design LLC courses designed for realtors will add value to realtor
services by educating the realtor about architecture: materials, building systems, practices common in the industry,
etc. The courses are a great way to meet the GREC requirements while learning about topics that affect all property
owners.
RENT AN ARCHITECT
Involving an architect in a sale can be a great way to help the realtor and buyer see the potential
of a property. This is an excellent risk management strategy for realtors (avoid giving advice about construction) and it
makes the best use of the realtor's time by handing a potential buyer off to the architect while the realtor continues to
provide service to other clients. For more information, visit the 'Articles' page on this web site to review "Realtor
Services: Architects Help Residential and Commercial Realtor Expand Their Offerings to Potential and Past Buyers".
CONTRACTORS
SINGLE-SESSION COURSES
Curriculum for Contractors would typically be designed to address issues such as quality
control, building systems integration and building materials. While the goal of the course is to review a particular
issue, the benefit of the course is often the added perspective: thinking about the additive nature of
construction and how to anticipate problems related to change orders, unforeseen circumstances, etc.
RENT AN ARCHITECT
Involving an architect in a project as a consultant may help the contractor
anticipate and avoid problems during the construction phase. This is a great solution for builders and renovators not
used to working with an architect. The services of the architect and contractor are complimentary and result in the best
possible solution when collaboration and communication are encouraged. The benefit of this collaboration is that the value
added by the architect often offsets the design fees.
LEGAL
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