Public Architects Committee

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  • 1.  State / Municipal Job Classification for Sustainability Document Review

    Posted 04-30-2025 10:27 AM

    Connecticut (Department of Administrative Services / Real Estate and Construction) is exploring the creation of a new job classification to review construction documents for high-performance building standards, sustainability requirements, and quality assurance in large-scale projects. Specifically, we are interested in roles that involve reviewing architectural and engineering contract documents for sustainability compliance, managing processes for tracking sustainable design submissions, and conducting peer reviews of energy and sustainability systems. Although this position could be either an architect or an engineer with an interest in document review, there are other, non-licensed paths to this expertise currently being taught at the university level, typically through emerging environmental degree programs.

    If your state or municipality has similar positions or a series of job classes in this area, we would appreciate any insights on their titles, responsibilities, or job classes.

    Feel free to reach out to me directly: david.barkin@ct.gov if you are aware of existing job classifications. 



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    David Barkin FAIA
    Chief Architect
    State of Connecticut
    Hartford CT
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    AIAU live course - Office to home conversions: adaptive reuse in suburban markets - Dec 9, 3pm ET, Earn 1 LU HSW


  • 2.  RE: State / Municipal Job Classification for Sustainability Document Review

    Posted 04-30-2025 07:28 PM
    David, the State of Georgia has the Georgia State Finance & Investment Commission (GSFIC). I recommend you call them to talk with Jeff Lacks | Director, Procurement Services.The agency is responsible for the development process for almost every state agency plus higher ed and tech ed projects. The GSFIC oversees $1 billion plus of planning, design and construction. 

    The State of Georgia projects no longer use LEED. The state adopted a guideline and scoring system called Georgia Peach.  The purpose of the Georgia Peach Program is to rate and recognize buildings owned or managed by the state that optimize energy performance, increase the demand for materials and furnishings produced in Georgia, improve the environmental quality in this State, conserve energy, protect the State's natural resources, and reduce the burden on the State's water supply.

    The Design Review Group within GSFIC's Construction Division performs Constructability and Code Compliance reviews of all projects prior to Advertisement for Bids or Issuance of a Notice to Process for Construction Phase Services. They do thorough reviews. During design their reviews at each phase and their constructability reviews of documents and spcs check for conformance with GSFIC policies and guidelines, completeness, coordination of the documents and code compliance.  Some A and E firms create a separate set of specs just for GSFIC projects. The agency also has created over the years a family of documents and design and construction guides and an in-depth Design Manual and Construction Manual.  They also have a very robust docs management system, eBuilder, that they have customized over the years and they require project architecture and engineer team members to be trained on it - they do the training.

    The more licensed / AIA member architects that they bring in-house makes the design and construction process smoother on the A/E teams.

    For what you described, I recommend you check out this agency, their structure and their website and links.  



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    Michael L. Katzin, AIA

    e|  mlkatzin@gmail.com

    | 470.469.5586 
    Member | City of Johns Creek Planning Commission

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    AIAU live course - Office to home conversions: adaptive reuse in suburban markets - Dec 9, 3pm ET, Earn 1 LU HSW


  • 3.  RE: State / Municipal Job Classification for Sustainability Document Review

    Posted 05-01-2025 08:57 AM

    Thank you Michael. As I think this is really an HR question versus a procurement one I have reached out to Mr. Moyers. Thank you for the link to the GSFIC organization as I was able to navigate to Mr. Moyer's contact information. BTW, Connecticut also uses eBuilder, now Trimble Unity Construct, which we find as a very valuable project tracking tool



    ------------------------------
    David Barkin FAIA
    Chief Architect
    State of Connecticut
    Hartford CT
    ------------------------------

    AIAU live course - Office to home conversions: adaptive reuse in suburban markets - Dec 9, 3pm ET, Earn 1 LU HSW