Building a home incurs the greatest financial burden most people will face in a lifetime, and yet few envision how complex the process is until they are tangled in a jungle of codes, ordinances, house plan options, and product and contractor choices.

When a new home or home improvement project is in your future, a specialist in residential design is the best choice to guide you through the design/building experience. It makes sense to secure design services from a qualified, experienced source, a member of the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD).

Since 1950, AIBD has provided its members with educational resources and developed nationwide design standards and a code of ethics for the building design profession. Today AIBD is a nationally recognized association with professional, associate, and affiliate members in 47 states and throughout Canada, as well as Europe, Asia, and Australia. Its chartered societies are active in their respective legislative arenas and work to promote public awareness of the building design profession and emphasize the role we fill as a valuable resource for residential design services.

Our members consist of professional building designers and architects, who have, for the most part, chosen residential design as the focus of their practice. State laws regulate the practice of architecture and these laws vary somewhat from state to state. Residential and some light commercial design is mostly exempted from these laws and does not require the services of a licensed architect. AIBD members know that the individual planning a new home or home improvement expects services with the highest professional and ethical standards and we are dedicated to providing this specialized service. AIBD is also meeting the challenge of the future by educating our members about new and improved building materials and methods of construction, and how the principles of classical architecture can be used in today’s designs to create a timeless and enduring appeal.

To qualify as a professional member of AIBD an individual must meet specific educational and professional design experience requirements, and submit their work for extensive peer review. All professional members of AIBD must also maintain their education by complying with the requirements of the continuing education policy.

AIBD also recognizes the National Council of Building Designer Certification (NCBDC) and its certification program for professional building designers and encourages its members to attain this respected qualification. For those who have chosen the building design profession there is no greater evidence of competency than achieving the status of Certified Professional Building Designer (CPBD). NCBDC certification is available to both members and non-members of AIBD and is attained by meeting the eligibility requirements and then passing an extensive examination covering such topics as architecture, engineering, building systems and materials, project administration, problem solving and professional ethics.