EP University: Documentation Planning and Scheduling
2026-06-17 11:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago) | Powers Brown Architecture, MKT- 600 N Shepherd, Building 3, Suite 300, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
Join us for the kickoff session of the EP University Lecture Series. This first lecture, Documentation Planning and Scheduling, will explore the different phases of design delivery and create an alignment on what the documentation deliverables should be at each phase to create a true development timeline.
This session will help you:

Learn better processes
Improve confidence
Accelerate your learning to advance in the field more quickly
Become skilled at analyzing project risks

Presented by the subject matter expert, Jeanette Shaw of Powers Brown Architecture, this session offers 1LU CE credit.
Lunch is provided.
Location: Powers Brown Architecture, MKT 600 N Shepherd, Building 3, Suite 300, Houston, TX 77007
Advanced registration is required. Deadline: Friday, June 12 at 2PM.

Full Day Continuing Education
2026-07-15 08:30 - 14:30 | Architecture Center Houston, 902 Commerce St., Houston, TX, 77002, United States
We cordially invite you to attend a full day of Continuing Education

8:30-9:00am Breakfast and Registration
9:00-10:00am
Energy Performance with Modern Glazing – 1.0 AIA HSW
Presented by Channing Wilson, Sierra Pacific Windows
10:00-11:00am
Generative Interiors: The Future of Architecture and Design – 1.0 AIA LU
Presented by Erick Calderon, La Nova Tile
11:00-Noon
Architectural Concrete Finishes for Interiors 2 – 1.0 AIA HSW
Presented by David Miller, Dungan Miller Design | Concrete Finishes
12:00-12:30pm
Break for Lunch
12:30-1:30pm
Texas Accessibility: From CAD to TABS – 1.0 AIA LU & Barrier Free
Presented by Meghan Simecek, Texas Accessibility Group
1:30-2:30pm
ADA Entrance Accessibility- 1.0 AIA HSW
Presented by Mark LeCrone & Amy Salmeron, Allegion Services Group, Greater Houston

Total AIA Learning Units: 5.0 LUs (3 HSW & 2 LU) Barrier Free included

Individual classes are not available for the event.
Pre-registered pricing includes breakfast and lunch
Parking is not included
A minimum of 3 business days’ notice is required to receive a full refund if you need to cancel your reservation
Online registration will close Friday, July 10

Day of registration is available (breakfast and lunch is NOT included)

EP University: Communication Basics
2026-07-15 11:30 - 13:30 | Powers Brown Architecture, MKT- 600 N Shepherd, Building 3, Suite 300, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
Join us for the second session of the EP University Lecture Series – Communication Basics.
Communication is a fundamental skill required to be successful in the field of architecture. This course reviews communication requirements and skills – from client interface and interaction to internal and external communication among all other team members. Using clear communication facilitates efficient decision-making, minimizes misunderstandings, and prevents conflicts.

Understand the basic types of communication — verbal, non-verbal, written, and visual — in order to determine the proper ways to apply and respond to each type
Review communication preferences by each generation to know how to be the most successful in properly getting needed information to complete projects
Review strategies for successful communication – including understanding team member roles, respecting others, and communicating with clients – with examples
Provide strategies for conflict resolution when disagreements do arise within project teams – with clients, internal team members, or external consultants

Presented by Jeanette Shaw of Powers Brown Architecture, this session offers 1LU CE credit.
Lunch is provided.
Location: Powers Brown Architecture, MKT 600 N Shepherd, Building 3, Suite 300, Houston, TX 77007
Advanced registration is required. Deadline: Monday, July 13 at 5PM.

HXD Week: Design Connections
2026-08-03 16:30 - 18:30 | 2910 McKinney, 2910 McKinney St., Houston, TX, 77003, United States
Design Connections | “Wired to Belong” The Science and Practice of Connection at Work
In an era where work can happen from anywhere and AI can deliver information instantly, human connection remains one of the most important drivers of professional success. Research shows that our brains are wired for social interaction, and the relationships we build through face-to-face conversations, mentorship, collaboration, and networking often shape our careers as much as our technical skills. Learn from organizational leaders and design industry professionals why being present—in the office, at industry events, and within professional communities—creates opportunities that technology alone cannot. For team leaders and the next generation of leaders, the discussion will highlight how showing up, building relationships, and expanding your network can accelerate growth, strengthen culture, and create lasting career advantages in the future the design industry.
AIA Credit: 1.0 LU
Light bites will be provided.
Parking:
Street parking availabe.

HXD Week: Africatown: Monument and Wound
2026-08-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture & Design, 4200 Elgin St, Houston, TX, 77204
“Africatown: Monument and Wound — Student Proposals for Remembrance and Repair,” would present a curated exhibition and short public talk based on student work from my senior Interior Architecture capstone studio at the University of Houston. The session begins from the premise that Africatown is both a monument to survival and an ongoing site of rupture, where design must engage memory not as a completed narrative, but as an active condition. Founded by survivors of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to reach American shores, Africatown carries a history shaped by an illegal voyage, deliberate erasure, oral tradition, and ongoing environmental and industrial pressures. The studio, Africatown: Remembrance and Repair, asks students to design a floating interpretive installation that responds to this layered history and contemporary context. For HXD, the session would combine a brief introductory talk with a guided walkthrough of student drawings, models, and visual research. Students would participate as presenters, contributing to a broader conversation about memory, repair, environmental justice, and interior architecture.
AIA Credit: 1.0 HSW
Light bites and beverages will be provided.
Presenter:
Sheryl Tucker de Vazquez
Associate Professor
University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design
Interior Architecture

Sheryl Tucker de Vazquez is an architect, educator, and Associate Professor at the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, where she directs the Interior Architecture program. A licensed architect in Texas, her teaching and research focus on adaptive reuse, cultural memory, material practice, and the role of interior architecture in addressing social and environmental conditions.

She served as an architectural collaborator with artist Rick Lowe in the development of Project Row Houses, a landmark community-based art and architecture initiative in Houston’s Third Ward. Her current research project, The Hair Salon: Black Hair as Architecture, examines Black hair practices as systems of pattern, structure, environmental intelligence, and spatial knowledge, and has received support from the Graham Foundation.

At UH, she teaches studios that ask students to engage history, place, and repair through rigorous design proposals.

Parking: Guests may park in the Elgin Street Garage, 4224 Elgin Street, Houston, TX 77204. Paid visitor parking is available in the garage. The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design is located nearby at 4200 Elgin Street.

HXD Week: The Power of Brain Health in Workplace Wellbeing
2026-08-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Perkins&Will, 1001 McKinney St, 19th Floor, Houston, TX, 77002, United States
In an era where productivity, innovation, and resilience are the keys to success, the state of our brains, our cognitive function, mental clarity, and emotional well-being play a crucial role in how we perform at work. Yet, in the hustle of deadlines, meetings, and constant digital demands, we often neglect the very organ that drives our success: the brain. What if we told you that small, science-backed changes in your daily routine could boost your focus, reduce stress, and enhance overall job satisfaction? Imagine a workplace where mental fatigue is minimized, creativity flows naturally, and employees thrive, not just survive. This session will dive into a topic that affects every aspect of our professional and personal lives: brain health and workplace wellbeing. Building on the research shared by one of the facilitators at the United Nations European Brain Health Summit, we’ll explore the neuroscience behind optimal brain health, practical strategies to enhance cognitive function, and how organizations can design and foster an environment that supports mental well-being. By the end, the audience will have actionable insights & sited examples to not only improve their own performance but also contribute to a healthier, more productive workplace.
AIA credit: 1.0 HSW/LU
Presenter:
Julie Gauthier, IIDA, RID, LEED AP
Associate Principal, Workplace, Houston
Perkins&Will
Workplace Practice Lead at the Houston Studio of Perkins&Will, Julie embraces beauty and function in all aspects of her role as an interior designer. Every day, she is driven by conceptualizing client-focused, functional, and healthy environments that are built upon communication, strategic programming, and a passion for creating spaces that inspire. Julie also pairs her design practice with advisory services, having championed new initiatives for workplace strategy, design for wellbeing, sustainability tracking, and change management.

Lunch:
Catered lunch will be provided. Please register well in advance before registration closes to secure your lunch. Email Alex Moreno (alexm@aiahouston.org) with any dietary restrictions.
Parking:
Please input the address for 900 Fannin into your GPS and it will take you straight to the parking garage. If you use 1001 McKinney, you will have trouble locating it. You will pull a parking ticket upon entry and use the same ticket to exit. You may park in any unreserved space on the 5th floor and above. Note that our garage is marked for 1001 McKinney at the entrance. We are not at the McKinney Place parking garage. Thank you, and we look forward to your visit at the Perkins&Will Houston Studio! Please bring your parking ticket inside with you for validation. Feel free to call the front desk at 713-366-4000 if you need assistance.

HXD Week: BCG Houston LEED Platinum Tour
2026-08-06 17:00 - 18:00 | Private: BCG Houston, 1550 Lamar St., Suite 1200, Houston, TX, 77010, United States
The tour of the newly certified LEED Platinum BCG Houston office will showcase design and sustainability strategies used to create the new workspace adjacent to Discovery Green. Light bites will be provided as BCG and HOK’s design and sustainability team host the tour and discuss strategies that were used to achieve LEED integration, including optimization for daylight and views, energy and water efficiency, and enhanced waste management. The design team will also walk through the space showcasing how the cohesive material palette tells a story of biophilia, branding, and local BCG culture while playing off the views and nature that the building overlooks.
AIA Credit: 1.0 HSW
Light bites will be provided.
Parking:
Paid street parking and parking garage available; $15 flat fee parking in garage available.

HXD Week: Beyond the Buzz
2026-08-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Architecture Center Houston, 902 Commerce St., Houston, TX, 77002, United States
Beyond the Buzz: What Design Week Reveals About the Future of Interior Architecture
Every year, Chicago Design Days and NeoCon introduce hundreds of new furniture products, materials, finishes, and workplace design concepts. But which innovations represent meaningful shifts in interior architecture—and which are simply this year’s aesthetic trends? This session examines key observations from Chicago Design Week through three lenses: ephemeral trends, enduring shifts, and emerging innovations. Participants will explore how circular design principles are reshaping furniture planning and specification, how neuroinclusive design is influencing occupant well-being, and how manufacturers are responding to evolving expectations around sustainability, flexibility, material transparency, and human-centered design. Rather than showcasing the latest products, this course provides architects and designers with a practical framework for evaluating furniture and interior design innovations, helping them distinguish what’s new from what’s next—and determine which ideas will have lasting impact on the health, safety, welfare, and performance of the built environment.
AIA Credit: 1.0 LU|HSW
About the presenters:

Caryn Ogier, AIA, RID, LEED AP, PMP
Kimiko Designs
Director of Furniture Planning
is the Director of Furniture Planning at Kimiko Designs, where she helps clients align furniture strategy with business goals, user needs, and long-term sustainability. With more than 25 years of experience in architecture, interiors, and project management, Caryn specializes in furniture planning, circular design,and lifecycle stewardship for workplace and healthcare environments.
A lifelong learner and self-proclaimed furniture woobie, Caryn is passionate about translating emerging ideas into practical project outcomes. She has helped shape Kimiko’s circularity movement and brings a unique perspective that connects design, project management, and implementation, helping owners, architects, and designers turn good ideas into spaces that perform better over time.

Necia E. Bonner, RID, NCIDQ, IIDA, CHID, CDF, LEED AP
Perkins&Will
Principal and Director of Health & Science Interiors
Necia Bonner is a Principal and the Director of Health & Science Interiors for Perkins&Will’s Houston studio, where she leads interior design strategy for some of the most complex healthcare, research, and science environments in the country. With more than 25 years of experience dedicated exclusively to high-performance interiors, she has worked across a broad spectrum of specialized facilities, including academic medical centers, community hospitals, behavioral health facilities, public health agencies, private clinics, research laboratories, vivaria, and corporate science campuses.
A Certified Healthcare Interior Designer and Certified Design Futurist, Necia is recognized for her expertise in translating complex clinical, operational, and regulatory requirements into innovative environments that support the future of healthcare delivery and scientific discovery. She is a respected leader within the design profession and a frequent advocate for advancing healthcare and science environments through design leadership, education, and professional service. Necia has served in numerous leadership roles with IIDA, the AIA Committee on Architecture for Health, the Texas Association for Interior Designers, and currently serves on the board of Texas Women in Healthcare.

Catered lunch will be provided.
Street parking and surface lot parking available around the Architecture Center.

Lunchtime Learning (Virtual)
2026-08-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Virtual Lunchtime Learning sponsored by the Committee on the Environment (COTE)

First Safe, then Circular: optimizing material health with Cradle to Cradle Certified®
If you are being asked to evaluate the material health of products and aren’t sure where to start, this session is for you! We’ll dive into the basics of material health for designers, including major classes of chemicals of concern, chemical assessments, and how designers can use certifications as they evaluate products. This presentation details the methodology and requirements for the Cradle to Cradle Certified® products program and how designers can use it to specify materials that are healthy in a project and across a supply chain. We’ll explore how Cradle to Cradle Certified®, as a fully digitized program, makes it easy for designers to find reliable material health information to deliver meaningful sustainability benefits on every project.

Speaker: Ren DeCherney, Director of Built Environment

Ren is a licensed interior designer who uses her first-hand experience of the complexities of the building industry to help designers and manufacturers translate their sustainability pledges into reality.
Prior to joining the Institute as Director of Built Environment, she worked in Portland as a designer, where she took her firm PVC-free, making them the first firm in Portland to make such a commitment. She was then the Director of Industry Transparency at Source, a digital materials platform, where she synthesized design team needs and industry trends to integrate sustainability seamlessly into the design process. This included building various user tools, growing strategic partnerships, and developing all of the sustainability filters on the platform.
She then worked at the International Living Future Institute, overseeing the Declare and Living Product Challenge programs. There she worked with both designers and manufacturers to understand the current market incentives for sustainable practices and how to implement sustainability strategy into everyday practices.

AIA Credit: 1.0 HSW
GBCI Credit: self-report

HTC 101: The Beginner’s Guide to Historic Tax Credits
2026-08-20 17:30 - 19:00 | Architecture Center Houston, 902 Commerce St., Houston, TX, 77002, United States
Each historic tax credit (HTC) rehabilitation project is unique and has inherent challenges. Learn how to anticipate if a rehabilitation is feasible. Our presentation will consider how to analyze, evaluate, and apply HTC principles in real-world projects through examples, while understanding the collaboration required between preservation professionals, architects, and developers to achieve both regulatory compliance and financial success. Examples will be pulled from several projects in Texas.
Presented by: William R. Franks Consulting and Ryan Historic Advisors
Hosted by: AIAH Historic Resources Committee
AIA Credit: 1.0 LU
Schedule:

5:30pm Social
6:00pm – 7:00pm Presentation
