For Marshall E. Purnell, the newly elected 2008 president of the American Institute of Architects, the best way to approach what could be the daunting task of leading an organization of more than 83,000 members is to do it with optimism. It’s something he’ll need plenty of as he guides an organization and an industry in the middle of a major transition as new technologies, project delivery methods and generations take hold.

In mid-December 2007, Purnell, a principal at Devrouax + Purnell Architects and Planners PC in Washington, D.C., was inaugurated as the 84th president of the AIA. But Purnell is anything but new to the organization. His leadership in the AIA has spanned several years, serving as AIA’s Washington, D.C., chapter president in 2003, as well as the Mid-Atlantic regional director from 2003 to 2006.

In his new position, Purnell says he is prepared to touch on some hot-button issues, such as diversifying the work force within the industry, fueling innovation in project delivery and materials manufacturing and fostering collaboration among the construction team. Construction Today interviewed Purnell on his goals as president, the outlook of the industry and what design professionals can expect from the AIA in coming years.

Construction Today: What are some of your top priorities as the new president of the AIA?
Marshall E. Purnell: Sustainability is the over-riding priority not just of me, but for the AIA’s over-83,000 members. That’s as it should be. It’s a policy approved by the AIA’s board and embedded in the strategic plan that governs how the AIA develops the programs and services for our members. The AIA sees sustainability in three interconnected ways:  environmental sustainability, through enlightened stewardship of our resources; economic sustainability, through integrated project delivery; and professional sustainability, through a commitment to diversity. These strike me as priorities the design and construction industry can and should embrace.

CT: What are you most optimistic about?
MP: Architecture is by definition a profession for optimists. If you’re wedded to the future, you have to have faith in the long-term. However, the optimism I feel is more than a professional default. The current economic squall notwithstanding, the larger steering currents moving our society and our industry with it tell me we’re not on the edge of, but in the midst of transformational change. You can see it in the electronic communications revolution drawing our industry closer together, enforcing a welcome ethic of collaboration.

You can see it in our growing sustainable response to the fact that buildings consume nearly 50 percent of the energy this nation produces. And you can see it in our society’s increasing embrace of diversity. Just look at this year’s field of candidates for this nation’s highest office. However, these opportunities bring with them challenges. Positive change doesn’t happen on its own. We have a responsibility to make a difference.

CT: What are some of the challenges that architects will have to overcome in the next five years?
MP: What some might see as challenges, I see as opportunities: helping reduce the impact of projects’ energy use and carbon emissions; rebuilding this nation’s infrastructure that has been so long neglected; and creating a more collaborative culture in which excellence can be nurtured. To that list I would add that it is imperative for us to recruit those who could, would and should be part of this profession. One of the first tasks is to get those who may not have seen themselves as part of this profession excited about architecture.

CT: Some believe we might be on the cusp of over-saturating the public with discussions on environmental and sustainable design. How is AIA addressing this, and what direction do you see green building and design headed?
MP: When bridal magazines begin to carry features on “your green wedding,” you can take it either as a warning sign that sustainable design has jumped the shark or, more hopefully, we have at last the public’s ear. The AIA has been advocating sustainable design for over three decades. However, we could carry this campaign only so far, because the public wasn’t listening. That’s changed, which, by the way, is another source of the optimism I spoke of earlier. Nevertheless, we cannot afford to be complacent.

Sustainability is more than brown rice and fluorescent bulbs, so education of the public and clients is incumbent on all of us. The AIA’s most recent education initiative is our “Walk the Walk: Architects Leading the Sustainable Evolution” campaign. Also, our awards programs have elevated sustainability as a prerequisite of design excellence. In addition, I believe the appetite for sustainable design will be considerably enriched by the projects being designed by our members. They are beautiful and they work. As to the direction of green design/building, I believe the challenge is a force drawing the industry together and driving a more holistic view of what we do. In other words, we are more than a team focused on single projects – we are an essential resource for building sustainable communities.

CT: In your opinion, what are some of the top innovations in project delivery?
MP: Integrated project delivery (IPD) has to be high on any list. The use of software that allows sharing of documents through every phase of a project will improve the outcome and make us all look good in the eyes of clients when our projects come in on-time and budget. To help us get to that sweet spot, the AIA has partnered with the California Council AIA to produce a Guide to Integrated Project Delivery. It's available electronically from the AIA's Web site www.aia.org as a tool for everyone in our industry, from clients to specifiers.

Although IPD works for a vast number of projects, it’s not the only way to deliver excellence. Whatever way our members choose to deliver a project, the AIA’s role is to support them by providing the resources they need.

Let me add that in addition to software, there has been a positive attitudinal change on the part of all the parties on the team. There is less finger pointing. We realize we’re all at the same table working together to achieve something where everyone benefits.

CT: What about innovations in materials used?
MP: Two innovations come immediately to mind: customization and sustainable products. In the 21st Century, computer technology allows the architect to specify products that are unique to a building site and program. This is a step on the way toward a revival of regional architecture. A second step is the proliferation of sustainable materials that allow building designers to work with the ambient energy unique to any building site.

CT: You’ve mentioned that diversity is an issue that needs to be addressed in the industry. What are some of your solutions to developing a more diverse work force?
MP: We know that our industry does not reflect the society we serve. Why should we be concerned? When you look at the needs of a population of over 300 million and the enormous challenges that have design implications – urban sprawl, deteriorating schools, affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure, public health, safety and welfare, and, of course, designing it all sustainability – it’s imperative that we have access to all the talent we can get.

But how do we get that access? The solutions are not so obvious, which is why the AIA is hosting a major diversity conference this April to develop a blueprint for action. That blueprint will be shared with everyone in our industry, because we all have a stake in diversity. “We the people,” which is the phrase that baptized us as a nation and is the theme of the AIA's National Convention this May in Boston, does not refer to some or a few or even most. “We the people” is all of us. If you start with those three words, then almost anything is possible.

CT: How can a more diverse work force of architects improve our communities?
MP: This nation’s communities are themselves diverse, which is America’s great strength. It only makes sense to draw on people who come from these communities. Their background prepares them to understand how best to address those issues that will admit to a design solution – housing, security, education … the list is as long as a community’s needs. At the beginning of the 20th century, America’s definition of great music had a distinctly European ring. A century later the flow of influence has completely reversed. From Copeland to Count Basey, from jazz to hip-hop the world is tapping its feet to and humming our songs. How did that happen? We discovered and embraced the unique voices of our land. Imagine the possibilities for architecture.

CT: What are some of the barriers to entry that minorities face?
MP: I could take up the rest of the space of this article answering that. Let me cite just one example from practice. As an industry, we are just now beginning to overcome a deeply embedded perception that firms whose principals are women or people of color are capable of taking on only those projects that cater to what are perceived to be women’s or minorities’ needs. In my own practice as a minority-owned firm, we had to move not only our clients, but even our peers from thinking we could do only so much or that we needed to have our hand held.

CT: What can our academic institutions do to better prepare the next generation of architects?
MP: Architects are known as problem solvers. America’s schools of architecture do a good job of preparing the profession for that role and deserve not only the profession’s gratitude, but our support. Proof of our schools’ success is that increasingly the business world and industry recognize that hiring someone with a design-based education gives them a unique competitive edge. However, those who teach are more than content experts – they are mentors who should be modeling a culture of respect, engagement and innovation. Students as well as those who are in practice need to insist on this.

CT: How is technology, such as building information modeling (BIM) changing the role of the architect?
MP: BIM is just a tool. The real innovation changing the role of the architect is integrated project delivery. Earlier I pointed to the AIA/AIACC Guide to Integrated Project Delivery. [BIM] is just the latest resource the AIA’s added to the profession’s and the industry’s toolbox to advance the model of a truly collaborative delivery system that serves the best interests of the entire building team, including the client, to deliver the highest quality of work.

CT: Construction managers are becoming more prevalent on projects. Do people still view the architect’s role in the construction process as being responsible for designing great buildings, or as a subcontractor?  
MP: I don’t believe architects will ever be viewed as subcontractors to the design process.  However, as more and more project managers – as opposed to construction managers – are brought to the process, I think questions will be raised about the relevance of the added value they bring. Architects are the facilitators of the project team and responsible for coordinating throughout the project phases. This will continue because the training and expertise the architect brings to the table is unique. The architect and the construction manager both represent the best interests of the owner and I see them as partners.

CT: As a principal of an architecture firm, what advice do you have for your peers on improving their own firms and in improving the profession as a whole?
MP: Listen to the public. Be aware of the issues that are the topics of the day.  Architecture is a lightning rod for the passions, the dreams, and the needs that shape our civilization. Listening and a capacity for empathy are among the core values essential to a firm’s success.