RIAI members have until midnight tonight to cast their vote in the RIAI Council Election.
Much has been said about making your vote count and to think carefully over your vote and who will represent you on Council for 2015. This is true and below is my message again to Western Region Colleagues as candidate for Council:
Dear Western Region Colleagues
My principle goal in standing as Western Region representative in the forthcoming RIAI Council elections is to represent you, my Western Region colleagues. To give you a strong Western voice in a very Dublin centric Institute. I will work on your behalf to get your viewpoints heard in a professional yet strong manner.
As one of those instrumental in setting up the BRegs Forum website, I have been vocal in my opposition of S.I. No.9 of 2014 with the sole purpose of obtaining a better Building Control system for Ireland. As a UK trained architect (I am still registered with ARB and a Chartered member of RIBA), I have extensive experience of the UK Building Control system. And although far from perfect I believe the UK Building Control system still gives a better way forward than the current legislation under S.I.9.
Even if my own viewpoints may differ from your own, I will give a balanced, unbiased voice to Council on your behalf addressing the key problems the Institute are currently facing, including:
• BC(AR) 2014 including Architectural Technologists & self-builders
• Uniting the profession rather than dividing it
• The marketing of the profession in competition against engineers & surveyors
• The problems practices are facing in maintaining architecture as a viable business
• Governance
• Registration
I therefore ask for your vote in order to represent you and hope to continue the successful representation of RIAI Western Group members as undertaken by our colleague, John Ruane, who is stepping down after three years
Yours faithfully,
Mark Stephens
BA(Hons) DiplArch ARB RIBA CPHD MRIAI (Conservation Accredited Grade III)
Mark Stephens is a UK trained, registered and Chartered architect with the ARB and RIBA and has worked for several high-profile UK Architectural Practices. He gained membership with the RIAI in 2006 following his move to County Mayo to self build his own home for his family. He runs his own Practice, Mark Stephens Architects from Foxford, County Mayo. Mark is also a Certified European Passive House Designer with the Passivhaus Institute.
Mark is a prolific blogger, using social-media extensively and was shortlisted for the Blog Awards Ireland and Be2Awards for ‘Best Use of Twitter in Construction’
Mark has been in business over 25 years in a variety of different sectors and understands the problems and requirements of the small-medium architectural practice.
I am an accessible person and welcome your input; I can be contacted on 085 159 4084 or info@markstephensarchitects.com
To download a pdf of this statement (opens in new window) to forward/tweet – CLICK HERE
THIS POST gives more information on my standpoint regarding S.I.9 and in particular self-building