February 18, 2010

Jon Hobbs leaves Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in stronger position

Reserve fund, membership up

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

When Jon Hobbs took over as executive director of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) in January 2001, the institute was grappling with a small deficit as well as declining membership.

But during his tenure, the RAIC has built up a healthy reserve fund. On top of that, membership has grown from about 2,500 to 4,200, the largest in the history of the more than 90-year-old organization.

“Just from an operational and management point of view, I’d say those are major changes that have occurred since 2001,” says Hobbs, who is scheduled to retire as executive director by the end of June.

Hobbs, a Peterborough native who has a bachelor of architecture degree from Tulane University as well as a master’s degree in planning from Queen’s University, says the institute now provides “a lot more” practice support than it did in the past.

In 1997, the RAIC and the provincial architects’ associations produced the first edition of the three-binder manual known as the Canadian Handbook of Practice. An updated version hit the streets late last year.

The institute recently published a guide to determining appropriate fees for the services of an architect.

Hobbs, a founding member of the Canada Green Building Council, said educating architects on sustainable design has become an ongoing priority at the RAIC.

Courses have dealt with such subjects as sustainable design fundamentals for Canadian buildings, green building tools and techniques and opportunities for more energy-efficient building retrofits.

Over the past few years, the institute has also expanded its honours and awards program.

Hobbs, who at one juncture in his career ran his own architectural practice in Peterborough and served as a vice-president of the Ontario Association of Architects, has had a longstanding interest in environmental design.

“I’ve always tinkered with photovoltaics,” says Hobbs, who has designed three “off the grid” cottages and has another such project lined up for his “semi-retirement” this summer.

Acting as executive director of the RAIC has been “a great job,” Hobbs says.

“I’ve had the privilege of meeting great architects from all over the world and viewing great buildings as well.”

The RAIC is in the midst of recruiting a new executive director.

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