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Architectural Billings

July 1, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Architectural Record July 23, 2025 

AIA Global Campus for Architecture & Design

Selecting architects for designing large educational campus buildings typically involves a structured process that ensures the chosen architect meets the project’s functional, aesthetic, and budgetary requirements. Here’s an overview of the typical steps involved:

1. Defining Project Goals and Requirements

  • The institution or client identifies the purpose of the building, the estimated budget, sustainability goals, and any specific design or functional needs.
  • A detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is prepared, outlining project objectives, scope, timeline, and submission requirements.

2. Public Announcement or Invitations

  • The RFP/RFQ is distributed through professional networks, industry publications, or procurement platforms.
  • Invitations may also be sent directly to pre-identified firms with expertise in similar projects.

3. Initial Submissions

  • Interested architectural firms submit their qualifications or proposals. These typically include:
    • Firm portfolio: Highlighting past projects, especially in educational architecture.
    • Design approach: How the firm plans to address the project goals.
    • Team composition: Key personnel and their relevant experience.
    • References and certifications.

4. Shortlisting Candidates

  • A committee reviews submissions and shortlists firms based on criteria such as experience, design philosophy, project understanding, and compatibility with the client’s goals.

5. Interviews and Presentations

  • Shortlisted firms are invited for interviews to present their ideas, discuss their approach, and answer questions.
  • Some institutions may request preliminary concept designs to gauge creativity and alignment with the campus’s vision.

6. Evaluation of Proposals

  • Proposals are evaluated based on:
    • Design capability: Innovation, sustainability, and functional design.
    • Experience: Success in similar projects.
    • Cost efficiency: Ability to meet the budget without compromising quality.
    • Cultural fit: Alignment with the institution’s mission and values.

7. Final Selection

  • The committee selects the architect based on scoring, deliberations, and sometimes a voting process.
  • Contract negotiations follow, detailing scope, fees, and deliverables.

8. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

  • In some cases, stakeholders, including faculty, students, and local communities, are involved in providing feedback or participating in design workshops.

9. Formal Approval

  • The governing board of the institution or a similar authority often gives final approval.

This process ensures transparency, accountability, and the selection of the most qualified architect for the project.

 

Related:

American Planning Association

Society for College and University Planning

Higher Education Facilities Act of 1963

Carnegie Classifications

Bechtel Projects

Beauty in a World of Ugliness

Duncan Stroik Architect

American Vitruvius

Robie House

Architecture and Aesthetic Education

Synthetic Turf Guidelines

July 1, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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The Synthetic Turf Council is a 501(c)6 non-profit trade association serving the synthetic turf industry.  Its vision is to improve the world through synthetic turf.  Its mission is to serve as the global forum to promote, develop, grow and advocate for the synthetic turf industry.   As a voice in its industry, it promotes the benefits of synthetic turf systems, it provides credentialing services and, for our purpose produces a bibliography of consensus products relevant to the education facility industry:

Synthetic Turf Council Technical Guidelines

You may communicate directly with the Council at the link below:

Synthetic Turf Council Contact Information

We do not find any open public consultations at the moment but we keep the Council’s consensus products in on the standing agenda of our Sport teleconferences. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.


LEARN MORE:

White Papers & Technical Presentations

 

Summer Meals

June 30, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder

Ann Arbor Public Schools | Student Summer Food Service Program
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Readings

“The Negro Family: The Case For National Action” 1965 Daniel Patrick Moynihan

“Black Rednecks and White Liberals” by Thomas Sowell

“Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make It Harder for Blacks to Succeed” by Jason L. Riley

“Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America” by John McWhorter

Related:

Kitchens 100

Kitchens 200

Kitchens 300

Commercial Kitchens

Colloquy (June)

June 30, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Open agenda; Not Too Organized. Whatever anyone wants to talk about.  We do this once every month.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

 

Summer Hours at our State Street Office: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Join us for lunch 11:45 AM – 1:15 PM every Wednesday at the University of Michigan Business School

 

Retrodiction

Education & Healthcare Facility Electrotechnology Committee

 

AI Risk Management Framework

June 30, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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We list notable NIST projects or efforts related to LLMs, based on available information from NIST’s publications and initiatives. These projects emphasize NIST’s role in advancing measurement science, standards, and guidelines for trustworthy AI systems, including LLMs. Note that some projects are specific studies, while others are broader programs that encompass LLMs.
  • Evaluating LLMs for Real-World Vulnerability Repair in C/C++ Code
    NIST conducted a study to evaluate the capability of advanced LLMs, such as ChatGPT-4 and Claude, in repairing memory corruption vulnerabilities in real-world C/C++ code. The project curated 223 code snippets with vulnerabilities like memory leaks and buffer errors, assessing LLMs’ proficiency in generating localized fixes. This work highlights LLMs’ potential in automated code repair and identifies limitations in handling complex vulnerabilities.
  • Translating Natural Language Specifications into Access Control Policies
    This project explores the use of LLMs for automated translation and information extraction of access control policies from natural language sources. By leveraging prompt engineering techniques, NIST demonstrated improved efficiency and accuracy in converting human-readable requirements into machine-interpretable policies, advancing automation in security systems.
  • Assessing Risks and Impacts of AI (ARIA) Program
    NIST’s ARIA program evaluates the societal risks and impacts of AI systems, including LLMs, in realistic settings. The program includes a testing, evaluation, validation, and verification (TEVV) framework to understand LLM capabilities, such as controlled access to privileged information, and their broader societal effects. This initiative aims to establish guidelines for safe AI deployment.
  • AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF)
    NIST developed the AI RMF to guide the responsible use of AI, including LLMs. This framework provides a structured approach to managing risks associated with AI systems, offering tools and benchmarks for governance, risk assessment, and operationalizing trustworthy AI across various sectors. It’s widely applied in LLM-related projects.
  • AI Standards “Zero Drafts” Pilot Project
    Launched to accelerate AI innovation, this project focuses on developing AI standards, including those relevant to LLMs, through an open and collaborative process. It aims to create flexible guidelines that evolve with LLM advancements, encouraging input from stakeholders to ensure robust standards.
  • Technical Language Processing (TLP) Tutorial
    NIST collaborated on a TLP tutorial at the 15th Annual Conference of the Prognostics and Health Management Society to foster awareness and education on processing large volumes of text using machine learning, including LLMs. The project explored how LLMs can assist in content analysis and topic modeling for research and engineering applications.
  • Evaluation of LLM Security Against Data Extraction Attacks
    NIST investigated vulnerabilities in LLMs, such as training data extraction attacks, using the example of GPT-2 (a predecessor to modern LLMs). This project, referencing techniques developed by Carlini et al., aims to understand and mitigate privacy risks in LLMs, contributing to safer model deployment.
  • Fundamental Research on AI Measurements
    As part of NIST’s AI portfolio, this project conducts fundamental research to establish scientific foundations for measuring LLM performance, risks, and interactions. It includes developing evaluation metrics, benchmarks, and standards to ensure LLMs are reliable and trustworthy in diverse applications.
  • Adversarial Machine Learning (AML) Taxonomy for LLMs
    NIST developed a taxonomy of adversarial machine learning attacks, including those targeting LLMs, such as evasion, data poisoning, privacy, and abuse attacks. This project standardizes terminology and provides guidance to enhance LLM security against malicious manipulations, benefiting both cybersecurity and AI communities.
  • Use-Inspired AI Research for LLM Applications
    NIST’s AI portfolio includes use-inspired research to advance LLM applications across government agencies and industries. This project develops guidelines and tools to operationalize LLMs responsibly, focusing on practical implementations like text summarization, translation, and question-answering systems.

Remarks:

  • These projects reflect NIST’s focus on evaluating, standardizing, and securing LLMs rather than developing LLMs themselves. NIST’s role is to provide frameworks, guidelines, and evaluations to ensure trustworthy AI.
  • Some projects, like ARIA and AI RMF, are broad programs that encompass LLMs among other AI systems, but they include specific LLM-related evaluations or applications.

 

Standards for American Prosperity

June 29, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Crucial Role of Standards for American Prosperity Highlighted in CSIS Roundtable Session with S. Joe Bhatia

 

Here are some of the ways in which government regulations impede economic growth:

  1. Increased costs: Regulations can impose additional costs on businesses, which can affect their ability to operate efficiently and compete in the marketplace. For example, regulations can require businesses to invest in new technologies or processes to comply with environmental or safety standards, which can increase their expenses.
  2. Reduced innovation: Some people believe that regulations can stifle innovation and entrepreneurship, as businesses may be hesitant to invest in new products or technologies that could be subject to strict regulations. This can limit the potential for new businesses to emerge and grow.
  3. Slowed job growth: Regulations can increase the cost of doing business, which can lead to reduced hiring and slower job growth. This can be particularly challenging for small businesses that may not have the resources to comply with regulatory requirements.
  4. Reduced competition: Regulations can sometimes create barriers to entry for new businesses, which can reduce competition and limit economic growth. This can be particularly true in industries that are heavily regulated, such as healthcare and finance.
  5. Reduced trade: Regulations can make it more difficult for businesses to operate in international markets, as they may face additional regulatory requirements and trade barriers. This can limit economic growth and reduce opportunities for businesses to expand their operations.

It is important to note that regulations can also have benefits, such as protecting consumers and the environment, promoting fair competition, and fostering innovation. It’s essential to strike a balance between regulatory requirements and economic growth to ensure that businesses can thrive while also protecting public health and safety. 

The U.S. Standards System effectively provides a “shadow government” that runs parallel to the elected government so that a balance of informed voices are present in formulating what Montesquieu called the “necessary laws”.   See our ABOUT.

More

NIST: Procedures for the Development of American National Standards

ANSI Essential Requirements: Due process requirements for American National Standards

Office of Management & Budget Circulars in Numerical Sequence

Timon of Athens

June 28, 2025
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The Oxford Union Debating Society, founded in 1823, is one of the world’s most prestigious debating societies, affiliated with the University of Oxford. It has hosted numerous influential speakers and debates, including historical figures like Winston Churchill and Malcolm X. Over the years, it has played a vital role in shaping public discourse and fostering critical thinking among students. The society’s iconic debating chamber and rich tradition of lively debates have made it an enduring institution in the world of debate and public speaking.

“In an era of cancellation and defenestration we sometimes forget that we both cannot go on like this and that we have been here before. We know this because our greatest writers and artists have addressed this question in their own times.

When Roger [Scrouton] was going through his own battle with the shallows I often thought of Shakespeare’s rarely performed but great play Timon of Athens. Timon has the whole world before him. He is surrounded by friends and admirers. He is generous to all. Yet he falls on hard times and when he does absolutely everybody deserts him. He is left with nothing and nobody, and risks being filled with despair and rage. It does not help that he is shadowed by the cynical philosopher Apemantus, who has warned him that just such a desertion might occur.”

— Douglas Murray

Service Level Agreements

June 28, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“Seek Ye First”

June 27, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“And therefore, I said, Glaucon, musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul, on which they mightily fasten, imparting grace, and making the soul of him who is rightly educated graceful…”

— Plato, The Republic, Book III, 401d–402a

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