Virtual World Congress? Bah, humbug!

I’ve heard a little of this from some people and, I gotta tell you, it bugs me! We are going to have the best World Congress event in the history of mankind! The prospect of taking FTI’s signature World Congress event to a digital platform is nothing but opportunity for the Institute. Let me tell you why you ought to be breathless with excitement about this.

• Access to technical content from wherever you are on the planet: some 118 papers being delivered by their authors in moderated topical session over four consecutive Wednesdays starting August 5. The papers this year are exceptional.
• No travel requirements: save big on time and money!
• Carbon footprint reduction: major reduction! Asking members to come from across the globe to congregate in LA, or any spot for that matter, is problematic with respect to carbon. I was encouraging consideration of a virtual event years ago because of this issue, but it was a non-starter. We all blather on endlessly about sustainability; it’s time to align our actions and our words, virtually walk the talk.
• Networking: yes, networking! Zoom-fatigue? I don’t get it; I’m so happy to just SEE people, it gets me all excited! I’m truly thrilled at the prospect of seeing many of you for the first time in a long time.
• Workshops: we are experimenting with a small workshop program for this event. Many of you have asked for additional educational programs. This is it, and we have some excellent workshops lined up. Please review here and participate!
• Transatlantic Facade Design Summit: convened in conjunction with the World Congress, this event is an open collaboration between FTI and the European Facade Network. All registrants are welcome to join.
• CE credits: a spectacular total of 12 hours of live and 30+ hours of on-demand CE units are available.
• vExpo: our sponsors are developing their own special programs to captivate and inspire you through our virtual trade show.
• FTI news and special announcements: we will update you on progress and ongoing key initiatives at the Institute. There will be special guest speakers (soon to be announced) and exciting new programs will be revealed.
• Facades Month: August is Facades Month with the World Congress at its core. The entire month will be populated with FTI and peer events, including a virtual poster gallery and networking events. We invite all comers to initiate their own events during Facades Month (please coordinate with FTI at events@facadetectonics.org).
• It’s the right thing to do: seriously! We are all working like maniacs and all we’re doing is making things worse (collectively). This is a chance to invest some of our time in making things better. The work of the Institute is critical in moving the AECO industry to sustainable building practices. We are fighting the good fight. Join us; support us!

Yes, I would like to see your face. I get the unique experience and value of shared reality. But let’s not burn down the planet with our insistence on “pressing the flesh.” Your digital presence will suffice for the present.

Meanwhile, we’ve lined up some interesting articles for your reading pleasure. Especially noteworthy in this edition are the contributions by Ajla Aksamija and John Neary, documenting their experiences in facades education.

As always, we love to hear from you. Email us at skins@facadetectonics.org with your comments and questions.

Best health to all,
Mic