Building a home incurs the greatest financial burden most people will face in a lifetime, and yet few envision how complex the process is until they are tangled in a jungle of codes, ordinances, design options, products and contractor choices.

When a new home or addition is in your future, a specialist in residential design is the best choice to guide you through the design/building experience. It makes sense to secure design services from a qualified, experienced source - a member of the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD). Since 1950, AIBD has provided building designers with educational resources and has developed nationwide design standards and a code of ethics for the building design profession. Today, AIBD is a nationally recognized association with professional and associate members in 47 states and throughout Canada, as well as Europe, Asia and Australia. Its chartered state societies are active in their respective legislative arenas and work to promote public awareness of the building design profession. AIBD is also meeting the challenge of the future by educating members about new and improved building materials and methods of construction.

All professional members of AIBD must also maintain their education through a continuing education policy.

AIBD also enforces the National Council of Building Design Certification (NCBDC) program for professional building designers. For those who have chosen the building design profession, there is no greater evidence of competency than achieving the status of Certified Professional Building Designer (CPBD). NCBDC certification is available to both members and non-members of AIBD. To qualify, an individual must first possess a minimum of six years of educational and professional design experience, and submit his or her work for extensive peer review.