2024-12-22T03:14:22-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/145653004/what-does-president-obama-s-final-year-in-office-mean-for-architecture Julia Ingalls 2016-01-13T13:18:00-05:00 >2021-05-28T17:12:34-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/ae/aefrzjr6nt83s24m.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>President Obama gave his final State of the Union speech last night, which prompted the AIA to issue a statement outlining policies it feels President Obama and Republicans in Congress should enact this year in order to bolster the health of the architectural profession. These include:</p> <p>&bull; Strengthening the Historic Tax Credit</p> <p>&bull; Passing <a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/95485007/architects-laud-introduction-of-bipartisan-national-design-services-act-as-way-to-cut-spiraling-student-loan-debt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The National Design Services Act</a></p> <p>&bull; Retaining 2030 energy efficiency targets for federal buildings</p> <p><img src="http://cdn.archinect.net/images/650x/oc/ocbbr3i4imvnlojh.jpg"></p> <p>The majority of these initiatives are designed to ease financial burdens, both by reducing student debt while stimulating tax incentives for construction (the AIA advocates for making the&nbsp;179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction permanent). Among other things, The National Design Services Act allows students to work off their academic loans through community service, while the AIA describes the Historic Tax Credit as a method of "promot[ing] investment in the buildings that make America what it is today." Archinect plans to follow the state...</p>