Yesterday, AIA President George Miller, FAIA, discussed at the 2010 Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference the need to pass legislation that will get our profession back on our feet - legislation that will provide tax relief to struggling businesses, help make affordable housing more sustainable and more available and encourage investment in energy efficient green buildings to get architects working again.

This is all great but there is a real between what many architects are offering to get new project and what prospects want from a working relationship with an architect.   There was an article by Wendy Koch in USA Today last April 21, 2010 called Blueprint for a green house that expressed well this reality.  Obviously, one of the main concerns is how much more will it be to go Green. 

Like I said in a previous post on my blog, you better be ready to explain to your potential prospects that it does not have to be more expensive and that it can actually save money them in the long run.  Keep in mind, it’s not because you are convinced of the benefits of green architecture that your prospects are in line with you.

If you decide to open a restaurant and serve only vegan food because you believe in the health benefits from this type of food, great.  You can’t be upset that the vast majority of the people won’t go to your restaurant.  It will be your responsibility to promote your restaurant in such a way that will attract the people that does enjoy this specific type of food.  Same for those architects that decide to promote primarily green architecture in their practice.

That said, there are strategies and tools that you should put in place in your practice to get the clients you want.  And you need to have a system in place to get the results you want from a specific niche.

It’s up to you to do the type of projects you want and then your responsibility to attract the clients that want such projects.