On average, professional associations allocate one of every four dollars they spend to member education and training and public information activities. This accounts for $3.6 billion per year, or about 18 percent of the average association's budget. Take, for example, this article. Architects seeking Continuing Education credits from the AIA can earn one AIA/CES Learning Unit by reading this article, answering the related questions and filing their answers. Complete instructions are on page 180.

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Additionally, association members spend in excess of $10 billion annually to participate in these education programs, which can include everything from national conferences and online information to association newsletters and specialty meetings.

Education is a key component of the ICC − with a new code to promote, education is a must. Formed in 1994 with the support of the AIA, the ICC and its diverse membership were charged with developing a single set of comprehensive and coordinated national model construction codes. They are dedicated to providing the right quality codes, standards and products for all concerned with the safety and performance of the built environment. The founders of the ICC are Building Officials and Code Administrators International, International Conference of Building Officials and Southern Building Code Congress International. These organizations previously developed three separate sets of model codes used throughout the United States. By 2000, a complete set of International Codes was available and the International Code Council became a consolidated organization in early 2003.

Architects and other design professionals make up almost 30 percent of the ICC, which offers code support services, code opinions and technical assistance from experienced staff engineers and architects. Members receive extensive professional development services including on-site training, institutes, continuing education units, symposiums, teleseminars and on-line training.

Recognizing leading ideas in their industries is a component of many professional associations. For example, each year the IESNA and ASLA host professional awards programs to recognize the best in their industry from around the globe.

Last year Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc., New York, NY, beat out more than 600 competitors to take home a coveted Design Award of Merit from the ASLA for Feral Geometry:

A Narrative of Modern Materials on the Bank of Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas.