Elevating Our Profession: Making Our Voices Heard

What is Advocacy?

IIDA works to raise the visibility of our members, to educate public officials about the value of what we do, and to generally increase awareness and understanding of our work and the impact we make in our communities.

Contact:

VP of Adovocacy
advocacy@iidanc.org

Why does Advocacy matter?

The goal of IIDA’s advocacy efforts is to ensure that Commercial Interior Designers can practice to their fullest abilities through robust interior design legislation. Interior Design legislation helps establish and maintain professional standards that protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public. IIDA firmly believes that legal recognition, achieved through licensing, registration, and certification, brings uniformity to the profession, defines responsibility, and encourages excellence in the Interior Design industry.

What is Commercial Interior Design?

Any code-impacted interior environment requires Commercial Interior Design. This includes all public and corporate spaces such as civic buildings, offices, and hospitality, retail, and entertainment spaces—essentially, anything that isn’t a private residential interior. Interior design encompasses the analysis, planning, design, documentation, and management of interior non-structural/non-seismic construction and alteration projects in compliance with applicable building design and construction, fire, life-safety, and energy codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines for the purpose of obtaining a building permit, as allowed by law. Qualified by means of education, experience, and examination, interior designers have a moral and ethical responsibility to protect consumers and occupants through the design of code-compliant, accessible, and inclusive interior environments that address well-being, while considering the complex physical, mental, and emotional needs of people.

Become NCIDQ Certified

NCIDQ Certification is the industry’s nationwide recognized indicator of proficiency in interior design principles and a designer’s commitment to the profession. IIDA argues that the qualifying exam for certified or registered commercial interior designers in California should be the NCIDQ exam.

Join The Effort To Educate Local Officials

We need committed individuals from every district willing to meet with their representatives and lobby for upcoming legislation regarding how interior designers practice in the state.

Fill out this quick form to help us build our network of design advocates in California. We occasionally call upon this network to represent our membership and educate public officials about the impact we make in our communities.

Know Who Your Representatives Are

Find out who represents you in California’s State Senate and State Assembly by visiting findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov and searching both your home and work addresses. Once you know who represents you, follow them on social media. Remember, they work for you!

Listen to a Podcast

Check out The Conversation Continues podcast from the IIDA Southern California chapter. The “Fireside Chat” series features advocacy topics and highlights the intersection of professional advocacy with equity, diversity and inclusion. Listen online or wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify | Apple

Host an Advocacy Workshop

If you are interested in holding a lunchtime or virtual introductory and interactive workshop about interior design advocacy in your office, please contact advocacy@iidanc.org.

Stay Informed

For the latest updates on Commercial Interior Design legislation, text “InteriorDesign” to 52886.

Join our Advocacy Committee

Each city center committee has a position for advocacy chair or advocacy co-chairs.

ELEVATE Newsletter

A semi-annual publication from IIDA’s Northern and Southern California joint committee to elevate the commercial interior design profession in California.

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