Hosted by AIA Maryland

AIA Maryland invites you to the 2026 Future Forward Conference & Expo, bringing together architects, engineers, trades, and industry leaders to help shape the next era of Maryland’s built environment.

Spend the day exploring cutting-edge ideas in sustainability, design, technology, housing, and practice; hear from distinguished speakers; and engage in timely conversations about the issues shaping our profession and our communities.

We are especially proud of this year’s speakers, people from our communities and across our region who are doing the work, tackling real challenges, and bringing their experience to the conversation. 

Our program features Priyanka Gorasia, LEED GA; Arti Verma, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C; Ileana Schinder; Kara Babcock, AIA; Kurt Neiswender, AIA, LEED AP; Martina Reilly; and others representing a range of perspectives from across the built environment.

We are also honored to welcome Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community Development Jake Day as our 2026 keynote speaker, bringing a timely perspective on housing, development, and the future of Maryland’s communities.

Future Forward is open to all disciplines across the AEC industry. Whether you are an architect, engineer, contractor, consultant, emerging professional, student, or industry partner, we invite you to be part of the conversation, celebrate the profession, and explore what’s next on the horizon.

Conference & Expo Schedule

8:00 AM – Expo Opens

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Registration/Networking/Breakfast/Expo

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM – Welcome/Opening Remarks

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM – Reimagining Existing Buildings to Solve the Housing Crisis

10:15 AM – Coffee Break

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM – Keynote – Secretary Jake Day

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – Lunch/Networking/Expo

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM – Legislative Wrap Up

1:30 PM – 2:25 PM – Concurrent Session 1

12:35 PM – 3:30 PM – Concurrent Session 2

Concurrent Session Options:

1. Beyond the Linear Path: A Workshop on Iterative Career Design for Emerging Professionals
2. The Replicable Practitioner: A Working Session in AI-Assisted Tool Building for Small Firms
3. How ADUs Shape the Future of Housing

3:30 PM – Coffee Break

3:45 PM – 4:45 PM – Transforming Coastal Adaptation Narratives

4:45 PM – 5:00 PM – Closing Remarks

5:00 PM – 5:30 PM – Expo/Networking

Join us on November 4, 2026, at the Maritime Conference Center in Linthicum Heights for a full day of learning, connecting, sharing ideas, and moving our profession and communities forward.

REGISTER NOW