The Boston Society of Architects will present its Residential Design 2005 convention on April 6 and 7 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.

Sustainable design, affordable housing and zoning issues are just some of the topics that will be discussed next month at a convention and tradeshow organized by the Boston Society of Architects.

For about two decades, the society has produced Build Boston, an annual tradeshow and convention for the North American building industry that last year attracted 14,000 professionals. Now, for the first time ever on April 6 and 7, BSA will be putting on Residential Design 2005, a convention geared specifically for residential architects working in smaller firms, interior designers and related building-industry professionals.

BSA is presenting the event with the assistance of ResourcePlus Shows & Events.

“We wanted to have a concentrated program that focuses on the kind of work that small firms do,” said BSA Deputy Director Nancy Jenner. Anywhere from two-thirds to three-quarters of the firms that are BSA members are smaller firms, Jenner explained.

George Metzger, BSA president and a principal of HMFH Architects in Cambridge, said Build Boston, which includes a residential component, is mostly designed for larger architectural firms. BSA made a decision to organize an event that specifically addresses the needs of the smaller firms that are members of the professional industry group, he said.

“The programming in particular is geared to a lot of the issues of smaller firms,” said Metzger. “Smaller firms have to be very economical with their time. This is an effort to bring those types of resources in one place.”

In addition to offering registered participants more than 50 programs and workshops, as well as plenty of opportunities to network with other professionals, another purpose of the event is to “show the value of the architect in the process of creating a home,” noted Jenner.

“We hope to elevate everyone’s understanding of what architects do to enhance the finished product,” she said.

Boston-based architect Jeremiah Eck, who will be presenting at the convention, hopes to emphasize the value of residential architects. Out of the approximately 1.5 million homes that are built each year, less than 5 percent are designed in total by an architect, Eck said.

“You don’t have to be an architect to see how poorly sited most new homes are and how poorly built many of them are,” he said.

Eck said he will be discussing the Congress of Residential Architects, a group that he plans to start along with two architects from Connecticut and New York City. He also will give a talk called “What House Are We Actually Talking About?” that will largely focus on how differently architects and builders discuss and view homes.

“I’m trying to make it clear to all those people that we really need to understand how we can cross-fertilize this problem so we can get a better house in the end,” Eck said. “Builders don’t need us [architects], but if the public demands a better product or house, something will have to give.”

Keynote speakers will include Sarah Susanka, an acclaimed author and architect who will share her insights on the future of the American home, and Robert Ivy, editor of Architectural Record.

Susanka will describe her alliances with the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Association of Home Builders and the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council on successful energy-efficient and “green building” principles.

Ivy will provide a tour of some of the home-design highlights of the past 50 years during a reception and exhibit of projects from past issues of Record Houses. He also will discuss ways in which Architectural Record’s most popular issue has influenced architecture of all kinds.

Workshops will focus on such issues as architect/contractor relationships, smart growth, small-firm management and small-business development, sustainable design practices, project management, specifications for small projects, residential codes and building technology.

Participants also will be able to see the latest technologies, products and innovations that have emerged in the industry at a tradeshow expected to feature over 200 exhibits. Jenner said the tradeshow floor will be open to the public on Wednesday, April 6, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., giving homeowners and others a chance to talk with architects and interior designers.

Another highlight of the two-day convention will be a student and young designer affordable housing competition. About 300 entries from students across the country have been received, according to Jenner. A free forum on Wednesday evening will feature the jury and winning projects.

About 3,000 to 4,000 people are expected to register for the event, which will take place at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.

“We hope it’s going to be wildly successful and we will build on it in future years. The need for well designed and affordable housing isn’t going to go away,” Jenner said.