Project Planning & Design (PPD)

This division will assess objectives related to the preliminary design of sites and buildings. The division will focus on issues related to the generation or evaluation of design alternatives that synthesize environmental, cultural, behavioral, technical, and economic issues. Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of and abilities in design concepts, sustainability/environmental design, universal design, and other forms of governing codes and regulations.

Environmental Conditions Context

Determine Building Site Location

6/6 topics

Building Orientation and Solar Path: Sun Angles, Altitude/Azimuth, and Seasonal Design Response

How architects use solar geometry, sun path diagrams, and seasonal sun angle variations to determine optimal building orientation, window placement, and shading strategies during preliminary design.

Climate Change Adaptation and Resilient Site Design: Vulnerability Assessment and Mitigation

How architects assess climate vulnerabilities at the site level and select mitigation strategies during preliminary design. Covers climate scenario analysis, hazard risk profiling, the evolving standard of care, and design decisions that reduce exposure to flood, wind, wildfire, and heat hazards.

Climate-Responsive Building Design: Strategies for Hot-Arid, Hot-Humid, Cold, and Temperate Zones

How architects select and apply climate zone-specific design strategies during preliminary design. Covers the DOE/Building America climate zone framework, IECC moisture regimes, heating degree day thresholds, and the passive design responses appropriate to hot-arid, hot-humid, cold, and mixed/temperate climates.

Site Adjacencies and Planning Concepts: Multiple-Building Arrangement, Access, and Circulation

How to determine the arrangement of multiple buildings on a site based on adjacency requirements, access and circulation planning, and site planning concepts including pedestrian networks, vehicular access hierarchies, and service zone separation.

Wind Analysis and Building Placement: Prevailing Winds, Wind Roses, and Ventilation Strategy

How to read wind roses, analyze prevailing wind patterns, and make design decisions about building orientation, placement, and form to optimize natural ventilation, mitigate wind exposure, and meet code requirements for wind loads.

Topographic Response and Site Drainage: Grading, Building Placement, and Surface Water Management

Analyzing topographic conditions to determine optimal building placement and grading strategies, including reading contour maps, establishing drainage patterns, managing surface water runoff, and coordinating cut-and-fill operations to protect structures and meet regulatory requirements.

Sustainable Principles

4/4 topics

Building Envelope Design for Sustainability: Orientation, Shape, R-Value Targets, and SHGC Selection

How architects use climatic data to determine building orientation, massing, envelope R-value targets by climate zone, and solar heat gain coefficient selection to reduce energy loads and increase resilience.

Daylighting and Natural Ventilation: Light Shelves, Clerestories, Stack Effect, and Cross-Ventilation

How architects select and integrate passive daylighting strategies (light shelves, clerestories, window placement) and natural ventilation techniques (stack effect, cross-ventilation) to reduce energy consumption while meeting occupant comfort and programmatic requirements during preliminary design.

Passive Solar Design Strategies: Direct Gain, Indirect Gain, Thermal Mass, and Passive Cooling

Evaluating passive solar design strategies for building orientation and envelope decisions, including direct gain systems, indirect gain (Trombe walls), isolated gain (sunspaces), thermal mass sizing, and passive cooling techniques.

Sustainable Materials and Waste Minimization: Recycled Content, Embodied Energy, and Resilient Selection

Evaluating and selecting building materials based on recycled content, embodied energy, environmental impact, and waste minimization strategies to meet sustainable design goals during preliminary project planning.

Neighborhood Context

3/3 topics

Transit-Oriented Design and Neighborhood Amenities: Access, Public Services, and Urban Context

How neighborhood context factors such as proximity to transit, nearby amenities, public services, utility infrastructure, noise pollution, adjacent building scale, facade materials, historic precedent, and historic preservation requirements shape architectural design responses in the PPD division.

Contextual Design Response: Building Scale, Facade Materials, and Streetscape Character

How architects assess neighborhood context to determine appropriate building scale, select facade materials that respond to surrounding character, and design streetscape elements that reinforce or thoughtfully contrast with the existing architectural environment.

Historic Precedent and Preservation in Design: Review Processes and Contextual Compatibility

How historic preservation review processes, the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, Section 106 compliance, and building code provisions shape design decisions when working in or near historic contexts.

Codes Regulations

Zoning Environmental Regulations

5/5 topics

Environmental Site Regulations in Design: Floodplain, Wetland, and Erosion Compliance

Covers floodplain management under the NFIP, FIRM flood zone classifications, base flood elevation requirements, wetland protection under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and erosion/stormwater controls that govern site and building design decisions.

Parking Design: Standard and Accessible Space Requirements, Counts, and Layout

How standard parking dimensions, accessible parking counts per ADA, and lot layout strategies interact with zoning regulations, including shared parking credits, parking minimums and maximums, and the specific dimensional and signage requirements for accessible spaces.

Stormwater Management in Site Design: Detention, Retention, BMPs, and Low Impact Development

How architects apply stormwater management regulations and low impact development strategies during the site planning phase, including detention and retention systems, best management practices, and green infrastructure techniques that maintain or restore predevelopment hydrology.

Zoning Setbacks, Lot Coverage, and Building Envelope Constraints

Zoning regulations governing property line setbacks, maximum lot coverage ratios, floor area ratios, and the three-dimensional building envelope that defines where and how large a structure may be built on a site.

Floor Area Ratio (FAR): Calculation Methods, Bonuses, and Development Density

How floor area ratio controls development intensity on a site, including the FAR formula, gross floor area measurement, density calculations, FAR bonuses and incentives, transferable development rights, and the relationship between FAR and building massing.

Building Codes

10/10 topics

IBC Occupancy Classifications and Construction Types: Use Groups, Tables 601/602, and Analysis

Covers the IBC system for classifying buildings by occupancy group (A through U) and construction type (Types I through V), including fire-resistance requirements from Tables 601 and 602, the interplay between occupancy and construction type in determining allowable height and area, and how to perform a code analysis integrating these classifications.

Plumbing Fixture Count Calculations: IPC Methodology and Occupancy-Based Requirements

How to determine minimum plumbing fixture counts using the IPC methodology, including occupant load calculations, fixture ratios by occupancy type, water conservation requirements, and accessible fixture distribution rules.

Means of Egress Design: Exit Access, Exits, Exit Discharge, and Component Requirements

The three-part means of egress system under IBC Chapter 10 governs how occupants travel from any point in a building to a public way. Architects must understand occupant load calculations, egress width, travel distance limits, exit component specifications, and how sprinkler systems modify code requirements.

Energy Code Compliance in Design: ASHRAE 90.1, IECC Paths, and Envelope Requirements

How architects select and apply energy code compliance paths under ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC, including prescriptive, performance, and tradeoff approaches for the building thermal envelope, lighting, HVAC, and service water heating systems.

Egress Capacity, Travel Distance, Dead-End Corridors, and Common Path of Travel

Covers the IBC requirements for sizing egress components based on occupant load, maximum allowable travel distances to exits by occupancy group and sprinkler status, dead-end corridor limitations, and common path of egress travel rules. Includes the capacity factors for stairs and other egress components, the effect of automatic sprinkler systems on these limits, and how architects apply these code provisions to building design during the planning phase.

Allowable Height and Area: IBC Table 503, Story Limits, and Height Modifications

How architects use IBC Chapter 5 to determine the maximum allowable building height, number of stories, and floor area based on occupancy group and construction type, and how sprinkler systems and frontage access modify those base tabular values.

ADA Accessibility in Building Design: Routes, Clearances, Ramps, and Restroom Requirements

Applying ADA and accessibility standards to building design, including accessible route requirements from site arrival to interior spaces, minimum clearances and turning spaces, ramp slope and landing dimensions, grab bar specifications, restroom layout requirements, and the scoping provisions that determine how many elements must be accessible.

Occupant Load Calculations: IBC Table 1004.5, Mixed-Use Analysis, and Assembly Occupancies

Calculating occupant loads using IBC Table 1004.5 occupant load factors, handling mixed-use buildings with multiple occupancy types, and applying special assembly occupancy rules for fixed seating, concentrated use, and standing areas.

Fire Separation and Fire-Rated Assemblies: Occupancy Separation, Fire Walls, Barriers, and Partitions

Covers the IBC hierarchy of fire-rated vertical separations (fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, smoke barriers, and smoke partitions), their required fire-resistance ratings, continuity rules, opening limitations, and how they function in occupancy separation, incidental use areas, shaft enclosures, and exit enclosures. Includes the role of fire dampers, penetration firestopping, and the impact of automatic sprinkler systems on required ratings.

Area Increase Calculations: Frontage Increase, Sprinkler Increase, Mezzanines, and Unlimited Area

Applies IBC Chapter 5 allowable area increase methods including frontage increase (Section 506.3), sprinkler increase (Table 506.2), mezzanine rules (Section 505), and unlimited area provisions (Section 507). Covers Equations 5-1 and 5-2 with worked examples.

Integrate Multiple Codes

4/4 topics

Energy and Mechanical Code Integration: IECC, ASHRAE 90.1, and IMC Coordination

Covers how architects coordinate between multiple energy and mechanical codes on a single project, including the relationship between the IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 compliance paths for commercial buildings, the IMC's cross-references to energy standards, stretch code layering above base codes, and strategies for resolving conflicts when jurisdictional requirements overlap.

Accessibility Code Integration: ADA, IBC Chapter 11, Fair Housing Act, and ICC A117.1

How to analyze and reconcile the overlapping accessibility requirements of the ADA, IBC Chapter 11, the Fair Housing Act, and ICC A117.1, determine which code governs when conflicts arise, and apply the most restrictive standard to project design across different building types and funding sources.

Code Hierarchy and Jurisdictional Authority: Federal, State, and Local Code Application

How building codes flow from model code development through federal mandates, state adoption, and local amendments, and how architects determine which code governs when multiple codes conflict across jurisdictional layers.

Resolving Code Conflicts: Overlapping Requirements, Amendments, and Most Restrictive Provision

How architects identify, analyze, and resolve conflicts between overlapping building codes, amendments, and jurisdictional requirements by applying the most restrictive provision doctrine, equivalency clauses, waivers, and alternative compliance methods.

Building Systems Materials Assemblies

Mechanical Electrical Plumbing

7/7 topics

3.1-electrical-systems-service-distribution-panels

Electrical service entrance, distribution equipment hierarchy, panelboard selection and layout, emergency and standby power classification, generator sizing, and automatic transfer switch design as evaluated during preliminary building design.

HVAC Distribution and Space Requirements: Ductwork, Piping, Equipment Rooms, and Plenums

How HVAC distribution systems (ductwork, piping, combined air-water) affect building design, and the space requirements for equipment rooms, vertical chases, plenums, and horizontal distribution runs that architects must coordinate during project planning.

HVAC System Types and Selection: VAV, VRF, Fan Coil, Radiant, RTU, and Application Criteria

Architects must evaluate and select mechanical systems based on function, cost, building size, programmatic needs, and energy performance. This topic covers the primary HVAC system types used in commercial buildings, their operating principles, and the selection criteria that drive the decision between them.

Plumbing Systems: Water Supply, DWV, Fixture Units, and Pipe Sizing Concepts

Covers water supply system components and pressure considerations, drain-waste-vent (DWV) system design, fixture unit methodology, pipe sizing concepts, and hot water system selection for the PPD exam. Emphasis on evaluating plumbing system choices based on building function, code, and programmatic constraints.

Psychrometric Analysis and Thermal Comfort: Charts, Comfort Zone, and HVAC Design Implications

How architects read psychrometric charts, apply ASHRAE 55 thermal comfort criteria, and translate comfort zone boundaries into HVAC system design decisions for building projects.

Renewable Energy Systems: Photovoltaic, Solar Thermal, Geothermal, and Building Integration

Evaluating and selecting renewable energy systems for building projects, including photovoltaic (PV) arrays, solar thermal collectors, and geothermal heat pumps, with attention to system sizing, building integration, cost-effectiveness, and code compliance.

Fire Protection Systems: Sprinkler Types, Standpipe Classes, and Detection Systems

Selection and evaluation of fire protection systems for buildings, including wet-pipe vs. dry-pipe vs. preaction sprinkler systems, Class I/II/III standpipe configurations, non-water suppression agents, and fire detection/alarm system components. Covers NFPA 13, NFPA 14, and NFPA 72 requirements as they relate to architectural design decisions.

Structural Systems

6/6 topics

Foundation Systems: Shallow and Deep Foundations, Selection Criteria, and Soil Response

Evaluating shallow and deep foundation systems, their selection criteria based on soil conditions, load requirements, and environmental factors, and understanding how soil behavior drives foundation design decisions for buildings.

Lateral Force Resisting Systems: Shear Walls, Braced Frames, Moment Frames, and Diaphragms

Evaluation and selection of lateral force-resisting systems (LFRS) including shear walls, braced frames, moment frames, and diaphragms, with emphasis on how each system affects building design, configuration, cost, and seismic/wind performance.

Reinforced Concrete Structures: Cast-in-Place, Precast, Post-Tensioned, and Slab Types

Evaluation and selection of reinforced concrete structural systems including cast-in-place, precast, post-tensioned, and various slab configurations for building design.

Masonry and Hybrid Structural Systems: Load-Bearing Masonry, Veneer, and Mixed Systems

Evaluating masonry structural systems including load-bearing reinforced masonry, masonry veneer over various backup systems, and hybrid combinations of masonry with steel or concrete. Covers selection criteria based on cost, load capacity, seismic performance, moisture management, and building configuration impact.

Steel Frame Structures: Types, Connections, Span Capabilities, and Building Applications

How to evaluate and select steel framing systems for buildings based on structural type (moment frames, braced frames, open web joists), connection behavior (shear vs. moment), span-to-depth ratios, fire resistance requirements, and building function. Covers W shapes, HSS, and long-span options with emphasis on design trade-offs.

Wood and Mass Timber Structures: Light Frame, Heavy Timber, CLT, Glulam, and Fire Performance

Evaluation and selection of wood structural systems for building projects, including light wood frame, heavy timber, cross-laminated timber (CLT), glue-laminated timber (glulam), and their fire performance characteristics under IBC construction types.

Special Systems

3/3 topics

Lighting Design: Daylighting Integration, Artificial Systems, Footcandle Requirements, and Controls

Evaluating and selecting lighting systems for buildings, including daylighting strategies, artificial lighting types, IES illuminance targets by space type, lighting power density compliance with ASHRAE 90.1, and control systems. Assessing how lighting decisions impact building layout, energy performance, and occupant comfort.

Acoustic Design: STC, NRC, IIC, Reverberation Time, and Sound Control Strategies

Selection and evaluation of acoustic systems for buildings, including STC ratings for partitions and floor-ceiling assemblies, NRC for surface absorption, IIC for impact noise control, and RT60 reverberation targets. Covers flanking path analysis, the NRC-CAC trade-off in ceiling systems, the ABC framework for open offices, and GSA P100 and UFC 3-450-01 acoustic performance requirements.

Conveying, Security, Fire Detection, and Communications Systems: Selection and Design Integration

Evaluating and selecting specialty systems including elevators, escalators, security access control, fire detection and alarm, and communications infrastructure. Assessing design impacts of each system on building layout, structural requirements, and occupant safety.

Materials Assemblies

6/6 topics

Window and Glazing Systems: U-Value, SHGC, VLT, Frame Types, and Daylighting Performance

Selection and evaluation of window and glazing systems based on thermal performance metrics (U-value, SHGC, VLT), frame material properties, energy code compliance paths, and integration of daylighting strategies with building envelope design.

Material Selection Criteria: Cost, Durability, Availability, and Regulatory Compliance

How architects evaluate and select building materials and assemblies based on cost, durability, availability, environmental conditions, sustainability requirements, and regulatory compliance to meet programmatic and budgetary goals.

Building Envelope Detailing: Thermal Bridging, Air Barriers, Vapor Barriers, and Continuous Insulation

Selecting and evaluating building envelope assemblies that control heat, air, and moisture transfer through thermal bridge mitigation, continuous insulation, air barrier design, and vapor retarder positioning to meet energy code, programmatic, and climate-responsive requirements.

Roofing Systems: Built-Up, Single-Ply, Metal, Green Roofs, and Selection Criteria

Selection and evaluation of roofing systems based on cost, performance, environmental conditions, sustainability, and regulatory requirements. Covers built-up roofing, single-ply membranes, metal panel systems, green and cool roof technologies, and the criteria architects use to match roofing assemblies to project goals.

Interior Materials and Finishes: Fire Ratings, Flame Spread, Acoustic Properties, and Selection

Selecting interior finish materials based on fire performance classifications, acoustic requirements, indoor air quality standards, and programmatic needs, while evaluating trade-offs between regulatory compliance, cost, sustainability, and design intent.

Wall Assembly Types: Cavity Walls, Rain Screens, Curtain Walls, and EIFS

Selection and evaluation of wall assembly strategies based on water management, thermal performance, moisture control, and regulatory requirements. Covers cavity wall construction with drainage planes, pressure-equalized rain screen design, glass and metal curtain wall systems, and Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS), with emphasis on how architects choose the right assembly type to meet programmatic, budgetary, and code requirements.

Project Integration Program Systems

Building Configuration

10/10 topics

Sustainability in Building Configuration: Passive Strategies, Envelope Performance, and Energy

How passive design strategies, green roof and cool roof assemblies, optimized envelope components, and net zero energy calculations integrate into building configuration decisions for ARE Objective 4.1.

Building Configuration and Site Response: Topography, Views, Access, and Orientation

Resolving a building's massing, footprint shape, and placement on the site by weighing topographic constraints, desirable view corridors, vehicular and pedestrian access routes, solar orientation, and prevailing wind patterns against program and code requirements.

Building Configuration from Codes: Height, Area, Occupancy, and Egress-Driven Form

How the IBC's occupancy classification, construction type, height and area limits, mixed-occupancy rules, and egress requirements physically shape a building's massing, floor plate, and layout during preliminary design.

Building Configuration from Program: Translating Spatial Requirements to Architectural Form

How architects translate a building program's spatial, functional, and performance requirements into three-dimensional building form, including massing strategies, spatial organization principles, circulation integration, and the resolution of competing design constraints from code, structure, MEP systems, site, and sustainability.

Building Massing and Form: Design Logic, Composition, and Proportional Strategies

How architects resolve a building's three-dimensional form through massing decisions that integrate program requirements, structural and MEP system constraints, site and environmental conditions, code limitations, historic context, and principles of design logic such as proportion, rhythm, hierarchy, and composition.

Building Section Design: Floor-to-Floor Heights, Interstitial Space, and Vertical Organization

How floor-to-floor heights, interstitial spaces, and vertical service zones shape the building section. Covers dimensional drivers including structural depth, MEP distribution, ceiling height requirements, and strategies for coordinating vertical organization across building systems.

Floor Plan Organization: Circulation Patterns, Core Placement, and Spatial Hierarchy

How architects resolve building configuration through deliberate circulation system design, building core placement strategies, and spatial hierarchy, integrating program, code, structural systems, and environmental conditions into a coherent floor plan organization.

Historic Precedent in Building Configuration: Cultural References and Contextual Form

How historic precedent, cultural references, and contextual conditions shape building configuration decisions. Covers character-defining features, the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, compatibility and differentiation for additions, and analyzing neighborhood context to determine appropriate massing, scale, materials, and form.

MEP System Impact on Configuration: Mechanical Rooms, Shafts, and Equipment Zones

How mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems claim physical space in a building through equipment rooms, vertical shafts, and ceiling plenums, and how these spatial demands shape building configuration decisions at the schematic design level.

Structural Grid Impact on Configuration: Bay Size, Module, and Floor-to-Floor Height

How structural grid decisions drive building configuration, including bay size selection, modular coordination, and floor-to-floor height determination across different building types and structural systems.

Integrate Building Systems

11/11 topics

Building Envelope and Systems Integration: Structure, Waterproofing, and MEP Penetrations

How architects coordinate the building envelope with structural systems, waterproofing assemblies, and MEP penetrations during preliminary design. Covers vapor retarder placement, air barrier continuity, rainscreen wall design, dissimilar metals isolation, and how changes to one system cascade into others.

Plumbing and Architectural Integration: Wet Wall Stacking, Chase Design, and Fixture Layout

How plumbing systems shape architectural floor plans through wet wall alignment, vertical chase sizing, fixture placement strategies, and coordination with structural and mechanical systems during design development.

Roof and Below-Grade Systems Integration: Structure, Drainage, Insulation, and Equipment

How architects integrate the structural, drainage, insulation, and equipment layers of roof assemblies and below-grade construction into a coordinated building design, evaluating how changes in one system affect adjacent systems, structural loads, waterproofing performance, and the project.

Ceiling Plenum Coordination: Structure, Ductwork, Piping, Lighting, and Fire Suppression

Coordinating multiple building systems within the ceiling plenum space, including structural elements, HVAC ductwork, plumbing piping, lighting fixtures, and fire suppression systems, to resolve spatial conflicts and maintain adequate ceiling heights.

Structural and Architectural Coordination: Grid Alignment, Openings, and Load Path Continuity

How architects coordinate structural grids with architectural layouts, manage openings in load-bearing elements, and maintain continuous load paths from roof to foundation through integrated design decisions.

HVAC Distribution and Architectural Integration: Duct Routes, Diffusers, and Space Allocation

How HVAC distribution systems are routed through buildings, where diffusers are positioned, how mechanical space is allocated, and how these decisions interact with architectural decisions about ceiling heights, structural spans, and interstitial zones.

Vertical Systems Coordination: Shafts, Risers, and Multi-Story System Alignment

Evaluating the design and coordination of vertical building systems including mechanical shafts, plumbing risers, electrical risers, and fire protection standpipes across multiple stories, with attention to spatial conflicts, fire-rating requirements, and the ripple effects of changes in one system on others.

Systems Change Impact Analysis: Cascading Effects When Modifying One Building System

How altering one building system triggers interdependent changes in other systems, requiring architects to trace cascading effects spatially, structurally, and functionally across mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and architectural components.

Electrical and Fire Protection Integration: Panel Locations, Sprinkler Clearances, and Rated Assemblies

How electrical panels, fire protection systems, and fire-rated assemblies must be coordinated during project planning and design, including panel location requirements, sprinkler clearance rules, fire-rated wall and ceiling assembly impacts on system routing, and the cascading effects when one system changes.

Systems Coordination Process: Clash Detection, Design Reviews, and Conflict Resolution

The structured process architects use to coordinate building systems across disciplines, identify spatial conflicts through BIM-based clash detection, conduct interdisciplinary design review meetings, and resolve conflicts before they become costly field problems.

Special Systems Integration: Acoustics, Security, Conveying, and Communications Coordination

Evaluating how specialty building systems including acoustic treatments, security systems, elevators and conveying equipment, and communications infrastructure fit within the architectural design and affect one another spatially and functionally during preliminary design.

Integrate Program Requirements

9/9 topics

Building Core Design: Elevator Banks, Stairwells, Restrooms, and Service Areas

How the building core consolidates vertical transportation, fire egress, restroom facilities, and service spaces into a spatial assembly that determines floor plate efficiency, circulation multiplier, and code compliance for elevator banks, exit stairwells, plumbing fixtures, and service areas.

Multi-Story Organization: Stacking Diagrams, Floor Plate Efficiency, and Phasing

How architects organize programs vertically across multiple floors using stacking diagrams, evaluate floor plate efficiency through circulation multipliers and usable-to-gross ratios, coordinate three-zone circulation systems in complex building types, and plan phased construction for incremental development. Covers ANSI/BOMA measurement, GSA's 80% usable-to-gross target, courthouse zoning, and strategies for future expansion.

Space Planning and Functional Zoning: Public/Private, Front/Back of House, and Occupied/Unoccupied

How architects organize building layouts into distinct functional zones, separating public from private, front-of-house from back-of-house, and occupied from unoccupied spaces to satisfy program requirements, security needs, and operational efficiency.

Translating Program into Spatial Layout: Adjacency, Proximity, and Separation Requirements

How architects convert program requirements into spatial arrangements by analyzing adjacency needs, proximity relationships, and mandatory separation criteria, using bubble diagrams, adjacency matrices, and stacking diagrams to reconcile competing spatial demands.

Vertical Circulation Design: Stairs, Elevators, Escalators, and Accessible Vertical Travel

How architects analyze and select vertical circulation systems, including stairs, elevators, escalators, and ramps, to satisfy program requirements, code compliance, accessibility mandates, and building efficiency goals within an integrated project design.

Horizontal Circulation Design: Corridors, Lobbies, Wayfinding, and Code-Required Widths

How architects plan and size horizontal circulation elements including corridors, lobbies, and wayfinding systems, integrating code-required minimum widths, accessibility standards, and program-driven circulation multipliers into building layout decisions.

Program Impact on Building Systems and Cost: Reconciling Requirements with Budget

Evaluating how architectural program requirements drive building system selections and project costs, and reconciling competing demands within budget constraints through value analysis, system trade-offs, and lifecycle cost evaluation.

Accessibility Integration in Building Layout: Universal Design and ADA in Floor Plans

Integrating accessibility into building layouts requires architects to reconcile ADA requirements, Fair Housing Act standards, and universal design principles with programmatic goals. This topic covers accessible route planning, turning space requirements, door clearances, bathroom and kitchen layout for wheelchair access, grab bar reinforcement, and strategies for incorporating accessibility into floor plan organization from the earliest design stages.

Environmental Factors Affecting Program Integration: Daylighting, Views, and Acoustic Zoning

How daylighting strategies, view corridors, and acoustic zoning influence architectural programming decisions, space adjacencies, and building layout during the planning phase of a project.

Environmental Contextual Integration

5/5 topics

Contextual Material and Color Selection: Relating Building Exterior to Neighborhood Character

Covers how architects analyze and respond to neighborhood material palettes, color patterns, and facade textures when designing new buildings or additions. Includes evaluating existing context through visual character analysis, selecting compatible materials and colors that respect local identity, and making design decisions that balance differentiation with contextual harmony.

Microclimate Design: Wind Protection, Shade Strategies, and Outdoor Thermal Comfort

Evaluates strategies for integrating microclimate considerations into project design, including wind analysis and protection, shading elements for buildings and outdoor spaces, urban heat island mitigation, and outdoor thermal comfort optimization through material selection, vegetation, and site configuration.

Solar Shading Elements: Overhangs, Louvers, Fins, and Facade Orientation Strategies

How to select and size solar shading devices including horizontal overhangs, vertical fins, and louver systems based on sun angles, facade orientation, latitude, and seasonal shading requirements to control heat gain and glare while preserving useful daylight.

View Corridor Design: Preserving and Creating Views Through Building Placement and Windows

Examines how architects integrate view corridors into project design through strategic building placement, massing, fenestration decisions, and site planning, including the evaluation of trade-offs between views, energy performance, privacy, and contextual constraints.

Setting Design Integration: Hardscape, Softscape, Stormwater Features, and Outdoor Spaces

Integration of setting design elements including hardscape surfaces, softscape plantings, stormwater management features, and outdoor spaces into the total project design, emphasizing environmental performance, site hydrology, and contextual response.

Project Costs Budgeting

Evaluate Design Alternatives

4/4 topics

Design Alternative Analysis: Evaluating Options Against Program, Goals, and Budget

Covers the systematic process architects use to evaluate design alternatives against owner program requirements, project goals, and construction budget constraints. Includes weighted criteria matrices, life cycle cost analysis, value engineering trade-offs, sensitivity analysis, cost-effectiveness comparisons, and stakeholder-driven decision frameworks. Emphasizes the evaluative judgment required to select the design option that best balances performance, cost, schedule, and program compliance during the planning and preliminary design phases.

Design Decision Matrix: Weighted Criteria, Trade-Offs, and Stakeholder Priorities

How architects structure decision matrices with weighted criteria to evaluate design alternatives, manage trade-offs between competing goals, and align stakeholder priorities with project budgets and program requirements.

Factors Affecting Construction Cost: Materials, Labor, Location, and Market Conditions

How material availability, labor supply and wage rates, geographic location, and market conditions interact to drive construction costs higher or lower, and how architects evaluate these factors when comparing design alternatives against a project budget.

Value Engineering in Design: Systematic Cost-Benefit Analysis and Design Optimization

Covers the structured VE methodology architects use to analyze design alternatives against program requirements, project goals, and budgets. Includes function analysis, the SAVE International Job Plan phases, life-cycle cost analysis, VECP mechanics, and strategies for protecting design intent during VE workshops.

Evaluate Cost Estimates

3/3 topics

Cost Estimating Methods: Order of Magnitude, Square Foot, Assemblies, and Unit Price

Covers the four principal methods architects use to estimate construction costs during preliminary design: order-of-magnitude (rough order of magnitude), square-foot estimating, assemblies-based estimating, and unit-price estimating. Explains when each method is appropriate given the stage of design development, what data inputs each requires, the accuracy range each produces, and how to reconcile an estimate against the construction budget. Emphasizes the evaluative judgment required to select the right method, interpret its output, and flag discrepancies between the estimate and the project program.

Evaluating Cost Estimates: Accuracy Ranges, Review Process, and Reconciliation with Budget

How architects evaluate cost estimates prepared by others during preliminary design, including understanding accuracy ranges at different design stages, reviewing estimate methodology and assumptions, and reconciling estimates with the construction budget through design alternatives.

UniFormat and MasterFormat: Cost Organization Systems, RS Means, and Estimate Comparison

How architects evaluate cost estimates organized by UniFormat (elemental systems) versus MasterFormat (trade specifications), when each classification applies during design phases, how RS Means and similar cost databases support pricing, and how to reconcile estimates prepared using different organizational structures.

Evaluate Design Cost

4/4 topics

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis: Initial Cost vs. Maintenance, Replacement, and Operating Costs

How architects evaluate the total cost of a facility over its useful life by comparing upfront capital expenditures against long-term operating, maintenance, and replacement costs using net present value and discount rate methodology.

Cost-Effective Design Strategies: System Selection, Material Optimization, and Energy Efficiency

How architects select building systems and materials to reduce total project cost by integrating structural, mechanical, envelope, and lighting decisions so that savings in one system offset premium investments in another.

Construction Budget Management: Contingencies, Allowances, and Design-Phase Budget Control

How architects evaluate construction budgets through contingency management, allowance tracking, and phase-appropriate cost controls, including the distinction between design contingency and construction contingency, escalation factors, and the progressive reduction of uncertainty from early concept through construction documents.

Design Cost Trade-Offs: Balancing Client Priorities, Performance, and Budget Constraints

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of design decisions against client priorities, including upfront construction costs versus long-term maintenance and replacement costs, life-cycle cost analysis, and value engineering as tools for reconciling performance goals with budget realities.