During the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) 2018 Annual Business Meeting in Detroit, delegates representing 51 of the Council’s 54 Member Boards, which oversee the practice of architecture in their individual jurisdictions, voted on the following resolutions:

[Resolution 2018-01] [Resolution 2018-02] [Resolution 2018-03] [Resolutions 2018-04]

Resolution 2018-01: NCARB Legislative Guidelines and Model Law/Model Regulations Amendment – HSW Category Realignment

Passed  49-2

RESOLVED, that Section 100.006 (Health, Safety, and Welfare Subjects, page 25) of the Model Regulations be amended as follows:

Health, Safety, and Welfare Subjects

Technical and professional subjects related to the practice of architecture that the Board deems appropriate to safeguard the public and that are within the following enumerated continuing education subject areas necessary for the proper evaluation, design, construction, and utilization of buildings and the built environment.

BUILDING SYSTEMS: Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Communications, Security, Fire Protection

CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION: Contracts, Bidding, Contract Negotiations

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS: Drawings, Specifications, Delivery Methods

DESIGN: Urban Planning, Master Planning, Building Design, Site Design, Interiors, Safety and Security Measures

ENVIRONMENTAL: Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, Natural Resources, Natural Hazards, Hazardous Materials, Weatherproofing, Insulation

LEGAL: Laws, Codes, Zoning, Regulations, Standards, Life Safety, Accessibility, Ethics, Insurance to protect Owners and Public

MATERIALS and METHODS: Construction Systems, Products, Finishes, Furnishings, Equipment

OCCUPANT COMFORT: Air Quality, Lighting, Acoustics, Ergonomics

PRE-DESIGN: Land Use Analysis, Programming, Site Selection, Site and Soils Analysis, Surveying

PRESERVATION: Historic, Reuse, Adaptation

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT: This category focuses on areas related to the management of architectural practice and the details of running a business.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: This category focuses on areas related to the management of architectural projects through execution.

PROGRAMMING & ANALYSIS: This category focuses on areas related to the evaluation of project requirements, constraints, and opportunities.

PROJECT PLANNING & DESIGN: This category focuses on areas related to the preliminary design of sites and buildings.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & DOCUMENTATION: This category focuses on areas related to the integration and documentation of building systems, material selection, and material assemblies into a project.

CONSTRUCTION & EVALUATION: This category focuses on areas related to construction contract administration and post-occupancy evaluation of projects.

FURTHER RESOLVED, except as explicitly modified by these Resolutions, all of the provisions of the Legislative Guidelines and Model Law/Model Regulations remain unchanged and in full force and effect; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that these changes shall be submitted to the Council Member Boards for review and approval; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the changes by an absolute majority of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2018.

Resolution 2018-02: Certification Guidelines Amendment – Revision to the EESA Requirement for the Education Alternative to Certification

Passed 50-1

RESOLVED, that the alternatives for certification of an architect registered in a U.S. jurisdiction as included in Section 2.2 of the Certification Guidelines (page 11) be amended as follows:

2.2 Alternatives to the Education Requirement

If you do not hold a professional degree in architecture as identified in Section 1.2, NCARB will accept either of the following:

A. Three (3) years of continuous licensure in any U.S. jurisdiction with no disciplinary action from any jurisdiction; and Documentation of experience gained pre-licensure and/or post-licensure. The experience must be verified either by a supervisor as allowed by the NCARB Architectural Experience Program or by an architect familiar with the work of the applicant:

1. Architects who hold a four-year bachelor degree in an architecture-related program awarded by a U.S. regionally accredited institution or the Canadian equivalent must document two times (2x) the experience requirement of the NCARB Architectural Experience Program.

*Bachelor Degree in an Architecture-related Program: The term refers to any baccalaureate degree in an architecture-related program from an institution with U.S. regional accreditation that is awarded after earning less than 150 semester credits or the quarter-hour equivalent. For instance, these degrees have titles such as Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of Architectural Studies, etc. This list is neither all-inclusive nor exhaustive. The amount of architecturally-defined content in these programs may vary from institution to institution.

2. All other architects (whose highest level of education may be high school, associate degree, unrelated bachelor or master degree, etc.) or non-U.S. or Canadian degree must:

  • Obtain an Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA)* evaluation, for those who have 64 or more semester credit hours of post-secondary education to determine education deficiencies.
     
  • Submit a Certificate Portfolio. Document experience as a licensed architect to satisfy all subject areas of the NCARB Education Standard identified as deficient by the EESA report through a portfolio for peer review.

i. Architects with 64 or more semester credit hours of postsecondary education have the option to obtain an Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) to identify specific subject area deficiencies to address through the Certificate Portfolio.

ii. The General Education subject area of the Certificate Portfolio is waived for those with a U.S. or Canadian bachelor degree or higher.

*Architects with less than 64 semester credit hours of postsecondary education do not require an EESA and must satisfy all education deficiencies through an education portfolio.

B. Architects may obtain an Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) NCARB evaluation report stating that he/she has met the NCARB Education Standard.

The NCARB Architectural Experience Program is described in the AXP Guidelines. The NCARB Education Standard is described in the Education Guidelines. These documents may be revised from time to time by NCARB.”

FURTHER RESOLVED, that these changes shall be submitted to the Council Member Boards for review and approval; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the changes by an absolute majority of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2018, and will apply to new applicants for certification through the Education Alternative.

Resolution 2018-03: Amendment and Restatement of the NCARB Model Rules of Conduct

Passed 51-0

RESOLVED, that the NCARB Rules of Conduct are hereby amended and restated in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A

FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the changes by an absolute majority of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2018.

Resolution 2018-04: Amendment and Restatement of the NCARB Bylaws

Passed as amended 50-0

RESOLVED, that the Amended and Restated NCARB Bylaws are adopted in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the changes by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2018.