Project Planning & Design (PPD) focuses on the preliminary design of sites and buildings. You should be able to demonstrate an understanding of and abilities in design concepts, sustainability/environmental design, universal design, and other forms of governing codes and regulations.
Project Planning & Design Details:
- Number of items: 100
- Test duration: 4 hr 5 min
- Allowed break time: 45 min
- Total appointment time: 5 hr
Preparing for Project Planning & Design? You can find more details, sample questions, and suggested references in our ARE 5.0 Handbook, and test prep video series.
PPD includes sections on the following content areas:
- Environmental Conditions & Context
- Determine location of building and site improvements based on site analysis
- Determine sustainable principles to apply to design
- Determine impact of neighborhood context on the project design
- Codes & Regulations
- Apply zoning and environmental regulations to site and building design
- Apply building codes to building design
- Integrate multiple codes to a project design
- Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies
- Determine mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems
- Determine structural systems
- Determine special systems such as acoustics, communications, lighting, security, conveying, and fire suppression
- Determine materials and assemblies to meet programmatic, budgetary, and regulatory requirements
- Project Integration of Program & Systems
- Determine building configuration
- Integrate building systems in the project design
- Integrate program requirements into a project design
- Integrate environmental and contextual conditions in the project design
- Project Costs & Budgeting
- Evaluate design alternatives based on the program
- Perform cost evaluation
- Evaluate cost considerations during the design process