What are the project planning and design exam sections?
The ARE 5.0 project planning and design exam has five sections. Here’s what you’ll need to know for each content area:
Environmental Conditions & Context
The first section will test your ability to use the site information from a project's programming and analysis phase to plan the site and its environmental aspects.
Objective 1.1
In the first objective, you’ll be asked to determine the location of building and site improvements based on site analysis. To do well on this objective, you’ll need to locate a new built project on its site, considering the following factors: views, wind, solar path, topography, adjacencies, planning concepts, and vulnerabilities and risks associated with climate change. Items may test you on the orientation of one building, the arrangement of multiple buildings, the configuration of an addition to an existing structure, or the layout of site improvements.
Objective 1.2
The second objective challenges the test taker to determine the sustainable principles to apply to design. As an architect, you must use sun, wind, temperature, precipitation, and other climatic data to determine building orientation and shape, building envelope design, site features, and active and/or passive building systems. You’ll also need to consider recycled content, opportunities to minimize waste of building materials, and other strategies to reduce a project’s negative impact on the environment while increasing a project’s resilience.
Objective 1.3
The last objective will test your ability to determine the impact of neighborhood context on project design. First, you’ll need to consider the neighborhood's character, including the site’s proximity to various modes of transportation, nearby amenities and public services, utilities, noise pollution, historical precedent, historic preservation requirements, adjacent building scale, and surrounding façade materials. Then, based on the given architectural context, you’ll need to determine the appropriate design response, keeping these factors in mind.
Codes & Regulations
The second section focuses on the codes and regulations that apply to the planning phase of a project.
Objective 2.1
In this objective, you’ll need to apply zoning and environmental regulations to site and building design. You must understand the regulations for the outside of a building, including standard and accessible parking, FAR building size allowance, site coverage, property line setbacks, and requirements for stormwater runoff management.
Objective 2.2
The next objective tests your application of building codes to building design. To test well on this objective, you’ll need to know building code requirements like building height and area limits, maximum occupancy load, required egress, accessibility, energy usage, fire separation, and plumbing fixture counts. You must also be able to complete a code analysis and incorporate it into the design.
Objective 2.3
The third objective challenges the test taker to integrate multiple codes into a project design. You must understand related codes, like energy, mechanical, and universal design. You should understand how various codes are used together and how to decide which governs during a conflict.
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies
This content area focuses on other disciplines and components that make up a building.
Objective 3.1
This objective tests your understanding of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. You must evaluate each and determine their impact on building and site design. Then, you’ll need to select the appropriate systems based on various factors such as function, cost, size, availability, programmatic needs, and energy/water usage.
Objective 3.2
In this objective, you’ll need to evaluate different structural systems – their cost, availability, load capacity, and impact on building design and configuration. Then, you’ll need to use these factors and building size and function to choose the appropriate structural system and layout for a building.
Objective 3.3
The third objective challenges you to evaluate the various specialty systems and choose the most appropriate ones for a building based on building type, function, and programmatic requirements. You’ll determine systems like acoustics, communications, lighting, security, conveying, and fire suppression. You should also be able to assess the impact of these specialty systems on the building design.
Objective 3.4
The last objective in this content area requires selecting a building’s envelope system, interior materials, and other assemblies. You’ll need to consider cost, availability, program requirements, sustainability requirements, and environmental conditions.
Project Integration of Program & Systems
In this section, you’ll integrate the decisions from the previous three sections. This section is the largest of the PPD division.
Objective 4.1
The first objective in this section requires you to determine the building’s configuration. You’ll use program and code requirements, selected structural and MEP systems, historical precedent, site and environmental conditions, sustainability requirements, and design logic principles to decide.
Objective 4.2
The second objective requires you to integrate building systems into the project design. You will determine how the systems you select all fit together – spatially and functionally. To do well, you must be able to evaluate how one building system change impacts other systems and the overall project design.
Objective 4.3
This objective tests your ability to integrate program requirements into an overall design. You should be able to reconcile various program requirements, evaluate the program’s impact on building systems and cost, and determine what environmental factors may affect the program. To do well, you must create a building layout that incorporates program requirements for a project.
Objective 4.4
The last objective in this section focuses on integrating environmental and contextual conditions into a project’s design. This includes incorporating design strategies (such as those assessed in Section 1) into the project. For example, you’ll need to consider view corridors, shading elements, building materials, and landscape design.
Project Costs & Budgeting
This section is all about the project’s bottom line.
Objective 5.1
The first objective of this section is to evaluate design alternatives for a given project. You’ll need to consider the alternatives against the program requirements, project budget and goals, and cost considerations. This objective is all about testing your ability to choose the most appropriate design option that fits within the project budget.
Objective 5.2
This objective requires you to perform cost evaluations of the project. You’ll need to know how to create preliminary cost estimates, adjust an estimate as the project progresses, calculate costs for design alternatives, and reconcile the estimate with the budget.
Objective 5.3
The third objective tests your ability to consider client priorities and life cycle costs during the materials and systems selection process. You’ll need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of your design decisions and determine if you must modify the project based on cost or budget needs.
How to study for the PPD exam
Studying for any test – including the ARE 5.0 – means focusing on two components: what and how to study. In the above section, we covered what subjects will be included in the PPD exam. Now, we’ll turn the focus to how to study. In the ARE 5.0, study materials that help you in one division may also help you in other divisions. Therefore, understanding these reference materials is crucial to passing the ARE 5.0. Here’s how you can maximize your study time.
Get familiar with the reference materials
For each division, NCARB provides a list of reference materials that are pertinent to that division. Because the ARE 5.0 is now structured to resemble an actual project flow more closely, reference materials can overlap. Here are the reference materials from the ARE 5.0 Reference Matrix that you’ll need to know for the Project Planning & Design division:
2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design U.S. Department of Justice, 2010
The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice (AHPP) The American Institute of Architects, John Wiley & Sons, 14th edition (2008) and 15th edition (2014)
The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design Edward Allen and Joseph Iano, John Wiley & Sons, 6th edition, 2017
Architectural Graphic Standards The American Institute of Architects, John Wiley & Sons, 11th edition (2007) and 12th edition (2016)
Building Code Essentials (2018) International Code Council, 2018
Building Codes Illustrated: A Guide to Understanding the 2018 International Building Code Francis D.K. Ching and Steven R. Winkel, FAIA, PE, CASp John Wiley & Sons, 2018
Building Construction Illustrated Francis D.K. Ching John Wiley & Sons, 6th edition, 2020
Building Structures James Ambrose and Patrick Tripeny John Wiley & Sons, 3rd edition, 2011
Dictionary of Architecture and Construction Cyril M. Harris, McGraw-Hill, 4th edition, 2006
Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods Edward Allen and Joseph Iano John Wiley & Sons, 6th edition (2013) and 7th edition (2019)
Green Building Illustrated Francis D.K. Ching and Ian M. Shapiro Wiley, 2014
The Green Studio Handbook: Environmental Strategies for Schematic Design Alison G. Kwok and Walter Grondzik Routledge, 3rd edition, 2018
Heating, Cooling, Lighting: Sustainable Design Strategies Towards Net Zero Architecture Norbert Lechner and Patricia Andrasik, John Wiley & Sons, 5th edition, 2021
ICC A117.1-2009 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities International Code Council, 2010
International Building Code (2018) International Code Council, 2017
International Building Code Study Companion (2018) International Code Council, 2018
Mechanical & Electrical Equipment for Buildings Walter T. Grondzik and Alison G. Kwok, John Wiley & Sons, 12th edition (2014) and 13th edition (2019)
Olin’s Construction Principles, Materials, and Methods H. Leslie Simmons, John Wiley & Sons, 9th edition, 2011
The Project Resource Manual: CSI Manual of Practice The Construction Specifications Institute McGraw-Hill, 5th edition, 2005
Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders James Ambrose and Patrick Tripeny, John Wiley & Sons, 12th edition, 2016
Site Planning and Design Handbook Thomas H. Russ, McGraw-Hill, 2nd edition, 2009
Structural Design: A Practical Guide for Architects James R. Underwood and Michele Chiuini, John Wiley & Sons, 2nd edition, 2007
Structures Daniel Schodek and Martin Bechthold, Pearson, 7th edition, 2013
Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design Strategies, G.Z. Brown and Mark DeKay John Wiley & Sons, 3rd edition, 2013
Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery Charles J. Kibert, John Wiley & Sons, 4th edition, 2016
A Visual Dictionary of Architecture Francis D.K. Ching, John Wiley & Sons, 2nd edition, 2011
While you may get overwhelmed with the resources listed here, remember that the goal is to focus on a broader understanding of the source material rather than memorizing each resource.
Use Amber Book for your exam prep
Studying for the ARE 5.0 is a tedious process, no matter how you decide to study. So if you’re following study guides, learning to read case studies, reviewing references, or taking mock exams or quizzes, you must maximize your time. Amber Book not only sets you up for success on the ARE, it sets you up for a long, successful career being the architect you want to be.
Amber Book is equivalent to a university-level course focused on helping you pass the ARE 5.0 exams and get licensed. While national pass rates for the PPD division exam are 45%, those who complete at least 75% of the Amber Book course have a pass rate of 71%!
In addition to an online animated course, you’ll also get a 375-page workbook, case study examples, practice questions and practice exams, digital flashcards, last-minute “panic” notes, and more.
Ready to pass the ARE 5.0 with Amber Book?
Amber Book is a course developed by licensed architect and professor Michael Ermann, AIA. As the first person to pass all six ARE 5.0 divisions, he’s taught over 17,000 people how to better prepare for the ARE. Amber Book covers all six divisions of the ARE 5.0 – Practice Management (PcM), Project Management (PjM), Programming & Analysis (PA), Project Planning & Design (PPD), Project Development & Documentation (PDD), and Construction & Evaluation (CE). Because the ARE is now more comprehensive, there is a lot of study overlap – and the Amber Book course was built to help.
