Listen to podcast episodes breaking down exam topics and strategies for all divisions of the Architect Registration Exam. This category features free audio content covering test-taking techniques, division-specific tips, and insights from successful candidates. Episodes include discussions on complex concepts, common pitfalls, and effective preparation methods to help candidates develop confidence and knowledge for exam success.
The Spearin doctrine in construction decides who carries the cost when work is built exactly as drawn and still fails. It comes from a 1918 Supreme Court case and it turns on one question: did...
We are building 18-story buildings out of wood. Not logs, not heavy timbers, but engineered wood products that get taken apart and put back together smarter than the tree ever managed. This is the full...
Asbestos in buildings is more common than most people expect. It sits in floor tile, pipe insulation, ceiling texture, and siding throughout buildings put up before the early 1980s. What follows covers what asbestos...
The AIA A201 is the general conditions document that governs construction administration on nearly every project built under AIA contracts. When things go wrong on a job site, from non-conforming work and unauthorized material...
A lighting calculation determines how many fixtures a room needs to hit a target light level. This post covers the foot candle chart by space type, the lumen method formula, the inverse square law, and...
Architect insurance is one of those topics that nobody wants to think about until they absolutely have to. But understanding your coverage (from professional liability and errors and omissions insurance to claims-made policies, tail coverage,...
The A201 general conditions govern how construction projects actually work. Fifteen articles covering means and methods, the schedule of values, substantial completion, change orders, and dispute resolution for every party on the project. This post...
Understanding the different types of light bulbs starts with two numbers: color temperature and CRI. Color temperature, measured in Kelvin, controls whether a light source feels warm or cool. The color rendering index measures how...
Zoning controls what you can build on a piece of land, how big it can be, and where it can sit on the site. This guide covers setbacks, easements, floor area ratio, lot coverage, building...
An ADA bathroom layout requires specific dimensions for turning space, toilet clearance, grab bar placement, sink height, and fixture reach ranges. But the numbers only make sense when you understand the physical experience behind them:...
The difference between life and death during a building emergency often comes down to one thing: means of egress. These critical escape pathways aren’t arbitrary rules imposed by building officials; rather, they’re the result of...
Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are in contact and moisture completes the circuit. This guide explains how galvanic action works, walks through the galvanic series chart for common architectural metals, and covers the...
QA vs QC is one of the most commonly confused topics in construction and architecture. Quality assurance (QA) prevents problems before they happen. Quality control (QC) finds and fixes them after the fact. This guide...
On a pitched roof, gravity does all the work. Flatten that roof out and the water has nowhere to go. The only thing standing between that pooling water and the inside of the building is...
Study motivation is the single biggest barrier for ARE candidates who have the books, the courses, and the study plan but can’t seem to open any of them. If exam stress and decision fatigue have...
Join Michael and Emily for a free CDT® certification presentation on August 6, 2026. Learn how CDT certification fits into your ARE or NCIDQ prep, the full CSI® certification landscape, the Fall 2026 exam schedule,...
Construction disputes and construction claims are an unavoidable part of working in the AEC industry. Whether you’re managing an active project or preparing for the ARE exam, knowing how to prevent, navigate, and resolve these...
The architect standard of care doesn’t mean perfect work. It means the level of skill and care that a reasonably competent architect would exercise under similar circumstances. If you’re studying for the ARE or practicing...
Fifty foot candles. That number shows up in every lighting specification you will ever read. But what is a foot candle, actually? How is it different from a lumen? And what does luminance have to...
Historic preservation defines four distinct approaches to working on historic buildings, and most people confuse at least two of them. A design team once spent weeks building a restoration plan for a beautiful old brick...