Architecture Architectural Design Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A contractor claims a delay caused by unusually severe weather. Under AIA A201, what relief is the contractor typically entitled to?
- A time extension but not additional compensation (Correct answer)
- Termination of the contract
- Neither time nor money
- Both time and money
Correct answer: A time extension but not additional compensation
Abnormal weather is generally an excusable, non-compensable delay warranting a schedule extension only.
Question 2: Which drawing set component legally takes precedence when specifications and drawings conflict, absent a stated order of precedence?
- Drawings always govern
- The contractor chooses
- Specifications always govern
- Neither; the architect interprets and the more stringent requirement often governs (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Neither; the architect interprets and the more stringent requirement often governs
AIA documents treat drawings and specifications as complementary, with the architect interpreting conflicts rather than a fixed hierarchy applying.
Question 3: During design development, energy modeling shows the proposed all-glass facade fails the energy code's prescriptive path. What is a viable next step?
- Remove all insulation to cut cost
- Ask the building official for a permanent waiver
- Demonstrate compliance through the performance (whole-building) path (Correct answer)
- Ignore the energy code since aesthetics govern
Correct answer: Demonstrate compliance through the performance (whole-building) path
The performance path allows trade-offs across building systems to demonstrate equivalent whole-building energy compliance.
Question 4: What is the architect's primary role during the bidding phase of a design-bid-build project?
- Guaranteeing the low bid meets the budget
- Answering bidder questions and issuing addenda to clarify documents (Correct answer)
- Negotiating subcontracts on behalf of bidders
- Supervising the bidders' estimating teams
Correct answer: Answering bidder questions and issuing addenda to clarify documents
During bidding the architect assists the owner by clarifying documents through addenda and evaluating bids.
Question 5: An owner occupies a portion of a building before the whole project is complete. What should the architect recommend first?
- Withholding all contractor payments
- Delaying occupancy until final completion regardless of need
- Issuing a certificate of substantial completion for the occupied portion (Correct answer)
- Voiding the construction contract
Correct answer: Issuing a certificate of substantial completion for the occupied portion
Partial occupancy requires documenting substantial completion of that portion to allocate warranties, insurance, and responsibility.
Question 6: Which quality control practice most effectively reduces coordination errors before construction documents are issued?
- Shortening the design schedule
- Adding more general notes to the cover sheet
- Increasing the construction contingency
- Interdisciplinary clash detection and page-turn reviews (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Interdisciplinary clash detection and page-turn reviews
Systematic cross-discipline reviews and clash detection catch conflicts before documents go out for bid.
Question 7: A firm principal seals drawings prepared by unlicensed staff. Under what condition is this permissible?
- Never, under any circumstances
- When the client signs a waiver
- When the work was performed under the principal's responsible control and supervision (Correct answer)
- Only if the staff hold architecture degrees
Correct answer: When the work was performed under the principal's responsible control and supervision
Licensing laws allow sealing work by unlicensed staff only when it was done under the licensee's direct supervision and responsible control.
Architecture Architectural Design Practice 5
A contractor claims a delay caused by unusually severe weather.
Under AIA A201, what relief is the contractor typically entitled to?