Questions

TO licensed Architects and Designers:

Just in case you forgot some of the rules, regulations and other mandatory or acceptable concepts and ideas:

CHAPTER ONE: HSW

No seminars or courses offered as Continuing Education Units would be accepted by any State Boards of Architecture for licensing or continuing education requirements or by any professional organizations such as AIA if they did not relate to HEALTH SAFETY WELFARE (HSW).

Health, safety, and welfare in architecture are defined as anything that relates to the structural integrity or soundness of a building or site.

Health relates to: Aspects of architecture that have salutary physical effects among users of buildings. (Accessibility, Acoustical systems, Energy efficiency, Mechanical, plumbing, electrical system concepts, materials, and methods of construction.

Safety relates to: Aspects of architecture intended to limit or prevent accidental injury or death (Codes and regulations ; Natural Hazards: Earthquake, Flood, and Hurricane; Life safety systems - suppression, detection and alarm standards)

Welfare relates to: Aspects of architecture that engender demonstrable positive emotional responses among, or enable equal access by, users of building or sites (Building design and materials, methods & systems, Construction contracting, means and methods, Construction documents and services, Legal issues: Laws; contracts; documents; insurance; Ethics and regulations governing practice; Preservation and adaptive reuse, study of architecture; Environmental issues; Construction administration)

In conclusion my courses/seminars are all crediting attendees with continuing education units in architecture or interior design because for example, if I talk about Italian architecture, it has to do with Welfare (Building design and materials, methods & systems), Health (Accessibility, Energy efficiency, materials) and sometimes Safety (if I talk about how that type of architecture deals with flood, earthquakes and mold).

My course/seminar on Green Architecture (Sustainable Solutions) is definitively crediting attendees with CE in architecture because we talk about: design, energy, plumbing, windows, HVAC, finishes, structural integrity, foundation systems, curtain wall systems, roofing materials, etc..., etc........

QUESTIONS?

CHAPTER THREE: TO FLORIDA licensed Architects and Designers:

(straight from the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design)

Architecture and Interior Design continuing education course providers are exempt from reporting attendance rosters. However, course providers who have department-assigned provider and course numbers have the option to report your continuing education credit hours. If reported, such hours will be posted to your license and will be reflected on the department’s Online Services at www.myfloridalicense.com

Courses that are automatically accepted for continuing education credits but not specifically assigned a course number by the department (i.e., AIA, IDCEC, etc.) cannot be reported or manually entered into the department’s computer system.

Please be advised that your online account will only reflect the hours voluntarily reported by course providers and may not be an actual reflection of the hours you have completed. This will not affect your ability to renew your license.

In accordance with the continuing education handbook, you are required to maintain course completion certificates for three years.

If you are selected for audit you will be required to produce course completion certificates to verify attendance. If you are an out-of-state registrant, you will also be required to submit a copy of the resident state statutes and rules as it pertains to your continuing education.

Effective March 2007, you must obtain 16 HSW hours of continuing education for renewal of your 2007-2009 license plus 4 hours of elective or self directed study.

CHAPTER TWO: STATES CONTINUING EDUCATION LAWS for Architects & Interior Designers

Click here to see the list of States’ CE Requirements for ARCHITECTS :

report date, hours per year, acceptance of Distance Learning, etc.

Click here to see the list of States’ CE Requirements for INTERIOR DESIGNERS:

report date, hours per year, acceptance of Distance Learning, etc.

SELF-DIRECTED STUDY:

Only four credits can be secured via this methodology provided a log of learning is maintained for each of the following:

1. Visiting significant architectural and/or interior design sites (travel time not included).

2. Reading.

3. Utilization of video, cassettes or other instructive media.

4. Researching appropriate topics.

5. Participating in architectural study groups.

Self-directed study, correspondence/video tape must include,

1. Pre-course instruction book,

2. Lecture,

3. Questions and answers,

4. Evaluation,

5. Testing.

When I renew, do I need to send proof of my continuing education?

No. Maintain proof of continuing education for your records in case you are audited. In accordance with the continuing education handbook, you are required to maintain course completion certificates for three years.

How many continuing education credit hours do I need to renew my license?

Licensees are required to obtain 20 hours of continuing education every two years. If you were initially licensed less than 12 months prior to your first renewal, no continuing education is required. If you have been licensed more than 12 months, 20 hours of continuing education are required. The renewal date for all licensees is February 28 of odd years.

What type of continuing education hours do I need?

Licensees are required to complete either all 20 hours in health, safety and welfare, or a minimum of 16 hours of health, safety and welfare, and four hours of optional credits.

This will be required in order to renew your license by February 28, 2007, for the 2007-2009 period.

All licensees are required to complete a one-time Florida Building Code core course within two years of initial licensure. The core course is four hours and is counted toward the required 20 hours of heath, safety and welfare credit or as an optional credit.

For Architects,

does the board accept courses approved by any of the following: American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC), National Council of Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Design Association (IIDA), National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC), and Interior Designers of Canada (IDC)?

The board considers providers/courses approved through the AIA Continuing Education System as automatically approved courses for architects. The board also recognizes providers/courses approved through IDCEC as automatically approved courses for interior designers. The IDCEC may include courses offered by ASID, IIDA, NKBA, IDEC, and IDC.

Please note: Courses taken by an architect that are approved through IDCEC do not automatically count for continuing education credit. Courses taken by an interior designer that are approved through AIA do not automatically count for continuing education credit.

For Interior Designers,

does the board accept courses approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC), National Council of Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Design Association (IIDA), National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC), and Interior Designers of Canada (IDC)?

Please note: Courses taken by an interior designer that are approved through AIA do not automatically count for continuing education credit. Courses taken by an architect that are approved through IDCEC do not automatically count for continuing education credit.

IN OTHER WORDS:

A) YOU CAN SEND YOUR LICENSE RENEWAL BEFORE YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL YOUR CREDIT HOURS. In sending it you only say that you will fulfill all requirements by the renewal date. Of course, if you don’t and you are audited, you will be in trouble.

B) WHETHER OR NOT ALL YOU HOURS ARE ENTERED IN THE BOARD COMPUTER, either by a provider or by yourself, AND WHETHER YOU HAVE FULFILLED ALL YOUR HOURS, THAT WILL NOT PREVENT THE BOARD TO AUDIT YOU AFTER FEBRUARY 28, 2009.

C) YOU HAVE UNTIL FEBRUARY 28, 2009 MIDNIGHT TO TAKE A COURSE TO FULFILL 16 OF HSW MINIMUM + 4 HOURS OF OPTIONAL CREDITS.

D) KEEP A COPY OF YOUR CERTIFICATE(S) BEFORE YOU SEND IT (THEM) TO THE BOARD. And don’t send it (them) to the Board unless asked.

In conclusion my courses/seminars are all accepted by the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design, because they are approved by AIA and IIDA/ASID/IDEC, as well as being accepted by any and all Boards of Architecture and Interior Design, according to their specific rules and laws.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF AIA, ASID, IIDA, NKBA OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO TAKE A COURSE OR A TOUR. REGARDLESS, THEY WILL BE ACCEPTED BY ANY AND ALL BOARDS OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN according to the laws in effect in each state. (see above in CHAPTER TWO. Click here)

I hope this will help.

Feel free to call me if you need more information.

Jean

1 800 240 1194