ART & ARCHITECTURAL TOURS - PO BOX 25062 - SARASOTA, FL 3427-5062
email: iaats@jeanrenoux.com - Phone#: 941 726 1400
Eero Saarinen - TWA at JFK - 1962
AIA HEALTH, SAFETY, WELFARE (HSW) GUIDELINES
The following sections outline the three primary criteria that AIA/CES courses must meet to be approved for HSW LUs.
All three criteria must be met for your course to qualify for HSW LUs.
Criterion # 1: Course content must directly support the HSW definition.
Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) in architecture is anything that relates to the structural integrity or soundness of
a building or building site. Courses must intend to protect the general public.
Health: Aspects of architecture that have salutary effects among users of buildings or sites and address environmental concerns.
Examples: accessibility, acoustical, energy efficiency, mechanical, plumbing, electrical systems; materials.
Safety: Aspects of architecture intended to limit or prevent accidental injury or death among users of the buildings or sites.
Examples: codes, regulations, natural hazards, life safety systems, detection, alarm standards, provisions of fire-rated egress enclosures, automatic sprinkler systems, and stairs with correct rise-to-run proportions.
Welfare: Aspects of architecture that engender demonstrable positive emotional responses among, or enable equal access by, users of buildings or sites.
Examples: Building design and materials, methods and systems, construction contracting, ethics and regulations governing the practice of architecture, preservation, adaptive reuse, and the study of environmental issues.
Criterion #2: Course content must include one or more of the AIA/CES-acceptable HSW topics.
BUILDING SYSTEMS: Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Communications, Security, Fire Protection.
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION: Contracts, Bidding, Contract Negotiations.
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS: Drawings, Specifications, Delivery Methods.
DESIGN: Urban Planning, Master Planning, Building Design, Site Design, Interiors, Safety and Security Measures.
ENVIRONMENTAL: Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, Natural Resources, Natural Hazards, Hazardous Materials, Weatherproofing, Insulation.
LEGAL: Laws, Codes, Zoning, Regulations, Standards, Life Safety, Accessibility, Ethics, Insurance to protect Owners and Public.
MATERIALS and METHODS: Construction Systems, Products, Finishes, Furnishings, Equipment.
PRE-DESIGN: Land Use Analysis, Programming, Site Selection, Site and Soils Analysis, Surveying
PRESERVATION: Historic, Reuse, Adaptation
Criterion #3: 75 percent of course content must be on HSW topics.
To qualify for HSW credit, 75 percent of a course’s content and instructional time must be on acceptable HSW topics, as outlined above.
This means that if a course is 1 hour in length, at least 45 minutes (that is, 75 percent) must be spent discussing HSW topics.
In addition, AIA/CES requires that each provider course provide a minimum of four learning objectives.
For HSW course qualification, however, three of the four mandatory course learning objectives (that is, 75 percent) must address HSW topics. This is one way that AIA/CES verifies that 75 percent of a course is actually on HSW topics.