Building codes define the minimum standard of design and construction for building performance. They are an essential tool architects use to ensure building occupants' basic life safety.

We advocate for the comprehensive adoption of the most up-to-date building codes into Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code (UCC) for greater public safety and accessibility, resilience, long-term cost-savings, and economic benefits.

The architecture profession is regulated at the state level to protect the public's health, safety, and welfare in the built environment and safeguard consumers from unqualified practitioners.

The State Architects Licensure Board licenses individuals to practice architecture in Pennsylvania upon completing examination, experience, and education requirements. We support the highest professional qualifications and licensure standards opposing movements to weaken or eliminate architects' licensure.

As licensed professionals, architects regularly face encroachment from those looking to carve out a piece of their business. We are committed to monitoring and curtailing encroachment from other industries, occupations, and professions to protect the privileges and uphold the technical and ethical responsibilities of architectural practice.

To ensure the public's health, safety, and welfare, architects must stay up-to-date with the rapidly changing landscape of design and construction techniques, materials, products, and systems. The American Insitute of Architects (AIA) requires members to complete continuing education courses annually. 

However, Pennsylvania is lagging as one of a few states that does not require any continuing education for architectural license renewal. In the best interest of the profession, consumers, and the public, we advocate for mandatory continuing education for all architects licensed by the Commonwealth.

Nearly 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions are produced by buildings. Buildings designed with sustainability and performance generate energy and cost savings, boost the economy, and contribute to the health, wellbeing, and productivity of occupants. AIA Pennsylvania supports policies, programs, and incentives that encourage sustainability ultimately creating a "return on investment" for the planet, people, and profit.

The buildings that architects design are inextricably linked to our broader communities. Architects design solutions that integrate the social, economic, and environmental interests and needs of our greater communities. They apply their expertise to infill housing, mixed-use development, blight remediation, adaptive reuse, affordable housing, and historic preservation to transform our spaces and communities.

Most of the development regulations that define our communities are dictated by local government within frameworks set by the Commonwealth. We favor housing and land-use policies, laws, and regulations that foster sustainable, equitable, and resilient community revitalization and development. We serve as a resource to Pennsylvania’s lawmakers to improve their constituents’ communities and empower their local governments.

Entrusted with the professional and ethical protection of the public, architects are accountable for their designs in our built environment. Statutory and regulatory protections and reforms to limit excessive liability and unjust risks to architects foster a more vital profession and construction industry. 

We work with our legal partners and engineers on reasonable legal reform to minimize design professionals’ exposure to litigation without jeopardizing the public interest.

Specific ongoing initiatives include:

• Reduction in the statute of repose from 12 years to 6 years to limit the likelihood architects are held liable for past designs they no longer have substantial influence over.
• Expansion of mechanic's lien rights for architects as a means to recoup delinquent payment for architectural services.
• Limitation of indemnification provisions in construction contracts requiring every party of a project to be responsible for their own negligence.

Architects are responsible for designing the public school facilities that serve students and faculty throughout the Commonwealth. Architects' expertise is essential for fostering welcoming learning environments that are safe, and conducive to cognitive growth, intellectual curiosity, and social development.

As advocates of school districts and their taxpaying communities, architects lead the planning, design, and construction process for successful short and long-term outcomes. They work within technical, budgetary, and regulatory constraints to ensure economical and holistic investment in our school infrastructure. 

In Pennsylvania, funding for school construction investment has proven woefully inadequate to the detriment of the health and safety of our students and teachers. We maintain that Pennsylvania’s modernized reimbursement program for school construction and renovation (PlanCon 2.0) is an expedient route to addressing the dire need for investment that:

• Allocates funding for construction, repair, and maintenance.
• Creates accountability and oversight including employing architects' expertise to assess facilities' current status and future needs.
• Includes an equitable reimbursement formula. 
• Incentivizes high-performance building standards.

We monitor and applaud the General Assembly’s creation and implementation of other school infrastructure funding mechanisms, including the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program and the School Environmental Repairs Program.

We remain engaged as a resource and partner to policymakers, law enforcement, and school districts, to address the ways school design can help thwart the violence and terrorism plaguing our schools. We advocate for tools and funding to make schools safer by design and we monitor the effectiveness of efforts to do so.

Prioritizing quality over cost in the procurement of architectural services results in long-term value for the Commonwealth and taxpayers realized in the spaces that support our government functions and public services. 

We support policies, requirements, and administrative procedures in public procurement processes that:

• Uphold the selection of architects based on qualifications (qualifications-based selection or QBS), not bids.  
• Promote flexibility and choice for project delivery methods on public building projects.
• Ensure any prescribed project delivery methods keep the architect at the forefront of contract and project discussion.
• Modernize the procurement process to encourage more architects to do business with the Commonwealth.
• Set and meet benchmarks for high-performance buildings. 
• Promote equity in the professional selection process.