Free ARE Project Planning and Design Practice Test
This free ARE Project Planning and Design practice test has 50 original, unofficial questions across all five PPD sections, including a six-question case study. Choose your answer before opening its explanation; there's no signup, and this is a shorter practice set—not a full-length exam.
Practice questions
Question 1
Environmental Conditions & Context · Objective 1.2 · Choose one
A library reading room in a cold climate uses direct-gain passive solar heating. Its south glazing and overhangs are already designed, and winter sun reaches a masonry floor in the room. Which finish decision best supports the passive solar strategy?
- A. Leave the masonry floor exposed in a darker color, and keep the sunlit area clear of rugs and furniture
- B. Cover the masonry floor with wall-to-wall carpet for comfort
- C. Move the masonry to a shaded storage room behind the reading room
- D. Finish the masonry floor in white to reflect most of the direct sunlight
Show answer and explanation, Question 1
Answer: A
Why: In a direct-gain design, sunlight lands on masonry that absorbs heat during the day and releases it later. Keeping this sunlit floor exposed lets it collect direct solar heat; darker colors absorb more of the incident sunlight than light ones. Carpet (B) insulates the mass from the sun. Mass in a shaded room (C) gets no direct gain. A white finish (D) absorbs less of the direct sunlight at that floor surface. Thermal mass helps even out temperatures. It doesn't carry the whole heating load by itself.
Question 2
Environmental Conditions & Context · Objective 1.2 · Choose one
An office in a hot climate has a long west façade with large windows. Afternoon heat gain and glare are the main complaints. Which shading strategy will work best on that façade?
- A. A deep horizontal overhang at the window heads
- B. An interior light shelf at 7 ft above the floor
- C. Clear glass with higher visible transmittance
- D. Exterior shading designed for the low-angle afternoon sun, such as angled fins or an exterior screen, combined with less west glazing where feasible
Show answer and explanation, Question 2
Answer: D
Why: Late-afternoon sun hits a west wall from a low angle, so an overhang at the window head can leave much of the glass exposed. Exterior screens or correctly angled fins can intercept that sun, and less west glass reduces the exposed area. DOE notes that east and west glass is hard to shade and a problem for solar heat gain. A light shelf (B) redirects daylight but isn't a complete low-angle shading strategy. Higher visible transmittance (C) means more visible light, not necessarily more solar heat: solar heat gain coefficient is a separate rating. The shading geometry in D addresses the stated heat-gain and glare problem.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Building Envelope & Architectural Considerations; Architecture 2030, East/West Shading; ENERGY STAR, Performance Ratings: SHGC and Visible Transmittance.
Question 3
Environmental Conditions & Context · Objective 1.2 · Choose one
An open office gets side light from windows with heads 10 ft above the floor. The design adds a light shelf. For this schematic estimate, use a useful-daylight depth of up to 2.5 times the window-head height with the shelf. What depth does that give?
- A. 10 ft
- B. 15 ft
- C. 20 ft
- D. 25 ft
Show answer and explanation, Question 3
Answer: D
Why: A common rule of thumb is that side daylight reaches about 1.5 to 2 times the window head height, which is 15 to 20 ft here. A light shelf bounces daylight off the ceiling and can push that to about 2.5 times the head height: 2.5 × 10 ft = 25 ft. Answers B and C describe the rule-of-thumb range without the light shelf. Actual illuminance also depends on the glazing, obstructions, sky and interior surfaces.
Question 4
Environmental Conditions & Context · Objective 1.3 · Choose one
A city plans a two-story annex beside its 1912 masonry library in a historic district. The street has a consistent 20-ft front setback and a strong cornice line. Which approach best fits the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for related new construction?
- A. Copy the 1912 details exactly so the annex reads as part of the original building
- B. Build a contrasting glass tower twice the library's height to signal the new use
- C. Place the annex in front of the library, at the sidewalk, so it's visible from the street
- D. Hold the street setback and cornice height, use compatible massing and scale, and make the annex clearly contemporary in its details
Show answer and explanation, Question 4
Answer: D
Why: Standard 9 asks new work to be compatible with the historic property's massing, size, scale, and features while being differentiated from the old. Holding the setback and cornice line keeps the street wall intact. Contemporary detailing keeps the annex from being mistaken for historic fabric. Exact copying (A) blurs that line. A tower twice the height (B) breaks scale. Building in front (C) hides the historic building and breaks the setback. The Standards are regulatory for the federal historic preservation tax incentive program and are also used by local historic district commissions; the applicable local review process must still be checked.
Source: National Park Service, Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation (Standards 9 and 10).
Question 5
Environmental Conditions & Context · Objective 1.1 · Select TWO
A geotechnical report shows that a site's clay soils absorb water very slowly. The civil engineer has confirmed a permitted storm drain connection and enough non-drinking water demand (toilet flushing) to use collected rainwater. Which two stormwater concepts avoid depending on water soaking into that soil?
- A. An unlined infiltration trench
- B. A bioretention cell with an underdrain connected to the permitted storm drain
- C. An open-bottom drywell
- D. A rainwater cistern that supplies toilet flushing and overflows to the permitted storm drain
- E. An unlined infiltration basin with no outlet
- F. Permeable pavement designed to drain only into the native soil
Show answer and explanation, Question 5
Answer: B, D
Why: EPA notes that sites with low infiltration need green infrastructure designs with underdrains, and that practices like rainwater harvesting don't depend on soil conditions. The underdrain (B) carries filtered water to a permitted outlet instead of waiting for clay to absorb it. The cistern (D) stores roof water for a real use and overflows safely. A, C, E, and F all rely on infiltration into the native soil, so they don't meet this question's requirement to avoid that dependence. Sizing and water-quality design still come later.
Source: U.S. EPA, Green Infrastructure Design Strategies ("Low Infiltration Rates").
Question 6
Environmental Conditions & Context · Objective 1.1 · Choose one
A 25,000-sq-ft one-story office will sit on a site with these conditions: the northern half slopes 2–5% and fronts the street, the southern half slopes 12–18% down to a creek and includes a mapped flood hazard area, and a stand of mature trees lines the east edge. The site consultant confirms that the northern half can accommodate both, with utilities at the street. The owner requires tree preservation and no development in the southern slope or flood area. Where should the building and parking go?
- A. Building and parking on the gentle northern half near the street, with the trees kept and the southern slope and flood area left undeveloped
- B. Building at the south edge for creek views, with parking on the northern half
- C. Building on the east edge after removing the trees, with parking on the southern slope
- D. Building on fill raised above the flood elevation in the southern half, with parking on the north
Show answer and explanation, Question 6
Answer: A
Why: A follows all the supplied constraints: the consultant has confirmed enough northern space, the street and utilities are nearby, and the trees and southern land stay undisturbed. B and D develop the southern area the owner excluded. C removes trees and puts parking on the excluded slope. Views alone don't override the stated program constraints.
Source: Worked from the site consultant's findings and owner requirements supplied in the question. These project conditions are invented for practice.
Question 7
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.1 · Choose one
A 120 ft × 200 ft lot is zoned for a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 2.0 and maximum lot coverage of 60%. Each floor may use up to the largest allowed footprint, a partial top floor is permitted, and no other restriction controls. What's the fewest number of stories needed to build the maximum allowed floor area?
- A. 2
- B. 3
- C. 4
- D. 5
Show answer and explanation, Question 7
Answer: C
Why: Lot area = 120 × 200 = 24,000 sq ft. Maximum floor area = 2.0 × 24,000 = 48,000 sq ft. Maximum footprint = 60% × 24,000 = 14,400 sq ft. 48,000 ÷ 14,400 = 3.33, so three full floors fall short and you need a fourth story. Three full floors provide 43,200 sq ft, leaving a 4,800-sq-ft fourth floor. FAR caps total floor area, and lot coverage caps the footprint. You need both to size the massing.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 8
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.1 · Choose one
A lot is 100 ft wide and 150 ft deep. Zoning requires a 25-ft front setback, a 20-ft rear setback, and 10-ft side setbacks on each side. Based only on these setbacks, what is the largest possible rectangular building footprint?
- A. 8,400 sq ft
- B. 9,450 sq ft
- C. 10,500 sq ft
- D. 11,250 sq ft
Show answer and explanation, Question 8
Answer: A
Why: Width: 100 − 10 − 10 = 80 ft. Depth: 150 − 25 − 20 = 105 ft. Buildable area: 80 × 105 = 8,400 sq ft. Answer C forgets both side setbacks (100 × 105). B subtracts only one side setback (90 × 105). D uses one side setback and skips the rear setback (90 × 125).
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 9
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.2 · Choose one
An 18,000-gross-sq-ft office floor is in a jurisdiction whose building code assigns business areas 150 gross sq ft per occupant. What is the occupant load?
- A. 90
- B. 120
- C. 150
- D. 180
Show answer and explanation, Question 9
Answer: B
Why: Occupant load = floor area ÷ load factor = 18,000 ÷ 150 = 120. The factor is gross, so you divide the whole floor area without subtracting corridors, toilets, or walls first. Answer D uses a 100-sq-ft factor the stem doesn't give you. Always use the factor your adopted code assigns.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 10
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.2 · Choose one
A restaurant has 3,000 net sq ft of dining with tables and chairs and a 600-gross-sq-ft commercial kitchen. The adopted code assigns 15 net sq ft per occupant to the dining area and 200 gross sq ft per occupant to the kitchen. What is the total occupant load?
- A. 203
- B. 240
- C. 400
- D. 432
Show answer and explanation, Question 10
Answer: A
Why: Work out each area with its own factor, then add. Dining: 3,000 ÷ 15 = 200. Kitchen: 600 ÷ 200 = 3. Total: 203. Answer B applies the dining factor to the kitchen (600 ÷ 15 = 40). D treats the dining room as chairs-only seating at 7 sq ft per occupant, a factor the stem doesn't supply.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 11
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.2 · Choose one
A floor of a fully sprinklered building needs two exits. The adopted code says the exits must be at least one-half of the floor's maximum overall diagonal apart, or one-third of it where the building is sprinklered throughout. The diagonal is 180 ft. What's the minimum distance between the exits?
- A. 45 ft
- B. 60 ft
- C. 90 ft
- D. 120 ft
Show answer and explanation, Question 11
Answer: B
Why: The building is sprinklered, so use one-third: 180 ÷ 3 = 60 ft. Answer C (one-half, 90 ft) is the unsprinklered requirement. The supplied sprinkler exception controls this calculation. Exit separation reduces the risk that one incident will block both routes; it doesn't guarantee that both remain usable.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 12
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.2 · Choose one
An assembly room has an occupant load of 400 and two exit doors of equal width. The adopted code requires 0.2 in. of door width per occupant and says losing any one exit can't reduce the available egress capacity below 50% of the required total. What's the minimum clear width of each door?
- A. 20 in.
- B. 32 in.
- C. 36 in.
- D. 40 in.
Show answer and explanation, Question 12
Answer: D
Why: Required total capacity = 400 × 0.2 = 80 in. If one door is blocked, the other must still provide at least 50% of 80 = 40 in. So each door needs 40 in. of clear width, which also meets the 80-in. total. Answer A splits capacity four ways. Neither B nor C provides the 40-in. clear width required by this calculation.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 13
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.2 · Choose one
A new office building has one surface parking lot with 140 spaces. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, how many accessible spaces are required, and how many must be van-accessible?
- A. 4 accessible, including 1 van space
- B. 5 accessible, including 1 van space
- C. 5 accessible, including 2 van spaces
- D. 7 accessible, including 2 van spaces
Show answer and explanation, Question 13
Answer: B
Why: Table 208.2 requires 5 accessible spaces for a lot with 101–150 total spaces. For every six accessible spaces, or fraction of six, at least one must be van-accessible, so 5 spaces need 1 van space. Answer A is the 76–100 row, and D is the 201–300 row.
Source: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 2 (§§206.2.1, 206.3, 208.2, 208.3.1); U.S. Access Board, Guide to the ADA Standards: Parking (§§208, 502).
Question 14
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.2 · Choose one
A building entry vestibule has two hinged doors in series. The inner door is a 36-in. leaf that swings into the vestibule, and the outer door swings out, away from it. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, what's the minimum distance between the two doors?
- A. 48 in.
- B. 72 in.
- C. 84 in.
- D. 120 in.
Show answer and explanation, Question 14
Answer: C
Why: §404.2.6 requires 48 in. minimum between doors in series, plus the width of any door swinging into the space between them. Only the 36-in. inner door swings in, so 48 + 36 = 84 in. Answer A ignores the door swing. B counts two leaves but drops the 48-in. base. D adds a second inward swing that isn't there. Meeting this one dimension doesn't settle every other vestibule requirement, such as maneuvering clearances.
Source: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 4 (§§403.3, 404.2.6, 405).
Question 15
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.2 · Choose one
A new public library has accessible parking on the west side of its site, a public bus stop on the east edge, and a public sidewalk along the north. All three serve the same accessible main entrance, and each one has pedestrian access to the building. Which site plan meets the 2010 ADA Standards' accessible-route requirements?
- A. Accessible routes from the parking, the bus stop, and the sidewalk to the entrance, running along the main walkways
- B. An accessible route from the parking only, since that's where most wheelchair users will arrive
- C. Accessible routes from all three, except that the bus-stop route uses steps because it's the shortest path
- D. Accessible routes from all three to a separate accessible entrance at the rear, away from the main walkways
Show answer and explanation, Question 15
Answer: A
Why: §206.2.1 requires at least one accessible route from each site arrival point (accessible parking, public streets and sidewalks, and public transportation stops) to the accessible entrance it serves. §206.3 requires accessible routes to coincide with, or be in the same area as, general circulation paths. A meets both. B skips two arrival points. C puts steps in a required accessible route. D separates accessible users from everyone else. The exceptions for historic alterations and vehicle-only access don't apply here.
Source: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 2 (§§206.2.1, 206.3, 208.2, 208.3.1).
Question 16
Codes & Regulations · Objective 2.3 · Choose one
Zoning allows buildings up to 65 ft tall on a site. The adopted building code limits the construction type the team has chosen to 55 ft. What's the maximum height the design can use with that construction type?
- A. 55 ft, because the project must meet both regulations, so the stricter limit controls
- B. 60 ft, the average of the two limits
- C. 65 ft, because zoning is the more specific local law and overrides the building code
- D. 65 ft, because the building code limit applies only to fire separation, not height
Show answer and explanation, Question 16
Answer: A
Why: Zoning and the building code are separate regulations, and the project has to comply with each one. Zoning allows 65 ft, but the building code allows this construction type only up to 55 ft. Meeting both means staying at or under 55 ft, or switching to a construction type the building code allows at a greater height.
Source: Worked from the two independent height limits supplied in the question. The project regulations are invented for practice.
Question 17
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.2 · Choose one
A two-story retail building in a seismic region needs uninterrupted storefront glazing along all four ground-floor walls. Which lateral-force-resisting system best preserves that openness?
- A. Plywood shear walls along the perimeter
- B. Concentric X-braced frames along the perimeter
- C. Steel moment-resisting frames
- D. Unreinforced masonry bearing walls
Show answer and explanation, Question 17
Answer: C
Why: Moment frames resist lateral loads through rigid beam-to-column connections, so they leave bays open for glazing. Shear walls (A) and X-braced frames (B) occupy the wall or cross the bay they sit in and interrupt storefront glazing. Unreinforced masonry (D) performs poorly in earthquakes and isn't an appropriate lateral system in a seismic region.
Source: FEMA 454, Designing for Earthquakes, Chapter 5 (December 2006; text copy). §5.2.1. Used for structural principles, not current numerical seismic-code limits.
Question 18
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.2 · Choose one
A four-story apartment building sits over an open ground-floor parking level. The upper floors have many shear walls, and the parking level has only columns. The structural engineer identifies a large drop in lateral stiffness at that ground level. What is the main seismic concern?
- A. A soft (flexible) first story
- B. A re-entrant corner
- C. Pounding against the neighboring building
- D. Excessive roof snow load
Show answer and explanation, Question 18
Answer: A
Why: The stiff, walled upper floors sit on a far more flexible column-only level, so earthquake movement concentrates at the ground story. That is a soft-story concern: 'soft' describes reduced stiffness, while 'weak' describes reduced strength. The engineer's stiffness finding does not by itself establish a weak story. Fixes include adding shear walls, braced frames, or moment frames at the ground level, or carrying the upper walls down to the foundation.
Source: FEMA 454, Designing for Earthquakes, Chapter 5 (December 2006; text copy). §5.5.1. Used for structural principles, not current numerical seismic-code limits.
Question 19
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.2 · Choose one
In a rectangular office building, the only shear walls are around the stair and elevator core at the east end. The west end has gravity columns and a glass curtain wall. Assume roughly uniform floor mass and a rigid floor diaphragm. Which change most directly reduces the resulting torsional imbalance?
- A. Add more shear wall length at the east core
- B. Add floor mass at the west end
- C. Thicken the floor slabs throughout
- D. Add shear walls or braced frames at the west end to balance stiffness
Show answer and explanation, Question 19
Answer: D
Why: With all the stiffness at one end, the building's center of resistance sits far from its center of mass. Earthquake forces then twist the floor plates (torsion), and the flexible west end swings. Balancing lateral elements around the plan reduces that offset. Adding stiffness at the east end (A) makes the imbalance worse. Adding west-end mass (B) moves the mass center farther from the east-end resistance. Thicker slabs (C) add mass and do not balance the lateral-resisting elements under the stated rigid-diaphragm assumption.
Source: FEMA 454, Designing for Earthquakes, Chapter 5 (December 2006; text copy). §§5.3.2 and 5.5.3. Used for structural principles, not current numerical seismic-code limits.
Question 20
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.2 · Choose one
An L-shaped school in a seismic region has two long wings that meet at an inside (re-entrant) corner. Which strategy addresses the stress concentration at that corner?
- A. Move the main entrance to the inside corner
- B. Separate the wings with a seismic joint so each acts as a simple rectangle, or strengthen the corner connection
- C. Add a skylight at the inside corner to lighten the roof
- D. Deepen the foundations at the far ends of both wings
Show answer and explanation, Question 20
Answer: B
Why: In an L-shaped plan, the two wings move differently in an earthquake, which concentrates stress where they meet. Structurally separating the wings can reduce their interaction, but each part needs its own complete resisting system and a joint sized for relative movement. Tying the corner together with engineered collectors and walls is an alternative where appropriate; it requires analysis rather than simply adding material at the notch. Entrances, skylights, and end foundations don't change how the wings interact.
Source: FEMA 454, Designing for Earthquakes, Chapter 5 (December 2006; text copy). §5.5.4. Used for structural principles, not current numerical seismic-code limits.
Question 21
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.4 · Select THREE
Under Brick Industry Association Technical Note 7's design recommendations, which three details belong in a brick veneer drainage (cavity) wall?
- A. Through-wall flashing at the base of the wall, window heads, sills, and shelf angles
- B. Open-head-joint weeps just above the flashing, preferably no more than 24 in. on center
- C. End dams where flashing stops, turned up at least 1 in.
- D. Flashing stopped ½ in. behind the brick face so it can't be seen
- E. Mortar packed into the cavity to stiffen the wall
- F. No flashing at shelf angles, since the steel angle already supports the brick
Show answer and explanation, Question 21
Answer: A, B, C
Why: A drainage wall assumes water will get past the brick and gives it a way out. Flashing collects water at every interruption, weeps let it drain, and end dams keep it from running off the flashing's ends into the wall. Flashing should extend beyond the wall face, not stop behind it (D). Mortar in the cavity bridges water across to the backup wall (E). Shelf angles interrupt the cavity and need flashing like any other support (F). The cavity must remain clear enough to drain; mortar bridging defeats that path.
Question 22
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.3 · Choose one
An enclosed, unheated parking garage in a cold climate must be sprinklered. Which sprinkler system type is typically used where piping can freeze?
- A. Standard wet-pipe system
- B. Deluge system
- C. Dry-pipe system
- D. Wet-pipe system with quick-response heads
Show answer and explanation, Question 22
Answer: C
Why: Wet-pipe systems hold water in the piping, so freezing conditions require protection. A dry-pipe system normally holds pressurized air or nitrogen in the exposed piping; an opened sprinkler releases pressure, the dry valve trips, and water enters. Its water-filled supply and valve still need freeze protection. Quick-response heads (D) don't solve freezing. A deluge system (B) uses open discharge devices and isn't the ordinary choice for the described parking-garage application.
Source: National Fire Sprinkler Association, Types of Fire Sprinkler Systems: Dry Fire Sprinkler System.
Question 23
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.3 · Choose one
Two private offices share a continuous ceiling plenum. Their partitions stop at the suspended acoustical ceiling, and conversations carry from one office into the other over the wall. Which change most directly fixes that sound path?
- A. Add absorptive fabric panels to the walls of both offices
- B. Extend the partition up to the structure above and seal it at the top and bottom
- C. Add carpet to both offices
- D. Add sound masking and leave the partitions as they are
Show answer and explanation, Question 23
Answer: B
Why: The problem is transmission: sound goes up into the shared plenum and down into the next office. GSA's normal-privacy room guidance calls for full-height partitions, slab to slab, sealed airtight around their perimeter. Absorption (A, C) quiets sound inside each room but doesn't block sound between rooms. Masking (D) makes overheard speech harder to understand and is a useful layer, but it leaves the open path in place. Coordinate any return-air openings or other penetrations so they do not recreate that path.
Source: U.S. GSA, Sound Matters (January 2012), printed pp. 18, 31 and 35.
Question 24
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.3 · Choose one
A three-story outpatient clinic needs one passenger elevator, and the owner wants the lowest first cost. Which elevator type is typically chosen?
- A. Gearless traction with an overhead machine room
- B. Escalators instead of an elevator
- C. Geared traction with a penthouse machine room
- D. Hydraulic (conventional or machine-room-less)
Show answer and explanation, Question 24
Answer: D
Why: Hydraulic elevators are common in low-rise buildings of about two to five stories and generally cost less up front than traction. A conventional hydraulic needs a nearby machine room, while a machine-room-less hydraulic puts the equipment in the shaft. Traction systems make more sense as height and speed demands go up. Escalators (B) don't replace an elevator for accessible vertical travel.
Source: TK Elevator, Hydraulic Conventional vs. Hydraulic MRL; U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, §§206.2.1, 206.3, 208.2, 208.2.4 and 208.3.1.
Question 25
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.3 · Choose one
A multipurpose room is 60 ft × 40 ft with a 20-ft ceiling and has 1,176 sabins of total absorption. How much absorption must be added to bring the reverberation time down to 1.2 seconds? For the consultant's simplified calculation at one frequency, use RT = 0.049 V ÷ A, with V in cubic feet and A in sabins at that frequency.
- A. 392 sabins
- B. 588 sabins
- C. 784 sabins
- D. 1,960 sabins
Show answer and explanation, Question 25
Answer: C
Why: Volume = 60 × 40 × 20 = 48,000 cu ft. Current RT = 0.049 × 48,000 ÷ 1,176 = 2.0 seconds. Absorption needed for 1.2 seconds: A = 0.049 × 48,000 ÷ 1.2 = 1,960 sabins. Additional absorption = 1,960 − 1,176 = 784 sabins. Answer D is the total needed, not the amount to add.
Source: Calculated from the dimensions, absorption and equation supplied in the question. This is a simplified practice model, not a room-acoustics specification.
Question 26
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.1 · Choose one
The mechanical engineer reports a peak cooling load of 75,000 Btu/h sensible and 25,000 Btu/h latent, occurring at the same time. Four packaged units fit the budget and the mechanical space. Their capacities at the design conditions are listed below. Which unit meets the load?
- A. 90,000 Btu/h sensible; 20,000 Btu/h latent
- B. 80,000 Btu/h sensible; 30,000 Btu/h latent
- C. 70,000 Btu/h sensible; 35,000 Btu/h latent
- D. 95,000 Btu/h sensible; 0 Btu/h latent
Show answer and explanation, Question 26
Answer: B
Why: Sensible load is the heat that changes air temperature. Latent load is the heat removal associated with removing moisture. A unit has to meet both at once. B covers 75,000 sensible and 25,000 latent. A totals 110,000 Btu/h, more than the 100,000-Btu/h combined load, but falls short on moisture removal, so the space could feel cool and clammy. C falls short on sensible cooling. D removes no moisture at all. Comparing total capacity alone would hide both problems.
Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension, Energy Efficient Homes: Air Conditioning (FCS3262).
Question 27
Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies · Objective 3.4 · Choose one
A schematic steel-stud exterior wall has insulation between the studs, but the steel studs conduct heat straight through the wall at every 16 in. The owner wants to cut that heat loss. Which change addresses it?
- A. Specify windows with a higher solar heat gain coefficient
- B. Use thicker batt insulation between the same studs
- C. Add continuous insulation outside the studs, across the framing
- D. Paint the exterior a darker color
Show answer and explanation, Question 27
Answer: C
Why: Steel studs are thermal bridges: heat flows through them around the cavity insulation. Thicker batts (B) still leave every stud uninsulated. A continuous layer outside the framing covers the studs too, and DOE calls continuous exterior insulation the recommended way to reduce thermal bridging. Window heat gain (A) and paint color (D) don't touch the conduction path through the studs.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Building Envelope & Architectural Considerations.
Question 28
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.1 · Choose one
A 30,000-sq-ft office is being massed two ways, both with 15-ft floor-to-floor heights. Option 1 is one story, 150 ft × 200 ft. Option 2 is two stories, each 100 ft × 150 ft. Counting exterior walls plus roof, how do their envelope areas compare?
- A. Option 1 has less envelope area.
- B. The envelope areas are equal.
- C. Option 2 has about 50% less envelope area.
- D. Option 2 has about 26% less envelope area.
Show answer and explanation, Question 28
Answer: D
Why: Option 1: perimeter 700 ft × 15 ft = 10,500 sq ft of wall, plus 30,000 sq ft of roof = 40,500 sq ft. Option 2: perimeter 500 ft × 2 floors × 15 ft = 15,000 sq ft of wall, plus 15,000 sq ft of roof = 30,000 sq ft. The difference is 10,500 ÷ 40,500 ≈ 26%. Option 2 has less wall-plus-roof area to build, insulate and maintain. The 26% area reduction is not a calculated 26% saving in energy or total construction cost.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 29
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.3 · Choose one
An outpatient clinic program lists reception, a waiting room, 10 exam rooms, a nurse station, a lab, and staff offices. The program requires reception at the entry, short clinical travel between exam rooms and the lab, and staff circulation separate from public waiting. Which arrangement best integrates those requirements?
- A. Waiting and reception at the entry, exam rooms grouped around a central nurse station with the lab nearby, and a staff corridor kept separate from public waiting
- B. Exam rooms along the main entry corridor so patients reach them quickly, with the nurse station at the rear
- C. The lab at the main entrance, where specimen deliveries arrive
- D. Staff offices between the waiting room and the exam rooms to buffer noise
Show answer and explanation, Question 29
Answer: A
Why: The plan should follow how patients and staff move. Patients arrive and wait near the entry, then walk a short way to an exam room. Clinical staff can reach every exam room and the lab quickly from a central station. A separate staff corridor meets the stated separation requirement. The other options lengthen clinical travel or put back-of-house functions in the public path.
Source: Worked from the program's adjacency and circulation requirements supplied in the question. This is an invented schematic planning exercise, not a clinical facility standard.
Question 30
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.2 · Choose one
A five-story office has repeating floor layouts, toilets beside a common core, and space for vertical service shafts there. No structural obstruction requires an offset. Where should the main plumbing stacks and duct shafts go?
- A. Stacked vertically in or next to the core, aligned floor to floor
- B. Shifted on each floor to suit that floor's tenant layout
- C. Along the perimeter curtain wall to free up the core
- D. Centered in each tenant floor plate, with locations varying by floor
Show answer and explanation, Question 30
Answer: A
Why: Shafts that stack straight through the building avoid horizontal offsets, which cost money, eat ceiling space, and complicate coordination. Grouping them at the core leaves tenant floors open and puts risers near the toilets, stairs, and elevators already there. Perimeter shafts (C) block views and daylight. Shifting shafts floor to floor (B, D) creates exactly the offsets you want to avoid.
Source: Worked from the repeated floor layouts, core location and unobstructed shaft zone supplied in the question.
Question 31
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.2 · Choose one
An office floor needs a 9'-0" finished ceiling. Above the ceiling, the team allows 6 in. for lights and ceiling, 24 in. for ductwork and sprinkler mains, and 24 in. for structure (beams and slab). Assume these are separate, non-overlapping vertical zones. What floor-to-floor height results?
- A. 12'-6"
- B. 13'-6"
- C. 14'-0"
- D. 15'-0"
Show answer and explanation, Question 31
Answer: B
Why: 9'-0" + 6 in. + 24 in. + 24 in. = 108 + 54 = 162 in. = 13'-6". Floor-to-floor height comes from stacking the ceiling height, each system's ceiling zone, and the structure. If these zones cannot overlap, increasing one of them increases the floor-to-floor height. Coordinating routes through or between structural members can change that relationship.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 32
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.3 · Choose one
A middle school's program includes a gymnasium, classrooms, and a library. The gym requires a tall, long-span space and separate after-hours access; the owner wants its activity buffered from quiet teaching and reading areas. Where does the gym belong?
- A. Directly beside the library so both can share one entry lobby
- B. In the center of the classroom wing so students reach it quickly
- C. Above the library on the second floor to save footprint
- D. At one end of the building near service access and parking, buffered from the library and classrooms by circulation or support spaces
Show answer and explanation, Question 32
Answer: D
Why: This gym has the tall-volume, long-span and after-hours requirements stated in the program. An end location gives the gym its own entry and parking for events, keeps long-span structure out of the classroom wing, and puts corridors or storage between the noise and the quiet rooms. Stacking it over the library (C) puts impact-generating activity above a quiet space and would need additional isolation design.
Source: U.S. GSA, Sound Matters (January 2012), printed pp. 18, 31 and 35. The project program is invented; GSA's acoustic-zoning discussion supports separating noisy activity from quiet work, not a school-specific design rule.
Question 33
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.4 · Choose one
A building entrance's finished floor is 18 in. above the public sidewalk. The team would rather regrade the approach walk than build a ramp. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, what's the minimum horizontal run of a walk that rises 18 in. without becoming a ramp?
- A. 18 ft
- B. 24 ft
- C. 30 ft
- D. 36 ft
Show answer and explanation, Question 33
Answer: C
Why: A walking surface with a running slope no steeper than 1:20 isn't a ramp, so the ramp-specific handrail and landing requirements are not triggered. Door maneuvering clearances and other walking-surface requirements still apply. An 18-in. rise at 1:20 takes 18 × 20 = 360 in. = 30 ft. Answer A is the run for a 1:12 ramp, which would then need handrails because its rise is over 6 in.
Source: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 4 (§§403.3, 404.2.6, 405).
Question 34
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.3 · Choose one
A single-user accessible toilet room is being laid out. If the team uses a circular turning space, what's its minimum diameter under the 2010 ADA Standards?
- A. 48 in.
- B. 54 in.
- C. 60 in.
- D. 72 in.
Show answer and explanation, Question 34
Answer: C
Why: The circular turning space is 60 in. in diameter. The alternative is a T-shaped space within a 60 × 60 in. square, with arms and stem at least 36 in. wide. Elements with knee and toe clearance, like some lavatories, may overlap part of the turning space.
Source: U.S. Access Board, Guide to the ADA Standards: Clear Floor Space and Turning Space (§304.3).
Question 35
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.2 · Choose one
An office building sits over one level of parking. Assume 9-ft-wide stalls and 24-in.-wide columns. Among the choices, which is the smallest column spacing, measured center to center across the stall row, that fits a three-stall module between column faces?
- A. 25 ft
- B. 30 ft
- C. 35 ft
- D. 40 ft
Show answer and explanation, Question 35
Answer: B
Why: Three stalls need 3 × 9 = 27 ft. A 30-ft bay leaves 30 − 2 = 28 ft clear between column faces, so three stalls fit with little waste. A 25-ft bay leaves 23 ft clear, enough for only two stalls. The exact width needed is 27 + 2 = 29 ft, but that is not one of the choices. The 35- and 40-ft options exceed the smallest offered bay for this three-stall module; this question does not establish their structural cost.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 36
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.4 · Choose one
A new elementary school's air handler needs an outdoor-air intake. The north side has a bus loading loop. The east side has the loading dock and dumpsters. The boiler flue exits at the roof's south edge. The west side is a landscaped courtyard with no nearby pollution sources. Where should the intake go?
- A. Beside the bus loop on the north side, for the shortest duct run
- B. Next to the loading dock on the east side
- C. On the west courtyard side, away from those sources
- D. On the roof beside the boiler flue
Show answer and explanation, Question 36
Answer: C
Why: EPA's school design guidance says intakes shouldn't be within 25 ft of potential contaminant sources and names bus loading areas, loading docks, garbage containers, and boiler exhaust. The courtyard is the only side clear of all of them. A shorter duct (A) isn't worth pulling bus exhaust into classrooms. EPA also advises more separation when a source is large or the prevailing wind blows from it toward the intake.
Source: U.S. EPA, HVAC Systems: Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools.
Question 37
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.1 · Choose one
A one-story community center in a mild climate wants natural ventilation in its central multipurpose room when outdoor conditions allow. Breezes come mostly from the west. In the current plan, the room's windows are on the west wall only, and a row of enclosed storage rooms lines its east side. Which change best supports cross-ventilation?
- A. Enlarge the west windows and keep the storage rooms where they are
- B. Move the storage rooms and add operable openings on the east side, so air can flow from the west windows through the room and out
- C. Add a second row of storage rooms on the west side to shelter the windows
- D. Replace the west windows with fixed glazing and rely on the doors
Show answer and explanation, Question 37
Answer: B
Why: For the stated west-to-east breeze, openings on opposite sides and an unobstructed path support cross-ventilation. Architecture 2030 recommends locating outlets opposite the inlets and maintaining that clear path. Bigger west windows (A) still do not create an east-side outlet. C blocks the inlet. D removes the operable inlet altogether. Opening sizes still need engineering, but the plan has to create the path first.
Source: Architecture 2030, Cross Ventilation; U.S. EPA, HVAC Systems: Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools.
Question 38
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.4 · Select THREE
A new office has one parking lot serving one accessible building entrance. Which three statements about accessible parking under the 2010 ADA Standards are correct?
- A. Accessible spaces must be on the shortest accessible route to an accessible entrance.
- B. A van space can be 132 in. wide with a 60-in. access aisle, or 96 in. wide with a 96-in. aisle.
- C. Access aisles for car spaces must be at least 60 in. wide.
- D. Accessible spaces belong in the farthest row so they don't block traffic.
- E. Car access aisles may be 36 in. wide if the lot is small.
- F. The Standards set a 200-ft maximum distance from accessible parking to the entrance.
Show answer and explanation, Question 38
Answer: A, B, C
Why: Location is about the shortest accessible route (A), and the Standards allow two van layouts (B) and require a 60-in. minimum car aisle (C). Putting accessible spaces far away (D) breaks the shortest-route rule. There's no 36-in. aisle option (E) and no fixed maximum distance (F). The requirement is the shortest accessible route.
Source: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 2 (§§206.2.1, 206.3, 208.2, 208.3.1); U.S. Access Board, Guide to the ADA Standards: Parking (§§208, 502).
Question 39
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.1 · Choose one
An office floor plate is 150 ft deep, with side light from both long façades through windows with 10-ft heads and no light shelves. For schematic planning, use 1.5–2 times window-head height as the daylight-depth estimate. The owner wants most of a uniformly occupied floor plate in that daylit zone. Which change best achieves that?
- A. Raise ceilings to 9'-6" throughout
- B. Use clear, unfritted glass on both façades
- C. Add more light fixtures in the center of the plan
- D. Narrow the floor plate to about 40 ft deep, or introduce a courtyard or atrium sized to put most workstations near new daylit edges
Show answer and explanation, Question 39
Answer: D
Why: With 10-ft heads, side daylight reaches roughly 15–20 ft from each façade, which leaves the middle 110 ft or more without useful daylight. A 40-ft-deep plate puts about 30–40 ft of its depth, or 75–100%, within those two edge zones. A suitably sized courtyard or atrium can create additional daylit edges. These are schematic estimates, not measured illumination levels. Glass type (B) and ceiling height (A) won't cover a 150-ft plate, and electric light (C) isn't daylight.
Question 40
Project Costs & Budgeting · Objective 5.2 · Choose one
An addition needs 1,200 net sq ft. The design team's efficiency for it is 80% (net area ÷ gross area). The estimator's direct building cost is 1,200 sq ft × $350 per gross sq ft = $420,000. What should the direct building cost be?
- A. $336,000
- B. $420,000
- C. $504,000
- D. $525,000
Show answer and explanation, Question 40
Answer: D
Why: The $350 rate is per gross sq ft, but the estimator multiplied it by net area. Gross area = 1,200 ÷ 0.80 = 1,500 sq ft, and 1,500 × $350 = $525,000, so the estimate is $105,000 low. A multiplies net area by the efficiency, which shrinks the building instead of growing it. C adds 20% to the net area instead of dividing by 80%. Checking that area and unit rate are on the same basis is one of the first things to look at when you review someone else's estimate.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 41
Project Costs & Budgeting · Objective 5.2 · Choose one
An estimate in today's dollars is $10,000,000. Construction starts in 12 months and lasts 12 months. Using 4% annual escalation compounded to the midpoint of construction, what's the escalated estimate to the nearest $10,000?
- A. $10,400,000
- B. $10,610,000
- C. $10,820,000
- D. $11,200,000
Show answer and explanation, Question 41
Answer: B
Why: The midpoint of construction is 12 + 6 = 18 months away, or 1.5 years. $10,000,000 × 1.04^1.5 ≈ $10,606,000, about $10.61 million. Escalating to the midpoint assumes about half the work is bought before it and half after. Answer A stops at the start of construction. C escalates to the end. D applies 4% linearly for three years, which is neither the stated duration nor the compounding method.
Source: U.S. GSA, P-120 Project Estimating Requirements (2007), §1.4, printed p. 15. The 4% rate and schedule are exercise inputs, not a current construction-inflation forecast.
Question 42
Project Costs & Budgeting · Objective 5.2 · Choose one
An estimator's concept worksheet shows a building of 18,000 gross sq ft at $240 per sq ft, plus a separate $420,000 site allowance. The worksheet says contingency is 10% of building plus site. The estimator reports a total of $5,172,000. What's the correct total?
- A. $5,172,000
- B. $5,214,000
- C. $4,740,000
- D. $5,735,400
Show answer and explanation, Question 42
Answer: B
Why: Building = 18,000 × $240 = $4,320,000. Building plus site = $4,740,000. Contingency = 10% × $4,740,000 = $474,000. Total = $5,214,000. The reported $5,172,000 applied the 10% to the building only ($432,000), which is $42,000 short. C leaves out contingency. D adds 10% again to a total that already includes it.
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 43
Project Costs & Budgeting · Objective 5.1 · Choose one
Two HVAC options are compared over 15 years at a 3% discount rate. The present-value factor for a uniform annual amount is 11.938. Option A costs $180,000 installed and $12,000 a year to operate. Option B costs $240,000 installed and $6,000 a year. Treat operating costs as equal year-end payments and assume all other costs and residual values are equal. Which is true?
- A. Option A is lower by $60,000.
- B. Option A is lower by about $11,600.
- C. Option B is lower by about $11,600.
- D. Option B is lower by $30,000.
Show answer and explanation, Question 43
Answer: C
Why: For this comparison, the costs that differ are first cost and the present value of operating costs. A: 180,000 + 12,000 × 11.938 = $323,256. B: 240,000 + 6,000 × 11.938 = $311,628. B is lower by about $11,628. Answer A compares first cost only. D adds 15 years of costs without discounting ($360,000 vs. $330,000).
Source: Worked from the facts given in the question. Project data and any code values stated in the stem are invented for practice.
Question 44
Project Costs & Budgeting · Objective 5.3 · Choose one
At the end of schematic design, the estimate is 8% over the owner's construction budget. The program can't shrink. What should the architect do first?
- A. Present cost-reduction options that keep the program, such as a simpler building form, lower floor-to-floor heights, or different envelope materials, alongside the option of raising the budget
- B. Move into design development and deal with cost after bids come in
- C. Remove program spaces the architect considers least important
- D. Increase the design contingency so the estimate appears to fit
Show answer and explanation, Question 44
Answer: A
Why: Resolve the known budget gap before advancing the design. The architect evaluates the design against the budget and gives the owner real choices, and the owner decides whether to change the design or the budget. Waiting for bids (B) leaves the known mismatch unresolved. Cutting program on your own (C) ignores a program the owner fixed. Increasing contingency (D) raises the estimate further; it cannot make an over-budget estimate fit.
Source: Worked from the fixed program and budget gap supplied in the question. NCARB PPD objective 5.3 identifies this evaluation skill; it is not a substitute for a project contract.
Case study: Cedar Ridge Branch Library (Questions 45–50)
Use Resources 1 and 2 for Questions 45–50. The project and its local rules are invented for practice; the ADA excerpt and daylight guidance are identified below. Each question can be answered without relying on an earlier answer. On the real exam, each case study gives you one or two resources you can reopen for any of its questions. NCARB case study format.
Resource 1: Site and zoning summary
- Lot: 180 ft east–west × 240 ft north–south = 43,200 sq ft. A public street runs along the north property line.
- Zoning: maximum floor area ratio (FAR) 0.75; maximum lot coverage 40%; height limit 35 ft.
- Setbacks: front (north) 30 ft; rear (south) 25 ft; sides (east and west) 15 ft each.
- The southern 60 ft of the lot is a mapped flood hazard area. The city does not allow new buildings in it.
- A protected stand of mature oaks occupies the northeast corner of the lot.
- Parking: 1 space per 300 gross sq ft of building, rounded up to a whole space, provided in one on-site parking lot.
- Assembly rooms with more than 49 occupants need at least two exits. Use 15 net sq ft per occupant for the community room.
- For this lot, the 2010 ADA Standards require 3 accessible spaces when total parking is 51–75 spaces, or 4 when it is 76–100. At least one of every six accessible spaces, or fraction of six, must be van-accessible. Accessible spaces are included in the total, not added to it. 2010 ADA Standards, Table 208.2 and §208.2.4.
Resource 2: Program and budget
- Net program: 15,000 sq ft, including a 1,800-net-sq-ft community room, a main reading room, a children's area, and staff workrooms.
- Net-to-gross efficiency: 80% (net area ÷ gross area).
- Construction budget: $9,000,000.
- Current estimate basis: $460 per gross sq ft, plus a 7% design contingency.
- The reading room should take daylight from the street (north) façade. Window heads there are 12 ft above the floor, with no light shelves.
- All program space must be above grade; basement program space is not an option. The public entrance faces the north street.
- For the reading-room schematic estimate, use a useful side-daylight depth of 1.5–2 times the 12-ft window-head height. This is a design heuristic, not an illuminance guarantee. 2030 Palette, Side Daylighting.
Question 45
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.1 · Choose one
Can the library be built as a single story?
- A. Yes. One story fits within both FAR and lot coverage.
- B. No. The gross area exceeds the allowed FAR.
- C. No. A single story would exceed the height limit.
- D. No. A one-story footprint would exceed the 40% lot coverage limit, so at least part of the program must go on a second floor.
Show answer and explanation, Question 45
Answer: D
Why: Gross area = 15,000 ÷ 0.80 = 18,750 sq ft. FAR allows 0.75 × 43,200 = 32,400 sq ft, so FAR isn't the issue. Lot coverage allows 40% × 43,200 = 17,280 sq ft of footprint, and 18,750 is larger. With basement program space excluded, the building needs a second story, at least in part. This rules out a single story; it does not prove that a particular two-story footprint meets every site constraint.
Source: Worked from Resources 1 and 2. The project data are invented for practice.
Question 46
Project Costs & Budgeting · Objective 5.2 · Choose one
How does the current estimate, including contingency, compare with the construction budget?
- A. It's under budget by $375,000.
- B. It's over budget by $228,750.
- C. It's over budget by $487,500.
- D. It matches the budget.
Show answer and explanation, Question 46
Answer: B
Why: 18,750 gross sq ft × $460 = $8,625,000. With 7% contingency: $8,625,000 × 1.07 = $9,228,750. That's $228,750 over the $9,000,000 budget. Answer A forgets the contingency. C uses a 10% contingency instead of the 7% in Resource 2.
Source: Worked from Resources 1 and 2. The project data are invented for practice.
Question 47
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.3 · Choose one
What's the community room's occupant load, and how many exits does it need?
- A. 90 occupants; one exit
- B. 120 occupants; one exit
- C. 258 occupants; two exits
- D. 120 occupants; two exits
Show answer and explanation, Question 47
Answer: D
Why: 1,800 ÷ 15 = 120 occupants. Resource 1 requires at least two exits for assembly rooms with more than 49 occupants, so the room needs two. Answer C uses 7 sq ft per occupant, a factor the resource doesn't give, and rounds 1,800 ÷ 7 up to 258. B gets the load right but ignores the exit-count rule.
Source: Worked from Resources 1 and 2. The project data are invented for practice.
Question 48
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.3 · Choose one
How many parking spaces must the site provide, and how many must be accessible under the 2010 ADA Standards?
- A. 62 spaces; 3 accessible, including 1 van space
- B. 63 spaces; 3 accessible, including 1 van space
- C. 63 spaces; 4 accessible, including 1 van space
- D. 75 spaces; 3 accessible, including 1 van space
Show answer and explanation, Question 48
Answer: B
Why: 18,750 ÷ 300 = 62.5. You can't provide half a space, and rounding down would fall short of the requirement, so the site needs 63. Table 208.2 requires 3 accessible spaces for 51–75 total spaces, and at least 1 of every 6 accessible spaces, or fraction of 6, must be van-accessible, so 1 van space. The 3 accessible spaces are part of the 63 total.
Source: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, §§206.2.1, 206.3, 208.2, 208.2.4 and 208.3.1. Worked from Resources 1 and 2. The project data are invented for practice.
Question 49
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.4 · Choose one
At the concept-placement stage, before detailed area and circulation fit is checked, which site arrangement best follows Resources 1 and 2?
- A. Building at the north setback line facing the street, oaks kept, parking west of the building, and the southern flood area left as open space
- B. Building inside the mapped southern flood hazard area for privacy, with parking along the street
- C. Building centered on the lot after removing the oaks, with parking wrapped around all sides
- D. Building at the northeast corner in place of the oaks, with parking in the flood area
Show answer and explanation, Question 49
Answer: A
Why: The building has to stay out of the southern flood area and keep the protected oaks. A places the reading-room façade and entrance toward the street, preserves the oaks and reserves the west side for parking. B puts the building in the prohibited flood area. C and D remove the protected oaks. A is the best starting arrangement, not a completed layout: parking capacity, circulation, setbacks and tree-protection clearances still need to fit together.
Source: Worked from Resources 1 and 2. The project data are invented for practice.
Question 50
Project Integration of Program & Systems · Objective 4.4 · Choose one
Using Resource 2's schematic rule, what is the reading room's estimated useful-daylight depth from its north windows?
- A. 6–12 ft
- B. 12–18 ft
- C. 18–24 ft
- D. 30–36 ft
Show answer and explanation, Question 50
Answer: C
Why: Side daylight reaches about 1.5 to 2 times the window head height under the supplied schematic rule: 1.5 × 12 = 18 ft and 2 × 12 = 24 ft. Deeper reading areas may call for another daylight source, such as clerestories or skylights. D exceeds the no-shelf range supplied in Resource 2; a 2.5× light-shelf estimate would reach 30 ft, not the entire 30–36-ft choice.
Source: Architecture 2030, 2030 Palette: Side Daylighting. Worked from Resources 1 and 2. The project data are invented for practice.
Score yourself by section
Count your correct answers in each row. On a check-all-that-apply question, you only get the point if you picked every keyed option and nothing else. NCARB gives no partial credit, so we don't either. If you looked at an answer before choosing, count that question as missed. Unanswered questions count as missed too, so your total stays out of 50.
Show the answer key and score worksheet
| Section | Question–answer | Your correct |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Conditions & Context | 1-A, 2-D, 3-D, 4-D, 5-BD, 6-A | ___ / 6 |
| Codes & Regulations | 7-C, 8-A, 9-B, 10-A, 11-B, 12-D, 13-B, 14-C, 15-A, 16-A | ___ / 10 |
| Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies | 17-C, 18-A, 19-D, 20-B, 21-ABC, 22-C, 23-B, 24-D, 25-C, 26-B, 27-C | ___ / 11 |
| Project Integration of Program & Systems | 28-D, 29-A, 30-A, 31-B, 32-D, 33-C, 34-C, 35-B, 36-C, 37-B, 38-ABC, 39-D, 45-D, 47-D, 48-B, 49-A, 50-C | ___ / 17 |
| Project Costs & Budgeting | 40-D, 41-B, 42-B, 43-C, 44-A, 46-B | ___ / 6 |
| Total | ___ / 50 |
Your result describes these 50 questions only. It isn't an ARE scaled score, and it doesn't predict whether you'll pass.
Two things to keep in mind when you read your section scores:
- NCARB scores the whole division against one cut score, not section by section. A weak section won't fail you on its own, and a strong one can carry you. (NCARB, Receiving Your Score)
- Small sections are noisy. Six questions can't measure your command of a whole section. Use a low section score as a pointer to what to review, not a verdict. That limitation also applies to the 17 integration questions. Project Integration of Program & Systems deserves substantial review because it accounts for 32–38% of the real exam, not because this small sample precisely measures readiness. (NCARB PPD sections)
Review what you missed
Copy this log and fill in one row per miss. The goal is to find the fact or constraint that changed the answer, not to memorize the letter.
| Question | What went wrong | The rule or relationship, in your own words | Next review action |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.g., 42 | Applied the contingency to the building only | Contingency applies to whatever the worksheet says it covers, here building plus site | Re-read how estimates define their scope, then redo 42 and 46 |
| Misread a constraint / wrong code scope / missed a system interaction / arithmetic |
Then work through your misses in this order:
- Sort by section. Two or three misses in the same section is a study target. For a single miss, check whether it was a reading error, a calculation error or a missing concept rather than assuming it was a slip.
- Name the principle. For each miss, write the one sentence from the explanation that you'd need to get a new question right, such as "the stricter limit controls when two regulations both apply."
- Redo the math cold. Cover the explanation and rework every calculation question you missed, with units.
- Retry the misses a day later. Explaining why each wrong option fails shows more understanding than recognizing a letter; apply the principle to a fresh problem too. If you only recognize the right answer, go back to the source link.
How this set compares with the real PPD exam
Take the questions untimed, or use your own timer for 2 hr 3 min. That optional pacing exercise comes from 50 × (245 ÷ 100) = 122.5 minutes, rounded up; it does not make this set a difficulty-matched half exam. NCARB PPD testing time.
| Row label | This practice set | The actual PPD division |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 50 original questions | 100 items, including unscored pretest items |
| Time | Untimed, or a self-timed 2 hr 3 min pacing exercise | 4 hr 5 min of testing, up to 45 min of break time, 5 hr appointment |
| Question types | Multiple choice (one answer) and check-all-that-apply (number to select given) | Multiple choice, check-all-that-apply, and hotspot |
| Case studies | One case study, six questions, two resources | Case studies at the end of the exam, each with one or two resources |
| Scoring | 1 point per question, no partial credit | 1 point per item, no partial credit, no penalty for guessing; pass/fail against one division-wide cut score |
| Feedback | Explanations and a raw count for these questions | Provisional feedback at the end; official report in your NCARB Record in 7–10 calendar days |
| Recent pass rate | — | 48% of all 2025 PPD attempts, first-time and repeat combined |
Sources: NCARB PPD division page; NCARB scoring and results; NCARB question types; April 2026 case study changes; NCARB pass rates.
Older study sources may describe case studies with three to six resources. Those details are out of date. NCARB's current figures are in the table above, and the one-to-two-resource case study format took effect April 27, 2026.
What each section covers
NCARB's percentages describe a typical exam form, and the form you get may vary slightly. The objective wording below is NCARB's.
| Section | Share of the real exam | Questions here | NCARB objectives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Conditions & Context | 10–16% | 6 | 1.1 Determine location of building and site improvements based on site analysis · 1.2 Determine sustainable principles to apply to design · 1.3 Determine impact of neighborhood context on the project design |
| Codes & Regulations | 16–22% | 10 | 2.1 Apply zoning and environmental regulations to site and building design · 2.2 Apply building codes to building design · 2.3 Integrate multiple codes to a project design |
| Building Systems, Materials, & Assemblies | 19–25% | 11 | 3.1 Determine mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems · 3.2 Determine structural systems · 3.3 Determine special systems such as acoustics, communications, lighting, security, conveying, and fire suppression · 3.4 Determine materials and assemblies to meet programmatic, budgetary, and regulatory requirements |
| Project Integration of Program & Systems | 32–38% | 17 | 4.1 Determine building configuration · 4.2 Integrate building systems in the project design · 4.3 Integrate program requirements into a project design · 4.4 Integrate environmental and contextual conditions in the project design |
| Project Costs & Budgeting | 8–14% | 6 | 5.1 Evaluate design alternatives based on the program · 5.2 Evaluate cost estimates based on the project design · 5.3 Evaluate the project design based on cost considerations |
Source: NCARB PPD division page. The question counts are our sampling plan, set near the middle of each range. They aren't a study-hours formula. Each of the 17 objective IDs is represented, but a few questions cannot cover every topic inside an objective. This set has no hotspot items and is not a full-length or validated simulation.
Notice objective 5.2. Since April 27, 2026, NCARB frames it as evaluating cost estimates prepared by others, not building estimates from scratch (NCARB, January 2026). That's why Questions 40 and 42 ask you to find the error in someone's estimate.
PPD is about choosing and coordinating preliminary design alternatives. Its sister division, Project Development & Documentation (PDD), develops the chosen design: integrating and documenting systems, materials, and assemblies (NCARB PDD page).
Take NCARB's free PPD practice exam next
Once you've reviewed your misses here, NCARB's own practice exam is the best next step. It's a full-length, scored PPD practice exam with the same number of items as the real division, and it shows the correct response and a rationale for every item. It's free to licensure candidates.
- With active exam eligibilities: in your NCARB Record, go to Exams → Additional Resources.
- Without active eligibilities: in your NCARB Record, go to Quick Links → Practice the ARE.
- Its passing mark is a fixed cut of about 68%. That isn't the real exam's passing standard, so treat its result as practice too.
- Use test mode for an exam-style attempt. Practice mode lets you explore the tools and navigation and view correct responses and rationales.
- Supervisors and mentors get only a PDF version, and it leaves out the case study resources. Candidates should use the online version.
Open NCARB's free practice exam instructions
Questions candidates ask
Are these real NCARB questions? No. We wrote every question to NCARB's published PPD objectives. None are real, recalled, or reworded exam items. Seeking or sharing actual exam content breaks the ARE Candidate Agreement (NCARB exam security).
Which building code edition do these questions use? When a question depends on a code value, such as an occupant load factor, an exit separation rule, or egress width per occupant, the value is given in the question. That way you practice the method, and the answer doesn't hinge on an edition. Accessibility questions use the 2010 ADA Standards. For an actual exam appointment, use NCARB's ARE 5.0 Guidelines, particularly its Building Codes and Professional Standards reference list, rather than assuming these fictional local rules are the exam's code book.
How soon can I retake PPD if I don't pass? You can retake a division 60 days after your previous attempt, and you can take the same division no more than three times in any 12-month period (NCARB, Receiving Your Score: Retaking a Division). Your failing score report shows relative strengths and weaknesses by section, which is a good place to start a review log like the one above.
Sources and independence
Last verified: October 13, 2026. We checked the PPD format, section ranges, objectives, scoring rules, question types, case study format, 2025 pass rate, retake rules and practice exam access against the NCARB publications linked below. We also checked the cited technical principles and recalculated the numerical answers. Invented project conditions and supplied calculation models are identified beside the relevant questions.
By Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. We use AI-assisted tools in drafting. AI output isn't a source: each fact on this page is tied to the publication linked beside it, and Castleport is responsible for what we publish. The source and calculation checks described here are not a licensed-architect review. Read how we create and check practice questions.
Exam sources
- NCARB, ARE 5.0 Guidelines
- NCARB, ARE: Project Planning & Design
- NCARB, ARE 5.0 Question Types
- NCARB, Free ARE 5.0 Practice Exams
- NCARB, ARE 5.0 Pass Rates
- NCARB, Updated ARE Guidelines: April 2026 Exam Changes
- NCARB, NCARB Implements Changes to ARE Objectives and Case Studies
- NCARB, Receiving Your Score and Retaking a Division
- NCARB, Exam Security
Technical sources used in the explanations
- Accessibility: 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 2 · Chapter 4 · Access Board guide: Parking · Access Board guide: Turning Space
- Site and sustainability: 2030 Palette, Direct Gain: Heat Storage · 2030 Palette, East/West Shading · ENERGY STAR, Window Performance Ratings · DOE, Building Envelope & Architectural Considerations · 2030 Palette, Side Daylighting · EPA, Green Infrastructure Design Strategies · NPS, Standards for Rehabilitation
- Structure and assemblies: FEMA 454, Designing for Earthquakes, Chapter 5 (text copy) · BIA Technical Note 7
- Building systems: 2030 Palette, Cross Ventilation · EPA, HVAC Design Tools for Schools · UF IFAS Extension, Air Conditioning · GSA, Sound Matters · NFSA, Types of Fire Sprinkler Systems · TK Elevator, Hydraulic Elevators
- Cost: GSA P-120 Project Estimating Requirements
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We aren't affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). ARE and other exam and credential names are used to identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. These practice questions are original and unofficial. Your score here doesn't predict an NCARB result.