Free ExAC study notes for Canadian Intern Architects: all four sections, the fourteen official objectives, and every key reference including CHOP, CHING, NBC 2020, CCDC, and RAIC documents.
Section 1: Design and Analysis
Section 1: Design and Analysis. ExAC Section 1 (Design and Analysis): programming, site analysis, engineering coordination, cost management, schematic design, and design development. Study notes, references, and practice questions.
Programming. One-stop ExAC Programming guide for Intern Architects: sub-categories 1.1 and 1.2, Problem Seeking method, CHOP 6.1/2.2/5.2, Functional Programming, net-to-gross efficiency tables, worked examples, and practice questions.
Site and Environmental Analysis. Site and Environmental Analysis for the ExAC covers three sub-categories (2.1, 2.2, 2.3): understanding siting principles, applying site design, and analyzing site data, drawing primarily on CHING Chapter 1 and CHOP Chapters 6.1 and 6.2.
Coordinating Engineering Systems. Complete ExAC study guide for Coordinating Engineering Systems: sub-categories 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3, CHING Chapter 11, CHOP 2.3 and 5.3, structural and mechanical system selection, ceiling plenum depths, consultant coordination documentation, and practice questions.
Cost Management. Examitect's ExAC study plan splits Cost Management into four sub-categories (4.1 to 4.4): understanding cost factors, evaluating cost against the budget, comparing estimating methods, and applying those methods phase by phase, using CHOP, CHING, RSMeans, and Yardsticks for Costing.
Schematic Design. Examitect's ExAC study plan covers Schematic Design in sub-category 6.1, testing your ability to translate a signed-off program into massing, structural concept, and a client-approved schematic drawing set, with primary references CHING (1.13 to 1.44, 2.02 to 2.40) and CHOP Chapter 6.2.
Design Development. Design Development (sub-category 7.1) tests how you refine a schematic concept into coordinated drawings and an outline specification, covering structural coordination, mechanical and electrical sizing, thermal envelope selection, and the DD deliverable package from CHOP Chapter 6.3 and CHING Chapters 2 to 12.
Section 2: Codes
Section 2: Codes. ExAC Section 2 (Codes): NBC 2020 and NECB 2020. Five official objectives (5.1 to 5.5) from the ExAC exam preparation guide: scope and application of the NBC, Part 3 buildings, Part 9 buildings, alternative solutions, and the National Energy Code. Study notes, references, and practice questions.
5.5 Apply the principles of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB). Complete ExAC study guide for official objective 5.5: apply the principles of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB), including climate zones, prescriptive and performance compliance paths, envelope U-values, air leakage, lighting, and HVAC requirements.
Section 3: Sustainability and Final Project. ExAC Section 3 (Sustainability and Final Project): materials and construction fundamentals, building science and systems, assemblies and detailing, construction documents, specifications and MasterFormat, document coordination and code compliance, and sustainable design literacy. Study notes, references, and practice questions.
Materials and Construction Fundamentals (Final Project). Sub-category 8.1 of Examitect's ExAC study plan: be knowledgeable about construction materials and their properties, covering wood, concrete, masonry, steel, insulation, barriers, cladding, and interior finishes for the Section 3 Final Project.
Building Science and Systems. Examitect's ExAC study plan covers Building Science and Systems under sub-category 8.2, testing foundations, wood light frame, structural loads, building envelope control layers, roofing, fenestration, and mechanical ventilation in Section 3.
Assemblies and Detailing. ExAC sub-category 8.3 (Evaluate assemblies and details): study cards on fire-resistance ratings, STC and IIC acoustic separation, moisture control layers, thermal bridging, and the transition details that connect wall, roof, and floor assemblies.
Construction Documents (Final Project). Complete ExAC Construction Documents study guide for Intern Architects covering sub-category 8.4: drawing set organization, graphic conventions, the project manual, MasterFormat, UniFormat, BIM coordination, and CHOP Chapters 5.4, 5.6, and 6.4.
Specifications and MasterFormat. Study specifications and MasterFormat for the ExAC: sub-category 8.5 covers specification writing principles, the National Master Specification, MasterFormat's 50 divisions, SectionFormat's three-part structure, and prescriptive, performance, and proprietary methods.
Sustainable Design Literacy. Sustainable Design Literacy on the ExAC covers sub-categories 13.1 (climate change impacts), 13.2 (life cycle analysis), and 13.3 (sustainable design strategies) drawn from LEED v4, WELL V2, Zero Carbon Building Standard, CHING, and CHOP.
Section 4: Construction and Practice
Section 4: Construction and Practice. ExAC Section 4 (Construction and Practice): project and business management, bidding and contract negotiations, construction office functions, construction field functions. Study notes, references, and practice questions.
Bidding and Contract Negotiations. Study ExAC sub-categories 9.1 to 9.4 with Examitect: compare construction project delivery methods, identify CCDC contract types (CCDC 2, 5A, 5B, 14), run a bidding process, and evaluate submitted bids using CHOP chapters 2.1, 4.1, 6.5, and 6.8.
Construction Phase: Office Functions. Study Construction Phase: Office Functions for the ExAC. Sub-categories 10.1 roles of architect and participants, 10.2 office tasks (RFIs, changes, payment), and 10.3 CCDC 24 administration forms. Primary references: CHOP, CCDC 2, and CCDC 24.
Construction Phase: Field Functions. Construction Phase: Field Functions covers ExAC sub-categories 11.1 and 11.2, testing the architect's site review role under CCDC 2, field review reports, deficiency tracking, takeover certificates, and one-year warranty obligations.
Project and Practice Management. ExAC sub-category 12.1 covers both sides of the architect's business: managing a project from work plan to close-out, and running the firm through fees, staffing, ethics, risk, and the IAP internship pathway.
CCDC 24, Model Forms Guide for the ExAC. CCDC 24 (2016) is the guide to model forms for CCDC 2. Primary on Examitect's ExAC study plan for Section 4 bidding and construction administration.
Architectural Graphic Standards for the ExAC. AGS 12th Edition is a supplementary ExAC reference for site design, accessibility, materials, and construction documents. Here's what to read and why.
LEED v4 for the ExAC. LEED v4 for the ExAC: credit categories, certification levels, integrative process, and its role in Section 3 sustainable design literacy.
WELL Building Standard for the ExAC. WELL Building Standard v2 for ExAC candidates: ten concepts, key terms, study tips, and how WELL compares to LEED and Zero Carbon Building Standard.
Zero Carbon Building Standard for the ExAC. Study the CaGBC Zero Carbon Building Design Standard for ExAC Section 3. Covers embodied carbon, TEDI, EUI, and the carbon balance equation.
Alternate Forms of Project Delivery for the ExAC. Study guide to the AAA/APEGGA Alternate Forms of Project Delivery for the ExAC. Four delivery categories, key terms, and Section 4 study tips.
BC Energy Step Code Design Guide for the ExAC. BC Energy Step Code Design Guide: TEDI, TEUI, and airtightness strategies for Part 3 buildings. Supplementary resource on Examitect's ExAC study plan.
Rainscreen Exterior Wall Design for the ExAC. NRC CTU 34 study guide for ExAC candidates: two lines of defence, driving forces, cavity sizing, and detailing for exterior wall rain control. Free PDF.
Embodied Carbon: A Primer for Buildings in Canada. CAGBC Embodied Carbon Primer for the ExAC. Life cycle analysis vocabulary, material strategies, and Section 3 study tips for Intern Architects in Canada.
Platform-frame seismic performance for the ExAC. How platform-frame wood housing performs in earthquakes, shear wall design, failure modes, and NBC seismic requirements for ExAC candidates.
CSA W204-19, Flood resilient design for the ExAC. CSA W204-19 sets flood-resilience criteria for new residential communities in Canada. Study guide for ExAC Section 1 site analysis candidates.
Glossary of Housing Terms for the ExAC. CMHC's Glossary of Housing Terms defines the residential vocabulary behind NBC Part 9, CWFHC, and housing assembly questions on the ExAC.
Heating, Cooling, Lighting for the ExAC. Norbert Lechner's Heating, Cooling, Lighting (4th ed.) for the ExAC. Chapter guide, key terms, and how it fits Examitect's study plan.
LEED Core Concepts Guide for the ExAC. The LEED Core Concepts Guide introduces green building principles and the LEED rating system. See how it maps to ExAC Section 3 category 13.3.
National Master Specification (NMS) for the ExAC. Canada's master library of construction specification sections, organized by MasterFormat. Learn how the NMS Division structure connects to ExAC Section 3.
Windows, Overview of Issues for the ExAC. Rousseau's 15-page NRC paper sets out sixteen window performance requirements the ExAC still tests, from heat flow and air leakage to rain, sound, and fire.