Building Designers
Announce Practice Act

A group calling themselves “building designers” had announced that they would seek a practice act to allow them to design buildings of unlimited size without an architect involved in the projects.

Under the bill, a person would be able to practice architecture without any of the education, training or testing required to become an architect. A person could become licensed with as little as 2 years of undefined experience in building design.

We have received word that they will not pursue their bill in 2006, but are planning to work toward a bill for 2007. The AIA/WA will continue to actively educate lawmakers on the reasons why this bill would be bad for the public.

There are no exemptions in their bill, even for architects. Under this bill, an architect would be prohibited from practicing or offering to practice building design.

If enacted, this bill would pose a great threat the public life, health and safety by allowing unqualified persons to design buildings of unlimited size. It must be stopped now, before it can gain a foothold in the legislature.

The bill follows an attempt last year by this same group to increase the exemption in the architect’s law from 4,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet. After that proposal failed, they apparently began working on a more aggressive proposal.

Currently, unlicensed persons can design single-family residential, multi-family residential buildings with up to 4 units and commercial buildings up to 4,000 square feet.

It is urgent that every AIA member contact his or her legislators to express opposition to the idea of licensing building designers to practice architecture. The AIA/WA council is meeting with lawmakers and allied organizations to educate them about the dangers posed by passage of such a bad law. Contractors, engineers and building officials across the state are lining up across the state to stop its passage.

For a copy of the proposed bill, click here

For a copy of the AIA/WA's issue brief on the bill click here

To contact your legislators visit the legislative website for their contact information: www.leg.wa.gov