ECL Software Blog

The American Institute of Architects Has Released New Contract Documents Aimed at Helping Companies Reach Sustainability Goals

Companies of all sizes and in all industries are continually looking at ways to become more sustainable. This is smart because it can save them money, attract new customers, and help them meet their ethical goals. As time goes on, the world changes, and science teaches us more about what it means to be truly sustainable, new guidelines are issued.

At ECL Software we have been looking at the newly updated American Institute of Architects contract documents designed to help companies reach their sustainability goals. Keep reading to get an overview and remember that you can call us at 800-625-5972 for help with your own fund control needs.

Learn What the AIA Has to Say About their Guidelines

The AIA has created the project documents to “create a roadmap” that will help sustainability be integrated into both design and construction projects. They have worked to provide advice that they hope will help reduce or avoid confusion when discussions about green projects begin. Note that before this addition, there were already four versions of AIA sustainable project exhibits that companies could add to their contracts.

What the New Guide Says

The latest guide, C204-2020, updates the Sustainability Consult Scope of Services and the D503-2020. This new document discusses the possibility of a sustainability consultant, who could be an architect or not. There is also a streamlined process involved that helps companies identify, develop, and assign responsibility for each project’s sustainable construction and design issues.

These updates include information on a range of current topics like:

• Materials transparency
• Environmental product labels
• Certification systems
• Resilience
• Jurisdictional requirements

The guide further goes on to explain each of the roles and tasks that the owner, architect and contractor need to do to ensure that the project is sustainable in both its design and implementation. The update also comes with notes about C401-2017 (the Standard Form of Agreement between Architects and Consultants) as well as C402-2017 (the Standard Form of Agreement Between Architect and Consultant for Special Services) so that users can easily figure out if they need to update the paperwork they are usually.

Finally, there is an added sample of a WELL Certification Program that meets all requirements.

We Can Get Through This Difficult Time Together

The fact of the matter is that it seems impossible to find success in the world of COVID and other measures to consider, such as finding consultants for sustainability. However, we always recommend that you Just Do It Once, and these forms can help you achieve that goal.