AIA HSW Requirements

​Please review the information below to familiarize yourself with the requirements for
a course to qualify for HSW (Health, Safety, Welfare) credit.

When in doubt, refer to AIA's website, click here.

​The following three standards must be met for a course to qualify for HSW credit.

1. COURSE DIRECTLY ADDRESSES HSW DEFINITIONS

Licensed architects and affiliated design professionals have, in their professional practice, a positive duty to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare. Learning programs must address knowledge intended to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the occupants of the built environment, as defined below:
  • Health: Those aspects of professional practice that improve the physical, emotional, and social well-being of occupants, users, and any others affected by buildings and sites.
  • Safety: Those aspects of professional practice that protect occupants, users, and any others affected by buildings or sites from harm.
  • Welfare: Those aspects of professional practice that enable equitable access, elevate the human experience, encourage social interaction, and benefit the environment

2. COURSE COVERS AT LEAST ONE HSW TOPIC AIA HAS VETTED
 
Technical and professional subjects related to the practice of architecture that safeguard the public and that are within the following continuing education subject areas necessary for the proper evaluation, design, construction, and utilization of buildings and the built environment are considered Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) subjects. Learning programs must address one or more of the following HSW topics to be approved for LU|HSW credit:
  • Practice management: This category focuses on areas related to the management of architectural practice and the details of running a business
  • Project management: This category focuses on areas related to the management of architectural projects through execution.
  • Programming and analysis: This category focuses on areas related to the evaluation of project requirements, constraints, and opportunities.
  • Project planning and design: This category focuses on areas related to the preliminary design of sites and buildings.
  • Project development and documentation: This category focuses on areas related to the integration and documentation of building systems, material selection, and material assemblies into a project.
  • Construction and evaluation: This category focuses on areas related to construction contract administration and post-occupancy evaluation of projects.

3. HSW TOPICS DOMINATE COURSE CONTENT

To qualify for HSW credit, 75% of a learning program content and instructional time must be on acceptable HSW topics as outlined above. Using whichever method was used to determine overall program LUs awarded, at least 75% of the program content must address HSW topics for a learning program to qualify for HSW credit. In addition, when submitting a learning program for approval, at least 75% of the learning objectives must relate to HSW topics to qualify for HSW designation.