AIA Introduces Sustainable Project Construction Documents

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Due to overwhelming market demand created by the sustainable design movement, the American Institute of Architects launched five documents to meet the growing needs of the construction industry in this important area. Following up on its Guide for Sustainable Projects introduced in 2011, the AIA's Sustainable Projects documents apportion the new roles, responsibilities, and risks inherent in sustainable design and construction projects to the party in the best position to address them. Additionally, the AIA released an updated scope of services document for LEED Certification. All are available through AIA Contract Documents software and online through AIA Contract Documents-on-Demand.

As has been its practice for decades, the AIA developed the SP documents after soliciting and incorporating feedback and valuable input from a multitude of industry groups. This long-standing collaborative approach was especially critical for the AIA's creation of the SP documents as sustainable design and construction practices continue to evolve.

The new AIA Contract Documents created for use on sustainable projects include :

1. A101â„¢—2007 SP, Standard Form of Agreement between Owner and Contractor, for use on a Sustainable Project where the basis of payment is a Stipulated Sum
2. A201â„¢—2007 SP, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, for use on a Sustainable Project
3. A401â„¢—2007 SP, Standard Form of Agreement Between Contractor and Subcontractor, for use on a Sustainable Project
4. B101â„¢—2007 SP, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect, for use on a Sustainable Project
5. C401â„¢—2007 SP, Standard Form of Agreement Between Architect and Consultant, for use on a Sustainable Project
6. B214â„¢—2012, Standard Form of Architect's Services: LEED Certification

Sustainable Project Sample Documents can be found at www.aia.org/contractdocs/conventionsustainable along with comparatives and other sample documents.

In addition, more than 7,000 users have downloaded the AIA Document D503â„¢-2011, Guide for Sustainable Projects, including Agreement Amendments and Supplementary Conditions, since its release last May. Because the AIA believes the Guide is an important resource for the design and construction industry, it remains available as a free download at www.aia.org/sustainableprojectsguide.