ARE After Hours | 009

All About AIA

By: Giovanni Zora
October 16^th, 2026

AIA Code of Ethics, Canons:

As a Catholic, the AIA Canons for the Code of Ethics reminds me of the Catholic Canon Law, as both establish a set of principles and responsibilities that guide how individuals should act within their respective institution. Both emphasize integrity, accountability, and doing the correct thing. Essentially Catholic Canon Law governs the Church, and the AIA Code of Ethics guides architects in their responsibilities to the public, their clients, and the profession. The nuance with the AIA Code of Ethics is that there are Ethics as well as Rules in the Canon architects must abide by.

1. General Obligations: Relates to the standard of care mentioned in AIA B101, emphasizing reasonable care and competence, as well as the responsibility to consider human dignity and health when designing facilities. For example, designing detention facilities or maximum-confinement prisons raises ethical concerns when the design conflicts with Standard 1.5 of the AIA Code of Ethics, which prohibits designing spaces intended for torture or execution.
2. Obligation to the Public: The AIA does not enforce laws or govern legal violations, as it is a non-governmental organization. However, architects have an ethical obligation to serve the public’s best interests by designing buildings that are safe, usable, and code-compliant.
3. Obligation to your Client: Architects must always serve their clients competently, diligently, and professionally, recognizing that clients are placing their trust in them. Rule 3.102 states that architects should only undertake projects for which they are qualified; when additional expertise is needed, they should bring on consultants to fill those gaps.
4. Obligation to the Profession: You must preserve the dignity and integrity of the profession by acting honestly and fairly—never “cheating the game.” A key responsibility is to maintain professional integrity by only stamping drawings when they have responsible control over the work.
5. Obligation to Colleagues: Be honest about your own contributions and those of your colleagues. As a mentor, you should also support your mentee by helping them with AXP hours and answering any general questions they may have about the profession.
6. Obligation to the Environment: Set ambitious goals to reduce project related emissions, optimize water conservation, select environmentally friendly materials, consider natural ecosystems, and incorporate strategies to mitigate climate change.

NCARB publishes two model documents to standardize rules and regulations across jurisdictions: the Model Rules of Conduct and Model Law and Regulations.

Model Rules of Conduct: focuses on ethical issues, it is the bare minimum an architect needs to do to maintain licensure
Model Law and Regulations: focuses on acquiring and maintaining licensure, and provides a framework for the licensing board’s responsibilities