ARE 5.0 Project Planning & Design (PPD) - Comprehensive Study Guide
The Project Planning & Design (PPD) division is widely considered one of the most challenging divisions on the ARE 5.0. It covers the integration of building systems - structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection - with architectural design, accessibility, and life safety requirements. PPD tests your ability to select and coordinate these systems during the design phase, before construction documents are produced.
PPD contains approximately 75 questions with a 3 hour 20 minute time limit. The exam includes multiple-choice questions and case studies. The breadth of technical knowledge required makes PPD a division where many candidates need the most study time.
Key Content Areas
| Content Area | Approximate Weight |
|---|---|
| Environmental Conditions & Context | ~11% |
| Codes & Regulations | ~18% |
| Building Systems, Materials & Assemblies | ~38% |
| Project Integration | ~33% |
Structural Systems
Structural systems questions make up a significant portion of PPD. You must understand the behavior, advantages, and limitations of each system:
Steel
- Properties: High strength-to-weight ratio, ductile behavior, consistent material properties. Steel is manufactured to precise specifications (ASTM A992 for wide-flange shapes).
- Common Systems: Moment frames (resist lateral loads through rigid beam-column connections), braced frames (diagonal members transfer lateral loads), and composite systems (steel beams with concrete deck acting together).
- Connections: Bolted connections (bearing, slip-critical, friction) and welded connections (fillet, groove, plug). Moment connections require full-penetration welds or heavy bolted end plates.
- Fire Protection: Unprotected steel loses strength rapidly above 1,000°F. Fire protection options include spray-applied fireproofing (SFRM), intumescent coatings, concrete encasement, and membrane protection (ceiling systems).
- Span Ranges: Wide-flange beams (20-60 ft), open-web steel joists (20-100 ft), steel trusses (60-300+ ft), space frames (60-300+ ft).
Concrete
- Properties: Strong in compression, weak in tension (hence reinforcement). Normal weight concrete is approximately 150 pcf. Compressive strength (f'c) typically ranges from 3,000 to 8,000 psi.
- Reinforced Concrete: Steel reinforcing bars (rebar) resist tensile forces. Rebar is placed in the tension zone of beams (bottom at midspan, top over supports). Concrete cover protects rebar from corrosion and fire.
- Prestressed Concrete: Pre-tensioning (strands tensioned before concrete is cast - used in precast elements) and post-tensioning (tendons tensioned after concrete hardens - used in cast-in-place slabs and beams). Prestressing allows longer spans and thinner sections.
- Systems: One-way slabs, two-way flat plates, two-way flat slabs (with drop panels), waffle slabs, one-way joists, and beams-and-girders. Each system suits different span ranges, load conditions, and floor-to-floor height constraints.
Wood
- Light Wood Frame: Platform framing (most common for residential), balloon framing (historical, continuous studs). Stud spacing at 16 or 24 inches on center.
- Heavy Timber: Minimum member sizes (typically 8x8 columns, 6x10 beams) with exposed wood. Heavy timber is recognized as a separate construction type (Type IV) with inherent fire resistance due to charring behavior.
- Engineered Wood: Glulam beams (spans to 100+ ft), LVL (laminated veneer lumber), PSL (parallel strand lumber), I-joists, and CLT (cross-laminated timber). CLT is an emerging mass timber option enabling tall wood buildings.
- Connections: Nails, screws, bolts, timber connectors (split rings, shear plates), and proprietary metal connectors. Connection design often governs wood structure capacity.
Masonry
- Types: Concrete masonry units (CMU), clay brick, stone, and glass block. CMU is the most common structural masonry material.
- Reinforced Masonry: Vertical rebar in grouted CMU cells and horizontal joint reinforcement. Required in seismic zones.
- Terminology: Course (horizontal row), wythe (vertical layer), collar joint (space between wythes), bond pattern (running, stack, Flemish, English).
Explore structural systems in detail at our Structural Systems topic guide.
Building Envelope
The building envelope separates conditioned from unconditioned space and must manage heat, air, moisture, and vapor:
- Thermal Control: Insulation types (batt, rigid board, spray foam, blown-in), R-values, thermal bridging, continuous insulation (ci) requirements per energy code. Steel studs create significant thermal bridges.
- Moisture Control: Weather-resistive barriers (WRB), vapor retarders, and the distinction between them. Vapor retarders go on the warm side of the assembly (interior in cold climates, exterior in hot-humid climates). WRBs are always outboard of the structure.
- Air Barriers: Control air leakage, which is the primary moisture transport mechanism. Air barriers must be continuous and sealed at all penetrations, transitions, and joints. They can be located at any point in the wall assembly.
- Wall Types: Barrier walls (face-sealed, rely on outer surface to stop all water), drainage walls (cavity allows water that penetrates to drain out - the most reliable approach), mass walls (absorb and re-release moisture), and rain screen systems (pressure-equalized cavities).
- Fenestration: U-factor (lower is better), Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC - lower reduces solar gain), Visible Transmittance (VT), and Air Leakage rating. Low-E coatings reduce radiant heat transfer.
- Roofing: Low-slope systems (built-up, modified bitumen, single-ply TPO/PVC/EPDM) and steep-slope systems (asphalt shingles, metal, tile, slate). Understand attachment methods, drainage, and insulation placement (above-deck vs. below-deck).
For more on envelope design principles, see Building Envelope deep dive.
HVAC Systems
- All-Air Systems: Constant Air Volume (CAV), Variable Air Volume (VAV), single-duct, dual-duct, multizone. VAV is the most energy-efficient for large commercial buildings.
- Air-Water Systems: Fan coil units, induction units, chilled beams. These reduce ductwork by using piped water for primary heating/cooling and air for ventilation.
- All-Water Systems: Hydronic heating/cooling using radiators, convectors, or radiant panels. Require a separate ventilation system for outdoor air.
- Refrigerant Systems: Split systems, packaged rooftop units (RTUs), VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow). VRF allows simultaneous heating and cooling in different zones.
- Heating Equipment: Boilers (hot water or steam), furnaces, heat pumps (air-source and ground-source), electric resistance, radiant heating.
- Cooling Equipment: Chillers (centrifugal, screw, scroll, absorption), cooling towers, condensers, DX (direct expansion) systems.
- Ventilation: ASHRAE 62.1 sets minimum outdoor air requirements. The Ventilation Rate Procedure uses per-person and per-area rates. Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) adjusts outdoor air based on CO2 levels.
Review HVAC concepts at HVAC Systems topic guide.
Plumbing Systems
- Water Supply: Domestic cold water, domestic hot water, and fire protection supply. Understand the difference between potable and non-potable water systems. Backflow prevention is required where contamination is possible.
- Drainage: Drain-Waste-Vent (DWV) system. Drains carry wastewater by gravity (minimum 1/4 inch per foot slope for horizontal drains). Vents prevent trap siphonage and allow drainage to flow freely. Traps at every fixture prevent sewer gas entry.
- Fixture Counts: IPC and local codes specify minimum fixture counts based on occupancy type and occupant load. Understand how to use fixture count tables.
- Hot Water: Storage water heaters, tankless (instantaneous) water heaters, and hot water recirculation systems. Solar thermal and heat pump water heaters are energy-efficient options.
Electrical Systems
- Power Distribution: Service entrance, switchgear, panelboards, transformers. Commercial buildings typically receive 480/277V three-phase power. Transformers step down to 208/120V for receptacles and equipment.
- Lighting: Luminaire types, lighting calculations (foot-candles, lumens, watts per square foot), daylighting integration, lighting controls (occupancy sensors, photocells, dimming, scheduling).
- Emergency Power: Generators, UPS (uninterruptible power supply), and automatic transfer switches. Required for life safety systems, exit lighting, and emergency egress illumination.
Fire Protection
- Sprinkler Systems: Wet pipe (most common - water in pipes at all times), dry pipe (air in pipes, water held at valve - used where pipes may freeze), pre-action (requires detection and valve activation - used to protect sensitive areas), and deluge (all heads open simultaneously - used for high-hazard areas).
- Standpipe Systems: Class I (2.5-inch hose connections for fire department use), Class II (1.5-inch hose stations for occupant use), Class III (both). Required based on building height and area.
- Fire Detection: Smoke detectors (ionization, photoelectric), heat detectors (fixed temperature, rate-of-rise), and flame detectors. Fire alarm systems include manual pull stations, notification appliances (horns and strobes), and monitoring.
- Fire-Resistance Ratings: Measured in hours. Determined by construction type and element function (structural frame, bearing wall, floor, shaft). Fire barriers, fire partitions, and smoke barriers have different rating requirements.
Study fire protection requirements at Fire Protection topic guide.
Egress
Life safety egress is heavily tested on PPD:
- Occupant Load: Calculated by dividing the floor area by the occupant load factor (from IBC Table 1004.5). Use the larger of calculated or actual occupant load.
- Number of Exits: Occupant load 1-500 requires 2 exits; 501-1,000 requires 3 exits; over 1,000 requires 4 exits.
- Exit Width: 0.2 inches per occupant for stairways, 0.15 inches per occupant for other egress components (with sprinklers: 0.15 and 0.1 respectively).
- Travel Distance: Maximum distances from any point to the nearest exit, based on occupancy and sprinkler protection. Typically 200 feet (unsprinklered) or 250 feet (sprinklered) for most occupancies.
- Common Path of Egress Travel: The distance from any point to where two separate paths to exits become available. Limited to 75 feet for most occupancies (increased with sprinklers).
- Dead-End Corridors: Maximum 20 feet unsprinklered, 50 feet sprinklered for most occupancies.
- Exit Separation: When two exits are required, they must be separated by at least one-half the maximum diagonal distance of the floor area (one-third with sprinklers).
See our detailed Egress Requirements guide for complete coverage.
ADA Compliance in Design
PPD covers interior accessibility requirements:
- Door Clear Width: 32 inches minimum clear opening (typically requires a 36-inch door).
- Maneuvering Clearances: Required at each side of every door. Dimensions depend on approach direction (front, latch side, hinge side) and door swing direction.
- Restroom Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible stalls (60x59 inches minimum), lavatory knee clearance, grab bar placement, and accessible route within the restroom.
- Elevator Requirements: Minimum cab sizes, control height (48 inches maximum), audible and visual indicators, and two-way communication.
Study Tips for PPD
- Focus on building systems integration. PPD is not about any single system in isolation - it tests how you select and coordinate systems. Think about how structural choices affect mechanical routing, how envelope design affects energy performance, and how fire protection requirements shape spatial planning.
- Create comparison charts. Build tables comparing structural systems by span range, load capacity, fire resistance, and cost. Do the same for HVAC systems and wall assemblies. Our Structural Systems Cheat Sheet, Egress Cheat Sheet, and Fire Protection Cheat Sheet provide ready-made comparisons.
- Master egress calculations. Practice calculating occupant loads, required number of exits, exit widths, and travel distances. These are reliable exam questions that reward preparation.
- Study the IBC systematically. Chapters 3 (Use and Occupancy), 5 (Heights and Areas), 6 (Construction Types), 7 (Fire-Resistance-Rated Construction), and 10 (Egress) are the most relevant to PPD.
- Use practice exams heavily. PPD's breadth means you cannot study everything equally. Practice exams reveal your weak areas so you can target your remaining study time. Try our PPD mini exams and review with PPD flashcards.
Get scoring strategies from our PPD Exam Tips and prepare for test day with our PPD Exam Day Guide. Avoid pitfalls listed in PPD Common Mistakes, and reference the PPD Glossary throughout your studies.
Sign up for AREprep to access our full PPD question bank, detailed answer explanations, and progress tracking across all building systems topics.