Professional Practice Flashcards
What is the Architect’s Act?
- Legislation that governs the Architectural profession throughout the province.
- Giving AIBC authority to self govern
- Gives AIBC authority to self regulate the profession.
- Protects the profession, the client and the public.
What is the underlying purpose of the Architect’s Act?
Protect the Public Interest
What does the Architect’s Act specify?
Legal responsibilities for those who practice architecture, including:
i) qualifications
ii) professional conduct standards
iii) liability
iv) certificates of practice
vi)establishes authority and mandate of AIBC
What are Bylaws?
i) Architect Act gives authority for institute to make Bylaws for the regulation of the institute, architects, architectural firms, licensees and associates.
ii) establish competency, professional and ethical standards of the profession.
What is the Difference between the Act and Bylaws?
Architects Act:
1) Allows institute to make Bylaws + standards
2) establishes AIBC as self regulating
3) governs the profession.
4) specific to architects and architecture, but affects everyone including other professionals, government officials, clients and the public.
Bylaws:
1) Architects Act gives authority to make ByLaws that expand on the Act.
2) Bylaws approved by members of institute.
3) Address variety of institute governance matters, architectural firm requirements and competency, professional and ethical standards of the profession.
Who approves bylaws?
Special majority vote of architects at a general meeting AND reviewed by provincial government.
What is the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct?
1) Establishes core professional and ethical standards for architects, firms, associates and licensees.
2) Maintains public trust in profession’s integrity.
3) Ensures comprehension of standards
4) Assists in efficient operation of AIBC
Who does Code of Ethics + Professional Conduct protect?
The profession, the client and the public.
What is the Code of Ethics Built Around?
1) Expands on Bylaws that set the principles, values standards and rules of behaviour for the profession.
2) Supplemented by council rulings and advisory commentary.
a) Council rulings - binding rules that expand on Bylaw’s fundamental statements
b) Advisory Commentary - non-binding and provide practical, updated information
What is the Code of Conduct and what is it used for?
1) Provides essential behavioural expectations and standards that apply to all councilors and invited guests to council
2) Provides specific guidelines to address conflicts of interest.
What is Code of Conduct’s relationship to AIBC Code of Ethics?
1) Complementary to Code of Ethics.
2) code or conduct provides behavioral expectations and standards for all councilors and invited guests to council.
2) Focus’ on relations between Archtiects and clients and the duties owed to the general public.
3) Inconsistency between the two documents, than Code of Ethics prevails.
What documents are found under the Code of Conduct?
1) Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement
2) Conflict of Interest Guidelines
Both are for council member use.
What is the Office of Superintendent of Professional Governance for?
1) Provide best practices for professional governance
2) Develop policy and guidance.
3) Support regulatory bodies regulating their registrants.
4) Enforce compliance with Professional Governance Act.
What is Professional Governance?
1) Oversight of a profession and it’s professionals by a governing body including self regulation.
What is Professional self-regulation?
1) Agreement between government and professional occupational group to regulate activities of it’s registrants
2) Trusting profession put public best interest ahead of self-interest
3) Gives government some control over the practice of Architecture.
4) Allows professionas to use expertise to set and enforce requirements.
What is professional governance legislation?
1) Law that establishes a professions governing body to regulate itself with a regulatory framework
2) Sets requirements for persons entering profession, standards of practice, pathway for complaints and discipline procedures.
What is the role of professional regulators (AIBC)?
1) Duty to regulate their profession in the public interest, which may not reflect interest of registered professionals
What is the responsibility of registered professionals?
Ethical and legal duty to protect the interest of the public ahead of their own.
What is the Professional Governance Act and describe why is AIBC transitioning legislation from Architects Act to the Professional Governance Act?
- PGA
a) provides consistent governance framework for self-regulating professions
b) incorporates best practices for professional governance.
c) allows to expand governance framework to other professions.
d) enables regulatory bodies to establish protected titles and reserve areas of practices
e) provides authority to regulatory bodies to regulate firms and registrants
d) 5 regulatory bodies currently under act - Transition:
a) to better align profession with societal and government expectations and standard.
b) Allow AIBC to more effectively regulate the profession in public’s interest.
c) Does not change AIBC core function, mandate and operation.
What needs to be done before Architect is permitted to provide architectural services to a client?
1) Sign with client a written architectural services contract (standard contract)
2) Advise in writing to client:
a) Architect’s professional liability insurance
b) Liability insurance is available for review upon request.
c) Contract complies with AIBC Bylaws and Code of Ethics.
What kind of contract is signed with the client?
1) Standard form contract approved by AIBC OR
2) Contract that substantially conforms to all aspects of approved contract stipulated in Bylaw 28
What are the essential qualities an architect should have?
1) Act with reasonable care and competence
2) act impartially/objectively
3) Recognize personal and professional limitations
4) Recognize any impairment affecting ability to function completely.
5) Stay informed in the practice of architecture (continuing education)
What is the Architect’s responsibility to the public, client and profession?
Self/profession
1) practice in fairness
2) abide tariffs
3) respect protocols
4) limit work to areas of competence
Client
1) provide adequate professional services + fulfill contractor obligations
2) act with care competence, skill and judgment
3) provide expertise, technical and practical knowledge
4) understand client’s motives/needs
5) educate client
Public
1) practice in public’s best interest
2) act with care/competence
3) apply knowledge skill and judgement
What do Architect’s need to comply with?
Architect’s Act of British Columbia, the Bylaws and council rulings.
