Design Development

Design development locks in the building. Material selection, performance criteria, key details, and dimensional resolution. The ExAC tests how you make th

What you'll be tested on

The skills behind Design Development questions.

Examitect drills each of these areas. The list below maps to the question categories you'll see inside.

  • Material selection and performance criteria
  • Building envelope assemblies and thermal bridging
  • Detail resolution: typical and atypical
  • Specification framework and divisions
  • Integration with engineering disciplines
  • DD deliverables and percentage-of-completion

Why this topic matters. DD questions test the moment design intent becomes buildable reality. Examiners check whether you understand assemblies, specifications, and the architect's coordination role at this phase.

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Study tips

How to prep for Design Development.

  • Thermal bridging is exam-favourite territory. Know the categories: clear field, point, linear.
  • Specification divisions (MasterFormat) come up. Know the top-level structure.
  • DD deliverables typically include outline specs. Don't confuse with full specs at CD.
  • Material selection questions love trade-offs. Practice articulating two-sided answers.

Estimated study time. Most candidates spend 8 to 12 hours on Design Development. Adjust up if you don't see this work in your day job, down if you do.

FAQ

Design Development questions.

Material selection, envelope assemblies, detail resolution, coordination, and deliverables.

Top-level yes, by-section no. Know how the spec is organized.

Often as envelope detail questions. Knowing clear field, point, and linear bridging categories helps you reason through them.

Yes. Envelope performance and material choices overlap with Section 3 sustainability topics.