Construction Contract Administration

In looking ahead to content development for future programs, whether at AIA conference, through AIAU, white papers or other avenues, on behalf of the CCA KC leadership group I wanted to poll our CCA members.

I would love to see more CCA related content at conferences or via other venues, and I'm sure like many folks the quantity and quality of relevant content (CCA or otherwise) certainly can impact my decision to attend conferences and programs.

• Anyone who attended AIA25 or decided not to attend, were there CCA (or tangentially related) topics missing you would have wanted to hear about?
• Anyone who attended the Architects in Work Boots session or the CCA Open Forum at AIA25 - any feedback you'd like to share? 
• Those at small or medium firms - What CCA topics do you want to hear more about or what do you think other small/medium firm owners/employees should know more about?

There have been some great discussion posts in the CCA forum (and I've seen some good, related ones in other KC forums too), a good indication of relevant topics, so we would love to hear about anything else on people's minds that can lead to development of programs and other content.

The CCA leadership group has worked on proposal submissions to conferences and AIAU on a range of topics (e.g. CCA fee development, technology in CCA, CCA fundamentals) and trying to cover a range of experiences (emerging professionals or those new to the CCA phase, seasoned professionals, all firm sizes). Although not all proposals are accepted, we do plan to re-evaluate, develop and submit more for 2026.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

This is a bit self serving since Im the chair of the Building Performance KC, but I think the CCA KC should do some crossover with the BPKC and even COTE and other sustainability focused KCs. I think we talk so much about the design and specification side of air tightness, adding lots of insulation, detailing flashing and structural thermal breaks for continuous exterior insulation, etc but it is so complex to get these systems installed correctly and to work with the subs in the field to make it all come together. With high performance exterior wall assemblies becoming more of a focus on the design side, we need to understand how to review these installations, what pre-installation meetings to have, how to deal with inexpereinced subs or GCs, which mock ups are critical and which ones you can live without etc. 

The issue for me is that in a perfect world, you call for pre installation conferences and have all experienced subs and site supers and manufacturer's reps and everyone is well versed and you can have a million mock ups and whatnot but when do you ever have time or fee or get lucky enough with your GC / CM for that situation to happen? If you only have fee to be on site x number of times per month and the construction schedule cant accomodate a mock up for every condition, what do you prioritize? Design only counts if it can be executed! Theres no points for drawing a building that performs. You have to build a building that performs!

This is too broad to broach in one class or series but I think this is very important ground to cover and will only be more so in the coming years

In looking ahead to content development for future programs, whether at AIA conference, through AIAU, white papers or other avenues, on behalf of the CCA KC leadership group I wanted to poll our CCA members.

I would love to see more CCA related content at conferences or via other venues, and I'm sure like many folks the quantity and quality of relevant content (CCA or otherwise) certainly can impact my decision to attend conferences and programs.

• Anyone who attended AIA25 or decided not to attend, were there CCA (or tangentially related) topics missing you would have wanted to hear about?
• Anyone who attended the Architects in Work Boots session or the CCA Open Forum at AIA25 - any feedback you'd like to share? 
• Those at small or medium firms - What CCA topics do you want to hear more about or what do you think other small/medium firm owners/employees should know more about?

There have been some great discussion posts in the CCA forum (and I've seen some good, related ones in other KC forums too), a good indication of relevant topics, so we would love to hear about anything else on people's minds that can lead to development of programs and other content.

The CCA leadership group has worked on proposal submissions to conferences and AIAU on a range of topics (e.g. CCA fee development, technology in CCA, CCA fundamentals) and trying to cover a range of experiences (emerging professionals or those new to the CCA phase, seasoned professionals, all firm sizes). Although not all proposals are accepted, we do plan to re-evaluate, develop and submit more for 2026.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Thank you for this input, Jessica. That is a topic we have discussed in our office often - best practices for specifying much of what you mentioned (mock-ups, testing, pre-installation meetings, etc.) and the subsequent implementation and quality control. I'll add it to the list of discussion with the CCA KC.

I'd love to hear from some more folks about other feedback and suggested CCA content. What else are people looking to discuss or learn more about?

This is a bit self serving since Im the chair of the Building Performance KC, but I think the CCA KC should do some crossover with the BPKC and even COTE and other sustainability focused KCs. I think we talk so much about the design and specification side of air tightness, adding lots of insulation, detailing flashing and structural thermal breaks for continuous exterior insulation, etc but it is so complex to get these systems installed correctly and to work with the subs in the field to make it all come together. With high performance exterior wall assemblies becoming more of a focus on the design side, we need to understand how to review these installations, what pre-installation meetings to have, how to deal with inexpereinced subs or GCs, which mock ups are critical and which ones you can live without etc. 

The issue for me is that in a perfect world, you call for pre installation conferences and have all experienced subs and site supers and manufacturer's reps and everyone is well versed and you can have a million mock ups and whatnot but when do you ever have time or fee or get lucky enough with your GC / CM for that situation to happen? If you only have fee to be on site x number of times per month and the construction schedule cant accomodate a mock up for every condition, what do you prioritize? Design only counts if it can be executed! Theres no points for drawing a building that performs. You have to build a building that performs!

This is too broad to broach in one class or series but I think this is very important ground to cover and will only be more so in the coming years

In looking ahead to content development for future programs, whether at AIA conference, through AIAU, white papers or other avenues, on behalf of the CCA KC leadership group I wanted to poll our CCA members.

I would love to see more CCA related content at conferences or via other venues, and I'm sure like many folks the quantity and quality of relevant content (CCA or otherwise) certainly can impact my decision to attend conferences and programs.

• Anyone who attended AIA25 or decided not to attend, were there CCA (or tangentially related) topics missing you would have wanted to hear about?
• Anyone who attended the Architects in Work Boots session or the CCA Open Forum at AIA25 - any feedback you'd like to share? 
• Those at small or medium firms - What CCA topics do you want to hear more about or what do you think other small/medium firm owners/employees should know more about?

There have been some great discussion posts in the CCA forum (and I've seen some good, related ones in other KC forums too), a good indication of relevant topics, so we would love to hear about anything else on people's minds that can lead to development of programs and other content.

The CCA leadership group has worked on proposal submissions to conferences and AIAU on a range of topics (e.g. CCA fee development, technology in CCA, CCA fundamentals) and trying to cover a range of experiences (emerging professionals or those new to the CCA phase, seasoned professionals, all firm sizes). Although not all proposals are accepted, we do plan to re-evaluate, develop and submit more for 2026.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Thank you for this input, Jessica. That is a topic we have discussed in our office often - best practices for specifying much of what you mentioned (mock-ups, testing, pre-installation meetings, etc.) and the subsequent implementation and quality control. I'll add it to the list of discussion with the CCA KC.

I'd love to hear from some more folks about other feedback and suggested CCA content. What else are people looking to discuss or learn more about?

This is a bit self serving since Im the chair of the Building Performance KC, but I think the CCA KC should do some crossover with the BPKC and even COTE and other sustainability focused KCs. I think we talk so much about the design and specification side of air tightness, adding lots of insulation, detailing flashing and structural thermal breaks for continuous exterior insulation, etc but it is so complex to get these systems installed correctly and to work with the subs in the field to make it all come together. With high performance exterior wall assemblies becoming more of a focus on the design side, we need to understand how to review these installations, what pre-installation meetings to have, how to deal with inexpereinced subs or GCs, which mock ups are critical and which ones you can live without etc. 

The issue for me is that in a perfect world, you call for pre installation conferences and have all experienced subs and site supers and manufacturer's reps and everyone is well versed and you can have a million mock ups and whatnot but when do you ever have time or fee or get lucky enough with your GC / CM for that situation to happen? If you only have fee to be on site x number of times per month and the construction schedule cant accomodate a mock up for every condition, what do you prioritize? Design only counts if it can be executed! Theres no points for drawing a building that performs. You have to build a building that performs!

This is too broad to broach in one class or series but I think this is very important ground to cover and will only be more so in the coming years

In looking ahead to content development for future programs, whether at AIA conference, through AIAU, white papers or other avenues, on behalf of the CCA KC leadership group I wanted to poll our CCA members.

I would love to see more CCA related content at conferences or via other venues, and I'm sure like many folks the quantity and quality of relevant content (CCA or otherwise) certainly can impact my decision to attend conferences and programs.

• Anyone who attended AIA25 or decided not to attend, were there CCA (or tangentially related) topics missing you would have wanted to hear about?
• Anyone who attended the Architects in Work Boots session or the CCA Open Forum at AIA25 - any feedback you'd like to share? 
• Those at small or medium firms - What CCA topics do you want to hear more about or what do you think other small/medium firm owners/employees should know more about?

There have been some great discussion posts in the CCA forum (and I've seen some good, related ones in other KC forums too), a good indication of relevant topics, so we would love to hear about anything else on people's minds that can lead to development of programs and other content.

The CCA leadership group has worked on proposal submissions to conferences and AIAU on a range of topics (e.g. CCA fee development, technology in CCA, CCA fundamentals) and trying to cover a range of experiences (emerging professionals or those new to the CCA phase, seasoned professionals, all firm sizes). Although not all proposals are accepted, we do plan to re-evaluate, develop and submit more for 2026.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

In looking ahead to content development for future programs, whether at AIA conference, through AIAU, white papers or other avenues, on behalf of the CCA KC leadership group I wanted to poll our CCA members.

I would love to see more CCA related content at conferences or via other venues, and I'm sure like many folks the quantity and quality of relevant content (CCA or otherwise) certainly can impact my decision to attend conferences and programs.

• Anyone who attended AIA25 or decided not to attend, were there CCA (or tangentially related) topics missing you would have wanted to hear about?
• Anyone who attended the Architects in Work Boots session or the CCA Open Forum at AIA25 - any feedback you'd like to share? 
• Those at small or medium firms - What CCA topics do you want to hear more about or what do you think other small/medium firm owners/employees should know more about?

There have been some great discussion posts in the CCA forum (and I've seen some good, related ones in other KC forums too), a good indication of relevant topics, so we would love to hear about anything else on people's minds that can lead to development of programs and other content.

The CCA leadership group has worked on proposal submissions to conferences and AIAU on a range of topics (e.g. CCA fee development, technology in CCA, CCA fundamentals) and trying to cover a range of experiences (emerging professionals or those new to the CCA phase, seasoned professionals, all firm sizes). Although not all proposals are accepted, we do plan to re-evaluate, develop and submit more for 2026.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

You might want to consider looking at CSI's Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA) program.

https://www.csiresources.org/certification/ccca

In looking ahead to content development for future programs, whether at AIA conference, through AIAU, white papers or other avenues, on behalf of the CCA KC leadership group I wanted to poll our CCA members.

I would love to see more CCA related content at conferences or via other venues, and I'm sure like many folks the quantity and quality of relevant content (CCA or otherwise) certainly can impact my decision to attend conferences and programs.

• Anyone who attended AIA25 or decided not to attend, were there CCA (or tangentially related) topics missing you would have wanted to hear about?
• Anyone who attended the Architects in Work Boots session or the CCA Open Forum at AIA25 - any feedback you'd like to share? 
• Those at small or medium firms - What CCA topics do you want to hear more about or what do you think other small/medium firm owners/employees should know more about?

There have been some great discussion posts in the CCA forum (and I've seen some good, related ones in other KC forums too), a good indication of relevant topics, so we would love to hear about anything else on people's minds that can lead to development of programs and other content.

The CCA leadership group has worked on proposal submissions to conferences and AIAU on a range of topics (e.g. CCA fee development, technology in CCA, CCA fundamentals) and trying to cover a range of experiences (emerging professionals or those new to the CCA phase, seasoned professionals, all firm sizes). Although not all proposals are accepted, we do plan to re-evaluate, develop and submit more for 2026.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!