Project Planning and Design Practice Exam | ARE 5.0 PPD Exam September 2026 (ARE Live Episode)

Episode Summary

In this episode of ARE Live, Black Spectacles and architect Chris Hopstock walk through Project Planning & Design practice exam questions for the ARE 5.0 PPD exam.

This episode focuses on one of the most heavily tested skills on the PPD division: coordinating with consultants. Questions cover resolving an accessible route conflict with a culvert, selecting a sprinkler system for a freeze-prone space, anticipating the impacts of a rooftop emergency generator, resolving a beam and ductwork conflict in a tight lobby ceiling, and fixing a tree placement conflict with an underground utility line.

You'll learn how to identify which consultant owns a problem, decide which of two conflicting systems is more flexible, and think through PPD scenarios the way the ARE expects you to.

If you're preparing for the ARE 5.0 PPD exam, this episode is designed to help you build confidence with site design, building systems integration, and the coordination decisions architects make across civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and landscape work.

For a broader overview of how PPD fits into the full exam process, read our guide to the ARE 5.0 exam divisions.

What Is ARE Live?

ARE Live is Black Spectacles' free, monthly webinar series in which a licensed architect walks through real ARE 5.0 practice exam questions for one division at a time, explaining why each answer choice is correct or incorrect and answering candidate questions live. Registration for each live session is free, and every episode's recording is also available afterward as a free podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. This episode covers five practice questions for the Project Planning & Design (PPD) division — one of six divisions on the Architect Registration Exam (ARE 5.0).

Key Takeaways

• Civil engineers design stormwater features like culverts, so a conflict between a culvert and an accessible route should be coordinated with the civil engineer — and the culvert is usually the more adjustable element.
• An accessible route connects site elements as well as building spaces, and it should be as direct as possible so people with mobility impairments aren't rerouted around the site.
• A dry pipe sprinkler system is the go-to choice for unconditioned or freeze-prone spaces because water isn't held in the pipes until the system activates.
• Deluge systems are associated with high-hazard occupancies, while pre-action systems suit spaces where accidental discharge would be catastrophic, such as server rooms or museums with valuable artwork.
• Adding a rooftop emergency generator during construction documents increases roof structural loading, requires larger shafts to run wiring down to the electrical room, and justifies an additional design fee because of the late scope change.
• When a 24-inch beam and an 18-inch duct cross in a tight ceiling, reasonable options are offsetting the beam to a different level or adjusting the duct's aspect ratio — reducing beam depth reduces its capacity, since depth governs a beam's strength.
• On the ARE, "check all that apply" questions always have six choices with two to four correct answers, the exam tells you how many to select, and there is no partial credit.

Timestamps

• 4:41 – Question No. 1: Accessible route conflict with a proposed culvert
• 12:01 – Question No. 2: Sprinkler system for an unconditioned storage bay
• 16:50 – Question No. 3: Implications of adding a rooftop emergency generator
• 23:33 – Question No. 4: Beam and ductwork conflict in a lobby ceiling
• 35:59 – Question No. 5: Shade trees near an underground utility line
  

Test Yourself: Five Free PPD Practice Questions From This Episode

Try answering these before reading the explanations below — it's the same format used in the free live ARE Live session.

Question 1 — Accessible route conflict: During schematic design for a new community center, the architect realizes that the accessible route to the main entrance of the building conflicts with a proposed culvert. Who should the architect coordinate with to address the issue?

A. The structural engineer
B. The landscape designer
C. The civil engineer
D. The owner

Question 2 — Sprinkler systems: An architect is designing a sprinklered maintenance building at a public works facility. A portion of the building includes an unconditioned storage bay with overhead doors that remain open for equipment access during winter. Which sprinkler system is most appropriate for this area?

A. Deluge system
B. Dry pipe system
C. Pre-action system
D. No sprinklers required

Question 3 — Rooftop generator: During the construction documents phase for a 15-story office building, the owner decides to add an emergency generator on the roof. After an initial review, the architect determines that there is adequate space on the roof adjacent to the cooling tower to fit an appropriately sized generator. Which implications should the architect anticipate? Check the three that apply.

A. Increased structural loading on the roof
B. Reduction in floor-to-floor heights throughout the building
C. Additional design fee
D. Increase in electrical receptacles throughout the building
E. Increased shaft sizes throughout the building
F. Decrease in the size of the electrical room

Question 4 — Beam and duct conflict: During design development for a new office building, the architect is coordinating the lobby ceiling with the structural and mechanical engineers. A 24-inch-deep structural beam crosses the lobby ceiling, and an 18-inch-deep supply duct is currently shown crossing the beam in the same location. The owner wants to maintain the proposed ceiling height. Which coordination options should the architect consider? Check the two that apply.

A. Boxing out the beam to allow the ductwork to pass through
B. Offsetting the beam on a different level of the building
C. Reducing the depth of the beam
D. Adjusting the aspect ratio of the ductwork
E. Eliminating the beam
F. Eliminating the duct

Question 5 — Trees and utilities: During design development for a new recreation center, the landscape plan shows a row of shade trees along the main bluestone pedestrian walk. The civil drawings show a shallow underground utility line adjacent to the trees. What should the architect propose to the landscape architect?

A. Relocate the trees away from the utility easement
B. Revise the material of the proposed walkway to crushed stone
C. Re-specify the shade trees from coniferous to deciduous

Scroll down for the full answer and reasoning behind each question, or watch the live episode on Youtube to receive explanations of why each answer is correct and incorrect.

What This PPD Practice Exam Episode Covers

Who should the architect coordinate with when an accessible route conflicts with a culvert?

The architect should coordinate with the civil engineer, because civil engineers design stormwater features like culverts. In the practice question, the accessible route to a new community center's main entrance conflicts with a proposed culvert during schematic design, and the correct answer is C, the civil engineer.

Answering this question starts with two definitions. An accessible route is a continuous path that people with mobility impairments can use to get from one point on the project to another — and Chris emphasizes that it connects site elements like sidewalks and ramps, not just spaces inside the building. A culvert is a pipe that runs beneath walkways, driveways, or other hardscape so water can follow its natural or designed drainage path from one side to the other.

The structural engineer doesn't design culverts, so choice A is out. The owner should be kept informed as part of the architect's fiduciary role, but on a typical ARE project the owner isn't directly involved in resolving a technical conflict like this one. That leaves the landscape designer and the civil engineer. The landscape designer is a reasonable distractor since the accessible route is a hardscape element, but the tiebreaker is deciding which element is more flexible: the accessible route should be as direct as possible and likely needs to stay where it is, so the culvert is the element that gets revised — and the civil engineer is the consultant who can do that.

This question reinforces a common PPD theme: when two design elements conflict, ask which one is more malleable, then coordinate with the consultant responsible for it.

For more support with ARE practice questions, explore Black Spectacles' ARE 5.0 study resources.

Which sprinkler system is best for an unconditioned, freeze-prone space?

A dry pipe sprinkler system is the most appropriate choice for a space where freezing is a concern. In the practice question, an unconditioned storage bay in a public works maintenance building has overhead doors that stay open during winter, which signals that pipes in the space could freeze. The correct answer is B, dry pipe system.

Most sprinkler systems are wet pipe systems, which hold water in the pipes all the way up to the sprinkler heads at all times. In a freezing space, that standing water can freeze and burst the pipes. A dry pipe system keeps the pipes free of water until the system activates in a fire, which eliminates the freezing risk.

In contrast:

• Deluge systems discharge a large volume of water quickly and are typically used in high-hazard occupancies, such as storage of highly flammable materials. Nothing in the question suggests a high hazard.
• Pre-action systems add extra checks against accidental discharge and are used where an accidental activation would be catastrophic, such as server rooms or museums with valuable artwork.
• "No sprinklers required" isn't supported by the question. Chris also offers a test-taking tip: be skeptical of an answer choice that's a different kind of answer than all the others — here, it's the only choice that isn't a type of system.

What should an architect anticipate when a generator is added to the roof late in design?

Adding a rooftop emergency generator during construction documents will increase structural loading on the roof, require increased shaft sizes throughout the building, and warrant an additional design fee. In the practice question, the owner of a 15-story office building adds a generator during the CD phase, and the architect finds space for it next to the existing cooling tower. The correct answers are A, C, and E.

• Increased structural loading (A): Emergency generators for a building this size are large and heavy, so the structural engineer will need to account for the load — potentially with added beams or a thicker slab, depending on the structural system.
• Additional design fee (C): A major piece of equipment like an emergency generator should be part of the discussion early in design. Adding it during construction documents is a late scope change that justifies additional fees for the architect and, most likely, the electrical and structural engineers.
• Increased shaft sizes (E): The building's electrical service room is almost certainly low in the building, so a significant amount of wiring must run from the roof down to it — and buildings rarely have that much spare shaft space built in.

The incorrect choices each require assumptions the question doesn't support. Reducing floor-to-floor heights (B) would only make sense if a height limit were stated, and the generator sits beside a cooling tower that's already tall. Adding receptacles (D) isn't necessary, since existing or otherwise-required receptacles are typically designated as emergency receptacles on circuits served by emergency power. And the electrical room (F) is more likely to grow than shrink, since it may need a transfer switch and added panel capacity for emergency circuits.

This question reinforces the importance of thinking through the ripple effects of a single design change across structural, electrical, and contractual considerations.

How should an architect resolve a beam and duct conflict while keeping the ceiling height?

The architect should consider offsetting the beam to a different level of the building or adjusting the aspect ratio of the ductwork. In the practice question, a 24-inch-deep structural beam and an 18-inch-deep supply duct cross in the same spot in an office lobby ceiling during design development, and the owner wants to keep the proposed ceiling height. The correct answers are B and D.

• Offsetting the beam (B): A beam typically exists to transfer a load from one point to another as part of the load path from roof to foundation. If that transfer can happen on a different floor — up at the second floor or down in the basement, for example — where the duct doesn't also run, the overlap disappears without changing either element's size.
• Adjusting the duct's aspect ratio (D): Airflow through a duct depends on its cross-sectional area, so a duct can often be flattened and widened while keeping the same area. As Chris explains, a 2-foot by 2-foot duct and a 4-foot by 1-foot duct both have 4 square feet of area and move a similar amount of air — though the change should always be worked through with the mechanical engineer.

Boxing out the beam (A) — cutting a rectangular opening through it — can work for small penetrations like an inch or two of electrical conduit, but an 18-inch duct through a 24-inch beam would remove nearly the entire beam. Reducing the beam depth (C) is incorrect because on the ARE, you should assume a competent structural engineer sized the beam correctly; a beam's depth governs its strength, so making it shallower (even if wider) reduces its capacity. Eliminating the beam or the duct (E, F) is essentially never correct, since you can't assume either element is unnecessary.

This question reinforces a key PPD principle: the architect's job is to coordinate all consultants and help them think about the project holistically, since each engineer tends to focus on their own system.

What should an architect do when shade trees conflict with an underground utility line?

The architect should propose that the landscape architect relocate the trees away from the utility easement. In the practice question, a recreation center's landscape plan shows a row of shade trees along a bluestone pedestrian walk, directly adjacent to a shallow underground utility line shown on the civil drawings. The correct answer is A.

Tree roots keep growing over time and can interfere with an underground utility line, so the simplest fix — moving the two elements apart — is also the right one. Changing the walkway to crushed stone (B) doesn't address the root problem, and there's no indication the bluestone walk is an issue. Switching from coniferous to deciduous trees (C) doesn't help either, since both tree types have roots that can damage utilities.

Chris included this question as a reminder that some ARE questions really are straightforward: trust your instincts, answer quickly, and save your time for harder questions.

About the Guest: Chris Hopstock

Chris Hopstock is a licensed architect based in New York and an educator with Black Spectacles. He helps ARE candidates understand technical exam content and develop stronger strategies for approaching complex ARE 5.0 questions.

In this episode, Chris walks candidates through PPD practice exam questions related to accessible routes, sprinkler systems, rooftop equipment, structural and mechanical coordination, and site utilities. His explanations focus on identifying which consultant owns a problem, deciding which conflicting element is more flexible, and avoiding answer choices that require unsupported assumptions. Have a follow-up question? Tag him in the community at @CoachChrisHopstock.

Join the Discussion & Watch the Webinar Q&A

Join the discussion and revisit the webinar Q&A in the ARE Live PPD Practice Exam September 2026 community thread.

Topics discussed during the live Q&A included:

• Whether civil coordination belongs in schematic design or later design phases
• Whether the area within five feet of the building is a reliable boundary for the civil engineer's scope
• Whether "none of the above" and "all of the above" questions appear on the ARE
• How partial credit works on "check all that apply" questions
• Whether the additional design fee in Question 3 would still apply if the generator were added during design development
• Why adjusting a duct's aspect ratio works but widening a shallower beam doesn't
• How to decide which coordination option is within the architect's scope when every option involves a consultant

Frequently Asked Questions From the ARE Live Community

What is covered on the ARE 5.0 PPD exam?

Project Planning & Design focuses on the design of a project and the integration of its systems. Topics may include site design, building systems, structural and MEP coordination, codes and accessibility, life safety, materials, and cost considerations. Many PPD questions ask candidates to coordinate the work of multiple consultants within realistic project scenarios.

Who designs culverts on a building project?

The civil engineer designs culverts and other stormwater features. When a culvert conflicts with another site element, such as an accessible route, the architect should coordinate with the civil engineer to revise the design. Because accessible routes should be as direct as possible, the culvert is usually the more adjustable of the two elements.

When should a dry pipe sprinkler system be used?

A dry pipe sprinkler system should be used in spaces where pipes could freeze, such as unconditioned storage areas or bays with doors left open in winter. Unlike a wet pipe system, a dry pipe system doesn't hold water in the pipes until it activates, so there's no standing water to freeze and burst the pipes.

Can you reduce a beam's depth by making it wider?

No. A structural beam's depth is what primarily governs its strength, so reducing the depth and increasing the width will not preserve the same capacity. Ductwork is different: a duct can be flattened and widened as long as its cross-sectional area stays similar, which is why adjusting duct aspect ratio is a common coordination fix.

How are "check all that apply" questions scored on the ARE?

"Check all that apply" questions on the ARE always have six answer choices with two to four correct answers, and the exam tells you exactly how many to select. There is no partial credit — you must choose every correct answer, and no incorrect ones, to receive credit for the question.

How should I study for the PPD exam?

To study for PPD, focus on understanding how site, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life safety systems work together, and how the architect coordinates the consultants responsible for each. Practice questions are especially useful because they help you apply technical knowledge to realistic coordination scenarios.

Ready to Start Studying for the PPD Exam?

Preparing for PPD requires more than memorizing building systems. You need to understand how consultants' work fits together, which elements can flex when systems conflict, and how a single design change ripples through structure, MEP, and project fees.

Black Spectacles' ARE 5.0 prep is designed to help you study more efficiently with expert-led video lectures, realistic practice exams, quizzes, flashcards, guided study plans, and detailed answer explanations — all backed by the Pass the ARE Guarantee.

Have follow-up questions from this episode? Join the ARE Live PPD Practice Exam September 2026 community discussion to see what other candidates asked.

Start studying for PPD today.