Walk Into Exam Day Like You Already Know What's Coming
You know the feeling — it's 11 PM, you've got 200 open tabs, a pile of
PDFs you found on a WhatsApp group, and no idea if you're studying the
right things. That ends here. Every page is structured around what
actually gets tested, so you never waste another hour wondering if
this matters.
The complete 2026 ExAC study guide — 500+ curated practice questions
with full reasoning across all 13 themes, timed mock exams for every
section, and study notes cross-referenced with NBC 2020, CCDC
contracts, CHOP, and RAIC Document 6. One payment, lifetime access,
$300 CAD.
CHOP 2020 Referenced
Study notes organized around the Canadian Handbook of Practice for
Architects — every chapter mapped to ExAC objectives.
All 13 ExAC Themes
From Programming to Sustainable Design Literacy, every ExAC exam
theme is covered with detailed study notes and key summaries.
NBC 2020 & NECB Coverage
National Building Code of Canada concepts explained clearly with
practical examples, key definitions, and NECB energy requirements.
CCDC Contracts Explained
CCDC 2, 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 14, 15, 17, 23, and 30 — standard documents
broken down for exam readiness.
RAIC Document 6
Professional services agreements, architect responsibilities, and
practice management clearly outlined.
Scenario-Based Practice Questions
500 ExAC-style questions, each with detailed reasoning
explanations — not just correct answers. Built to train judgment
under time pressure.
Curated, not crammed
Every one of our 500+ practice questions is
hand-written by candidates who passed — with full reasoning
explanations that teach you why, not just what.
The ExAC gives you ~90 seconds per question. You need better
questions, not more.
Study anywhere
The guide goes where you go
FIG.01D · 09:14 EXPRESS
On the commute
Commuting
The city slides past; the guide glows in his hands.
FIG.02D · OUTDOORS
Lunch-break Studying
Lunch break
Sun overhead, clouds rolling, the laptop warm with notes.
FIG.03D · 23:47 LOCAL
Late nights at the desk
Late nights
The monitor burns gold; two eyes keep watch from the dark.
◇ Inside the Member Portal
Everything you need. All in one place.
The moment you unlock the guide you get the full ExAC toolkit — an
organized textbook, timed mock exams that find your weak spots, a
question builder, flashcards and a study planner built around your
exam date. Click a tab to explore — or watch it cycle.
ifi · member portal
Theme 3ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
THE FOUR SS OF STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Strength→
Stiffness→
Stability→
Synergy→
TYPICAL ARCHITECT’S FEE BY PHASE
PHASEFEE %
12–18%
35–45%
2.5–6.5%
GENERAL STRUCTURAL PRINCIPLES
KEY EXAM POINT
SECTION 3.1 · READING64%
Q 1 / 8002:59:56
A
B
C
D
QUESTIONS
PROFICIENCY BY THEME
Bidding
41%
Specs
52%
NBC 2020
58%
Cost Mgmt
67%
Programming
81%
PRIORITY PLAN
1
2
3
QUESTION POOL
ALL QUESTIONSPREVIOUSLY INCORRECT · 01
EXAM SECTIONS & THEMES
ALL · NONE
6/6 · 120 Qs
T122T222T38T425T622T721
1/1 · 80 Qs
T580
2/2 · 126 Qs
T863T8.5–663
5/5 · 120 Qs
T920T105T117T126T1382
NUMBER OF QUESTIONS
50 / 446 available
25125225325446
START EXAM →50 of 446 questions · randomized
+Build your own flashcard03 SAVED
MY CARD · T9PROMPT
CLICK TO REVEAL
ANSWER · T9CCDC 2
TAP TO FLIP BACK
MY CARD · T1PROMPT
CLICK TO REVEAL
MY CARD · T1PROMPT
CLICK TO REVEAL
THEME 1PROMPT
CLICK TO REVEAL
THEME 1PROMPT
CLICK TO REVEAL
THEME 1PROMPT
CLICK TO REVEAL
TODAY'S STUDY WED · OCT 14
1.8 hrs
1.8 hrs
0.9 hrs
WEEK 4 / 12EXPORT .ICS
01 / TEXTBOOK
Everything, organized by theme.
All 13 ExAC themes in one searchable guide — cross-referenced to
NBC 2020, CCDC, the Canadian Handbook of Practice and RAIC
Document 6, with your place saved so you always pick up where
you left off.
Four full-length, three-hour papers that mirror the real
sections — auto-marked the moment you submit, so you see exactly
where you stand under real time pressure.
Every wrong answer across your attempts is tracked by theme. The
lowest three become a ranked priority plan: what to read, which
flashcards to drill, and how many questions to do next.
★ THE DIFFERENCE
04 / EXAM BUILDER
Build the exact exam you need.
Assemble a custom drill from a 500+ question bank per section —
by theme, by section, or just the questions you have previously
gotten wrong.
500+ Qs PER SECTION
05 / FLASHCARDS
High-yield recall — plus your own.
122 cards covering the most-tested CCDC, NBC and timeline facts,
sorted by theme. Build and save your own cards for anything you
keep forgetting.
122 CARDS · BUILD YOUR OWN
06 / STUDY PLANNER
A plan built around your exam date.
Tell it your exam date and the hours you can give each week; it
lays out a week-by-week schedule of reading, drills and mocks —
exportable to Google, Apple or Outlook.
20-WEEK PLAN · EXPORT .ICS
Table of Contents
All 13 ExAC Themes. Complete Coverage.
Every topic structured around official CACB ExAC objectives so you
always know exactly where to focus your study time.
01
Programming
Architectural program, feasibility studies, site analysis,
sustainable development
02
Site & Environmental Analysis
Site evaluation, environmental factors, zoning regulations,
geotechnical considerations
03
Engineering Systems
Structural, mechanical, and electrical systems integration and
coordination
04
Cost Management
Elemental estimates, life-cycle costing, value engineering,
budgeting and cost control
05
National Building Code of Canada (2020)
Building classifications, fire protection, occupancy,
accessibility, and NECB requirements
06
Schematic Design
Design concepts, space planning, massing, and building systems
integration
07
Design Development
Detailed design resolution, materials selection, envelope
performance, and coordination
08
Final Project (Construction)
Construction principles, materials & properties, processes,
documents & specifications
09
Bidding, Delivery Methods & Contracts
Procurement, project delivery, CCDC standard contracts and
contract law
10
Construction Phase — Office Functions
Submittals, RFIs, change orders, certificates, and contract
administration office duties
11
Construction Phase — Field Functions
Site review, deficiency identification, substantial performance,
and close-out procedures
12
Management of Project & Business/Practice
RAIC Doc 6, professional liability, fees, risk management, and
office management
13
Sustainable Design Literacy
LEED v4, WELL, energy modelling, passive strategies, and
net-zero design principles
What Candidates Are Saying
Real Reviews from Real Interns
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★★★★★
· Verified Buyer
Was skeptical but the textbook covers everything I need and makes
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· Verified Buyer
Read the full study guide free —
preview Theme 9
— and see for yourself.
Join a growing community of 30+ Canadian intern architects preparing
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Pass-or-Refund
Study it fully and fail all 4? We'll refund you.
If you study the full textbook and fail all 4 sections of the
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A single ExAC retake costs you months of waiting, hundreds in fees,
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textbook costs less than 10% of one failed attempt.
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Full unlock of Theme 9 — Bidding, Delivery & Contracts
All objectives, Key Summary boxes & CCDC breakdowns
Scenario-based practice questions with full reasoning
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FAQ
ExAC Exam Prep — Common Questions
The ExAC is Canada's national architecture licensing exam — and
this study guide is built to help you pass all 4 sections on
your first try. The exam tests your knowledge across
13 themes spread across 4 sections, drawn from official recommended readings including CHOP, the
NBC 2020, CCDC contracts, and RAIC Document 6. Passing it is one
of the final steps before receiving your architectural
designation.
To give yourself the best shot at passing all 4 exams, focus on
the following resources: our Textbook — the organized set of
notes guiding you through the various themes and topics you need
to understand. Read through
Building Construction Illustrated by Francis D.K.
Ching. And read through key chapters of the
Canadian Handbook of Practice for Architects (CHOP)
2020 edition. Be sure to understand the structure of the NBC to
help you locate information quickly and efficiently — our
NBC tabbing guide
shows you exactly how.
Our product will tell you what chapters of what text to read for
each theme, taking the guesswork out of studying. See our
12-week ExAC study schedule
for a structured plan that covers everything.
The textbook is a professionally formatted, fully searchable
digital textbook. After purchase, you receive instant access —
study on any device, any time, with no subscription or expiry.
The textbook is cross-referenced with all ExAC recommended
readings: the Canadian Handbook of Practice (CHOP), the National
Building Code of Canada 2020, the full
CCDC contract suite
(CCDC 2, 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 14, 15, 17, 23, 30), RAIC Document 6,
CHOP Appendix E, and sustainability frameworks including LEED v4
and WELL. Content is organized by ExAC theme — not by source
document — so you always know what you're studying and why it's
testable.
This guide is a structured synthesis of the recommended
readings, not a replacement. The official texts span thousands
of pages — and most candidates end up with a scattered
collection of hundreds of PDFs passed around by others, spending
days just trying to organize them. This textbook solves that. It
distills the exam-relevant content from every source, adds
context for how concepts are tested, organizes everything by
theme, and gives you one place to access it all — any time,
anywhere. It's designed to save you hundreds of hours while
keeping you focused on what actually appears on exam day.
Yes. The textbook includes
500+ curated, scenario-based practice questions
across all 13 themes, each with a detailed explanation of the
reasoning — not just the correct answer. Every question is
hand-written to mirror real ExAC scenarios.
Try 25 free ExAC practice questions
to see the format for yourself. This matters because the ExAC
tests judgment and application, not memorization, and you need
to be comfortable processing information fast. At roughly 90
seconds per question, the practice questions are meant to be
used as timed drills that build your ability to quickly identify
what's being asked and commit to an answer.
Section 4 deserves special mention: it is the hardest section
precisely because multiple answers can feel correct. The key is
a solid grounding in the CCDC documents, the contract
administration process, and — where applicable — the OAA
admissions course, combined with your work experience. When in
doubt on any question, use process of elimination: remove the
clearly wrong options first, then assess what remains.
This is the updated 2026 edition, fully aligned with the current
ExAC objectives and examination structure as published by CACB.
It incorporates the NBC 2020 and NECB updates and reflects the
most recent CCDC and RAIC document versions. See our
ExAC 2026 changes overview
for details on what's new this cycle. If you're writing the ExAC
this cycle, this textbook is current.
The textbook is divided into 4 sections covering all 13 official
ExAC themes: Section 1 (Design — Themes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7),
Section 2 (NBC & NECB — Theme 5), Section 3 (Final
Project/Construction — Theme 8), and Section 4 (Project &
Practice — Themes 9–13). Practice questions are organized by
theme at the end, making it easy to test yourself on any area.
Read our
full breakdown of all 4 ExAC sections
for detailed study strategy per section.
Section 2 of the ExAC is open-book — you are permitted to bring
a printed copy of the NBC 2020 and NECB 2020 into the exam room.
This sounds like an advantage, but time is extremely limited. If
you don't know the code well enough to navigate it in seconds,
having the book in front of you won't save you.
Tab everything. This is not optional — it is
the single most important physical preparation you can do. Tab
every major part (Parts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9), every occupancy
group, every section you've studied, and any table or article
that came up repeatedly in your practice. Use a colour system if
it helps. The goal is to open directly to any topic in under
five seconds without scanning. Our
NBC tabbing guide
walks through exactly which sections to tab and why.
Know where things live before exam day. Tabbing
alone is not enough — you need to know intuitively that spatial
separation is in Section 3.2, that firestopping dimensions are
in 3.1.11, that accessibility is in 3.8, and that Part 9 starts
where it does. Spend time flipping through the physical code as
you study, not just reading summaries. Muscle memory matters.
Pull out the index during the exam. The NBC
index is one of the most underused tools on exam day. If you hit
a question and can't remember where something is, go straight to
the index — it will get you to the right article faster than any
amount of page-flipping. Consider removing it from the binding
before the exam and keeping it as a separate loose reference so
it lies flat and is instantly accessible. This small move can
save critical minutes.
The candidates who do best on Section 2 are not the ones who
memorized every clause — they're the ones who can find any
answer in 30 seconds. Build that skill during your prep, and the
open-book format becomes a genuine asset.
The $300 CAD individual plan gives one person
lifetime access to the full ExAC Study Textbook. After
purchasing, you'll set a password using the email address from
your Stripe receipt — that email and password become your login
credentials. This plan supports
one active session at a time. You can sign in
on any device — laptop, tablet, or phone — but if you sign in on
a second device while already signed in elsewhere, your oldest
session will be automatically ended to keep the licence personal
to you.
The $700 CAD group plan is designed for study
groups, architecture cohorts, or firms with multiple ExAC
candidates. When you click "Buy Group Access," you enter 2–5
email addresses (including your own). Each person receives their
own Stripe payment link for their equal share of $700.
Each person gets their own individual account
— their own email login and password, their own exam progress,
no session sharing. Accounts are created once all members have
paid. At
$140 per person for a group of five, this is
the most cost-effective way for a team to prepare together.
Access is lifetime — no expiry, no annual renewal.
Yes — with one important caveat. If you purchased individual
access, only one person can be signed in at a time. If a second
person signs in using the same credentials while someone else is
already studying, the first session will be automatically ended.
If you need multiple people to access the textbook, the
$700 group plan gives up to 5 people their own
individual accounts. Each person pays their
share and gets their own login.
Please note that copying, redistributing, or publicly sharing
our content is strictly prohibited. Violations will result in
immediate account termination and may be subject to further
legal action.
We stand behind this product with two guarantees.
7-day satisfaction guarantee: If you start
studying and the textbook isn't what you expected, email us
within 7 days of purchase for a full refund — no questions
asked.
Pass-or-refund guarantee: If you study the full
textbook and fail all 4 sections of the ExAC, send us your
transcript within 30 days of receiving your results and we'll
refund your purchase in full. We built this to help you pass. We
stand behind it.
Yes. When you purchase solo access, you receive a personal
referral code. Anyone who buys with your code gets
13% off, and you earn
$30 for every person who signs up using it.
There's no limit on how many people you can refer.
The referral program currently applies to
solo access, and codes are issued with your
purchase — there's no need to request one.
See What's Inside
Explore the full ExAC study guide
Walk through every theme, sample the practice questions, and see how
the textbook and mock exams fit together — all on one page.
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