FREE PREVIEW · PORTAL ONLY

ExAC 2026 Master Reading List

MAPPED TO SECTION THEMES · APPENDIX 1

Built against the ExAC 2026 Preparation Guide (four sections / thirteen objective themes, Appendix 1) with references drawn from Appendix 3. Theme numbers follow Appendix 1 of the guide. Where a chapter maps to more than one theme, its lowest-numbered theme is home; higher-numbered occurrences carry a cross-reference note.

◆ LIVING DOCUMENT — REVIEWED AND REVISED AS CONTENT IS ADDED

Ching BCI scope: Chapters 1–7, 11, 12 only · CHOP: Parts 3, 4, 5, 6 only (3rd Ed., 2020–2022) · Section 2: NBC 2020 and NECB 2020 are provided at the exam and tested directly — secondary readings listed here only

SOURCES

CHOP CHING BCI CCDC RAIC NRC CTU CLF OTHER

Exact chapter/page references and descriptions are part of the full plan — themes, sources, and filters below still work. Upgrade to reveal every reference.

SECTION 1 Programming, Site, Engineering Systems, Cost

THEME 01 Programming

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
OTHER ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

THEME 02 Site and Environmental Analysis

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CHING ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

THEME 03 Coordinating Engineering Systems

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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CHING ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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THEME 04 Cost Management

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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RAIC ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

SECTION 2 National Building Code (NBC 2020) & National Energy Code (NECB 2020)

Direct code testing is expected here. The NBC 2020 and NECB 2020 are provided at the exam and are the primary references — items below are secondary support only.

THEME 05 NBC 2020 / NECB 2020

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

SECTION 3 Schematic Design, Design Development, Final Project, Sustainability

THEME 06 Schematic Design

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

THEME 07 Design Development

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

THEME 08 Final Project — Materials, Construction Systems, Envelope, Structure

CHING ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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NRC CTU ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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THEME 13 Sustainable Design Literacy OBJ. 13 · SECTION 3

CLF ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CHING ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

SECTION 4 Bidding, Construction (Office & Site), Management

THEME 09 Bidding and Contract Negotiations

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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CCDC ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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RAIC ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

THEME 10 Construction Phase: Office Functions

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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CCDC ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
RAIC ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

THEME 11 Construction Phase: Site (Field) Functions

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
CCDC ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access

THEME 12 Management of the Project & Business/Practice Management

CHOP ••• Full reference — unlocks with full access
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INDEX Reverse Index — Where Each Source Maps

CHOP Part 3 — Management of the Architectural Practice

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CHOP Part 4 — The Design-Construction Program

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CHOP Part 5 — Management of the Design Project

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CHOP Part 6 — Phases of the Design Project

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CHING BCI Building Construction Illustrated, 7th Ed.

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NRC CTU Construction Technology Updates

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CONTRACTS Contract & Fee Documents

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FLAGS FOR YOUR REVIEW

FLAG 1 · CCDC 23 vs. CCDC 24

CCDC 23 (A Guide to Calling Bids and Awarding Construction Contracts) is included under Theme 9. Note that the ExAC 2026 guide's own Appendix 3 lists CCDC 24 – 1996 (Guide to Using Model Forms and Supporting Documents), not CCDC 23. Both are real CCDC publications. Decide whether to cite the document the guide points to (CCDC 24), CCDC 23, or both.

FLAG 2 · RAIC Document 6 Edition

The guide's Appendix 3 cites it as Document 6, 2018 (revised 2021). If your platform currently says just "2018," worth updating the revision year.

FLAG 3 · Section 2 Coverage is Deliberately Thin

Since NBC 2020 and NECB 2020 are provided at the exam and tested directly, the primary "readings" are those codes themselves. Only light envelope/energy support from Ching and CHOP is listed here.

FLAG 4 · Ching Ch. 8, 9, 10 Unplaced

Chapters 8 (Doors and Windows), 9, and 10 remain outside the current scope. Chapter 8 would map most naturally to Theme 8 (Final Project) and Theme 5 (envelope/NECB) if added later.

FLAG 5 · CHOP 3.4 in Theme 4

CHOP 3.4 (Financial Management) is primarily about running the firm's finances rather than project cost control, so it also lives in Theme 12. It is included under Theme 4 per the current mapping — flag if you'd rather keep it as a Theme 12-only reference.

FLAG 6 · NRC CTU No. 14 (Mechanical Ventilation)

CTU No. 14 sits in Theme 8 with the other five CTUs, but it's the one outlier — its subject (IAQ / mechanical ventilation) leans toward Theme 3 (Coordinating Engineering Systems) or Theme 13 (Sustainable Design Literacy). It's tied to envelope airtightness (obj. 8.2.3) to justify the Theme 8 home; move or cross-list if preferred.

FLAG 7 · Theme 13 Sustainability Coverage Gaps

The CLF LCA guide covers the life-cycle/embodied-carbon objectives (13.2) well. The climate-resilience (13.1) and green-rating / renewable-systems / whole-building-energy strands (13.3) aren't strongly served by the current file set. Appendix 3 lists additional standards — e.g. Zero Carbon Building Design Standard V2 (CaGBC), WELL Building Standard V2, and Embodied Carbon: A Primer for Buildings in Canada — if you want to add them later.