What's New on the 2026 ExAC: Changes from 2025
Every change between the 2025 and 2026 examination cycles — updated objectives, new code references, and what they mean for your study plan.
Read article → Study PlanExAC Study Schedule: A Realistic 12-Week Plan
A week-by-week study schedule with hour estimates, topic ordering, and which references to use when. Built around the way the exam is actually structured.
Read article → Section 2 / NBCHow to Tab the NBC 2020 for the ExAC
Section 2 is open-book — but only useful if you can find anything in 30 seconds. The exact tabs we used, with rationale for each.
Read article → Exam FormatExAC Sections Explained: What Each of the 4 Exams Covers
The full breakdown of all four ExAC sections, the 13 themes, time allocation, and what gets tested where — so you can study smart, not long.
Read article → Section 4 / ContractsCCDC Cheat Sheet: One-Page Quick Reference
Every CCDC document on one page — delivery method, price basis, and one-line memory hooks. Built for fast recall under exam time pressure.
Read article → ExAC StatisticsExAC Fail Rate Canada: 2025 Pass Rates Explained
The official 2025 ExAC pass rates: 73.8% passed all sections. The per-section breakdown, recent historical context, and what the numbers actually tell you about how to prepare.
Read article → Section 2 / NBCFire Rating vs Fire Separation: What's the Difference?
The distinction the NBC tests — explained in plain language. A fire separation is a thing. A fire-resistance rating is a time. Here's why they aren't the same, why both exist, and how to spot which one a question is actually asking about.
Read article → Exam ComparisonARE vs ExAC: How Canada's Architecture Exam Compares to the US
The US has Amber Book and Black Spectacles. Canadians have had very little. A factual side-by-side of the ARE and the ExAC — structure, format, codes, and why dedicated Canadian prep resources finally exist.
Read article → Section 4 / Construction AdministrationSite Instructions and Supplemental Instructions on the ExAC
The complete change management hierarchy under CCDC 2 — SI, CCN, Change Directive, Change Order — explained with the exact exam logic that determines which document to issue and when.
Read article → Section 4 / Construction AdministrationConstruction Change Directive: What It Is Under CCDC 2
What a change directive is, who signs it, how it differs from a change order, and why the term "construction change directive" is American, not Canadian. The exam distinction explained clearly.
Read article → Career ResourcesA Resource Page Dedicated to Helping Aspiring Architects in Canada
Study Architecture's resource page — podcasts, books, and guides for anyone on the architecture career path. Why it matters for Canadian interns, and why Issued for Interns is listed alongside NCARB and AIA resources.
Read article → Section 1 / DesignSustainability in Architecture: Why Life Cycle Assessment Starts at Concept
What LCA actually measures, the project phase you have to start in, and how it shapes form, structure, and glazing. A Canadian guide to embodied carbon rules and the "Energy Literacy/Sustainability" competency.
Read article → Section 4 / Construction AdministrationGeneral Review vs Inspection vs Supervision: What the Architect Does on Site
Three words that sound alike but aren't: general review is the architect's service, inspection is one the architect never provides, and supervision belongs to the contractor. The CCDC 2 distinction the ExAC tests, and why the wording carries real liability.
Read article → Free Practice · Section 125 Free ExAC Mock Exam Practice Questions
25 interactive multiple-choice questions from Section 1 — Design. Covers programming, site analysis, engineering systems, cost management, schematic design, and design development. Answers and rationales revealed on click.
Start practising → Free Tool · InteractiveFree ExAC Flashcards — 50 High-Yield Cards
50 interactive flashcards covering CCDC contracts, NBC 2020, bonds, RAIC Document 6, and key timelines. Click to flip, mark mastered, study in-browser. No signup required.
Start studying → Free PreviewTheme 9 — Bidding & CCDC Contracts (Free Chapter)
Read a full chapter of the ExAC Study Guide free — Theme 9 fully unlocked. Same depth and structure as the full edition.
Open free chapter →