Summary: In 2009, AIA members still will be required to earn 18 continuing education credits, with 8 of the 18 qualifying for health, safety, and welfare (HSW) credit, as usual. What is different is that 4 of those 8 HSW credits earned in 2009 must relate to the subject of sustainable design. To make it easier to obtain those sustainable design/HSW credits, the AIA Continuing Education team is immediately launching a Peer Review Web site, which will offer architects an opportunity to listen to podcasts or read articles on sustainable design, take an essay-based quiz, and participate in dialogue on particular topics right on a new Web site.

The first offering is available now, free of charge. You can listen to three 20-minute podcasts by AIA members on the subject of “Sustaining the Value of Historic Resources.”

It’s an easy process

1. Visit the AIA Peer Review Essay Web site and create your account. (Make sure you enter your member number correctly.) A password will be e-mailed to you.
2. Armed with your user name and password, go to the Podcast section on the site and listen to the three 20-minute podcasts on the subject of sustainability and historic preservation. They are also linked here:
   Walter Sedovic, AIA
   Mike Jackson, FAIA
   Stephen J. Farneth, FAIA, LEED-AP
   
3. Back on the AIA Peer Review Essay site, select the quiz that corresponds to your course. In this case, it’s “Sustaining the Value of Historic Resources.”
4. Answer the questions with short (10-75 words each) answers.
5. Once you have provided your answers, you will be able to view answers provided by others who have taken the same course and may take part in the online chats on the topic.
6. Upon successful quiz completion by an AIA member, 1 HSW LU will be reported to the AIA CES registrar and recorded on your transcript within two weeks.

Some frequently asked questions
Q: How can I get CE credits using the peer review Web site?
A: Enter your name and member number correctly. Submit short answers (10-75 words) for peer review. LUs will be automatically submitted to the registrar and listed on your AIA CES transcript within two weeks.

Q: How can I get a certificate of completion?
A: Print out a certificate upon successful submission of your answers.

Q: Will peer-review continuing education credits be accepted by the AIA?
A: Yes. All the 18 annually required by the AIA LUs can be taken via a peer review site.

Q: Will my state licensing board accept peer reviewed courses?
A: Peer review is a variation of distance education. Check this Web site for your individual state’s requirements.

Q: Can I meet the new sustainable design requirement by participating in a dialogue via a peer review site?
A: Yes. For example, listen to three podcasts on the subject of “Sustaining the Value of Historic Resources” and submit four reviews. If you enter your AIA member number, you will receive 1 SD LU.

Q: I am not an AIA member. Can I get continuing education credits on this Web site?
A: Yes, however, we will not maintain your transcript or submit this information to state licensing boards. You can print out a certificate of course completion from the Web site and submit it to your state licensing board.

The Back Story: Why Peer Review?
In its 2007 research summit, the AIA Board Knowledge Committee advocated for a peer review Web site. The committee praised the collaborative nature of peer review as a means for establishing credibility of proffered knowledge: ”[P]eer review is not a one-way kind of thing. It’s a conversation. By putting a piece of work into the peer-review process, you are able to enlarge what you’ve done with other people’s expertise. So, it’s really essential to be collaborative in the process of a peer review.”