RIBA has unveiled its Core CPD Programme for 2024, which not only covers core curriculum needs but also, if taken in its entirety, fulfils a chartered member’s structured CPD requirements across the 10 core curriculum topics.
Each on-demand Core CPD module is delivered online by a leading specialist and is available to stream at a time and place that suits members’ schedules.
As part of the programme, members will also have access to free live Q&A follow-up sessions for each topic, providing an opportunity to ask questions and engage with speakers.
So what does the 2024 on-demand programme comprise? Read on for more.
1. Prioritising community through engagement
Collaboration with clients, stakeholders and the community is key to achieving sustainable and ethical outcomes. This module explores different aspects of engagement and how they can address social value, climate change and new biodiversity net gain requirements.
Speakers are community engagement leader and co-design specialist Nataly Raab, and engagement specialist Rachel Goater, while award-winning landscape architect and urbanist Sarah Jones-Morris also contributes to the module.
2. Managing health & safety in architectural design
Fire, and health & safety expert Paul Bussey explains what professionals need to know about both Construction Design Management (CDM) regulations and the Building Regulations changes introduced to satisfy the landmark Building Safety Act (BSA).
The course covers how to integrate a health & safety review into project meetings, capture significant issues in a CDM and BSA Analysis document, and produce an integrated health & safety file.
The module also shows Principal Designers how to orchestrate the design team to integrate CDM and BSA requirements into all projects, not just higher risk buildings.
3. Demonstrating the value of sustainability
This module gives members an understanding of how to value design, focusing on understanding clients’ sustainability business ambitions, people objectives and building project targets. It includes the importance of practicing environmental management systems, self-learning, baseline measurement and the RIBA Business Toolkit steps.
Speakers are Jess Hrivnak, RIBA’s Practice Technical Adviser on Sustainability, and Mhairi Grant, co-Director of Paper Igloo, a micro practice specialising in high performance residential projects with an emphasis on Passivhaus, climate change-mitigating design and natural materials.
4. Introduction to Part O and key design considerations
This three-part CPD series equips members with the knowledge, insights, and strategies needed to navigate the complexities of Part O – Overheating and stay ahead of emerging trends.
The course will progress from understanding contextual overheating to leveraging advanced sustainable strategies and exploring the possibilities of future design principles. It will include a look at advanced simulation tools for enhanced sustainability. The speaker is Darren Evans, founder of energy efficiency and sustainability services consultant Darren Evans Ltd.
Read more about RIBA’s Engagement Overlay to the Plan of Work.
5. Creating value with copyright
Aligning with the core curriculum topic of Procurement and Contracts, this module looks at aspects of copyright, intellectual property rights (IPR) and patents as they apply to architectural practice.
It covers key copyright issues for design and creative work, RIBA Professional Services Contracts, professional ethical issues, asserting and protecting copyright, and the risks of assigning copyright to others. The speaker, architect and strategic management consultant Richard Brindley, is a former RIBA Director of Practice and Executive Director of Professional Services.
6. Materials and calculating carbon
This module tackles embodied and Whole Life Carbon (WLC) analysis and asks how they can be embedded in an iterative design process. Integrating embodied and WLC analysis seamlessly into iterative design processes ensures that sustainability considerations are foundational throughout the design lifecycle.
Learners will also develop competency in identifying and evaluating relevant data sources, and gain a holistic understanding of materials and their wider contextual impact, enabling them to consider the environmental implications of material choices. The speaker is Louisa Bowles, Partner and Head of Sustainability at Hawkins\Brown where she led development of the H\B:ERT whole life carbon tool.
7. Embedding Inclusive Design in the RIBA Plan of Work
The Inclusive Design Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work embeds inclusive design across all stages of construction projects. It empowers each team involved, from clients to operators, to contribute to the process. It demonstrates that it is more cost effective to embed inclusive early into the process and shows how regulations alone may not be sufficient.
Three CPD modules will look at the overlay in the context of legislation and regulations - outline the reasoning, approach and contents of the overlay, and provide detailed guidance on the roles outlined and the lessons that can be learned by other design team members.
The speaker is Jane Simpson, a chartered architect and registered NRAC access consultant who has contributed to the development of inclusive design practices and standards nationally and internationally.
Read more about RIBA’s mandatory CPD requirements and topics for 2024.
8. Applying circular economy principles to contribute to social revitalisation
The circular economy is based on three principles that are driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials at their highest value, and regenerate nature. This module introduces circularity principles and explains how the neighbourhood scale is key to thinking about cities.
It will explore how the relationship between people and nature can be regenerated, and the role of buildings and systems in conserving and generating resources. Speaker Juliet Bidgood, a RIBA Client Adviser and adviser to Homes England on the design of new neighbourhoods, will present the case for rethinking how we design places at a neighbourhood scale to generate positive carbon cycles.
9. Improving environmental performance of heritage buildings
An estimated 25 million existing homes need to be energy retrofitted over the next 30 years, including historical, listed and hard-to-treat buildings. This module compares different energy retrofit strategies and standards, and explains their benefits in terms of energy savings, comfort, wellbeing and costs.
Speaker Tomas Gaertner, an architect and Passivhaus Certifier who has overseen deep energy retrofits to a variety of retrofit standards, will also look at the best design and energy modelling tools to use and current good practice guidance.
10. AI in architecture
The rapidly evolving world of AI is already an essential CPD topic for architects. Tomas Millar, co-director of Millar Howard Workshop and an enthusiastic pioneer of emerging digital technologies, explains how architects can exploit the parallels between architectural design principles and AI concepts.
He looks at how architects can utilise AI effectively in daily tasks and professional endeavours, and how ethical frameworks can be applied to real world scenarios. The module will be accessible to those new to AI as well as data nerds, says Miller, with the aim of giving attendees an understanding of AI irrespective of comfort levels or any previous knowledge of AI.
For further information on how to book Core CPD Programme 2024 modules, including Club Ticket and Pay-as-you-go ticket options, visit RIBA Academy.
RIBA Chartered Members will receive their £200 voucher code to use on the core CPD programme upon renewal of membership.
Text by Neal Morris. This is a Professional Feature edited by the RIBA Practice team. Send us your feedback and ideas.
As part of the flexible RIBA CPD programme, professional features count as microlearning. See further information on the updated RIBA CPD core curriculum and on fulfilling your CPD requirements as a RIBA Chartered Member.
