Con Docs Book Mouton (2)

A One-of-a-Kind Reference for Students and Recently Licensed Professionals The Official Guide to the 2007 AIA Contract Documents By John Mouton As a student of the ever-evolving building design and construction enterprise, I am constantly seeking to understand the current, and emerging, states of practice. As an instructor and a researcher continually engaged in the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, I find that the value of a reference is defined by its comprehensiveness, its ability to be understood, and its simplicity of use in finding a specific fact or explanation. The Official Guide to the 2007 AIA Contract Documents fulfills all of these criteria admirably.

I teach in Auburn University’s interdisciplinary design-build master’s degree program, which admits students with undergraduate degrees and/or experience in architecture and construction. The objective of the program is to prepare students to contribute to and lead collaborative, multidisciplinary teams that work to meet the objectives of their clients and projects. The roles, responsibilities, and risks of each team member, including the client, are delineated by contract. The Guide is a unique resource that will help students discover the importance of clearly defining the obligations of all the professionals involved in a project. Mentors can also use the book to formulate inquiries that will help their successors understand the application of the documents. Alan Stover’s historical essays should be required reading for newly licensed professionals; his work captures the evolution of design and construction

practice through the development of the documents. In addition to being concise and easy to read, the essays provide a context for understanding the current editions of the AIA contract documents. Our design-build students research and develop historical timelines based on Stover’s work. Students and practitioners alike will benefit from the perspective he provides about the significance of our work and our profession. The AIA standard documents (and families of documents) frame the roles and responsibilities of the participants in the design and construction process across the spectrum of delivery methods. Focused on providing a contractual platform for practice as well as dispute avoidance and resolution, the text of the AIA contract documents is matter-of-fact and formatted specifically for the intended use. By providing a rationale for every clause and provision of the current documents, the book presents a clear understanding of how to use them as well as how to modify their terms and conditions. The Guide also includes thoughtful reference to and explanations of document development, the families of documents, case law, and standard documents as the standard platform for building design and construction contracts. The educational and supporting resources as well as the appendices, which include sample documents and synopses, combine to provide a comprehensive reference for anyone involved in the building design and construction enterprise. John Mouton holds the John E. Wilborn Chair in Building Science in the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction, Auburn University. Learn more about the Official Guide to the 2007 AIA Contract Documents and how to purchase a copy.