Architectural Association of Kenya

Architectural Association of Kenya Description

Architectural Association of Kenya Established in 1967, the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) is Kenya’s leading Association for professionals in the built and natural environment in Kenya incorporating Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Town Planners, Engineers, Landscape Architects and Environmental Design Consultants and Construction Project Managers.

The Association is registered under the Societies Act and brings together professionals from the Private Sector, Public Sector and Academia. The Association also acts as a link between professionals and stakeholders in the construction industry: Including policy makers, manufacturers, real estate developers, financial institutions, and so on.

Its in this context that the Association continues to collaborate and affiliate itself with both municipal and international organisations.

Municipal Organisations are:

Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors

http://www.boraqs.or.ke/

University of Nairobi, College of Architecture and Engineering

http://cae.uonbi.ac.ke/

University of Nairobi, Department of Architecture and Engineering

https://architecture.uonbi.ac.ke/

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, School of Architecture and Building Sciences

www.jkuat.ac.ke/schools/sabs/

Nairobi City County

https://ccn-ecp.or.ke/

Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development

http://www.ardhi.go.ke/default/index.php

UN Habitat

Main Page

Kenya Private Sector Alliance

http://www.kepsa.or.ke/

Public Procurement Complaints Review and Appeals Board

www.ppoa.go.ke

Engineers Board of Kenya

http://ebk.or.ke/

National Construction Authority

http://www.nca.go.ke/

International Organisations are:

Union of international Associations

http://www.uia.org/

Common Wealth Association of Architects

http://www.comarchitect.org/

The stated objectives of AAK are:

To co-ordinate the activities of professionals concerned with Built and Natural environment in Kenya and promote professionals integrity and to direct the members of Association in all matters of professional practice;
To advance the science and art of planning and building by developing the standards of professional education, training and practice, and facilitate matters of mutual interest of the member professions;
To create public awareness by marketing the services of member professions and provide professional opinions on the matters pertaining to violation of the statutes provided for good maintenance of the Built and Natural environment;
To establish and accredit Continuing Professional Development programmes for the members of the Association and encourage collaboration of professionals and societies engaged in the Built and Natural environment;
To offer community services by participation in the enhancement of Built and Natural environment, maintain building information services, and monitor quality assurance on materials;
To liaise with the Government and regulatory agencies on the matters affecting Registration and licensing of the professionals engaged in the built and natural environment;
To foster National, Regional and International co-operation in matters dealing with the professions related to built and natural environment;
To maintain and protect heritage of the Built and Natural environment;
To facilitate research and dissemination of information for advancement of professional education, training, and practice;
To publish documents and publications for the benefit of the members of the Association and the general public in matters of the built and natural environment.
To create revenue generating activities for the Association.

Public service

The AAK is purely a social professional Association with no legal executive mandate. However based on its objectives, the Association takes interest and participates in several issues of public concern. Among these are:

A) Education

The Association participates in the drawing up of the Training Curricula at the local Universities and Polytechnics. I some cases like Architecture, the Association has solicited the support of the Commonwealth Association of Architects( CAA)to accredit our schools of Architecture to give our degree courses international recognition.

B) Continuous Professional Development

In order to keep pace with changing technologies throughout the world, the association conducts seminars and workshops through which the members continually develop their professional skills. Kenya is one of the few countries in Africa, that conducts continuous professional development exercises.

C) Building Construction Standards :

The Association takes interests and participates, as a public watchdog, in the setting up of building construction standards through local authority by-laws. Our Association makes periodical written submissions to the local authorities for adoption or amendment of construction standards.

D) Construction Cost Control

The Association in collaboration with the Kenya Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors (KABCEC) have established the Joint Building Council to periodically review and publish recommended prices for building material and labour within the Building Construction Industry. The two Associations also publish the Standard Agreement and Conditions of Contract for Building Works.

E) Town and County

AAK takes particular interest in Town and County. This includes preparation of national, regional and local/Town development Plans. Town Planners are also included in development Control.

F) Professional Ethics

Members of AAK sit on the respective Boards of Registration of the different building professional ethics.