HKIA/ARB PA Paper 3 common mistakes
HKIA/ARB PA Paper 3 · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
In case study questions, candidates answer with generic design principles instead of extracting the specific facts and constraints given in the scenario, such as site area, plot ratio, or client budget, and then applying them to the question asked.
Candidates treat case studies as essay prompts and rely on memorised textbook knowledge, because under time pressure they do not systematically parse the scenario for quantitative and qualitative data, and they fear that using only the given facts will look too narrow.
What to do instead
Before answering any case study question, spend 60–90 seconds annotating the scenario: underline every number, named party, regulatory reference, and stated constraint; write a one-line issue list in the margin. Then answer by explicitly citing the annotated facts (e.g., 'Given the 1,200 m² site and 5.0 plot ratio, the permissible GFA is 6,000 m²; the scheme proposes 6,450 m², therefore...'). Practise with past-style scenarios and mark your answers against a checklist of facts used versus facts ignored.
Candidates confuse the roles and statutory duties of the Authorized Person (AP), Registered Structural Engineer (RSE), and Registered Geotechnical Engineer (RGE), and of the Building Authority (BA), by attributing plan submission, supervision, or approval responsibilities to the wrong party.
The three registered professionals often work in overlapping teams, and candidates learn from project experience where one person informally covers multiple functions; exam questions deliberately test the statutory separation of duties under the Buildings Ordinance.
What to do instead
Build a one-page matrix with columns for AP, RSE, RGE, and BA, and rows for key statutory acts: preparing and submitting plans, coordinating submissions, site supervision, issuing notices, approving amendments, and certifying completion. For each cell, write the exact ordinance section or regulation reference. Review the matrix weekly and test yourself by covering cells and reciting the responsible party and legal basis.
Candidates misapply plot ratio and site coverage calculations by using the wrong site area definition, ignoring non-accountable GFA items, or forgetting that different building types and zones have different permissible values under the Building (Planning) Regulations.
Candidates memorise a single set of numbers without understanding the definitions of site area, accountable and non-accountable GFA, and the conditions for bonuses or exemptions; they also fail to check whether the question concerns domestic or non-domestic buildings and whether the site is in a specified zone.
What to do instead
Create a calculation worksheet that forces you to state: (1) the definition of site area used, (2) the building type and applicable regulation, (3) the permissible plot ratio and site coverage, (4) each GFA item and whether it is accountable or exempt, and (5) the resulting figures. Work through at least ten varied examples, including composite buildings and sites with dedications, and compare your worksheet against model answers.
Candidates answer contract and project management questions by describing what should happen in an ideal project rather than identifying the specific contractual mechanism, notice period, or payment provision that applies to the situation described.
Candidates rely on general site experience and do not know the standard forms of contract used in Hong Kong, such as the HKIA Standard Form of Building Contract, and its provisions on variations, extensions of time, and certification; they also confuse the roles of the Architect, Quantity Surveyor, and Contractor.
What to do instead
Study the HKIA standard forms clause by clause, focusing on notices, time bars, variation valuation, extension of time, and payment. For each clause, write a one-sentence trigger and a one-sentence consequence. Then practise scenario questions where you must name the clause, state the time limit, and identify who must act. Keep a log of clauses you misapplied and revisit them.
Candidates give vague answers on project programming and control, such as 'prepare a programme' or 'monitor progress', without specifying the technique, the information required, or the corrective action that follows a deviation.
Candidates have observed project meetings but have not been responsible for producing or interpreting programmes, so they lack the vocabulary of critical path analysis, float, milestones, and earned value; they also underestimate how precisely exam questions require the sequence of control actions.
What to do instead
Learn to construct and read a simple precedence diagram: identify activities, dependencies, durations, critical path, and total float. For a given scenario, practise writing the control cycle as numbered steps: data collection, comparison against baseline, variance analysis, identification of cause, corrective action, and re-programming. Use a template and apply it to at least five different project types.
Candidates treat building design and technology questions as pure description, listing materials or systems without explaining why they are selected, how they perform, or how they satisfy the relevant performance requirements and codes.
Candidates memorise product names and generic advantages but do not connect technology choices to functional requirements, statutory performance standards, or buildability; they also neglect the interaction between structure, services, and architecture.
What to do instead
For each technology topic, such as curtain walls, waterproofing, or fire-rated construction, prepare a three-column note: performance requirement and code reference, how the system meets it, and common failure points. In answers, always state the requirement first, then the system, then the evidence of performance. Practise by explaining a detail to a colleague and asking them to identify any missing link between requirement and solution.
Candidates fail to manage time across the paper, spending too long on early case study questions and leaving later questions partially answered or blank, often because they write long introductions and do not allocate marks proportionally.
Case study scenarios are long and cognitively demanding, and candidates feel compelled to demonstrate all their knowledge on the first question; they do not practise under timed conditions and do not have a strategy for when to move on.
What to do instead
Before the exam, calculate the minutes per mark from the paper instructions and write a timing plan on the answer booklet. In practice, use a timer and enforce a hard stop per question. Answer in bullet points with the mark-earning point first, and leave a two-line space to return if time permits. Do at least three full timed mock papers and review where time was lost.
Candidates answer questions about the Building Authority's powers and procedures by stating a general principle, such as 'the BA can reject unsafe plans', without citing the specific power, the statutory time limit, or the appeal mechanism.
Candidates read the Buildings Ordinance once but do not retain the structure of powers, approvals, and appeals; they also confuse the BA's administrative practice with the legal provisions.
What to do instead
Create a flowchart of the statutory process from submission to occupation permit, marking at each stage the BA's power, the time limit, the applicant's right of reply, and the appeal route to the Appeal Tribunal. For each power, note the section number and one example of its use. Test yourself by drafting a short answer for each stage and checking it against the ordinance text.
Candidates describe contract administration duties of the Architect in general terms, such as 'administer the contract fairly', without distinguishing between the Architect's certification role, instruction-giving role, and advisory role to the client, and without identifying conflicts of interest.
The dual role of the Architect as the client's agent and as certifier is subtle, and candidates often learn it informally on site; exam questions test whether the candidate can identify when the Architect must act independently and when the Architect must not act.
What to do instead
Write a table of Architect's functions under the contract, classifying each as agency, certification, or advice. For each certification function, note the duty of independence and the consequence of failing to act. Study examples of conflicting instructions and practise identifying the correct course of action, including disclosure and recusal where necessary.
Candidates answer technology questions about fire safety and means of escape by quoting a single code number without applying the occupancy, travel distance, and protection requirements to the specific building described in the question.
Candidates memorise isolated figures from the Code of Practice for Fire Safety in Buildings but do not understand how occupancy factor, exit width, and travel distance interact, and they fail to check which part of the code applies to the building type and use.
What to do instead
For fire safety, build a decision tree: identify building use and occupancy, calculate occupant capacity, determine required exit numbers and widths, check travel distance and dead-end limits, and verify fire resistance and compartmentation. Work through at least eight examples covering different uses, including composite and industrial buildings, and always state the code clause and the calculation, not just the final number.