PE Architectural Engineering
The NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering examination in Architectural Engineering licenses engineers who design the electrical, mechanical and structural systems that make a building work as a whole. It is a closed-book computer-based test of 85 questions delivered in a 9.5-hour appointment that includes the tutorial and a scheduled break, and the only reference permitted is the electronic PE Architectural Engineering Reference Handbook supplied on screen at the test centre. Questions are set in United States Customary units and deliberately mix design, analysis and application, so candidates are asked to select equipment and size systems rather than simply recall formulas. The specification effective from October 2026 splits the paper across electrical, mechanical and structural building systems plus project administration, and the applicable design standards are listed in the specification itself.
This exam suits building-systems engineers who already hold an EIT or EI certification, have passed the FE exam, and work across the electrical, mechanical and structural disciplines that meet inside a building rather than specialising in only one of them. It is the licensure route for engineers designing power distribution, HVAC and building structure as an integrated whole.
Work from the PE Architectural Engineering Reference Handbook from the first day of study rather than from a textbook, because the handbook is the only reference available during the exam and fluency in locating a table under time pressure is itself an examinable skill. Map every specification knowledge area onto the handbook section that supports it, then practise problems in the proportions the specification publishes so that mechanical and electrical systems, which together account for roughly two thirds of the paper, receive the majority of the effort. Because the paper spans three engineering disciplines, most candidates find one of the three unfamiliar and should schedule that area first while retention time remains.
NCEES allocates 23 to 35 questions to Electrical Systems, about 33 percent of the paper, making this one of the blocks that decides the result. The published knowledge areas include Power distribution design, Emergency and standby power systems, Overcurrent protection, Grounding and bonding principles. Work these directly from the reference handbook supplied in the exam, because the tables and figures on screen are the ones you must be able to find quickly under time pressure.
NCEES allocates 25 to 38 questions to Mechanical Systems, about 36 percent of the paper, making this one of the blocks that decides the result. The published knowledge areas include Heat gain and loss calculations, Psychrometrics, HVAC system analysis and selection, Flow and riser schematics. Work these directly from the reference handbook supplied in the exam, because the tables and figures on screen are the ones you must be able to find quickly under time pressure.
NCEES allocates 15 to 23 questions to Structural Systems, about 22 percent of the paper, making this one of the blocks that decides the result. The published knowledge areas include Design criteria, Material properties, Gravity loads, Lateral loads. Work these directly from the reference handbook supplied in the exam, because the tables and figures on screen are the ones you must be able to find quickly under time pressure.
NCEES allocates 7 to 11 questions to Project Administration, about 10 percent of the paper, making this one of the blocks that decides the result. The published knowledge areas include Scheduling and process, Construction administration, Legal impacts. Work these directly from the reference handbook supplied in the exam, because the tables and figures on screen are the ones you must be able to find quickly under time pressure.
Arrive with the identification named in the NCEES Examinee Guide and expect a closed-book appointment with an on-screen handbook and an on-screen calculator policy set by NCEES. The 9.5 hours include the tutorial and one optional scheduled break, so plan the break deliberately rather than losing working time to it.
No. Every NCEES computer-based exam is closed book. An electronic reference handbook is supplied on screen at the test centre, and it is the only reference you may use, which is why candidates are advised to study from that handbook rather than from a textbook.
NCEES publishes a range of questions per domain rather than a percentage. The percentages shown here are the midpoints of those published ranges, normalised across the domains so they total one hundred percent. The published question range is shown alongside each domain so you can see the original figure NCEES actually states.
NCEES makes the current reference handbook available to download from your MyNCEES account, and a printed edition of some handbooks is sold separately. The handbook is licensed for your personal use and may not be redistributed, so obtain it from NCEES directly rather than from a third party.
The NCEES Examinee Guide sets out the identification, arrival and test centre rules that apply to every NCEES exam, including what you may bring and what happens if a test centre closes. Read the current edition before your appointment, because the requirements are enforced strictly.
Verified 2026-09-05