To keep up with industry trends and important court decisions, AIA Contract Documents are reviewed and updated every 10 years. One of the important changes to the 2017 documents includes a single Sustainable Project Exhibit that can be added to any AIA document to address the risks and responsibilities associated with sustainable projects. This exhibit is meant to replace the Sustainable Projects documents included in the Conventional (A201) family of AIA Contract Documents.

The E204–2017, Sustainable Projects Exhibit is not a standalone document but is intended to be attached as an exhibit to an existing agreement on a project that includes a Sustainable Objective. In a single document, E204-2017 sets forth the roles and responsibilities for each of the project participants. The exhibit is to be used on a wide variety of sustainable projects, including those in which the Sustainable Objective includes obtaining a Sustainability Certification, such as LEED®, or those in which the Sustainable Objective is based on incorporation of performance-based sustainable design or construction elements.

Rather than having to pick and choose between of a set of different Sustainable Project documents, any standard form can be amended with the exhibit to address a specific sustainable objective, certification or documentation.

Additionally, E204-2017 addresses several issues unique to sustainable design and construction such as:

• Requirements for proposed materials or equipment substitutions;
• Requirements for construction waste management;
• Project registration with, and submissions to, the certifying authority;
• Waiver of consequential damages; and
• The relationship between achievement of the sustainable objective and substantial and completion.

E204-2017 brings the promise of simplified and coordinated sustainability requirements for design and construction contracts.