Section 43-4-1. Definitions

   As used in this chapter, the term:

   (1) "Architect" means an individual technically and legally qualified to engage in the practice of architecture.

   (2) "Architectural construction contract administration services" shall include at a minimum the following services:

      (A) Visiting the construction site on a regular basis to determine that the work is proceeding in accordance with the technical submissions submitted to the building official at the time the building permit was issued; and

      (B) Processing shop drawings, samples, and other submissions required of the contractor by the terms of construction contract documents.

   (3) "Board" means the Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Designers.

   (4) "Building" means any structure consisting of foundation, floors, walls, columns, girders, beams, and roof or a combination of any of these parts, with or without other parts or appurtenances.

   (5) "Building official" means the person appointed by the county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state having responsibility for the issuance of building permits and the administration and enforcement of the Georgia State Minimum Construction Codes, or a state fire marshal where there is not such local official.

   (6) "Building shell" means a building framework, perimeter and exterior walls, the building core and columns, and other structural, mechanical, and load-bearing elements of the building.

   (7) "Building shell system" means a mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, electrical, structural, or motorized vertical transportation system designed for or located within a building shell.

   (8) "Interior construction document" means detailed drawings and specifications sealed and signed by a registered interior designer certifying compliance with applicable current building codes, ordinances, laws, and regulations that define the work to be constructed in such form as is required for approval of a construction permit by a building official or fire marshal. Such document may be combined with documents prepared under the responsible control, seal, and signature of other registered or licensed professionals.

   (9) (A) "Interior design" means the rendering of or the offering to render designs, consultations, studies, planning, drawings, specifications, contract documents, or other technical submissions and the administration of interior construction and contracts relating to nonstructural interior construction of a building by a registered interior designer. Such term includes:

         (i) Space planning, finishes, furnishings, and the design for fabrication of nonstructural interior construction within interior spaces of buildings;

         (ii) Responsibility for life safety design of proposed or modification of existing nonstructural and nonengineered elements of construction such as partitions, doors, stairways, and paths of egress connecting to exits or exit ways; and

         (iii) Modification of existing building construction so as to alter the number of persons for which the egress systems of the building are designed.

      (B) Registered interior designers shall collaborate and coordinate their work with registered architects or engineers for work that is excluded by this definition, including without limitation:

         (i) The design of or responsibility for the building shell or any building shell systems; or

         (ii) Construction which materially affects building life safety systems pertaining to fire safety protection such as fire-rated vertical shafts in multistory structures and fire-rated protection of structural elements with the exception of incidental restoration of fire protection to elements impacted by nonstructural elements of construction, smoke evacuation, emergency sprinkler systems, and emergency alarm systems.

   (10) "Nonstructural interior construction" means the construction of elements which do not include a load-bearing wall, a load-bearing column, or other load-bearing elements of a building essential to the structural integrity of the building.

   (11) "Practice of architecture" means the rendering of or offer to render the following services in connection with the design, construction, enlargement, or alteration of a building or group of buildings and the space within and surrounding such buildings, which may have human occupancy or habitation: planning; providing preliminary studies, designs, drawings, specifications, and other technical submissions; the architectural administering of construction contracts; and coordinating elements of technical submissions prepared by others including, as appropriate and without limitation, consulting engineers, registered interior designers, and landscape architects. As part of the practice of architecture, a registered architect may perform such engineering work as is incidental to his or her work. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit a licensed engineer from coordinating technical submittals related to the practice of engineering. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit a registered interior designer from coordinating submittals related to the practice of interior design.

   (12) "Registered architect" means a person who is technically and legally qualified and currently registered with the board to practice architecture in the State of Georgia.

   (13) "Registered interior designer" means a person who is registered under Article 2 of this chapter as being qualified by education, experience, and examination to use the title "registered interior designer" in the State of Georgia and as further defined in Code Section 43-4-30. Nothing in this paragraph or in this article shall be construed as prohibiting or restricting the practice or activities of an interior decorator or individual offering interior decorating services, including, but not limited to, selection of surface materials, window treatments, wall coverings, paints, floor coverings, and lighting fixtures.

   (14) "Registration" means the certificate of registration issued by the board.

   (15) "Responsible control" means the amount of control over and detailed knowledge of the content of technical submissions during their preparation as is ordinarily exercised by registered or licensed professionals applying the required professional standard of care, as defined by rules and regulations adopted by the respective boards governing such professionals.

   (16) "Technical submissions" means designs, drawings, specifications, studies, and other technical reports prepared or reviewed in the course of professional practice.

Ga. L. 1919, p. 125, § 16; Code 1933, § 84-301; Ga. L. 1952, p. 457, § 1; Ga. L. 1974, p. 162, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 448, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1527, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 748, § 1/HB 231; Ga. L. 2011, p. 752, § 43/HB 142.