Benefits of Membership

In years of challenge and change, the Association of Consultant Architects has stood firm for quality in architecture and reliability of service in private practice.

ACA has been in existence since the mid 1970's, although its roots go back earlier. At the time of its inception it was felt that there was no organisation in existence dedicated solely to the interests of private practitioners on issues of practice. That dedication still holds true today and indeed the importance of having a collective voice for issues relating to practice is felt by ACA to be the most important benefit offered to its membership.

Nominated architects from member practices are entitled to vote, on behalf of their practices, at all Annual General and Extraordinary General Meetings of the Association.

Further benefits of Membership include:

1.	A Specialist Services Directory allowing members to identify and promote their work between themselves and others - currently online.
2.	Principal members are entitled to use the initials 'ACArch' to indicate their membership of the Association. An ACA signboard design is available.
3.	Representation on national and government bodies and representation on the Construction Industry Council within which ACA are full members.
4.	ACA Business Advisory Helpline
5.	A professional Indemnity Insurance Scheme
6.	A legal help line with a leading commercial law firm.
7.	A quarterly printed newsletter keeping members up to date on matters that affect practice.
8.	Access to all ACA publications at a 25% membership discount.
10.	Conferences/seminars on matters of concern to practices. Members receive reduced charges at all ACA events.
11.	High profile Exhibitions of members work.
12.	Active pressure groups on current issues.
13.	Association Web Site with 'members' only' area.
14.	To increase effectiveness and to bring wider benefits to the membership, at the end of 2002 ACA entered into a partnership agreement with SCALA (Society of Chief Architects in Local Authorities) to work together on issues of mutual concern. Apart from the political benefits of this liaison ACA and SCALA members are offered each other's membership rates at seminars and conferences and distribution of each other's newsletters at no extra cost to either set of members.
15.	The Association is blissfully unencumbered by a large bureaucracy and can respond to members' interests quickly and, we hope, efficiently.