The Association of Consulting Architects (ACA) is calling on all practices and design studios to complete a short “pulse check” survey to better understand how the industry will be affected by COVID-19.

As of publication, COVID-19 has more than 150,000 confirmed cases worldwide and almost 6000 deaths.

South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory have all issued emergency declarations due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The ACA survey will close tonight 16 March and has already received 500 submissions.

“The ACA is responding with timely guidance and we now issue a brief ‘pulse check’ survey to better understand how your practices will be affected – it should only take a couple of minutes to fill out,” says ACA national president John Held.

“Many architects will find that simple directives to ‘work from home’ are not as easy as just unplugging your BIM/CAD workstation from the office and taking it home. Many of your contract agreements won’t necessarily allow for extensions of time, and stimulus packages won’t pay the bills for long if projects are cancelled or delayed,” he added

“We need to understand how ACA can help you and your people, and we need to get this information to policymakers over the coming weeks. We’ll probably repeat the survey to gain more data in a few weeks’ time.”

You don’t need to be an ACA member to complete the survey. Questions include basic details about your practice, staff numbers and location, as well as your ability to work from home.

The survey also asks about cancellations and how your practice has been affected already, as well as any concerns you might have moving forward.

You can complete the survey online.

COVID-19 has already affected the design and architecture industry worldwide in a number of ways, most noticeably through the cancellation and postponement of numerous events, including the Salone del Mobile in Milan and Venice Architecture Biennale.

For up-to-date, accurate information about the virus in Australia and measures to protect yourself and other, visit the official Australian Government Department of Health website.