CODE OF ETHICS FOR ENGINEERS
I. Fundamental Canons
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence.
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
5. Avoid deceptive acts.
6. Conductthemselveshonorably,responsibly,ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.
II. Rules of Practice
Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence.
Engineers shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved.
Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
Engineers may express publicly technical opinions that are founded upon knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject matter
Engineers shall issue no statements, criticisms, or arguments on technical matters that are inspired or paid for by interested parties, unless they have prefaced their comments by explicitly identifying the interested parties on whose behalf they are speaking, and by revealing the existence of any interest the engineers may have in the matters.
Engineers shall act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
Engineers shall disclose all known or potential conflicts of interest that could influence or appear to influence their judgment or the quality of their services.
Engineers in public service as members, advisors, or employees of a governmental or quasi-governmental body or department shall not participate in decisions with respect to services solicited or provided by them or their organizations in private or public engineering practice.
Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts.
Engineers shall not falsify their qualifications or permit misrepresentation of their or their associates’ qualifications. They shall not misrepresent or exaggerate their responsibility in or for the subject matter of prior assignments.
Engineers shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Engineers shall acknowledge their errors and shall not distort or alter the facts.
Engineers shall advise their clients or employers when they believe a project will not be successful.
Engineers shall not attempt to attract an engineer from another employer by false or misleading pretenses.
Engineers shall not promote their own interest at the expense of the dignity and integrity of the profession.
Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest.
Engineers are encouraged to participate in civic affairs; career guidance for youths; and work for the advancement of the safety, health, and well-being of their community.
Engineers are encouraged to extend public knowledge and appreciation of engineering and its achievements.
Engineers are encouraged to adhere to the principles of sustainable development in order to protect the environment for future generations.
Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public.
CHARTER FOR THE CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC TOWNS AND URBAN AREAS (WASHINGTON CHARTER 1987)
CHARTER FOR THE CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC TOWNS AND URBAN AREAS (WASHINGTON CHARTER 1987)
Adopted by ICOMOS General Assembly in Washington, DC, October 1987.
PREAMBLE AND DEFINITIONS
All urban communities, whether they have developed gradually over time or have been created deliberately, are an expression of the diversity of societies throughout history.
This charter concerns historic urban areas, large and small, including cities, towns and historic centres or quarters, together with their natural and man-made environments. Beyond their role as historical documents, these areas embody the values of traditional urban cultures. Today many such areas are being threatened, physically degraded, damaged or even destroyed, by the impact of the urban development that follows industrialisation in societies everywhere.
Faced with this dramatic situation, which often leads to irreversible cultural, social and even economic losses, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) deems it necessary to draw up an international charter for historic towns and urban areas that will complement the "International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites," usually referred to as "The Venice Charter." This new text defines the principles, objectives, and methods necessary for the conservation of historic towns and urban areas. It also seeks to promote the harmony of both private and community life in these areas and to encourage the preservation of those cultural properties, however modest in scale, that constitute the memory of mankind.
As set out in the UNESCO "Recommendation Concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas" (Warsaw - Nairobi, 1976), and also in various other international instruments, "the conservation of historic towns and urban areas" is understood to mean those steps necessary for the protection, conservation and restoration of such towns and areas as well as their development and harmonious adaptation to contemporary life.
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES
1. In order to be most effective, the conservation of historic towns and other historic urban areas should be an integral part of coherent policies of economic and social development and of urban and regional planning at every level.
2. Qualities to be preserved include the historic character of the town or urban area and all those material and spiritual elements that express this character, especially:
a) Urban patterns as defined by lots and streets;
b) Relationships between buildings and green and open spaces;
c) The formal appearance, interior and exterior, of buildings as defined by scale, size, style, construction, materials, colour and decoration;
d)The relationship between the town or urban area and its surrounding setting, both natural and man-made; and
e) The various functions that the town or urban area has acquired over time. Any threat to these qualities would compromise the authenticity of the historic town or
urban area.
3.The participation and the involvement of the residents are essential for the success of the conservation programme and should be encouraged. The conservation of historic towns and urban areas concerns their residents first of all.
4. Conservation in a historic town or urban area demands prudence, a systematic approach and discipline. Rigidity should be avoided since individual cases may present specific problems.
METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS
5.Planning for the conservation of historic towns and urban areas should be preceded by multidisciplinary studies.
Conservation plans must address all relevant factors including archaeology, history, architecture, techniques, sociology and economics.
The principal objectives of the conservation plan should be clearly stated as should the legal, administrative and financial measures necessary to attain them.
The conservation plan should aim at ensuring a harmonious relationship between the historic urban areas and the town as a whole.
The conservation plan should determine which buildings must be preserved, which should be preserved under certain circumstances and which, under quite exceptional circumstances, might be expendable.
Before any intervention, existing conditions in the area should be thoroughly documented. The conservation plan should be supported by the residents of the historic area.
6. Until a conservation plan has been adopted, any necessary conservation activity should be carried out in accordance with the principles and the aims of this Charter and the Venice Charter.
7.Continuing maintenance is crucial to the effective conservation of a historic town or urban area.
8.New functions and activities should be compatible with the character of the historic town or urban area.
Adaptation of these areas to contemporary life requires the careful installation or improvement of public service facilities.
9.The improvement of housing should be one of the basic objectives of conservation. 10. When it is necessary to construct new buildings or adapt existing ones, the existing
spatial layout should be respected, especially in terms of scale and lot size.
The introduction of contemporary elements in harmony with the surroundings should not be discouraged since such features can contribute to the enrichment of an area.
11.Knowledge of the history of a historic town or urban area should be expanded
through archaeological investigation and appropriate preservation of archaeological findings.
12.Traffic inside a historic town or urban area must be controlled and parking areas must be planned so that they do not damage the historic fabric or its environment.
13. When urban or regional planning provides for the construction of major motorways, they must not penetrate a historic town or urban area, but they should improve access to them.
14. Historic towns should be protected against natural disasters and nuisances such as pollution and vibrations in order to safeguard the heritage and for the security and well- being of the residents.
Whatever the nature of a disaster affecting a historic town or urban area, preventative and repair measures must be adapted to the specific character of the properties concerned.
15.In order to encourage their participation and involvement, a general information programme should be set up for all residents, beginning with children of school age.
16.Specialised training should be provided for all those professions concerned with conservation.
Adopted by ICOMOS General Assembly in Washington, DC, October 1987.
PREAMBLE AND DEFINITIONS
All urban communities, whether they have developed gradually over time or have been created deliberately, are an expression of the diversity of societies throughout history.
This charter concerns historic urban areas, large and small, including cities, towns and historic centres or quarters, together with their natural and man-made environments. Beyond their role as historical documents, these areas embody the values of traditional urban cultures. Today many such areas are being threatened, physically degraded, damaged or even destroyed, by the impact of the urban development that follows industrialisation in societies everywhere.
Faced with this dramatic situation, which often leads to irreversible cultural, social and even economic losses, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) deems it necessary to draw up an international charter for historic towns and urban areas that will complement the "International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites," usually referred to as "The Venice Charter." This new text defines the principles, objectives, and methods necessary for the conservation of historic towns and urban areas. It also seeks to promote the harmony of both private and community life in these areas and to encourage the preservation of those cultural properties, however modest in scale, that constitute the memory of mankind.
As set out in the UNESCO "Recommendation Concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas" (Warsaw - Nairobi, 1976), and also in various other international instruments, "the conservation of historic towns and urban areas" is understood to mean those steps necessary for the protection, conservation and restoration of such towns and areas as well as their development and harmonious adaptation to contemporary life.
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES
1. In order to be most effective, the conservation of historic towns and other historic urban areas should be an integral part of coherent policies of economic and social development and of urban and regional planning at every level.
2. Qualities to be preserved include the historic character of the town or urban area and all those material and spiritual elements that express this character, especially:
a) Urban patterns as defined by lots and streets;
b) Relationships between buildings and green and open spaces;
c) The formal appearance, interior and exterior, of buildings as defined by scale, size, style, construction, materials, colour and decoration;
d)The relationship between the town or urban area and its surrounding setting, both natural and man-made; and
e) The various functions that the town or urban area has acquired over time. Any threat to these qualities would compromise the authenticity of the historic town or
urban area.
3.The participation and the involvement of the residents are essential for the success of the conservation programme and should be encouraged. The conservation of historic towns and urban areas concerns their residents first of all.
4. Conservation in a historic town or urban area demands prudence, a systematic approach and discipline. Rigidity should be avoided since individual cases may present specific problems.
METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS
5.Planning for the conservation of historic towns and urban areas should be preceded by multidisciplinary studies.
Conservation plans must address all relevant factors including archaeology, history, architecture, techniques, sociology and economics.
The principal objectives of the conservation plan should be clearly stated as should the legal, administrative and financial measures necessary to attain them.
The conservation plan should aim at ensuring a harmonious relationship between the historic urban areas and the town as a whole.
The conservation plan should determine which buildings must be preserved, which should be preserved under certain circumstances and which, under quite exceptional circumstances, might be expendable.
Before any intervention, existing conditions in the area should be thoroughly documented. The conservation plan should be supported by the residents of the historic area.
6. Until a conservation plan has been adopted, any necessary conservation activity should be carried out in accordance with the principles and the aims of this Charter and the Venice Charter.
7.Continuing maintenance is crucial to the effective conservation of a historic town or urban area.
8.New functions and activities should be compatible with the character of the historic town or urban area.
Adaptation of these areas to contemporary life requires the careful installation or improvement of public service facilities.
9.The improvement of housing should be one of the basic objectives of conservation. 10. When it is necessary to construct new buildings or adapt existing ones, the existing
spatial layout should be respected, especially in terms of scale and lot size.
The introduction of contemporary elements in harmony with the surroundings should not be discouraged since such features can contribute to the enrichment of an area.
11.Knowledge of the history of a historic town or urban area should be expanded
through archaeological investigation and appropriate preservation of archaeological findings.
12.Traffic inside a historic town or urban area must be controlled and parking areas must be planned so that they do not damage the historic fabric or its environment.
13. When urban or regional planning provides for the construction of major motorways, they must not penetrate a historic town or urban area, but they should improve access to them.
14. Historic towns should be protected against natural disasters and nuisances such as pollution and vibrations in order to safeguard the heritage and for the security and well- being of the residents.
Whatever the nature of a disaster affecting a historic town or urban area, preventative and repair measures must be adapted to the specific character of the properties concerned.
15.In order to encourage their participation and involvement, a general information programme should be set up for all residents, beginning with children of school age.
16.Specialised training should be provided for all those professions concerned with conservation.
THOU SHALL (NOT)
Lilet Breddels and Arjen Oosterman
During the conference Architecture of Peace held during May 2010 in Rotterdam, a strong need was felt to establish an ethical code for architects. That is, a code that was not only to refrain ‘do-good’ architects in post-conflict areas from making involuntary mistakes that only inflict more trouble, but also to create awareness of the responsibilities of the profession in general. To create such a ‘standard’ we first examined some existing codes of conduct in the fields of architecture and design. It immediately struck us that most of them are formulated negatively: You Shall Not...! The codes give a clear insight in the underlying discourses of the specific profession.
The Royal Institute of Dutch Architects seems to be primarily occupied with the architect as selling products and services. The second rule of their code states that the architect is free to make publicity for his or her office. It has chapters for the Client and the Colleagues with each four subchapters to protect them from ‘bad behavior’ of the architect and only one meager subchapter on society and environment, requiring the architect to ‘take into account the effects of their work on society and environment’. The Royal British Institute for Architecture does foresee considerably higher moral standards for their members like ‘Integrity’ and ‘Competence’. In the chapter Relationships they do not start with clients or colleagues but with: ‘Members should respect the beliefs and opinions of other people, recognize social diversity and treat everyone fairly. They should also have a proper concern and due regard for the effect that their work may have on its users and the local community’. The International Union of Architects (UIA) have not created a code specific for architects but instead have a general international code for all professionals performing consulting services. They recommend that all national architectural associations incorporate these values within their own specific national code. Four out of ten articles in this document stress the importance of being aware of and respectful towards local cultures, sensibilities, needs and circumstances. Article 1.2 explicitly states that ‘there shall be no attempt to impose solutions of one society on other societies’.
The numerous efforts to establish a code or manifesto in the graphic design field reflect their concerns about the cultural position of the profession and shows the struggle with being perceived as purely commercial. ‘In common with an increasing number of the general public, we have reached a saturation point which the high pitched scream of consumer selling is no more than sheer noise. We think that there are other things more worth using our skill and experience on’, says the First Things First manifesto, signed by prominent graphic designers such as Gert Dumbar and Irma Boom. The implication that there are other clients to serve but the market (art, society) isn’t fleshed out, but can be considered a start for a code. Journalists probably come closest to the medical oath as sworn by doctors with a code that asks to adhere to values such as ‘Fairness’, ‘Inclusiveness’, ‘Honesty’, and ‘Courage’. Where honesty could be considered specific for journalists, ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘fairness’ are relevant for architects too. The last point, courage, is auspiciously missing from all designer codes we saw.
A compilation of ingredients from previously mentioned codes would potentially provide a set of rules and values applicable to architecture as profession in general. However, the challenge is not to create a politically correct document that hides somewhere on a website, but to raise an awareness of the responsibilities of a profession, like the Hippocratic Oath that is historically taken by doctors swearing to practice medicine ethically.
In its Hasselt Charter, Architects sans Frontiers International ‘encourages “ethical professionalism” and “ethical trade”’. Like basic human rights this may seem all too evident, but reality shows that it is not. Engagement is a prerequisite for helping or adding anything positive to a situation; acting, actually doing something is a first impulse. But the value and strength of the simple two-letter word ‘no’ should not be forgotten. Not participating in projects that won’t function seems wiser than adding another example to the list of failed good intentions. A code can help to introduce this moment of reflection, that goes well beyond the choice to say yes or no. It explicitly implies the aims and goals at stake. Therefore we ask:
Help us to create a solemn oath to be endorsed (embraced?) by all architectural associations worldwide, or even better to be taken at graduation day.
Special thanks to Sytse de Maat for providing material on various codes.
During the conference Architecture of Peace held during May 2010 in Rotterdam, a strong need was felt to establish an ethical code for architects. That is, a code that was not only to refrain ‘do-good’ architects in post-conflict areas from making involuntary mistakes that only inflict more trouble, but also to create awareness of the responsibilities of the profession in general. To create such a ‘standard’ we first examined some existing codes of conduct in the fields of architecture and design. It immediately struck us that most of them are formulated negatively: You Shall Not...! The codes give a clear insight in the underlying discourses of the specific profession.
The Royal Institute of Dutch Architects seems to be primarily occupied with the architect as selling products and services. The second rule of their code states that the architect is free to make publicity for his or her office. It has chapters for the Client and the Colleagues with each four subchapters to protect them from ‘bad behavior’ of the architect and only one meager subchapter on society and environment, requiring the architect to ‘take into account the effects of their work on society and environment’. The Royal British Institute for Architecture does foresee considerably higher moral standards for their members like ‘Integrity’ and ‘Competence’. In the chapter Relationships they do not start with clients or colleagues but with: ‘Members should respect the beliefs and opinions of other people, recognize social diversity and treat everyone fairly. They should also have a proper concern and due regard for the effect that their work may have on its users and the local community’. The International Union of Architects (UIA) have not created a code specific for architects but instead have a general international code for all professionals performing consulting services. They recommend that all national architectural associations incorporate these values within their own specific national code. Four out of ten articles in this document stress the importance of being aware of and respectful towards local cultures, sensibilities, needs and circumstances. Article 1.2 explicitly states that ‘there shall be no attempt to impose solutions of one society on other societies’.
The numerous efforts to establish a code or manifesto in the graphic design field reflect their concerns about the cultural position of the profession and shows the struggle with being perceived as purely commercial. ‘In common with an increasing number of the general public, we have reached a saturation point which the high pitched scream of consumer selling is no more than sheer noise. We think that there are other things more worth using our skill and experience on’, says the First Things First manifesto, signed by prominent graphic designers such as Gert Dumbar and Irma Boom. The implication that there are other clients to serve but the market (art, society) isn’t fleshed out, but can be considered a start for a code. Journalists probably come closest to the medical oath as sworn by doctors with a code that asks to adhere to values such as ‘Fairness’, ‘Inclusiveness’, ‘Honesty’, and ‘Courage’. Where honesty could be considered specific for journalists, ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘fairness’ are relevant for architects too. The last point, courage, is auspiciously missing from all designer codes we saw.
A compilation of ingredients from previously mentioned codes would potentially provide a set of rules and values applicable to architecture as profession in general. However, the challenge is not to create a politically correct document that hides somewhere on a website, but to raise an awareness of the responsibilities of a profession, like the Hippocratic Oath that is historically taken by doctors swearing to practice medicine ethically.
In its Hasselt Charter, Architects sans Frontiers International ‘encourages “ethical professionalism” and “ethical trade”’. Like basic human rights this may seem all too evident, but reality shows that it is not. Engagement is a prerequisite for helping or adding anything positive to a situation; acting, actually doing something is a first impulse. But the value and strength of the simple two-letter word ‘no’ should not be forgotten. Not participating in projects that won’t function seems wiser than adding another example to the list of failed good intentions. A code can help to introduce this moment of reflection, that goes well beyond the choice to say yes or no. It explicitly implies the aims and goals at stake. Therefore we ask:
Help us to create a solemn oath to be endorsed (embraced?) by all architectural associations worldwide, or even better to be taken at graduation day.
Special thanks to Sytse de Maat for providing material on various codes.
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