About Associated Reserve Planners

Advancing the Profession of Reserve Planning

Associated Reserve Planners (ARP) is an international professional trade organization dedicated to advancing the profession of reserve planning and capital budget management.

ARP represents one pillar of a complete professional ecosystem intentionally designed to elevate reserve studies from an industry practice to a recognized profession. Unlike other trade associations, ARP was formed in coordination with two independent organizations to achieve this goal:

• ICBI – International Capital Budgeting Institute
• BPCB – Budgeting Professionals Credentialing Board

Together, these three organizations form a complete and integrated professional structure for reserve study professionals.

The Three-Pillar Professional Ecosystem

1. ICBI – Professional Standards

The International Capital Budgeting Institute (ICBI) established:

• Generally Accepted Reserve Study Principles
• Generally Accepted Reserve Study Standards

These standards were created to serve the public interest — not merely the interests of trade organization members. They define the reserve study process, reporting framework, and required professional competencies.

More information: www.capitalbudgeting.org

2. BPCB – Credentialing and Proof of Knowledge

The Budgeting Professionals Credentialing Board (BPCB) established the:

Registered Reserve Consultant (RRC)

The RRC is the only reserve credential that requires proof of knowledge through comprehensive testing.

To earn the RRC credential, applicants must:

• Complete 24 hours of required education
• Pass comprehensive examinations on each course
• Meet continuing education requirements
• Comply with peer review and ethics standards

Other reserve credentials are experience-based and do not require formal testing of knowledge.

More information: www.budgetcredential.org

3. ARP – Trade Organization, Education & Professional Forum

Associated Reserve Planners serves as the professional trade organization that:

• Provides education aligned with ICBI standards
• Supports continuing professional development
• Hosts conferences and technical webinars
• Maintains research and information resources
• Provides a forum for dialogue and professional collaboration

ARP supports and reinforces the standards established by ICBI and the credentialing requirements administered by BPCB.

Our Foundation

Established in Canada in 2011, Associated Reserve Planners International operates as a nonprofit professional trade organization serving reserve professionals globally.

ARP-USA represents the United States chapter of this international network, bringing together professionals who prepare reserve studies and capital budgets in accordance with internationally recognized standards.

Reinventing the Reserve Study Process

In 2014, ICBI convened a 16-member international committee representing multiple disciplines and six countries. Participants included individuals who:

• Perform reserve studies
• Use reserve studies
• Rely on reserve studies
• Hold differing and opposing viewpoints

The committee was instructed to ignore existing industry practices and reimagine the reserve study process from the ground up.

The Committee’s Objectives

The group sought to:

• Clearly define what a reserve study is
• Identify the fundamental elements of the process
• Define the required skill sets
• Establish necessary financial calculations
• Determine required reporting content
• Create a structured professional process

What Is a Reserve Study?

The committee concluded:

• A reserve study is not an appraisal
• It is not a property condition assessment
• It is not an engineering study
• It is not a maintenance plan

A reserve study is a budget.

It is the financial reflection of a maintenance plan.

The reserve study report is a financial projection — a financial statement.

This definition fundamentally reshaped professional standards.

The Three Required Disciplines of Reserve Preparation

The committee determined that reserve preparation is a multidisciplinary profession requiring competence in three core disciplines:

1. Facilities Maintenance

The ability to:

• Identify and quantify physical components
• Evaluate condition and remaining useful life
• Understand maintenance planning

The committee concluded that maintenance knowledge is often more critical than engineering or construction knowledge because the reserve study exists to support budgeting decisions.

2. Valuation

Valuation includes pricing of maintenance expenditures and capital projects.

This may require:

• Construction cost estimating knowledge
• Understanding of contractor pricing
• Accounting knowledge for association self-performed projects
• Analysis of direct vs. indirect costs and interfund allocations

3. Financial Skills

Financial competence includes three subsets:

• Financial calculations
• Financial modeling
• Financial reporting

These skills ensure projections are mathematically sound, logically modeled, and properly presented.

Reserve Study Reporting Standards

Because a reserve study is a financial projection, ICBI reviewed long-established AICPA financial reporting standards for guidance.

ICBI incorporated key financial reporting concepts while adapting them for non-CPA reserve professionals.

ICBI standards require:

• A limited number of standardized summary exhibits
• A mandatory preparer’s report
• Required narrative disclosures
• Consistent formatting and order of presentation

Supplemental schedules may be added, but required exhibits must be presented in the mandated format.

This framework promotes:

• Consistency
• Comparability
• Professional integrity
• Public trust

Membership in ARP

Membership in Associated Reserve Planners is a professional distinction.

ARP members must:

• Adhere to ICBI Generally Accepted Reserve Study Standards
• Complete 8 hours of annual continuing education
• Maintain professional conduct

ARP Component Database

Members have access to the ARP Component Database, which includes:

• Suggested component naming conventions
• Category standardization
• Shared data contributions

While not mandatory, use of these conventions is encouraged to improve consistency and comparability across reserve studies — addressing one of the most common concerns expressed by managers and users of reserve studies.

Transitioning from Industry to Profession

A true profession must demonstrate defined characteristics.

Together, ARP, ICBI, and BPCB meet these criteria:

Our Vision

Associated Reserve Planners proudly serves as the trade organization supporting the reserve study profession.

Our vision is to:

• Elevate reserve preparation to a recognized profession
• Promote Clarity, Consistency and Comparability in reserve study practices and reporting
• Support education grounded in standards
• Reinforce proof-of-knowledge credentialing
• Serve the public interest

Through the coordinated structure of ARP, ICBI, and BPCB, the reserve study profession now possesses the standards, education, credentialing, and professional forum necessary to meet the defining characteristics of a true profession.