A Word from the Chair

Tēnā koutou katoa (Greetings to you all),

As we transition into the final quarter of the year, we are pleased to see that our membership numbers continue to grow. This is giving us confidence that there is a strong desire among professionals wanting to stay informed about industry developments and wanting to further their education and understanding of building compliance matters.

In industry news, MBIE guidance was sent out to TAs/BCAs following last year’s ‘Operation Magazine’ which was subsequent to the Loafers Lodge tragedy. This has now been published on their website. Inspections were carried out on similar properties throughout New Zealand to identify and address any immediate fire safety concerns in boarding houses. Information on ‘Operation Magazine’ and the guidance MBIE have provided for TAs and Building Owners of boarding houses can be found here.  It is recommended that MBIEs guide should be read in conjunction with the ‘Operation Magazine’ report.

On behalf of our members we attended a 10 minute presentation to the governments appointed select committee regarding a potential legislative update that would allow IQPs to be fined. In short, we presented information outlining the industry challenges and issues faced and asked that these be addressed first. One of the top items was a national IQP register to enable national consistency around minimum standards for IQPs being registered. We also outlined the issue of BCAs not providing sufficient compliance schedules despite having all the information and documentation on their files. We recommend that IQPs and building owners should have free access to this data if a BCA or TA are not prepared to update the compliance schedules in accordance with the consented documentation. Further from this we have also met various MPs to expand on our industry issues along with solutions. We feel these are real issues which are a material cost to businesses and building owners throughout NZ and that this lack of information being provided to IQPs is hindering the industry’s ability to improve life safety in buildings. We must remove the guess work that we are so often faced with if we are to ever improve the life safety in buildings. The ABC are committed to continuing this advocacy and hope to provide further information about our progress as it comes to hand.

Looking to the future, we are already laying the groundwork for our annual conference in Auckland, 2025 and have some good workshops planned leading up to our Christmas break. Please stay connected and engaged with the Association, attend training workshops, regional forums (in person or online) to keep your CPD going because you matter and your knowledge flows into the built environment.

Thank you for your continued support.

Ngā mihi nui

Laura Williams

Chair

Kia ora koutou,

We are building up to a busy end of the year culminating with some online training on 3 and 4 December and the last forum on 6 December in Tauranga. We will then be preparing for the next years activities, refreshing and updating our courses and preparing for the new suite of micro-credentials from Future Skills. 

Our virtual office will be closing for the Christmas Holidays on 20 December 2024 and re-opening on 6 January 2025. I hope you take some time out and enjoy the break and hopefully some quality family time.       

Nga mihi ora mai,

Trent Fearnley

Conference 2025 - Auckland

We are in full swing mode now booking in speakers for the conference. We have speakers from Clevertronics, Hydroflow, Fire-engineering, Orbitz, HVAC industry, Water NZ, and training to name a few lining up to speak. We should have the line up published in the new year, this is just a taster of what we have scheduled for you.

If you are interested in speaking or know of someone who wants to speak, please download the call for papers form here for more information.

Our exhibitor brochure is out now and can be downloaded here. You can also view all the conference details on our conference website. Check out our site for those exhibitors already confirmed. Sponsorship details are also on the exhibitor brochure.

Association of Building Compliance 2025 Conference: "Unified Compliance - Strengthening Standards across the BWOF industry"

We are excited to announce the Association of Building Compliance's flagship event next year, our 2025 Conference: "Unified Compliance - Strengthening Standards across the BWOF industry". Next year’s conference is dedicated to Uniting all IQP’s and Councils with a common goal of building compliance and building a cohesive framework for compliance through collaboration and standardised laws.

One direction, one team – He waka eke noa.

This event will bring together Independently Qualified Persons (IQPs), Council representatives and others with a shared vision of enhancing building compliance through collaboration and standardised laws. Together, we can build a cohesive framework for compliance that ensures the safety and reliability of buildings across our communities.

Conference Key Highlights:

• Expert-Led Sessions: Learn from leading experts who will share their insights on the latest trends, technologies, and methodologies in building compliance.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers, industry leaders, and innovators in the building compliance field.
• Interactive Workshops: Participate in engaging workshops designed to equip you with knowledge and new skills to apply in your role.

Registration Now Open! We are pleased to inform you that our registration portal is now open. Secure your spot to be part of this pivotal event that promises to shape the future of Building Compliance in New Zealand. We are offering Extra Earlybird pricing until 1 February 2025 (same price as our 2024 Earlybird price).

To register, please visit our website and to the conference section here. Early bird registrations are available until 1 July, offering special rates to our members, affiliates, and partner association members.

In relation to accommodation options, we have secured a Delegate rate for you at the Grand Millenium Hotel with a special price. View your accommodation options here.

Do not miss out on this opportunity to be at the forefront of building compliance, innovation, and excellence. Join us in setting new standards and contributing to a safer, more compliant future. We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an insightful and transformative event.

Conference 2024 Presentations and Videos now online

The conference presentations and videos are now available to view for all paid conference delegates. You should see a Tab on the top our webpage - "Conference 2024". This Tab is only available to conference delegates.

External Wall Fire Safety - Fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding  **Note new dates**

INTRODUCING A RISK-BASED APPROACH FOR REVIEWING SYSTEMS ON EXISTING BUILDINGS IN THE UK TO THE NEW ZEALAND MARKET

Following the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 there has been a significant evolution in legislation, guidance and practice which has changed how we design new buildings and combat existing buildings. Currently the design of any new building attracts strict combustibility requirements within the defined external wall zone, whereas reviewing existing buildings requires a reasonable and proportionate approach to the risks presented based on a holistic building review. This session will introduce current UK practice for both new build design and existing buildings and explore whether such practices could be introduced into the New Zealand market.

We will be hosting 2 seminars in the following locations:

Auckland 8 May 2025 - This will be a hybrid one to allow people to attend either in person or virtually

Wellington 6 May 2025

Speaker - James Groves is a Fire Engineer in the UK with significant experience of external wall related fire safety, he is a Chartered Engineer and member of the Institution of Fire Engineers. This course would be beneficial for building professionals who would like to know more about assessing the risks posed by external wall systems.

#Architects, #fireengineers, #BuildingOfficials and #IQP's are encouraged to register. Check out the seminars page for more details and to register here.

We are excited to announce a special 2-hour workshop in collaboration with Auckland Council. During this session, the Council will provide insights into their internal processes, helping us gain a clearer understanding. The workshop will also focus on how we can speed up processes by submitting accurate information and documentation from the outset.

This is an interactive session and it allows for an open discussion at the end so that the Council can address members issues on the following topics:

• Form 11 requests
• BWOF Audits
• B-RaDs and S-RaDs

To encourage discussion, the workshop is limited to 40 participants. It will be held three times throughout the day—at 8am, 11am, and 2pm—to accommodate more attendees and different schedules. Refreshments will be provided, and there will be time for networking after each session.

There is a small fee to cover costs. To register please click here.

ONLINE SELF-PACED COURSE

We have just developed and published our new online Means of Escape to a Final Exit course. This is design for those who cannot make the face-to-face workshops or the online workshop. This course allows you to do the training at your pace, start and stop when you have the time. It is on our workshop page alongside our other online course Compliance Fundamentals. To find out more go to our website page here.

UPCOMING TRAINING WORKSHOPS – REGISTER NOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE!

We are excited to announce our upcoming scheduled workshops over the next couple of months with many available online to provide greater flexibility and convenience. These workshops are designed to enhance your skills, update your industry knowledge, and help with your IQP registration. Whether you're aiming to upskill or update your qualifications, our sessions offer valuable insights and networking opportunities to keep you leading in building compliance.

Don't miss this opportunity to advance your professional development. Register now!

 25 October 2024 - ONLINE - BWOF Fundamentals - Half Day Workshop - 8.30am - 12.00pm

25 October 2024 – ONLINE - Owners Compliance Checks - Half Day Workshop - 1.00pm - 4.00pm

DO BOTH THE ABOVE WORKSHOPS AND RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT!

1 November 2024 - AUCKLAND - HVAC and Smoke Control - requirements for SS5, SS9, SS11 and SS13 Workshop - Full Day Workshop - 8.30am - 4.30pm

22 November 2024 - ONLINE - Compliance Schedule Best Practice Workshop - Half Day Workshop - 8.30am - 12.30pm

28 November 2024 - ONLINE – Means of Escape to a Final Exit Workshop - Half Day Workshop - 8.30am - 12.00pm

28 November 2024 – ONLINE - Signage for Compliance, SS14.2 & SS15.4 Workshop - Half Day Workshop -1.00pm - 4.00pm

DO BOTH THE ABOVE WORKSHOPS AND RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT!

3 December 2024 - ONLINE – Understanding a Fire Engineering Design Report – Full Day Workshop – 8.30am – 4.30pm

4 December 2024 - ONLINE - Emergency Lighting, SS4 - Half Day Workshop - 8.30am - 12.30pm

** NOTE - Combine any 2 workshops above and we will give you a 15% discount - Just email admin@abciqp.org.nz to arrange **

Register here:  Workshops/Seminars » Association of Building Compliance (abciqp.org.nz)

We are delighted to welcome our new members to the Association. Your addition to our community is exciting, and we look forward to both sharing our expertise and learning from your experiences. We are committed to continuous improvement and development, and we believe that together, we can achieve great strides in building compliance excellence.