A Word from the Chair

Tēnā koutou katoa (Greetings to you all),

I hope this message finds you well. A month has passed since our annual 2024 Conference held in Nelson and we’ve all had some time to reflect on the success and lessons learnt. It was an inspiring few days, filled with insightful presentations, meaningful discussions, and the invaluable exchange of ideas and healthy debate.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended including our conference sponsors, guest speakers and exhibitors. Your engagement, enthusiasm, and commitment to building compliance made this event truly special. I trust that you all left with new knowledge, fresh perspectives, and a renewed sense of purpose in your work.

Each conference is a powerful reminder of the significance of our roles in this challenging industry. The work we do is crucial in ensuring safe, compliant, and sustainable buildings for everyone. I am continually impressed by the dedication and expertise of our members, and it’s clear that we all want the best for our industry and safety in buildings.

Thank you for your continued dedication to maintaining the highest standards of building compliance. Together, we can work towards a more efficient and effective building compliance system for everyone involved.

Industry Update.

We’d like to bring to your attention a common issue that many of our Owner Agents and Independent Qualified Persons (IQPs) have been encountering.

Recently, we’ve received numerous reports of challenges faced by IQPs in obtaining accurate and timely information from councils. One particular concern is the inconsistency in the handling of Compliance Schedules (CS) when there’s a change in ownership. It has come to our attention that some councils are not updating the CS with new owner details despite a change in the rating information they hold and they are not then notifying the owner’s agent if they have updated the CS. Consequently, when it’s time to issue the Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF), Owners agents and IQPs are finding their documentation rejected because the BWOF and Form 12As no longer align with the updated CS owner details OR they are being forced to submit a Form 11 with the new owner details, which are often unknown, despite councils rating database already containing this information.

This situation is creating a significant administrative burden, leading to un-claimable costs and unnecessary delays. It’s essential for councils to recognize the commercial realities our industry faces. Owners’ agents and IQPs are not always directly employed by the building owners; in many cases, they are contracted by tenants or other parties. When the correct documentation fails to reach the appropriate people, it disrupts the entire compliance process.

We believe it’s time for a more streamlined and transparent approach from councils to ensure that all relevant parties, including owners’ agents as a minimum, receive the necessary updated CS documentation promptly. This will not only prevent delays in issuing Form 12 and Form 12A documentation but will also save time and costs that are currently being absorbed unnecessarily.

One council has advised us that the information that is given to the rating department is covered under the data privacy laws. In other words it is to be only used for the purposes that it is collected for. It cannot be used by other council departments. Perhaps if the purpose for the data collected was extended to include the use for Compliance Schedules then it would be easier. This appears to be an internal issue with council departments.

We are advocating that council representatives address this issue and engage in a process that better supports the needs and commercial reality of our industry. In the meantime, I encourage all members to remain vigilant and proactive in their communications with councils to mitigate these challenges where possible.

Ngā mihi nui

Laura Williams

Chair

Kia ora koutou,

One would think that after such a busy time leading up to the conference our team here at ABC would be able to have a bit of downtime. Unfortunately, not the case for us. I would like to recognise the hard work my team has done with putting together a great conference, thank you to Rachael, Kim and Jessikah and our conference committee, Warwick and Lyall. Great work team.

We are now working hard to get speakers for our 2025 conference. Our conference site is live with extra earlybird prices and includes important information for you. We would also like to thank our sponsors and exhibitors from this years conference and a special shout out to the ones below who have already pledged their support for Conference 2025.

Nga mihi ora mai,

Trent Fearnley

Conference 2025 - Auckland

After such a successful conference last month, you would forgive us for taking a break for a bit from conferencing.....alas no! We are now in full swing for next year.

Our exhibitor brochure is out now and can be downloaded here. You can also view all the conference details on our conference website.

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

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 4 seminars in the following locations:

Tauranga 12 November

Auckland 14 November - This will be a hybrid one to allow people to attend either in person or virtually

Christchurch 19 November 

Wellington 20 November

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.

For those that were at our conference, you would have seen the presentation from Future Skills on the new IQP Level 5 Certificate in Building Compliance. This consists of 3 micro-credentials. We are hoping to have these available for our members in November this year!!! This is subject to TEC and WDC approval. Below is a preview of what is suggested. ABCTech will still be running our CPD refresher courses and these will support the new qualification. We are really excited about these and hope you are too. Keep looking on our website and newsletter as we will be updating you shortly with some confirmed dates from Future Skills.

Building Compliance Legislation - 10 credits

Aim: The aim of the course is to equip learners with a thorough understanding of the legal requirements and regulatory frameworks governing building Compliance in New Zealand, ensuring they can effectively interpret and apply these laws in their professional practice. This course will enhance the learners' ability to navigate and adhere to the Building Act 2004 and related regulations, promoting safe and compliant building practices.

Means of Escape and Signage - 10 credits

Aim: The aim of the course is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the principles, regulations, and best practices for designing and implementing effective means of escape and emergency signage in buildings, ensuring safety and Compliance with New Zealand's building codes and safety standards.

Building Inspections for Compliance - 40 credits

Aim: The aim of the course is to prepare learners with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively conduct and assess building inspections to ensure Compliance with New Zealand's building codes and regulations.

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!

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!

Thursday 19 September - HVAC and Smoke Control - requirements for SS5, SS9, SS11 and SS13 – Face-to-Face in Online

Thursday and Friday 26 and 27 September - IQP Backflow Prevention course with Unit Standards. This is a 4-day course, 2 days online and 2 days onsite in Christchurch

Friday 27 September - IQP Back Flow Refresher workshop - 1-day theory and practical 

Ongoing - Online Modules Compliance Fundamentals - IQP Practising Certificate Level 1

Ongoing - Online Modules Means of Escape to a Final Exit.

For a list of all courses throughout the year and a detailed description of them, please visit our website via the link below.

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.

Aqua Works / Warkworth Plumbing – Steve Reynolds, Cameron Kennedy

ICE Security Limited – Jason Binedell, Simon Paul

Whakatane District Council – Jessica Scholte, Shane Willis, Katrina Picard, Geoff Winship, Liisa Tioke

HOPE Presbyterian Church – Gerald Bradfield, Trudy du Bruyn, Rosemary Allison, Tabatha Brink

Colab Building Compliance – Mike Newbury

Life Compliance Services – Kerry Larsen

Taranaki Fire Protection and Compliance Ltd – Chris Bint

Evotek Technologies – Jim Buysman-Bakkum, Jordan McCormick, Warren Ah Mai

Global Active Fire Solutions – Marty Vroegop, Russell Peat

Ashwin Patel

And we welcome back Almak - Jarrod Cawood