A WORD FROM OUR CHAIR

Spring is here - the daffodils and blossoms look stunning - even if we are having frequent reminders of snow, rain, and severe weather events of a winter just past.

Planning for Conference 2027 - Compliance Excellence though Education for Safer Buildings (Lower Hutt, Wellington) is well underway, and we are now seeking speakers and sponsors to help make this as successful as our Christchurch conference.  Please reach out to admin@abciqp.org.nz if you think you'd like to consider speaking, sponsoring, or being an exhibitor.

Our new Management Committee has hit the ground running, meeting regularly online and working hard to ensure we continue to effectively represent and advocate for our members.  We've been asking productive questions about our existing processes and challenging ourselves to understand why we do things the way we do - and importantly, whether those practices remain aligned with the core purpose of why we are here.  So far, the discussions and debates have been healthy, respectful, and constructive.  It's great to share with you that we are all passionate about making a positive difference and contributing to a stronger, more effective compliance industry.

August and September have been busy months, with well-attended Forums and training sessions held throughout the country.  October is shaping u[ to be another busy month with workshops available for members to sign up for, continue learning, and keep building their knowledge and skills.

The South Island IQP Registration Panel sent a letter to all South Island SS8 registered IQP's reminding them of their obligations and formally advising that a 12-month improvement period will apply from 28th September 2026.  During this period, these IQP's are expected to review their current practices and make improvements where applicable - as well as stating what areas need to be focused on.  I personally applaud the communication, as it provides us with a reasonable, defined timeframe to review our processes, identify improvement and take action, while also making clear what consequences may be if improvements are not made. For all other IQP's registered in the South Island you may be receiving a letter in the future.

Now we have to adjust our body clocks to accommodate daylight saving, and for those building systems that are not automated - spend the upcoming visits moving the clocks forward an hour.

Kind regards,

Lyall Senior – Chair, Association of Building Compliance

AN UPDATE FROM OUR CEO

Kia ora koutou katoa, 

This month has certainly flown by for me. I am impressed with the uptake of training by councils. I have recently conducted multi-day training workshops for 9 councils. These councils have seen the need for upskilling their staff and providing them with the support they need to do their jobs. Hopefully by giving them all the same messages through the workshops we will be able to get more consistency. I applaud the councils for taking this initiative and encourage the other councils to upskill as well.

What the above has shown me, including the uptake of the Certificate in Building Compliance by council, is that the councils are serious in improving their knowledge in Building Compliance. The Territorial side of the council has often been forgotten when it has come to training and now with the possibility of a requirement for a qualification for them, they are taking up the challenge before it becomes compulsory. Building Compliance has never been more important now since the events of the Mosque Attack and Loafers Lodge and more in the public eye. This will be even higher next month with the start of the Loafers Lodge court case. After spending time with them this month, it is clear to me that they want the same thing as IQP's do, a safer building environment for NZ Inc. This training undertaken with ABC also means that they will be more informed when dealing with BWOF Audits and non-compliances in accordance with changes to legislation, standards and the compliance pathways. IQP's need to be on the same level also, so I encourage IQP's to maintain their CPD too.

Many of you have asked about the next Firefighting workshop at FENZ National Training Centre. There hasn't been one for a few years but with encouragement from me, the Institution of Fire Engineers is hosting another one next month on 30th October. For more information on this and to secure a place please download the flyer here. For those that don't know about this, its a practical day at the NTC which gives people dealing in the built environment a practical look and feel on firefighters tactics, use of specified systems and working within legislation to save lives and property. It is often a challenge for firefighters when designers insist on single means of escape, extended travel distances and extended hose run distances. FENZ and IFE members will put you in their shoes, giving you a better understanding of the challenges firefighters face when designs are approved with these allowances. It is truly worth the day out.

I am still receiving emails about professional indemnity insurance. We have now held three separate workshops on this topic, provided a group discount offer for members, and provided a draft IQP contract template. All of these, including the videos of the workshops are available on our members page and resources page on our website. I encourage you to look at the videos or read the presentation to understand more about it. IQP inspections are relied upon by building owners when making decisions about the compliance of their buildings, and the advice you provide as an IQP is professional advice.

Next month sees more training available and if there is something that we haven't covered, please get in contact and we will try to accommodate your needs. 

Noho ora mai,

Trent Fearnley

We have recently undertaken a major upgrade to our website, which has affected registrations, communications and certificates.

We appreciate that this may have caused some delays in members receiving their documentation, as well as the occasional unnecessary double-up email.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your patience and understanding while we work through the final teething issues and scare away the gremlins! 

Thank you for bearing with us as we get everything running smoothly again.

Next round of Forums take place in November - please ensure you register your attendance in advance - registrations for 2026 are open year-round - *please note the new venues for Auckland and Tauranga*

These sessions are designed to encourage open discussion, strengthen connections between IQPs, councils, and industry stakeholders, and promote greater consistency and understanding across regions. 

All Forums are free to attend (CPD points and certificates for ABC members)

Click here  to secure your spot and stay connected throughout the year! 

If there is a particular subject you’d like us to cover in future sessions - Click Here to Submit your Topic

We are delighted to welcome our new members to the Association.  Additions to our community are 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.

 Upcoming Training Workshops - Register NOW!

Don’t miss this opportunity to boost your professional development - register today!  

AUCKLAND

Friday 16 October - Automatic Doors for Compliance SS3.1 and Egress Control SS3.2 - HYBRID - Full-day workshop. 15% discount when registering for full-day.

Friday 16 October - Automatic Doors for Compliance SS3.1 - HYBRID - Half-day workshop.

Friday 16 October - Egress Control SS3.2 - HYBRID -Half-day workshop.

Friday 30 October & Friday 6 November - IQP Backflow Prevention Course with Unit Standards - 2x Full-day workshops

Friday 6 November - SS7 Automatic Backflow Preventers - Refresher Theory and Practical - Full-day workshop

ONLINE

Friday 6 November - Understanding a Fire Engineering Design Report - Full-day workshop.

Friday 27 November - HVAC and Smoke Control - requirements for SS5, SS9, SS11 and SS13 - Full-day workshop.

To view the full list of our courses (including cost and times) click here:  Workshops/Seminars » Association of Building Compliance (abciqp.org.nz)

 If you have any queries regarding the above workshops or require further assistance please email us - admin@abciqp.org.nz  

GAIN AN NZQA ACCREDITED QUALIFICATION THAT IS UNIQUE, RELEVANT, AND INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC.

Designed for professionals including IQPs and council compliance staff, the programme covers the Building Act, Building Code, compliance schedules, specified systems, BWOF requirements and Fire and Emergency New Zealand requirements.

The 22-week part-time programme is delivered through weekly online evening tutorials, online workshops and a two-day face-to-face workshop, making it possible to study while you work.

Promotional fee: $1,500 per student for the November 2026 intakes (standard 2027 fee $4,160). Group pricing of $1,000 per student is also available for groups of five or more from the same council/company.

For more information on this promo view this brochure or contact Helen: helen.hegley@futureskills.co.nz

See the Future Skills website for more information Certificate in Building Compliance (Level 4) - Future Skills 

Fire Engineering with Future Skills

Future Skills will be delivering new qualifications in fire engineering. They will be starting in early in the New Year with the first being the Diploma in Fire Engineering. They will also be delivering Micro-credentials in Fire Engineering, starting with Building Means of Escape (Level 6). 

Micro-credentials are small, stand-alone awards that recognize specific skills and knowledge. They are designed to meet the needs of learners, employers, and industries, and are part of the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

Want to more of what's happening in this space, read our new article here.

We are pleased to confirm that we have rolled out an ABC member specific Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and Statutory Liability scheme.

The policy cover and wordings have been designed and drafted specifically for ABC members to address the specific risks that IQP’s have. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION