PRM SEM 02 - 02. Registration Flashcards
Registered Architects Act 2005:
This replaced the Architects Act 1963 with more modern standards of legislation:
- “Part 1 of the Act covers preliminary provisions including the Act’s purpose which
is described as being “to protect the title of Registered Architect”. - Part 2 covers registration, complaints and discipline for architects.
- Part 3 covers the NZRAB’s governance arrangements.
- Part 4 of the Act covers miscellaneous provisions, including transitional
arrangements required when the Board was first being established.
Source: NZ Registered Architects Board http://www.nzrab.org.nz/default.aspx?Page=127
NZRAB
The NZ Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) replaced the Architectural Education and
Registration Board (AERB).
They established the Registered Architects Rules 2006 “which include detailed requirements regarding registration, continuing registration, suspension procedures. the Register, the architects’ code of ethics, discipline procedures, governance and, via a schedule, fees that the NZRAB charges for its services.”
The rules have been amended a few times since 2006 and the most recent
(2015) version is at: www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2006/0161 /latest/versions.aspx
Architect (term)
The terms “architect” and “registered architect” have been protected for decades and continue to be. It is an offense to call oneself an architect or registered architect unless one has been through the registration process. You can use phrases like “architectural designer” or “registered architect in the UK”.
Graduates with the appropriate university degrees are “architectural graduates” but there is no such thing as a “graduate architect” and this term should not be used.
Becoming an architect through registration is the route most graduates use to become architectural practitioners. It has benefits over the Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) route due to having an NZ Institute of Architects (NZIA) support structure and the ability to use the term architect at the end. Registered Architects automatically become Category 3 in the LBP regime.
NZ registration is also recognised in Australia and there are moves for mutual recognition in the
Commonwealth and Asia-Pacific region.
If you do not annually renew your Annual Certificate of Registration you can no longer call
yourself an architect.
Architectural Education:
Up until the mid 20th Century in NZ most young people became architects through a
combination of apprenticeship to architectural firms while studying part time through the
Auckland School of Architecture (established 1917). The Victoria school was established
in the 1970s and the Unitec school in the 1980s.
Architecture schools are “accredited” through an Australia/ NZ wide process that
monitors the school’s degrees, courses and performance. Every five years schools are
inspected by panels made up of representatives of the RAB, the NZIA and the
profession, in which we strive to maintain our accreditation!
An approved architectural qualification is a requirement of the NZRAB for registration.
This was the Bachelor of Architecture, now it is the M.Arch (Prof). These degrees are
also recognised by Australia’s registration authority, the Architects Accreditation Council
of Australia (AACA).
The NZ Registered Architects Board (NZRAB)
‘The New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) is a statutory entity tasked with registering, monitoring and, if need be, disciplining architects. This is done to protect the public, which in turn protects the reputation of the architectural profession. The government has an overarching view that in specific situations there is a need for some occupations to be regulated, and has determined that this includes architects.”
Source: NZ Registered Architects Board July 2016 https://www.nzrab.nz/c/About-the-NZRAB
Board members are appointed by the Minister for Building and Construction with half nominated by the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA). The RAB has about 50 registered architect assessors who assess candidates for registration.
The website is http://www.nzrab.org.nz and contains the Register. This includes
architects who are:
* in voluntary suspension (see end of lecture)
* have had their registration expire because they have not paid for their current
annual Certificate of Registration
* have been suspended for disciplinary or other reasons.
The names of the following are NOT visible:
* any former architects who have had their registration cancelled
* architects formerly registered with the AERB who have not registered with the RAB.
Also, information regarding architects currently registered who have been disciplined within the last three years is available (currently two!). In total, there are approximately 1750 architects registered in New Zealand (plus 260 on voluntary suspension and 130 with expired annual certificates of registration.
Complaints:
The public can make written complaints to the RAB, usually on the basis that the architect has breached the Code of Minimum Standards of Ethical Conduct for Registered Architects or has practiced in a negligent or incompetent manner. More on these in later lectures.
Two registered architects have been disciplined within the last three years. The website lists aspects of typical complaints:
- Generally complaints relate to residential projects with home-owner clients.
- When residential projects founder it’s usually because of poor budget control.
- Sloppy communications with clients is often central to the problem.
- Loss of control of the project is worst in relation to money matters, setting budgets, and obtaining cost estimates at the various design stages of the work.
- Not getting independent estimating advice is a common failing.
- Often conditions of engagement and fee-setting are not formalised and changes in scope aren’t documented.
Source: NZRAB website July 2016 “Complaints/ Lessons Learnt” www.nzrab.nz/c/Services
and you can read several reports in full on that site!
Registration:
Currently up to a third of registration applications are declined. Many of these involve
“applications that have little chance of success and should not have been
submitted … “ according to the NZRAB.
What is the Board Looking For?
In the past the RAB has said: “Fundamentally, the assessors who scrutinise each applicant ask the question “Is this person ready to operate as a stand-alone, sole-trader Architect - is the applicant ready to put up his or her shingle?” A Registered Architect has to understand and have experience of all the procedures and judgements required to run an architectural practice and provide a full range of architectural services. He or she must be able to do this without the safety net of being in a practice with other more experienced architects. You are not ready for registration if you still rely on colleagues to “fill in the gaps”.”
Source: NZ Registered Architects Board 2012 no longer online
Why are Applications Declined?
“It is very rare for an application to be declined because the applicant lacks design skill or flair. The issues almost always involve a lack of experience or understanding of the practicalities of operating an architectural business and managing a building project from beginning to end in the New Zealand environment. Here are some common reasons why applicants get into difficulty:
- a lack of familiarity with setting fees, tendering procedures, and establishing and administering contracts
- an inadequate understanding of the Resource Management Act, District Plans, the Building Act, the Building Code and Compliance Documents, Code Compliance Certificates, and the consent process
- a poor understanding of the New Zealand context, including responses to the
New Zealand climate and seismic design (where to find this information? BRANZ maps) - poor understanding of the legislative framework for conducting business in
New Zealand - a poor understanding of the Code of Minimum Standards of Ethical Conduct
for Registered Architects - limited breadth of experience and excessive specialisation in work done so far
- poor communications skills
Registered architects from overseas may have excellent experience in their own
countries but “lack knowledge and experience in terms of the practicalities in the
New Zealand context.”
Source: NZ Registered Architects Board 2012 no longer online
Detail on Registration Applications?
As a guideline the RAB and NZIA recommend at least 3 years of experience in NZ architectural offices. But you should focus on the quality and breadth of your experience before applying.
Your experience must be broad and you need to have handled all aspects of architectural service including fee setting and client engagement through to contract administration.
Registration assumes that you can on your own handle all aspects of the architectural process without reliance on anyone else.
If you are not getting a broad range of experience you may need to ask your employer to change your work or you may have to change jobs.
Don’t think “I’ve got 3 years experience”. think “Am I ready?”
You can get advice from an RAB Assessor Convener before applying for registration.
The NZIA also runs a Graduate Development Programme to help graduates achieve
registration.
There are several pathways to registration based on your (NZ or overseas) qualifications, experience etc.
These are visible at: https://www.nzrab.nz/c/Registration
Pathway 1
Most graduates of this school will take Pathway 1 :
- A NZ or Australian architectural qualification.
- 140 weeks practical experience (95 minimum of which is after gaining your
degree, 45 min employed by a NZ or Australian registered architect, 45 can
be in the building industry / self employment / research / post-grad study)
OR 260 weeks (5 years) practical experience (215 weeks must be subsequent to
obtaining the recognised qualification (from the date the degree is issued)
and at least 85 weeks must be spent in the practice of architecture in New
Zealand).
- Practical Experience Assessment interview with assessors, taking them
through a case study of 1 - 3 projects you were closely involved with. One
must be a “complex” building (but you don’t need to have totally handled it on
your own).
Full requirements and process are accessible through www.nzrab.nz/c/Pathway-1
A Guide to the Minimum Standards for Registration is on the Pathway 1 page at
https://www.nzrab.nz/Editable/Assets/lnitialRegistration/Guide_to_the_minimum_
standards_for_initial_registration_July_2015.pdf.
Being a Registered Architect:
You will have to maintain an Annual Certificate of Registration ($550), undertake professional development activities (CPD: Continuing Professional Development), demonstrate that you have maintained your competency for continued registration (through CPD points or a Competence Review), and adhere to the Code of Minimum Standards of Ethical Conduct (more on that in later lectures).
You will be accountable to the Board should a client or member of the public lay a complaint about your performance.
NZ architectural registration is recognized in Australia and an increasing number of Commonwealth and Asian countries. See APEC Architects attached.
Voluntary Suspension:
You can put your registration on hold when working overseas, raising a family or
studying.
You no longer have to pay for an Annual Certificate of Registration but you can not
call yourself a Registered Architect or architect, and not offer or provide building
design services as “registered architect” or “architect”. You can still practice as an
architectural designer but lodging Building Consents for Restricted Building work
would not seem possible.
Your name continues to be visible on the online New Zealand Architects Register,
but your registration is recorded there as being in voluntary suspension.
Voluntary suspension can be for a minimum of 12 months or a maximum of 5 years
and start again at any time.
