RAIA Chapter E-News Bulletin - April 2005
[%CHAPTER NEWS%]
Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority
The Chapter issued a media release from our new president, Neal Mackintosh in response to the recent announcement of the members of the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority and the proposed international design competition to improve the linkages between City Hall, the Tasmanian Musuem and Art Gallery and the water’s edge. To view the Sullivans Cove Media Release, click here. We also sent a copy of the RAIA’s Competitions Policy to Jeff Gilmore, the new chief executive of the Authority.
We had previously written to the Premier recommending Daryl Jackson be considered for a position as a member of the Authority, however we noted with interest that his former business partner, Evan Walker, was appointed instead. Neal Mackintosh was invited to a gathering to meet some of the members of the Authority, and they are keen to engage in discussions with the RAIA on the waterfront issues. We have already approached Jeff Gilmore about holding a members meeting for him to update us on developments. We will advise you of the date of the meeting as soon as it has been confirmed and will try to coincide it with a meeting of the authority members so some of them may be available as well.
Paul Lan, following our last Public Affairs meeting, made contact with both Hobart City Council and the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority (SCWA) to find out what the current status of the Authority was with respect to planning applications and he put together a brief report below:
The following information has been collated from discussion with Peter Curtis of Hobart City Council and Rowan Moore of SCWA on 13 April 2005.
· SCWA took over from HCC on 4 April 2005 (official launch 5/4/05). It controls all building work within the Sullivan Cove waterfront boundaries. Its office address is 5 Franklin Wharf, Hobart (www.waterfront.tas.gov.au).
· SCWA derived its legislative power under the SCWA Act 2004 (www.thelaw.tas.gov.au). It has a 10 year term.
· Under the SCWA Act, the CEO of SCWA has the same power as the General Manager of HCC; & it has the same power as a statutory planning authority; & has the same power as HCC in terms of the Building Act 2000.
· SCWA uses the HCC Sullivan Cove Planning Scheme & the Hobart Waterfront Urban Design Framework as its planning approval process. It uses the approved forms from the Building Standards (www.wst.tas.gov.au/resource/bstapprovalf ) for DA, Building & Plumbing applications.
· SCWA has engaged GHD for all of its technical resource requirements such as planners, building surveyors, plumbing surveyors, etc. It is seeking a senior planner to coordinate and manage consultant planners.
· First point of contact is Rowan Moore (62164284). His supervisor is Marietta Wong. A folder with a few pamphlets is available in the Chapter office.
SWT Blythe Student Award
Just a reminder to all SONA members and first year graduate members that entries in the SWT Blythe Student Award close at 4.00 pm this Friday. To download the entry form and conditions, click here.
Awards Exhibition & Presentation Dinner
This year’s Awards Jury of Leigh Woolley (chair), Eli Giannini (Immediate Past President, VIC Chapter), Dr Julia Gatley (Lecturer, UTAS), Peter Scott (Chapter Councillor and Chair of our ESD Committee) and John Smith (furniture designer-maker) have finished their site visits after traversing all over the state for 3 days in a row on the road, and are now deliberating on this year’s awards winners. The announcement of the winners will be made at the Presentation Dinner on Saturday 21st May, on the tennis court at the Real tennis Club in Davey Street. So put that night in your diaries and look out for the invitations, which will be issued in the next week or so.
John Smith will be officially launching the Awards Exhibition at Waterside Pavilion at 10.30am on Tuesday May 17, 2005.
The 2005 RAIA Architecture Awards are proudly sponsored by:
Principal Sponsor - BlueScope Steel
Major Sponsor - Tarkett
Supporting Sponsors - Access Solutions, Caroma, Casa Mondé, Clipsal, Dulux, Fairbrothers, Floors of Tasmania, Gandy & Roberts, GHD, Hinman Wright & Manser, Lockwood, Macquarie Builders, Montile, Onesteel, SEMF, TBS Engineering Consultants, and WT Partnership.
Continuing Education Update Report April 2005
The following report puts into context the legislation and framework that now affects members with respect to Continuing Education (CE) and its relationship to the Building Act 2000 and Architects Act.
1) The Building Act 2000, which legislates for the accreditation of Building Practitioners in Tasmania, came into full implementation on 1 July 04.
2) Part 4 Division 1 of the Building Act 2000 legislates for the establishment of authorised bodies for the accreditation of building practitioners.
3) Part 4 Division 2 of the Building Act 2000:
i) requires a person to be an accredited building practitioner in order to carry out work that requires a building permit and exceeds $5000 in cost.
ii) in the event of the building practitioner being a body corporate or partnership, requires one person (a director, a partner or a nominated permanent employee) to be accredited.
4) The Tasmanian Compliance Corporation is the authorised body responsible for the accreditation of building practitioners in Tasmania.
5) Accreditation is renewable 3 yearly providing the applicant complies with specified requirements which include being covered by the required insurance and “has undertaken professional development as required by the scheme” (of the authorised body).
6) The Tasmanian Compliance Corporation has not provided details of their CE requirements. Be aware that this does not negate the need to undertake continuing education to ensure ongoing accreditation as building practitioners.
7) The Tasmanian Compliance Corporation has the power to;
· Grant accreditation with or without conditions.
· Refuse accreditation.
· Renew accreditation.
· Arrange audits.
· Investigate professional misconduct.
· Investigate/ handle complaints.
· Request documents, inspect and copy them.
· Enter and inspect a building.
· Caution or reprimand an accredited building practitioner.
· Impose conditions on their accreditation.
· Direct a building practitioner to undertake further training.
· Require a report by a building practitioner on their practice.
· Impose fines.
· Suspend and or cancel a building practitioner’s accreditation.
8) The RAIA in association with the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) has developed the Joint AACA/RAIA Policy on CPD/CE. This was endorsed by National Council in 2004.
The RAIA will promote the AACA/RAIA Joint Policy and the RAIA National CE Scheme to registration boards as a basis of jurisdictional requirements.
This document outlines the joint aims for the amount and nature of CE to be undertaken by architects. A minimum of 20 points per annum is specified, where one point per hour is allocated for ‘informal’ CE activities and 2 points per hour for ‘formal’ CE activities.
A minimum of 10 points must be for ‘formal’ CE activities. It refers to the National Competency Standards (NCSA01). This document also calls for CE to be mandatory.
9) The Institute has also produced its own RAIA CE Policy and this was endorsed at the last National Council Meeting (March 2005).
This document refers to the Joint Policy and adopts its framework for CE and the amount of CE to be undertaken.
It also commits the RAIA to deliver sufficient accessible CE programs to help members to meet the CE requirements and maintain registration.
The policy also outlines members’ CE obligations, which complies with the AACA/RAIA Joint Policy. The RAIA CE Policy can be viewed on the RAIA website at:
http://www.architecture.com.au/i-cms_file?page=5947/CE_Policy.pdf
10) The Tasmania RAIA CE Committee has adopted the National CE policy.
11) The Architects Act in Tasmania has no requirement for CE.
12) The New South Wales chapter of the Institute has written its own CE Policy in an attempt to meet the requirements of mandatory CE legislation.
In that state the Board of Architects set the requirement for CE in excess of the CE Policy.
13) In Tasmania the Board of Architects is not involved in the accreditation process.
The Architects Act 1929 has been amended to enable the Board of Architects of Tasmania to enter into agreements with respect to becoming, making application to be, and exercising or performing the powers or functions of, an authorised body under the Building Act 2000.
14) The Application by BPACT (Building Professions Accreditation Corporation Ltd), set up by the RAIA TAS Chapter, the TAS Board of Architects, and Engineers Australia, to become an authorised body for the accreditation of registered Architects and Engineers, has been refused by the Minister. A case has been heard in the Supreme Court challenging the validity of this decision, and the judge’s decision is currently pending.
15) The RAIA Continuing Education Program is preparing to deliver RAIA endorsed events to members.
16) The RAIA National Conference will be the first of these events with interactive seminars designed to meet the two tier ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ CE requirements.
Andrew Williamson RAIA
TAS CE Committee
Member News
Congratulations to Richard Blythe and his wife Nadine on the birth of their baby girl, Isidora Innes.
Welcome to the following new members:
· Dr Julia Gately
· Ezekiel Lee
Congratulations to:
· Danica Taylor on being elevated to a graduate.
[%CHAPTER EVENTS%]
Artist and Architect in Collaboration
A dialogue between artist and architect on how to better collaborate on public building projects. Information will also be provided on the Art for Public Building Scheme, administered by arts@work.
Speakers include Julie Payne (formerly employed by arts@work and currently artistic and architectural collaborator at Morris-Nunn & Associates) Patrick Hall (prominent furniture designer and visual artist) and John Vella (artist and lecturer).
When: Wednesday May 4, 12.30 - 2.00 pm
Where: Chapter Office
CE: Informal - 1 point
Cost: $15 members, $25 non-members, SONA $7.50, Student Non-Members $15. A light luncheon will be provided.
Registrations flyers will be faxed to practices soon.
Sketches in the Pub
The next Sketches in the Pub will be held on Wednesday May 11 in Launceston. Jack Birrell will speak about the recent work completed by his practice. Other speaker TBA.
When: Wednesday May 11 at 7.30pm
Where: TBA.
CE: Informal - 1 point
Cost: Free. All welcome.
Proudly sponsored by Parbury
A flyer will be issued shortly to all practices.
RAIA Gold Medalist to Visit TAS
We are currently working with the National office to bring 2005 RAIA Gold Medalist, James Birrell to Hobart to speak to members. His talk will be followed by a new release film. The date and time are to be confirmed but at this stage we are looking at either the evening of Thursday May 26 or Monday May 30. Notices will be faxed to practices as soon as all the details are confirmed. This is an exciting initiative and the intention is that it will become a regular annual event on our calendar.
Proposed Upcoming CE Events for 2005
AccuRATE - An RAIA National CE event
When: June 23, 2005
Chapter Talk - Karl Fender
When: July 20, 2005
Cost Control
When: September 7, 2005
To be presented by Alistair Lindsay
We will keep you informed as organization for these events progress.
[%OTHER EVENTS IN TASMANIA%]
Housing Industry Association Outlook Breakfast
When: Friday April 29, 2005 from 7.00am to 9.00am
Where: Hobart Function & Conference Centre, Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart
Special Guest: HIA Senior Economist - Harley Dale
Cost: $25.00 per person (includes free copy of HIA State Industry Outlook valued at $50.00).
RSVP: Phone (03) 6230 4600 by Monday April 25, 2005
Claiming Ground Public Art Conference 2005
Claiming Ground public art conference 2005 is a first for Tasmania. Bringing together speakers and delegates from as far as Canada and the UK, Claiming Ground will be a convergence of ideas and processes and will invigorate discussion and debate on the latest hot issues in public art.
This year, Tasmania celebrates 25 years of the Art for Public Building Scheme (APBS). Its creation demonstrated a visionary understanding of the way in which art works can enrich both public buildings and spaces in the public arena and enhance the general public's access to and understanding of contemporary art in all its diversity.
Claiming Ground allows those involved in public art the opportunity to share their knowledge and learn from others from around the globe, and to foster a greater appreciation and development of the different communities in which we live.
When: Monday August 29 and Tuesday August 30, 2005
Where: Hobart
For further details visit http://www.artsatwork.com.au/projects/claiming_ground.
[%OTHER EVENTS (AUSTRALIA & OVERSEAS)%]
National Environmental Law Association National Conference 2005
When: Wednesday July 13 to Friday July 15, 2005
Where: Rydges Lakeside, Canberra
For further details click here or visit the website www.nela.org.au.
[%COMPETITIONS/AWARDS/FELLOWSHIPS%]
RAIA BlueScope Steel Glenn Murcutt Student Prize
The RAIA Bluescope Steel Glenn Murcutt Student Prize has been established to recognise outstanding architectural student work, which demonstrates excellence in response to place, technology and Australian culture. The 2005 Glenn Murcutt student prize is open to students who have completed an RAIA/SONA recognised Australian architecture course in 2003; and undergraduate students enrolled in an RAIA/SONA recognised Australian architecture course during 2004.
The winner of the competition will receive a certificate, paid travel and tickets to the 2005 National Architecture Awards and a cash prize of $8000. Entries close on Thursday June 30, 2005.
For further details visit www.architecture.com.au/gmprize.
Architecture and Design for Young Children International Award 2005
Submissions are invited for an award for the most successful building or space (inside or outside) providing for children aged 0-10 (inclusive). These could include nurseries, children’s centers, schools and school-age childcare services, combined services for this age group or services shared with other age groups, play areas or street furnishing such as school bus shelters. Projects should have been completed within the period December 1999 - January 2005. Enter this international award for excellence in architecture and design for young children and win free business software, tickets for an international architecture conference in Edinburgh December 2005 and have your work published for an international audience. Deadline for submissions Friday 17 June 2005. For further details about the competition click here. If you are interested in entering the awards e-mail consultancy@rias.org.uk.
[%INDUSTRY NEWS%]
Unsafe Installation and Use of Basketball Rings
A number of injuries and deaths in Australia have resulted from the unsafe installation and use of Basketball Rings. A safety alert has been issued by Workplace Standards Tasmania as a guide to prevent injury and fatality from unsafe Basketball Ring installation and use. To download the safety alert, click here.
Building Code of Australia Proposed Changes
Two draft regulatory impact statements on energy efficiency requirements for Class 5 - to 9 buildings and increased energy efficiency requirements for houses have been released. To download a copy, click here.
Draft Australian Standard on Construction of Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas
Last month we mentioned that the Chapter has had input to the RAIA response to the Draft AS3959 on Construction of Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas.
The RAIA response has been finalised and the submission is now on the RAIA website at: http://www.architecture.com.au/i-cms?page=1.17.3138.3143.5920.5922
The AS 3959 Committee will be meeting in Melbourne at the end of April, to begin the task of reviewing the submissions. The RAIA is represented on this committee by Mike Faine from NSW.
Our thanks again go to Kees Wegman, Karen Davis, Damian Rogers and Paul Gilby for providing input into the submission.
New NATSPEC
30 years ago on 9 March the RAIA joined with the ACEA, AIQS and MBA to form what is now known as NATSPEC. NATSPEC’s objectives remain to increase the quality of construction in Australia and to provide economies of scale for its shareholders. The twenty shareholders now include each State, Territory and Federal Government Public Works equivalent.
On joining at the end of last year, NATSPEC’s new CEO, Richard Choy, made it a priority to talk to subscribers nationally. From the outset it became clear that the specifications were perceived as overly complicated to use. It was also unfairly perceived that the specifications have been developed predominately for government departments when the construction industry, as a whole, was always the focus. This perception has probably arisen due to government bodies, with some notable private practice exceptions, being the parties that have provided the most and ongoing constructive feedback.
The NATSPEC team was immediately challenged to totally review the specification packages and look for ways to make it both more efficient and user-friendly. The draft worksections were then distributed for invited review nationally. This resulted, in April, in the re-issue of all packages. To suit the needs of Architects there are now Domestic, Interior, Basic and Building Professional packages.
In order to make it easier to use, NATSPEC has introduced a new classification system that follows the construction sequence. NATSPEC has also developed a new specification compliant software program.
NATSPEC continues to be driven in its production of new worksections and the maintenance and development of existing worksections by:
· Subscriber needs and Shareholder direction - 20 shareholders own NATSPEC and there are 1400 subscriptions.
· The BCA including State variations The BCA deals with the safety, health and amenity aspects of buildings and cites some 170 standards.
· Standards relating to the worksections, mostly Australian - NATSPEC worksections are prepared for architects (both building and landscape), designers, engineers and homeowners and cite some 2000 documents.
The NATSPEC worksections are organized, in construction sequence, into 10 customized packages. Worksections are continually under development and review by Architects, Civil Engineers, Services and Structural Engineer.
Specification writers use NATSPEC for its accuracy, depth and the avoidance of construction disputes. Some say its use is predominantly driven by the desire for protection from litigation, or to comply with the tender requirements of Federal and State Government contracts. However, specification writing should be an integral part of the design process and NATSPEC aims to facilitate best practice. NATSPEC is currently developing an education framework for tertiary students and will work with RAIA and Engineers Australia regarding Continuing Professional Development initiatives.
Richard Choy, aims to ensure NATSPEC’s products are improved to be practical tools that save consultants time and cost. He welcomes your comments regarding improvements to the specifications as well as ideas on other products and services that NATSPEC could provide via rchoy@natspec.com.au.
Further information contact Richard Choy on (02) 9923 1499 or 0413-732-281
Janine Saunders
Chapter Manager
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