ARBV Update

Edition 17, June 2024

Thank you to ARBV board members

As we reach the end of the 2023-24 financial year we must acknowledge the following board members, whose term is coming to an end on 30 June 2024:

• Dr Giorgio Marfella, Chairperson
• Sophie Cleland, Deputy Chairperson 
• Bruce Allen
• Mark Curry
• Richard Drew
• Stefan Preuss.

The ARBV will welcome a new board in the new financial year, including current board Member Sally Wills and any board members who are reappointed, but first let’s reflect on the progress made during the current board’s term.

A major undertaking during the current board’s term saw the ARBV and NSW ARB conduct a joint research project to identify current, emerging and future systemic compliance issues and associated risks affecting the regulation of architects in both Victoria and New South Wales.  The valuable findings of the “Systemic Risks in the Australian Architecture Sector” project were published in 2022 and the findings have since been used to inform the proactive regulatory strategies adopted by the ARBV to mitigate harm caused by systemic risks. 

Subsequent to the “Systemic Risks in the Australian Architecture Sector” project, the ARBV collaborated once more with the NSW ARB by engaging with focus groups to undertake “deep dives” into some of the main thematic areas of risk identified in the project.  This included Client-Architect Relationships, Design & Construct Procurement, Compliance with the National Construction Code and Disruptive Change.  The “Deep Dive Report into Systemic Risks in the Australian Architecture Sector” is due for release by 30 June 2024.

In 2023 the ARBV celebrated 100 years as the regulatory steward for Victorian Architects.  The ARBV commenced celebrations by joining with Open House Melbourne (OHM) to conduct a walking tour of the Melbourne CBD to explore the city’s changing architecture and later hosted an expert live panel discussion highlighting the legacy of the ARBV.  The ARBV will finalise celebrations in June 2024 with the release of ten articles prepared by Prof. Julie Willis, Dean of Architecture at the University of Melbourne which focus on “firsts” in the Victorian architecture sector, including the first registered architect and company, the first female architect and the first indigenous architect.

The current board has overseen the introduction of the regular webinar series offered by the ARBV.  Recordings of earlier webinars have been made freely available on the ARBV website and the ARBV is looking to increase the number of webinars offered throughout the coming year.

In addition to the centenary celebration walk through the city, the ARBV has joined OHM in reaching out to the public in the relaunch of the Naked Architect series and has endorsed plans for the ARBV to participate in the Home Show to engage with an even wider public audience.

We sincerely thank our board members for their dedicated service to the ARBV during their term of their appointment. 

Dr Glenice Fox | ARBV Registrar/CEO

Reminder: Your registration fees are now due

Thank you to everyone who has already renewed their registration this year.

You must complete the fit and proper person requirement and mandatory CPD declaration on the ARBV Portal as part of the renewal process. If you do not make the declaration it means your registration will not be renewed.

If you have requested that your employer pay for your renewal fees, the company must complete the payment in the ARBV Portal for the renewal to be processed.

It is important for architects to ensure their contact details are correct in the Portal, including employment information. While completing renewal it is recommended that you check to ensure your insurance information is also correct.

For instructions on how to log in to the ARBV Portal and pay your renewal fees, please see the Registration Renewal Guide or view the video on our website. 

If you have any queries or are having difficulty paying your annual fees, please call us on 03 9417 4444.

Please note, multi-factor authentication has been introduced as a security feature when accessing the ARBV Portal.  An authentication code will be sent to the email address associated with your ARBV profile once requested, however, email delivery may take up to 15-30 minutes depending on the email service you use.

ARBV launches new website

In May 2024 we migrated the ARBV website from its former location as a site section on the vic.gov.au website, to its own semi-independent site. The new website https://www.arbv.vic.gov.au features its own top-level menu and search field, enabling users to easily navigate their way through the site.

The Naked Architect S4 E1: dark house

We are very excited to announce that the Naked Architect is back. You can now watch the first episode of Series 4 on the Open House Melbourne website - with another two episodes to come. 

The Naked Architect arms consumers with in-depth knowledge about working with an architect on a residential renovation and/or new build. Hear about the architect/client experience of the design process and working together.

The Naked Architect is presented by Open House Melbourne in partnership with the Architects Registration Board of Victoria and in association with ArchiTeam.

The Professional Practice Award is awarded to students at Victorian Universities for academic excellence in a subject that demonstrates specific knowledge, skills and industry preparedness related to architectural practice. 

How to maintain your CPD activities record

Architects registered in the practising class may be called upon to provide the ARBV with a record of their CPD activities. You should maintain an accurate and current record of your activities at all times and retain these records for at least 5 years. 

How you choose to record your activities is up to you. For example, you may wish to record your CPD activities in an Excel spreadsheet or perhaps keep a hand-written record of activities. In addition to the record of activities, you should keep any documents which support your claimed CPD points, including certificates issued by CPD providers and booking records for presentations or seminars. 

Your record of activities should contain the following information:

1. Date of the activity
2. Name of the activity
3. Organisation providing the activity
4. Category of learning – formal or informal
5. Hours you claimed against the CPD requirements
6. How the activity relates to specific performance criteria/units of competency in the National Standard of Competency for Architects.

To assist you in categorising your CPD activities, you should refer to the ARBV website for examples of formal and informal activities and the maximum hours you can claim per activity each year.

The ARBV has created a CPD Activity Record template on the ARBV website for you to download here https://www.arbv.vic.gov.au/continuing-professional-development-architect.

CPD Exemptions

If you have claimed a CPD exemption, you should also maintain details of the exemption, supporting material which substantiates the circumstances outlined in your request for an exemption and confirmation from the ARBV that your exemption has been granted.

Please remember that exemptions for CPD must be requested in writing during the relevant registration year or within 2 months of the end of the registration period.

Your CPD exemption request should be sent via email to registrar@arbv.vic.gov.au and outline the circumstances which have prevented you from meeting your CPD requirements.

National Construction Code Public Comment Draft

Public consultation is a crucial part of the National Construction Code (NCC) development process. The National Construction Code is updated every 3 years in response to emerging issues, industry research, public feedback and government policy direction between publishing cycles.

The NCC Public Comment Draft is available on the ABCB's Consultation Hub and will be open for feedback until 11:59 pm AEST 1 July 2024. Feedback will only be accepted through the Consultation Hub. Submissions must relate only to proposed changes.

Frequently asked questions

At the ARBV we receive a range of questions throughout the year from both architects and consumers. Here are a few FAQs we thought you may be interested in. 

Question: Why do I have to attend the ARBV CPD webinars live to qualify for formal CPD?

Response: The ARBV hosts Continuing Professional Development (CPD) webinars throughout the year to support architects in maintaining and expanding their skills and knowledge.

Architects are encouraged to attend live webinar screenings as this enables attendees to submit questions directly to the presenters and engage with the content by participating in polls and quizzes. Participants who attend live screenings and participate in the assessment component of the webinar are entitled to 1 formal CPD point for each full hour of attendance. 

If you are unable to attend a live webinar screening, all ARBV webinars are recorded and made available on the ARBV website along with a copy of the presentation slides and a written transcript. As the assessment component of the webinar is no longer active within the recording, watching a recorded webinar qualifies the viewer for 1 informal CPD point for each full hour of the screening.   

Question: When do I need to provide my professional indemnity insurance documentation to the ARBV?

Response: You need to provide to the ARBV a copy of the certificate of currency for the professional indemnity insurance policy that covers you when you:

• apply for registration
• renew or change your registration
• renew or change your insurance policy or insurance provider – the timing will depend on your policy and situation
• change your employment situation

The period covered by the Certificate of Currency and any update provided should correspond with your period of registration, which is always due for renewal on 1 July each year. If your insurance is out of alignment with your period of registration it is your responsibility to ensure your insurance cover is kept up-to-date and proof of your current insurance is provided to the ARBV.