Preparation for Joining the Institute
RECOMMENDED STUDY FOR ASSESSMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE EXAMINATION
The following is intended to provide the candidate for the Assessment of Professional Competence Examination with some assistance.
There are areas that will require the development of practical experience within the construction industry and in many instances this will extend beyond what can be found within the written documentation listed.
The headings below relate to the sections of the examination and the specific areas of study and areas of expertise of a Registered Building Surveyor are as listed in Regulation 01.
Surveys and reporting
The NZIBS previously held modular courses to enable candidates to prepare for the examination and Module 7 related to Surveys and Reporting. The document prepared for that course is available to candidates and this will assist in preparing the candidate in the surveying and reporting area.
It is also recommended that candidates become familiar with NZS 4306:2005 Residential Property Inspection. This document identifies formats and inspection criteria that are generally acceptable to the Institute.
Building Technology and Construction
This area of study is wide reaching and experience plays a large part in the preparation for the examination in this area.
Of some assistance to the candidate is the BRANZ "Maintaining Your Home" book, along with the BRANZ series of "Good Practice Guides" and other BRANZ publications, including Build Magazine and Bulletins. You may be able to borrow some of these from existing NZIBS members or obtain them from a library.
The candidate is expected to fully understand the hierarchy of contract documentation and have the ability to understand specifications, drawings and contract documentation to identify where anticipated defects are evident or likely to occur.
It is vital that the candidate become familiar with emerging trends within the construction industry, including potential defects and the effect of the inter-mixing of various materials. Whilst there is a significant amount of science involved in the construction industry, there is an expectation that the candidate would have a reasoned knowledge of the effects of the natural elements such as exposure to sunlight, salt air, wind or rain.
There is also an expectation that the candidate would have a general knowledge of water leakage causes and the types of mould and decay expected to be encountered in New Zealand conditions.
Building Management
As for Surveys and Reporting, a document had been prepared for candidates undertaking study for this module. A copy of Module 8 is available for candidates as an assistance guide.
It is also recommended that the candidate obtain a copy of "Protecting Your Investment", published by BRANZ, as this will assist in this area of study.
Legislation/Dispute Resolution/Ethics
The NZIBS Rules, Regulations and Ethical requirements are available through the Institute and candidates should obtain a copy to prepare for the examination.
The main legislation affecting the building industry generally includes the Building Act 1991, the Building Act 2004, the Building Regulations, the New Zealand Building Code Handbook and Approved Documents, along with associated legislation.
Common forms of dispute resolution in the construction industry include mediation, arbitration, adjudication and litigation. It is expected that the candidate would have a general understanding of these forms of dispute resolution as applicable to the construction industry and would be in a position to identify generally how the process is undertaken and the outcomes achieved.
No specific learning assistance is available in this field and the candidate should research these issues on their own behalf.
Likewise the role of the Building Surveyor as an Expert Witness should be researched, in particular, the role of an expert witness and the expected code of conduct. The NZIBS can provide a paper by Tony Dean on the role of the Expert witness which contains useful links. The candidate should also be familiar with (be aware of) Schedule 4 of the High Court Rules: Code of Conduct for expert witnesses. This is available from www.legislation.govt.nz, search for "Code of Conduct for expert witnesses" under Regulations.
Other References
Candidates are also referred to construction related websites
as follows:
www.consumerbuild.org.nz
www.dbh.govt.nz
www.branz.co.nz/free-publications/
Membership Entry Pathway
See the page entitled "Joining the Institute"
Also see the page which describes in more detail the "Specific Areas of Expertise" expected of a building surveyor.