The Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) released the new National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA) today, 1 July, noting that the new standard prioritizes sustainability and engagement with Indigenous people.
Reviewed every five years, the national competency standard provides the assessment framework for the registration boards of each state and helps guide tertiary education institutions and other providers to tailor their programs to provide a pathway to registration.
AACA CEO Kathlyn Loseby said the reforms to the standard had been developed through an 18-month-long process of research and engagement with stakeholders
“It is incumbent upon us to ensure standards of competency not only keep pace with changes across the profession but also serve as a driver for further improvement,” she said.
“We are proud that the 2021 NSCA enshrines a greater focus on more meaningful engagement with our First Nations peoples. As this year’s NAIDOC Week theme – Heal Country! – so clearly highlights, we have a long way to go in achieving real reform and reconciliation.
“We recognize that fundamental change is needed in the relationship Australia has with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“We also acknowledge that we have so much to learn from the rich history and oldest continuing cultures on earth, not least when it comes to how we care for Country.”
The standard makes repeated reference to the need to transition to a carbon-neutral built environment, noting that the built environment accounts for 36 percent of energy consumption, 38 percent of energy-related carbon emissions and 50 percent of resource consumption globally.
“Architects are at the forefront of our capacity to transform the built environment’s impact on our climate into a carbon-neutral one,” said Loseby. “The NSCA is a critical tool in this change.”
The standard has also been streamlined, with the number of competencies reduced from 70 to 60.
Australian Institute of Architects CEO Julia Cambage welcomed the reforms.
“Safety, sustainability and human-centric design are the driving factors shaping this latest iteration of the NSCA,” she said. “Architects are the most highly-qualified, closely regulated profession in the building and construction sector and the 2021 NSCA provides the framework to ensure they continue to best serve Australian communities.
“I commend the AACA on their collaborative approach and thank the Institute’s First Nations Advisory Working Group and Cultural Reference Panel and the Climate Action and Sustainability Taskforce for their expert input into the review process.”
A copy of the 2021 NSCA is now viewable here.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
