BOINZ SYMPOSIUM 


The building surveying and consent environment is evolving and changing, and with it comes both opportunity and challenge. The 2026 Symposium theme is BUILDING VALUE and we will explore the forces reshaping our sector and the real value that we bring to the spaces where our communities live, work, and play.

We will explore key themes including:

  • Regulation / deregulation
  • Technology integration
  • Capability  
  • Collaboration
  • Change & growth

This symposium is not just about recognising change - it’s about equipping our sector to lead through it. With insights from across the industry and technical expertise on a range of products and innovation, we’ll bring together perspectives, and highlight the key role our institute, members and stakeholders play in shaping a resilient, trusted, and future-ready building environment.

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN

Monday 4th May 2026

2.00pm

 Registration opens, Afternoon tea and Trade exhibition

3.20pm 

Lessons from Grenfel Tower
- Richard Mills - Former Deputy Commissioner London Fire Brigade
This powerful session draws on the lessons from the Grenfell tragedy.  Attendees will gain insights into the real-world consequences for communities, residents, and building professionals, and explore how these lessons can inform better practices in New Zealand. This session encourages reflection and discussion, helping delegates understand the critical importance of building responsibly for people, not just structures.

4.15pm 

Proportionate Liability
- Paul Robertson (Heaney & partners) and Professor Kim Lovegrove (Chair of the International Building Quality Centre/Barrister)
Who will be the last man standing now?  This presentation will cover the current law (joint & several), proportionate liability, who will pay the missing share, fishhooks and unintended consequences, what will happen in terms of insurance. How much further ahead is Proportionate Liability overseas and suggestions as to how to accelerate NZ into this.

5.15pm

Day 1 Ends 


Excellence Awards Dinner 

6.30pm 

Pre Dinner Drinks - Shed 10 Waterfront 

7.00pm

Excellence Awards Dinner - Sponsored by Future Skills 
The Captain's Gala Dinner: Harbour Lights 

11.00pm

Dinner Ends 

Tuesday 5th May 2026



8.00am

Registration & Expo opens 

9.00am

Welcome & Housekeeping

9.05am

Satisfied on Reasonable Grounds 
- Charlotta Harpur (Rice Speir)
This session will explore the legal concept of “satisfied on reasonable grounds” and its critical role within the New Zealand Building Code. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of what this standard means in practice from a legal perspective and it’s implications for compliance, risk management, and professional accountability.

9.35am

Earthquake Prone Buildings (TBC)
10.00am Embracing the inevitable: How to develop a growth mindset that transforms uncertainty into opportunity
- Isabel Leeming (Meredith Connell)
Whether we like it or not (or care to even acknowledge it), we are always faced with change. From major reforms to meetings being cancelled last minute; from shifting project requirements to unexpected site conditions; from team restructures to sickness – we are constantly navigating the unexpected. This session offers a refreshingly practical approach to navigating change – not from a technical building perspective, but from the human side of responding to disruption.
10.30am Minister for Building and Construction
- Hon Chris Penk
An insight into current and future legislative issues
11.15am Morning Tea - Sponsored by James Hardie
11.30am Field Trips 
  • New Zealand International Convention Centre
  • Walking Tour: University Precinct
    (Recreation Centre, Engineering Building, Owen Glenn Building, Fale Building, Arts Building, Auckland Art Gallery)
1.20pm Lunch - Sponsored by James Hardie 
2.10pm - Breakout Session 
  • Beyond the 4Ds: Revisiting the 6Ds of weathertight design
    - Diane Johnson (Capital Improvements) & Ulricke Gibbs (Maynard Marks) 
    This presentation revisits the 6D model first proposed by the New Zealand Institute of Forestry in the 2003 Select Committee Report. The 4Ds remain a solid foundation for weathertight design, but the earlier call to broaden them to the 6Ds remains highly relevant. As the sector continues to evolve, it is essential that we apply the lessons of the past to strengthen our approach to design detailing, coordination, and accountability - ensuring durable, high-performing buildings within New Zealand.
  • Method Leger: Building value through standardised, auditable engineering methods 
    - Matt Bishop (Preguin) 
    In an environment of increasing complexity, the building consent process often faces challenges from bespoke, "black box" engineering calculations. These unique methods, while often sound, present a time-consuming and opaque auditing task for Building Consent Authorities (BCAs), introducing risk and delaying approvals.  This presentation introduces a new, free-to-use platform which is the first engineering coding tool that directly reconciles engineering calculations with the compliance pathways from the NZ Building Code. It provides a standardised framework for engineers to write transparent, code-compliant Python engineering methods, transforming them from unknown quantities into auditable, known assets for BCAs.
  • Co-Lab Building Services: A Collaborative model for resilient building control 
    - Jared McDowell (Co-Lab Building Services)
    CBS was launched in mid-2025 and provides a centralised processing hub that processes overflow building consent applications across a network of participating Building Consent Authorities (BCAs), secondees, and contractors. This model replaces fragmented outsourcing with a coordinated, scalable solution that smooths peaks and troughs in consent volumes, improves turnaround times, and enhances consistency in decision-making.  The presentation will explore the strategic framework behind CBS and share insights from the rollout, including onboarding processes, stakeholder engagement, and lessons learned from early adopters.
2.45pm - Breakout Session
  • Reinforcing the Golden Thread 
    - James Firestone (Fire & Emergency NZ)
    This thought-provoking session explores how we reinforce the “golden thread” of information to ensure that what is designed is what actually gets built, maintained, and performs as intended over time. Through the relatable story of “the life (or misery) of a building,” it highlights the real-world consequences of gaps in communication, documentation, and accountability—and the practical steps we can take to create better outcomes across the entire building lifecycle.
  • Does building better really cost more? 
    - Daniel Scheibmair (Simpson Strong-Tie)
    This presentation will showcase recent product innovations and explore how these products and tools meet both structural and regulatory requirements, demonstrating that designing for more resilient structures often adds minimal cost compared to “code minimum” approaches. Attendees will gain technical insights into connection design and see how software can replace traditional design tables, with an overview of its inputs, calculations, and outputs relevant for Building Consent Officers to assess compliance.
  • BCA Consolidation 
    - Jayson Ellis (Timaru District Council)
    This presentation provides an update on the work of the Timaru BCA in the evolving landscape of BCA collaboration and consolidation. It will outline discussions, ideas, and options explored with other BCAs, MBIE, and IANZ, including the potential role of a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) and the impact of the Minister’s July 2025 announcement encouraging voluntary consolidation. The session will also examine the competitive pressures introduced by private BCAs and the challenges faced by TA-operated BCAs, highlighting strategies for local authorities to operate more effectively and efficiently in a rapidly changing regulatory environment.
3.20pm - Breakout Session
  • Introduction of registration classes in the CPeng System
    - Engineering New Zealand
    In August 2025, changes to the CPEng Rules unlocked the ability to create registration classes – a new way of recognising specialist areas of engineering where public safety and regulatory confidence demand greater assurance. Fire Engineering has been chosen as the first class to be established, reflecting both its critical importance and its suitability as a pilot for this new framework.  The approach is grounded in risk management. Using the “Swiss cheese” model of risk, we can see that risk is mitigated through multiple layers of defence – such as training, procedures, regulations, supervision, and experience.
  • Modern Methods of Construction 
    - Cameron Rodger - Technical Director (Carter Holt Harvey)
    This session presents a practical discussion around the transition from standard Frame and Truss supply to Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Attendees will be taken through the implications on councils, the application of factory review procedures and the change to onsite signoff requirements together with the application of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) Principles and its influence on MMC.

  • Balancing fire safety, security, and unique judicial requirements - Courthouse Fire Engineering Design
    - Bo-Yao Lee - Chief Advisor - Technical Design Standards (Ministry of Justice)
    Courthouses have unique fire safety requirements due to their need to balance open justice with strict security, controlled movement, and separation of parties-objectives not clearly addressed within existing Building Code risk group classifications, leading to consent delays and uncertainty. In response, the Ministry of Justice developed a dedicated Fire Engineering Design Guide to provide clarity, consistency, and defined compliance pathways for designers, IQPs and BCAs working on courthouse projects.

3.50pm Afternoon Tea - Sponsored by James Hardie 
4.20pm  Building Value through Standards: Strengthening resilience and innovation across the sector 
- Standards New Zealand
In 2025, Standards advanced several key initiatives, including updates to building-related product standards, fire safety, and seismic resilience across New Zealand standards, joint AS/NZS and international ISO standards relevant to building and construction. These updates reflect emerging technologies, evolving regulatory frameworks, and industry feedback. The work is closely aligned with government priorities around capability building, climate adaptation, and housing quality.
Standards NZ will share an update on the value standards and the pipeline of work for 2026. 
4.50pm Risks when dealing with dangerous, insanitary and affected buildings 
- John Tian (Heaney & Partners)
Recent severe weather events in New Zealand have highlighted the risks involved with dangerous, affected, and insanitary buildings. As well as physical harm to life there are significant secondary consequences such as community disruption, insurance challenges and financial burdens on owners and territorial authorities.
Territorial authorities must adopt policy on dangerous and insanitary buildings, consider and address risks and intervene when necessary. In this session John will unpack this and offer some suggestions on how to manage the risks.

5.20pm Networking function
7.30pm  Ends 

Wednesday 6th May 2026


8.00am

Registration & Expo Opens 

9.00am

 Welcome & Housekeeping 

9.10am

Future Directions in Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP ) Composites for Sustainable and Resilient Construction 
- Rebecca Gravina 
Rebecca Gravina, a globally recognised leader in structural engineering, explores the future of Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites for sustainable and resilient construction. With more than 25 years’ experience across academia and industry, Professor Gravina will share insights into low-carbon concrete, advanced FRP systems, recycled materials and infrastructure durability, and how these innovations are shaping standards and delivering stronger, more sustainable outcomes.

9.40am

New market data and Overseas Products and Standards 
- Matthew Duder (EBOSS) & Simon Thomas (MBIE) 
This presentation will provide information on Overseas Products and Standards and also include data from EBOSS builder and architect sentiment surveys.  These surveys are done annually in partnership with BRANZ and Certified Builders, and provide insights on market conditions, industry insights and forecasts on residential and commercial construction. What impacts have been seen to date and what changes have been observed in terms of products.
10.10am Granny Flats 
- Charlotta Harpur (Rice Speir) 
Join this timely session to get up to speed on the new Granny Flats exemption rules that came into force on 15 January 2026. While the changes aim to simplify building, they also introduce new processes, enforcement challenges, and real-world implementation issues for councils. This session will unpack the key legislative requirements and MBIE guidance, address common misconceptions, and provide clear advice on PIMs, compliance, enforcement, and liability - equipping you with the knowledge and confidence to manage these exemptions effectively in your day-to-day work.
10.30.am Morning Tea 
11.00am  BRANZ Current projects, how testing is done, what is the process?
- BRANZ
In this session with BRANZ you will get an insider’s view of their current projects and research. The presentation will cover how testing is conducted, the processes involved, and the practical implications for building products and construction practices, giving attendees a clear understanding of the evidence-based approach BRANZ takes to support safe, compliant, and high-performing buildings.
11.25am - Breakout Sessions 
  • New Fire Test Standards 
    - Saskia Holditch (MBIE)
    Stay ahead of the changing fire compliance landscape by joining this informative session on the latest fire testing standards now recognised as evidence of compliance with the New Zealand Building Code. You’ll gain an overview of what’s changed since the Building Product Specification, why these new standards have been adopted, and the key technical and regulatory drivers behind them. The session will also explore the role of local and international testing agencies, comparing their capabilities and what this means for product certification, approval pathways, and market access—equipping manufacturers, specifiers, and regulators with the insight needed to confidently navigate evolving requirements.
  • Climate Change and Relocating a village 
    - Kerry Walsh (Hurunui District Council)
    Hurunui District Council is actively responding to the challenges posed by sea-level rise and climate change along our coastline.
    Recognising that these issues deeply affect our communities, they engaged directly with each seaside settlement to understand their priorities and aspirations.
    One community took a bold step: they asked for assistance to relocate entirely. In response, the Council purchased land to enable the full relocation of the village—a significant and unprecedented undertaking.
    This presentation will share their journey so far, including the practical, legal, and social dimensions of issuing 124 notices and managing housing at risk from the encroaching sea.
  • Navigating the minefield of imported window product compliance 
    - Rob Campion (Window & Glass Association)
    Homeowners trust that the products going into their homes are safe, durable, and code compliant. But when non-compliant products slip through the system, confidences are undermined and both councils and builders are at risk.
    The Window & Glass Association’s programme to guide regulators through the minefield of international window standards, test criteria, ratings, and categories, is an industry-led initiative to reduce risk and expose non-compliance before it makes its way into our homes.
    This session will work through how an industry framework can work hand-in-hand with councils, certifiers, and builders to raise the bar.
12.00pm - Breakout Sessions 
  • Behind closed doors - Challenges with Fire Doors in New Zealand
    - Dr Anthony Parkes (PFITS Consultancy Ltd)
    Fire Doors are one particular passive fire element that are required by Fire Engineers, specified by Architects, approved by Building Consent Authorities, installed by contractors and inspected by many, that have been causing confusion and questions in the construction industry recently.  What are the questions that need to be raised at the beginning of a project and at consent?  What do we need to know, and where to from here?  This presentation will provide a valuable insight for BCAs on fire door information being provided.

  • Self certification for Plumbing and Drainage
    - Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board of New Zealand
    A timely discussion on the evolving landscape of self-certification and what it could mean for BCAs and regulatory oversight. 

  • 3604 Updates
    - Daniel Scheibmair (Simpson Strong-Tie) & Liz Ashwin (BOINZ rep on NZ Standards)
    Be among the first to hear about the upcoming revision of NZS 3604, with this timely presentation covering the new version expected to be substantially complete by the time of the Symposium in May. The session will provide an overview of the key updates, what’s changing, and what these changes mean in practice for designers, builders, and building control professionals.
12.30pm  Lunch 
1.30pm Engage to build value or accept your fate 
Craig Hill (Redtape)
Do you care about how the building and construction sector is regulated? Grasp the opportunity to add value to the ability of BOINZ influence.  The session will cover the various ways of influencing decisions, who to influence and why, how to best do it (what a good submission looks like), and what value add you might get as a result.
1.55pm From Diagnosis to New CCC - Lessons from the Front Line 
Andi Burrell (Anoroc)
With over two decades specialising in building remediation, as a Remedial Specialist this presentation moves beyond theoretical diagnosis to share the invaluable, hard-won lessons from the remediation trench.   Andi will explore common pitfalls in remediation specifications, where well-intentioned solutions can inadvertently create new performance issues or prove unworkable on site. This insight is crucial for surveyors to enhance the practicality, durability, and cost-effectiveness of their recommendations. The discussion will focus on translating diagnostic reports into robust, buildable solutions.  By sharing detailed case studies of both successful and challenging remediations, Andi will provide a framework for surveyors to pre-empt implementation failures, manage client expectations more effectively, and ultimately elevate their role from inspector to trusted advisor working in conjunction with, and alongside, the Regulatory Authority.

2.30pm A year in the law: From the drama of Gore Street to unsettled duties of care 
Charlene Fairie and Simon Waalkens (Rice Speir) 
In this presentation, Charlene Fairnie and Simon Waalkens will cover recent legal cases in the building space, in particular, the recent decision of Gore Street, which was the largest defective building case faced by Auckland Council.  Charlene, who lived and breathed this case through the High Court and Court of Appeal, will share key take aways from a technical and evidentiary perspective, what the council officers got right, where things went wrong and why, as well as where the claim might be heading next, and its future implications.  Duties of care will also be covered including recent developments in relation to land that can no longer be developed, duties owed by councils to developers (if any), and duties of care owed by engineers.

3.00pm  Constructive Tension: Balancing Risk, Speed, and Standards through Psychological Safety
Neil Micklewood
Psychological Safety in a high-stakes environment is about building teams where it is safe to take calculated risk. In the context of building control, it creates an environment where officials can transparently flag risks, propose non-standard solutions, and make space for uncertainty whilst minimising unhelpful consequences for this. It is the specific mechanism that allows a team to move from rigid adherence to dynamic problem-solving.
In this presentation, we will explore how Psychological Safety serves as the rigorous framework required to support flexible thinking. 

3.30pm  Networking Function 
5.00pm Ends 

Contact marketing@boinz.org.nz if you have any questions. 


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