Upgrade Your Membership

Open to all persons employed in the building design profession who do not meet the criteria for Full Membership.

The cost to join as an Associate Member is $395.00 per annum (including GST).

To be eligible for Associate Membership, the online application must include the completed Associate Membership Declaration Form, which can be found in Become a Member tab on our website:  www.bdaa.com.au.

Where a practicing building designer, who does not meet the criteria for Full Membership, joins as an Associate Member, they are required to upgrade to Full Membership, once they reach the criteria, or after one full year of Associate Membership, whichever occurs first.  This upgrade will be required to be done at the next renewal period after their initial 12 months.  Failure to do so may see the termination of membership.

An Associate Member who is working in the building design or building industry but is not practising as a building designer, may remain as an Associate Member and not be required to upgrade.

Once a Student Member of BDA Australia, completes their studies and begins practicing as a Building Designer, either as a sole trader or an employee, they must upgrade to Associate Membership. They must remain at Associate Membership level for at least two years, to enable the former Student Member to obtain the two year experience required for Full Membership, or until they meet the criteria for Full Membership.

Associate Members are entitled to the following:

• Eligibility to attend at BDA Australia events which includes the very popular and educational Annual National Conference at a discounted member’s rate
• Attend at local Chapter Meetings and at any Chapter Meeting throughout Australia
• Eligibility to participate in BDA Australia’s national online Chat Group which is exclusive to members only
• Receive BDA Australia’s weekly Industry Report
• Receive a copy of the eTrends magazine
• Receive a copy of the annual Winning Design magazine
• A login to the members area of the website: www.bdaa.com.au
• Will be provided notices outlining new laws, regulations and products

Associate Members are not entitled to the following:

• Vote or hold a Chapter Council Management Committee position
• Not eligible to hold a position on the National Council of BDA Australia
• Associate Members will not have access to the BDA Australia Practice Notes
• Associate Members are not eligible to use the BDA Australia Logos or other items deemed unavailable by the National Committee, developed by BDA Australia for the exclusive use for Chartered Members, Full Members or Full Practice Members.

ALL UPGRADE APPLICATIONS MUST BE MADE ONLINE AT: www.bdaa.com.au
(No other forms of Application will be accepted)

Persons who qualify for Practice Membership, fit the criteria of Associate or Full Membership but are also either a partner or an employee of a business or corporation that provides building design services and is in the control of a Full or Chartered Member of BDA Australia.  An Applicant must include a letter or email on company letterhead from this Full or Chartered Member confirming this.  This is in addition to the requirements listed below.

In the event of a cessation of such employment or business arrangement described above, the Practice Member must advise BDA Australia immediately upon this occurring and will be required to upgrade to Associate or Full Membership at the next renewal period.

Practice Members are entitled to the following:

• Eligibility to attend at BDA Australia events which includes the very popular and educational Annual National Conference at a discounted member’s rate
• Attend at local Chapter Meetings and at any Chapter Meeting throughout Australia
• Eligibility to participate in BDA Australia’s national online Chat Group which is exclusive to members only
• Receive BDAA’s weekly Industry Report
• Receive a copy of the eTrends magazine
• Receive a copy of the annual Winning Design magazine
• A login to the members area of the website: www.bdaa.com.au
• Will be provided notices outlining new laws, regulations and products

Practice Members are not entitled to the following:

• Vote or hold a Chapter Council Management Committee position
• Not eligible to hold a position on the National Council of BDA Australia
• Practice Members will not have access to the BDAA Practice Notes
• Practice Members are not eligible to use the BDAA Logos or other items deemed unavailable by the National Committee, developed by BDAA for the exclusive use for Chartered Members, Full Members or Full Practice Members.

ALL UPGRADE APPLICATIONS MUST BE MADE ONLINE AT: www.bdaa.com.au
(No other forms of Application will be accepted)

Persons who can provide evidence of experience, qualifications and knowledge as a Building Designer and maintains the currency of suitable Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance. Full Members are required to participate in the BDAA CPD program annually, or alternatively meet the CPD requirements of their state licensing/registration authority for Building Design or Architecture.

The cost to join as a Full Member is $595.00 + a one off Application Assessment Fee of $100 this totals $695.00 (including GST). The annual renewal fee is $595.00 after this initial first year.

To make an application for Full Membership, the following items are required to be submitted with the online Full Membership Application form:

• In some states, to practice as a Building Designer, a License or being Registered is a mandatory requirement. In this instance all that is required to be submitted with online application for Full Membership, is a copy of that current License or Registration and current certificate of currency of Professional Indemnity Insurance.

If you do not hold a current License or Registration, the following documentation is required to be submitted with your online Full Membership Application:

• Full working drawings and specifications of two recently completed projects that were authored by the Applicant or carried out under the Applicant’s direct supervision
• Completed Declaration of Authorship (which can be found in Become a Member on our website
• Evidence of completion of appropriate tertiary qualifications in architectural technology or approved equivalent
• Evidence of a minimum of two year’s experience in the building design profession. This can be supplied in the way of a short resume outlining your experience.
• Certificate of Currency of Professional Indemnity Insurance

Full Members are entitled to the following:

• Full Members are eligible to use the BDAA Logos and other items deemed available by the National Council, developed by BDAA for the exclusive use of Chartered Members, Full Members or Full Practice Members. This currently includes access to the online BDAA Practice Notes.
• A members Profile page on our website: www.bdaa.com.au where an approved Full Member can upload three photographs, their business logo and 150 words to advertise their business
• The BDAA Logo will be added automatically at time of processing a successful application
• Voting rights and ability to hold a Chapter Council Management Committee position
• Eligibility to hold a position on the National Council

Full Members are also entitled to the following:

• Eligibility to enter the Building Designers Association of Australia’s Annual National Design Awards
• Eligibility to attend at BDAA events which includes the very popular and educational Annual National Conference at a discounted member’s rate
• Attend at Chapter Meetings in local area and throughout Australia
• Eligibility to participate in BDAA National Online Chat Group which is exclusive to Members
• Receive BDAA weekly Industry Report
• Receive a copy of the eTrends magazine
• Receive a copy of the annual Winning Design magazine
• A login to the members area of the website: www.bdaa.com.au
• Will be provided notices outlining new laws, regulations and products

ALL UPGRADE APPLICATIONS MUST BE MADE ONLINE AT: www.bdaa.com.au
(No other forms of Application will be accepted)

Chartered Membership is the most prestigious level of recognition available to Building Designers in Australia.  To join and maintain this level, an Applicant must satisfy the National Council that their credentials and business acumen are of high repute. They must have also been a Full Member for a minimum of 5 years.

All Chartered Members must either hold a License or be Registered, whichever is mandatory in the state that they practice Building Design or hold current Accreditation with Building Designers Accreditation and Training (BDA&T).

To make an application for Chartered Membership, the following items are required to be attached to the online Chartered Membership Application form:

• In some states, to practice as a Building Designer, a License or being Registered is a mandatory requirement. In this instance all that is required to be submitted with the online application for Chartered Membership, is a copy of that current License or Registration and current certificate of Currency of Professional Indemnity Insurance. A copy of this will be requested in May each year prior to the membership renewal period.

If the Applicant does not hold a current License or Registration as outlined above, the following documentation is required to be submitted with their online Chartered Membership Application:

• Full working drawings and specifications of two recently completed projects that were authored by the Applicant or carried out under the Applicant’s direct supervision
• Completed Chartered Membership Declaration Form (which is on BDAA website)
• Evidence of completion of appropriate tertiary qualifications in architectural technology or approved equivalent
• Evidence of a minimum of two years’ experience in the building design profession. This can be supplied in the way of a short resume outlining the Applicant’s experience
• Certificate of Currency of Professional Indemnity Insurance
• Proof of 12 months participation in an approved CPD Program
• Confirmation that BDA&T Accreditation is currently held

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE MADE ONLINE AT: www.bdaa.com.au
(No other forms of Application will be accepted)