The Session
Since taking effect in July 2021, the Design and Building Practitioners Act has fundamentally transformed project workflows, registration requirements, and compliance declarations for regulated designs. Five years on, how is the framework performing in practice, and what distinct impacts has it had on regional practitioners?

Join us for an interactive member session examining the operational realities of the legislation. We will hear firsthand insights from three experienced practitioners who work directly under the framework, followed by an open, member-wide discussion.

Joshua Andren
Josh joined Integrated Design Group in 2000 and began his architectural studies in 2001. He has since built an extensive portfolio spanning master planning, medium-density housing estates, commercial and industrial buildings, health and aged care facilities, single dwellings, and medium- to high-rise apartments.

Josh graduated with first-class honours from the University of Technology Sydney in 2007. His passion for cost-effective, sustainable design earned him the 2008 Jack Greenland Travelling Scholarship, which he used to study affordable, sustainable villages and estates developed by the European Union in France and Italy.

Josh’s progression from learner to leader reflects the practice’s commitment to staff development and long-term tenure. As Director, he is responsible for technical systems, staff training and major project delivery, and he maintains long-standing relationships with clients, builders and the wider community. Since the Design and Building Practitioners Act came into effect in 2020, he has overseen the documentation and coordination of more than 30 Class 2, 3 and 9c buildings through construction to ensure compliance.

A proponent of the three pillars of sustainability, Josh believes that truly sustainable architecture balances cost-effective design, environmental sensitivity and social benefit.

Chris Zervos
Chris co-founded Assentra in 2025. He was previously a Senior Building Consultant at BCRC and Crawford & Company (Australia), where he inspected and reported on complex building matters, coordinated forensic investigations, and prepared defect reports, scopes of work and cost estimates. He also managed tenders, oversaw project delivery, mentored junior staff and reviewed technical work before it went to clients.

Before that, Chris was National Pre-Contracts Manager at Eptec, leading the design, buildability and cost planning functions. He assessed, designed and costed specialist engineered solutions for remediating and preserving structures, for clients including Sydney City Council, RMS, Sydney Trains and strata schemes.

Chris began his career in remedial construction as an Estimator with insurance and remedial building specialist KBS Australia.

Tim Lee
Tim Lee is Principal of Tim Lee Architects in Goulburn NSW, and a Founding Member and immediate past President of the Regional Architecture Association. For more than 10 years he has delivered regional architecture events and programs and advocated for the value of architecture in regional practice.

Since opening his practice in 2010, Tim has worked on projects across the state, guided by a commitment to sustainability and site-specific design. The practice specialises in heritage, particularly the adaptive reuse, renovation and stabilisation of historically significant regional buildings.

Tim’s experience on complex projects in Singapore, Jakarta and Qatar taught him the value of considered, tested design and a collaborative process, which remain central to his practice today. He also advocates for community engagement and works with local government to achieve appropriate design outcomes.

CPD 1 formal point (performance criteria 1, 2, 9, 12, 13, 39, 46 and 55 / AACA National Standard of Competency for Architects 2021).

RAA members use the discount code from the member content area for free admission.

Contact the host of RAA IN PRACTICE | Five years of the DBP Act: Practical realities and regional impact

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