The Commerce Regulations Amendment (Building Services) Regulations 2023 (Amendment Regulations), to introduce registration for building engineers in WA, were released for public consultation from 17 August to 24 October 2022. Building and Energy received 17 submissions on this draft.

The following changes were made to the Amendment Regulations in response to feedback received:

Amended the definition of building engineering work to include design, and construction and production activities.

Added membership of a professional standards scheme as a pathway to meet insurance requirements, for engineers and building surveyors.

Added a generic, prescribed title for engineering contractors: ‘Registered building engineering contractor’.

Amended the definition of medium building to reference “a class 7a storey”, instead of “a storey used for the parking of vehicles”.

Amended experience requirements for engineering practitioners, including:

• 5 years fulltime, relevant experience in the past 10 years (not 7);
• At least 4 years to be postgraduate experience; and
• Relevant experience defined as being experience demonstrating the following competencies, at the appropriate level:

       a) engineering knowledge relevant to the applicant’s area of practice, including a knowledge of any relevant standards and practices;

       b) the practice of building engineering;

       c) the development of safe and sustainable solutions to engineering problems
       or issues;

       d) the identification, assessment and management of risks; and 

       e) the handling of ethical issues.

These changes align WA’s registration framework more closely with requirements in other Australian jurisdictions, to facilitate mutual recognition.

The Amendment Regulations were gazetted on 2 June 2023, and can be downloaded here. 

Registration of building engineers in WA is scheduled to commence on 1 July 2024.

If you have any questions, contact engineers@dmirs.wa.gov.au.