Professional Experience Summary — Accredited Access Consultant Application
I hold a Certificate IV in Access Consulting and have been practising as an access consultant for the past five years. I am also an Accredited Building Surveyor (Unrestricted) in New South Wales, a qualification I have held for five years, which has significantly informed and enriched my access consulting practice. Together, these qualifications underpin a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory framework governing the built environment, and I have developed expertise across the full spectrum of access consulting services — encompassing access assessments, access auditing, access inspections and certification, and the preparation of Performance Solutions addressing access non-compliances — across a broad range of building classifications and project typologies throughout New South Wales.
As Director of BCAlign, a specialist building consultancy, I have been responsible for leading and delivering access consulting services on projects ranging from small residential developments through to large-scale commercial, institutional, and aged care facilities. My dual accreditation as both a building surveyor and access consultant has provided a distinctly integrated perspective: I approach access compliance not in isolation, but within the broader context of the NCC's Performance Requirements, construction certification processes, and development approval frameworks. This has required a thorough and current working knowledge of the National Construction Code (NCC), the Disability (Access to Premises — Buildings) Standards 2010 (Premises Standards), and the AS 1428 series of Australian Standards governing design for access and mobility.
Access Assessments and Reports
A significant component of my practice involves the preparation of access reports and assessments for development applications, construction certificate applications, and compliance purposes. These assessments evaluate proposed and existing buildings against the applicable DtS Provisions of the NCC and the requirements of the Premises Standards, identifying areas of non-compliance and providing practical, technically sound recommendations for achieving compliance. Reports are prepared across a wide range of building classes, including Class 1b, Class 2, Class 3, Class 5, Class 6, Class 7, Class 9a, Class 9b, and Class 9c buildings. I am experienced in applying both NCC 2022 and NCC 2025 frameworks and am familiar with the transitional arrangements applicable during the current adoption period.
Access Audits:
I have conducted access audits of existing buildings and facilities for a variety of clients, including government agencies and private building owners. These audits systematically assess physical environments against the Premises Standards and AS 1428 series, identifying barriers to access and providing prioritised recommendations for remediation. Audits have been undertaken on both occupied buildings and facilities undergoing refurbishment, and outputs have been used to inform capital works planning, asset management strategies, and regulatory compliance programs.
Access Inspections and Sign-Off:
I regularly carry out access inspections at key stages of construction to verify that works are being executed in accordance with the access provisions of the NCC and the conditions of development consent. This includes inspections at structural completion, fitout, and prior to occupation, as well as providing sign-off documentation confirming compliance with access requirements for the purposes of occupation certificates. My accreditation as a building surveyor provides additional authority and technical rigour to this aspect of my practice, ensuring that access inspections are conducted with a thorough understanding of the certification framework within which they sit. I work closely with architects, builders, and certifiers to ensure that access issues are identified and resolved efficiently without causing undue delay to project programs.
Performance Solutions for Access Non-Compliances:
I have prepared numerous Performance Solutions addressing situations where strict compliance with the Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions of the NCC is not achievable or where an alternative solution is proposed to meet the relevant Performance Requirements. These are prepared in accordance with the Assessment Methods prescribed under the NCC, primarily by reference to Verification Methods, Expert Judgement, and Comparison with the DtS Provisions. Matters addressed have included modified accessible path of travel configurations, alternative sanitary facility layouts, lift landing dimensions, turning space provisions at restricted locations etc. Each Performance Solution is supported by a rigorous technical analysis demonstrating that the proposed solution meets or exceeds the intent of the applicable Performance Requirements. My building surveying background is particularly valuable in this context, enabling me to assess Performance Solutions holistically against the NCC's overarching objectives and to engage credibly with certifiers and consent authorities when solutions require regulatory acceptance.
Ongoing Professional Development:
Throughout my career, I have maintained a commitment to ongoing professional development, keeping current with amendments to the NCC, updates to the AS 1428 series, and evolving practice in both building surveying and access consulting. I have engaged extensively with the technical and policy dimensions of access compliance, including contributing to Performance-Based Design Brief reviews and providing specialist advice to clients and design teams on complex access matters.
My five years of dedicated practice in access consulting, combined with five years of accreditation as a building surveyor (unrestricted) and my Certificate IV in Access Consulting, have equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and professional judgment required to perform the role of Accredited Access Consultant at a high standard.
