Australia’s favourite online CPD event is back this spring. CPD Live returns from 14–16 October 2025 with three days of free, live, and interactive sessions designed for architects, designers, and construction professionals.
With expert-led presentations, the program covers sustainability, compliance, building systems, and the latest design innovations. Every session is CPD-accredited and accessible online, making it easy to update your knowledge from wherever you are.
Here’s a look at the full lineup.
Day 1 – 14 October 2025
Lightweight Construction in High Fire Risk Industrial Applications – Meeting NCC Fire Requirements in Class 7b and 8 Buildings
Date & Time: 14 October, 2025 | 9:00 am – 10:00 am AEDT
Defined respectively as storage/warehousing (Class 7b) and manufacturing/processing (Class 8), these industrial buildings carry significant fire risk. The NCC mandates stringent Fire Resistance Levels for such structures. In this session, presenters will spotlight lightweight construction systems as viable alternatives to masonry and concrete, highlight their limitations, and explain how to meet fire performance obligations when specifying these systems. By the end, you’ll be able to identify relevant fire safety regulations, weigh the pros and cons of conventional vs lightweight systems, and integrate compliant design strategies.
Building Management & the Power of a Day 2 Focus
Date & Time: 14 October, 2025 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm AEDT
“Day 2 Services” covers what happens once a building is operational: systems like HVAC, wiring, automation, plumbing, maintenance and more. In this session, speakers will explore how architects and designers can embed foresight into building management — from smart wiring and predictive maintenance to auditing systems over time. Using motorised blinds as a case study, you’ll learn how operational data and circular design thinking can increase longevity, ease upgrades, and future-proof your projects.
Aluminium Ceiling Grids – Benefits, Compliance & Design Considerations
Date & Time: 14 October, 2025 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm AEDT
Ceiling grid systems play a crucial role—not just in aesthetics, but in acoustics, fire performance, servicing, and structural support. This session delves into aluminium ceiling grids: why they’re lighter than steel, how they meet regulatory demands, and practical design/installation considerations. Speakers will walk you through standards, compliance, and real-world projects. You’ll leave with a clear grasp of when and how to specify aluminium grids over conventional materials.
Specifying Low-Carbon Products with Confidence
Date & Time: 14 October, 2025 | 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm AEDT
As carbon disclosures and sustainability expectations grow, specifying low-carbon materials has become essential. In this session, you’ll explore how to benchmark and compare products using Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs), and other metrics. The presenter will guide you through integrating these tools into your specification workflows and provide clarity on regulatory requirements, helping you make smarter, more defensible decisions in material selection.
Day 2 – 15 October 2025
Navigating Weatherproofing Certifications & Standards for Cladding & Façades
Date & Time: 15 October, 2025 | 9:00 am – 10:00 am AEDT
External cladding and façade systems must resist wind, rain, UV, temperature shifts—and do so reliably over time. Yet many failures can be traced to inadequate waterproofing or noncompliance. In this session, you’ll examine the certifications and standards relevant to facades in Australia, understand pathways to compliance, and review case studies of high-performance products. You’ll emerge able to specify façade systems that balance performance, durability, regulation, and aesthetics.
The Latest in Unit & High-Rise Apartment Design – Current Trends, Key Considerations
Date & Time: 15 October, 2025 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm AEDT
In this session, presenters explore evolving trends shaping apartment and high-rise design — from unit layouts and amenity programming to compliance, sustainability, and occupant expectations. They’ll highlight key considerations for designers working in the multi-residential sector, including how to balance livability, regulatory constraints, and market pressures. Expect insights into delivering efficient, attractive, and code-compliant apartments.
Smart Bathroom Design – Connectivity, Insight & Sustainability
Date & Time: 15 October, 2025 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm AEDT
Bathrooms are becoming smarter: sensors, water monitoring, energy reuse, and digital interfaces are increasingly part of the equation. This session discusses how to integrate connectivity, sustainability, and user insight into bathroom design. Expect to hear about plumbing innovations, data feedback loops, durable materials, and compliance. After attending, you’ll be better placed to design bathrooms that are more responsive, efficient, and future-ready.
Email Management as a Key Strategic Priority – Risk Reduction, Communication & Compliance
Date & Time: 15 October, 2025 | 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm AEDT
Though not strictly a design topic, email is a core tool for all professionals—and a source of risk, inefficiency, and miscommunication. In this session, experts will tackle best practices for inbox strategy, compliance (e.g. records, privacy), risk mitigation, and aligning communication with project workflows. You’ll learn techniques to reduce overload, standardise practices, and strengthen your email as a strategic asset.
Day 3 – 16 October 2025
Think Circular – Circularity Principles for Furniture & Fitout
Date & Time: 16 October, 2025 | 9:00 am – 10:00 am AEDT
Circular economy principles are reshaping how we think about interiors and fitouts. This presentation explores material sourcing, reuse, disassembly, lifecycle thinking, and designing for adaptability. You’ll gain actionable strategies for circular design in furniture and fitout projects—helping you reduce waste, enhance longevity, and align with sustainability goals.
Understanding Drinking Water Quality
Date & Time: 16 October, 2025 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm AEDT
Clean, safe water is fundamental—but in design we often take it for granted. In this session, presenters will demystify water quality parameters, testing protocols, treatment methods, and implications for building services and user health. Whether working on residential, commercial, or institutional projects, you’ll leave better equipped to specify systems and materials that safeguard water integrity.
Aluminium Finishing Innovations – Improving Performance & Prioritising Sustainability
Date & Time: 16 October, 2025 | 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm AEDT
Finishing technologies—coatings, surface treatments, anodising, powder coats, and more—play a significant role in aluminium performance (durability, aesthetics, corrosion). This session explores the latest innovations in sustainable finishing, how they compare, and how to specify them with confidence. You’ll learn to assess tradeoffs and choose finishes that enhance longevity and reduce environmental impact.
Why Attend?
- Earn formal CPD points across three days
- Access expert knowledge from industry leaders
- Gain practical insights you can apply immediately
- Participate for free, from anywhere
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