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BNA Membership

Thank you for your interest in a membership with the Sector Association of Dutch Architecture Firms (Dutch: Koninklijke Bond Nederlandse Architectenbureaus), the BNA membership. A BNA membership enhances the impact of your firm and facilitates you in the development and professionalisation of your firm.
You, the architect, will want more than just an attractive building. You will want to create environments where people enjoy spending time. Environments that, thanks to your vision and direction, provide better quality, sustainability and gratification in a neighbourhood, city or country. You will be supported in this a BNA member and you will have this effect. Because with the collective strength of our sector association, we create conditions that enable your firm to make a difference.

Our top 10

BNA members and the employees of BNA firms benefit from a BNA membership in many ways. Our top 10:

  1. Great group discounts and/or extra services through partners.
  2. Exclusive access to our extensive online knowledge library with special information, tips and advice for members.
  3. Members receive free advice and support from our BNA specialists. We have specialists in the fields of law, construction, design, labour matters and international business.
  4. Discounts at the BNA Academy for obtaining the required Permanent Professional Development credits (Dutch: PBO).
  5. Receive clients’ acknowledgement by profiling yourself as an ‘Accredited BNA Agency’.
  6. Access to inspiring regional and national (network) meetings.
  7. Active members exert influence by participating in member consultations.
  8. Access to exclusive member activities for various positions within the architectural firm
  9. Exclusive standard contracts, sample letters and checklists.
  10. Membership statements, for example for foreign clients.

Please visit our member service page or BNAverzekeringen.nl for a complete list of all services with collective discounts.

To be a BNA member with your firm, you must be registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Dutch: KvK) and one of the directors or owner must have a valid registration with the Register of Architects. The market is changing and so are our rank and file. Increasingly more firms are adopting a multidisciplinary policy and find their way to the BNA for support.

Please visit ‘Conditions of BNA membership’ to learn more. Do you not meet the above conditions, yet you would like your firm to join the BNA? Please contact: leden@bna.nl.

BNA membership conditions
A BNA membership is not for everyone. The BNA membership is subject to several conditions. These conditions ensure that clients have greater security and that BNA members may call themselves ‘Approved BNA Firm’. The conditions are described in the articles of association and the internal regulations. Additionally, with the rules of conduct and the disciplinary procedure, the BNA has an acclaimed system for the promotion of responsibility, integrity and professionalism.

BNA membership is subject to the following requirements:

  • A valid registration with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.
  • At least one of the directors must be registered with the Register of Architects.
  • The BNA code of conduct must be observed.
  • At minimum, an adequate professional liability insurance must have been taken out.
  • The pre-admission procedure must be followed.

In addition, all architectural firms must adhere to a number of conditions according to the ‘Collective Agreement for Architects’ and the Architect’s Title Act (Dutch: ‘WAT’).

  • The collective agreement has been declared generally binding. This means that all architectural firms must comply with the collective agreement.
  • A minimum of 16 Permanent Professional Development credits must be obtained annually by all registered architects.
  • Duty to provide information, pursuant to WAT article 27aa, with regard to expertise and professional competence, the professional liability insurance and (copyrights) of third parties.

Would you like to receive more information or do you not meet these conditions, yet you would like your firm to join the BNA? Please contact us at leden@bna.nl.

Membership fee

The membership fee is charged on the basis of a fixed firm fee and a variable fee based on the firm’s number of FTEs. The number of FTEs must be submitted annually, with 1 January of the current year being the reference date. The Members’ Council determines the amount of the membership fee each year.

The following amounts have been set for 2022:

  • Fixed firm fee € 400
  • Variable fee based on FTEs € 370

Variable fee
The number of FTEs is based on all persons who are directly or indirectly engaged with the BNA member, i.e.:

  • All directors, executives and partners (employers)
  • All architects and other staff working at the firm (employees). Trainees do not apply.
  • The flexible workforce. The calculation of the number of FTEs that must be entered is as follows: Take the total costs of hiring temporary employment agencies, facility management agencies, freelancers and/or drawing offices in 2020. Subtract the costs for hiring BNA members. Divide the remaining amount by € 60,300.For the employees category, BNA will retrieve the data from the Architectural Pension Fund.

Other professional associations

BNA firms with owners and/or employees who are personal members of the BNI, NVTL or BNSP do not have to declare (part of) their number of FTEs. This is subject to the proviso that the number of persons/FTEs forming the basis for the calculation of the variable membership fee is never less than 20% of the total number of persons/FTEs at the firm.

For example: The total number of persons is 10 (10 FTEs). 9 persons (9 FTEs) of these are members of another professional association. The total number of FTEs will then be at least 2 FTEs. The number of persons remains 10.

Download the Internal Regulations here for further information.

New members
For new members, the membership fee is charged from the 1st of the month in which the BNA membership starts.

Extension
BNA membership is automatically renewed each year, if no cancellation has been received before 1 December of the preceding year.

Payment
Do you have any questions about the payment of membership fees? Please send an e-mail to administratie@bna.nl.

Here you will find frequently asked questions about BNA membership. If your question is not listed, please contact leden@bna.nl.

  1. How can I register my firm as a BNA member? If you want your firm to be registered as a BNA member, you can do so by using the registration form.
    The calendar year has already started, do I nevertheless have to pay for the whole year? The membership fee is charged from the 1st of the month in which the BNA membership starts. For more information about the membership fee or the pre-admission procedure, please contact us at administratie@bna.nl.
  2. Do I always have to pay the membership fee in one go? The membership fee can be paid monthly by direct debit. You can request the direct-debit order form at administratie@bna.nl.
    What does the application procedure entail? Once we have received the application for the BNA membership, we post an ‘Application for admission as a member’ on the website of the BNA. This starts the pre-admission procedure. During this period, members and the board of the BNA can object to the membership of your firm. For more information about the membership fee or the pre-admission procedure, please contact us at administratie@bna.nl
  3. What does a BNA membership cost?
    The membership fee is charged on the basis of the number of FTEs working at a firm. this means: the larger the firm, the higher the membership fee. In addition a fixed agency fee applies to all firms. If you want to know what the firm fee would be for your firm, please use our online calculation tool.
  4. How is the starter offer structured? Starters receive a 36-month discount on the membership fee. This discount is structured as follows:
    – The first 12 months 60% discount
    – The subsequent 12 months 40% discount
    – The last 12 months 20% discount

The BNA has a unique offer for agencies that have been registered with the Chamber of Commerce for less than two years.

Starting your own firm involves many questions and costs. The support of the BNA will come in most useful. We help starting firms to set up their own business. With attractive collective discounts on business (and private) insurance. With BNA sessions, informative meetings with other starting architects conducted by an experienced architect or BNA specialist. With (online) advice and practical tools, so there is no need to reinvent the wheel. And, of course, with the offerings of the BNA Academy.

Even after the initial start-up phase, we offer programmes such as the Next Step Program to help your agency continue to develop.

Starters receive a 36-month discount on the membership fee. This discount is structured as follows:

  • The first 12 months 60% discount
  • The subsequent 12 months 40% discount
  • The last 12 months 20% discount

What does the BNA do?

We are the only sector association for architectural firms in the Netherlands. We promote your firm and the sector in general. The BNA helps architectural firms to further develop and professionalise. With a BNA membership, you will enhance the impact of your firm. All architectural firms located in the Netherlands can become a member. Whether you are a starting one-man firm or a successful international top firm. We support BNA firms in various ways in their business operations.

At BNA, we look after the interests of all Dutch architectural firms. Together with our members and other stakeholders, we ensure an effective lobby in the development of legislation and regulations for example. In addition, we are always looking for ways to further develop the sector. We monitor the developments in the market and provide insights and support to BNA members in their strategic choices, for example through benchmark research.

Become a BNA member