ACA Student Concierge Terms and Conditions

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Effective Date: 14 October 2026
Version: 2.0 – Student Edition

These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of the ACA Student Concierge ("the Service"), an artificial intelligence-powered educational support service made available in association with the Association of Consulting Architects ("ACA") and powered by Spec Rep Help Desk.

The Service is provided and operated by:

Red and Black Group Pty Ltd ATF Red and Black Trust trading as Spec Up (ABN 36 270 917 042)

("Spec Up", "we", "us", "our").

By accessing or using the Service, you agree to comply with these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service.

1. Purpose of the Service

1.1. The ACA Student Concierge is an AI-powered educational and research support tool designed to assist students of architecture, architectural technology, building design and related built environment disciplines.

1.2. The Service is intended to support learning and research by providing:

A. explanations of architectural, construction and building design concepts;

B. information about building materials, products, manufacturers and technical documentation;

C. assistance understanding the National Construction Code (NCC), Australian Standards and other relevant regulatory frameworks;

D. guidance on sustainability, accessibility, building performance and construction methods;

E. assistance with architectural research, design investigations and technical problem-solving;

F. access to relevant industry knowledge, supplier information and educational resources.

1.3. The Service is intended to supplement formal education, academic instruction, independent research and professional guidance. It does not replace any of these.

1.4. The Service is not a registered architect, building surveyor, engineer, educator or other qualified professional and must not be relied upon as the sole basis for design, construction, regulatory or compliance decisions.

2. Service Provided "As Is"

2.1. The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, subject to any warranties, guarantees or other rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

2.2. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we do not warrant:

A. the accuracy, completeness or currency of information provided;

B. the suitability of responses for any particular educational, assessment or practical purpose;

C. the availability or uninterrupted operation of the Service;

D. that any output will satisfy university assessment requirements or professional standards;

E. any particular academic, professional or project outcome resulting from use of the Service.

2.3. You are responsible for independently evaluating information before relying upon it, subject to your rights under applicable law.

3. Accuracy and Limitations

3.1. The Service uses artificial intelligence systems and may draw upon industry-specific materials, supplier documentation, building codes, standards, technical resources and publicly available information.

3.2. While reasonable efforts are made to provide helpful and accurate responses, the Service may:

A. generate incorrect or misleading information;

B. provide incomplete or outdated technical advice;

C. misinterpret questions, drawings, documents or context;

D. incorrectly reference or summarise technical publications;

E. provide links to documents that are no longer current;

F. present interpretations or conclusions that require independent professional verification.

3.3. Any discussion of the NCC, Australian Standards, planning requirements or other regulatory documents is provided for general educational and informational purposes.

3.4. Such information is not an authoritative regulatory interpretation, certification of compliance or substitute for consulting the applicable primary source or qualified professional.

3.5. You should verify technical and regulatory information against current authoritative sources, particularly when completing assessments or applying information to real projects.

4. Limitations of Liability

4.1. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Spec Up is not liable for losses or damages arising from:

A. inaccuracies, omissions or errors in AI-generated information;

B. reliance upon information without appropriate independent verification;

C. academic or assessment outcomes arising from use of the Service;

D. interruptions, delays or technical failures affecting the Service;

E. decisions made using information provided by the Service;

F. the accuracy or suitability of third-party documents or digital content.

4.2. You acknowledge that artificial intelligence has inherent limitations and that the Service is an educational support tool rather than a guaranteed source of accurate or authoritative advice.

4.3. Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantees, rights or remedies under the Australian Consumer Law or other applicable legislation that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified.

5. Third-Party Resources

5.1. The Service may provide links or references to external websites, industry resources, technical publications, manufacturers, suppliers, educational organisations and regulatory authorities.

5.2. These may include material from the Australian Building Codes Board, standards publishers and product manufacturers.

5.3. Spec Up does not control or guarantee the accuracy, currency, accessibility or availability of third-party resources.

5.4. Third-party information and documents may be subject to separate copyright, licensing and usage requirements.

5.5. References to particular products, manufacturers or suppliers do not constitute independent certification, approval or an assurance of suitability for a particular application.

6. Student Responsibilities and Academic Integrity

6.1. You are responsible for:

A. critically assessing information and outputs generated by the Service;

B. verifying information using appropriate independent sources;

C. complying with your educational institution's academic integrity policies;

D. acknowledging or disclosing AI assistance where required by your institution;

E. ensuring submitted assessments represent your own learning and comply with assessment requirements;

F. consulting educators, supervisors or qualified professionals where appropriate.

6.2. The Service may assist with research, explanations, drafting, technical investigations and educational exercises. However, you must determine whether and how such assistance may be used in your academic work.

6.3. The Service does not guarantee that any generated content will satisfy academic integrity requirements, assessment criteria or institutional policies.

6.4. You must not misrepresent AI-generated material as independently produced work where such representation would breach applicable academic requirements.

6.5. The Service should support the development of your own knowledge, skills and critical judgement rather than replace your learning process.

7. Intellectual Property

7.1. The Service, its underlying systems, original Spec Up training materials, software, branding and proprietary resources remain the intellectual property of Spec Up or their respective owners.

7.2. Third-party documents, publications, drawings, product information and other resources remain subject to the intellectual property rights of their respective owners.

7.3. You retain ownership of the original intellectual property rights you hold in coursework, research, drawings, documents and other material you provide to the Service.

7.4. By submitting material, you grant Spec Up a non-exclusive licence to process, store and use that material to the extent reasonably necessary to provide and support the Service, in accordance with these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

7.5. You must have the necessary rights or permissions to submit any documents, drawings, images or other materials.

7.6. You must not:

A. reproduce or commercially redistribute proprietary Service materials without permission;

B. extract, reverse-engineer or attempt to reproduce the Service's underlying systems;

C. reproduce or distribute third-party copyright material in breach of applicable rights or licences.

7.7. Subject to applicable law and third-party rights, you may use AI-generated responses for legitimate educational and research purposes, including incorporation into coursework where permitted by your educational institution.

7.8. Spec Up does not warrant that AI-generated material is original, free from third-party intellectual property claims or capable of copyright protection.

8. Privacy and Communication

8.1. The Service may collect information associated with your use, including:

A. questions, prompts and messages entered into the Service;

B. responses generated during your conversations;

C. your course of study, educational institution or student status, where provided;

D. project information, study topics and research interests;

E. personal contact information, including email addresses, where voluntarily provided;

F. documents, images or other content uploaded to the Service;

G. technical usage information necessary to operate, secure and improve the Service.

8.2. If you provide an email address and request or agree to relevant communications, you may receive:

A. a summary of your conversation;

B. educational resources or technical documents;

C. responses to requests for further information;

D. optional follow-up regarding your enquiry.

8.3. Conversations with the Service are logged and stored for service delivery, quality assurance, technical support, accuracy review and service improvement, subject to our Privacy Policy.

8.4. All personal information will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy legislation and our Privacy Policy.

8.5. You acknowledge that complete chat transcripts and related usage information may be shared with the Association of Consulting Architects for purposes connected with operating, supporting, evaluating and improving the ACA Student Concierge.

8.6. Spec Up will not independently use identifiable ACA Student Concierge transcripts for unrelated marketing purposes or disclose them to product suppliers for marketing without an appropriate lawful basis and any consent required by law.

8.7. The Service may use third-party technology and infrastructure providers to process information where necessary for its operation, subject to applicable privacy requirements.

8.8. You should not assume that conversations with the Service are private communications solely between you and the AI system.

9. AI Limitations and Human Follow-Up

9.1. The Service is an AI-powered assistant and not a human tutor, educator or qualified professional.

9.2. The Service may:

A. explain technical requirements and industry terminology;

B. assist with understanding building regulations and relevant standards;

C. discuss architectural design and construction approaches;

D. identify relevant product information and technical resources;

E. suggest further research or professional advice where appropriate.

9.3. The Service does not provide authoritative legal, contractual, engineering, architectural certification or regulatory compliance determinations.

9.4. Where available, the Service may offer to connect you with a human representative or direct you to relevant educational or industry resources.

9.5. You may accept or decline optional human follow-up. Any associated sharing of contact information will be subject to applicable privacy requirements.

10. Use of Supplied Documents

10.1. Documents provided or referenced through the Service may include:

A. product datasheets and technical literature;

B. environmental product declarations;

C. installation guides and manufacturer recommendations;

D. educational and industry publications;

E. extracts, summaries or references to building regulations and standards;

F. BIM models, CAD files and other digital resources.

10.2. We do not guarantee that supplied or referenced documents are complete, current, applicable to your circumstances or free from errors.

10.3. You should confirm the currency and suitability of technical materials with their original publisher, manufacturer or relevant authority.

10.4. Access to documents through the Service does not necessarily grant permission to reproduce, redistribute or publish them.

11. Permitted Use

11.1. You may use the Service for legitimate educational, academic, research and professional development purposes.

11.2. Permitted uses include:

A. researching construction methods and building technologies;

B. learning about architectural products and materials;

C. investigating sustainability and design performance;

D. understanding technical terminology and regulatory concepts;

E. exploring design ideas and possible technical solutions;

F. preparing educational research and assessment work, subject to institutional requirements;

G. developing practical knowledge of the Australian built environment industry.

11.3. You must not:

A. impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity or authority;

B. use the Service for unlawful, fraudulent or deliberately misleading purposes;

C. attempt unauthorised access to underlying software, databases, infrastructure or security systems;

D. systematically scrape or extract data from the Service without permission;

E. use automated processes intended to overload or disrupt the Service;

F. use the Service to harass, threaten or unlawfully disparage others;

G. knowingly submit material that infringes another person's rights.

11.4. Use for educational purposes does not authorise unauthorised access to third-party intellectual property or confidential information.

12. Fair Use Policy

12.1. The Service is made available on a fair use basis.

12.2. Normal educational use, including repeated questions, extended research conversations and technical investigations, is permitted subject to reasonable operational limits.

12.3. Spec Up reserves the right to limit, suspend or terminate access where necessary in response to:

A. excessive or abusive use;

B. deliberate attempts to overload the Service;

C. automated or systematic misuse;

D. unauthorised commercial exploitation;

E. security threats or other conduct compromising the Service;

F. material breaches of these Terms.

12.4. Any restriction or suspension will be exercised reasonably, having regard to the circumstances and applicable law.

13. Service Availability and Changes

13.1. Spec Up may update, modify, suspend or discontinue features of the Service from time to time.

13.2. Access may be affected by technical maintenance, infrastructure limitations, supplier availability or changes in the arrangements under which the Service is offered.

13.3. We will endeavour to provide reasonable notice of material changes or planned discontinuation where practicable.

13.4. Subject to applicable law, we do not guarantee uninterrupted access or continued availability of particular features, information sources or previous conversations.

14. Changes to These Terms of Use

14.1. These Terms may be updated periodically to reflect changes to the Service, applicable law or operational arrangements.

14.2. The current version will be made available within the Service interface or through the Spec Rep Help Desk website at www.specrephelpdesk.com.

14.3. We will provide reasonable notice of material changes through the Service or by email where practicable.

14.4. Continued use following the effective date of updated Terms constitutes acceptance of those Terms, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

15. BIM Content and Digital Files

15.1. The Service may provide access to digital files including Revit families, IFC models, CAD blocks, drawings, schedules or other downloadable technical content.

15.2. Such files are supplied on an "as is" basis, subject to applicable statutory rights.

15.3. Spec Up does not warrant that digital files:

A. are free from errors, corruption or incompatible elements;

B. are compatible with your software or digital workflow;

C. are suitable for construction documentation or professional use;

D. accurately reflect current manufacturer products or specifications;

E. will operate without affecting other files or systems.

15.4. You should test downloaded digital content in a separate or appropriately protected environment before incorporating it into active models, coursework or project documentation.

15.5. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Spec Up accepts no liability for data loss, file corruption or project disruption resulting from the use of third-party digital content accessed through the Service.

16. Data Logging and Confidentiality

16.1. Interactions with the Service are logged and stored for purposes including:

A. delivery and administration of the Service;

B. monitoring service quality and accuracy;

C. investigating errors and improving system performance;

D. technical support and authorised human review;

E. supporting the ACA in providing and evaluating the Service.

16.2. By using the Service, you acknowledge that your conversations may be stored and reviewed by authorised personnel involved in its operation and support.

16.3. You must not knowingly enter confidential, restricted or commercially sensitive information into the Service unless you have appropriate permission and the Service expressly supports that use.

Examples include:

A. personal identifying information about other individuals;

B. confidential client drawings, specifications or project records;

C. unpublished or restricted university research;

D. confidential examination or assessment materials;

E. information obtained during professional placements that is subject to confidentiality obligations;

F. commercially sensitive pricing, tender or contractual information;

G. confidential legal or dispute-related information.

16.4. Where possible, you should anonymise project information and remove personal or confidential details before submitting material.

16.5. If confidential information is inadvertently submitted, you should contact Spec Up promptly at info@specup.agency so the matter can be investigated and appropriate steps considered.

16.6. Subject to applicable law and technical limitations, Spec Up will use reasonable endeavours to respond to legitimate requests for correction or deletion of information in accordance with its Privacy Policy.

16.7. Nothing in this section limits any privacy, confidentiality or other legal obligations that apply to Spec Up.

17. Interpretation and General

17.1. These Terms are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia.

17.2. Subject to applicable law, disputes arising from these Terms are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria, Australia.

17.3. The parties consent to the use of electronic communications and electronic signatures where legally permitted, including under the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000.

17.4. If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to operate to the extent permitted by law.

17.5. Nothing in these Terms establishes an employment, agency, partnership or professional advisory relationship between a user and Spec Up.

ACA Student Concierge
Powered by Spec Rep Help Desk

Service Provider: Red and Black Group Pty Ltd ATF Red and Black Trust trading as Spec Up
ABN: 36 270 917 042
Contact: info@specup.agency
Website: www.specrephelpdesk.com

End of Terms of Use – Version 2.0 – Student Edition