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Elements and Performance Criteria

Required Skills

Required skills

Required skills include

using lateral thinking techniques

conducting market research

writing and interpreting specifications operating procedures manuals regulations and other complex documents

consulting and negotiating with internal and external stakeholders

conducting life cycle analysis

analysing and problem solving including root cause analysis

interpreting and manipulating data

drafting reports

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

process and changes which occur at each step in selected value chain

principles of sustainability

sustainability impacts at different points in the value chain

principles of sustainable design

the sustainability hierarchy

sources and transport of materials and components and alternatives

processes for producing products and alternatives

life cycle analysis techniques

hierarchy of hazard control and its application to sustainability hazards

relevant legislation regulation and protocols government incentives and other initiatives

risk analysis and its application to sustainability risks

Evidence Required

Overview of assessment

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to determine the sustainability related benefits sought by customers for products and design a product to maximise the identified sustainability related benefits

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently apply the skills covered in this unit of competency in new and different situations and contexts Critical aspects of assessment and evidence include

determining customer benefit

identifying and ranking alternative ways of providing that benefit

specifying preferred sustainable alternative

communicating the above as appropriate

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment

Assessment should emphasise a workplace context and procedures found in the candidates workplace

This unit of competency may be assessed with other relevant units addressing sustainability at the enterprise level or other units requiring the exercise of the skills and knowledge covered by this unit

The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team

Method of assessment

In all cases practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly

Where applicable reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity age gender demographics and disability

The language literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a worklike environment

Guidance information for assessment

Range Statement

Sustainability	Sustainability incorporates the three aspects of: survival of the ecology/physical environment (to manage the impact of the business to ensure the survival of the physical environment) economic viability (efficiency, cost and waste reduction and competitiveness to support survival of the business) social sustainability (to manage the impact of the business to ensure its continued survival within the community and the survival of the community)
Product	Product may include: physical product service some other type of product A product will be something which is produced/developed for/provided to a customer or client
Benefit	Benefit includes, but is not limited to, consideration of the: deliverable the customer expects location in which it should occur timing, duration, frequency and longevity of the deliverable value to the customer required maintenance and other ‘running’ inputs disposal/replacement required by the customer the degree to which the designed product is: portable modular reusable recyclable returnable easily able to be repaired after malfunction durable aesthetics price
Alternative methods of delivering benefits	Alternative methods of delivering benefits may include: selling a redesigned product selling the benefit obtained from the product rather than the product selling a combination of physical product and service rather than either leasing (or similar) of the above providing buy back/take back or similar other alternative strategies Alternatives to be considered also include design for: reuse remanufacture recycling
Portion of the value chain	Value chain is the sequence of activities that a firm undertakes to create value/product (good or service). Portion of the value chain includes sections internal or external to the organisation
Sustainability issues of particular relevance	Sustainability issues of particular relevance include: particular sensitivities of the local ecology, such as: endangered species sensitive local flora/fauna material scarcity water availability general ecology issues and regulations, such as: climate change and carbon footprint pollution control measures particular local social issues, such as: distortions to the housing market disruption to local lifestyles general social issues, such as: corporate citizenship use or/deterioration to infrastructure particular local economic issues, such as: cost of capital profit margins competition general economic issues, such as state of the economy stage of the business cycle
Appropriate response	Appropriate response includes: application of the hierarchy of hazard control to sustainability hazards when the impact cannot be prevented application of mitigation and amelioration techniques, such as: capture and storage (e.g. scrubbing) and similar ‘end of pipe’ solutions dilution/dispersion and similar techniques which reduce concentration but not amount other approaches which meet the sustainability requirements