Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to review proposed building design documentation during the design process for buildings and structures included in Building Code of Australia (BCA) definitions for class 1 and 10 up to three storeys and not more than 2000 square metres in floor area. It applies to providing advice on the preparation of planning and building approval applications and on the compliance of proposed design documentation with the requirements of building and planning legislation, regulations, codes and standards that apply to the nature and location of each project.
The unit supports the work of building surveyors providing advisory code-consulting services to building and construction professionals involved in developing building design documentation up to the building approval application stage. The building surveyor may provide advice concurrently on a range of building design projects in different locations.
Building surveyors must operate within the regulatory constraints that govern the relationship between their advisory and statutory roles and ensure that no conflict of interest arises.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit in some States. Relevant state and territory regulatory authorities should be consulted to confirm those requirements.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Plan and manage code-consulting services. | 1.1. | Scope and nature of advice required by clients are determined and details of services to be offered at different stages of projects, timelines and fees are identified and confirmed. |
1.2. | External personnel required to provide advice at different stages of projects, or on specialist areas of expertise, are identified, engaged and briefed. | ||
1.3. | Project management processes are implemented and monitored to ensure accurate and timely advice is provided within the scope of specified service levels. | ||
1.4. | File management processes are implemented and monitored according to workplace requirements. | ||
2. | Confirm compliance requirements for different projects and inform clients | 2.1. | State or territory building control legislation and regulations for the building or structure, and location of each project, are researched and confirmed. |
2.2. | Requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC) and Australian standards referenced by the NCC for the building or structure, and location of each project, are confirmed. | ||
2.3. | State or territory and local authority planning constraints are researched and confirmed. | ||
2.4. | Professional network is consulted, where required, on technically accurate interpretation and application of compliance requirements in relation to alternative solutions. | ||
2.5. | Compliance requirements for specific projects and locations are explained to clients, and questions are invited and addressed. | ||
3. | Advise on architectural drawings and documentation prepared for planning approval. | 3.1. | Clients are advised of drawings and documentation required for the planning approval process for each project. |
3.2. | Architectural drawings and documentation prepared for planning approval applications are checked for completeness and examined at the agreed service level, and compliance issues are identified and recorded. | ||
3.3. | Advice on specialist areas of expertise is sought, where required, and compliance issues are identified and recorded. | ||
3.4. | Cost-effective and efficient design alternatives that meet compliance requirements are identified as required and explained to clients. | ||
3.5. | Solutions to compliance issues are developed in consultation with colleagues and specialist experts as required, and are documented. | ||
3.6. | Compliance advisory report is prepared, presented and explained to clients; and questions are invited and addressed. | ||
4. | Advise on architectural drawings and documentation prepared for building approval. | 4.1. | Clients are advised of drawings and documentation required for the building approval process for each project. |
4.2. | Architectural drawings and documentation prepared for building approval applications are checked for completeness and examined at the agreed service level, and compliance issues are identified and recorded. | ||
4.3. | Advice on specialist areas of expertise is sought, where required, and compliance issues are identified and recorded. | ||
4.4. | Cost-effective and efficient design alternatives that meet compliance requirements are identified as required and explained to clients. | ||
4.5. | Solutions to compliance issues are developed in consultation with colleagues and specialist experts as required, and are documented. | ||
4.6. | Compliance advisory report is prepared, presented and explained to clients; and questions are invited and addressed. | ||
5. | Respond to client enquiries regarding compliance issues. | 5.1. | Client requests for information regarding compliance issues are assessed as either within or outside scope of service, and when outside scope additional fees are negotiated and agreed as required. |
5.2. | Details of requests for information are determined and response is researched, in consultation with specialist experts as required. | ||
5.3. | Advice on compliance issues is presented to clients in required format, and questions are invited and addressed. | ||
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Learning skills to: | independently access and interpret a range of complex technical information relating to compliance requirements for class 1 and 10 buildings and structures, including specific requirements for particular geographic and climatic areas and different planning schemes and codes use structured approaches to maintain currency of skills and knowledge as a regular part of routine through, for example, email alerts, conferences, or subscriptions to relevant journals. |
Numeracy skills to: | extract and interpret a range of mathematical information contained in technical documentation relating to the design of class 1 and 10 buildings and structures, including: ratios, rates and proportions detailed plans perform complex calculations and computations in the process of determining compliance as it relates to structural integrity and wind bracing. |
Oral communication skills to: | determine client requirements regarding nature and scope of advice sought, through open-ended questioning, active listening, paraphrasing and summarising understand and use specialised construction industry vocabulary in a variety of situations, for example explanations, descriptions and discussions with architects, building designers and specialist personnel. |
Reading skills to: | use different reading strategies to locate specific compliance requirements in a range of resources, including the NCC understand technical texts with complex structures, specialised vocabulary, acronyms and diagrams specific to plans and compliance requirements for class 1 and 10 buildings monitor own understanding of technical compliance information and apply a range of strategies to ensure correct interpretation of compliance requirements, including re-reading or obtaining clarification from another source. |
Writing skills to: | use accurately-spelled specialised construction industry vocabulary in emails, letters and reports to clients and specialist personnel. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Specialist areas of expertise must include at least three of the following: | access consultants energy efficiency assessors fire services engineers geotechnical engineers heritage consultants hydraulic engineers mechanical engineers structural engineers waterproofing specialists. |
Solutions to compliance issues must include: | alternative solutions that meet the performance requirements of the NCC deemed-to-satisfy NCC solutions solutions that meet the requirements of: insurers state or territory and local government legislation and regulations statutory authorities governing: environment fire protection services. |
Sectors
Construction
Competency Field
Building surveying