Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to prepare a concept design for building work to ensure that it provides adequate access for people with disabilities. It requires the ability to communicate with clients to determine their requirements relating to the purpose and function of the proposed building, construction methodology and space allocation, and any limitations that impact on the design; and to then prepare a design that reflects those requirements while ensuring that the building development will provide adequate access for people with disabilities. The unit also requires knowledge of the access requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Premises Standards, the DDA Transport Standards, the DDA Education Standards, the Building Code of Australia (BCA), and other Australian standards relevant to preparing concept designs that meet the access needs of people with disabilities.
The unit supports several access consulting services where there is a breadth, depth and complexity of tasks and often the requirement to make decisions and provide recommendations involving non-routine situations. These services include providing access advice on private dwelling and building renovations, and developing concept designs for accessible buildings. The unit applies to those access consultants who prepare concept designs that reflect the nature of a design project and portray a design idea that investigates and communicates at a very general level the overall nature of the project.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
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. | Identify and assess client requirements for development project. | 1.1. | Client aspirations are elicited and confirmed using effective interpersonal skills and communication techniques according to organisational requirements. |
1.2. | Contractual arrangements are negotiated, confirmed, documented and stored according to client and organisational requirements. | ||
1.3. | Design consequences of client’s aspirations are evaluated. | ||
1.4. | Impact of BCA class of development is determined according to applicable legislation. | ||
1.5. | Legislative requirements for access are determined according to class of development. | ||
2. | Identify and assess access limitations imposed by development. | 2.1. | Topographical limitations to accessible design are identified and documented. |
2.2. | Limitations to accessible design due to existing conditions are identified and documented. | ||
3. | Create concept design. | 3.1. | Initial concept design drawings portraying design features that reflect client’s aspirations for project are prepared. |
3.2. | Concept design drawings are reviewed with required people according to organisational requirements. | ||
3.3. | Feedback received from review process is incorporated into concept drawings. | ||
4. | Discuss concept design with client. | 4.1. | Concept design drawings are presented to client and rationale for design features is explained in relation to client’s aspirations. |
4.2. | Concept design is discussed with client and agreed ideas are progressively incorporated. | ||
4.3. | Concept design is reviewed to ensure compliance with legislative requirements for disability access. | ||
5. | Distribute and store concept documentation. | 5.1. | Final agreed concept design drawings are prepared for client according to contractual arrangements and organisational requirements. |
5.2. | Concept design drawings and associated documentation are forwarded to client according to contractual arrangements. | ||
5.3. | Copy of concept design drawings and associated documentation are recorded and retained for future reference according to organisational and legislative requirements. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also prepare a concept design for three different Building Code of Australia (BCA) classes of buildings for three different clients that complies with legislative requirements and fulfils client contractual arrangements.
In preparing the concept design for each of the three buildings, the person must:
communicate effectively with clients to establish their design requirements for access
interpret and apply legislative and regulatory requirements relating to disability access to ensure that design for building work ensures access
integrate an understanding of disability awareness into the concept design for the provision of access
interpret the impacts of the full range of disabilities and the limitations that each disability places on the individual’s ability to access the building
interpret how the full range of environmental barriers impacts on people with a range of disabilities and impairments
apply organisational management policies and procedures, including quality assurance requirements
apply and adhere to work health and safety (WHS) regulations, policies and processes applicable to workplace operations
use business equipment effectively to prepare and present design documentation in required format
use research skills and analysis techniques
provide final version of concept design drawings within required timeframe and according to organisational requirements.
Each of the above concept designs must be:
inclusive: capable of addressing the multiple issues of the design project
visually descriptive: powerful enough to guide the development of full design documentation
adaptable: flexible enough to accept change
sustainable: able to endure manipulations and transformations during the design process without a loss of identity.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
anthropometric principles of accessible building design and fitout
principles of design for:
creative use of space
accessible buildings and fitouts
structural and construction principles of buildings
ergonomic principles of accessible building design and fitout
key principles for applying knowledge of functional systems of the human body to accessible design and fitout
key requirements of commonwealth, state and territory legislation, local government regulations, and Australian standards specified in the range of conditions
key requirements of international codes, standards, regulations and practices
disability awareness to inform concept design, including:
range of disabilities to be considered when developing concept design
disability-specific physical barriers to access
disability-specific minimum requirements for enhancing accessibility
organisational requirements for preparing concept designs for accessible building work, including:
access and equity policy, principles and practices
client service standards
code of conduct and code of ethics
client privacy and confidentiality requirements
communication channels and reporting procedures
communication of services offered
complaint and dispute resolution procedures
compliance with applicable legislation, codes and standards
compliance with applicable legal policies and guidelines relating to preparing concept designs for accessible building work
continuous improvement processes and standards
defined resource parameters
duty of care
policies and procedures relating to own role, responsibilities and delegation
policies and procedures relating to setting fees and negotiating and managing contracts
processes for recording data and administering records
quality assurance requirements
records and information management systems and processes
WHS policies, procedures and programs
style guides and other guides used to prepare documents
limitations of own work role, responsibility and professional abilities with regard to above design access reports
processes for interpreting plans, working drawings and specifications relating to buildings
principles of risk management in relation to preparing concept designs for accessible buildings.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment, including:
computer and software to access, retrieve, store and distribute concept design documentation
specifications:
legislation, standards and codes specified in the range of conditions
relationship with client:
consultation and communication with client is required.
Timeframe:
in line with timeframe established in contractual arrangements for providing concept designs specified in the performance evidence.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
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: | maintain knowledge of Australian and international standards, and Australian legislation, building codes, codes of practice and ethics, and regulations relating to disability access draw selectively on that knowledge when preparing concept design drawings for buildings. |
Numeracy skills to: | use calculations, measurements, and project dimensions when preparing concept design drawings. |
Oral communication skills to: | consult with clients, demonstrating: command of language to elicit and clarify information in a clear and accessible manner communication techniques suited to individual stakeholders convey and negotiate concept design and disability access knowledge and ideas through oral and visual means. |
Reading skills to: | interpret a range of complex texts and data that could impact on the proposed design, including legislation, standards and codes, and design reference documents relating to the provision of access. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | develop designs that respond creatively to client requirements analyse own work practices and process outcomes critically consult and provide access advice in a sensitive and professional manner. |
Planning and organising skills to: | prepare and manage concept design documentation develop communication strategies that ensure that client is kept informed during design process collect, store and retrieve data for inclusion in the documentation provided to client. |
Technology skills to: | use workplace equipment and communication methods. |
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. | |
Legislation must include: | town planning requirements: traffic control car parking building heights landscaping heritage signage environmental considerations building legislation. |
Legislative requirements for access must include: | anti-discrimination legislation Australian standards, including AS 1428 Design for access and mobility BCA DDA DDA Premises Standards DDA Education Standards DDA Transport Standards international standards local government building regulations state and territory building legislation. |
Limitations must include at least one of the following: | easements availability of services, such as area without sewers placement of existing services, including water mains, sewers and stormwater drains unsuitable soil type presence of hidden rock. |
Design features must include at least four of the following: | horizontal and vertical functional zoning zoning of degrees of privacy horizontal and vertical circulation site conditions and context spatial hierarchy and relationships geometric properties natural and artificial lighting conditions structure and enclosure. |
Sectors
Access consulting