Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to research and evaluate existing, new and emerging construction materials and methods for all residential building design projects covered by the Building Code of Australia (BCA) section of the National Construction Code (NCC), except construction Type A buildings.
The unit supports the development of an understanding of the range of construction materials and methods available, and of their application, performance and interaction. It applies to building designers and other personnel, such as home sustainability assessors, who recommend construction materials and methods to clients for small-scale residential building design projects, including alterations and additions, heritage restorations, and new buildings.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency 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. | Research materials and methods for structural elements in relation to different types of small-scale residential building design projects. | 1.1. | Characteristics and applications of materials used for structural elements are researched and evaluated. |
1.2. | Compliance requirements for materials used for structural elements are researched and interpreted. | ||
1.3. | Construction methods and systems for structural elements are researched and evaluated. | ||
1.4. | Research is recorded, filed and regularly updated according to workplace procedures. | ||
2. | Research materials and methods for building envelope for different types of small-scale residential building design projects. | 2.1. | Characteristics and applications of materials used for building envelope are researched and evaluated. |
2.2. | Compliance requirements for materials used for building envelope are researched and interpreted. | ||
2.3. | Construction methods and systems for building envelope are researched and evaluated. | ||
2.4. | Research is recorded, filed and regularly updated according to workplace procedures. | ||
3. | Research systems and components for building services. | 3.1. | Components and systems for building services are researched and evaluated. |
3.2. | Broad compliance | ||
3.3. | Installation methods for services are researched in relation to different types of components, systems and small-scale residential building design projects. | ||
3.4. | Research is recorded, filed and regularly updated according to workplace procedures. | ||
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 develop a body of current research findings suitable for application to three different buildings or structures not more than 2000 square metres in floor area in Classes 1 and 10 as defined in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) section of the National Construction Code (NCC), where:
two of the buildings must be in Class 1 and three storeys
each building must be in a different climatic, geographic or planning zone.
In doing the above, the person must:
evaluate characteristics and applications of materials suitable for structural elements and building envelope
evaluate construction methods and systems applicable to structural elements and building envelope
evaluate components and systems for services, including:
compliance requirements
installation methods
systematically document and store research findings.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
structural engineering principles sufficient to interpret and apply the requirements of the NCC
building designers’ duty of care to ensure quality and safety of designs
compliance requirements relating to construction materials and methods, including:
Australian standards
NCC requirements
environmental and sustainability requirements, including:
energy efficiency
fire resistance, including resistance to bushfire attack
legislation
hazards of construction materials and methods
organisational scope of business and client demographics, including:
geographic areas of operation
trends in clients’ design preferences
types of building design projects that form the core business of the organisation
sources of reliable information on past, current and emerging uses of construction materials and methods
sustainable construction materials and methods.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
computer with internet access and business software currently in use in building design practices
materials:
documentation for the three projects specified in the performance evidence
specifications:
access to current building control legislation, regulations, codes and standards; and state, territory or local authority planning policies.
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: | identify reliable sources of information on construction materials and methods plan and arrange professional development activities to update own knowledge base. |
Numeracy skills to: | calculate and compare prices and evaluate cost-effectiveness of construction materials and methods. |
Oral communication skills to: | interact with builders, manufacturers, representatives of regulatory authorities, and suppliers network with access consultants and other design professionals. |
Reading skills to: | interpret complex technical information relating to characteristics and performance of different construction materials and methods. |
Writing skills to: | maintain records of research findings, including notes on complex technical information. |
Planning and organising skills to: | manage documents manage time, including planning and prioritising work. |
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. | |
Characteristics of materials must include: | acoustic properties aesthetic properties durability fire resistance properties health and safety issues interaction with other materials structural safety thermal properties four or more of the following: availability cost defects limitations due to manufacturing process sustainability features, such as energy efficiency tolerance transport, storage and handling requirements. |
Applications of materials used for structural elements must include: | aesthetic properties coatings required compatibility with other elements fixings required structural application substructural application use in specific construction methods or systems. |
Materials used for structural elements must include: | bricks clay composite materials concrete glass, including glass blocks metals new and emerging materials stone timber and timber products. |
Structural elements must include: | footings, including: concrete pad piles post and concrete strip floors, including: bearers and joists pier and beam slabs, including: raft suspended waffle walls, including: frame post and beam solid masonry roofs, including: conventional truss. |
Research must include: | consultation with three or more of the following: builders clients manufacturers representatives of regulatory authorities suppliers data analysis and comparison, including: manufacturer specifications performance test information literature review, including peer assessments online research. |
Compliance requirements must include: | Australian standards referenced in the NCC NCC legislation relating to construction materials and methods, including: town planning state or territory building regulations work health and safety (WHS) environmental heritage performance requirements specified by clients quality standards specified by clients. |
Applications of materials used for building envelope must include: | cladding flashing lining roofing waterproofing. |
Materials used for building envelope must include: | composite materials glass masonry metal new and emerging materials plaster and plasterboard slate terracotta timber and timber products. |
Services must include: | alternative energy sources, including solar electricity environmentally sustainable design (ESD) energy systems fire suppression gas, including: natural gas liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) telecommunications water. |
Sectors
Building design