Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to inspect sites for commercial, industrial and residential building design projects covered by the Building Code of Australia (BCA), except construction Type A buildings. Site inspections are conducted to determine contours and measurements; existing conditions, structures, features and services; and neighbourhood characteristics. The unit involves analysing sites; determining orientation and layout of building, access and egress points, and existing utilities and services infrastructure; and producing measured drawings for projects.
The unit supports inspecting and analysing sites, including alteration and additions, heritage restorations, and new buildings, including houses, factories, motels, offices, restaurants, retail and service outlets, and warehouses. It applies to building designers who gather and correlate field data from small-scale building design project sites and produce accurate measured site drawings.
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. | Inspect site for small-scale building design project. | 1.1. | Site inspection tasks for small-scale building design project are planned with reference to site information and workplace procedures. |
1.2. | Site is inspected, sketched and where required photographed, and existing characteristics are noted according to workplace procedures. | ||
1.3. | Features of surrounding area that may affect design options are investigated and noted according to workplace procedures. | ||
2. | Measure and record site dimensions. | 2.1. | Linear site dimensions are measured or calculated, and recorded according to workplace procedures. |
2.2. | Levelling devices are set up and adjusted according to manufacturer instructions and workplace procedures. | ||
2.3. | Horizontal and vertical angles are determined and recorded. | ||
3. | Plot contours and cut and fill areas. | 3.1. | Contour lines are interpolated from spot level values and plotted on site plan. |
3.2. | Cut and fill areas are measured or calculated and plotted in plan and section drawings. | ||
4. | Analyse site and produce measured drawings. | 4.1. | Field data is correlated and applied to production of measured drawings according to workplace procedures. |
4.2. | Orientation and layout of key design elements are determined, in consultation with technical experts as required, and added to measured drawings. | ||
4.3. | Measured drawings and site analysis documentation are finalised within project timelines and processed 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 produce measured drawings for three different project sites, as listed below, where each site has significantly different features and characteristics:
one Class 1 residential building of three storeys
one residential extension of at least 50 square metres
one of the following non-residential projects which must be of a maximum area of 2000 square metres:
incorporating Classes 2, 5, 6 and 7a
incorporating Classes 3 and 9c
incorporating Classes 7b and 8.
In doing the above, the person must:
safely and thoroughly inspect the project sites
observe and document, using notes and field sketching, features and characteristics of sites and neighbouring areas
accurately measure or calculate angles, contours and dimensions
produce sets of accurate and scaled measured site drawings based on field data
apply on-site work health and safety (WHS) procedures.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
architectural styles and terminology applicable to the project locations
construction materials and methods to accurately assess materials and methods used in existing on-site and neighbouring buildings
design development processes and uses of on-site measured drawings in these processes
key features of building life cycles to accurately assess potential for re-use of existing buildings
project site WHS requirements
legislation, codes and standards applicable to small-scale building design projects specified in the performance evidence, including drawing standards
organisational scope of business, service levels and fees relating to drawing process
principles of building design, including sustainable design
safe operating procedures for using levelling and surveying equipment, including:
chains and tapes
global positioning systems (GPS)
automatic, dumpy and tilting levels
theodolites.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
drawing equipment
measuring, levelling and surveying equipment
materials:
drawing materials
contingencies:
error in site plans provided
specifications:
site information as specified in the range of conditions
physical conditions:
sites suitable for the projects specified in the performance evidence
relationship with client:
client liaison is required.
Timeframe:
according to project schedule.
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: | draw on previous experience to identify site constraints and characteristics that must be recorded in measured drawings and notes. |
Numeracy skills to: | take and calculate accurate measurements using basic surveying equipment measure and draw sites to scale, including irregularly shaped sites interpret site plans. |
Oral communication skills to: | develop relationships, interact and exchange information with technical experts using architectural and construction terminology. |
Reading skills to: | correlate site information from different sources interpret complex documents, including compliance requirements, environmental reports and land titles. |
Writing skills to: | produce notes on site characteristics. |
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. | |
Site information must include: | compliance requirements including environmental reports, with details of: climate flora and fauna soil water catchment maps overlays service and utility layouts site plans titles. |
Workplace procedures | access arrangements drawing production systems and procedures equipment operation and maintenance procedures hazard and risk assessment and control work health and safety (WHS) requirements project management procedures. |
Existing characteristics of site to be checked for must include: | access boundaries buildings, including: materials and methods structural integrity contours easements features fences flora, especially significant trees relationship to adjoining properties services, including power, telecommunications and water supply structures views water and drainage, including: absorption and transpiration areas ground water rainwater tanks roof water sewerage treatment plant stormwater. |
Features of surrounding area that must be checked for include: | architectural styles of buildings and structures dimensions, locations and uses of adjacent buildings and structures, including: aesthetics noise produced shade cast on site traffic landscaping, including significant trees street features and furniture, such as poles and cables. |
Key design elements must include: | access and egress points buildings existing utilities and services infrastructure. |
Sectors
Building design