Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to prepare, consult on and refine designs for building design projects covered by the Building Code of Australia (BCA), except construction Type A buildings, to produce client-approved drawings that comply with planning approval requirements. It involves the application of creative design skills, knowledge of human lifestyles and cycles, and knowledge of safe and sustainable construction materials and methods. It includes consultation and collaboration with technical experts, such as structural engineers.
The unit supports the work of building designers who produce design drawings that meet client and compliance requirements for small-scale building design projects, including alterations and additions, heritage restorations, and new buildings, including houses, factories, motels, offices, restaurants, retail and service outlets, and warehouses.
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. | Plan, administer and produce design drawings. | 1.1. | Design drawings required in planning approval application documentation for small-scale building design projects are confirmed with regulatory authorities. |
1.2. | Compliance requirements to be addressed in design drawings are confirmed with regulatory authorities. | ||
1.3. | Timelines and methodologies for producing final design drawings are established and followed. | ||
1.4. | Drawings required from technical experts are specified, commissioned and obtained. | ||
1.5. | Design drawings are set up, named and filed according to workplace procedures. | ||
2. | Refine spatial, structural and technical elements of building designs. | 2.1. | Factors contributing to spatial requirements and relationships are analysed and incorporated into building designs. |
2.2. | Structural systems for small-scale buildings are reviewed, in consultation with technical experts as required, and suitable systems are incorporated into building designs. | ||
2.3. | Construction and technical elements for small-scale buildings are reviewed, in consultation with technical experts as required, and suitable elements are incorporated into building designs. | ||
2.4. | Aesthetic fusion of design elements is visualised, analysed and refined in building designs. | ||
3. | Address health and safety issues in building designs. | 3.1. | Obligations of building designers for health and safety during construction and use of small-scale buildings are analysed. |
3.2. | Health and safety issues specific to design team, construction team and users are researched, in consultation with client and stakeholders, and analysed. | ||
3.3. | Risk analyses of construction and use of small-scale buildings are conducted and suitable controls selected and applied to design drawings. | ||
3.4. | Health and safety documentation for the building is created, processed and communicated to nominated personnel according to workplace procedures. | ||
4. | Refine sustainable design elements of building designs. | 4.1. | Optimum sustainable construction materials and methods are selected and incorporated into building designs. |
4.2. | Systems for sustainable water use | ||
4.3. | Energy-efficient design principles and renewable energy sources are reviewed and suitable solutions are incorporated into building designs. | ||
5. | Obtain client approval of final design drawings. | 5.1. | Design drawings are assessed against client and compliance requirements and anomalies are addressed. |
5.2. | Design drawings are presented and explained to client and stakeholders according to workplace procedures. | ||
5.3. | Detailed client and stakeholder feedback is encouraged and discussed, and required amendments are negotiated. | ||
5.4. | Design drawings are amended as required, and client approval is obtained, documented 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 client-approved designs for three different projects, consisting of:
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 work, the person must:
plan and organise the production of design drawings to meet planning approval requirements
produce sets of building design drawings that meet quality requirements and are completed within given timelines
consult with clients, including:
producing hand drawings to illustrate explanations
obtaining feedback
negotiating and finalising adjustments.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
architectural styles and terminology that apply to the local area, the client brief, and proposed design concepts
structural engineering principles sufficient to interpret and apply the requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC)
principles of sustainable design
principles of human interactions with the built environment, including client requirements for user-satisfaction with building design in terms of quality of life, healthy environments, aesthetics and confidence in structural stability
building designers’ duty of care to ensure quality and safety of designs
contextual and site constraints and their impact on the design process
conventional and sustainable construction materials and methods, including their application, behaviour, characteristics, performance, and interactions with other materials
design development and approval processes and implications of changes to design at each stage
design drawing and representation methods and processes, including procedures for the use of design tools
hazards of site, materials, construction practices, and building use over building life cycle
key features of building life cycles
legislation, codes and standards applicable to sustainable design requirements for small-scale building design projects
organisational scope of business, service levels and fees relating to design process
planning processes and requirements
pricing of resources.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
computer with internet access and building information modelling (BIM)-capable building design software
telephone
materials:
drawing materials for manual drawings
contingencies:
discrepancy between design drawings and client requirements
specifications:
access to information regarding compliance requirements
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 past experience to apply compliance requirements, including drawing standards, to designs. |
Numeracy skills to: | estimate costs work out optimum compliant and cost-effective design solutions. |
Oral communication skills to: | interact with clients and other stakeholders, including planning and regulatory personnel and technical experts using language and terms suitable for different audiences. |
Reading skills to: | interpret complex information, including legislation, regulations, codes and standards produce a design from a written brief. |
Writing skills to: | produce accurate design documentation. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | develop innovative ideas and designs select cost-effective products and materials that contribute to sustainable development. |
Planning and organising skills to: | manage documents manage time, including planning and prioritising work plan and carry out design, including visualising spaces, form, shapes and light. |
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. | |
Design drawings | drawings produced by building designers or technical experts elevations plans, including: contour demolition floor framing roof sections site analyses landscape designs services layout. |
Regulatory authorities | local council planning department federal, state or territory government departments for: energy environment heritage infrastructure services regulatory authorities in country of project location. |
Compliance requirements must include: | Australian standards National Construction Code (NCC) codes and standards applicable: at project locations in particular conditions legislation, regulations and local by-laws relating to: conservation construction materials and methods energy environment heritage health and safety planning water local authority planning schemes. |
Technical experts | construction contractor landscape designer service contractor structural engineer surveyor. |
Factors contributing to spatial requirements and relationships | air circulation and user movement patterns anthropometrics building occupancy and functions ergonomics landscaping massing scale transition. |
Users must include: | maintenance and service personnel occupants visitors users in subsequent life cycle stages of buildings. |
Health and safety documentation for the building | residual risk register information relating to: construction materials and methods location of services and machinery warranties. |
Optimum sustainable construction materials and methods must include: | cost-effective sustainable design solutions latest sustainable design technologies locally available sustainable construction materials. |
Systems for sustainable water use must include: | black water systems bladder storage filter beds grey water systems rainwater tanks run-off retention. |
Energy-efficient design principles must include: | appliance selection building location and orientation low energy lighting solar hot water systems star rated appliances window coverings and glazing. |
Renewable energy sources must include at least one of the following: | biomass energy geothermal energy hydroelectric energy solar energy wind energy. |
Sectors
Building design