Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to produce detailed working drawings of designs for small-scale residential buildings covered by the Building Code of Australia (BCA), except construction Type A buildings. The drawings are required for submission to the relevant authority for building approval and for use by construction personnel in the building process. The unit involves liaising with the client and relevant authority to finalise the building approval process.
The unit supports those producing working drawings as part of the building approval process for small-scale residential building design projects, including alterations and additions, heritage restorations, and new buildings. It applies to building designers who prepare sets of working 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. | Plan and administer working drawing production for building approval application for small-scale building design project. | 1.1. | Working drawings required by construction contractors and for building approval applications are confirmed with nominated personnel. |
1.2. | Compliance requirements to be addressed in working drawings are confirmed with nominated personnel. | ||
1.3. | Timelines and methodologies for producing working drawings are established and followed. | ||
1.4. | Drawings required from technical experts are specified, commissioned and obtained. | ||
2. | Prepare working drawings. | 2.1. | Project design drawings and documentation are analysed and information required for working drawings is extracted. |
2.2. | Construction details requiring clarification are resolved through research or consultation. | ||
2.3. | Draft working drawings are prepared and notations added according to project and workplace requirements. | ||
2.4. | Working drawings are checked and finalised, in consultation with colleagues or nominated personnel as required. | ||
3. | Submit and support building approval application. | 3.1. | Documentation requirements for building approval applications |
3.2. | Documentation for building approval application is prepared, checked for compliance with requirements, and confirmed with client. | ||
3.3. | Progress of application through building approval process is monitored, and requests for clarification or changes are addressed in consultation with client. | ||
3.4. | Decision on building approval application is obtained and filed with final design project documentation according to workplace procedures. | ||
3.5. | Client is notified of decision on building approval application and copies of documentation are provided. | ||
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 working drawings for 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:
confirm working drawing requirements for building approval application and contractors’ use
consult with technical experts to clarify details for working drawings, as required
use design tools to prepare and organise complete and compliant sets of working drawings according to project timeframes and local authority requirements.
finalise building approval for a range of small-scale building design projects, including processing final drawings and documentation, and notify clients.
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 approval processes
building designers’ duty of care to ensure quality and safety of designs
types of construction materials and methods specified in design documentation for projects
implications of changes to designs, including compliance issues, cost and client satisfaction with outcomes
legislation, codes and standards, including drawing standards that apply to the small-scale building design projects specified in the performance evidence
organisational scope of business, service levels and fees relating to drawing process
principles of design, including sustainable design.
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
contingencies:
changes required to working drawings through building approval process
specifications:
access to current building control legislation, regulations, codes and standards; and state, territory or local authority planning policies
relationship with client:
liaison with client is required.
Timeframe:
according to project timeframes and local authority requirements.
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 new projects. |
Numeracy skills to: | analyse numerical data in compliance requirements perform measurements and calculations required to produce accurate drawings. |
Oral communication skills to: | clarify construction details resolve issues arising during building approval process negotiate adjustments and their implications with clients. |
Reading skills to: | interpret complex information, including legislation, regulations, codes and standards, and local authority planning schemes. |
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. | |
Working drawings must include: | area analyses elevations in situ concrete detailing joinery details location of neighbouring buildings plans for: ceilings floor finishes floors footings lighting services sites projections room details sections two and three-dimensional drawings and sketches. |
Nominated personnel must include: | construction contractors and subcontractors representatives from: local council departments federal, state or territory government departments regulatory authorities in country of project location. |
Compliance requirements must include: | Australian standards, including standards for drawings National Construction Code (NCC) legislation, regulations and by-laws that apply to project types and sites. |
Technical experts must include at least one of the following: | construction contractor landscape designer service contractor structural engineer surveyor. |
Working drawings must be checked for: | accuracy completeness compliance with requirements, including building approval requirements consistency of presentation cross-referencing titles and reference numbers version control. |
Documentation requirements for building approval applications must include: | contract administration documentation one or more reports relating to: access conservation energy rating fire safety soil analysis plans for: demolition cut and fill excavation risk assessments working drawings. |
Sectors
Building design