Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to consult with clients to scope and specify the proposed building design project outcomes; identify the required involvement of related professionals, including surveyors, structural engineers, fire systems designers and mechanical engineers; and finalise the design project contract with the client that will underpin the work. The skills and knowledge to identify the team of staff and related professionals to undertake the work are also addressed. It involves working with the client to identify and clarify project parameters, such as service-level requirements and vision, preferences and budget for new Type A building design projects.
The unit supports projects of three storeys or more for Class 2, 3 and 9 buildings, and four storeys or more for Class 5, 6, 7 and 8 buildings. Refer to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) section of the National Construction Code (NCC) to confirm current definitions. Large and complex building design projects may be new buildings, alterations and additions, and conversions of residential, commercial, industrial or public buildings. The unit applies to building designers who scope and manage the initiation and planning of design projects for construction Type A buildings as defined in the BCA section of the NCC.
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. | Refine and finalise client instructions for the building project. | 1.1. | Client is consulted to determine the business objectives, nature, size and budget for the building project. |
1.2. | Role, level of service to be provided, and outcomes required of building designer by client are discussed and negotiated. | ||
1.3. | Timelines for completion are discussed and finalised. | ||
1.4. | Constraints and potential risks associated with progress of project are communicated to client. | ||
1.5. | Formal project brief is finalised, documented and agreed with client. | ||
2. | Assemble the project team. | 2.1. | Planning is undertaken to clarify and document the range of skills |
2.2. | Role and need for professionals and technical experts to contribute to the project are identified. | ||
2.3. | Processes to integrate the work of external technical professionals into overall project are identified and communicated with all parties. | ||
2.4. | Internal staff members to participate in project are identified. | ||
3. | Negotiate and finalise costs and contracts of the large and complex building design project. | 3.1. | Costs associated with completion of project are researched. |
3.2. | Project budget is prepared and documented. | ||
3.3. | Negotiations are held with client to finalise acceptance of project budget. | ||
3.4. | Contracts with related professionals and subcontractors involved in the project are negotiated and finalised. | ||
3.5. | Legal and accountancy advice is sought as required. | ||
3.6. | Contract between building designer and client is negotiated and finalised. | ||
4. | Finalise project requirements. | 4.1. | Resource requirements to undertake the project are identified and obtained. |
4.2. | Costs associated with completion of the large and complex building design project are researched. | ||
4.3. | Project budget is prepared and documented. | ||
4.4. | Scheduling of work is undertaken within the design practice to meet contractual 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 scope and initiate two construction Type A building projects for:
one building design project of three storeys or more for a Class 2, 3 or 9 building
one building design project of four storeys or more for a Class 5, 6, 7 or 8 building.
In doing the above, the person must:
negotiate and finalise design brief
negotiate and finalise contract with clients
assemble a project team and develop a project schedule and budget.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
compliance requirements that apply to the two construction Type A building design projects specified in the performance evidence, including:
Australian standards
Building Code of Australia (BCA) deemed-to-satisfy (DTS) and alternative solution requirements
environmental and sustainability requirements, including:
carbon dioxide reduction techniques, including specification of materials, glues and paints
energy efficiency
fire resistance, including resistance to bushfire attack
legislation
regulatory limitations
contractual requirements relating to each of the building design projects specified in the performance evidence, and implications for the business
insurance and indemnity requirements for above projects
key components of and process for business costings when budgeting for large and complex projects
legal framework relating to contracts and building projects
documentation requirements for planning processes
organisational resource requirements to undertake large and complex building design projects
risk management processes applicable to undertaking large and complex building design projects
sources of reliable information to assist in interpreting compliance requirements
technologies to support integration of work and sharing of information, including building information models.
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
business software currently used in drafting, architectural and building design practice
telephone
contingencies:
client requirements to reduce project budget
specifications:
BCA and Australian standards
legislation, regulations, codes and other compliance documentation relating to each building design project specified in the performance evidence
request for tender or similar information for the two Type A projects specified in the performance evidence
relationship with client:
liaison with the client is required.
Timeframe:
according to tender brief.
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 to research compliance requirements draw on past experience of scoping large and complex projects and apply to new contracts. |
Numeracy skills to: | estimate resource requirements and calculate costs. |
Oral communication skills to: | communicate at project management level with clients, colleagues and contacts network with other professionals to identify and build business relationships. |
Reading skills to: | interpret complex information, including contracts, legislation, regulations, codes and standards. |
Writing skills to: | prepare contractual documentation, including budgets. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | identify suitable external expertise and subcontractors develop effective approaches to support the building design process. |
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. | |
Constraints and potential risks that must be considered include: | difficulties inherent to site difficulties associated with nature or complexity of the project itself work health and safety (WHS) reliance on gaining input from external professionals in a timely manner requirement to operate within a complex and rigid regulatory and compliance system time delays due to the planning process. |
Range of skills required must include: | building certification and surveying civil engineering financial and budgetary fire systems design hydraulic engineering mechanical services design and engineering project management structural engineering surveying town planning. |
Professionals and technical experts | access consultants acoustics engineers and professionals construction contractors fire systems designers and engineers landscape designers lighting specialists mechanical services engineers WHS experts plumbing and drainage professionals quantity surveyor service contractors soil testing or geo-technical engineers and experts structural engineers surveyors. |
Processes to integrate the work of external technical professionals must include: | team meetings sharing of paper-based drawings and specifications sharing and updating of drawings using building information modelling (BIM) technology. |
Costs must include: | bill of quantities business administration and management costs business insurances, including professional indemnity insurance professional fees to lawyers and accountants staff salaries and associated on-costs subcontractor costs, including for a range of professionals and technical expert areas, such as: engineering quantity surveying technology costs. |
Sectors
Building design