Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to collect and analyse information on household energy use, and provide advice on ways to improve energy efficiency in the home.
The unit supports the work of home sustainability assessors engaged in assessing residential energy use and providing advice.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
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 organise the assessment of household energy use. | 1.1. | Need for assessment of household energy use is clarified with client. |
1.2. | Effective communication strategies are used to assist in establishing rapport with client and in responding to client questions and concerns. | ||
1.3. | Potential hazards are identified to ensure risks are suitably managed. | ||
1.4. | Assessment is planned ensuring that health and safety of self and others are not compromised. | ||
1.5. | Assessment documentation is prepared. | ||
1.6. | Tools, equipment and other requirements for the assessment are identified and arrangements are made to ensure their availability on day of assessment. | ||
1.7. | Owner or occupier status of client is determined. | ||
1.8. | Client is advised of information required prior to assessment, and details of assessment are confirmed. | ||
1.9. | Authority to proceed is obtained from client before commencing assessment, and reconfirmed as appropriate during the assessment. | ||
2. | Gather data on household energy use and costs. | 2.1. | Information to be gathered on household energy use and costs is confirmed. |
2.2. | Information on household energy use and costs is gathered from resident, and from measurements and observations made during inspection of residence. | ||
2.3. | Information on behaviour and preferences of household members that impact on energy use is gathered from resident, and from observations made during inspection of residence. | ||
2.4. | Information is verified for accuracy and recorded using a relevant data collection tool. | ||
3. | Analyse data on household energy use, costs and emissions. | 3.1. | Information is analysed to identify key characteristics of household energy use, costs and emissions. |
3.2. | Government rebates and other assistance programs relating to improving efficiency of household energy use are identified. | ||
3.3. | Options for improving efficiency of energy use and reducing costs and emissions are evaluated. | ||
3.4. | Cost of options for improving household energy efficiency is estimated. | ||
3.5. | Estimated energy, emissions and cost savings generated from improving household energy efficiency are estimated. | ||
4. | Assess feasibility of using residence for energy production. | 4.1. | Sources of technical advice on using residential property for energy production are identified. |
4.2. | Advantages and disadvantages of using residential property for energy production are identified. | ||
4.3. | Energy production technologies suitable for use in residential property are identified. | ||
4.4. | Government rebates and other assistance programs for incorporating energy production technologies into residential buildings are identified. | ||
4.5. | Cost-benefit of using residence for energy production is assessed. | ||
4.6. | Estimates of cost of installing energy production technologies are produced and associated impact on household energy costs and emissions is determined. | ||
5. | Report outcomes of energy use assessment. | 5.1. | Results and recommendations, along with supporting evidence, are collated and documented. |
5.2. | Estimated cost of proposed recommendations, associated reductions in household energy costs and emissions, and improvements in household energy efficiency are calculated. | ||
5.3. | Results and recommendations, including estimated costs and improvements in household energy efficiency, are explained to client. |
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 collect and analyse information on the household energy use of three different residential buildings and provide advice on ways to improve energy efficiency. The buildings must be drawn from the following classes of buildings under the National Construction Code (NCC): Class 1 buildings, sole occupancy units (SOU) in Class 2 buildings, or Class 4 buildings.
In doing the above, the person must:
assess feasibility of using a residential building for energy production
meet all work health and safety (WHS) requirements when conducting the household energy assessment
apply knowledge of:
trends in household energy use and costs
major sources of household energy use
ways of gathering information on household energy use and costs
ways of improving household energy efficiency.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
commonwealth, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations impacting on household energy use and management relating to:
consumer protection and trade practices
employment and industrial relations
environment protection
household energy and energy-production technologies
privacy
WHS
energy:
fuel switching
load switching
greenhouse coefficient
measuring energy
operational and embodied energy
sources of energy
trends in household energy use and emissions and factors impacting on those trends
units of measurement
energy bills:
actual and estimated bills
cost calculations
plans
tariffs
energy measuring tools:
types
uses
energy rating systems for domestic appliances:
compliance plates:
data
procedure for reading
energy labels
energy types:
biomass
diesel
electricity
gas
geothermal
mini hydro
oil
solar energy
solid fuel
wind
government rebates and other assistance programs relating to improving energy efficiency in residential buildings
greenhouse gas emissions:
relationship between energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through improving household energy efficiency
green power sources
household energy use:
cooking
heating and cooling
internal and external appliances
lighting
refrigeration
swimming pools and spas
water heating system
water pump
impact of attitudes, behaviour and preferences of household members on energy use
options for improving efficiency of household energy use:
behaviour change
heating and cooling
internal and external appliances
lighting
water heating system
water pump
residential energy production:
criteria for assessing feasibility
rebates and other forms of financial support
residential photovoltaic cells
sources of information
sources of data on residential energy use and cost:
electricity and gas bills
electricity and gas meters
instant energy display units
standby power.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
data collection tools
materials:
relevant codes, standards and regulations relating to assessment of household energy use
physical conditions:
residential buildings from the NCC classes of buildings specified in the performance evidence
householders for provision of information on household energy use
energy accounts of householders
relationships with team members and supervisor:
assessment activities are performed on an individual basis under general supervision.
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: | maintain up-to-date knowledge of options for improving efficiency of energy use and reducing costs and emissions in residential buildings. |
Numeracy skills to: | extract and interpret data from gas and electricity accounts interpret energy plans and tariff structures identify and interpret numerical data from gas and electricity meters and the outputs of energy measuring tools. |
Oral communication skills to: | ask questions to clarify customer requirements. |
Reading skills to: | identify and interpret documents, reports and information on key matters associated with household energy use, such as: energy rating of appliances power consumption of appliances residential greenhouse emissions. |
Technology skills to: | enter data and use the functions of energy use calculators and general purpose software packages use energy measuring tools. |
Writing skills to: | complete standard forms prepare routine reports on household energy use. |
Self-management skills to: | interact with clients from diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds. |
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. | |
Need for assessment of household energy use must include at least one of the following: | determining energy profile, identifying opportunities for reducing energy use and improving energy efficiency legislative, regulatory and compliance purposes providing building design advice. |
Household energy use and costs must include: | water heating system space heating and cooling household lighting household appliances. |
Information on behaviour and preferences of household members that impact on energy use must include at least three of the following: | medical conditions of household members that may impact on: hot water, heating, cooling, lighting and appliance requirements capacity to manipulate controls setting and programming thermostats thermal comfort use of appliances use of hot water use of lighting. |
Data collection tool must include at least two of the following: | checklist and form calculator graph questionnaire software program. |
Sectors
Home sustainability assessment