Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to collect and analyse information on household water use, and provide advice on ways to improve water efficiency and conservation in the home.
The unit supports the work of home sustainability assessors engaged in assessing household water 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 water use. | 1.1. | Need for assessment of household water 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 that should be obtained prior to assessment and details of assessment are confirmed. | ||
1.9. | Authority to proceed is obtained from client prior to commencement and reconfirmed as appropriate during the assessment. | ||
2. | Gather data on household water use and costs. | 2.1. | Information to be gathered on household water use and costs is confirmed. |
2.2. | Information on household water use and costs is collated. | ||
2.3. | Information on internal water services is gathered from resident and from measurements and observations made during inspection of residence. | ||
2.4. | Information on external water services is gathered from resident and from measurements and observations made during inspection of residence. | ||
2.5. | Information on behaviour and preferences of household members that impact on water use is gathered from resident and from observations made during inspection of residence. | ||
2.6. | Information is verified for accuracy and recorded using a relevant data collection tool. | ||
3. | Analyse data on household water use, costs and emissions. | 3.1. | Information is analysed to identify key characteristics of household water use, costs and emissions. |
3.2. | Government rebates and other assistance programs relating to improving efficiency of household water use are identified. | ||
3.3. | Options for improving efficiency of water use and reducing costs and emissions are evaluated. | ||
3.4. | Cost of options for improving household water efficiency is estimated. | ||
3.5. | Estimated water, emissions and cost savings generated from improving household water efficiency are estimated. | ||
4. | Assess opportunities for rainwater harvesting, greywater use and other water conservation measures on the property. | 4.1. | Sources of technical advice on incorporating rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures in residential buildings are identified. |
4.2. | Advantages and disadvantages of rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures are identified. | ||
4.3. | Rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures suitable for use in residential buildings are identified. | ||
4.4. | Government rebates and other assistance programs for incorporating rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures in residential buildings are identified. | ||
4.5. | Opportunities for rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures are evaluated. | ||
4.6. | Estimates of cost of installing rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures are produced and associated impact on household water efficiency and costs is determined in line with organisational procedures. | ||
5. | Report outcomes of water 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 water costs and emissions, and improvements in household water efficiency are documented. | ||
5.3. | Results and recommendations, including estimated costs and improvements in household water 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 household water use and provide advice on ways to improve water efficiency and conservation in two different residential buildings. 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 opportunities for incorporating rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures into the residential building
comply with work health and safety (WHS) requirements when conducting the household’s water assessment
apply knowledge of:
trends in household water use and costs
ways of gathering information on household water use and costs
ways to improve household water 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 water use and management relating to:
environment protection
household rainwater harvesting, greywater use and other water conservation and restriction measures
privacy
water restrictions
WHS
government rebates and other assistance programs relating to improving water efficiency in residential buildings
greenhouse gas emissions:
relationship between water use and greenhouse gas emissions
ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through improving water efficiency
household internal and external water services
household water use:
non-metered water measurement techniques and tools
trends in household water consumption and factors impacting on those trends
sustainable domestic water use
units of measurement
water bills
water consumption
water restrictions
water tariffs
impact of attitudes, behaviour and preferences of household members on water use
options for improving efficiency of household water use:
behaviour change
internal and external water services
leak detection
water efficient gardening practices
rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures:
criteria for assessing feasibility
rebates and other forms of financial support
system risks
types and features of systems
sources of information on water measuring tools:
types
uses
sources of data on domestic water use and cost:
water bills
water meters
water efficiency and labelling standards (WELS).
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
data collection tool
materials:
relevant codes, standards and regulations relating to assessment of household water use
physical conditions:
residential buildings from the NCC classes of buildings specified in the performance evidence
householders for provision of information on household water use
water 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 water use in residential buildings. |
Numeracy skills to: | extract and interpret data from water accounts and interpret water plans and tariff structures read, calculate and interpret water meter data. |
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 water use, such as: rating of appliances water consumption of appliances use of rainwater harvesting, greywater technologies and other water conservation measures. |
Technology skills to: | enter data and use the functions of water use calculators and general purpose software packages. |
Writing skills to: | complete standards forms prepare routine reports on household water 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 | determining water use profile, identifying opportunities for reducing water use and improving water efficiency legislative, regulatory and compliance purposes providing building design advice. |
Information on internal water services must include: | characteristics of internal water services number and type of internal water services. |
Information on external water services | characteristics of external water services number and type of external water services rainwater harvesting water recycling options. |
Information on behaviour and preferences must include at least three the following: | attitudes of other household members not participating in the assessment process attitudes to reducing, re-using and recycling water resident perception of water consumption gardening practices factors that may impact on inefficient water use: car washing medical conditions of household setting, programming and using timers and other controls showering times use of appliances use of evaporative cooling systems use of hot water use of swimming pools and spas. washing of external surfaces. |
Data collection tool | checklist and form calculator graph measuring tool questionnaire software program. |
Sectors
Home sustainability assessment