Application
This unit of competency supports the work of NatHERS assessors engaged in assessing, and making recommendations for improving, the thermal performance of planned and existing residential buildings.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1 | Establish quality assurance system. | 1.1 | Quality assurance policy is established, documented and |
1.2 | Quality standards are identified that are relevant to the provision of NatHERS assessment services and the scope of the organisation. | ||
1.3 | Systems, plans and resources are established to ensure quality standards are met and maintained. | ||
1.4 | Risks of shortfalls in the quality of processes, products and services are identified and assessed, and preventative actions are taken to mitigate these risks. | ||
1.5 | Plans are developed to ensure that all people in the organisation are continuously updated about their roles in meeting quality standards and are competent to fulfil their roles. | ||
1.6 | Procedures for review and maintenance of quality system are implemented in line with organisational policy and procedures. |
2 | Assess service quality. | 2.1 | Sufficient, valid information is obtained from quality assurance system and other sources, including clients, to allow accurate evaluation of whether processes and NatHERS assessments meet required standards. |
2.2 | Feedback is provided to motivate people to maintain quality standards and continuously improve performance. | ||
2.3 | Shortfalls in the quality of processes, products and services are investigated and prompt remedial action is implemented in line with organisational policy and procedures. | ||
2.4 | Performance against quality standards, including shortfalls and corrective actions taken, is communicated to relevant personnel in line with organisational policy and procedures. |
3 | Promote quality | 3.1 | Quality awareness is continuously communicated to all people in the organisation. |
3.2 | Clients and those involved in delivering NatHERS assessments are encouraged to identify and recommend quality improvements. | ||
3.3 | Accurate records of monitoring activities are maintained in line with organisational requirements. | ||
3.4 | Resourced plans are developed to implement quality improvements that deliver significant benefits at reasonable cost and acceptable level of risk. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to interact with clients, staff and other stakeholders in an ethical manner from diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds data analysis skills to interpret data relating to organisational quality system decision-making and problem-solving skills to make suggestions for addressing shortfalls in the quality of processes, products and services literacy skills to: read and interpret a variety of texts, including legislation, regulations and quality documentation write complex flow charts in order to identify and distill information prepare detailed text identifying specific courses of action and detailing alternatives after defining the needs of the audience and the purpose of the information numeracy skills to: analyse errors conduct image analysis estimate costs interpret and analyse statistics perform mental calculations record and collate quality-related data undertake complex computations planning, organising and scheduling skills to monitor quality processes research skills to identify, locate, collate and evaluate evidence used in quality processes technology skills to use relevant software, hardware and equipment to collect, collate and analyse information relating to quality systems for organisation providing NatHERS assessment services time-management skills to efficiently and effectively plan, implement and monitor quality processes |
Required knowledge |
building thermal performance standards, including the National Construction Code energy efficiency requirements commonwealth, state and territory, and local government legislation and regulations impacting on thermal performance assessment relating to: anti-discrimination and equal opportunity building and construction building thermal performance consumer protection, fair trading and trade practices employment and industrial relations energy conservation environment protection occupational licensing privacy sale and lease of residential property work health and safety NatHERS: accredited software administrative and governance arrangements assessor accreditation assessor accrediting organisations regulatory framework quality management: clients’ and other stakeholders’ expectations regarding quality current developments, tools and techniques in quality management key concepts: philosophies of quality management principles of quality management quality management cycle tools of quality management system: corrective actions that may be taken to address shortfalls in performance documentation requirements of quality systems, including levels and their roles in the functioning of the system, including the requirement for effective and secure quality record-keeping systems feedback systems and strategies legal and regulatory requirements monitoring systems and strategies plan quality marks, awards and accreditation recording systems and strategies review and maintenance of quality system role of audit in quality systems software packages standards techniques for gathering sufficient, valid information to evaluate whether processes and products/services are meeting the required quality standards risk management principles |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | This unit of competency could be assessed by establishing a quality system for an organisation providing NatHERS assessment services, assessing the service quality of the organisation, and implementing approaches for promoting quality improvement within the organisation. |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | A person should demonstrate the ability to: establish and maintain a quality system for an organisation providing NatHERS assessment services assess the services of an organisation providing NatHERS assessment services, including identifying shortfalls in performance against quality standards and specifying appropriate corrective actions promote quality improvement within an organisation providing NatHERS assessment service, including engaging staff and clients in identifying opportunities for quality improvement and developing resourced plans for implementing suggestions for quality improvement. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment of this unit: must be in the context of the work environment may be conducted in an off-site context, provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of workplace performance, including task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills must meet relevant compliance requirements. Resource implications for assessment include: relevant codes, standards and government regulations computer equipment suitable to collect, collate and analyse information relating to quality systems for organisations providing NatHERS assessment services technical reference library with current publications on quality management and the administrative and governance arrangements for NatHERS. |
Method of assessment | Assessment for this unit must verify the practical application of the required skills and knowledge, using one or more of the following methods: written and/or oral assessment observed, documented and/or first-hand testimonial evidence of the candidate: establishing a quality system for an organisation providing NatHERS assessment services assessing the service quality of the organisation implementing approaches for promoting quality improvement within the organisation. |
Guidance information for assessment | This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units relevant to the job function. Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support. Assessment processes and techniques should, as far as is practical, take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Quality standards may include: | Australian standards building codes and standards, including the National Construction Code codes of practice international standards legislative requirements NatHERS accreditation and licensing requirements NatHERS protocols NatHERS regulatory framework occupational, health and safety legislation organisational policy and procedures organisational values, aims and objectives quality marks or awards standard operating procedures. |
Feedback may include: | formal processes informal processes. |
Communication may include: | awards bulletins electronic communication face-to-face discussion meetings of quality teams newsletters problem-solving sessions quality meetings training. |
Relevant personnel may include: | contractors management NatHERS assessors supervisors suppliers work teams. |
Monitoring activities may include: | audits feedback from stakeholders reviews statistical collection and analysis. |
Sectors
Home sustainability assessment
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
In some jurisdictions, this unit of competency may form part of the accreditation, licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements for NatHERS assessors.