Introducing The Mandatory Disclosure of Commercial Office Energy Efficiency Scheme

Australian, state and territory government energy ministers recently approved the parameters of the new disclosure scheme for office building energy efficiency, with Commonwealth legislation now being developed. Starting in the second half of 2010, building owners will need to provide up-to-date energy efficiency information when they sell or lease office space covering more than 2,000 square metres.

What is the national energy efficiency scheme?

The national energy efficiency scheme is part of an ambitious plan to make Australia’s homes and businesses more energy efficient, by improving base standards and star ratings for appliances, equipment and buildings, and by phasing out inefficient technologies.

Why is the new scheme being enforced?

Improving energy efficiency is a rapid and effective method of convalescing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme will provide a strong incentive for building owners to improve their properties by investing in cost-effective upgrades.

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett stated that “Greener offices are not only more comfortable to work in, they can also boost productivity, bring down sick leave, support green building industry jobs and have the potential to deliver savings of 20-40 percent on energy bills.”

Disclosure of commercial office building energy efficiency will also:

• Encourage reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions;
• Aid businesses in saving money on their energy bills and building maintenance costs;
• Help stimulate demand for and investment in more energy efficient buildings; and
• Have the potential to improve staff morale, productivity and stimulate green jobs.

Who is affected by the new scheme?

Commercial office building owners will be required to provide up to date energy efficiency information when they sell or lease office space with a net lettable area (NLA) covering more than 2,000 square metres.

This means that the building owners, potential purchasers and tenants will have access to consistent and meaningful information about a building’s energy efficiency and will be able to make informed decisions when they purchase or lease a building.

In a later phase, the Government will consider expanding this measure to other building types including hotels, shops, schools and hospitals.

What do building owners need to do?

The new scheme will require building owners to:

• Disclose a valid Building Energy Efficiency Certificate to prospective buyers and lessees at the point of sale and lease of office space over 2,000 square metres; and
• Include a National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) Energy base building star rating, an assessment of the lighting energy efficiency of tenancies and some suggestions on how to improve the building’s energy efficiency.

The Building Energy Efficiency Certificate will remain valid for 12 months and, once legislation is in place, owners who don’t comply will risk a fine or prosecution.

Efficiency Rating Tool – NABERS

It is proposed that the NABERS Energy accredited rating tool will initially be the sole rating tool. The NABERS Energy rating tool benchmarks actual operating energy use of the commercial office building by measuring the energy use per square metre NLA based on twelve contiguous months of metered fuel data (electricity, gas, diesel).

The rating tool awards from one star (high greenhouse impact) to five stars (low greenhouse impact) depending on the energy efficiency and greenhouse performance of the rated space. NABERS has a trained and accredited group of assessors who independently assess the rating of a building.

In preparation for the scheme’s implementation, a NABERS Energy base building assessment is a great way for building owners to get a snapshot of their buildings performance. Property owners who haven’t already rated their building under NABERS Energy should familiarise themselves with the system.

Exemptions from the Scheme

Exemptions will be considered for buildings with less than 12 months worth of contiguous data (i.e. new building), or where inadequate metering or other factors preventing an accredited assessor from being able to achieve the required quality standards of a NABERS Energy assessment. Situations where it is not feasible to prepare a valid energy efficiency assessment of a particular building or tenancy will be exempted from the scheme.

Summary

The Australian Government has agreed to the new national scheme to improve the energy efficiency of commercial office buildings.

Commercial office building owners will be required to provide up to date energy efficiency information when they sell or lease office space covering more than 2,000 square metres.

More information on the new energy efficiency scheme is available at the following web links:

Mandatory Disclosure of Commercial Office Building Energy Efficiency – Regulation Document

Mandatory Disclosure of Commercial Office Building Energy Efficiency – Regulation Impact Statement

Additional information regarding NABERS Energy base building star ratings can be found at the NABERS website.

Skills Recognition, also referred to as RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) or RCC (Recognition of Current Competencies), provides you with the option to have your skills and knowledge to be recognised against the Competency Standards of any Qualification without further training. It doesn’t matter how you acquired your skills and knowledge.

Simply put your skills are assessed before training, and remember assessment does not always require an exam or test.

Is there an easy way to achieve RPL?

Yes, find an assessor that comes to you and assists to identify and select specific evidence, not mountains!

How will my evidence and skills be assessed?

You will be assessed according to the Principles of Assessment and the Australian Quality Training Framework. The assessor will ensure your evidence is:

Authentic – The evidence must relate to your own performance. Simply an assessor coming to your workplace and observing and recording your performance demonstrating a task may demonstrate authenticity.

Sufficient – The provision of evidence must be of sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy an assessor that you are able to consistently achieve the required Competency Standard(s)

Valid – The evidence collected must be relevant to the Competency Standard(s) concerned

Current – The evidence presented must apply to present day workplace practices.

What can I use?

Under the Australian Quality Training Framework, competency may be attained in a number of ways. Through any combination of formal or informal training that you have completed i.e.

• Skills and knowledge that you have gained through your work experience, or
• Skills and knowledge that you have gained through your life experience.

Will I receive a Nationally Recognised Qualification?

Yes.

What about privacy?

Too right! Integrity and confidentiality are core RPL. Assessors will comply with ‘The Code of Practice for Assessors’.

Whats next?

Decide if its what you want.

1. Book a pre-assessment interview with an assessor to discuss what evidence you have and can get. No obligation to commit to anything or anyone

2. If your still comfortable with the process at this stage continue by submitting your RPL enrolment application

3. Working with your assessor you both gather evidence by any of the following: formal interview, observation, portfolio of work samples, verification of supervisors, photos and video. Remember, training is provided to fill any gaps

4. Nationally Recognised Qualification or Statement of Attainment(s) issued

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Alan Richardson

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Energy Efficiency Training for Trades and Professionals Program.pdf (19 KB)

Energy Efficiency Training for Trades and Professionals Program

Funding available to Registered Training Organisations through the Strategic Skills Program (SSP). Training organisations must be on Approved Provider List for SSP and have tendered a price for the selected units to receive funding.Courses must lead to national accreditation with National Training information System (NTIS) code.

The units are detailed in the attached document

Posted via email from Alan Richardson

Download now or preview on posterous

CPSIS Sustainability Guideline Brief.pdf (3827 KB)

This Guideline Brief has been written to assist with the uptake and customisation of any of the three new Guideline Competency Standards for Sustainability (GCSS) within the training packages covered by the Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC).
The guideline standards being:

• GCSSUS01A “Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices“
• GCSSUS02A “Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices”
• GCSSUS03A “Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability”

This Guideline Brief aims to provide CPSISC and the range of consultants, training providers, customers and other stakeholders involved in developing and delivering CPSISC Training Packages (TPs) with an overview of the core elements and specific examples of sustainability in relation to the various sectors, including training opportunities. It also provides guidance on some of the available resources for training and assessment of workers in the construction and property sectors.

Once the units are taken up and customised within CPSISC training packages, they can be contextualised for specific training needs across the industry. CPSISC is currently supporting the Guideline Competency Standards for Sustainability for endorsement in a number of TPs managed by them in 2007.

Posted via email from Alan Richardson

Use Coggno’s Pay-Per-Use platform to create and distribute training. They host it, you control it, just your learners view it.

The Coggno Interface is simple to use, anyone in your organization can create and distribute training in a few minutes.

Best of all, you don’t pay until you are ready to start distributing. That’s right, create, tweak, and publish all your training, only pay a small licensing fee when you’re ready to distribute it to your Learners

Download now or preview on posterous

NSW Green Skills information.pdf (51 KB)

Subsidised training to increase energy efficiency skills of the NSW workforce.

NSW businesses can now access training subsidies to save energy costs, upskill their workforce and improve their bottom line. The Energy Efficiency Training for Trades and Professionals Program subsidises energy efficiency training in key industries including:

• building and construction
• property services
• manufacturing
• government
• hospitality and retail
• transport and storage
• energy and utilities

The program will subsidise training for eligible participants from July 2009 to June 2013.

http://greenskills.nsw.gov.au/

Builders do you want 8 CPD?

Attend GreenPlumbers® Nationally Accredited Training

GreenPlumbers® is an innovative initiative developed by the Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia (MPMSAA). A series of FREE workshops have been designed to enhance plumbers and building professionals skills and knowledge about the environmental considerations of their work.

As the training is nationally accredited you will receive 8 CPD in NSW.

To attend you must register by clicking here.

Course                                       Location                Date               StartTime        EndTime

• Caring For Our Water        Cantebury             14/07/09       8:45AM           4:00PM         FREE
• Solar Hot Water                  Canterbury            23/07/09      3:45PM            8:00PM        FREE
• Caring For Our Water        Sutherland            12/08/09       8:45AM           4:00PM        FREE
• Solar Hot Water                  Chatswood             25/08/09      3:45PM          8:00PM         FREE
• Caring For Our Water        Gosford                  10/09/09       8:45AM          4:00PM         FREE
• Solar Hot Water                  Randwick               22/09/09       3:45PM          8:00PM        FREE
• Solar Hot Water                  Leichardt                7/10/09          3:45PM          8:00PM         FREE
• Caring For Our Water       Griffith                  22/10/09          8:45AM          4:00PM          FREE
• Solar Hot Water                  Fairfield                10/11/09           3:45PM          8:00PM       FREE
• Caring For Our Water        Penrith                   19/11/09          8:45AM          4:00PM         FREE

Notes on CPD

The new CPD System, which came into force on 1 January 2008, requires all licensed builders and swimming pool builders to accumulate a minimum of 12 CPD every year. If you accumulate more than 12 CPD in a year, you can carry over the extra CPD into the following year, up to a maximum of 11 CPD. Most CPD courses allow you to claim one CPD point per hour, and therefore you generally need to complete 12 hours to claim 12 CPD. Some CPD Courses that are offered through an RTO and have an assessment allow builders to claim 2 CPD an hour.

From the Commissioners Guidelines for Continuing Professional Development 28th January 2009

Learning Category 2: 2 points per hour

Structured learning with an assessed learning outcome linked to either a relevant Australian University qualification or a relevant national Training Package outcome delivered by a registered training organisation.

Conscious Competence – a reflection on professional learning | Educational Origami.

The conscious competence model is one that many technology/ICT trainers are aware of. As they facilitate ICT integration by working with the teachers and model practice in the classroom in our schools they to see the full range of competencies in staff and students.

This model is based on two factors, consciousness and competence. Competence refers to the mastery of a skill and consciousness refers to the naturalness or perhaps ease by which the action or operations of the skill are performed. An example many of us have seen of the unconscious competent is the ease with which our student compose text messages with out looking at their mobile phone, a skill complicated by the use of predictive texting.

This is the first stage of the process, unconscious incompetence. Literally they don’t know what they don’t know. The rapid emergence of Web 2.0 has highlighted this. There are so many emerging technologies and tools available, with so many applications in teaching and learning, but for some they are not even aware that these exist, let alone how to use them.
In some cases this is a comfortable space, since they have no awareness of these facilities they are also unaware of their skill deficiencies.
The second stage of the process, conscious incompetence, is often an uncomfortable one. The learner becomes aware not only of the emerging technologies but also of their own lack of skill. This is challenging time and when presented with the new process, technique, skill or tool. The learner, recognises the need to develop the skill, and begins to develop their pathway towards acquiring it. How many teachers are now in this category with Information and communications technology? Particularly when they see the ease with which many students acquire the skills or use the tools. While acquisition of a skill maybe easier for a digital child or native, they often lack the vision of how to apply and use it to benefit their learning and development. Teachers, may not have the fluency of a native, but are much better equipped, even at this stage, to see how this technology, skill or process could be adapted to enhance learning. Moving from this stage to conscious competence is the goal of most Professional Learning programmes.

Conscious Competence is the goal of most professional learning programmes. Here the learner has developed a degree of understanding or mastery of the process, tool or technology. The learner at this point feels achievement, they can perform the task with out assistance, but it does require thought.

For the most part this is where training ends. The movement to unconscious competence is best facilitated by practice and repetition (75% skill retention), or by teaching the skill to others (90% skill retention). Schools are limited in the amount of time they can invest in training individuals and the movement to automatic or second nature mastery is beyond the scope of most.

Many trainers often have achieved this point where the skill, technique or use is second nature to them or so ingrained that it is automatic. This is unconscious competence. Without consciously thinking about the process or task they can perform it. Often while performing other tasks. A classic example is touch typing. A current example would be the text messaging student who is watching television (or a video on an ipod) and talking while texting.

There is a caveat here, as the technique, process or skill becomes embedded the trainer may struggle to teach it. Often we take for granted the most basic aspects of the process and can “blind our learners with science” as we effortlessly perform the task. The best trainers are aware of the different stages of learning and take this into account, simplifying the actions and slowing down the processes. This process of teaching, with awareness of components, also reinforces their own skills.

The process of learning is one we as teachers and as technology/ICT trainers and facilitators are aware of. Often the process ends with our learners being able to perform the task without supervision or assistance (conscious competence). We do need to be aware that often our learners have no (unconscious incompetence) or limited (conscious incompetence) awareness and that this stage is uncomfortable, and there may be resistance. The final stage of embedding the skill (unconscious competence) requires practice either by repetition or by teaching the process. Teachers, trainers and facilitators who have achieved this level of mastery need to be aware that the skills that are so easy for them are often far beyond the capacity of the newest learners, and they need to break down the process into simple steps and stages.

The best user or performer may not be the best trainer.
The best trainer is the best communicator who can adapt the process they have a degree of competence in, to a variety of skills and ability levels and learning styles.

The conscious competence model is one that many technology/ICT trainers are aware of. As they facilitate ICT integration by working with the teachers and model practice in the classroom in our schools they to see the full range of competencies in staff and students.

This model is based on two factors, consciousness and competence. Competence refers to the mastery of a skill and consciousness refers to the naturalness or perhaps ease by which the action or operations of the skill are performed. An example many of us have seen of the unconscious competent is the ease with which our student compose text messages with out looking at their mobile phone, a skill complicated by the use of predictive texting.

This is the first stage of the process, unconscious incompetence. Literally they don’t know what they don’t know. The rapid emergence of Web 2.0 has highlighted this. There are so many emerging technologies and tools available, with so many applications in teaching and learning, but for some they are not even aware that these exist, let alone how to use them.
In some cases this is a comfortable space, since they have no awareness of these facilities they are also unaware of their skill deficiencies.
The second stage of the process, conscious incompetence, is often an uncomfortable one. The learner becomes aware not only of the emerging technologies but also of their own lack of skill. This is challenging time and when presented with the new process, technique, skill or tool. The learner, recognises the need to develop the skill, and begins to develop their pathway towards acquiring it. How many teachers are now in this category with Information and communications technology? Particularly when they see the ease with which many students acquire the skills or use the tools. While acquisition of a skill maybe easier for a digital child or native, they often lack the vision of how to apply and use it to benefit their learning and development. Teachers, may not have the fluency of a native, but are much better equipped, even at this stage, to see how this technology, skill or process could be adapted to enhance learning. Moving from this stage to conscious competence is the goal of most Professional Learning programmes.

Conscious Competence is the goal of most professional learning programmes. Here the learner has developed a degree of understanding or mastery of the process, tool or technology. The learner at this point feels achievement, they can perform the task with out assistance, but it does require thought.

For the most part this is where training ends. The movement to unconscious competence is best facilitated by practice and repetition (75% skill retention), or by teaching the skill to others (90% skill retention). Schools are limited in the amount of time they can invest in training individuals and the movement to automatic or second nature mastery is beyond the scope of most.

Many trainers often have achieved this point where the skill, technique or use is second nature to them or so ingrained that it is automatic. This is unconscious competence. Without consciously thinking about the process or task they can perform it. Often while performing other tasks. A classic example is touch typing. A current example would be the text messaging student who is watching television (or a video on an ipod) and talking while texting.

There is a caveat here, as the technique, process or skill becomes embedded the trainer may struggle to teach it. Often we take for granted the most basic aspects of the process and can “blind our learners with science” as we effortlessly perform the task. The best trainers are aware of the different stages of learning and take this into account, simplifying the actions and slowing down the processes. This process of teaching, with awareness of components, also reinforces their own skills.

The process of learning is one we as teachers and as technology/ICT trainers and facilitators are aware of. Often the process ends with our learners being able to perform the task without supervision or assistance (conscious competence). We do need to be aware that often our learners have no (unconscious incompetence) or limited (conscious incompetence) awareness and that this stage is uncomfortable, and there may be resistance. The final stage of embedding the skill (unconscious competence) requires practice either by repetition or by teaching the process. Teachers, trainers and facilitators who have achieved this level of mastery need to be aware that the skills that are so easy for them are often far beyond the capacity of the newest learners, and they need to break down the process into simple steps and stages.

The best user or performer may not be the best trainer.
The best trainer is the best communicator who can adapt the process they have a degree of competence in, to a variety of skills and ability levels and learning styles.

The conscious competence model is one that many technology/ICT trainers are aware of. As they facilitate ICT integration by working with the teachers and model practice in the classroom in our schools they to see the full range of competencies in staff and students.

This model is based on two factors, consciousness and competence. Competence refers to the mastery of a skill and consciousness refers to the naturalness or perhaps ease by which the action or operations of the skill are performed. An example many of us have seen of the unconscious competent is the ease with which our student compose text messages with out looking at their mobile phone, a skill complicated by the use of predictive texting.

This is the first stage of the process, unconscious incompetence. Literally they don’t know what they don’t know. The rapid emergence of Web 2.0 has highlighted this. There are so many emerging technologies and tools available, with so many applications in teaching and learning, but for some they are not even aware that these exist, let alone how to use them.
In some cases this is a comfortable space, since they have no awareness of these facilities they are also unaware of their skill deficiencies.
The second stage of the process, conscious incompetence, is often an uncomfortable one. The learner becomes aware not only of the emerging technologies but also of their own lack of skill. This is challenging time and when presented with the new process, technique, skill or tool. The learner, recognises the need to develop the skill, and begins to develop their pathway towards acquiring it. How many teachers are now in this category with Information and communications technology? Particularly when they see the ease with which many students acquire the skills or use the tools. While acquisition of a skill maybe easier for a digital child or native, they often lack the vision of how to apply and use it to benefit their learning and development. Teachers, may not have the fluency of a native, but are much better equipped, even at this stage, to see how this technology, skill or process could be adapted to enhance learning. Moving from this stage to conscious competence is the goal of most Professional Learning programmes.

Conscious Competence is the goal of most professional learning programmes. Here the learner has developed a degree of understanding or mastery of the process, tool or technology. The learner at this point feels achievement, they can perform the task with out assistance, but it does require thought.

For the most part this is where training ends. The movement to unconscious competence is best facilitated by practice and repetition (75% skill retention), or by teaching the skill to others (90% skill retention). Schools are limited in the amount of time they can invest in training individuals and the movement to automatic or second nature mastery is beyond the scope of most.

Many trainers often have achieved this point where the skill, technique or use is second nature to them or so ingrained that it is automatic. This is unconscious competence. Without consciously thinking about the process or task they can perform it. Often while performing other tasks. A classic example is touch typing. A current example would be the text messaging student who is watching television (or a video on an ipod) and talking while texting.

There is a caveat here, as the technique, process or skill becomes embedded the trainer may struggle to teach it. Often we take for granted the most basic aspects of the process and can “blind our learners with science” as we effortlessly perform the task. The best trainers are aware of the different stages of learning and take this into account, simplifying the actions and slowing down the processes. This process of teaching, with awareness of components, also reinforces their own skills.

The process of learning is one we as teachers and as technology/ICT trainers and facilitators are aware of. Often the process ends with our learners being able to perform the task without supervision or assistance (conscious competence). We do need to be aware that often our learners have no (unconscious incompetence) or limited (conscious incompetence) awareness and that this stage is uncomfortable, and there may be resistance. The final stage of embedding the skill (unconscious competence) requires practice either by repetition or by teaching the process. Teachers, trainers and facilitators who have achieved this level of mastery need to be aware that the skills that are so easy for them are often far beyond the capacity of the newest learners, and they need to break down the process into simple steps and stages.

The best user or performer may not be the best trainer.
The best trainer is the best communicator who can adapt the process they have a degree of competence in, to a variety of skills and ability levels and learning styles.

What is RPL?

Skills Recognition, also referred to as RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) or RCC (Recognition of Current Competencies), provides you with the option to have your skills and knowledge to be recognised against the Competency Standards of any Qualification without further training. It doesn’t matter how you acquired your skills and knowledge.

Simply put your skills are assessed before training, and remember assessment does not always require an exam or test.

Is there an easy way to achieve RPL?

Yes, I come to you and identify and select specific evidence, not mountains! I have the technology, tools and experience. Most TAFEs and Registerd Training Organisations will make you spend a whole of your own time and money collecting evidence. Finally, if you’re successful you will be charged the same cost as attending the course before they will issue you the qualification.

Its my no overheads versus TAFE and Registered Training Organisations with a staff payroll and the rest. How can they compete!

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed according to the Principles of Assessment and the Australian Quality Training Framework. I will ensure your evidence is:

* Authentic – The evidence must relate to your own performance. Simply an assessor coming to your workplace and observing and recording your performance demonstrating a task may demonstrate authenticity.
* Sufficient – The provision of evidence must be of sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy an
* assessor that you are able to consistently achieve the required Competency Standard(s)
* Valid – The evidence collected must be relevant to the Competency Standard(s) concerned
* Current – The evidence presented must apply to present day workplace practices.

What can I use?

Under the Australian Quality Training Framework, competency may be attained in a number of ways. This includes:

* Through any combination of formal or informal training that you have completed,
* Skills and knowledge that you have gained through your work experience, or
* Skills and knowledge that you have gained through your life experience.

Is it a Nationally Recognised Qualification?

Yes.

What about privacy?

Too right! Integrity and confidentiality are core to this process. The Code of Practice for Assessors binds me.

Whats next?

1. Decide if its what you want.
2. Download and read Introductory Letter and RPL Evidence Guide. The guide shows you how we will map your evidence to the Competency Standards contained within any Qualification. The example shown is for the qualification Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
3. Book a pre-assessment interview with me and together we discuss what evidence will be valid and create plan. No obligation to commit to anything or anyone!
4. If your still comfortable with the process at this stage continue by submitting your RPL enrolment application.
5. Together we gather evidence by any of the following:  formal interview, portfolio of work samples, verification of supervisors and video. Remember I visit you! If training is required to fill any gaps I can easily assist.
6. Nationally Recognised Qualification or Statement of Attainment(s) issued.

Compare my simple way versus TAFE. Please feel free to call me on 0417 238 448.

Click to download.