Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices. The unit requires the ability to identify current resource usage in the workplace and contribute to ensuring compliance with legislative requirements. It also requires the capacity to contribute to improvements in sustainable work practices. It is essential that the organisation's approach to ensuring environmentally sustainable work practices, and the benefits that they bring, are understood.

The unit must be applied strictly according to relevant state or territory legislative and industry requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports individuals working as team members, who operate within the scope of their defined roles and responsibilities.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 . Identify current resource use .

1.1 Workplace's environment and resource efficiency issues  are identified.

1.2 Resources used in own work role are identified.

1.3 Current use of resources is measured and documented using appropriate techniques .

1.4 Workplace environmental hazards are identified and reported to appropriate personnel.

2 . Comply with environmental regulations .

2.1 Procedures are followed to ensure compliance .

2.2 Breaches or potential breaches are reported to appropriate personnel.

3 . Contribute to improvement of resource efficiency .

3.1 Organisational plans  to improve environmental practices and resource efficiency are followed.

3.2 Suggestions  are made for improvements to workplace practices in own work area.

4 . Understand resource efficiency issues and practices .

4.1 Organisation's policies and procedures regarding environment and resource efficiency issues are understood and communicated succinctly.

4.2 Opportunities for improved and sustainable use of resources are identified and communicated as appropriate to customer or workplace supervisor.

4.3 Benefits  provided by organisation's approach to sustainable resource use and impact on work being performed are identified and communicated clearly and succinctly.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• interpersonal skills to relate to people from diverse backgrounds
• language, literacy and numeracy skills for:

• clarifying work requirements
• communicating information about benefits and types of sustainability practices clearly and concisely verbally and in writing
• documenting and reporting resource use
• following instructions and procedures
• interpreting workplace information
• measuring resource use

Required knowledge 

• basic understanding of sustainability
• environmental and resource hazards and risks, and inefficiencies associated with own workplace
• legislation and regulations that apply to environmentally sustainable practices in own workplace
• relevant environmental and resource efficiency systems and procedures for own work area
• reporting procedures

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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 observing at least two instances of following workplace procedures according to instructions and participating in improvement of environmental and resource efficient work practices at own level of responsibility.

Evidence must be strictly relevant to the particular workplace role.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the required skills and knowledge specified in this unit.

In particular the person should demonstrate the ability to:

• apply improved resource efficiency approaches to own work area and demonstrate outcomes
• communicate with customers and other stakeholders
• list environmental hazards and risks, and inefficiencies and opportunities for improvements identified in the workplace
• measure and report current resource use
• contribute advice and suggestions for improvements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge may be conducted in an off-site context. It is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include access to:

• workplace documentation and personnel
• relevant legislation, standards and guidelines
• reports from other parties involved in the process of identifying and implementing improvements.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must:

• satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Property Services Training Package
• include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application
• reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles
• confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments

This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units relevant to the job function.

Guidance information for assessment 

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.

Environmental and resource efficiency issues  may include:

• application of industry codes and standards, including ecoCLEAN
• measurements made under different conditions
• minimisation of environmental risks and maximisation of opportunities to improve business environmental performance and to promote more efficient production and consumption of natural resources, for example by:

• efficient energy use
• efficient water use
• minimising use of chemicals
• minimising waste, through implementation of waste management hierarchy
• seeking alternative sources of energy.

Appropriate techniques  may include:

• examination of invoices from suppliers
• examination of relevant information and data
• measurements made under different conditions.

Compliance  includes:

• meeting relevant federal, state and local government laws, by-laws and regulations, including application of energy rating/conservation systems, such as the Green Star environmental rating system.

Organisational plans  may include work plans to:

• increase efficiency of water use
• minimise waste.

Suggestions  may include ideas that help to:

• improve energy efficiency
• increase use of renewable, recyclable, re-usable and recoverable resources
• prevent and minimise risks and maximise opportunities, such as use of solar or other alternative forms of energy where appropriate
• reduce emissions of greenhouse gases
• reduce use of non-renewable resources.

Benefits  of efficient and sustainable use of resources to the customer will depend on the nature of the work being performed and will vary across industry sectors, but may include:

• compliance with legislative and industry standards
• improved environmental outcomes for the customers, or residents of the premises
• reduced price due to:

• lower cost for disposal of less toxic chemicals and other materials
• lower input costs for consumables

• sense of wellbeing by contributing to improved environmental outcomes.

Unit sector 

Common

Competency field