Discussion paper: National Registration Framework for Building Practitioners

Section J for commercial buildings - there has been no regulation to date so determining suitable skills, qualifications and experience will need careful consideration.

Yes, but only with auditing - current Section J certifiers are answerable to no one and can do whatever they want. No one checks their work and most RBSs don't understand what or how they do it.

Should there be a Level 1 certification? Energy efficiency specialists are often engineers etc and work alongside (rather than under) the architects and other consulting engineers to deliver Section J compliance.

page 45, Definitions, states: "Endorsed commercial energy efficiency designer is an individual registered as a building designer level 2 and endorsed to do commercial energy efficiency design work at level 1."

What does it mean to do work at Level 1?

page 46: permitted work states "An endorsed commercial energy efficiency designer level 1 may do commercial energy efficiency design work for NCC Class 2 to 9 buildings of any size."
Should this read "level 2"? If not, what is the level 1 registration and what can a Level 2 practitioner do?

It is unclear how this works. Typically, ESD consultants are engaged by the architect to provide design advice pertaining to Section J compliance. We assess the building and documentation, advise of necessary building fabric performance etc and ensure the documentation is correct. We do not produce any documentation such as architectural or mechanical drawings or specifications, but will require those disciplines to make changes to their work as necessary. We produce a compliance report for the RBS.
It is unclear whether someone who is not eligible to be a Level 1 building designer (because they are not an architect) can be a Level 2 energy efficiency specialist, and if this Level 2 certification (which we would be eligible for under the proposed accreditation requirements) is sufficient to sign of compliance with Section J.

Otherwise, I cannot tell you how happy I am that this certification is being introduced. The current disparity between the strict registration requirements for Class 1 Section 3.12 compliance and the zero requirements for Class 2-9 is baffling.

This is not my area of specialty so I can't comment.