Discussion paper: National Registration Framework for Building Practitioners

States do not seem to be very good at implementing national programs in the construction industry. A good example is the NatHERS rating system. This is a pretty good gauge of the predicted energy efficiency of a home but NSW, for one, refuses to use that program and sticks resolutely to BASIX which is total rubbish.

If states consistently apply the NRF which I doubt, see above.

Level 3 - this is a good portion of the work I have done for the last 35 years. For most of that time I have been self-employed except for about two years working for an architecture firm in the US.

The draft of the NRF states that a Level 3 building designer will require "A minimum of three years’ post-graduate experience under the direct supervision of a building designer level 1, level 2 or level 3." So in spite of my 35 years experience I would apparently not qualify for registration.

I suggest that the language be amended to say "three year's post-graduate (or equivalent) experience under the direct supervision of a building designer level 1. level 2 or level 3 (or a person with equivalent qualifications)

The draft NRF states "A minimum of three years’ experience in residential energy efficiency design under the direct supervision of a building designer level 1, level 2, or level 3 or a professional mechanical engineering designer."

I have 35 years experience doing passive solar design, building energy efficient homes, performing energy audits and blower door test, etc, etc. But I don't meet the requirements listed above, largely because there was no way I could have done that work under the direct supervision of a building designer level 1, 2 or 3 because those registration levels did not exist.

I hope there will be allowances for people with "equivalent" experience, especially in the early years of this program.

Having a national registration system based on NatHERS could be a great step forward for home energy efficiency across Australia if all of the states were prepared to follow the NatHERS system. If NSW continues to stick blindly to the pathetic BASIX system there would seem to be little point in a national registration for energy efficiency professional.

If I'm not mistaken those two levels are the same levels that QLD uses to distinguish licensed builders as either unrestricted or "Builder - Low Rise". So it would seem to be consistent to use the same criteria.