The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) is running a series of half-day courses, providing an overview of the National Construction Code (NCC) Volume One BCA (Class 2–9 buildings) as it relates to mechanical services.
AIRAH CEO Phil Wilkinson, says the one-off series covers regulations, energy, safety, and alternative solutions, and explains how the Building Code of Australia (BCA) applies to specific projects.
“Some industry practitioners have a habit of simply copying and pasting from past jobs, without really understanding how the BCA applies to individual projects, or should be used,” Wilkinson says. “
"There’s a knowledge gap in our industry when it comes to the BCA – some people are continually getting it wrong. The BCA Essentials courses address that gap.”
Intended for graduate mechanical engineers with three years’ experience, and mechanical services contractors with a minimum of five years’ experience supervising mechanical services contracts, the course will run in all capital cities.
The courses begin at the end of this month and continue throughout November, 2013.
“It’s important to attend this course in order to bridge the knowledge gap within the industry, so we can start righting people’s understanding of how to use the BCA,”according to AIRAH training manager Carolyn Hughes.
The course is delivered by David Swinson, who has considerable industry experience.
A 20-year building industry veteran, Swinson has worked in a range of roles, including fire safety consultant, building surveyor, facility manager and commercial builder.
“David’s extensive industry experience allows him to readily translate the theory into practical working examples and case studies,” Hughes says.
Subjects covered by the course include building control as it applies to mechanical services, the fundamentals of the BCA, smoke hazard management, passive versus active systems, and energy efficiency in existing buildings.
The courses will take place in Victoria on October 24, New South Wales on October 30; Northern Territory on October 31, Western Australia on November 1, the ACT on November 6; Queensland on November 7, Tasmania on November 12; and South Australia on November 14.
More information about the BCA Essentials course is available at www.airah.org.au/training
