Accredited persons must ensure scheme participants comply with Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program training and competency requirements, as well as other applicable legislation.
Scheme participants training and competency requirements
When undertaking Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) activities, scheme participants must comply with both:
- training and competency requirements set under the VEU program rules for the activity
- any requirements imposed by other legislation, applicable to the activity.
Complying with VEU program training and competency requirements
Mandatory safety training (MST) unit requirements
Scheme participants must complete the below mandatory training competency units (specified in the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Guideliens) before they can install:
- double glazed windows (activity 13)
- thermally efficient window products (activity 14)
- weather sealing (activity 15)
- low flow shower roses (activity 17)
- high efficiency pool pumps (activity 26).
Exemptions apply for fully qualified and licensed electricians and plumbers, and registered builders. However, to undertake weather sealing (activity 15) under the program, licensed electricians, licensed plumbers (except those licensed to undertake gas fitting work, Type A appliance conversion work and/or Type A appliance servicing) and registered builders are required to complete the training module: Weather Sealing Safely with Gas Appliances.
Training units to completed by installers seeking approval to undertake VEU activities are categorised into two groups:
- Group A: Unit relating to energy and water efficiency retrofits, including managing risks
- Group B: Units relating to working at heights
Scheme participants can choose which unit to complete within each group to satisfy each aspect of our safety training requirements.
Find registered training organisations (RTOs) that offer the below units on the Australian Government’s training website.
| Table 1: Current MST unit requirements - available for completion by scheme participants undertaking below activities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory safety training units | ||||
| Activities and Schedules | GROUP A | GROUP B | ||
| VU23076* Retrofit to improve energy and water efficiency | CPCCM2012 Work safely at heights | CPCCCM2010 Work safely on scaffolding higher than two meters | RIIWHS204E Work safely at heights | |
| Installers required to complete | ||||
| External window activities (Activities 13 & 14) | The above unit, and | one of the above units | ||
| Weather sealing (Activities 15A, 15B, 15C, 15E, 15F, 15G, 15H) | The above unit, and | one of the above units | ||
| Shower rose (Activity 17) | The above unit. | Not required | ||
| Pool pumps (Activity 26) | The above unit. | Not required | ||
*Note: VU23076 unit has been updated from 31 May 2023 to include a training module on weather sealing safety with gas appliances. Installers who have completed the VU23076 unit without this training module (or previous equivalent VU units - VU21858 and VU21859) need to complete the training module: Weather Sealing Safely with Gas Appliances by 31 July 2023 in order to continue to undertake weather sealing activities under the VEU program after 1 August 2023.
Scheme participant (Installer) approval
Installers for the above activities must be registered as scheme participants in the VEU registry prior to an accredited provider submitting activities completed by the installer under the VEU program.
Accredited persons must submit proof of the installer's training qualifications and/or licence details, via their VEU account in the VEU Registry.
For licensed electricians and plumbers, accredited persons must ensure their licence details are kept current in their VEU account.
Note: With the transition to the new VEU Registry system, accredited persons will not be able to register installers for the above activities until July 2025 (when the update is released into the system).
Assessor requirements for home energy rating assessment activity (activity 45)
All scorecard assessors for Home Energy Rating Assessment (activity 45) must be an authorised Scorecard Assessor as per the requirements on the Scorecard website. Assessors need to be registered as a scheme participant in the VEU registry prior to an accredited provider submitting Home Energy Rating Assessment activities completed by the assessor under the VEU program.
Competency requirements for the design and/or installation of lighting upgrades
We have prescribed the following competency requirements for the design and/or installation of lighting upgrades (activities 27, 34 and 35) under the program.
| Activity | Competency requirements |
|---|---|
| The person that prepares and/or signs off on the lighting design as well as AS/NZS 1158 compliance declaration for an upgrade must be an individual approved by the distribution network service provider, responsible road authority or council (as applicable). . | |
| Building based lighting upgrades (activity 34) | If an upgrade does not meet the minimum or maintained illuminance levels specified by the relevant part of AS/NZS 1680, the person who prepares the exemption from complying with AS/NZS 1680 must be a:
|
| Non-building based lighting upgrade (activity 35) | The person who prepares the lighting design for the upgrade must be a:
|
Other VEU program training requirements
The commission has specified the following training requirements to ensure scheme participants have the appropriate skills and understanding needed to undertake the relevant activities.
| Activity | Training requirements |
|---|---|
| In-home display unit (activity 30) | Scheme participants undertaking this activity must be appropriately trained, including:
|
| Water efficient prerinse spray valve (activity 36) | Scheme participants undertaking this activity must be appropriately trained, including in the correct and safe installation of the product. |
Complying with licensing or registration requirements prescribed by other legislation
Scheme participants must comply with licensing and/or registration requirements when undertaking VEU activities as prescribed by the following Acts, and regulations under the Acts:
- Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Vic) and Electricity Safety (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2020
- Gas Safety Act 1997 (Vic)
- Building Act 1993 (Vic) and Plumbing Regulations 2018
- Ozone Protection, Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 and Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995.