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.
License, accreditation and training requirements for commercial and industrial solar photovoltaic system activity (C&I solar activity)
There are a range of different scheme participants involved in undertaking the commercial and industrial solar photovoltaic system. In addition to having to comply with the licensing requirements under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Vic) and regulations under the Act, the commission have prescribed specific accreditation requirements and units of competency be completed by solar system designers, solar system installers and other on-site workers who are not involved in carrying out electrical installation work.
See tables below for licence, accreditation, and competency requirements required to be completed by solar system designers, solar system installers and other on-site workers who are not involved in carrying out electrical installation work.
Training and competency requirements for lead solar system designer
| Accreditation | Detail |
|---|---|
| Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accreditation | Lead solar designer must hold current SAA accreditation in one of the following categories:
|
Training and competency requirements for solar system installers
Licence/accreditation/ training unit | Detail |
|---|---|
| SAA accreditation | Lead solar system installer must hold current SAA accreditation in one of the following categories:
|
| Licensed electrician | All electrical work involved in installation of the solar PV systems must be performed by a licensed electrician (A Grade). An apprentice electrician or supervised electrical worker can perform the work if supervised by a licensed electrician pursuant to section 39 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998 and Regulation 507 of the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019. |
| Working at heights safely training | All installers must have completed one of the following units of competency:
|
| White card / construction induction card | All Installers must have completed one of the following units of competency:
|
Training and competency requirements for all other on-site solar PV system workers
| Training unit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Working at heights safely training | All on site workers must have completed one of the following units of competency:
|
| White card / construction induction card | All on site workers must have completed one of the following units of competency:
|
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.
Accredited persons must submit proof of the assessor's accreditation, via their VEU account in the VEU Registry.
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 |
|---|---|
| Public lighting upgrade (activity 27) | 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.