Level 4 - Higher Technical Occupation

  Mid Green occupation

Construction and the built environment

Construction design and build technician

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Helping with essential building tasks such as planning, designing and project management.

Summary

This occupation is found in the construction, built environment and engineering sectors, with construction design and build technicians employed in a variety of organisation types and sizes. 

Construction design and build technicians can undertake generalised design and management roles and also specialise in specific aspects of building design or particular building types, including: structural or civil engineering; mechanical, electrical and plumbing design; residential or commercial property; landscape design; digital engineering; planning, estimating and costing designs; building conservation; renovation; retrofit; sustainability and green design.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to support multi-disciplinary teams to design and construct the built environment, ensuring projects meet the needs of clients and users, whilst delivering to the required levels of quality, safety, security, efficiency and environmental sustainability. 

Construction design and build technicians coordinate all of the design work required during construction projects. They manage the production of technical information models, both 2D and digital, used to build a structure. They bring together architects, structural and service engineers, along with specialist designers and Building Information Modelling BIM technicians, to create coordinated designs which can be used during the build and aid maintenance of the structure once complete.

They use a wide range of design and analysis software tools utilising BIM tools and processes to create and share complex design information with architectural and engineering professionals as well as contractors and clients.

They work in design studios or based on a construction site office, depending on the project.  In all cases they will be required to attend site visits and project meetings and provide up-to-date information to enable construction to take place.

They need to source, review, analyse and evaluate a range of information and data, perform advanced calculations, and analyse technical design problems to reach appropriate solutions.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with architects, structural and service engineers, along with specialist designers and Building Information Modelling BIM technicians, as well as clients and statutory bodies and construction site managers and their teams during the build phase. 

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for analysing design problems and determining technical solutions and then presenting these with building designs and drawings to groups of other professionals. They work collaboratively with architects, engineers and contractors to help develop building designs ahead of construction taking place, as well as providing technical details, information and solutions during the construction phase.  In doing so, they must exercise responsibility, autonomy and judgement within broad but generally well-defined parameters.

Construction design and build technicians need to have broad technical knowledge of construction technology, methodologies, materials and techniques in order to present detailed and accurate drawings and plans.  They must use relevant research or development to ensure their plans meet current building regulations, codes and standards as well considering safety, security, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. 

They will have digital skills and be able to create and use BIM models, to ISO 19650 standards, to manage information through the whole life cycle of a built asset, from initial design all the way through to construction.  

Multi-disciplinary teamworking and collaboration is at the heart of this role.  Therefore, effective communication and interpersonal skills are important qualities.

Typical job titles include

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

• Knowledge
• Skills
• Behaviours