Home  5  Books  5  GBEzine  5  News  5  HelpDesk  5  Register  5  GreenBuilding.co.uk
Not signed in (Sign In)

Categories



Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.
Buy individually or both books together. Delivery is free!


powered by Surfing Waves




Vanilla 1.0.3 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Welcome to new Forum Visitors
 Join the forum now and benefit from discussions with thousands of other green building fans and discounts on Green Building Press publications: Apply now.




Events and Courses: Code For Sustainable Homes Course

Bottom of Page

1 to 30 of 41

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. >
  1.  
    Hi All
    Just been on the BRE CSH Assessors course and currently swotting for the exam (coming up in October).
    Having a few problems with some areas of the Tech Guide (crikey, what a novel!) and the online tools.
    Is there anyone out there in a similar situation? Perhaps even someone with a few answers?

    T.
    • CommentAuthorTimber
    • CommentTimeSep 12th 2008
     
    I have just done and passed the course... what are your questions/problems?

    Timber
  3.  
    Thanks for your response Timber.
    Where to begin! My ability to hold all this info in my head has shrivelled, what's more, they told us not to take notes on the course because they would provide us with all the info on CD. Not true! Anyhow...

    In the Online Reporting Tool
    What (specifically) should be entered into the Specification Description box? (After clicking the Add New Specification button). I can only find one example in the Workbook they gave us which says, 'Example 1' which is not much help.

    Similarly...
    In the ENE 1, ENE2 & SAP Calculator Tool
    What goes into the Summary of Specification ID’s boxes? I guess it must be the same data, but what is that data?

    Regards

    T.
    • CommentAuthorTimber
    • CommentTimeSep 12th 2008
     
    Well you don't need to know about the online reporting tool for the exam so for the time being forget about that!

    As for the summery box, i think that you just put a descripyion into there about what that set of calcs are about.

    i.e. if the info you are entering is for Plot 12 which is a 4 bed detached house, you could put '4 Bed detached, plot 12'. if there are multiple units with the same spec, you would put '4 bed detached' and then the plot numbers are allocated in the online tool!

    Don't worry too much about it! Try not to overthink stuff too much! Just look at it logiacally and use a little common sense.

    I found the caluclator tools a doddle to be honest (i got 98%!!)!
  5.  
    98% - I'm not worthy! :swingin:

    So the Reporting Tool isn't in the exam. Typical! I've spent ages looking at that.
    As for the rest, I think you're right, I'm looking too deeply into it.
    I get it now. Thanks for the help.
    •  
      CommentAuthoragu
    • CommentTimeSep 12th 2008
     
    Urban Vision,

    Have to agree with Timber I did the course just recently and passed the exams. The calculator tools exam is literally just taking information from the exam paper, inputting into the right box on the tool and coming up with the answer.

    Written exam was a bit harder and they did through in a few questions which I felt weren't really relevant for an exam but hey ho.

    Just get a good basic knowledge of all the categories and aslo mark your tech guide with each category and section getting a little sticky so you can quickly refer to any specific details you may need in the exam.

    Best of luck if you need anything further let us know and I'll try and help.
    • CommentAuthorTimber
    • CommentTimeSep 12th 2008
     
    My one complaint was that there was no 'past paper'. I wondered right up to the moment i opened the exam paper how they would turn the tech guidance into a set of multiple choice questions and answers!!

    As Agu says, just get a general knowledge of the book, try a few calcs in the calc tools, and just relax!

    As mentioned, any questions, fire away and best of luck!
  8.  
    Hi again
    Thank you Timber and Agu for your responses, I would like to take you up on your offer of help.
    I am practicing with the Mat 2 Calc tool (supplied to us on CD from BRE) - when using Volume in the Material Type drop-down menu:
    1. What is the correct figure to be entered into the box named "Total Volume Of Element Present"?
    2. I have tried different calcs and don't really understand what's going on, especially as the red warning text in the first column (Element) will not go away, no matter what I type in.
    cheers
    UV
    • CommentAuthorTimber
    • CommentTimeSep 22nd 2008
     
    1 - Total volume is exactly that. Add the volumes of all the materials in that element up, and then put that in total volume box

    2 - What red warning text lol! can you do a screen shot and upload it!
    • CommentAuthorUrbanVision
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008 edited
     
    Thanks again for the reply Timber.
    Screenshot attached with question added to it.
    If I seem a bit panicky about this, it is because after my course we were told we would definitely be examined on Mat 1 and 2, and my job depends on me getting a pass!!
  11.  
    Not sure about the quality of the screenshot, seems to be a limit on filesize, let me know if it's not legible.
    •  
      CommentAuthoragu
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008
     
    Does it not dissappear when you type in a figure to 'total volume of element present' ?
  13.  
    No. Which is (partly) why I'm a bit confused. I expected it to.
    •  
      CommentAuthoragu
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008
     
    It might be a bug in the system, I've just opened up the tools they gave us and typed something in to total volume of element present and it dissappaered on my Mat 2 Cal. Timber any ideas?
  15.  
    It is a bug agu, along with my employer, we just recreated the problem using several new Mat 2 Calc files from both the Example files and the blank ones from the CD supplied by BRE - the red text disappears sometimes but not others, even though I have entered the same figures each time. Furthermore, the red text in the Frame element goes away only after you put in the Total Volume figure in the Ground Floor element!! That cannot be right.
    I have emailed BRE. Just have to wait a week for a reply. Thanks for looking into it.
    •  
      CommentAuthoragu
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008
     
    No hassles, when is the exam?
  17.  
    Exam is October 6th. I start looking for a new job on the 7th!! Just kidding. I'm sure it'll all work out fine.
    • CommentAuthordougcsv
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008
     
    Hi folks, New here and looking at doing this exam, I'm hoping to do a number of these certifications in this area and to work from home but I haven't been able to find any details on exactly what is comprises - I've seen in this thread a ref. that it is Multiple choice and open book - is that all ?
    Also any comments on the best places to go ?
    Any general comments/pointers gratefully rec'vd.

    cheers,

    Doug
    • CommentAuthorUrbanVision
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008 edited
     
    dougcsv
    There are a few places to take the CSH assessors course (and exam).
    BRE is in Watford (www.bream.org).
    Stroma (www.stroma.com) offer courses in Wakefield, Manchester & Bristol that I know of.
    Download the code technical guide and the Addendum from here http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/code_for_sustainable_homes_techguide.pdf
    http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/technicalguideaddendum.pdf
    The course is all about the guide.
    You should also read this http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/codesustainhomesstandard.pdf
    It gives a grounding for the Tech guide.
    •  
      CommentAuthoragu
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008
     
    Best of luck UrbanVision - I'm sure you'll do well.
    • CommentAuthorTimber
    • CommentTimeSep 23rd 2008
     
    I will have a look and get back to you! I am not sure if I have the tool on my work computer, i think they are on our server in the office, and I am having problems dialing in!

    timber
    • CommentAuthorKavieng
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2008
     
    Hi folks,

    I am due to take this exam this Friday 31 Oct. I did not attend for the course, because I am already an EcoHomes assessor. I was given training materials on a CD. Some of the calc tools on the CD are a bit wonky, or maybe its me. Anyway, I would welcome a quick telephone chat with anyone who has done this exam fairly recently. Needs to be today or tomorrow before lunchtime. If anyone can oblige, send me your ph no or email privately and I will contact you.

    Thanks, Michael
    • CommentAuthorTimber
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2008
     
    Michael

    Best of luck but you may be being a bit optomistic!

    Eco and csh are not really the same thing!

    Just read carefully, think logically and have a good stab.

    Timber
  24.  
    Kavieng
    Really sorry about missing your post. I have been a bit busy. I took the exams on Oct 6th. Still not had the results, which is a bit poor really. Although, I'm pretty sure I've failed one of the exams - the Mat 2 Tool, which, in my defence, I hade been having a problem with because the CD copy was faulty - (confirmed by BRE two days before the exam!!). However, I also think I made the classic mistake of not following Timbers above-mentioned advice, not reading carefully enough. Probably have to do a resit. :cry: Se la vie. How did you find it Kavieng? Taking it on without the course....brave! Hope you absorbed the Tech Guide. Or did you find it a breeze?
    • CommentAuthorTimber
    • CommentTimeNov 3rd 2008
     
    Urban - Chase them up! You should have had it within 3 weeks i think!

    It took a bit of prodding on my part to keep them on track!

    Timber
    • CommentAuthor10100
    • CommentTimeNov 3rd 2008
     
    do you get the training materials cd from BRE,Stroma and Sustainable Homes?

    im looking at doing the course and im unsure which to choose...ie who gives the best information etc.
    • CommentAuthorKavieng
    • CommentTimeNov 4th 2008
     
    10100
    I got the training materials cd from BRE. I was allowed to do the distance study instead of the 3 day course because I am already EcoHomes qualified. Like UrbanVision found, the spreadsheet calculator tools on my CD were faulty, and this was also found by other people. Not only that, but several of them were missing. The calculator exercises required you to do things which were not possible using the resources on the CD. You had to register to obtain use of the online tool to do some of these things, and this was not made clear in the training materials. Fortunately, these particular exercises were not part of the exam, but there was a good deal of energy and worry wasted before that was made clear by BRE about a week before the exam. BRE make the gnomic pronouncement that they will answer no questions about the spreadsheets because you are expected to know how to use spreadsheets. If you are like me (older generation) and have limited IT confidence, you then spend your time thinking it's me who is doing something wrong - when in fact BRE have sent you duff training materials. There now, that's a good rant!

    On the positive side, the exam day had a morning training session, and the trainer that we had was really excellent, managing to cope well with myriad questions from perplexed students in a tight time schedule.

    In fact, the exam wasn't that bad - the spreadsheets worked perfectly at BRE. The main thing is keeping calm and reading the questions carefully, because they have cunning little twists, but not are not too obtruse.

    Is Stroma any better? I really can't say, although someone did tell me that their exam was carried out under more relaxed conditions.

    It doesn't surprise me one bit that, although BRE declare they will give you your mark within 15 days, you haven't had yours a month later, UrbanVision. I have encountered that in the field of assessment. Now if BRE read this, that's me marked down for a fail on the CSH exam! Wonder will I do it through Stroma next time.....

    10100, if you decide to get the training materials from BRE, feel free to get in contact with me to discuss any queries. I promise to answer more quickly than BRE would, and yes, I am open to discussing spreadsheets.
  28.  
    Timber et al.
    I got my results, finally, and, as I feared, am now swotting for my re-sit. :fierce:
    Had a lengthy conversation with BRE about the result, have to say I got through OK and they were helpful, up to a point, as they would only tell me the numbers of the questions I got wrong, not the questions themselves and I'll be darned if I can remember what they were! It turns out I cocked up a few of the calculations which carried double marks. Ooops! :shamed: Never mind, I'm told Watford is lovely in November!
    •  
      CommentAuthoragu
    • CommentTimeNov 4th 2008
     
    Sorry to hear that UrbanVision, stick with it I'm sure you'll get the results you need next time. If I can help then let me know.
  30.  
    Thanks agu. Just have to get on and do some general revision. Not that surprised really. It's been a big change of direction for me, careerwise.

1 to 30 of 41

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. >
   
The Ecobuilding Buzz
Site Map    |   Home    |   View Cart    |   Pressroom   |   Business   |   Links   
Logout    

© Green Building Press