Course CodeVSS007Fee CodeCTDuration (approx)600 hoursQualificationCertificate Learn to Maintain Properties - Inside and Out Property maintenance is a growing field of employment as people today are much more likely to outsource their maintenance needs than to undertake it themselves. Opportunities in this field are not restricted to domestic properties such as houses and units, it also extends to city apartments and other buildings that require frequent and ongoing maintenance such as: general renovations, painting, replacing rotting timber work, garden landscaping, installation and maintenance of green walls and roofs and so on. Modules Core ModulesThese modules provide foundation knowledge for the Qualification - Certificate in Property Maintenance. Brick, Stone and Concrete Masonry BSS101 Building Renovation BSS104 Carpentry BSS100 Garden Maintenance VHT100 Elective ModulesIn addition to the core modules, students study any 2 of the following 7 modules. Industry Project I BIP000 Landscape Construction BHT111 Healthy Buildings I (Building Construction & Health) BSS200 Restoring Established Ornamental Gardens BHT243 Waste Management BEN202 Environmental Chemistry BSC306 Healthy Buildings II (Building Environment & Health) BSS300 Note that each module in the Qualification - Certificate in Property Maintenance is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately. Construction is More Complex than its Appearance It's one thing to build something that looks good when the job is done but responsible and sustainable construction is far more complicated. It appreciates the many things that can impact the construction over time. Structural integrity can degrade and surfaces can become worn. Deterioration without maintenance or repair can lead to increasing risks - from less significant risks such as leaky pipes to very significant risks such as structural collapse. How the Weight of a Green Wall can Stress a Building Construction It is important to know the weight-loading ability of a building’s facade before designing and attaching a green wall or a green facade. This applies to new buildings, buildings that are yet to be built but have a green wall in the design and when retro-fitting an old building (even though facades are a lot lighter than a green wall) an old building’s construction elements may not be able to stand too much weight. Most buildings, and especially older buildings, have not been designed to take a lot of extra weight or designed to cope with cables and frames that strain against the building. A building needs to support variable loads including: Dead load Live Load Transient Load Dead load This is the load that doesn’t change over-time and includes all the structural elements of the roof, walls and any other built elements and components; when applied to a building that is to incorporate a green wall, it also includes all the elements of the green wall i.e. the green wall system, plants, media and water held within the system. When choosing plants for a green wall you should consider: The plant mass: the mature weight of the plants (which is variable according to the species) not their weight at installation – this is most important when including larger plants The weight of the media when saturated The weight of the plant when fully turgid Live loads Live loads are usually related to green roofs but can also apply to a green wall if the design includes a maintenance platform or cables (cable tension and strain can compromise the facade of the building) or human access. Transient loads These are short-term loads that may move or roll the system or elements within the system (that usually occur naturally) such as wind (e.g. wind up-lift), earth tremors or earth quakes but may also be a result of vibration caused by heavy machinery used nearby. STUDY THIS COURSE FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING As you learn more about how structures should be built and maintained, your ability to maintain and repair both interior and exterior construction, will only grow.