Local Practice Research Groups

History and Development

Local Practice Research Groups (LPRG) have evolved from ABLE’s experience of inviting construction managers and builders to round-table forums to discuss local issues, exchange experiences and participate in the development of useful local solutions.

Construction round-table forums were started because of ABLE’s belief that industry benefit is the only real foundation upon which commercial benefit can be sustained. 

A recent review of the success of the round-table process has identified that better outcomes may have been achieved if some tighter operating protocols had been in place. Most significant amongst these were a more structured role for ABLE as the facilitator and an explicit commitment by all participants to willingly collaborate and exchange information with each other.

The LPRG model that has been developed from the round-table learning experience provides a more clearly articulated facilitation process.  It also requires group participants to make a public commitment to the underpinning values of the exchange, particularly with regard to tabling actual examples of their own work practices and experiences, and their willingness to have their personal experiences discussed and reviewed by other members as part of the research and learning journey.

By exploring these experiences openly and within a structured research and learning framework the groups will have the capacity to develop useful local practice solutions and become part of a process that contributes to the production of useful local practice resources.

When the opportunity for an LPRG emerges, ABLE coordinates the establishment of the group and decides on the invitation list. The structure of any group and the contribution of those participating in any group is likely to vary.

ABLE then facilitates the conduct of the groups and reports outcomes to industry when appropriate.

Some elements of each LPRG will be customised to meet the specific needs of the group.  However, the following information about the Energy Efficiency Research Group (EERG) - a currently functioning example of an LPRG - provides a general outline of what participating members can expect in any LPRG.

Energy Efficiency Research Group (EERG)

	Particpants
	Paul Digby	Get Rated - Residential Energy Assessors
	Peter Cottee	Peter Cottee Building Designs & Energy Assessments
	Nathan Peart	Sustainability WA
	Natalie Scott	Ecostar Consulting

 

 

 

 

 

 

A request for ABLE to facilitate the EERG emerged from the experience that ABSA certified energy assessors had when participating in recent 6-Star Local Practice Projects.

Several assessors found the structured investigating and learning process that ABLE used to be of great personal benefit. Feedback from these assessors indicated that an ongoing group would:

• Enhance their continuous professional development.
• Promote the ethos of transparency of ideas and work practices.
• Provide a way to learn and contribute to the development of useful local practice information.
• Provide an enterprise incubator for learning how to make better business decisions.

The protocol under which ABLE has agreed to facilitate the group is:

Conditions of Involvement:

• Participation is by invitation only.
• Participants are sole practitioners or single operators.
• Participants will be a mix of old hands and committed practitioners who are willing to support the development of enthusiastic young guns.
• Participants are the holders of specified licences (e.g. BERS Pro software).

Conditions of Participation

All participants agree:

• That ABLE retains sole right to invite participation.
• That an invite to participate in not a guarantee of long term involvement.
• To contribute two days a month of their personal time to research topics specified by ABLE.
• To exchange resources they have developed with other group participants.
• To attend round-table discussion sessions where an individual’s work practices are reviewed and compared with those of other participants.
• That ownership of the outcomes of research work remains with ABLE (e.g. HERS house data files).

For its part, ABLE undertakes to:

• Develop structured Local Practice Projects for relevant topics (eg a HERS data modelling framework that enables individuals and group learning).
• Develop a structured research framework to credential research outcomes.
• Authorise each participant to display the ABLE Energy Efficiency Research Group logo on their business stationery and other agreed promotional material.
• Publish the outcomes of group research projects on the ABLE website under the EERG logo to recognise the work undertaken by the group.
• Recognise group participants on the ABLE website EERG webpage.
• Recognise group participants at industry Briefing Session and Workshops when material developed from work undertaken by the EERG is used.
• If and when research project budgets allows, provide a financial remuneration to EERG participants.