NCC 2019 public comment draft

The National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 is currently up for review and available for public comment through the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB).Input from key stakeholders within the building and construction industry is considered valuable, helping to ensure the regulatory control provisions are relevant to today’s built environment to make certain the safety, health; amenity, accessibility and sustainability for all building projects is achieved.

Access to the NCC 2019 public comment draft is available on the ABCB website here.

Each volume of the NCC includes a number of changes which are outlined clearly at the rear of each volume.

Some of the key changes to be considered include:

• The inclusion of ‘Verification Methods’ as a means of verifying compliance with the ‘Performance Requirements’
• Improved fire safety provisions, including removing the concession that allows combustible bonded laminated materials
• Increased performance of the energy requirements for commercial buildings
• The ‘Acceptable Construction Practices’ in Volume 2 have been modified:
o Re-introduction of masonry construction requirements
o Removal of steel framing provisions
• Provisions for the management of condensation
• Additional construction requirements around the connection of balconies/decks to external walls.

All comments and feedback on the proposed changes are required to be submitted by Friday 13 April 2018 and by the 20 April 2018 with regard to energy efficiency of commercial buildings. Submit your comments here.

NCC 2016 (Volume 1) – Amendment 1

On 12 March, 2018 NCC (Volume 1) – Amendment 1 came into effect. This brought with it the introduction of some key changes that resulted primarily from the Building Ministers Forum, driven by events such as the Lacrosse Apartments fire in Melbourne and the Grenfell Tower fire in London.

The key changes to be considered include:

• ‘Verification Methods’ as a means of verifying compliance with the ‘Performance Requirements’ to ensure the fire spread from external wall assemblies is limited
• Increased requirements for sprinkler protection of balconies in residential high-rise buildings, including reference to a revised addition of AS 2118.1
• Clarification relating the use of external wall claddings and attachments
• Revision of the evidence of suitability provision.

Copies of NCC 2016 (Volume1) – Amendment 1 are available from the ABCB website here.

NCC proposals for change

At present, the Building and Plumbing Codes Committees at the ABCB are considering a number of applications as part of the ‘Proposal of Change Process’.

This process is in line with the best practice regulatory principles of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

As part of this process, Master Builders Australia is actively involved, providing input and feedback on behalf of the building and construction industry.

NCC RIS

In conjunction with the NCC 2019, Master Builders Australia is working on providing feedback to the ABCB with regard to regulatory impact statements on the following:
• Accessible adult change facilities in public buildings
• Fire safety in both class 2 and 3 buildings
• Heating and cooling load limits for residential buildings
• Energy efficiency in commercial buildings

You can access the regulatory impact statements here.