INTRODUCTION

TO THE BCA
CPCCBC4001A:Apply building codes and standards to the
construction process for low rise building projects
PART 1 - Background to the BCA
Building regulation systems
Australian Building Codes Board
Role of the BCA
Building regulation systems
 The Australian constitution gives the States
and Territories general responsibility for
regulating building activity within their state
or territory
 Therefore – Australia has eight separate
building regulation systems
 Even though there are eight systems – the
content of each is reasonably similar
Why Regulate Building Work?
 Protection of people – building occupants
plus people outside a building
- during construction
- during operational life
- during demolition
 Protection of property – primarily the
protection of adjacent property rather than
subject property.
Why Regulate Building Work?
 Promotion of sustainable development –
a recent addition to the historic content of
the BCA
 reduce greenhouse gas emissions

 energy efficiency in buildings

 others issues in future e.g.. climate change

Why Regulate Building Work?
 Main sources of risk to life
– Structural collapse of a building
– Fire in a building
 Health and amenity issues
– Dampness
– Sanitation
– Ventilation
– Lighting
– Sound transmission
A typical system
 A typical building regulation system will
generally comprise two types of regulation:
– Administrative regulation
– Technical regulation
Administrative regulations
 Examples of administrative issues:
– powers and responsibilities of parties
– assessment procedures
– referrals, objections and appeals
– inspection and certification processes
– offences and penalties
– adoption of the Building Code of
Australia
Technical regulations
 Technical issues can include;
 Building requirements such as;
– protection of adjoining property during
construction
– hoardings to protect the public
– signage to warn the public of hazardous
materials
 Design and construction requirements
for buildings and structures
Design & construction requirements
 The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is a
performance-based code, setting the
minimum requirements for the design,
construction and performance of buildings
 By agreement, the BCA is adopted through
State and Territory legislation as the primary
technical standard for their building
regulation system
Background to the ABCB
 For over 40 years Australian governments
have worked to achieve national
consistency in building regulations
 Their activities are founded on a cooperative
arrangement and achievements are derived
from political goodwill and the national
interest
Birth of the ABCB
 In the early 1990s, a Council of Australian
Governments (COAG) taskforce
recommended the establishment of a
national body to assist in achieving national
consistency in building regulations
 The Australian Building Codes Board
(ABCB) came into existence through an
intergovernmental agreement (IGA) in 1994
The Role of the ABCB
 The ABCB’s mission is to address issues
relating to health, safety, amenity and
sustainability by providing for efficiency in
the design, construction and
performance of buildings through the BCA
and the development of effective
regulatory systems
Part 1 - Key Messages
 The primary aims of building regulations are to:
– protect people
– protect adjacent property
– protect the environment
 The Australian Building Codes Board is
responsible for development of the BCA
 The role of the BCA is to establish acceptable
minimum standards
PART 2 - Operation of the BCA
Structure of the BCA
Content of Volume One
Content of Volume Two
How BCA content is changed
Characteristics of the BCA
 The BCA is a performance-based building
code that presents minimum technical
building regulations
 Performance-based building codes set
mandatory levels of performance that
must be achieved
 The BCA allows flexibility in how compliance
with respective Performance Requirements is
achieved
Benefits of performance–based
regulations
 Performance-based regulations provide
significant flexibility to industry by allowing
the approval of acceptable options to
standard practice
 Performance based regulations allow the
design of tailor made buildings – no more
“one size fits all” approach
Benefits of performance–based
regulations
 Acceptable options to standard practice are
called Alternative Solutions
 Alternative solutions may be used to;
– improve cost-effectiveness,
– improve constructability,
– incorporate innovation,
– address anything different to standard
practice
Benefits of performance–based
regulations
 Some but not all approving authorities can
approve Alternative Solutions
 Performance-based regulations reduce the
need to:
– lodge objections to regulations
– apply for a modification or variation
– appeal decisions of certifying authorities
What is the role of the BCA?
 To provide a technical base for the design
and construction of buildings that is
acceptable for adoption by individual States
and Territories
 Through its adoption in all States and
Territories it delivers a high degree of
national consistency to minimum acceptable
regulations
What is the origin of the BCA?
 Australia has a coveted record in the
performance of its building regulations and
the safety of its buildings
 History indicates that our building regulations
are effective
 The fundamental design concepts of most
of the BCA are derived from building codes in
place prior to the BCA
What is the origin of the BCA?
 In addition – science has underpinned the
development of new provisions to produce
a more effective code
 Therefore – the content of the BCA is derived
from a combination of time proven
historical regulation and scientifically
based modern regulation
What are the goals of BCA?
 The goals of the BCA are stated in the
Introduction to the Code
 In essence – the goals are to deliver
minimum acceptable standards of structural
sufficiency, safety, sustainability, health
and amenity within buildings for the benefit
of the community
What are the goals of BCA?
 It is important to mention that these stated
goals are applied so that the content of the
BCA extends no further than is necessary
in the public interest
 – is cost effective

 – easily understood

 – and not needlessly onerous

How is the BCA presented?
 The BCA is presented in two Volumes
 A reason for this outcome is to correlate with
the historic operation of industry
 In essence, industry has tended to operate
either within a “housing” sector or a
“commercial” sector
 The BCA endeavours to follow this division
How is the BCA presented?
 Volume One contains requirements for the
design and construction of commercial
buildings; i.e. Class 2 - 9 buildings, plus
some Class 10 matters.
 Volume Two contains requirements for the
design and construction of domestic
buildings; i.e. Class 1 and 10 buildings
What is a Class of building?
 The Class – or Classification – of a
building/structure is determined by the
activities undertaken within, the nature of the
occupants (related/non-related), and the
number of occupants associated with each
type of building/structure
 As the purpose of buildings vary – the BCA
has different requirements for different
classes of buildings
Classes of buildings
 BCA defines ten main Classifications and
typical examples of each are:
– Class 1a dwellings / houses
– Class 1b small boarding houses
– Class 2 apartments (above others)
– Class 3 motels (unrelated persons)
– Class 4 a single dwelling in Class 5 to 9
Classes of buildings
– Class 5 office – not Class 6 to 9
– Class 6 retail shop
– Class 7a carpark
– Class 7b storage/display warehouse
– Class 8 laboratory or factory
– Class 9a health-care building
– Class 9b assembly building
Classes of buildings
– Class 9c aged care building
– Class 10a non-habitable building (e.g. a
carport/ garage)
– Class 10b structure – swimming pool –
fence
 Buildings can have multiple classifications
 Each part of a building must be classified
separately – see next slide
Multiple Classifications
Content of Volume One
 Content of Volume One is divided into:
 Sections – ten sections A to J
 Sections are divided into Parts
 Parts contain Objectives, Functional
Statements, Performance Requirements
and Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions
 Some Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions refer to
Specifications
Breakdown of Volume One
SECTIONS

PARTS

OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONAL STATEMENTS

PERFORMANCE DEEMED-TO-SATISFY
REQUIREMENTS PROVISIONS

SPECIFICATIONS
Ten Sections in Volume One
 Section A – General Provisions
– (Section A is not performance-based)
 Section B – Structure

 Section C – Fire Resistance

 Section D – Access and Egress

 Section E – Services and Equipment

Plus
Sections in Volume One
 Section F – Health and Amenity
 Section G – Ancillary Provisions
 Section H – Special Use Buildings
 Section I – Maintenance
 Section J – Energy Efficiency
Content of Volume Two
 The basic content of Volume Two is
presented in three Sections:
– Section 1 – General Requirements
– Section 2 – Performance Provisions
– Section 3 – Acceptable Construction
Breakdown of Volume Two
Contains information on the operation
SECTION 1 and application of BCA

Contains all Performance

SECTION 2 Requirements for Volume Two

Contains Acceptable Construction/ DTS

SECTION 3 Provisions
Acceptable Construction

ACCEPTABLE
CONSTRUCTION

ACCEPTABLE ACCEPTABLE
CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION
OR
MANUALS PRACTICE
Acceptable Construction
 Acceptable Construction Practice is indicative
of common forms of national construction
practice
 Acceptable Construction Manuals can include
Australian Standards or other reference
documents
 Acceptable Construction Practice will
generally reflect traditional construction
techniques
12 Parts of Section 3
 Part 3.0 How to use Section
 Part 3.1 Site preparation
 Part 3.2 Footings and Slabs
 Part 3.3 Masonry
 Part 3.4 Framing
 Part 3.5 Roof and Wall Cladding
 Part 3.6 Glazing
12 Parts of Section 3 cont…
 Part 3.7 Fire Safety
 Part 3.8 Health and Amenity
 Part 3.9 Safe Movement and Access
 Part 3.10 Additional Construction
Requirements
 Part 3.11 Structural Design Manuals
 Part 3.12 Energy Efficiency
Why are there variations?
 Variations occur when a State or Territory
chooses to vary something in the BCA due
to geographic, political or technical reasons
 For example, NSW varies Part H1 because it
has long standing regulations applying
specifically to a place of public entertainment
and wishes to retain them
Why are there additions?
 Additions occur if States or Territories add
something not covered in the national
BCA – often due to consolidation of regulations
 E.g., Tasmania Appendix has specialist
buildings not covered by the BCA
 Variations and additions are law in the States
and Territories that they apply to – refer to
Clause A1.6 on next slide
How are variations identified?
 In Volume One variations or additions are
identified by italicised references located
adjacent to the respective BCA provision e.g.
Vic D1.4 (d)
 The wording of the variations and additions is
contained in separate State or Territory
Appendices located at rear of Volume One
How are variations identified?
 In Volume Two State and Territory
variations are presented in coloured boxes
located immediately after the respective
provisions
 Additions are presented in Appendix A at
the rear of Volume Two under the
respective State or Territory name
Defined terms
 Defined terms used in the BCA are written in
italics and defined in Clause A1.1 of Volume
One or Clause 1.1.1 of Volume Two
 Volume Two also has specific definitions at
the front of some Parts
 It is important not to assume the meaning of
a term
 This presentation also uses italics to identify
defined terms
for example…
 Extract of Clause D1.11:
– (a) Horizontal exits must not be counted as
required exits –
– (i) between sole-occupancy units; or
 Extract of Part A1:
– Horizontal exit means a required doorway
between two parts of a building separated
from each other by a fire wall
The structure of the BCA
 The content of the BCA is structured in four
levels – as shown on the next slide
 This multi-level structure is similar to that of
other international building codes
 While there are four levels – only one level
is mandatory
The structure of the BCA
The structure of the BCA
 Objectives – considered to reflect
community expectations
 Functional Statements – describe how a
building achieves the Objectives
 These two layers provide guidance when
interpreting the BCA
 These two layers should not be used to
assess compliance with the BCA
The structure of the BCA
 Performance Requirements – state
mandatory levels of performance for
Building Solutions
 Building Solutions – are solutions that
comply with Performance Requirements and
may be a Deemed-to-Satisfy solution or an
Alternative Solution or a combination of both
An example!
 Consider the regulation of wet areas in
housing – see Part 2.4 of Volume Two
 O.2.4.1 wet areas - “the Objective is to
safeguard the occupants from illness or
injury and protect the building from
damage caused by the accumulation of
internal moisture arising from the use of wet
areas in a building”
The example continued…
 A description of how to achieve this Objective is
provided in the corresponding Functional
Statement
 F2.4.1 wet areas - “a building is to be constructed
to avoid the likelihood of:
(a) the creation of any unhealthy or dangerous
conditions; or
(b) damage to building elements caused by
dampness or water overflow from bathrooms,
laundries and the like”
The example continued…
 These Guidance clauses set the scene for the
mandatory Performance Requirement for wet
areas, which states;
 P2.4.1 - to protect the structure of the building
and to maintain the amenity of the occupants,
water must be prevented from penetrating:
(a) behind fittings and linings; or
(b) into concealed spaces of sanitary facilities,
bathrooms, laundries and the like.
The example continued…
 BCA then provides a Deemed-to-Satisfy
method of complying with the Performance
Requirement, and for wet areas this is found in
Clause3.8.1.0, which states;
 “Performance Requirement P2.4.1 is satisfied for
wet areas in Class 1 and 10 buildings if they are
waterproofed in accordance with AS3740 –
Waterproofing of wet areas within residential
buildings”
Complying with the BCA
 Clause A0.4, Volume One states “a Building
Solution will comply with the BCA if it
satisfies the Performance Requirements”
 If a Deemed-to-Satisfy solution is used –
compliance is achieved
 If an Alternative Solution is used –it must
be assessed for compliance with the
Performance Requirements
Assessment Methods
 Methods for assessing Building Solutions are
listed in;
Clause A0.9 of Volume One
Clause 1.0.9 of Volume Two
 The Certifying Authority will be required to
assess compliance; however the applicant
will be required to demonstrate compliance
has been achieved
Assessment Methods
 Clause A0.9 lists four Assessment Methods
1. Forms of evidence as described in;
Clause A2.2 -Volume One (See next slide)
Clause 1.2.2 -Volume Two
2. Verification Methods or similar
3. Comparison with Deemed-to-Satisfy
Provision
4. Expert Judgement
Forms of evidence
 Forms of evidence are listed in;
Clause A2.2 of Volume One
Clause 1.2.2 of Volume Two
 These processes are generally third party
mechanisms that maybe used to assist in
either the development or assessment of
Building Solutions
Clause A2.2 –Evidence
 Registered Testing Authority report
 Certificate of Conformity / current Certificate of

Accreditation
 Certificate from an appropriately qualified person

 Product certification from a Joint Accreditation

System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ)

accredited body
 Scientific Services Laboratory (SSL) product listing

 Any other form of documentary evidence

Product Certification
 An effective product certification scheme
underpins a performance-based building code
such as the BCA
 In product certification schemes, suitably
qualified third-party bodies evaluate
products and certify compliance with
specified requirements of the BCA
Product certification
 A scheme called CodeMark was recently
developed and was launched at the ABCB
National Conference
CodeMark Certification Scheme
Operation of CodeMark
 The scheme will cover both Australia and
New Zealand
 It will be jointly managed by the ABCB and
the New Zealand Department of Building and
Housing
 It will be coordinated by the Joint
Accreditation Scheme of Australia and new
Zealand (JAS-ANZ)
Operation of CodeMark
 JAS-ANZ will accredit suitably qualified
Certification Bodies to assess a product
and to issue a CodeMark certificate i.e. a
Certificate of Conformity
 Legislation implemented by respective
governments will require approval authorities
to accept the use of CodeMark certified
products
Part 2 –Key messages
 BCA is a performance-based document
setting minimum standards for design and
construction of buildings
 Performance Requirements are mandatory
 Benefits of a performance-based code are;
 improve cost-effectiveness

 improve constructability
 incorporate innovation
Part 2 –Key messages
 BCA comes in two Volumes
 Volume One for Class 2 to 9 buildings

 Volume Two for Class 1 and 10 buildings

 Proposed designs can be assessed using

Assessment Methods listed in the BCA
 A CodeMark certificate is a Certificate of
Compliance
 BCA is amended annually
PART 3 - Application of the BCA
When to apply the BCA
How to comply with the BCA
How to apply Volume One
How to apply Volume Two
To what does the BCA apply?
 The application of the BCA is determined by
each State or Territory
 Generally – the BCA applies to the
construction of all new buildings
 BCA can also apply to additions and
alterations to existing buildings
 BCA, or parts of it, can also apply to
proposals to change the use of a building
Other regulations may apply
 It is important to note that the BCA may be
only one legislative standard applicable to a
particular use of building
 Practitioners need to be aware of all other
legislation relevant to particular projects
Examples of other regulations
 Some examples include;
– planning
– environmental
– workplace health and safety,
– licensing / registration of use e.g. hotel
– plumbing, gas and electrical work
– telecommunications
Examples of other regulations
 Flammable liquid storage
 Health care buildings
 The Victorian Appendix for Section H
provides a list of some authorities and
legislation that may apply to specific projects
Non-regulatory guidelines
 As well as developing the BCA – the ABCB
also produces non regulatory guidelines
 These documents provide guidance and
best practice advice on topics that, for a
variety of reasons, are currently considered
to be unsuitable for regulation
What are some reasons?
 Some issues are not appropriate for
regulation at present – i.e. regulation is
considered to be a last resort means of
achieving a policy outcome
 To provide information on how to address
issues covered by BCA
 To promote national approach

 To promote a responsible industry

Examples of NRG’s
 Existing guideline documents are;
– Durability in Buildings
– Sound Insulation
– International Fire Safety Engineering
 Proposed guideline documents include;
– Digital Building Telecommunications Access
– Sites Prone to Landslip Hazard
Using Volume One
 It is important to understand that designers have an
option to either follow a performance design path or
a deemed-to-satisfy path or a combination of both
 Many Performance Requirements and Deemed-to-
Satisfy Provisions have limited application i.e. not all
provisions apply to all designs
 Check if the provision being considered applies to the
proposed building
 Use a holistic approach to ensure all relevant
provisions are considered
Using Volume One
 The ABCB has produced a Guide to Volume
One that provides background and explanatory
information to requirements of the BCA
 The Guide may assist in understanding the
relationships between Parts of the BCA and is
a valuable aid when interpreting provisions. It
also expands on some of the examples used in
the BCA, e.g. “Classification of Buildings”
Applying Section A
 As discussed – Section A contains information
on the operation and application of BCA
 It includes definitions and classifications of
buildings and structures
 It also includes a schedule of documents
adopted by reference
 Section A sets the rules to apply the BCA and
therefore is not performance-based
Referenced documents
 Specification A1.3 lists various documents,
such as Australian Standards, adopted as
Deemed-to-Satisfy means of complying with
Performance Requirements
 These documents are generally referenced by
edition dates and amendment numbers
Referenced documents
Referenced documents
 It is important to note that only the
referenced edition is acceptable as being
Deemed-to-Satisfy
 Other editions of referenced documents, or
documents not appearing on the list, may be
accepted as Alternative Solutions
Applying Section B
 The structural requirements of Section B
apply generically rather than to nominated
classifications of buildings or structures
 It is important to note that some Deemed-to-
Satisfy referenced documents may have
limitations to their application
Applying Sections C to J
 While Section B is quite generic – Sections C
to J contain specific requirements for
specific buildings
 Therefore – a designer will now need to make
some basic decisions
 If a designer elects to design to the Deemed-
to-Satisfy Provisions the following steps are
taken
Applying Sections C to J
 Step one: determine the classification of the
proposed building as per Part A3
– Remember classification is not a
performance-based component of design
 Step two: assess the rise in storeys of the
building – See Clause C1.2
– While there are exclusions, generally the rise
in storeys is the greatest number of storeys
above ground level
Applying Sections C to J
 Step three: apply Table C1.1 to determine
the required Type of construction – see over
– Type A: most fire resistant – non
combustible construction
– Type B: lesser fire resistance
– Type C: least fire resistant – “combustible”
construction
Table c1.1 type of construction required

Rise in storeys Class of building

2, 3, 9 5, 6, 7, 8

4 or More A A

3 A B

2 B C

1 C C
Applying Sections C to J
 Step four: check the maximum fire
compartment size in Table C2.2 plus Clause
C2.5 for Class 9a and 9c
 If the proposed size does not comply;
consider another Type of construction, or
design in accordance with Clause C2.3, or
formulate an Alternative Solution
Applying Sections C to J
Applying Sections C to J
 Designers have now identified three basic
criteria; for example:
– Class 5 office building
– Rise in storeys of 9
– Type A construction
 The BCA also contains particular requirements
for buildings with an effective height of more
than 25 metres
Applying Sections C to J
 Step Five: follow the BCA requirements
through Sections C to J clause by clause
 Always document decisions and the outcome
of applying each clause
 Assume it will be necessary to explain all
decisions taken in developing or assessing a
particular design proposal
 Check for State and Territory variations and
additions
Applying Sections C to J
 As seen – the initial Deemed-to-Satisfy
Provisions of Section C can be used to
develop a Deemed-to-Satisfy design
 However – two of these initial steps can also
be the subject of performance-based design
– i.e. the rise in storeys and Type of
construction provisions
Using Volume Two
 Designers should initially read through
Section 1 of Volume Two in order to gain a
general understanding of the operation of the
BCA
 The general approach of following a
performance based design or a deemed-to-
satisfy based design applies to designs
using Volume Two
Using Volume Two
 Differences in using Volume Two relate to
the layout of the document rather than its
application
 As discussed before – practitioners using
Volume Two are given more choices as
Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions can be either;
– acceptable design manuals or
– acceptable construction practice
To assist practitioners…
 The ABCB publishes a Guide to Volume
One that provides explanatory information
on the intent of provisions
 Similar explanatory information can be found
in shaded boxes located throughout
Volume Two
Part 3 – Key messages
 BCA may not be the only design standard
applicable to your project
 Before using the BCA read Section A of
Volume One or Section 1 of Volume Two
 Only use the nominated editions of reference
documents for DTS designs
 ABCB has a Guide to the BCA to assist
interpretation
Summary
 The BCA is a reference document that
contains mandatory Performance
Requirements for the design and construction
of buildings
 To become law the BCA must be adopted by
each State and Territory through their
respective building regulations
Summary continued…
 The goals of the BCA are to deliver
acceptable standards of structural
sufficiency, safety, sustainability, health
and amenity within new buildings for the
benefit of the community
 The BCA contains minimum acceptable
standards that achieve these goal
Recap of structure of the BCA
Summary continued…
 The Performance Requirements of the
Code must be met by a Building Solution that
may be a Deemed-to-Satisfy solution or
an Alternative Solution or a combination of
both
 If an Alternative Solution is used – it must
be assessed for compliance with the
Performance Requirements
Summary continued…
 The applicant seeking approval is
responsible for demonstrating that
compliance has been achieved
 Assessment of compliance may be
demonstrated by using an Assessment Method
listed in the BCA
Summary continued…
 When preparing or assessing a design always
document decisions and the outcome of
applying each BCA clause
 Assume it will be necessary to explain your
decisions in the future
 Last of all – use the BCA for the purpose it
was intended i.e. to provide flexibility to
practitioners
References
 This presentation was produces using
resources provides by the Australian Building
Codes Boards: Module 1 – Introduction to the
BCA