Overview
The National Construction Code (NCC) is updated every 3 years, based on industry research, public feedback and policy directions from governments to the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) between publishing cycles.
Updated content is included in the public comment draft (PCD) for consultation, seeking feedback on the suggested amendments and/or inclusions in the next edition of the NCC.
Proposed Change 1 - Accessible Housing
NCC 2022 will include new requirements, in the form of changes to the technical provisions in NCC Volumes One and Two, and a new referenced technical standard, the ABCB Standard for Livable Housing Design. These documents will be made publicly available as part of the NCC 2022 package. These provisions are based on the Livable Housing Design Guidelines silver standards.
This indicates that new houses constructed under NCC 2022 or later must possess:
- Step-free access from street and parking areas
- A minimum of one step-free entrance into the residence
- Interior doors and corridors that allow for easy access
- A first floor toilet
- A step-less shower
- Reinforced lavatory walls to facilitate grabrail installation; and
A continuous handrail for staircases.
This indicates that new houses constructed under NCC 2022 or later must possess:
- Step-free access from street and parking areas
- A minimum of one step-free entrance into the residence
- Interior doors and corridors that allow for easy access
- A first floor toilet
- A step-less shower
- Reinforced lavatory walls to facilitate grabrail installation; and
A continuous handrail for staircases.
Proposed Change 2 - Increased to 7 star
A new set of Deemed-to-Satisfy elemental provisions for Class 2 buildings
New DTS elemental provisions and a Verification Using a Reference Building (VURB) pathway for the SOUs of Class 2 buildings is proposed. As with the changes for Class 1 dwellings, the building fabric thermal efficiency for Class 2 buildings is based on a 7-star NatHERS rating equivalence.
The draft provisions also propose introducing an annual energy use budget for the SOUs of Class 2 buildings. The annual energy use budget approach is the same as Class 1 buildings, although not as stringent. The proposed VURB pathway is similar to the existing J1V3 pathway for commercial buildings. It will allow a Class 2 building to show compliance via a single energy model while ensuring that no one SOU has an unacceptable heating or cooling load.
New DTS elemental provisions and a Verification Using a Reference Building (VURB) pathway for the SOUs of Class 2 buildings is proposed. As with the changes for Class 1 dwellings, the building fabric thermal efficiency for Class 2 buildings is based on a 7-star NatHERS rating equivalence.
The draft provisions also propose introducing an annual energy use budget for the SOUs of Class 2 buildings. The annual energy use budget approach is the same as Class 1 buildings, although not as stringent. The proposed VURB pathway is similar to the existing J1V3 pathway for commercial buildings. It will allow a Class 2 building to show compliance via a single energy model while ensuring that no one SOU has an unacceptable heating or cooling load.
Proposed Change 3 - Electrical Car Charging Equipment
New provisions designed to allow easy retrofit of on-site renewables and electric vehicle charging equipment for Class 2 to 9 buildings
As the world is looking for new innovative products, it is also planning for the future. It is expected in the future that petrol cars will be eliminated and most cars will be electric or hyrbrid.
As the world is looking for new innovative products, it is also planning for the future. It is expected in the future that petrol cars will be eliminated and most cars will be electric or hyrbrid.
Proposed Change 4 - Enhanced condensation management provisions
Enhanced condensation management provisions, including additional ventilation and wall vapour permeability requirements.
The condensation management provisions of the NCC aim to decrease risks of condensation and water vapour to the health and amenity of occupants of residential buildings. The condensation management requirements apply to Class 1 buildings, Class 2 SOUs and Class 4 parts of buildings.
The proposed NCC 2022 condensation management provisions build upon the initial condensation management provisions introduced into NCC 2019. Changes are predominantly applied to thecondensation management sections of NCC Volumes One and Two and the ABCB Housing Provisions. Changes have also been applied to the “Verification of building envelope sealing” Verification Methods in the energy efficiency sections of NCC Volumes One and Two
The condensation management provisions of the NCC aim to decrease risks of condensation and water vapour to the health and amenity of occupants of residential buildings. The condensation management requirements apply to Class 1 buildings, Class 2 SOUs and Class 4 parts of buildings.
The proposed NCC 2022 condensation management provisions build upon the initial condensation management provisions introduced into NCC 2019. Changes are predominantly applied to thecondensation management sections of NCC Volumes One and Two and the ABCB Housing Provisions. Changes have also been applied to the “Verification of building envelope sealing” Verification Methods in the energy efficiency sections of NCC Volumes One and Two
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