This Practice Note provides guidance on buildings above or below certain public facilities for compliance with the Building Act 1993 (the Act) and the Building Regulations 2018 (the Regulations), and:

• Report and consent requirements
• Other projection related regulations

Superseded documents

These are Superseded Practice notes relating to PW 01 Building above or below certain public facilities

• Superseded 20 April 2023 (PDF, 825.89 KB)

This Practice Note provides guidance to building practitioners about the protection work process under Part 7 of the Building Act 1993 (the Act) and Division 1 of Part 7 of the Building Regulations 2018 (the Regulations), and:

• Protection work - introduction
• Distinction between protection work and building work
• Entry on adjoining property
• Responsibilities of the RBS in relation to protection work
• Protection work notices
• Independence of the RBS
• Notice of determination under section 87 of the Act - Form 9
• Requiring protection work after work has commenced
• Other administrative responsibilities of the RBS
• Dispute resolution relating to protection work

This Practice Note provides guidance to building practitioners on public protection requirements under the Building Act 1993 (the Act) and the Building Regulations 2018 (the Regulations), and:

• Protection of the public
• When are precautions required?
• Relevant building surveyor’s responsibilities
• What documentation should be provided to the RBS
• Report and consent of council
• Precautions where the building work is in an existing building
• When do precautions need to be inspected
• Administrative requirements for RBS

The purpose of this Practice Note is to provide guidance on the requirements for residential fire safety systems referenced in the Victoria Appendix (clause Vic H103.1) to the Building Code of Australia

The content below provides guidance on:

PART A – Residential Local Fire Alarm Systems

• General requirements
• Local fire indicator panel
• Signal Isolation Interface Units
• Wiring
• System Testing
• Maintenance
• Training for Building Occupants

PART B: Connection of Residential Sprinkler system to a fire station or other approved monitoring service

• System design
• Connection to monitoring service
• Indication at the fire indicator panel
• Certificate of Acceptance

Superseded documents

These are Superseded Practice notes relating to PN-07 Residential Fire Safety Systems

• Superseded 6 December 2023 (PDF, 1374.48 KB)

This Practice Note defines the requirements for emergency communication systems which may be used in Class 3 residential care buildings instead of a sound system and intercom system for emergency purposes (SSIS) complying with E4.9 of the Building Code of Australia (BCA).

The requirements of Vic H103.1 of the BCA must still be met. The system must also be designed to operate in conjunction with an alarm panel installed.

The purpose of this Practice Note is to describe the requirements referenced in Specification 20, clause VIC S20C8 of the Victorian Appendix to Volume One of the NCC 2022, which provides a concession not to monitor smoke detection and alarm systems in Class 9a health-care buildings, where the building has a sprinkler system connected to a fire station or other approved monitoring service in accordance with this practice note.

The content below provides guidance on:

• Connection of sprinkler system to a fire station or other approved monitoring service.

The purpose of this Practice Note is to provide guidance on the selection and installation of service penetrations through fire-rated and smoke-proof walls, floors and ceilings which must resist the spread of fire within a building.

The content below provides guidance on:

• Service penetrations through fire-rated and smoke-proof walls, floors and ceilings
• Regulatory requirements for building service penetrations
• Service penetration installation checklist
• Common types of service penetration products

Superseded documents

These are Superseded Practice notes relating to FS 02 Service penetrations of fire rated and smoke-proof walls

• Superseded 30 March 2023 (PDF, 749.48 KB)

This Practice Note explains the correlation of Regulation 71 and siting requirements of Part 5 of the Building Regulations 2018.

The context below provides guidance on:

• Approved building envelope and Part 5 of the Regulations
• What is an ‘approved building envelope’
• Existing building envelopes
• Assessing a building permit application where there is an approved building envelope
• Adjoining allotments not part of the same agreement or plan of subdivision
• What if the application complies with the Regulations but not the approved building envelope?

This Practice Note is currently under review.

This Practice Note provides guidance on complying with the stormwater drainage requirements under the Building Act 1993 and the Building Regulations 2018, and :

• General requirements
• Design compliance
• Other related matters

Superseded documents

These are Superseded Practice notes relating to SD 01 Stormwater drainage systems

• Superseded 24 April 2023 (PDF, 759.69 KB)

The purpose of this Practice Note is to provide guidance on swimming pool standards and safety requirements which must be adhered to ensure public safety, and:

• Building standards
• Swimming pool barrier requirements
• Building permit requirements
• Inspection of building works and testing requirements

Superseded documents

These are Superseded Practice notes relating to SP 01 Swimming pool standards and safety requirements

• Superseded 27 April 2023 (PDF, 993.54 KB)

The purpose of this Practice Note is to provide guidance and technical advice on the design and construction of swimming pool safety barriers and additional NCC compliance requirements for swimming pools, and:

• Swimming pool barriers
• Barrier design considerations
• Outdoor swimming pools
• Energy efficiency
• Plumbing work
• Electrical considerations

Superseded documents

These are Superseded Practice notes relating to SP 02 | Swimming pool barriers and other requirements

• Superseded 26 September 2023 (PDF, 666.55 KB)
• Superseded 20 April 2023 (PDF, 1197.98 KB)

This guide is for municipal councils and practitioners to clarify their responsibilities under the building legislation in relation to swimming pool and spa safety. It is not a substitute for the relevant legislation.

Amendments to the Building Act 1993 which commenced on 1 December 2019 have introduced requirements for councils to establish and maintain a register of swimming pools and spas in their municipality and be the gatekeeper for compliance of safety barriers. Following amendments introduced by the Building Amendment (Swimming Pool and Spa) Regulations 2019, the Building Regulations 2018 now includes Part 9A which consolidates swimming pool and spa safety requirements (swimming pools built before 8 April 1991, maintenance and operation of barriers, registration, inspection and certification requirements).

Last updated January 2021