VBA Building Technical Bulletin – August 2022
It's great to have the opportunity to communicate with you all again, in what is our second edition of the VBA’s Building Technical Bulletin.
NCC 2022
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) previously communicated that the National Construction Code (NCC) would come into effect on 1 September 2022.
Following a meeting of Building Ministers on Friday, it was decided that NCC 2022 will be available from 1 October 2022 and will commence on 1 May 2023, with a transition period to 1 October 2023.
The Building Ministers agreed to include upgraded residential energy efficiency provisions in NCC 2022 to strengthen minimum requirements for the energy efficiency of new homes and support the economy’s transition to net zero emissions by 2050.
The minimum standard for the thermal performance rating of all new homes will be increased from 6 Stars to 7 Stars, making homes cheaper to run, more comfortable to live in and more resilient to extreme weather.
The Code will also require a ‘Whole of Home’ approach to managing the energy use of fixed appliances, such as heating, cooling, hot water, and lighting. This approach allows for flexibility in choice of appliances, including fuel type and energy efficiency rating, and onsite renewable energy (such as solar panels), combined to meet an annual energy usage benchmark for a new home.
There will also be new accessibility standards for homes and apartments, that include step-free street or parking entry to the building, step-free entry to the dwelling, accessible doorways, a toilet on the entry level, a step-free shower, and reinforced bathroom walls to support the installation of grab rails.
Learn more by heading to the ABCB website.
NCC 2022 VBA Roadshow
We’re excited to announce that as part of NCC 2022, the VBA will be hitting the road in a series of in-person events taking place across regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne. The roadshow will head to 15 different locations in September and October.
These events will help communicate the details of NCC 2022 and give industry an opportunity to network and speak to technical experts. Roadshow dates, times and locations are outlined on the VBA website and included below in this Bulletin.
If you can, I encourage you all to get along to one of these very important events ahead of the adoption of NCC 2022.
I hope you find the VBA Technical Bulletin useful. We will keep refining it as we go and we welcome your feedback, which can be sent to communications@vba.vic.gov.au.
Andrew Cialini,
VBA State Building Surveyor
In this edition...
Requests for records of inspection of building work
Building Surveyors are reminded of the requirements under the Building Act and Building Regulations that set out the contents of a Record of Inspection of Building Work.
Requirements of chemical termite management systems
When constructing in a termite-prone area and where the primary building elements are susceptible to attack, the Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions refer to compliance with AS 3660.1.
VBA partnering with industry to address orphaned building work
The VBA is currently testing potential sector-wide shared solutions in partnership with industry stakeholders.
Clarification: NatHERS for alterations and additions
Clarification on whether NatHERS assessors are appropriately qualified to provide input to performance solutions for the energy efficiency of alterations and additions.