The National Construction Code is the primary set of technical provisions for the design, construction and performance of buildings throughout Australia, published by the Australian Building Codes Board.
What Is the National Construction Code?
The National Construction Code (NCC) is Australia’s primary set of technical requirements for the design and construction of buildings.
It establishes minimum requirements relating to matters such as safety, health, amenity, accessibility and sustainability. The NCC is performance-based, meaning it sets required outcomes and provides ways of demonstrating compliance with those requirements.
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) produces and maintains the NCC on behalf of the Australian Government and the state and territory governments.
What Does the NCC Cover?
The NCC contains technical provisions that apply to different types of buildings and building work.
The NCC is organised into three volumes. Volumes One and Two form the Building Code of Australia (BCA), while Volume Three contains the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA).
The requirements that apply depend on the type and classification of the building, the work being undertaken and the relevant provisions of the NCC.
NCC Performance Requirements
The NCC uses a performance-based approach to building regulation.
Its Performance Requirements establish the level of performance that must be achieved. Compliance can then be demonstrated using the compliance pathways provided by the NCC, including Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions and Performance Solutions.
This distinction matters because the NCC is not simply a collection of prescriptive construction instructions. The required performance must be demonstrated using an appropriate compliance pathway.
National Construction Code in Western Australia
Western Australia adopts the NCC through its building and plumbing legislation.
The WA Building and Energy legislative framework states that Western Australia adopts the NCC as its building and plumbing standards. The NCC is given legal effect through state and territory legislation rather than operating as legislation by itself.
Western Australia can also have state variations and additions to the NCC. These variations form part of the requirements that apply in the state.
NCC and Building Documentation
The NCC is relevant when preparing building documentation because drawings, specifications and other supporting information need to communicate how the proposed building work satisfies the applicable requirements.
The exact requirements depend on the building classification, proposed work and applicable compliance pathway.
For drafting and building design, this means the NCC needs to be considered as part of the design and documentation process rather than treated as something checked only after drawings have been completed.
Kyle Standing’s Perspective on the National Construction Code
Kyle Standing’s background in civil engineering and residential drafting provides a technical perspective on how building documentation needs to respond to regulatory requirements.
For Perth residential projects, drawings need to communicate the information required for the relevant approval and construction process while accounting for the applicable building standards.
Understanding the NCC requirements early helps ensure that design and documentation decisions are made with the relevant compliance requirements in mind.
Related Terms
The National Construction Code is closely connected with several terms used throughout the building and approval process:
Official Resources
WA Building and Energy — Building and Energy legislative framework