BCA Volume 1

Almost as long as there’s been the construction of buildings on a commercial scale, there have been comments and concerns about how those buildings have been constructed. To address those concerns, the Australian Building Control Board (ABCB) was set up by the Australian government and the governments of the states and territories.

The board’s principal function is to create and maintain the Building Code of Australia (BCA), which comprises volumes 1 and 2 of the National Construction Code (NCC). Volume 1 covers class 2 to 9 buildings (which relate to commercial properties) while volume 2 is for class 1 and 10 (residential properties).

What BCA Volume 1 Covers

Both volumes of the BCA contain provisions and guidance for the design and construction of various structures, including buildings. These cover:

• the structural adequacy of those structures
• how resistant they are to fire
• ease of access to and exit from buildings
• the degree of energy efficiency and sustainability
• the level of services and equipment they provide
• the availability of provisions for the health and safety of each building’s occupants.

Overall, the aim is to set standards for the design and construction of buildings that cover health, safety, amenity and sustainability objectives in an efficient manner. The code includes, for example, minimum standards for energy efficiency and covers both construction methods and materials that will enable those standards to be achieved and exceeded.

Why Compliance with BCA Volume 1 is Essential

Although to some degree the code provides guidelines and there is a focus on reducing the need for regulations, the BCA does reference various standards that set out procedures and specifications. These cover methods, services, products and materials in order to ensure they fulfil their purpose and work as intended. The standards are mandatory, and a failure to meet them can result in costly and time-consuming remedial work or even a need to demolish and rebuild.

There are around 7,000 of these standards and associated publications and being familiar with all of them isn’t something that’s possible for any construction company. Furthermore, the BCA is being reviewed and amended constantly so keeping up with the changes and their implications is an impossible task unless you have a large and dedicated resource to do so.

In addition to any regulatory requirements, the best time to ensure a building is as energy efficient as possible and meets other requirements for safety, accessibility and structural integrity is at the start of a new build or refurbishment project. Unfortunately, most companies don’t have the time or resources to go through the latest code but need to get on with the project as quickly and efficiently as possible, although they also need to be sure they’re doing the job right.

We’ll Do the Job for You

It’s a quandary that many construction companies struggle to resolve but, here at Section J Reports Australia, we can ensure that your projects aren’t delayed due to uncertainty and always more than comply with BCA Volume 1. We’ll do the research for you, ensure your designs, construction methods and materials are the ones to use and give you the assurance that you’ll never have to repeat work due to non-compliance. As a result, your productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction ratings will all increase.

You’ll find that all our reports are very competitively priced and, as we do all our work via email wherever possible, we can produce a timely BCA Section J report for you, no matter where your new development happens to be in Australia, whether that’s in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Geelong, Wollongong, Canberra or Gold Coast.

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