NCC 2022 Volume Three - Plumbing Code of Australia
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A5

Part A5 Documentation of design and construction

Part A5 Documentation of design and construction

Introduction to this Part

This Part explains the evidence needed to show that the NCC requirements are met and the solution is “fit for purpose”. It covers the use of materials, products, forms of construction and designs. It details separate requirements for the BCA and PCA.

Examples of evidence to be prepared and retained include certificates, reports, calculations and any other documents or information showing compliance with the NCC requirements.

Governing Requirements

(1) A building and plumbing or drainage installation must be constructed using materials, products, plumbing products, forms of construction and designs fit for their intended purpose to achieve the relevant requirements of the NCC.

(2) For the purposes of (1), a material, product, plumbing product, form of construction or design is fit for purpose if it is—

  1. supported by evidence of suitability in accordance with—
    1. A5G2; and
    2. A5G3 or A5G4 as appropriate; and
  2. constructed or installed in an appropriate manner.

Explanatory information

A5G1 relates to the quality of work and materials needed to construct a building to meet NCC requirements.

This means that—

  • all people involved with construction must work skillfully in accordance with good trade practice; and
  • all materials must be of a quality to fulfil their function/s within the building.

A5G1 only applies to matters normally covered by the NCC.

While A5G1 outlines quality of work and material demands, sometimes additional conditions may be required by—

  • other Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation; and
  • contracts that include either specific quality requirements, or requirements for specific materials and the like.

Explanatory information: Example

Permit authorities would ordinarily not apply A5G1 to such matters as—

  • plastering — other than for fire rating, waterproofing of wet areas, and sound insulation; or
  • painting — other than that required for weatherproofing an external wall.

When determining which form of evidence will be used, it is important to consider the appropriateness of the evidence, as some forms of evidence may be more suitable to materials and products and others to designs and forms of construction. The requirement to consider appropriateness of the evidence is specified in A5G2(1).

(1) The form of evidence used must be appropriate to the use of the material, product, plumbing product, form of construction or design to which it relates.

(2) Any copy of documentary evidence submitted must be a complete copy of the original certificate, report or document.

Explanatory information

For further guidance, refer to the ABCB Handbook for Evidence of Suitability.

All copies of documents provided as evidence must be unabridged copies of the originals. No part can be left incomplete.

(1) Subject to A5G5, A5G6, A5G7 and A5G9, evidence to support that the use of a material, product, form of construction or design meets a Performance Requirement or a Deemed-to-Satisfy Provision may be in the form of any one, or any combination of the following:

  1. A current CodeMark Australia or CodeMark Certificate of Conformity.
  2. A current Certificate of Accreditation.
  3. A current certificate, other than a certificate described in (a) and (b), issued by a certification body stating that the properties and performance of a material, product, form of construction or design fulfil specific requirements of the BCA.
  4. A report issued by an Accredited Testing Laboratory that—
    1. demonstrates that a material, product or form of construction fulfils specific requirements of the BCA; and
    2. sets out the tests the material, product or form of construction has been subjected to and the results of those tests and any other relevant information that has been relied upon to demonstrate it fulfils specific requirements of the BCA.
  5. A certificate or report from a professional engineer or other appropriately qualified person that—
    1. certifies that a material, product, form of construction or design fulfils specific requirements of the BCA; and
    2. sets out the basis on which it is given and the extent to which relevant standards, specifications, rules, codes of practice or other publications have been relied upon to demonstrate it fulfils specific requirements of the BCA.
  6. Another form of documentary evidence, such as but not limited to a Product Technical Statement, that—
    1. demonstrates that a material, product, form of construction or design fulfils specific requirements of the BCA; and
    2. sets out the basis on which it is given and the extent to which relevant standards, specifications, rules, codes of practice or other publications have been relied upon to demonstrate it fulfils specific requirements of the BCA.

(2) Evidence to support that a calculation method complies with an ABCB protocol may be in the form of any one, or any combination of the following:

  1. A certificate from a professional engineer or other appropriately qualified person that—
    1. certifies that the calculation method complies with a relevant ABCB protocol; and
    2. sets out the basis on which it is given and the extent to which relevant standards, specifications, rules, codes of practice and other publications have been relied upon.
  2. Another form of documentary evidence that correctly describes how the calculation method complies with a relevant ABCB protocol.

Applications

A5G3 is only applicable to NCC Volumes One and Two (BCA).

Notes

Current documentary evidence, such as a certificate or report, containing references to NCC 2019 provisions remains valid despite amended provision references in NCC 2022, subject to technical requirements remaining the same between editions.

Explanatory information

A5G3 represents the minimum level of documentary evidence needed to show that a material, product, form of construction or design meets the relevant NCC requirements. The evidence can be required by:

  • an appropriate authority;
  • a party to a construction contract; or
  • a person certifying compliance with the NCC.

If a building proponent does not produce exactly what is required, the evidence may be rejected.

It should be noted that ‘design’ may refer to engineering design, architectural design as well as product and material design.

A5G3(1)(f) allows for the use of alternative forms of documentary evidence to those included in A5G3(1)(a) to (e), as long as they comply with certain specified conditions.

An example of this arises when an authority carries out an inspection of a building site. The inspection alone would not be acceptable as evidence. However, if the authority compiled a written report detailing findings and conclusions from the inspection, then it may comply with the requirements of A5G3(1)(f).

A Product Technical Statement detailing the characteristics and merits of a particular product or system is also an example of another form of documentary evidence.

There is significant reliance by industry on the use of calculation methods, including software programs, for demonstrating compliance with the NCC. While there is no formal recognition of specific methods, A5G3(2) allows suitable evidence to be submitted to demonstrate that a calculation method (including a software program) complies with a relevant ABCB protocol that establishes the characteristics of a suitable calculation method.

If under a Deemed-to-Satisfy Provision a building element is required to have an FRL, then A5G3 may be used to provide evidence to show that the FRL has been determined in accordance with Specification 1 and 2.

In the case of a test report from an Accredited Testing Laboratory, the report may be either—

  • the test report referred to in clause 2.16.2 of AS 1530.4 (also referred to as a full test report); or
  • the regulatory information report referred to in clause 2.16.3 of AS 1530.4 (also referred to as a short-form report).

In both cases the report must be an unabridged copy of the original report. A test certificate referred to in clause 2.16.4 of AS 1530.4 on its own is not suitable for showing compliance with the NCC.

If a proposal uses a Deemed-to-Satisfy Provision that requires a building element to have fire hazard properties, then A5G3 may be used to provide evidence to support the proposal and show that the fire hazard properties have been determined in accordance with A5G6.

Refer to the guidance provided in the Guide to Volume One for further information on fire hazard properties which includes—

The Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions of the BCA contain a number of provisions requiring a ceiling to have a resistance to the incipient spread of fire to the space above itself. A5G7 sets out the method of determining the incipient spread of fire. The method is based on the method of determining the FRL of a building element and use of the Standard Fire Test.

(1) Any product that is intended for use in contact with drinking water must comply with the relevant requirements of AS/NZS 4020, verified in the form of either—

  1. a test report provided by an Accredited Testing Laboratory, in accordance with AS/NZS 4020; or
  2. a WaterMark Licence issued in accordance with (3), if it includes compliance with AS/NZS 4020.

(2) Any product that contains copper alloy and is intended for use in contact with drinking water must have a weighted average lead content of not more than 0.25% verified in the form of either—

  1. a test report provided by an Accredited Testing Laboratory, in accordance with NSF/ANSI/CAN 372; or
  2. a WaterMark Licence issued in accordance with (3), if it includes compliance with NSF/ANSI/CAN 372.

(3) A product of a type listed on the WaterMark Schedule of Products is deemed to be fit for its intended purpose if it has a WaterMark Licence issued in accordance with the WaterMark Scheme Rules.

(4) A product of a type listed on the Watermark Schedule of Excluded Products requires evidence of suitability in the form of—

  1. a current certificate issued by a certification body stating that the properties and performance of a product can meet the requirements of the PCA; or
  2. a report issued by an Accredited Testing Laboratory that—
    1. demonstrates that the product complies with the relevant requirements of the PCA; and
    2. sets out the tests the product has been submitted to and the results of those tests and any other relevant information that has been relied upon to demonstrate suitability for use in a plumbing or drainage installation.

(5) Any product that is not covered by (3) or (4) must be subjected to a risk assessment in accordance with the WaterMark Scheme Rules.

(6) Evidence to support that a design or system meets the relevant PCA Performance Requirements must be in the form of any one or any combination of the following:

  1. The design or system complies with a Deemed-to-Satisfy Provision.
  2. The design or system is a Performance Solution from a professional engineer or a recognised expert that—
    1. certifies that the design or system complies with the relevant requirements of the PCA; and
    2. sets out the basis on which it is given and the extent to which relevant standards, specifications, rules, codes of practice or other publications have been relied upon.
  3. Any other form of documentary evidence that—
    1. demonstrates that a design or system complies with the relevant requirements of the PCA; and
    2. sets out the basis on which it is given and the extent to which relevant standards, specifications, rules, codes of practice or other publications have been relied upon.

TAS A5G4 Evidence of suitability ─ Volume Three (PCA)2019: A5.3

Insert TAS subclause A5G4(7) in clause A5G4 as follows:

(7) A product used in roof plumbing, heating ventilation and air-conditioning or on-site liquid trade waste are deemed fit to be for their intended purpose if it has evidence of suitability in the form of—

  1. WaterMark Licence issued in accordance with the WaterMark Certification Scheme; or
  2. a current certificate issued by a certification body stating that the properties and performance of a product meet the requirements of the NCC Volume Three; or
  3. authorisation from the Director of Building Control.

TAS A5G4 Evidence of suitability ─ Volume Three (PCA)2019: A5.3

Insert TAS subclause A5G4(8) in clause A5G4 as follows:

(8) A product used in On-site wastewater management systems are deemed to be fit for their intended purpose if it has evidence of suitability in the form of—

  1. an On-site wastewater management system used in a plumbing installation must be issued with a Certificate of Accreditation in accordance with the AS 1546 series of Standards; or
  2. a current certificate issued by a JAS-ANZ accredited certification body stating that the properties and performance of a product meets the requirement of NCC Volume Three; and
  3. accreditation from the Director of Building Control.

TAS A5G4 Evidence of suitability ─ Volume Three (PCA)2019: A5.3

Insert TAS subclause A5G4(9) in clause A5G4 as follows:

(9) A holding tank or collection well for use in a plumbing or drainage installation may be verified as meeting the Performance Requirements of the Director of Building Control if complies with AS/NZS 1546.1.

TAS A5G4 Evidence of suitability ─ Volume Three (PCA)2019: A5.3

Insert TAS subclause A5G4(10) in clause A5G4 as follows:

(10) Under the Tasmanian Building Act, the Director of Building Control may accredit an On-site wastewater management system. On-site wastewater management systems larger than that covered by the Australian Standards AS/NZS 1546 Series are exempt from accreditation and a Performance Solution is required.

Products accredited by the Director of Building Control are published in a list available at www.cbos.tas.gov.au.

Notes

On-site wastewater management systems larger than covered by the standards are exempt and a Performance Solution is required.

Notes

  1. A5G4(2) does not take effect until the completion of the transition period specified by WaterMark Notice of Direction 2021/4.
  2. Note 1 does not prevent the use of products certified in accordance with A5G4(2) prior to the completion of the transition period specified by the WaterMark Notice of Direction 2021/4.

Applications

Products subject to the requirements of A5G4(2) are specifically nominated in the WaterMark Schedule of Products and the WaterMark Schedule of Excluded Products.

Exemptions

  1. Products that are used exclusively for non-drinking uses such as manufacturing, industrial processing, irrigation or any other uses where water is not anticipated to be used for human consumption are excluded from the requirements of A5G4(2).

Explanatory information

Some examples of products subject to A5G4(2) include the following:

  • Copper alloy fittings.
  • Stainless-steel braided hoses.
  • Valves (such as valves for isolation, backflow prevention, alteration of pressure and temperature).
  • Taps and mixers.
  • Water meters.
  • Pumps (for use with cold and heated water services).
  • Water heaters.
  • Residential water filtration equipment.
  • Water dispensers (such as boiling and cooling units, drinking fountains and bottle fillers).
  • Fire sprinkler systems connected to the cold water service that are not isolated from fixtures and fittings intended to supply water for human consumption.

Some examples of products excluded from the requirements of A5G4(2) include the following:

  • Shower heads for bathing.
  • Emergency showers, eye wash and/or face wash equipment.
  • Pumps used for irrigation, fire-fighting or other non-drinking water purposes.
  • Fire-fighting water services and equipment including residential fire sprinklers.
  • Appliances, including washing machines and dishwashers.
  • Commercial boilers associated with heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.
  • Sanitary fixtures (such as toilets, cistern inlet valves, bidets and urinals.
  • Non-drinking water systems (such as recycled water systems).

Product certification transition arrangements are outlined in Notices of Direction issued through the WaterMark Certification Scheme.

Lead is currently permitted in small proportions in the raw materials used to manufacture some plumbing products. Whilst the allowable lead levels permitted in products manufactured prior to 1 September 2025 ensures compliance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, the use of products compliant with the lead levels in A5G4(2) is encouraged, to avoid the potential for adverse effects on human health.

A5G4(1) requires any product intended for use in contact with drinking water to comply with AS/NZS 4020. Compliance is achieved by passing the relevant tests set out in the Standard.

Evidence of compliance must then be provided in accordance with A5G4(1), under which there are two options. The first, at A5G4(1)(a), recognises test reports and certificates that cover compliance with AS/NZS 4020 only. The second, at A5G4(1)(b), recognises WaterMark Licences where compliance with AS/NZS 4020 is a requirement of the relevant product Standard or WaterMark Technical Specification.

For products that are of a type listed on the WaterMark Schedule of Products, A5G4(2) requires that these products have a WaterMark Licence. A WaterMark Licence reflects that the product has been certified and authorised in accordance with the WaterMark Scheme Rules.

For products that are not subject to WaterMark certification (i.e. excluded products), evidence that can be used to support that the product is fit for its intended purpose is provided in A5G4(3). This may include demonstrating compliance with a product specification referenced in the WaterMark Schedule of Excluded Products, where one is available.

A5G4(4) provides that any product that is not listed on the WaterMark Schedule of Products or the WaterMark Schedule of Excluded Products must be subjected to a risk assessment in accordance with the WaterMark Scheme Rules. The risk assessment will determine whether the product in question requires certification and authorisation, or if it should be listed as an “excluded product”. This in turn will determine the form of evidence of suitability applicable to the product.

Explanatory information: What is WaterMark?

The WaterMark Certification Scheme is a mandatory certification scheme for plumbing and drainage products to ensure that these products are fit for purpose and appropriately authorised for use in a plumbing or drainage system.

The PCA, through Part A5, requires certain plumbing and drainage products to be certified and authorised for use in a plumbing or drainage system. These products are certified through the WaterMark Certification Scheme and listed on the WaterMark Product Database.

The WaterMark Certification Scheme is governed by the WaterMark Scheme Rules, which are available for download from the ABCB website at: www.abcb.gov.au. These rules set out the requirements for risk assessments, evaluation, certification, and the drafting of WaterMark Technical Specifications.

When a product is listed on the WaterMark Schedule of Products then, for it to be certified and authorised, the product must—

  • be tested by an Accredited Testing Laboratory; and
  • comply with an approved product specification (either a relevant existing product Standard or a WaterMark Technical Specification); and
  • be manufactured in accordance with an approved Quality Assurance Program; and
  • carry a scope of use.

Products that comply fully with the applicable requirements of the WaterMark Certification Scheme are then eligible to be certified by a WaterMark Conformity Assessment Body and listed on the WaterMark Product Database. Certified products are identifiable by the WaterMark certification trade mark, shown in Figure A5G4 below, that must be displayed on the product upon granting of a WaterMark Licence.

Figure A5G4 (explanatory) WaterMark Certification Scheme Trademarks
image-A5G4-explanatory-watermark-certification-scheme-trademarks.svg

Where a Deemed-to-Satisfy Provision requires a building element to have an FRL, it must be determined in accordance with Specifications 1 and 2.

Where a Deemed-to-Satisfy Provision requires a building component or assembly to have a fire hazard property it must be determined as follows:

  1. For average specific extinction area, critical radiant flux and Flammability Index, as defined in Specification 1.
  2. For Smoke-Developed Index and Spread-of-Flame Index, in accordance with Specification 3.
  3. For a material’s group number or smoke growth rate index (SMOGRARC), in accordance with S7C4(2).

A ceiling is deemed to have a resistance to the incipient spread of fire to the space above itself if—

  1. it is identical with a prototype that has been submitted to the Standard Fire Test and the resistance to the incipient spread of fire achieved by the prototype is confirmed in a report from an Accredited Testing Laboratory that—
    1. describes the method and conditions of the test and form of construction of the tested prototype in full; and
    2. certifies that the application of restraint to the prototype complies with the Standard Fire Test; or
  2. it differs in only a minor degree from a prototype tested under (a) and the resistance to the incipient spread of fire attributed to the ceiling is confirmed in a report from an Accredited Testing Laboratory that—
    1. certifies that the ceiling is capable of achieving the resistance to the incipient spread of fire despite the minor departures from the tested prototype; and
    2. describes the materials, construction and conditions of restraint that are necessary to achieve the resistance to the incipient spread of fire.

An Aluminium Composite Panel must be labelled in accordance with SA TS 5344.

Where house energy rating software is required to be used, evidence of the house energy rating software output must be in the form of a NatHERS certificate issued in accordance with the NatHERS scheme.