This is a Public Record of the Australian Building Codes Board meeting held on 1 and 2 November 2023.

Meeting Opening

1. Meeting opening and administrative matters

  • The meeting opened with Acknowledgment of Country.
  • The Board noted attendance, apologies, and disclosure of interests any potential or actual conflicts related to matters on the agenda.
  • The Board dealt with meeting administrative matters and received reports from the Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Strategic Matters

2(a). Role of Referenced Documents in the NCC

  • The Board discussed the different types, roles and status of referenced documents, standards and software in the NCC.
  • The Board received a briefing on work the ABCB Office is undertaking in partnership with Standards Australia to ensure both organisations are able to respond to the opportunities and challenges coming in future years.
  • The Board discussed a range of options proposed by the Office that could facilitate faster, or more frequent, adoption of updated standards.

2(b). NCC – Maintenance and durability provisions

  • The Board discussed the issues of maintenance and durability and whether these should be explicitly addressed in the NCC.
  • The Board agreed that maintenance remained outside the practical scope of the NCC but supported further consideration of whether durability was adequately addressed ion the NCC and relevant reference standards.

2(c). Embodied Carbon

  • The Board noted the activities being undertaken by governments and industry to consider how to measure and manage the embodied carbon in buildings.

Matters for Decision

3. NCC 2025 – PCD high level reform 

  • The Board received information on the date for release of PCD for NCC 2025, including the key changes likely to be proposed.
  • The Board agreed to consider a final list of proposed reforms, out of session, after the final meetings of the Building Codes Committee in late November 2023.
  • The Board noted advice that Building Ministers had asked the Chair and CEO to undertake a more proactive communication campaign ahead of the release of the next Public Comment Draft to ensure that more members of the community and industry were aware of the proposals and the reasons for the proposed changes.

Matters for Discussion

4. ABCB Risk Register

  • The Board received updates on the ABCB risk register.
  • The Board noted information relating to the management of the ABCB Office and continuity of key functions. 

Standing Items

5(a). Product Certification update report 

  • The Board received updates on the operation of the WaterMark and CodeMark product certification schemes.
  • The Board agreed to form a new steering committee to support the CodeMark and WaterMark schemes.
  • The Board noted progress with the transition to lead free plumbing.

5(b). Board Steering Committee Updates

  • The Board noted the updates on the recent activities of existing Board Steering Committees.

     

Published on 24 November 2023