Renovating your home? Then you must know how the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act (EP&A) applies to your situation. Ensure that your building meets all the necessary regulations, for a safe, sustainable, and community-friendly living space. Section J Compliance: Which Renovations are Covered? The short answer to the question in the title is: The […]
Do I have to comply with Section J if I am only renovating? Read More »
The warm glow of the morning sun inside a room is naturally invigorating. Cooking dinner in a kitchen filled with soft, natural light, highlights the vibrant colours of fresh produce. A living space where light and shadow gently interplay calms the mind and is a great place to unwind. Scenes from a magazine? Perhaps, but
Designing for Daylight: Strategies for Energy Efficiency Read More »
If you are involved in Commercial or Industrial building design, construction, or operation, then you’re probably familiar with Section J reports, which can be done prior to securing a construction certificate. The requirements can seem complex, and the process can look tedious. There could even be some legal risks, like liability for building defects or
Your Essential Checklist for a Section J Assessment Read More »
Are you planning to build or renovate a commercial building and found out that you need a Section J Report? Are there building regulations and energy efficiency standards you need to comply with? Do you wish there was an easier way to go about getting certifications for your building? If you answered “yes” to any of
What is a Section J Report? Read More »
New Building Code – 1 May 2023 On the national front, the new building code came into effect in 2023. It is in fact the 2022 code but there are various adoption dates. Most of the code is due to come into effect on 1 May 2023. NCC/BCA Residential Buildings – 1 October 2023 The
Building Code changes on the horizon for 2023 Read More »
In recent times we have seen a spike in requests to sign off the BASIX and Section J aspects of construction at the Occupation Certificate stage. This is related to an increase in diligence in all aspects of documentation arising from the State Government’s campaign to return confidence into the building industry. We expect to
BASIX and Section J Sign Off Read More »
To ease the stress of dealing with rapid change with a new version of the building code being issued every year, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) moved to a 3-year cycle. The last update was in 2019, and the new update is due this year. Although for those of us working with Section J
The application of BASIX to larger boarding houses has been contentious since about 2007, soon after Section J of the building code commenced. It was never meant to be an issue! BASIX was not intended to be applicable to large boarding houses (ie those boarding houses defined as Class 3 buildings under the building code).
BASIX not required for large Boarding Houses in NSW – 1 March 2022 Read More »
We have talked several times in previous newsletters about the challenges of assessing boarding houses in NSW. This has been because Class 3 boarding houses have, over time, been interpreted as needing a Basix certificate as well as a full Section J assessment under the building code. In attempt to resolve this problem the Dept
Basix Announcement – Boarding Houses Read More »
We have picked out a few key points from each of the new parts of Section J starting with J1.3 Roof and Ceiling Construction. Roof and Ceiling Construction This appears to be a very short section which should be easy to get one’s head around. If you take out all the lines of text relating
A Closer Look at Section J Read More »
Beyond aesthetics and functionality, designing a home requires sustainability. Residential buildings in Australia produce over 10% of the country’s carbon emissions and consume 24% of
Green buildings are on the rise. According to the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), there was an 80% increase in Green Star certifications in
Renovating your home? Then you must know how the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act (EP&A) applies to your situation. Ensure that your building meets all
The warm glow of the morning sun inside a room is naturally invigorating. Cooking dinner in a kitchen filled with soft, natural light, highlights the
