NCC 2025 webinar series: Ancillary provisions and other matters

Duration: 4:04 629 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

The NCC 2025 webinar highlights significant updates to safety barriers and drainage requirements for swimming pools by referencing the latest AS 1926 Part 1 standard from 2024 rather than the long-standing 2012 edition. A key adjustment in this new version addresses the placement of retaining walls, steps, and planter boxes near boundary barriers; while previous rules allowed these structures within 500 mm if they did not reduce barrier height, NCC 2025 now strictly prohibits any such features that effectively shorten the barrier from being placed closer than 500 mm to a pool edge. This amendment ensures consistent safety levels across both Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the code by closing a loophole where structural elements could inadvertently compromise pool security without meeting performance criteria. In addition to physical barriers, the update introduces crucial changes regarding swimming pool drainage systems that have been pending for some time. Although Volumes 1 and 2 previously mandated adequate drainage as a general performance requirement without offering specific compliance pathways, NCC 2025 aligns these volumes with Volume 3 by incorporating a deemed-to-satisfy solution based on AS/NZS 3500 Part 3 for discharging backwash into sanitary systems. This change provides builders and designers with a clear route to comply when connecting pool pumps directly to the sewer, though it acknowledges that alternative discharge methods still require custom performance solutions if local utility operators do not permit such connections. The transcript also details important revisions in Schedule One definitions and reference documents found in Schedule Two, many of which relate to energy efficiency standards like EN calculations for air conditioning equipment and new specifications for hybrid photoluminescent exit signs. Notable definitional updates include the introduction of "allotment" to support weatherproofing provisions in Section F and a specific redefinition of "fire source feature" via Subclause T to address scenarios where fire loads exist on structures that technically do not qualify as external walls under current interpretations. These changes ensure that adjacent buildings are properly protected against potential fire risks, reflecting the committee's intent to harmonize definitions across various NCC provisions while encouraging stakeholders to review updated standards for any specific technical shifts.

Read the full video transcript

Thanks, Adrian. We've all been using the 2012 edition of 1926 part 1 safety barriers for swimming pools for a long time. NCC 2025 references the latest edition of that standard, the 2024 edition. As you can see, in adopting this edition, our committee wanted to adjust part of the standard. AS 1926 part 1 allows retaining walls, steps, and things like that to be placed within 500 mm of a boundary barrier. However, the effects of what you see here in NCC 2025 is that the 500 mm rule does apply to boundary barriers. So, there can't be any retaining walls or planter boxes within 500 mm of the boundary barrier that have the effect of making the barrier shorter. This amendment is in both volume 1 and volume 2. Still on swimming pools, this next change is about pool drainage. For a long time, volumes 1 and 2 have included this performance requirement for swimming pool drainage. A swimming pool must have adequate drainage. Despite having this performance requirement, there hasn't been a corresponding deemed to satisfy solution in the BCA. However, in volume 3, the plumbing code, there has been a deemed to satisfy provision that's C2D3 that refers to AS/NZS 3500 part 3 for discharging the backwash into the sanitary drainage system. For NCC 2025, we've put that same solution into volumes 1 and 2. We're aware that there are other ways of dealing with pump discharge, especially because not every network utility operator allows pool drainage in their system. If the discharge is going to go somewhere else, then you'll have to develop a performance solution. But, of course, with no deemed to satisfy provisions in the current NCC, that's what you have to do at the moment anyway. What this change does is provide a deemed to satisfy pathway where pump discharge is allowed in the sewer. There's quite a few defined term changes in schedule one, including new definitions. Just about every change is related to other changes in the NCC. Like this new definition for allotment. This is included on account of the section F weather proofing provisions. The reason I bring it to your attention here is that we've adopted this definition for other NCC provisions where it's appropriate to use that definition. Like here in specification five clause two. There is one change in schedule one that isn't linked to another change. And that's this change to fire source feature. This one came about because of situations like this. Strictly speaking, this isn't an external wall. So strictly speaking, under the current NCC, this is not a fire source feature. Although clearly, there is a fire load here, and any adjacent building should be protected in accordance with specification five. Therefore, we introduced sub clause T. That's all I'll show you in the definitions today. Like I said, there are other changes related to topics already covered. So I encourage you to have a look at schedule one. Next is schedule two. This slide is a list of all the reference documents that are updated or referenced for the first time. Most of the new references relate to energy efficiency. For instance, those EN standards in the third list are for calculating air conditioning equipment efficiency. AS ATS 5367 is also a new reference that we've already covered. That's the standard for hybrid photoluminescent exit signs. This webinar isn't the time or place to go into each of these in detail. So if you use any of these standards, I suggest that you access the latest version and familiarize yourself with what's changed in that standard. That covers the changes for ancillary provisions and other matters. If you have any questions, please stay for the question and answer session.