As you may be aware the Building Ministers met on the 26th of August to discuss the formal adoption dates for the NCC 2022 after the ABCB recommended that the NCC 2022 be delayed. The advice from the Building Ministers which has been confirmed by the ABCB this morning is that the formal adoption of majority of the NCC 2022 will come into full effect from 1st of May 2023. The exception to this deadline is in relation to: the new liveable housing requirements, new energy efficiency and condensation mitigation requirements, which will not be formally adopted until 1st October 2023 and the new low lead in plumbing product requirements, which will not formally be adopted until 1st September 2025.
This morning CMI sought further clarification from JAS-ANZ on the transition timeline for Certification Bodies (CB’s) on referencing NCC 2022 for CodeMark Australia Certificate of Conformities. At this point we are awaiting further information and guidance from JAS-ANZ and the ABCB on when we will be able to transition you to NCC 2022, which we will share with you as soon as we receive this from JAS-ANZ and the ABCB.
Building Ministers are scheduled to meet in late August 2022 and will consider NCC 2022, including final analysis from the ABCB on proposed improvements to residential energy efficiency provisions for NCC 2022.
Recognising the tight timeframes associated with Building Ministers not meeting until late August, and the complexity of other issues currently affecting the construction sector, the ABCB will recommend to Building Ministers that the publication date for NCC 2022 be further delayed from 1 September 2022, to be not earlier than 1 October 2022.
In addition to this recommended deferral of publication, at the meeting in late August Building Ministers will be provided with the advice – requested at their March 2022 meeting from senior officials and the ABCB – on transition timeframes for the residential energy efficiency and livable housing provisions.
Further advice will be provided as soon as possible.
Enquiries on this statement should be referred to Gary Rake, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Building Codes Board
CMI is accredited to certify Fire detection, alarms, warning, control and intercom systems for Australia across the full range of AS 4428, AS 7240 & AS ISO 7240 series of standards.
CertMark International (CMI) wish to congratulate our client, Fusion Advanced Fire Systems (Fusion Fire Systems) who were presented with the Best Stand (under 12m) at 2022 Fire Australia Conference & Trade Show held in Melbourne from 3-5/05/2022. What a great achievement to all the team at Fusion Fire Systems and we know from feedback from the expo, Fusion Fire Systems were so busy with enquires about their certified fire systems.
Fusion Fire Systems have a range of Fire detection, alarms, warning, control and intercom systems certified by CMI for the Australian market covering: AS 4428.3, AS 4428.4, AS 4428.9, AS 4428.16, AS 7240.2, AS ISO 7240.3, AS 7240.4, AS 7240.5, AS 7240.7, AS 7240.11, AS ISO 7240.17, AS ISO 7240.18, AS ISO 7240.23, AS ISO 7240.24, AS ISO 7240.25 with more standards and products being added this year.
Have you been considering renovating your bathroom? Or finally fixing that leaking tap in the laundry? Or maybe you want to upgrade the mixer tap in the kitchen?
These days it seems like the opportunities are endless when it comes to choosing a new tap. With so many varieties and designs available, as well as the world of online shopping, your dream bathroom is set to become a reality!
While the look and style of a tap may be an important factor in what you choose, it’s important to know that it should not be the only purchasing decision you make when you are in the market for new plumbing products.
Picture this: You’ve finally got your new shiny bathroom finished, complete with a gleaming tap, and although you’ve spent more on it then you thought possible for a bathroom, it looks exactly how you had envisioned on your mood board all those years ago.
Or you spent the best part of the weekend visiting your local hardware store to stock up on supplies to fix that dripping tap. It kept you up all night, and even though it’s not up there on your list of ‘fun things to do’ on a Saturday, it’s done now and you can finally get some solid sleep.
Or you‘ve been meaning to call a plumber to fix the kitchen mixer tap, but instead, after a quick online search, you managed to fix it yourself and saved a lot of cash.
Now, picture this: When you turn on that tap you paid a small fortune for, it sounds like someone is banging down your door; the dripping tap you spent your weekend fixing is now endlessly leaking (again); and the kitchen mixer tap you installed yourself to save money, is now contaminating your family’s drinking water.
Unfortunately, despite their glossy features and impressive style, not all tapware products are up to the standard that they should be, and therefore may not be fit for purpose. Further, even if you had the right intentions and purchased from a recognised supplier, or from a reputable online store, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are purchasing reliable and safe products – it pays to do your research before purchasing.
In Australia, most plumbing and drainage products must be WaterMark certified and installed by a licensed plumber.
But what does this mean?
WaterMark is a mandatory national scheme for plumbing and drainage products to ensure they are fit for purpose and appropriately authorised for use in plumbing and drainage installations. This means, that a material or product has been tested and evaluated to an approved product specification and certified by an accredited organisation.
Over the past decade, it has become increasingly easy for Australians to purchase plumbing products, like taps, from local sources as well as international manufacturers. However, this doesn’t always mean that the product is WaterMark certified. Many plumbing product suppliers, especially those overseas, may not be aware of the need, or the requirements, for WaterMark certification in Australia.
So, how can you tell if your product has been WaterMark certified?
Easy! Just Look for the WaterMark! All WaterMark certified products will have the WaterMark certification trademark or logo somewhere on the product or its packaging. Each certified product also has a licence number which allows you to look up that product on the WaterMark Product Database. By purchasing and using a WaterMark certified product, you can be sure that it has been evaluated to an appropriate product specification and is therefore safe and fit for purpose. It’s less likely to break or cause damage and end up costing you more money later on.
So, next time you are thinking of upgrading the bathroom, fixing the leaky tap or replacing the kitchen mixer tap, make sure you spend a little time early on to find the right product. This will save you a lot of inconvenience and money down the track. And always remember to Look for the WaterMark!
We would like practitioners to be aware of important dates for the release of the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022, which include:
9 May 2022 – Preview available at ncc.abcb.gov.au(excluding energy efficiency and condensation)
1 September 2022 – Adoption by states and territories
Building Ministers have agreed to delay the adoption of NCC 2022 in recognition of the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impacts to industry during a difficult economic time. We hope the delayed adoption date will make it easier for industry to adjust, and the extended preview period provide time for users to become familiar with the changes before NCC 2022 is made mandatory under state and territory legislation.
The May preview of NCC 2022 will not include energy efficiency and condensation amendments as these have not yet been endorsed by Building Ministers. Practitioners can still expect a preview of these amendments prior to adoption – and we will provide more information on that timing as it becomes available.
2022 NCC Seminars – Volumes One and Two
Please join us in your capital city, through July and August 2022, as we present the key changes for NCC 2022 Volumes One and Two.
This is an important event for you to learn about what’s changed and what it means to you and your industry, before NCC 2022 comes into effect.
Perth – 25 August, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre
For those interested, we will also be hosting, for the first time, a live webinar session of the seminar content online. The webinar will follow the same agenda as the face-to-face session, and include the ability for attendees to ask questions about NCC 2022 changes.
Booking information for all sessions will be available in April 2022.
2022 NCC Seminars – Volume Three
We will also be co-hosting separate seminar sessions for amendments relating to NCC 2022 Volume Three with your local jurisdiction through 2022.
Further information about when these sessions will be held, and how to secure your place, will be available on our website soon.
Ensure that your NCC communications preferences are up-to-date to receive further information relating to these announcements.
NCC 2019 energy efficiency requirements are no longer voluntary.
In 2019, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) agreed to significant changes to the energy efficiency requirements in the National Construction Code (NCC), including a 12 month transition period during which either these or the 2016 provisions could be applied. The changes affect all buildings, but are particularly significant for commercial buildings.
Noting that individual states and territories may apply the provisions differently and in some cases delay their introduction, from 1 May 2020, practitioners will be required to use only the NCC 2019 provisions. The new requirements, particularly for commercial buildings, mark a shift in how energy efficiency is considered as part of the process of design and construction.
It is imperative that these new energy efficiency requirements are well understood by all those involved in designing and constructing new and refurbished buildings to ensure that buildings perform better and use less energy.
Please note: The application of the new energy efficiency provisions may be treated differently by the States and Territories. If you are unsure, please contact your local Building Administration to confirm how they apply in your jurisdiction.
Resources to support you
To assist in understanding the new and updated energy efficiency provisions, the ABCB has released a number of supporting resources:
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has seen an increase in the purchase by those performing do it yourself tasks, of plumbing products such as toilet seat bidet douches, handheld bidet sprays and trigger sprays, and other bidet type products that are connected to toilet water supplies.
The ACCC has prepared the alert for suppliers and consumers in consultation with the ABCB.
The key message of the communique is that the installation of bidet products connected to the drinking water supply must be undertaken by a licensed plumber and hold WaterMark certification. The alert will also be posted on the ABCB website.
If you have any questions, please direct them to me.
Kind regards
Anne-Maree Campbell Director – WaterMark NCC Management and Product Certification Australian Building Codes Board
