BCA Compliance for an Eighth Floor Unit

This assignment analyzes the Building Code of Australia (BCA) compliance requirements for a specific eighth-floor unit within a building. The analysis focuses on key areas including artificial lighting and ventilation standards, sound transmission insulation values (Rw + Ctr and Lft, w), and fire resistance considerations as per Section C of the BCA. The provided text references relevant clauses from Volume 1 of the National Construction Code Series, highlighting the specific requirements and standards that must be met for this unit.

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NAME
UNIT
ASSIGNMENT
ASSESSMENT NUMBER

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SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT
5.1 Firefighting equipment
Volume 1, Section E, Part E1, Subsection E1.3, Clause (a), Sub-clause (i) and Clause (b)
Sub-clause (i and ii): a fire hydrant system complying with AS2419 must be provided as the
building’s area exceeds 500m2.
Volume 1, Section E, Part E1, Subsection E1.6, Clause (a) and (b): fire extinguishers must be
provided in the building in compliance with AS2444 sections 1 to 4. The fire extinguishers
must be ABE type, be provided to only serve the floor they are in and at least be 2.5kg in
size.
Hose reels are not required in residential class buildings and the provision of a sprinkler
system is dependent on the effective height of the structure. As this building’s effective
height is less than 25m, it does not apply.
5.2 Smoke hazard management
Volume 1, Section E, Part E2, Subsection E2.3, Table (E2.2a): the basement will is not
included during calculation of rise in storeys but it must be in compliance to the measures
applicable to a class 2 building only as it is less than 2000m2. Therefore, the building must be
provided with a system of smoke detection and alarm that is automatic.
Volume 1, Section E, Part E2, Specification E2.2a, Clauses (1 to 4); the detection and alarm
system must be provided for the basement and they must be compliant to AS1670 and
AS3786 respectively.
5.3 Lift installations
Volume 1, Section E, Part E3, Subsection E3.1; Table 3.6a and 3.6b: the type of lift system
provided in this building is a passenger lift owing to the fact that is has an occupancy of more
than 5 (from visual observation). As it is a class 2 building with an effective height of 24.8m
(i.e. less than 25m), one lift shaft is sufficient as long as it is a passenger lift. The distance
between the lift shaft and the nearest point of egress is also less than 12.2m which is the
maximum distance provided for this. No information about the lift’s interior or electric
system is given hence it is not possible to provide a detailed analysis of the compliance. This
lift system also complies with table 3.6b in terms of the dimensions required for accessibility.
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5.4 Emergency lighting, exit signs and warning systems
Volume 1, Section E, Part E4, Subsection E4.2, Clauses (a) and (d): for the basement level 1
car park, an emergency system of lighting must be provided at the stairway in compliance
with AS2293.1.
Volume 1, Section E, Part E4, Subsection E4.3, Clauses (a), Sub-clause (i) and Subsection
E4.8, Clauses (a): an exit sign is required at the door of the staircase as it serves as a required
exit and is enclosed. This exit sign must be in compliance with AS2293.
Volume 1, Section E, Part E4, Subsection E4.6: direction signs may be required as the floor
area of the basement is wide and basement occupants who are large distances away may
require direction in case of an emergency. However, this is subject to the client and
architect’s opinion.
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HEALTH AND AMENITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY
6.1 Damp and Weatherproofing
Volume 1, Section F, Part F1, Subsection F1.5, Clauses (d): the roof of the building has been
done using a corrugated metal sheet system (Colorbond) that has a gentle slope as specified
in AS 1562.1. At present, no other information is apparent in the drawings and designs so it is
impossible to carefully suggest the measures put in place.
6.2 Sanitary facilities
Volume 1, Section F, Part F2, Subsection F2.1, Table (2.1): on the sole occupancy units
located on the ground floor of the structure, the minimum requirements necessitate a kitchen
sink that has the facilities for a washbasin, bath or shower, cooking and food preparation and
a closet pan. Facilities for laundry should be provided either in each of the sole-occupancy
units comprising of facilities for washing clothes that include at least one washtub and the
space set aside for the location of a washing machine and facilities for drying clothes that
should either be a clothes line or a drying cabinet operated by heat.
6.3 Room Heights
Volume 1, Section F, Part F3, Subsection F3.1, Clause (a), Sub-clause (i) and (iii): In
reference to the BCA, the minimum ceiling height that should be provided in this case is
2.1m for the kitchen and laundry in the Unit 35 sole occupancy unit located on the eighth
floor. However, for the bedroom, 2.4m is the minimum height that should be used as it is a
habitable room.
6.4 Lighting and Ventilation
As the bathroom in unit 35 on the eighth floor is between two bedrooms and a corridor (i.e.
not adjacent to an external wall) lighting and ventilation requirements:
Volume 1, Section F, Part F4, Subsection F4.1, Clause (a): artificial light must be provided in
compliance with the standard AS/NZS 1680.0. This would require electrically powered light
bulbs or any other acceptable light source.
Volume 1, Section F, Part F4, Subsection F4.7, Clause (a): ventilation borrowed from the
next room must that complies with AS/NZS 1680.0. As the adjacent rooms have their natural
ventilation via windows, it is that ventilation that would apply for this case.
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6.5 Sound Transmission and insulation
Volume 1, Section F, Part F5, Subsection F5.2, Clause (a): The transmission requirements for
the floor in the 8th floor of the building necessitate a value for the weighed sound reduction
index (Rw + Ctr) that complies with AS/NZS 1276.1. This must also be compliant with
specification F5.2.
Volume 1, Section F, Part F5, Subsection F5.3, Clause (a): the normalized sound impact
pressure level (Lft, w) should be determined according to AS ISO 717.2 or be adhere to the
predefined Specification F5.2.
Volume 1, Section F, Part F5, Subsection F5.4, Clause (a): the Rw + Ctr should be 50 or more
while the Lft, w should not be more than 62.
The thermal installation requirements for the roof have not been mentioned under the health
an amenity section of the BCA. As such, this component would need to be designed in
compliance with the Fire Resistance Section (Section C).
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References:
Australian Building Codes Board, 2009, BCA 2009: Building Code of Australia, Australian
Building Codes Board.
Australian Building Codes Board, 2010. An investigation of possible Building Code of
Australia (BCA) adaptation measures for climate change. Australian Building Codes Board,
Canberra.
Australian Building Codes Board, 2013. National Construction Code Series Volume 1,
Building Code of Australia 2013, Class 2 to 9 Buildings. Canberra: Australian Building
Codes Board.
Huang, E.H.C., 2014, October. Field floor impact noise south-east Queensland (Australia). In
INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings (Vol. 249, No. 6, pp.
1634-1641). Institute of Noise Control Engineering.
Julian, W.G., 1979. AS 1680 - The New Australian Lighting Code. Architectural Science
Review, 22(1), pp.14-18.
McKnight, W., 2017. Risk by design. Electrical Connection, (Spring 2017), p.48.
Nelson, D. and He, Y., 2005. Smoke Alarms and the Building Code of Australia–A
Comparison of Dwellings and Shopping Malls in New South Wales. Fire Australia is an
Official Journal of Fire Protection Association of Australia and the Institution of Fire
Engineers Australia, ISSN, pp.1032-6529.
SAI Global, 2011. Guide to Standards - Building and Construction. s.l.:SAI GLOBAL.
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