NCC 2022 Volume One - Building Code of Australia Class 2 to 9 buildings
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G5
Part G5 Construction in bushfire prone areasThis Part contains additional requirements for the construction of buildings located in designated bushfire prone areas, to address the additional risks posed by bushfire attack.
The Objective of this Part is to—
The Objective of this Part is to—
Australia contains some of the most dangerous bushfire areas in the world and concern over loss of life and property led to the development of Part G5.
The Objective of this Part is to serve three core purposes: (a) to safeguard occupants from injuries resulting from bushfire effects; (b) to protect the building structure itself from potential damage due to bushfire; and (c) to ensure temporary shelter for occupants who may not be able to evacuate the building promptly in the event of a bushfire.
The provisions of Part G5 only apply to certain buildings in areas that have been designated as ‘bushfire prone areas’. Also, objectives differ for various buildings. See applications section of G5O1 for specific detail.
A building constructed in a designated bushfire prone area—
A building constructed in a designated bushfire prone area—
A building constructed in a designated bushfire prone area is to provide a resistance to bushfire in order to reduce the danger to life and minimise the risk of loss of the building. Further, if occupied by people who may be unable to readily evacuate, the building is to be constructed to provide shelter from the direct and indirect actions of a bushfire.
See applications section of G5F1 for specific detail.
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area must be designed and constructed to—
VIC G5P1 applies in a designated bushfire prone area to—
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area must be designed and constructed to—
G5P1 applies in a designated bushfire prone area to—
For additional requirements relating to bushfire prone areas, refer to the Director’s Determinations on Bushfire Hazard Areas – current versions available at www.cbos.tas.gov.au
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area must be designed and constructed to—
NSW G5P1 only applies in a designated bushfire prone area to—
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area must be designed and constructed to—
G5P1 applies in a designated bushfire prone area to—
but does not apply when the classified vegetation is Group F rainforest (excluding wet sclerophyll forest types), mangrove communities and grasslands under 300 mm high.
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area must be designed and constructed to—
G5P1 applies in a designated bushfire prone area to—
G5P1 applies only to a Class 2 buildings, Class 3 buildings, certain Class 9 buildings and a Class 10a building or deck associated with same, in a designated bushfire prone area.
The basis of G5P1 is that:
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area and occupied by people who may be unable to readily evacuate the building prior to a bushfire must, to the degree necessary—
VIC G5P2 applies to the following buildings located in a designated bushfire prone area—
VIC G5P2 does not guarantee the safety of building occupants or the maintenance of tenable conditions within a building during a bushfire event.
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area and occupied by people who may be unable to readily evacuate the building prior to a bushfire must, to the degree necessary—
TAS G5P2 applies to the following buildings located in a designated bushfire prone area—
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area and occupied by people who may be unable to readily evacuate the building prior to a bushfire must, to the degree necessary—
NSW G5P2 applies to a Class 9 building that is a special fire protection purpose located in a designated bushfire prone area.
NSW G5P2 does not guarantee the safety of building occupants or the maintenance of tenable conditions within a building during a bushfire event.
A building that is constructed in a designated bushfire prone area and occupied by people who may be unable to readily evacuate the building prior to a bushfire must, to the degree necessary—
G5P2 applies to the following buildings located in a designated bushfire prone area—
G5P2 does not guarantee the safety of building occupants or the maintenance of tenable conditions within a building during a bushfire event.
G5P2 applies only to Class 9a health-care buildings, Class 9b early childhood centres, primary and secondary schools, and Class 9c residential care buildings constructed in designated bushfire prone areas.
G5P2 sets out additional provisions because occupants may face challenges evacuating the building during a bushfire event. G5P2 provides measures to minimise the risk of an untenable indoor environment for occupants, contributing to their safety during a bushfire event. These measures are to be appropriate to the factors specified under G5P2(a). G5P2 also provides for emergency response activities, including post-bushfire event evacuation.
G5V1 does not apply to a Class 9 building.
For a building that is subject to G5P2, and therefore outside the scope of G5V1, the building would need to comply with either—
Importance Level | Complex analysis APE for bushfire exposure | Simple analysis APE for weather conditions (design bushfire) |
---|---|---|
1 | No requirement | No requirement |
2 | 1:500 | 1:50 |
3 | 1:1000 | 1:100 |
4 | 1:2000 | 1:200 |
Complex analysis must consider the probability of ignition, fire spread to the urban interface and penetration of the urban interface coincident with fire weather conditions.
G5V1 is a means to verify the appropriate risk of ignition from a bushfire in order to meet the requirements of G5P1. G5V1 cannot apply to a Class 9 building. For further guidance on the application of the verification methods, refer to the ABCB Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas Verification Method Handbook.
To clarify that complying with G5D2, and G5D3, G5D4 as applicable will satisfy the requirements of G5P1 and G5P2.
The Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions of this Part apply in a designated bushfire prone area to—
The Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions of this Part apply in a designated bushfire prone area to—
The Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions of this Part apply in a designated bushfire prone area to—
To clarify that Part G5 applies only to a Class 2 building, a Class 3 building, a Class 9a health-care building, a Class 9b early childhood centre, a Class 9c primary or secondary school, a class 9c residential care building, or a class 10a building or deck immediately adjacent or connected to a building of one of these types.
In a designated bushfire prone area, a Class 2 building, a Class 3 building, a Class 4 part of a building or a Class 10a building or deck immediately adjacent or connected to such a building or part, must comply with the following—
In a designated bushfire prone area the following must comply with AS 3959:
To clarify that compliance with AS 3959 will achieve compliance with Part G5 for Class 2 buildings, Class 3 buildings and Class 10a buildings or decks immediately adjacent or connected to same.
G5D3 adopts AS 3959 — Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas for Class 2 buildings, Class 3 buildings and Class 10a buildings or decks immediately adjacent or connected to same. Compliance with this Australian Standard will achieve compliance with Part G5 for these buildings.
The purpose of AS 3959 is to improve the fire resistance performance of buildings that may be subjected to burning debris, radiant heat and flame contact during the passing of a fire front. Construction requirements are dependent on the bushfire hazard level of the site. It should be noted that even though a site may be located in a designated bushfire prone area, if the category of bushfire attack for the particular site is low, there are no special construction requirements specified in AS 3959.
Maintenance plays an important role in the overall strategy of improving the performance of buildings against bushfires. This includes maintenance (or better still, improvement) of the site conditions and maintenance of the building itself.
In a designated bushfire prone area, a Class 9 building that is a special fire protection purpose or a Class 10a building or deck immediately adjacent or connected to a such a building or part, must comply with—
To clarify that meeting the requirements of Specification 43 will achieve compliance with Part G5D4(1) and meeting the requirements of S43C2 and S43C13 will achieve compliance with G5D4(2) for the specified building types.
G5D4 adopts Specification 43 – Bushfire protection for certain Class 9 buildings. Meeting the requirements of this Specification will achieve compliance with Part G5.
Where a site is located in a designated bushfire prone area, the bushfire attack level that applies to the site is—