National Construction Code in full effect in the ACT

The ACT, which is one of a few jurisdictions that agreed to all of the new requirements, has just completed its last wave of implementations.

NCC provisions that come into effect in the ACT on 15 January 2023 include:

- New residential energy efficiency standards to make new houses better at keeping warmth inside with the implementation of a seven-star equivalent energy rating.

- New and improved water condensation management rules to prevent homes from getting too damp inside.

- Rules to make sure that commercial buildings are adaptable to future technologies, ensuring they are are easy to fit with solar panels or electric car chargers.

- Liveable housing design standards to ensure new homes are easy for everyone in the community to use, to increase the housing stock that is able to meet the needs of older people and people with mobility limitations.

Noting that the ACT is the first place in Australia to introduce these standards, the state’s Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction, Rebecca Vassarotti, emphasised how the new code will better the lives of people across Canberra.

“These new building standards set the benchmark for developers and builders to deliver sustainable and high-quality homes for people living in the territory. The rules in the 2022 National Construction Code are a fantastic tool for the ACT government to make developers deliver better buildings in Canberra,” Ms Vassarotti said.

Shane Rattenbury, the ACT’s Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction, added that the territory government recognised that “the climate is changing and our building standards must improve to meet new challenges and increased probability of extreme weather events”.

Moreover, Ms Vassarotti noted that the building code updates are part and parcel of the ACT’s efforts to create a high level of liveability across the territory.

“These new reforms are part of a bunch of changes we’re spearheading to make living in our city even better for everyone,” she said.

The ACT has also recently implemented a registration program for engineers, and introduced the first developer licensing scheme in the country to increase confidence in residential construction.