While regulations and standards are necessary to ensure both safety and amenity in the built environment, fortunately, the Building Code of Australia (NCC) is performance-based, which allows flexibility in meeting necessary compliance.
The National Construction Code (NCC) sets the minimum standards for compliance, requiring that building work complies with the Performance Requirements via a Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) approach. The DtS approach is a performance solution that addresses the requirements or is at least equivalent to a deemed-to-satisfy provision, or both
A DtS solution is prescriptive and follows a set recipe of what, when and how to do something. A DtS Solution, as specified by the NCC, may include materials, components, design factors, and construction methods that are deemed to meet the performance requirements. While using the DtS provisions will ensure compliance with the performance requirements, these can stifle design and innovation, and aren’t mandatory.
Alternatively, a performance solution is a bespoke approach to compliance, unique and specific to the circumstances, which allows some flexibility to the design while still achieving compliant outcomes. A performance solution must comply with the applicable performance requirements which is demonstrated via the assessment methods outlined in the NCC.
For example, let’s say there’s a step at a principal pedestrian entrance that cannot be removed for a particular reason – a performance solution in lieu of a DtS compliant design might be a secondary accessible compliant entrance, in close proximity to this main pedestrian entrance, thereby ensuring easy access.
Code Consulting have wide experience preparing performance solution reports for a range of different building uses and scenarios which factor in existing conditions and heritage constraints as well as identify opportunities to add value, save costs or increase efficiency in design.
Contact us today to see how we can help you.