Untangling the alphabet soup

When you access our content you may come across a lot of different acronyms including ABCB, NCC, BCA, PCA, DTS and many more. To help you untangle this alphabet soup, we have developed this resource to provide a breakdown of the many common acronyms you will see.

We are the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), a standards-writing body responsible for the National Construction Code, WaterMark and CodeMark Certification Schemes, and regulatory reform in the construction industry.

The ABCB is an agency within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and is a joint initiative of the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments, together with the building and plumbing industries.

Learn more about our responsibilities

The National Construction Code is Australia’s primary set of technical design and construction provisions for buildings. As a performance-based code, it sets the minimum required level for the safety, health, amenity, accessibility and sustainability of certain buildings.

The NCC is divided into 3 volumes based on the type of work or building:

• NCC Volume One contains the technical requirements for the design and construction of multi-residential, commercial, industrial and public assembly buildings and some associated structures (Class 2 to 9 buildings).
• NCC Volume Two contains the technical requirements for the design and construction of smaller scale buildings including houses, small sheds, carports and some associated structures (Class 1 and 10 buildings). For a domestic residential project, this is the volume you will most likely need.
• NCC Volume Three contains the technical requirements for the design, construction and installation of plumbing and drainage systems. It also applies to sites where services are installed independent of buildings.

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is the collective term used to describe Volumes One and Two of the National Construction Code (NCC) and describes the technical standards and requirements for the design and construction of all buildings in Australia. The BCA covers a range of areas including structural design, fire safety, plumbing and drainage, ventilation and air conditioning, and accessibility for people with disability.

Generally, all new buildings in Australia must comply with the BCA. Compliance is enforced by local councils, building surveyors, or other regulatory bodies, who may direct rectification for instances of non-compliance. The BCA is regularly updated to reflect changes in technology, building practices, and community needs. It is important for architects, builders, and building owners to stay up-to-date with the latest requirements.
 

The Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) is incorporated into the NCC as Volume Three. It contains the technical requirements for the design and construction of plumbing and drainage systems. It also determines how and where the requirements of referenced documents, such as the AS/NZS 3500 series must be used and applied.

Performance Requirements (PR) are the minimum level that buildings, building elements, and plumbing and drainage systems must meet. A building, plumbing or drainage solution will comply with the NCC if it satisfies the Performance Requirements, which along with the Governing Requirements, are the mandatory requirements of the NCC.

A DTS Solution follows a set recipe of what, when and how to do something. It uses the DTS Provisions from the NCC, which include materials, components, design factors, and construction methods that, if used, are deemed to meet the Performance Requirements.

Verification Methods are tests, inspections, calculations or other methods, which determine whether a proposed building solution or plumbing and drainage solution complies with the relevant Performance Requirements. Verification Methods are not limited to using those in the NCC. Another Verification Method may be used if the appropriate authority is satisfied that it establishes compliance with the NCC. However, in making a decision, the appropriate authority may have regard to the relevant Verification Methods or DTS Provisions provided within the NCC.

The ABCB conducts regulation impact analysis in accordance with the Guide for Ministers’ Meetings and National Standard Setting Bodies, as required by its Intergovernmental Agreement, to determine if government intervention is necessary or desirable. A formal Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) is prepared where required by the Office of Impact Analysis.

A RIS is developed in 2 stages. The first stage is for public consultation and the final stage, incorporating consultation feedback, is for decision making.

A Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS) is prepared for consulting interested parties on regulatory proposals. It comprises all formal elements of a RIS. This includes full cost-benefit analysis.

A Decision Regulation Impact Statement (DRIS) incorporates comments and feedback from submissions received on the Consultation RIS. It assists decision-making about adopting a regulatory proposal.

Following considerable research and development, the ABCB devised the SPTC (Section-Part-Type-Clause) referencing system for the NCC. It was introduced in NCC 2022. This approach retains key aspects of the previous NCC referencing system wherever possible and allows for the much needed consistency across all volumes.

For more information read our article or watch our video on the new SPTC referencing system for NCC 2022.

We’ve gone through a few of the common acronyms here. But if you find something in the NCC or any of the ABCB’s resources that you’re unsure of, you can try looking up the official explanation in the Definitions Schedule of the NCC. This contains abbreviations, symbols and glossary terms used throughout the NCC.

Lastly, Standards Australia has teamed up with the ABCB to create the National Dictionary of Building and Plumbing Terms. This free online resource collates all the terms from the NCC as well as state and territory building and plumbing legislation.