1

Verification Methods

Jamie Vistnes Manager, Policy & Technical Services Unit

2

Overview

• ABCB Project to Quantify Performance Requirements

• FRNSW Involvement

• Brief Overview of Proposed Fire Safety Verification Method

3

CIE Report Benefits of Building Regulation Reform, 2012

• Centre for International Economics (CIE) produced a recent report into the benefits of building regulation reform

• Over past 20 years there have been three major reforms: the development of a single national

technical code in the early 1990s; the introduction of a performance based

building code in the mid-1990s; and the integration of plumbing and

construction into the National Construction Code in 2011.

4

CIE Report Benefits of Building Regulation Reform, 2012

• CIE report found that only 50% of the potential benefits ($1.1bn) of the NCC have been realised.

• ABCB are therefore undertaking a project which aims to realise some of these benefits through the increased use of the performance-based approach.

5

ABCB - Quantification of NCC Performance Requirements

• The overarching focus for this project is to evaluate the current situation; identify any barriers to the use of performance; and develop a strategy to increase the use of performance.

• The quantification of the NCC’s Performance Requirements

and the development of fire safety Verification Methods will be central to the overall strategy.

Note: Source of ABCB information obtained mainly from ABCB website

6

ABCB Survey

• To provide the project with contemporary data the ABCB conducted a survey seeking feedback on the current state of play in respect to the use of Alternative Solutions

• Responses confirmed that the use of performance can be enhanced

• The survey responses clearly indicated the benefit of quantification to the increased use of the NCC Performance Requirements

7

Survey Results

8

Survey Results – Overcoming Barriers

• Education and training was the most common solution identified to overcome the barriers.

• The other responses were as follows in order of importance: Clarify fire brigade involvement in the design approval

process. Increase quantification of Performance Requirements

and Verification Methods. Simplify legislation and the NCC. Include common Alternative Solutions.

9

Survey Results

In consideration of the survey results and to ensure the realisation of benefits of a performance-based NCC, the strategy for this project includes the following components:

• Education & Training Resource Kits Online NCC training ABR-Online articles

• Quantification of NCC Performance Requirements

10

Current Status of Quantification Project

• Working Group involving members of the Building Codes Committee has had several meetings

• Various drafts of the Verification Method developed

• Current draft (generally based on NZ document) still undergoing development

• Next Step: Calibration analysis against DtS Requirements

11

Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC)

• FRNSW involvement through AFAC

• AFAC committed to work with ABCB

• Fire Brigade Participation Built Environment Technical Group Fire Engineering Network Bushfire Standards Technical Group

12

Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC)

• AFAC recognise the need to quantify performance in the NCC

• Very supportive of the renewed emphasis given to this project by the ABCB

• The lack of quantification creates an environment of uncertainty inhibits the use of performance in design delivers inconsistent results where it is used

• AFAC also compiling list of examples where poor Alternative Solutions have been proposed to demonstrate this

13

Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC)

• AFAC Fire Engineering Network assisting in developing the Fire Brigade scenario and has prepared a few variations.

• AFAC currently propose that the NZ Firefighting Operations (FO) design scenario to be adopted in the draft VM for the purposes of the calibration analysis against the DtS. extensive work involved in developing completely new

scenario from scratch. • AFAC revising FBIM – new computer program expected –

end 2014

14

AFAC Stance on Fire Brigade Involvement in Fire Engineering

• The fire brigade is always a ‘stakeholder’ as all buildings have the potential for fire brigade intervention

• The legal involvement of the fire brigade in the process varies by State/Territory

15

Current Proposal for Verification Method

• Current proposal is same general approach as NZ Series of flowcharts Input parameters and types of analysis defined

16

Sample of NZ Flowcharts

17

Sample of NZ Inputs

18

Sample of NZ Inputs and Methodologies

19

Current Proposal for Verification Method

• Verification Method will be an additional means of determining compliance with the Performance Requirements under A0.9 Not mandatory

• Current ABCB proposal is that the engineer can also only use certain parts of the Verification Method AFAC have highlighted that this may be dangerous as various

flowcharts rely on each other

20

Pros and Cons of Verification Method

• Pros Provides more certainty during FEB process

as inputs predefined Provides a more definitive benchmark of

performance More consistency of outcomes across industry

• Cons Inputs may not be conservative or appropriate in some cases Inputs may be too conservative / onerous in some cases Less flexibility than traditional Alternative Solution approach

21

Quantification of NCC Performance Requirements – Future Work

• Future seminar proposed for Sydney on 18th March 2014 involving representatives from ABCB, AFAC and SFS

• Calibration analysis against DtS Requirements