What does NCC 2022 mean for plumbers?
The National Construction Code 2022 (NCC) has been available since 1 October 2022 and Australian states and territories will officially adopt it on 1 May 2023. This new code includes changes to residential plumbing and drainage as well as increasing liveable housing design.
The new provisions focus on the waterproofing of wet areas and weatherproofing of external walls, as well as changes to gradient requirements for surface finishes and new requirements around pipe sizing.
There is also a new requirement for lead-free plumbing products designed to improve the long-term health of all Australians. From 1 September 2025, only products WaterMark certified conforming to the lead-free provisions will be authorised for use in plumbing installations.
The NCC 2022 edition also has new provisions to ensure new Australian homes are more suitable for people with mobility issues. It’s the first time the NCC has included liveable housing provisions, essentially harmonising and including access, mobility and amenity of Australian standards AS 1428 into the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB).
Liveable housing design refers to the practice of consciously designing and building homes to meet the changing needs of all occupants, including those with a disability or who are ageing, have temporary injuries or have young children at some point during their lifetimes.
The new liveable housing design mandate is a key focus of the code, providing minimum accessibility standards for all new Class 1a and Class 2 buildings across the country. A liveable home is designed to:
- be easily accessible;
- be easy to navigate;
- be capable of easy and cost-effective adaptation; and
- be responsive to the changing needs of the home’s occupants.
As per the NCC 2022 requirements, all single dwellings such as houses, units, apartments and townhouses must have at least one ground-floor accessible bathroom and shower, and at least one accessible shower (not necessarily on the ground floor) which is step-free and hobless.
It also means eliminating steps wherever possible, creating more room in the bathroom, widening doorways and making provisions for future modifications such as grab rails, threshold ramps, handrails and more.
Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash