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PDF | 8 MB - Australian Building Codes Board

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electricians_plumbers.indd 1-2<br />

27/7/10 8:19:44 AM<br />

neW ABCB hAnDBook For energY eFFiCienCY ProviSionS For<br />

eleCTriCiAnS AnD PlUmBerS<br />

The <strong>Building</strong> Code of Australia (BCA)<br />

has, for some time, contained many<br />

provisions that need to be complied<br />

with by designers and installers<br />

including electricians and plumbers.<br />

Most of the earlier provisions have<br />

been in place for many years and<br />

so practitioners are aware of the<br />

requirements. However, since 2003,<br />

the BCA has contained new energy<br />

efficiency provisions relating to<br />

electrical and plumbing work. In<br />

addition some of these provisions<br />

changed in successive years with BCA<br />

2010 introducing major changes.<br />

The electrical and plumbing provisions<br />

are for both residential and commercial<br />

buildings and so are contained in both<br />

Volume One and Volume Two of the<br />

BCA.<br />

As the electrical and plumbing<br />

industries are more directly regulated<br />

by their own legislation, the ABCB<br />

saw a need for a Handbook to inform<br />

electricians and plumbers about the<br />

energy efficiency provisions of the BCA<br />

and how these provisions may affect<br />

them.<br />

Aspects of particular concern to<br />

electricians that the Handbook covers<br />

include-<br />

• The amount of insulation on a ceiling,<br />

usually over electrical wiring<br />

• Implication for insulation when<br />

installing downlights<br />

• Switching and controls for lighting,<br />

fans, garage exhaust systems, pumps,<br />

space heaters, swimming pool<br />

heaters, and boiling and chilling<br />

water appliances<br />

• The maximum power capacity of<br />

lights, fans, pumps and other airconditioning<br />

plant<br />

• Energy monitoring and metering<br />

facilities<br />

• Restrictions on the use of electric<br />

heaters<br />

• Specifications for a range of control<br />

gear<br />

Depending upon the scope for<br />

plumbers in the particular State or<br />

Territory, aspects of particular concern<br />

to plumbers that the Handbook covers<br />

include-<br />

• The insulation and installation of<br />

ductwork<br />

• The insulation and installation of<br />

heating water and cooling piping<br />

• The insulation and installation of<br />

supply hot water piping (through AS/<br />

NZS 3500)<br />

• The maximum power capacity of fans<br />

and pumps which has an impact on<br />

duct and pipe sizes<br />

• Restrictions on the use of electric<br />

supply water heaters and pool<br />

heaters<br />

• The use of solar heaters for domestic<br />

pools<br />

The Handbook is written in generic<br />

terms rather than specific clauses and<br />

so does not include all the requirements<br />

that may affect electricians and<br />

plumbers. It is also limited to those<br />

requirements that only address energy<br />

efficiency. The content of the Handbook<br />

addresses the national provisions of the<br />

BCA and does not include comments on<br />

individual State or Territory variations or<br />

additions.<br />

Other BCA requirements that may affect<br />

electricians and plumbers that are not<br />

covered in this Handbook, include-<br />

• Fire separation and construction<br />

of substations, conductors,<br />

switchboards and emergency<br />

equipment<br />

• Hearing augmentation systems and<br />

the location of lighting switches for<br />

people with disabilities<br />

• Fire fighting equipment including<br />

pumping systems, alarms, sprinkler<br />

systems, fire-control centres, fireservice<br />

controls, fire and smoke<br />

detection and warning systems,<br />

smoke exhaust systems, emergency<br />

lighting, exit and direction lighting<br />

and emergency warning and<br />

intercommunication systems<br />

• Lift installations<br />

• Artificial lighting for safe movement<br />

• Mechanical ventilation for health<br />

including Legionella control<br />

• Stormwater drainage<br />

• Provision of floor wastes<br />

• Construction of sanitary and other<br />

facilities<br />

• Water-proofing<br />

The Handbook is not intended to<br />

override or replace any legal rights,<br />

responsibilities or requirements or<br />

provide users with the specifics of the<br />

BCA. This Handbook is only intended to<br />

make users aware of provisions that may<br />

affect them, not exactly what is required<br />

by those provisions. If users determine<br />

that a provision may apply to them, the<br />

BCA should be read to determine the<br />

specifics of the provision.<br />

This Handbook, and another to assist<br />

designers and modellers with Section<br />

J Alternative Solutions, should be<br />

available later this year.<br />

Energy Efficiency<br />

Provisions<br />

for Electricians<br />

and Plumbers<br />

2 0 1 0<br />

Handbook<br />

NON-MANDATORY DOCUMENT<br />

BCA + INDUSTRY iNDUSTRY NEWS<br />

<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Building</strong> Regulation Bulletin<br />

• 5

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