PDF | 8 MB - Australian Building Codes Board
PDF | 8 MB - Australian Building Codes Board
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 />
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