BLDG 7002 - Construction of Building Regulations Assignment 2

Assignment Task

Task

1. The questions in this assignment relate principally to concepts in study modules 6 to 10 however, students may need to consider beyond this to answer some questions.

2. Students are required to answer a collection of questions that is worth at least 50 A question cannot be picked to partially contribute to the minimum required 50 points. For example, if you pick question 6, you will be marked for both part (a) and (b). You cannot choose to only answer 6(a).

3. Students may decide to answer more than 50 Each submission that covers questions with a total worth of more than 50 points will be marked out of that total. For example, if you choose a collection of questions totalling at 75 points, you will be marked out of 75.

4. Students are required to clearly identify the questions covered in their submission at the beginning of their submission and outline the total points they should be mark out If the marker is required to calculate the sum of questions picked in a submission, a 20% penalty will apply.

5. In regard to part (b) of question 17, please note that ABCB’s Facade calculator has been uploaded to vUWS next to the assessment

6. This assignment must be received by the specified due date and The penalty for late submission is indicated in the Learning Guide.

Question 1 

A clear understanding of the various terms used in Section D (and the remainder of the NCC) is important to a proper interpretation and application of its provisions. For example, consider the following. Match the building elements or parts described in (i) to (viii) with the most appropriate descriptor in (a) to (f).

• a required exit ; or
• a horizontal exit ; or
• a doorway forming part of a required exit ; or
• a doorway in a path of travel to a required exit ; or
• a path of travel to a required exit ; or (f) none of the

1. A doorway leading into a fire-isolated exit . 

2. A doorway leading directly to open space from a single storey office building. The doorway is not relied upon to satisfy the egress requirements of the NCC. 

3. A doorway in a fire wall . The doorway is relied upon to satisfy the egress requirements of the NCC. 

4. An open stairway from the upper floor of a two storey commercial building to the level at which egress to open space is The stairway is the only stairway from the upper storey . 

5. The hallway serving bedrooms inside a residential apartment in a multi-unit residential building. 

6. An internal public corridor serving hotel

7. A fire-isolated passageway serving as a means of egress from an industrial building. 

8. A doorway providing discharge from a fire-isolated exit to the street

Question 2

Read each statement carefully and determine whether the statement is true or false . If the statement is incorrect then correct it. Give justification for your answers, including any conditions to which it is subject when relevant. That is, your answer must, when relevant, refer to one or more NCC DTS Provisions which support your answer.

Select True or flase

1. no door in a path of travel to an exit in an office building can be key locked?

2. the entry doorway to an apartment in a multi-unit residential building must be at least 750mm wide?

3. a 3m wide required stairway with handrails each side but no intermediate handrail is counted as 3m wide in determining exit

4. the entrance doorway from the street to a 250m ² suburban shop cannot be fitted with a roller shutter? The entrance doorway is also the only exit from the shop.

5. all main electrical switch and distribution boards located in a path of travel to an exit must be separated from the rest of the building by fire-resisting construction?

Question 3

a. Choose the most correct statement 

The occupancy load used to determine the aggregate exit width required by the DTS Provisions for a multi- storey commercial building is based on:

• the predicted maximum number of people in the whole
• the predicted maximum number of people per
• the number of
• the number of

b. Justify your response by reference to the relevant DTS

Question 4

Determine the required unobstructed width of the fire-isolated exit stairway serving the following building.

• Storeys are used as
• Each storey has a floor area of 450m ² .except the plant The plant room has a floor area of 80m ² .
• 10% of the floor area of storeys 1 to 5 is set aside for lifts, stairways, ramps, hallways, sanitary compartments , lobbies and the 5% of the plant room floor area is occupied by the exit stairway.
• One exit is required from each storey to satisfy the exit travel distance
• Storey 1 does not connect with the fire-isolated exit It relies on a doorway to open space .
• The building is less than 25m in effective height and travel distance to the single exit serving storeys 2 to 5 and the plant room complies with the DTS

Question 5

Determine the aggregate width required for the doorways serving as exits from a building with the following characteristics:

• Rise in storeys of
• The building is used as a
• The building has a floor area of 800m ² .
• 300m ² is used for storage, 400m ² is reading space and the remainder is set aside for hallways, sanitary compartments , lobbies and the like.
• 3 doorways are required to serve as exits to satisfy the exit travel distance requirements. No other exits are proposed.

Question 6

Do the following required exit stairways need to be completely fire-isolated (top to bottom)? Justify your response by:

• if your response is yes, stating
• if your response is no, stating why and specifying any conditions that must be satisfied for your answer to be correct.

Question 7

The following diagram illustrates a section through a proposed multi-unit residential building which will contain 5 storeys . Generally, each main storey above ground level will contain 4 residential sole-occupancy units (SOUs). The top four apartments will contain attic levels. The lowest storey is a basement carpark which will accommodate up to 16 vehicles.

The residential upper storeys of the building will be served by a single internal open stairway which leads to the ground floor lobby. Within the lobby will be a flight of stairs with a stairway platform lift alongside. Egress from the lobby leads to a landing with awning over. A ramp is provided from the landing to the ground and then there is a path to the street.

The only means of escape from the carpark that will be provided to satisfy the NCC will be via the internal non- fire isolated stairway which leads to the lobby and then to outside.

a. Based on the information provided answer the following You must justify your responses by specifying the DTS Provision(s) you rely upon to determine your answers.

• Travel distance from the uppermost levels of the building is measured from what point?
• The nearest part of an exit from the upper levels is at what point?
• Egress travel distance on the ground floor storey is required to be measured to what point?
• The maximum permissible overall distance of travel to open space via the stairway that connects all storeys is?
• The maximum permissible distance between the base of the non- fire- isolated stairway and the doorway that provides egress to open space is?
• The maximum permissible distance of travel from point H to the exit serving the ground floor storey is?
• The maximum permissible step at the doorway threshold at D is?
• The minimum required width of the stairway between points E and F is?
• The stairway platform lift is to be provided for access for persons with a disability. The stairway platform lift will occupy a width of 650mm when unfolded and 300mm when folded.
• The minimum required width of the doorway at point D is?
• The minimum height above floor level for required barriers below openable windows in external walls to restrict falling is?
• The nearest part of an exit from the carpark is at point?
• The maximum permissible distance of travel from point M in the carpark to open space is?

Question 8

The above diagram illustrates the floor plan for the top storey of a 5 storey office building. The building is required to be served by 2 fire-isolated exits as shown.

The DTS Provisions impose distance limitations on some of the paths of travel shown in broken lines above. They also impose other geometric limitations relating to provision for escape.

Specify the limitations (if any) for the following. Justify your responses by reference to the relevant DTS Provisions:

• A?
• A + B + C
• A + D + E?
• F?
• E + D + B + C?
• G

Question 9

In addition to the requirement to be structurally sufficient what construction standards under the DTS Provisions must be met by this balustrade – The building is a laboratory and the difference in levels between the floor shown and the one beneath is 3m.

Question 10

There are two types of laws that regulate access to buildings and the facilities therein for persons with a disability namely: anti-discrimination laws such as the Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA); and the NCC.

The DDA specifies what it considers acceptable access standards under the Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standards 2010 (the Premises Standards). The Premises Standards and the NCC generally align (but not fully).

Compare and contrast in brief the Premises Standards and the NCC. Note, there is no need to make any reference to the requirements for transport buildings.

In your response address the following:

• Application - That is: in general terms what triggers application of the Premises Standards and what application of the NCC? What kinds of buildings does each apply to - and, what is their required scope of application when an existing building is being extended or modified?
• Persons responsible for ensuring compliance?
• Exceptions and concessions
• Which prevails should an inconsistency between the 2 controls be identified (and why)? - and give one example of an inconsistency.

Question 11

In relation to each fire safety measure listed in the table below:

• describe in brief, and in your own words, the reason for the DTS Provisions requiring the measure i.e. what is the measure’s purpose? and 50 words max for each measure
• specify the applicable DTS Provision, relevant NCC referenced document (including its edition) and/or NCC Specification that sets the technical standards each must comply with. NB. You may need to refer to a combination of these provisions (in relevant order) to provide a comprehensive answer. Do not repeat the requirements of the provisions

Question 12

True or false ? Justify your answer (whether true or false). Include in your response reference to the relevant DTS Provision(s). Correct the statement if it is incorrect.

• Fire hose reels can be located within a fire-isolated exit ?
• A fire hose reel system need not be provided to serve an apartment building comprising 3 storeys above ground and a basement carpark storey . Each storey has a floor area of 550m ² . Apartments do not exceed 250m ² in floor area .
• Smoke alarms are required on every storey of a residential apartment in a Class 2 building irrespective of whether a storey contains bedrooms or not?
• An air-purge system is an acceptable system for limiting smoke spread between storeys in an office building greater than 25m in effective height .
• Two emergency lifts must be provided in every building greater than 25m in effective height ?
• An emergency lighting system is required to the internal common area of the multi-unit residential building illustrated in Question 7 of this assignment?
• A commercial building consists of a high-rise part (greater than 25m in effective height ) and a low-rise part (less than 25m in effective height ). The high-rise part is served by 2 fire-isolated exits . The low-rise part is also served by 2 fire-isolated exits . The high and low rise parts are not vertically fire separated.
• A fire hydrant system must be provided to serve a single storey industrial building comprising 4 equally sized factory units and a total building floor area of 950m ² . The building is divided centrally by a fire wall that extends vertically uninterrupted from footing to underside of roof level? Otherwise the factory units are separated by concrete panel walls with an unknown

Question 13

Is a sprinkler system required in the following buildings? Justify your response.

1. A 2 storey shopping centre with the storeys connected by an atrium . The ground floor storey has a floor area of 1900m ² and the upper storey has a floor area of 1500m ² . The height of each storey is 7m.
2. An open-deck carpark that occupies 2 storeys near street level of a high-rise building (taller than 25m in effective height ). Each storey is 3m high. The carpark accommodates in excess of 100 motor vehicles. (i) Yes
3. An industrial building comprising a single fire compartment having a floor area of 4900m ² and an internal height of The building is to be of Type A construction.
4. An industrial building comprising a single fire compartment having a floor area of 4900m ² and an internal height of The building is to be of Type A construction.

Question 14

A developer is contemplating the erection of a multi- storey, office building with 2 storeys of basement carpark . The developer seeks your advice as a building regulations consultant to assist in deciding whether to construct 8 or 9 storeys above the ground. At 8 storeys the building is less than 25m in effective height . At 9 storeys the building is greater than 25m in effective height .

The developer wishes to know what additional fire safety measures pursuant to Section E of the DTS Provisions are required for the building with 9 storeys above ground compared to that required for the building with 8 storeys above ground.

Question 15

1. List the smoke hazard management measures required by Part E2 of the NCC for the following buildings.

Where options are provided you need only specify one acceptable option however, the option specified must be suitable for the building described in terms of achieving the intent of the NCC.

2. State whether the measures must be provided to only a part of the building or the entire building. Where a part, only specify the part (using the descriptors in Part E2).

 3. State whether:

• the measure you list must be connected to a fire alarm monitoring system connected to a fire station or fire station dispatch centre (ie. monitored); and/or

• the measure you list, or smoke detectors provided to activate the measure you list, must activate a building occupant warning system (BOWS).

Do not repeat DTS Provisions. Succinctly describe each measure.

• An aged care building with subterranean carpark . The building contains 4 s toreys (3 above ground and 1 below ground).

Each storey has a floor area of 1200m ² and a height of 3m. The residential sole-occupancy units are individually air-conditioned. Common rooms are served by ducted air-conditioning . The basement carpark is mechanically ventilated in accordance with AS 1668.2.

Each storey of the building is served by 4 fire-isolated exits .

A single storey , single fire compartment , retail building with a floor area of 6000m ² and a ceiling height of 4m.

The building contains 2 shops with a floor area of 2100m ² each, and 10 shops with a floor area of 120m ² each. The remainder of the building is occupied by an internal mall, service corridors, plant room and sanitary facilities .

Each shop opens onto the internal mall. The two large shops also open directly to open space .

Question 16

It is proposed to construct a new library building for the public. You are acting as a consultant for the architect who is designing the building. The plans for the building are shown in question 17. There will be a total of 4 staff working in the library at any one time. The architect has proposed to provide the following toilet facilities:

Question 17

The project

Illustrated over page is a proposed library for construction in Orange NSW. The building is to be constructed on a sloping site and will contain 2 storeys . The upper storey will have pedestrian access from the street via its entry. The lower storey (a carpark ) will have pedestrian and vehicle access from outside. The building has overall floor plan dimensions as shown.

The external walls to the upper storey and the internal upper storey walls surrounding the stairway are proposed to be constructed using precast reinforced concrete panels 125mm thick. These walls will be lined internally with 10mm thick plasterboard on steel furring channels (40mm deep). Internal walls on the upper storey will be steel framed walls lined with plasterboard. Lower storey walls will be reinforced concrete block walls 200mm thick.

The roof comprises steel trusses (20 degree pitch) with a plasterboard ceiling affixed on battens to the underside, and a colour bonded steel roof covering affixed atop metal purlins. The roof will be ventilated. The roof covering will have an upper surface solar absorptance value of not more than 0.4. Eave width is shown on the sections.

Floors will be reinforced concrete. The suspended floor over the lower storey carpark will be 150mm thick.

Glazing

It is proposed that glazing in external walls (i.e. windows and glazed doors) be of double pane clear glass in thermally improved aluminium frames with a SHGC of

0.36 and a Total System U-Value of 4.4. Other than the glass doors the glazing

will be fixed.

Lighting

All internal spaces will have recessed fluorescent lights installed throughout.

Daylight sensors and a dynamic control device for lights within the library general area adjacent to windows W1, W2 and W3 for a distance from the windows equal to the depth of the floor to window head height will be used.

The stack shelf area will have a manual dimming system.

Air-conditioning and ventilation

The upper storey will be heated and cooled by a low pressure air-cooled direct expansion package unit air-conditioning and mechanical system of 25kWr capacity. The air-conditioning air-flow rate is 1650L/s and the sensible heat load is 120W/m ² .

The air-conditioning damper (not motorized) requires that minimum performance filters are to be installed and as a consequence the entrance air supply rate will be 200L/s. The air-conditioning unit will be on the roof. Flexible ductwork will be used to connect the main ductwork to each service outlet. The flexible ductwork will not exceed 4m in length. Some of the ductwork and fittings will be exposed on the roof. All other ductworks will be located in the roof void.

The mechanical ventilation serving the amenities will have an air-flow rate of 100L/s.

The air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation system designer will provide for three thermal zones, one for the parts facing south and two for the library general area due to the size of the space.

Based on this information, and the information in the drawings, provide answers to the following 

a. In relation to the opaque building elements that are a part of the envelope determine:

• The minimum Total R-Value that each must have

• Whether or not insulation must be added to the element to achieve the required minimum Total R-Value , and if yes, what R-Value the added insulation must possess. State 'nil' if you determine no insulation must be added.

b. Using the ABCB’s facade calculator assess the proposed glazing for compliance with the DTS Provisions of Part J1.

Assess glazed elements in numerical order. Do not include windows outside of the conditioned space (see project description).

If non-compliant glazing is encountered indicate a possible compliance solution (in general terms).

c. In relation to the proposed air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation system and features it must possess to enable it to use energy efficiently, specify the operational controls

Question 18

Part 9 of the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (EPAR), which deals with the subject of maintenance of essential fire safety measures, generally requires those measures to be continually capable of performing to a standard no less than that which they were originally required to achieve.

The standard (or level) of performance capability of a fire protection system can be influenced by several factors including the characteristics of the system itself, the building, and the occupancy (or use).

• Discuss the influence of these 3 types of characteristics on the standard of performance of a required fire sprinkler system.

• Describe how these factors can be encapsulated and recorded in a fire safety schedule (see Module 10 and the EPAR for information about fire safety schedules). The fire safety schedule must describe the standard of performance of the measure.

• Discuss the role of testing and commissioning of fire protection systems in relation to maintenance regulation and auditing.

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