NCC 2016 Volume One
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Section E Services and Equipment

Section E Services and Equipment

Part E1 Fire Fighting Equipment

NSW EP1.4

Note

Note:

NSW has requirements for fire sprinkler systems in certain residential aged care facilities. See the Department of Planning and Environment website www.planning.nsw.gov.au.

NSW Table E1.5

Note

Note:

NSW has requirements for fire sprinkler systems in certain residential aged care facilities. See the Department of Planning and Environment website www.planning.nsw.gov.au.

Part E2 Smoke Hazard Management

NSW Table E2.2a General Provisions

BCA Table E2.2a is applicable in NSW except for subclause (a) of the "Large isolated buildings" provisions.

Section E Services and Equipment

NSW Table E2.2b SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

CLASS 6 BUILDINGS - IN FIRE COMPARTMENTS MORE THAN 2000 m2:
The provisions of BCA Table E2.2b for Class 6 buildings are applicable in NSW.
CLASS 9b BUILDINGS
CLASS 9b - ASSEMBLY BUILDINGS
The following provisions apply to all Class 9b assembly buildings:
  1. Automatic shutdown:
    A building or part of a building used as an assembly building must be provided with automatic shutdown of any air-handling system (other than non-ducted individual room units with a capacity not more than 1000 L/s and miscellaneous exhaust air systems installed in accordance with Sections 5 and 6 of AS/NZS 1668.1) which does not form part of the smoke hazard management system, on the activation of—
    1. smoke detectors installed complying with Clause 5 of Specification E2.2a; and
    2. any other installed fire detection and alarm system, including a sprinkler system complying with Specification E1.5.
  2. Basements:
    A basement not counted in the rise in storeys in accordance with C1.2, less than 2000 m2 used as an assembly building or part of an assembly building containing an auditorium or other public area, must be equipped with—
    1. an automatic smoke detection system in accordance with Specification E2.2a; or
    2. an automatic zone smoke control system in accordance with AS/NZS 1668.1 if the basement has more than one fire compartment; or if the basement forms part of a multi fire compartmented building served by the zone smoke control system; or
    3. a sprinkler system complying with Specification E1.5.
  3. Stages and backstages:
    1. For the purposes of this Table, where a stage is separated from the auditorium by a proscenium wall incorporating a proscenium opening, a backstage room or area that is not separated from the stage by construction having an FRL of not less than 60/60/60, is taken to form part of the stage.
    2. A building or part of a building used as an assembly building which has a stage—
      1. with a floor area of more than 50 m2 and not more than 150 m2 must, over the stage, be provided with—
        1. (aa) an automatic smoke exhaust system complying with Specification E2.2b (including Figure 2); or
        2. (bb) roof mounted automatic smoke-and-heat vents complying with NSW H101.22, in a single storey building or the top storey of a multi storey building; or
      2. with a floor area of more than 150 m2 must, over the stage, be provided with an automatic smoke exhaust system complying with Specification E2.2b (including Figure 2); or
      3. equipped with means of flying scenery must, over the stage, be provided with an automatic smoke exhaust system complying with Specification E2.2b (including Figure 2).
NIGHT CLUBS, DISCOTHEQUES, AND THE LIKE

A building or part of a building being a night club, discotheque or the like, must be provided with—

  1. in an auditorium—
    1. an automatic smoke exhaust system complying with Specification E2.2b; or
    2. roof mounted automatic smoke-and-heat vents complying with Specification E2.2c, in a single storey building or the top storey of a multi storey building; or
    3. a sprinkler system complying with Specification E1.5 with fast response sprinkler heads; and
  2. in all other areas—
    1. where a building or part of a building has a floor area not more than 2000 m2—
      1. one of the smoke hazard management measures listed under (a) above; or
      2. an automatic smoke detection and alarm system complying with Specification E2.2a; or
    2. where a building or part of a building has a floor area of more than 2000 m2, smoke hazard management measures as provided for under ‘Other Assembly Buildings’ in NSW Table E2.2b.

Note: Paragraph (a) applies only to an auditorium designed principally to accommodate an audience to an entertainment.
EXHIBITION HALLS, MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES

A building or part of a building used as an exhibition hall, museum, art gallery or the like, must be provided with—

  1. where the floor area is more than 2000 m2 and not more than 3500 m2—
    1. an automatic smoke exhaust system complying with Specification E2.2b; or
    2. roof mounted automatic smoke-and-heat vents complying with Specification E2.2c in a single storey building or the top storey of a multi storey building; or
    3. a sprinkler system complying with Specification E1.5; and
  2. where the floor area is more than 3500 m2, a sprinkler system complying with Specification E1.5 and—
    1. an automatic smoke exhaust system complying with Specification E2.2b; or
    2. roof mounted automatic smoke-and-heat vents complying with Specification E2.2c, in a single storey building or the top storey of a multi storey building.
OTHER ASSEMBLY BUILDINGS
  1. Unless otherwise described in (b), in a building or part of a building used as an assembly building (not being a night club, discotheque or the like; or an exhibition hall, museum or art gallery) where the floor area of a fire compartment is more than 2000 m2, the fire compartment must be provided with—
    1. an automatic smoke exhaust system complying with Specification E2.2b; or
    2. roof mounted automatic smoke-and-heat vents complying with Specification E2.2c, in a single storey building or the top storey of a multi storey building; or
    3. if the floor area of the fire compartment is not more than 5000 m2 and the building has a rise in storeys of not more than 2—
      1. an automatic smoke detection and alarm system complying with Specification E2.2a; or
      2. a sprinkler system complying with Specification E1.5.
  2. The following buildings are exempt from the provisions of (a):
    1. Sporting complexes, (including sports halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, ice and roller rinks, and the like) other than indoor sports stadiums with total spectator seating for more than 1000 persons.
    2. Churches and other places used solely for religious worship.
    3. School classrooms.
Note: Smoke hazard management provisions for an assembly building used for multiple purposes must comply with all the relevant provisions of NSW Table E2.2b according to usage.
assembly buildings

NSW Specification E2.2a Smoke Detectors and Alarm Systems

Delete Clause 7(e) as follows:

7.

System Monitoring

(e)

(deleted)

Part E4 Emergency Lighting, Exit Signs and Warning Systems

Delete E4.6 and insert NSW E4.6 as follows:

NSW E4.6 Direction signs

If an exit is not readily apparent to persons occupying or visiting the building, then exit signs must be installed—

(a)

in appropriate positions in corridors, hallways, lobbies, foyers, auditoria, and the like, indicating the direction to a required exit; and

(b)

in a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue — in any external egress path to a road where the exit does not open directly onto a road.