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Part 3.7.5 Alpine Areas
Performance Requirements
Appropriate Performance Requirements
Where an alternative alpine area egress design is proposed as a Performance Solution to that described in Part 3.7.5, that proposal must comply with—
- ; and
- the relevant Performance Requirements determined in accordance with 1.0.7.
3.7.5.1 Application
Compliance with this acceptable construction practice for buildings which are located in alpine areas (see Figure 3.7.5.2) satisfies Performance RequirementP2.3.6.
3.7.5.2 External doorways
An external door in a building constructed in an alpine area, which may be subject to a build-up of snow must—
open inwards; and
be marked “OPEN INWARDS” on the inside face of the door in letters not less than 75 mm high and in a colour contrasting with that of the background; and
if it serves a corridor or stairway, be positioned in an alcove or recess with—
no horizontal dimension of the alcove or recess less than twice the width of the door; and
the door positioned to open against a wall such that the distance from any part of its swing to the nearest point of entry of the stairway or corridor is not less than the width of the door.
3.7.5.3 External ramps
An external ramp serving an external doorway must have a gradient not steeper than 1:12.
3.7.5.4 Discharge of external doorways providing a means of egress
A building in an alpine area must be constructed so that—
for any external walls more than 3.6 m above the natural ground level, the distance of that part of the building from the allotment boundary (other than a road alignment) must be not less than 2.5 m plus 100 mm for each 300 mm or part by which that part of the external wall exceeds a height of 3.6 m; and
an external doorway may discharge into a court between wings of a building provided the wings are at least 6 m apart; and
where an external doorway discharges opposite a barrier or embankment which is more than 900 mm above the threshold of that doorway, the distance between the threshold and the barrier is not less than twice the height of the barrier or 6 m, whichever is the lesser (see Figure 3.7.5.3).
3.7.5.5 External trafficable structures
External stairways, ramps, access bridges or other trafficable structures serving the building must have—
a floor surface that consists of steel mesh or other suitable material if it is used as a means of egress; and
any required barrier constructed so that its sides are not less than 75% open.
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Figure 3.7.5.1 DESIGN FOR SAFE EGRESS IN ALPINE AREAS — MINIMUM DIMENSIONS OF ALCOVE OR RECESS AT EXTERNAL DOORWAY |
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Figure 3.7.5.2 ALPINE AREAS |
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Explanatory information
Alpine and sub-alpine areas are located in ACT, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
are areas 1200 m or more above Australian Height Datum (AHD) for NSW, ACT and Victoria, and 900 m or more above AHD for Tasmania, as shown in Figure 3.7.5.2.
Significant snowfalls (snowfalls which result in an average snow accumulation on the ground of 175 mm or greater) may occur in the sub-alpine areas shown in Figure 3.7.5.2. Part 3.7.5 does not apply to those areas because, unlike alpine areas, successive snowfalls are not likely to accumulate.
It is noted that in the ACT, the Canberra area is designated as a sub-alpine region where snow loads are not considered significant.
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Figure 3.7.5.3 DESIGN FOR SAFE EGRESS IN ALPINE AREAS — DISCHARGE OF EXTERNAL DOORWAY |
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