Part F5 Room heights
Introduction to this Part
This Part is intended to prevent the construction of rooms or other spaces with insufficient ceiling heights, which can cause injury or loss of amenity for building occupants.
Objectives
F5O1
Objective
2019: FO3
The Objective of this Part is to safeguard occupants from injury or loss of amenity caused by inadequate height of a room or space.
Functional Statements
F5F1
Room or space heights
2019: FF3.1
A building is to be constructed to provide height in a room or space suitable for the intended use.
Performance Requirements
F5P1
Room or space heights
2019: FP3.1
A habitable room or space must have sufficient size to enable the room or space to fulfil its intended function.
Room or space heights
A habitable room or space must have sufficient height that does not unduly interfere with its intended function.
Verification Methods
F5V1
Room or space heights
2019: FV3.1
VIC F5V1 Room or space heights2019: FV3.1
Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions
F5D1
Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions
2019: F3.0
Where a Deemed-to-Satisfy Solution is proposed, Performance Requirement VIC F5P1 is satisfied by complying with F5D2 and VIC F5D3.
Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions
- F5D2; and
- for farm sheds, Part I3.
F5D2
Height of rooms and other spaces
2019: F3.1
- for a kitchen, laundry, or the like — 2.1 m; and
- for a corridor, passageway or the like — 2.1 m; and
- for a habitable room excluding a kitchen — 2.4 m; and
- in a habitable room, or space within a habitable room, with a sloping ceiling or projections below the ceiling line—
- in an attic — a height of not less than 2.2 m for not less than two-thirds of the floor area of the room or space; and
- in other rooms — a height of not less than 2.4 m for not less than two-thirds of the floor area of the room or space; and
- in a non-habitable room, or space within a non-habitable room, with a sloping ceiling or projections below the ceiling line — a height of not less than 2.1 m for not less than two-thirds of the floor area of the room or space.
- except as allowed in (b) and (8) — 2.4 m; and
- for a corridor, passageway, or the like — 2.1 m.
- for a patient care area — 2.4 m; and
- for an operating theatre or delivery room — 3 m; and
- for a treatment room, clinic, waiting room, passageway, corridor, or the like — 2.4 m.
- for a school classroom or other assembly building or part that accommodates not more than 100 persons — 2.4 m; and
- for a theatre, public hall or other assembly building or part that accommodates more than 100 persons — 2.7 m; and
- for a corridor—
- that serves an assembly building or part that accommodates not more than 100 persons — 2.4 m; or
- that serves an assembly building or part that accommodates more than 100 persons — 2.7 m.
- for a kitchen, laundry, or the like — 2.1 m; and
- for a corridor, passageway or the like — 2.4 m; and
- for a habitable room excluding a kitchen — 2.4 m.
- for a bathroom, shower room, sanitary compartment, other than an accessible adult change facility, airlock, tea preparation room, pantry, store room, garage, car parking area, or the like — 2.1 m; and
- for a commercial kitchen — 2.4 m; and
- above a stairway, ramp, landing or the like — 2 m measured vertically above the nosing line of stairway treads or the floor surface of the ramp, landing or the like; and
- for a required accessible adult change facility — 2.4 m.
In a residential aged care building or residential care building—
- each bedroom must have a floor area of not less than 12 m2 per occupant; and
- all other common habitable rooms (other than kitchens) must have a floor area of not less than 7.5 m2 with—
- in a Class 3 hostel or supported residential services building or Class 9c building an aggregate floor area of not less than 3.5 m2 per occupant; or
- in a Class 9a nursing home an aggregate floor area of not less than 2.5 m2 per occupant.
Class 3, 9a and 9c residential aged care buildings – size of rooms