NCC 2022 Volume Three - Plumbing Code of Australia

B2

Part B2 Heated water services

Part B2 Heated water services

SA B2D2 Water heater in a heated water supply system2019: SA B2.2

Delete clause B2D2 and insert SA B2D2 as follows:

(1) In an established Class 1 building connected to a reticulated gas supply or a new Class 1 or Class 10 building, a water heater must be one of the following types:

  1. A natural gas or LPG water heater, either instantaneous, continuous flow or storage, that has an energy rating of 5 stars or more.
  2. A natural gas or LPG boosted solar water heater, with a total tank volume of not more than 700 litres, that is eligible for any number (one or more) of STCs.
  3. An electric boosted solar water heater or electric heat pump water heater (air source or solar boosted), with a single tank, that is eligible for the minimum small-scale technology certificates shown in SA Table B2D2.
  4. A wood combustion water heater, with no additional heating mechanisms, with a total tank volume of not more than 700 litres.
  5. A wood combustion boosted solar water heater, with no additional heating mechanisms, with a total tank volume of not more than 700 litres.

(2) In an established Class 1 building that is not connected to a reticulated gas supply, a water heater must be one of the following types:

  1. A water heater complying with the requirements set out in (1).
  2. An electric water heater with a rated hot water delivery of no greater than 250 litres.
  3. An electric instantaneous water heater, having a water storage capacity no greater than one litre and total electrical input no greater than 15.0 kW.

(3) The requirements of (1) and (2) do not apply to any of the following:

  1. Water heaters serving buildings other than Class 1.
  2. Repairs to water heaters including:
    1. Like for like replacements that are the result of manufacturer, supplier or installer warranty arrangements.
    2. Replacement of a single major component of a solar or electric heat pump water heater (for example, a heat pump compressor/evaporator unit, a solar collector, or a storage tank).
  3. Secondary electric water heaters of up to 55 litres rated delivery, which do not serve a shower or bath.
  4. Temporary electric water heaters of up to 55 litres rated delivery, for a period not exceeding 60 days, pending installation of a complying water heater.
  5. An electric or gas vented (gravity fed) water heater, located in a roof space of an established Class 1 building, of no greater than 250 litres rated hot water delivery.
  6. A gas water heater installed entirely within a fully enclosed roof space, room or attached garage of an established Class 1 building, providing the water heater has an energy rating of 3 stars or more.
Insert SA table (B2D2) B2D2 as follows:
SA Table B2D2: Small-scale technology certificates
Year Tank volume of 400 litres or more and not more than 700 litres Tank volume of more than 220 litres and less than 400 litres Tank volume of not more than 220 litres
2022 34 in zone 3* and/or 32 in zone 4 24 in zone 3 and/or 23 in zone 4 15 in zone 3 and/or 14 in zone 4
2023 30 in zone 3 and/or 28 in zone 4 21 in zone 3 and/or 20 in zone 4 13 in zone 3 and/or 12 in zone 4
2024 26 in zone 3 and/or 25 in zone 4 18 in zone 3 and/or 18 in zone 4 11 in zone 3 and/or 11 in zone 4
2025 22 in zone 3 and/or 21 in zone 4 16 in zone 3 and/or 15 in zone 4 10 in zone 3 and/or 9 in zone 4
Table Notes

* Zones are defined by the Clean Energy Regulator

Explanatory information: Connection to a reticulated gas supply

A property is connected to a reticulated gas supply if it has a piped connection to a gas distribution system and this connection is capable of supplying gas to gas equipment and/or appliances.

A property is not connected to a reticulated gas supply if:

  • It does not have a piped connection to a gas distribution system; or
  • It has a piped connection to a gas distribution system but this connection is not capable of supplying gas to gas equipment and/or appliances (for example, if the supply has been physically disconnected at the meter by the gas network operator).

Reticulated gas includes:

  • Reticulated natural gas; or
  • Reticulated compressed gas of some other type (including LPG, SNG or TLP gas).

Explanatory information: Gas water heaters

The energy ratings for natural gas and LPG water heaters are available at: http://www.aga.asn.au/product_directory

Explanatory information: Solar water heaters and electric heat pump water heaters

STCs are Small-scale Technology Certificates. References to Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) refer equally to STCs. The number of STCs is provided for each eligible model of solar water heater and electric heat pump water heater at: https://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/RET/Scheme-participants-and-industry/Agents-and-installers/Small-scale-systems-eligible-for-certificates/Register-of-solar-water-heaters

The STC values specified in Section SA B2D2 for either CER Zones 3 or 4 may be used to demonstrate compliance, regardless of the actual zone in which the water heater is to be installed.

Insert SA table (B2D2) B2D2 as follows:
SA Table B2D2: Small-scale technology certificates
Year Tank volume of 400 litres or more and not more than 700 litres Tank volume of more than 220 litres and less than 400 litres Tank volume of not more than 220 litres
2022 34 in zone 3* and/or 32 in zone 4 24 in zone 3 and/or 23 in zone 4 15 in zone 3 and/or 14 in zone 4
2023 30 in zone 3 and/or 28 in zone 4 21 in zone 3 and/or 20 in zone 4 13 in zone 3 and/or 12 in zone 4
2024 26 in zone 3 and/or 25 in zone 4 18 in zone 3 and/or 18 in zone 4 11 in zone 3 and/or 11 in zone 4
2025 22 in zone 3 and/or 21 in zone 4 16 in zone 3 and/or 15 in zone 4 10 in zone 3 and/or 9 in zone 4
Table Notes

* Zones are defined by the Clean Energy Regulator

SA B2D5 Maximum delivery temperatureNew for 2022

Delete clause B2D5 and insert SA B2D5 as follows:

(1) The delivery temperature of heated water at the outlet of each sanitary fixture must be—

  1. not more than 45 °C in any—
    1. residential part of an aged care building; or
    2. patient care area in a health-care building; or
    3. part of an early childhood centre, or primary or secondary school, that is used by children; or
    4. designated accessible facility in a common area of a Class 2 building, or in any part of a Class 3, Class 5, Class 6, Class 7, Class 8, Class 9a, 9b, 9c or Class 10 building; or
  2. not more than 50 °C in all other cases.

(2) Heated water services in buildings constructed after 19 October 1995 shall have temperature control in accordance with 1(a) and (b).

(3) All new solar water installations (including solar water heater replacements) shall be in accordance with 1(a) and (b).

(4) Where an existing building is altered or extended in such a way that sanitary fixtures used primarily for personal hygiene purposes are installed in a location where, before the alteration or extension, no such fixture existed, the delivery temperature at the fixture shall be in accordance with 1(a) and (b).

(5) Where a water heater is replaced, a temperature control device is required where such a device was in place prior to the installation of the replaced water heater. The device must meet the requirements of 1 (a) and (b).

Applications

B2D5 applies to all heated water installations intended for personal hygiene.

Explanatory information

Scenarios covered in B2D5 may include where—

  • a heated water service is installed on the premises for the first time; or
  • a water heater forming part of an existing heated water service is—
    • replaced with a like-for-like water heater; or
    • replaced with a different type of water heater; or
    • relocated, and is reconnected to, some or all of the sanitary fixtures to which it was previously connected; or
  • more than one existing sanitary fixture is replaced with new similar fixtures; or
  • an existing heated water service on the premises is altered or extended to serve additional sanitary fixtures.

Consideration should be given to the intended occupants of a building when commissioning the heated water delivery temperature. For example, if the occupants of a Class 1 building are older adults or young children, a lower temperature than specified in B2D5(b) should be considered.

A duty of care should be exercised by installers to explain to clients the merits of temperature control for heated water delivered to existing sanitary fixtures used primarily for personal hygiene purposes.

SA B2D9 General requirements2019: SA B2.9

Delete clause B2D9 and insert SA B2D9 as follows:

A heated water service must be in accordance with AS/NZS 3500.4 with the following variations—

  1. substitute AS/NZS 3500.4 clause 5.8(c) with: 5.8(c) All new or replacement unvented storage water heaters shall be fitted with new temperature/pressure relief and expansion control valves.
  2. substitute AS/NZS 3500.4 clause 5.11.2.1 with: 5.11.2.1 The drain lines from the outlet of the temperature/pressure-relief valve and the expansion control valve on an individual water heater shall not be interconnected.
  3. substitute AS/NZS 3500.4 clause 5.11.3(e) with: 5.11.3(e) All drain lines shall discharge separately over a gully, tundish or other visible approved outlet.