If the number of people who will occupy a building is known, it should be used. However, in the absence of more accurate information, D2D18 must be used. D2D18 is used in several Parts of the BCA, such as in calculating minimum exit widths, as well as the number of sanitary and other facilities. D2D18 does not restrict the number of occupants using a building or enforce any building use or licensing requirements. Refer also to comments on D2D18.

As specified in D2D18(b), if the building is an assembly building or room, its fixed seating provisions give an indication of capacity.

Any other suitable means, as specified in D2D18(c), may include a statement from the building owner as to the number of occupants where there is limited public access.

Examples

An alternative means of assessing the number of occupants may be appropriate in the following case.

A specific restaurant may have fixed tables, booths, dining alcoves and architectural features which occupy a significant proportion of the floor space, so the actual number of patrons able to be accommodated may be much less than the number calculated using the one person for every square metre of floor area in D2D18.

In such a case, it may be appropriate to count the number of seats available for use by patrons or some other method. However, due allowance would need to be made for the employees, as well as the potential for alternative seating layouts which could then increase the number of people in the restaurant.

For consideration of gender—the number of sanitary facilities should be calculated on the basis that the population of males and females in a building will usually be about equal. Where a building will be occupied predominantly by one sex, the proportion of sanitary facilities can be adjusted accordingly.

Examples

It may be appropriate to vary the proportion of female and male sanitary facilities in:

• a gymnasium which has appropriate permission to cater for a single sex;
• a single-sex sports facility, such as either an all-male football club or an all-female netball club;
• all-male or all-female prisons; and
• medical or hospital facilities that cater for a specific sex, such as prostate-cancer specialists, gynaecological clinics and maternity hospitals.

For unisex facilities—under F4D3(3), a required unisex facility for people with a disability can be counted as a facility for both males and females. It should be noted that F4D3(3) does not applyto unisex facilities for people with a disability that are provided in addition to the number required by the NCC.

F4D3(4) defines the meaning of ‘unisex facility’ for the purposes of Part F4. It is important to note that a sanitary compartment suitable for a person with an ambulant disability is not a unisex facility and cannot be counted as a facility for both males and females under F4D3(3).

Examples

If there is a requirement for a toilet block to contain 10 closet pans for males and 10 closet pans for females (a total of 20 closet pans), they may be provided as a total of 19 closet pans, i.e.:

9 male;

9 female; and

1 unisex facility for people with a disability.

A similar approach can be used for the number of washbasins required.

In another case where there is a requirement for 1 closet pan for males and 1 closet pan for females, providing a single unisex facility may satisfy this requirement. However, if a urinal is also required it cannot be in the unisex facility; it must be in an area reserved for use by males.