This is a Public Record of the Australian Building Codes Board meeting held on 10 November 2025.
Meeting opening
Meeting opening and administrative matters
- The meeting opened with Acknowledgement of Country.
- The Board noted attendance, apologies, and disclosure of interests and any potential or actual conflicts related to matters on the agenda.
- The Board dealt with administrative matters, received report from the Chair and Chief Executive Officer and received some jurisdictional updates.
- The Chair introduced Mr Ben Rimmer, Director-General of Housing Group in the Commonwealth Treasury, to the Board. Mr Rimmer spoke about the outcomes from the recent Building Ministers’ Meeting (BMM), with shared priorities to lift housing supply and delivery and reduce construction costs. The Board discussed the outcomes and options to best support the Building Ministers’ priorities.
Strategic matters
ABCB budget status and planning
The Board reviewed the ABCB projects, core work streams and resourcing considering the decisions taken by the Building Ministers' Meeting on 22 October 2025. The Chair will provide the updated business plan to the Chair of the BMM, to confirm alignment with the BMM priorities, including:
- Publication of National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 and associated education and awareness activities to support practitioners and stakeholders.
- Contributing to streamlining, simplifying and modernising the NCC.
- Continuing development of the National Voluntary Certification Scheme for Manufacturers of Modern Methods of Construction.
- Development of guidance document for voluntary embodied carbon.
Voluntary National Certification Scheme for Manufacturers of Modern Methods of Construction
The Board noted outcomes of public consultation on the National Voluntary Certification Scheme for Manufactures of Modern Methods of Construction.
The Board discussed the progress of the development of definitions for prefabricated construction. The Board also considered options to test scheme design parameters and proposed processes, in consultation with key stakeholders.
Roadmap for NCC 2025
The Board discussed the roadmap for finalising NCC 2025, including the preview and publication dates set by Building Ministers. It was agreed the ABCB office should prepare high level information which clearly sets out what is included in NCC 2025 and differences with public consultation – see table below.
The ABCB office will prepare the preview draft to be available on 1 February 2026. In parallel, jurisdictions will work to confirm any anticipated state and territory additions and variations. Jurisdictions will advise their intended changes through their respective stakeholder channels.
State and territory additions and variations will be finalised in time for 1 May 2026 with jurisdictions able to consider adoption from that date.
| NCC 2025 initiative/change | Reason for change since public consultation | Description of NCC 2025 publication draft |
|---|---|---|
| Water management | Public consultation feedback and targeted technical workshops recommend refinements | Improved water management amendments in Volume One Section F (Health and amenity) are included in NCC 2025, as are related definitions in Schedule 1. |
| Carpark fire safety | Public consultation feedback recommended refinements | Improved carpark fire safety amendments are included in NCC 2025 Volume One. These include sprinkler protection of open-deck carparks (other than stand-alone open-deck carparks) and reduction in scenarios for which carpark FRL concessions apply. |
Commercial energy efficiency (not including Class 2 or EV charging - see below) | Public consultation feedback and targeted technical workshops recommended refinements | Improved NCC 2025 Volume One Section J (Energy efficiency) provisions for buildings other than Class 2 buildings that lead to reduced energy consumption. These changes include mandatory on-site solar photovoltaic systems, higher required insulation values and greater efficiency through lighting control. |
Commercial energy efficiency (Class 2) | Building Ministers directed that residential energy efficiency changes would not be introduced in NCC 2025 | NCC 2025 Volume One Section J (Energy efficiency) is amended such that requirements of NCC 2022 Volume One Section J (Energy efficiency) apply to Class 2 buildings. |
| Commercial Electric Vehicle (EV) charging | Building Ministers directed that EV charging provisions would not be introduced at this time | NCC 2025 Volume One J9D4 (Facilities for electric vehicle charging) is reverted to reflect the requirements of NCC 2022 Amendment 2. |
| Condensation mitigation | Public consultation feedback and targeted technical workshops recommended refinements | Improved condensation mitigation provisions are included in NCC 2025 Volume One Part F8 (Condensation management) and NCC 2025 Housing Provisions Part 10.8 (Condensation management). Improvements include reduced ventilation requirements for small roofs. |
| Residential energy efficiency | Building Ministers directed that residential energy efficiency changes would not be introduced at this time | Changes that had been proposed for NCC 2025 Volume Two Part H6 (Energy efficiency) and NCC 2025 Housing Provisions Part 13 (Energy efficiency) will not go ahead. Instead, NCC 2025 will reflect NCC 2022 Amendment 2 for these parts. |
| Residential EV charging | Building Ministers directed that EV charging provisions would not be introduced at this time | Proposed new provisions for NCC 2025 Volume Two and Housing Provisions for EV charging readiness are not included. |
| Fire separation of roofed outdoor areas | Technical committee consideration of public comment concluded that proposed amendments should not be included in NCC 2025 | Changes that had been proposed as NCC 2025 Housing Provisions Part 9.6 (Fire separation of roofed outdoor areas) are not included. |
| Combined sprinkler and hydrant systems | ABCB Board directed that plastic pipes and fittings are not to be used above ground in combined sprinkler and hydrant systems | NCC 2025 Volume One E1D2 and NCC 2025 Volume Three Section B contain exclusions accordingly. |
| Swimming pool boundary barriers | Technical committee recommended application of controls to boundary barriers | NCC 2025 Volume One G1D2, G1D4 and NCC 2025 Volume Two H7D2 contain a provision that requires application of controls to boundary barriers. |
| Disposal of sanitary products | Technical committee recommended sanitary product disposal provision to all public facilities for incontinence products | NCC 2025 Volume One F4D4 is amended accordingly. |
| Various | Public consultation feedback recommended refinements | NCC 2025 has been improved through public consultation and technical committee consideration. |
WaterMark Certification Scheme update
The Board noted the update on the WaterMark scheme management and discussed the status of the transition to lead free plumbing products. The Board agreed to continue monitoring and considering the progress of the transition, including where evidence has emerged on industry impacts.
The Board confirmed that a nationally consistent approach is desirable in terms of transition and enforcement to minimise adverse impacts on industry, the environment, productivity and consumers.
Published 8 December 2025