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Presented by:
Matthew Wright, Fire Protection Association Australia

The Building Code of Australia was first published in 1990 to drive uniform building requirements across the continent; in 1996, a brave and innovative step forward was made as it became a performance-based code. It is estimated that up to 70% of the Code includes requirements for, or in association with, fire protection. In the 20 years since, there have been challenges, opportunities, confusion, innovation, and economic benefit, but at what cost to safety? With all Australian States and Territories having recently re-affirmed their support for a national performance-based code, key changes are proposed to improve comprehension of the performance objectives and to provide more transparency regarding compliance. This presentation will explore the development and application of the code and how the fire protection industry including designers, AHJ, and installation and maintenance contractors have needed to adapt. It will also discuss how politically charged productivity expectations have pitted economic growth against community safety.