A significant change is coming that may raise concerns for many within the residential construction industry. Accessible housing provisions will become part of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) on 1 September 2022. These accessible housing changes have been a long time coming.
What sparked the changes?
In September 2018, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) provided a preliminary menu of options and costs for the possible inclusion of a minimum housing accessibility standard in the National Construction Code (NCC). As a result, the ABCB released the Accessible Housing Options Paper for public consultation in October 2018. A series of consultation forums were then held around Australia, and feedback subsequently shaped the report for the Regulation Impact Statement.
It is widely expected that all states and territories will proceed with including Accessible Housing provisions in the NCC 2022.
What do the NCC changes mean?
The accessible housing provisions will require all new houses, dual occupancies, townhouses, apartments, granny flats and other types of housing to incorporate mandatory accessible housing features. These features have been inspired by the Silver Level standard specified in the Livable Housing Design Guidelines (LHDG) and include:
- Step-free access from street and parking areas.
- Step-free entrance into a dwelling.
- Internal doors and corridors that facilitate comfortable and unimpeded movement between spaces.
- A toilet on the ground- or entry-level that provides easy access.
- A bathroom that contains a hobless shower recess.
- Reinforced walls around the toilet, shower and bath to support the safe installation of grabrails at a later date.
- Stairways designed to reduce the likelihood of injury and enable future adaptation.
Advantages of the NCC changes
These changes are possibly the largest single and most impactful amendment to the NCC since its inception. Accessible housing provisions will shape accessibility and universal access for generations to come, catering not only to people with disabilities but also to seniors and families with young children.
Accessible housing will specifically benefit Australia’s ageing baby boomer population, the largest generational cohort in Australia’s history with over five million people.
We are entering a period when enormous strains are already being placed on housing at a level never seen before. These new accessible housing features will improve livability, accessibility and safety in all new Australian homes and allow people to age more safely in their own homes. The inclusion of safety features is anticipated to decrease the incidence of slips, trips and falls within the home and, as a result, hospitalisations.
Accessible housing provisions will also allow for a better quality of intergenerational housing, which may offset the need for residential care facilities.
Ushering in the NCC changes
At this time, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory will proceed with including accessible housing provisions within the NCC 2022. Unfortunately, New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia have refused to commit to these provisions, which is a considerable disappointment.
Instigating these changes to the NCC throughout all states and territories will require a different way of thinking across the industry. While there may be short-term incremental build costs associated with these accessible features, these changes are ultimately in service of future-proofing new houses. Chiefly, they are for the improved wellness and livability of all occupants within these new dwellings.
The advantageous changes to the NCC should be open to all Australians, not only those residing in states that implement the recommended updates. At Jensen Hughes, we proudly advocate for federal, state and local policy changes that improve accessibility outcomes for clients and occupants alike. The changes to the NCC are an important step forward to securing a new national minimum standard for accessible housing throughout Australia.
