Australia’s building industry is working through a transition to BCA 2025, and fire safety remains important. The latest code is not adopted everywhere at the same time, so project teams need to establish which requirements apply before design and approval decisions. Vortex Fire explains the transition, major carpark fire safety changes, updates affecting performance solutions, and practical considerations. This article follows that information closely and focuses on the areas that can influence fire engineering, building compliance, and project planning. 

Understanding the Current Code Transition

The updated code was published on 1 May 2026, but publication and adoption are different events. The Australian Building Codes Board publishes the National Construction Code, while each state and territory determines its own adoption date. This means Australia is operating with two concurrent code versions during the transition.

Victoria and Tasmania adopted BCA 2025 from 1 May 2026. Tasmania’s adoption includes specific carve-outs covering condensation provisions, commercial energy efficiency, and certain sanitary facility requirements. The Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia are in transition, with mandatory adoption scheduled for 1 May 2027 and voluntary early use available.

New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia have deferred the Building Code to 1 May 2027. South Australia adopted the Plumbing Code on 1 May 2026. The Northern Territory is not adopting BCA 2025 and will remain on NCC 2022 Amendment 2. For practitioners working across jurisdictions, this creates a dual-code workflow where each project must be assessed individually.

Major Carpark Fire Safety Changes

The most significant revisions concern carpark fire safety. The Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions have been comprehensively rebuilt because modern vehicles differ considerably from the vehicles considered in older research. Cars are larger and heavier, while electric vehicles introduce different fire characteristics, including thermal runaway involving lithium-ion battery packs. Car stacker systems are also now common in urban developments.

Open-deck carparks forming part of a multi-classified building now require sprinkler protection. Stand-alone open-deck carparks are unaffected by this particular change. Any carpark with capacity exceeding 40 vehicles requires sprinkler protection, whether open-deck or enclosed. Car stacker systems must have dedicated sprinkler coverage.

Fire Resistance Level concessions have also changed. Previous concessions for open-deck carparks using Type A and Type B construction have been removed. Certain concessions for sprinklered carparks beneath other occupancy classifications also no longer apply. Projects using assumptions from the previous code should therefore review their carpark arrangements carefully, particularly mixed-use developments and open-deck carparks integrated into residential or commercial towers.

Updates to Performance Solutions and Fire Systems

The revised code introduces changes that affect performance-based fire engineering and documentation. Performance Solutions now have a more rigorous assessment framework, with the means of assessment specified more precisely for certain performance requirements. Where structural performance is a factor in the fire engineering brief, quantified reliability indices are expected instead of relying only on qualitative judgement.

Combined sprinkler-hydrant systems using AS 2118.6-2026 as the acceptable solution also have revised pipework requirements. Plastic pipe is not permitted above ground in these combined sprinkler systems. Metal pipework is required throughout above-ground installations. This requirement has implications for new projects as well as upgrades to existing combined systems.

The revised provisions also introduce flexibility in some areas. Lightweight and steel construction is permitted for certain fire-rated load-bearing walls where the effective height is below 25 metres and the building is fully sprinklered. Situations that previously required a performance solution may therefore be addressed through the Deemed-to-Satisfy pathway where the stated conditions are met. Hybrid photoluminescent exit signs have also been added to that pathway.

Reviewing Requirements Before Project Approval

The transition makes early code confirmation particularly important. Before major design decisions are made, project teams should establish the applicable code version by considering jurisdiction, approval pathway, and the date when consent is likely to be sought. In jurisdictions that allow voluntary early adoption, the decision to use the newer provisions should be considered against the project’s circumstances.

For developments that include carparks and were designed using earlier assumptions, a gap analysis can help identify changes before they affect the design programme. Sprinkler requirements, Fire Resistance Level concessions, performance solution methodology, and documentation should be reviewed where relevant.

Vortex Fire provides code consultancy and fire safety engineering services. Its listed services include Building Code Consulting and Fire Strategy, Performance-Based Design, and Third-Party Active and Passive Fire Inspections. The company states that its inspection service includes witnessing testing and commissioning on projects under construction. Vortex Fire also works across locations including Sydney, Canberra, and other international locations shown on its website.

Conclusion

The current code transition requires a project-specific approach because Australian jurisdictions are adopting provisions on different schedules. Fire safety changes affecting carparks, sprinkler protection, fire resistance, performance solutions, and fire system design can influence project decisions when they are identified late. Building code consultants can help teams understand applicable requirements, while Building code consultants can support a structured review of fire safety compliance and documentation. Vortex Fire’s code consultancy, fire strategy, performance-based design, and inspection services provide relevant support for projects dealing with these requirements.

FAQs

Does the new code apply throughout Australia?

No. Adoption dates differ between jurisdictions. Some have adopted the newer provisions, some are transitioning, and the Northern Territory remains on NCC 2022 Amendment 2.

What is the major carpark change?

The revised provisions introduce broader sprinkler requirements, including protection for certain open-deck carparks, carparks exceeding 40 vehicles, and dedicated sprinkler coverage for car stacker systems.

Are previous carpark concessions still available?

Not all of them. Certain Fire Resistance Level concessions for open-deck carparks and sprinklered carparks beneath other occupancy classifications have been removed.

Are performance solutions affected?

Yes. Certain performance requirements now have more specific assessment methods, and quantified reliability indices are expected where structural performance is relevant to the fire engineering brief.

What should project teams do first?

They should confirm the applicable code version, review the project’s approval pathway, and identify any fire safety provisions that could affect design, documentation, programme, or approvals.