19 August 2020
Glazing is often a large part of shop and office fitout design. There are many areas that need to be looked at to ensure compliance under the National Construction Code (NCC).
The finishes selected for a project are an essential component affecting the design and completion stages of a project. In a commercial building however, there are some additional considerations that need to be given when selecting finishes.
The main issue with finishes and decorative materials can be compliance with clause C1.10 of the National Construction Code (NCC). This clause requires that wall, floor and ceiling linings, including attachments to walls and ceilings, comply with the material groups and fire hazard categories.
The requirements, such as maximum smoke growth rate indices, critical radiant flux criteria, spread of flame indexes and material groupings for certain locations and building types.
When selecting materials, be sure to obtain a copy of the current test certificate from a Registered testing authority (e.g. CSIRO or NATA accredited laboratory) is suitable for the application. If you cannot get a certificate for the product, chances are it may not comply, and should not be used.
Lighting is something that can completely change the feeling of a shop or office. The compliance stated in Part J6 of the NCC sets out specific requirements and criteria for artificial lighting within a building. This outlines the maximum illumination power density permitted per square meter of floor area based on the use, e.g. a restaurant/café can have a maximum illumination of 18W/m², compared to a shop which is permitted 22W/m² or an office which can only have 9W/m².
It is important when designing the lighting layout and selecting the type of lighting, that consideration is made to the maximum luminance power permitted under the NCC.
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