It’s great to again be providing you all with an update on all things technical, in what is our third VBA Building Technical Bulletin of 2023.
Building Surveyors Conference 2023
It’s always exciting to see our industry come together, in what was our fifth annual Building Surveyors Conference in Albert Park on 16 August 2023. The Conference saw industry leaders, innovators and thinkers discuss the many challenges and opportunities facing our rapidly evolving sector.
Newly-appointed VBA CEO, Anna Cronin, among many other industry and subject matter experts, covered a diverse range of topics, including building health, risk management, co-regulation, reform and the building manual.
In case you missed it, or if you’d like to rewatch any of the sessions, visit the VBA website . Practice Note updates and archiving
You may have noticed that the VBA have begun using email to notify the relevant practitioners, along with VBA staff and industry stakeholders, every time a practice note is updated, or a new practice note is published.
This is a new initiative which aims to keep industry across new and updated building practice notes to encourage compliance and best practice.
We’ve also initiated work to keep archived practice notes on our website, which were previously removed. This will help any practitioners or consumers with any disputes where they are required to access older versions of regulations.
Kind regards,
Andrew Cialini,
VBA State Building Surveyor
In this edition…
Changes to Building Regulations 2018
On 26 September 2023, amendments were made to the Building Regulations 2018, through the Building and Plumbing Amendment (National Construction Code and Other Matters) Regulations 2023.
Industry alert: Use of older NatHERS software versions
This industry alert is to clarify arrangements for use of Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) software during the transition period for National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 energy efficiency requirements.
Builder and building surveyor section 33 obligations
The Victorian Building Authority reminds builders and building surveyors of their obligations under section 33 of the Building Act 1993.
Failure to comply with a written Direction to Fix
It is a breach of the Building Act 1993 if building surveyors do not notify the VBA when a builder fails to comply with a written Direction to Fix, within seven days after the final date for compliance specified in the direction.
Sprinkler protection in European laundries
Building practitioners have been designing and approving European laundries within residential buildings without providing sprinkler protection where they are not more than 2.5m² (AS 2118.1 – 2017) or 3m² (AS 2118.4 – 2012).
