The Building Code of Australia (BCA) guides construction in each state and territory. Understanding how to apply the BCA in everyday work situations ensures structures are safe and comply with the law.
In this introductory self-paced course, you'll learn how to interpret the BCA and its role in the design and construction of buildings. You'll become familiar with the BCA sections that relate to various construction disciplines, such as civil, structural, hydraulics, mechanical and fire.
Using examples and case studies, you'll cover:
- how the law is structured in Australia
- variations to the BCA in each state and territory
- how to meet performance requirements under the BCA
- subordinate regulatory documents (known as reference documents).
By the end of the course, you'll be able to apply relevant BCA resources to your project. You'll also be better informed to discuss the BCA with building certifiers and other engineers involved in your project.
This course is delivered in partnership with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE):
The BCA is a very important document for design and construction as it sets the minimum requirements for health, safety and amenity of people in buildings to ensure consistent outcomes throughout Australia. Practitioners should recognise the BCA sets out to protect people and is worthy of attention, yet the BCA is not intended to solve the problem of what “good” looks like in design and construction. What good looks like is left to the designer or constructor to create.
*1% credit card surcharge applies.
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1 January - 31 December
Once you register, you will be provided with access to the EEA Online platform to start this course.
We can arrange a bulk corporate registration for 10 or more learners.
This course can also be customised to align to your business objectives or L&D needs.
Find out how we can help you and your team by completing an enquiry form or calling us on +61 3 9321 1700.
- Explain the hierarchy of building laws and legislation and how they are created
- Identify and navigate relevant building legislation
- Identify the Building Code of Australia (BCA) as a part of the National Construction Code (NCC) written by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB)
- Acknowledge the BCA as a performance-based code consisting of performance requirements that can be complied with in multiple ways.
- Understand the application and relevance of state variations within the BCA
- Determine the right BCA year and related reference documents for a project, including determining the significance of storeys and effective height
- Navigate various and describe the various sections of the BCA, including State variations, performance requirements, verification methods, DTS provisions and reference standards
- Describe instances where performance solutions are required, including assessment methods and approval processes
This course will develop an understanding of how compliant solutions in accordance with the BCA can be achieved through prescribed methods, alternate methods or a combination of both. The course supports these predefined methods with case studies and examples to help you think about how you can achieve compliance in your area of practice.
The course also references State and Territory legislation that play a significant role in defining the backbone for compliance requirements within the construction industry. Knowledge of these areas is thought to be quite limited, so understanding this will help you develop solutions that are not only compliant, but also consistent across the country.
Is this course for you?
This course suits engineering and construction professionals, including:
- design engineers
- builders
- project managers
- architects
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Topics we'll cover
- Introduction to law
- Building regulatory framework
- Understanding the National Construction Code (NCC)
- Understanding the BCA and its structure
- Developing performance solutions
Darin is an experienced fire engineer and educator.
During his career, Darin has provided fire design and engineering solutions for complex and iconic projects. He has worked throughout Australia and around the world, including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Indonesia and even the small island nation of Nauru.
He has applied his specialists skills to projects involving property, industrial, social infrastructure, telecommunications, transport, energy and power.
Darin has been sharing his extensive knowledge as an educator for more than a decade.
James Skubevski is a civil engineer working in hydraulic services at Warren Smith Consulting Engineers.
James combines his technical knowledge with a strong work ethic. He uses current problem-solving techniques to deliver design outcomes for various projects.
James explains the practical aspects of hydraulic design during his training.
Vish Gopakumar is a mechanical engineer. He started with Warren Smith Consulting Engineers as a graduate engineer in hydraulic services.
Vish delivers quality work on a variety of projects across sectors such as healthcare and residential developments.
Always focused on self-improvement, Vish imparts his technical knowledge with enthusiasm.
Thomas (Tom) Wise in an engineer who specialises in hydraulic services for buildings. He is a leading healthcare designer. He enjoys applying his skills to contribute to better public health for the community.
Tom has provided input to the National Construction Code, Australian Standards, The Australian Health Facility Guidelines, as well as technical papers for the Hydraulic Consultants Association of Australasia.
Tom's training offers practical engineering design examples drawn from his extensive experience.
This course is delivered through EEA Online, our new digital learning platform.
You'll learn using a mix of practical case studies, quizzes and reading, audio and video materials. You'll also apply your knowledge in practice with a variety of assessment tasks and learning checks.
It will take approximately 8 hours to complete.
As it is self-paced, you can start anytime and save your progress as you finish each module.
Once you register for the course, you have 90 days to complete it.
Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a digital badge as evidence of your achievement. Learn more about Engineering Education Australia’s digital badges including how to claim and share on our Frequently asked questions page.
This will also count towards the number of Engineers Australia Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours you can claim.
EEA Online access
EEA Online is powered by leading Learning Management System (LMS), Canvas by Instructure.
Once you register for a course, you will be provided with access to the EEA Online Canvas platform to start this course.
If you are registering for your first EEA Online course, you will receive an email from [email protected] inviting you to set up your EEA Online account.
Supported Browsers
For best performance, please use the most recent major release of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. Read more about the current supported browsers on Canvas:
Mobile access
EEA Online is mobile friendly, however desktop is preferred. Please read through the following information on mobile access via Canvas:
An efficient introduction into building industry requirements. The most beneficial element was the link to applicable realities within the Building Industry, a must know for Designers, and access to further online resources to research yourself when needed.
