What is the Building Code of Australia 2022
The Building Code of Australia, also known as the “BCA”, is a guide that helps Aussie builders create high quality and safe buildings.
The BCA is important because it sets out the minimum standards for all construction work in Australia.
If you’re thinking about starting a construction certificate or construction job, you’ll need to know a thing or two about the BCA
Here, we introduce you to the Building Code of Australia and how you can learn it.
Introducing the Building Code of Australia
All construction work in Australia has to meet the standards set out in the Building Code of Australia (BCA).
The BCA is actually part of the National Construction Code (NCC), which sets out the minimum standards that are acceptable in construction, and covers things like structure, fire safety, accessibility, health, sustainability, and more.
The BCA is technically the first two volumes of the NCC and has two main sections:
- Volume 1 – Covers commercial buildings, also called Class 2-9 Buildings.
- Volume 2 – Covers residential buildings, also called Class 1 and 10 Buildings.
We have the Housing Industry Association and the Australian Building Codes Board to thank for giving us the National Construction Code.
NCC 2019 changes
Because the construction industry is always changing, with new technologies and products coming out every year, the NCC must get updated regularly to keep up.
The NCC 2019 is just the latest version and will be updated again in the future.
The BCA also changes regularly, so anyone working on building or renovating homes needs to keep up to date with the latest codes.
Who needs to know the BCA?
Anybody working in construction will need to make sure that their building work complies with the Building Code of Australia.
This means that almost everyone working in construction will need to know what the BCA is, how to use it, and how to make sure their work is up to code.
The following workers need to understand the BCA:
- Tradies
- Builders
- Registered building practitioners (i.e. people with a building licence)
- Carpenters
- Construction managers
- Site supervisors
- Plumbers
- And more
How do you learn about the BCA?
The best way to get to know the BCA and the NCC is by doing a construction certificate with a registered training provider like Builders Academy Australia.
When you do a construction course such as a certificate or diploma, you learn about how to use the BCA and NCC in your specific line of work.
For example, if you want to become a chippy, you would do a Certificate III in Carpentry (CPC30220) and become a carpentry apprentice.
While completing your studies as part of your cert 3, you’ll study the parts of the BCA that apply to carpentry work.
Because doing an apprenticeship lets you apply your learnings to the real world, you’ll also get practice in using the BCA as part of your job.
Your employer, trainer and workmates will all be nearby to help you apply the codes correctly.
Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship and earned your trades certificate, you’ll be considered a certified tradie and an expert in your parts of the BCA.
Want to become a BCA expert?
By completing an apprenticeship and getting a trades certificate, you can do much more than become an expert in specific parts of the BCA. You can also advance your career.
Becoming a tradie is very rewarding, especially if you love working with your hands and being “on the tools.”
But after working as a tradie for a few years, you might like to get “off the tools” and move up to a more challenging and higher-paid role.
A lot of people go from tradie to construction manager or site supervisor, or they start their own business and look after a team of tradies.
To do this, you need a Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) (CPC40120), which qualifies you to supervise or manage low rise residential projects.
For an even bigger step up in your career, do the CPC50220 Diploma of Building and Construction (Building), which qualifies you to supervise or manage mid-rise residential projects.
With a cert 4 or diploma from a trusted school like Builders Academy Australia, you’ll develop even more expertise in the BCA and the NCC to improve your chances of having a great career.
Want to learn more about construction certificates and diplomas? Give us a call today on 1300 534 363 (LEGEND) or complete the online form, and one of our course advisors will get in touch soon.