Compartmentation & Separation Building Codes & Rules

- Understand the key rules of compartmentation in high-risk buildings and discover how Tools™ can simplify compliance with easy-to-use, interactive graphics.

Fire Compartment 1

Fire Wall

Fire Rated Floor

Smoke Door

Fire Compartment 1

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (1) (a) (iii)

60/60/60 FRL^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (1) (a) (iii)}

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D15

≤ 40m^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D15}

Fire Compartment 2

Substation

or MSB

Class 2 & 3

Public Corridor

Plant Room /

Lift Motor

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D9

Building Classifications in Same Storey^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D9}

FRL as per highest Class requirement, or
Separated by a Fire Wall

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D10

Building Classifications in Different Storeys^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D10}

Floor separating between Storeys
Type A Construction
FRL as per Class of lower Storey
Type B & C Construction
≥ 30/30/30 FRL, or
≥ 60min RISF Floor / Ceiling system, or
Fire protective covering to underside of Floor system

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D11

Lifts & Stairs^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D11}

Lift Shaft separated if connecting
≥ 2 Storeys
≥ 3 Storeys if Sprinklered
Separated from Stair if either is required to be in a Fire-resisting Shaft

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D14

AS/NZS 3013:2005, 3.1.2

Substation & MSB^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D14AS/NZS 3013:2005, 3.1.2}

≥ 120/120/120 FRL separation
- /120/30 FRL Self closing Door
FRL not required to MSB if not maintaining Emergency Equipment
Emergency supply switchgear to be separated from non-emergency parts by metal partitions designed to minimise spread of a fault

Type of Construction

Type A Construction

Type C Construction

Lifts

Atrium

Large Isolated Building

Vertical Separation

Type A Construction^[1]
≥ 60/60/60 FRL between Storeys

Vertical Separation RULES

NCC 2022 V3

Class 2 to 9

NCC 2022, C3D7 [2019, C2.6]

May 23

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (1)

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (2)

External walls in Type A Construction^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (1)}
A Building must have elements to prevent vertical spread of Fire between Storeys
Vertical separation is achieved by
≥ 60/60/60 FRL & non-combustible Wall, Spandrel or Horizontal Projection separating each Storey, or
Building is Fully Sprinklered
Does not apply to^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (2)}
Open-deck Carpark or open Spectator Stand
Openings within the same stairway
External Walls where FRL of Floors are not required for integrity & insulation

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (1)

Type A Construction^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D7 (1)}
≥ 60/60/60 FRL between Storeys

Type B Construction

Class 9 Buildings

Class 9a Health Care Building^[1]
≤ 2,000m² Patient Care Areas
≤ 1,000m² Ward Areas

Health Care Building RULES

NCC 2022 V1

Class 9a

NCC 2022, C3D6 [2019, C2.5]

May 2023

Early Childhood Centre RULES

NCC 2022 V1

Class 9b

NCC 2022, C3D6(2) [2019 C2.5]

May 2023

Aged Care Building RULES

NCC 2022 V1

Class 9c

NCC 2022, C3D6(3) [2019, C2.5]

May 2023

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D6

Class 9a Health Care Building^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D6}
≤ 2,000m² Patient Care Areas
≤ 1,000m² Ward Areas

Plant Equipment

High Risk Plant must be separated by^[1]
120/120/120 FRL unless
Higher FRL required by Type of Construction
Self closing Door
- /120/30
Lift Motor Room to Shaft
120/ - / -

Plant Separation RULES

NCC 2022 V3

Class 2 to 9

NCC 2022, C3D13 [2019, C2.12]

1 May 2023

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D13

Plant required to be separated^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D13}
Lift Machine Rooms
Machine room-less Lifts excluded
Emergency Generators
Boiler Rooms
Battery Systems if
≥ 12V & 200kWh storage
On-site Fire Pumps
to AS 2419.1
Equipment Comprising
Emergency generators
Central smoke control plant
Boilers
≥ 12V & ≥ 200kWh battery system
On-site fire pumps
Central Smoke Control Plant
Excludes Stair Pressurisation to AS 1668.1, &
High Temperature Smoke Exhaust Fans

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D13 (4)

High Risk Plant must be separated by^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D13 (4)}
120/120/120 FRL unless
Higher FRL required by Type of Construction
Self closing Door
- /120/30
Lift Motor Room to Shaft
120/ - / -

Measuring Area & Volume

Include^[1]
Total space of the building, or
Space within a Fire Compartment
Exclude^[2][3]
Atrium Well
Mechanical & service facilities on top Floor

Volume & Area EXCLUSIONS

NCC 2022 V3

All Building Classes

NCC 2022, C3D3 [2019, C2.2]

May 2023

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (2)

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (3)

Top floor of Building only housing^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (2)}
Heating, Ventilation, Lift Equipment
Water Tanks
Other similar Plant Equipment
Volume of an Atrium Well^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (3)}
Measured from face of Floor Opening, &
from level of 1st Floor above Atrium Floor

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (1)

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (2)

NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (3)

Include^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (1)}
Total space of the building, or
Space within a Fire Compartment
Exclude^{NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (2)NCC 2022 Vol 1, C3D3 (3)}
Atrium Well
Mechanical & service facilities on top Floor

Informative

Parts of a Building from Class 1, 2, 3 & 4 ^Informative

Compartmentation not applicable