At Ekodeck we’re proud to say that all Ekodeck decking is fully compliant with Australian Standards, the National Construction Code (NCC, and the Building Code of Australia (BCA).
If you’re undertaking a building or construction project, you want to ensure that the materials used are structurally sound, safe and will perform how they have been stated to perform.
With the abundance of different composite products available in the market, it is essential to ensure that the material you are looking at is compliant for use in Australia.
What does compliance mean?
When we talk about compliance, we are referring to compliance to the National Construction Code (of Australia), which sets out the “minimum required level for the safety, health, amenity, accessibility and sustainability of certain buildings“, and that the building material is fit for purpose for the stated application.
Due to the relatively ‘young’ nature of composites when compared to ‘standard’ building materials like timber, steel and concrete, the onus falls on the supply chain to ensure that the building material is compliant.
Who is responsible?
Everyone in the supply chain is responsible to ensure that the chosen building material is compliant.
This includes (but is not limited to) the manufacturers, suppliers, installers, builders, architects and engineers involved with the ordering, supply, installation or design of any deck using a wood-plastic composite (WPC) decking product.
Any persons involved in the chain of responsibility may risk incurring significant penalties if a non-compliant product is used, regardless if there is failure.
“Being a deck installer, I didn’t realise that I was responsible for ensuring the products I installed were compliant. The last thing I was is to have to spend time replacing a deck because I’m liable for the product…”
Mike, Carpenter – Melbourne, VIC
Why is compliance so important?
Compliance with the NCC is essential to ensure safety, quality, and sustainability in the construction industry. It also helps meet legal requirements, and reduces risks and liabilities associated with construction projects.
The current NCC does not include a section explicitly relating to composite decking products, so they are considered non-standard building products.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) have recently released an industry-leading fact sheet on compliance of wood-plastic composite decking boards, which lays out the requirements for all WPC products to be considered compliant.
Suppliers of WPC decking boards and other non-standard building material must provide evidence of certain tests and certificates to demonstrate that their products are compliant to NCC standards.
Is it compliant?
With so many WPC decking products on the market, it can be difficult to ascertain whether the WPC decking boards you are looking at are compliant.
If you are unsure of a product’s compliance, ask the supplier to provide the documentary evidence to demonstrate their products comply with the NCC.
Construction documentation should include things such as NCC Performance Requirements, the need to support the use of WPC decking boards through the performance solution requirements of NCC 2022, Part A2G2 and the preparation of a performance-based design brief and formulation of the performance solution.
The structural performance of the boards should be signed off by a registered professional engineer.
All Ekodeck decking boards are fully compliant with the NCC and are engineered specifically for Australian conditions, in both residential and commercial applications.
Ekodeck’s compliance
Ekodeck has had in place for many years a rigorous and ongoing testing and compliance regime for our decking boards.
This ensures that Ekodeck always has up-to-date testing reports and certificates available, that our quality assurance is second to none and our decking is always compliant to the highest standards.
Our engineering evaluation certificates have been signed off by a registered engineer and are available for download on our website.
If you require performance based design briefs and performance solution reports for any of our decking boards please contact our support office. We would be happy to assist.
If you have any further questions about compliance please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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