What Changes NCC 2022 Introduced to Section J-Energy Efficiency in Class 3 to 9 Buildings?

The National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 updated Section J-Energy Efficiency by introducing changes in Class 3 to 9 buildings and commercial spaces. These commercial buildings include hotels, schools, offices, stores, parking, factories, etc.

The main aim of energy efficiency provision in the NCC is to support the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) sustainability objective. If you are looking forward to constructing a building, you must know the updated NCC BCA Section J.

While recent changes mainly involve the naming conventions of the sections, you need to understand the new requirements these sections bring. In this article, we have discussed two vital areas of NCC 2022 updates, i.e., electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the parking area and features for generating and storing on-site renewable energy.

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Car Parks

According to the code, it’s mandatory for the car parks associated with Class 2, 3, 5, 6, 7b, 8, or 9 buildings to have dedicated electrical distribution boards for electric vehicle charging. Let’s learn about the requirements in detail:

Distribution board specifications

• The updated NCC BCA Section J specifies that each car in each storey must be equipped with dedicated electrical distribution boards.
• It’s mandatory to clearly label the distribution boards to indicate their purpose for EV charging equipment.

Charging control system and circuit capacities

The car parks must have distribution boards with a charging control system to manage and schedule electric vehicle charging according to the building’s total demand.

Future expansion and sub-circuit metering

• The size of distribution boards should be ideal enough to accommodate the electric vehicle chargers that will likely be installed in the coming years.
• In addition, distribution boards must have sufficient space to accommodate individual sub-circuit electricity metering to monitor electricity usage from EV charging equipment accurately.

Features for Generating and Storing On-Site Renewable Energy

Another critical aspect that the updated NCC BCA Section J emphasised is the inclusion of features facilitating on-site renewable energy generation and storage installation. Let’s learn about the requirements in detail:

Main electrical switchboard specifications

• The building’s main electrical switchboard must have at least two slots for an empty three-phase circuit breaker and four DIN rail spaces labelled for particular purposes.
• The labelled spaces should be designated for installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) and a battery system.

Roof area allocation for solar photovoltaic panels

It’s mandatory to leave a minimum of 20% of the building’s roof area to install solar photovoltaic panels to promote renewable energy generation.

However, the updated NCC BCA Section J report specifies exceptions for buildings with solar panels covering at least 20% of the roof area.

In addition, the buildings generating equivalent capacity of solar power generation elsewhere on-site, highly shaded roofs, roofs primarily used as car parks, roof gardens, terraces, or roof lights, or rooftops with an area not exceeding 55 m2, come under the exception.

To sum up it all

The inclusion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and features for generating and storing on-site renewable energy will lead to a forward-thinking approach to sustainable construction practices. The updated NCC BCA Section J report not only helps promote a greener future but also meets the increasing demand for energy-efficient and environmentally responsible buildings and commercial spaces.

As a construction business owner or a professional architect, it’s your responsibility to help your clients build a building according to Australia’s building code.

You can do the same by updating yourself about the changes introduced by NCC 2022 in Section J-Energy Efficiency in Class 3 to 9 buildings and commercial spaces. Knowing about updated NCC 2022 Section J-Energy Efficiency requirements will guide you to construct energy-efficient and sustainable buildings.