Fire and Egress Performance Solutions Under the NCC

A fire and egress performance solution shows that a building still protects occupants and neighbouring property even though it departs from a Deemed to Satisfy provision. It is one of the most common reasons a project needs a performance solution, particularly in existing buildings and on constrained sites.

Common fire and egress departures

  • Fire compartments larger than the Deemed to Satisfy limit

  • Travel distances to an exit that exceed the allowed distance

  • Exit widths or number of exits below the prescribed minimum

  • Reduced fire resistance levels for structural elements

  • Fire separation to a boundary or between uses

  • Alternative fire stopping, penetration or material solutions

How the assessment works

The NCC sets Performance Requirements, which describe the outcome a building must achieve, such as safe evacuation and limiting fire spread. A performance solution demonstrates that the design meets those outcomes by one or more assessment methods:

  1. Evidence of suitability, such as test reports or certificates for a product or system.

  2. Verification methods, which test the design against a defined calculation or criterion.

  3. Comparison with Deemed to Satisfy provisions, showing the alternative is at least equivalent.

  4. Expert judgement, where a suitably qualified person gives a reasoned opinion.

More complex departures often need a fire safety engineer. A consultant building surveyor coordinates that input, writes the report and makes sure it answers the questions the approval authority will ask.

What the approval authority looks for

  • A clear description of the departure and the Performance Requirements it relates to

  • A stated assessment method and the reasoning behind it

  • Evidence that is relevant, current and from qualified sources

  • Any conditions, such as maintenance or operational requirements

  • Consistency between the report and the drawings

Fire and egress in existing buildings

When an existing building is altered, it often cannot reasonably be brought up to full current Deemed to Satisfy compliance. A performance solution can set out which upgrades are practical and still keep occupants safe. Requirements and approval practice vary by state, so see our pages for Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.

Next step

If you think your design departs from the fire or egress provisions, take the free checklist or Request a Fee Proposal. For background, read What is a performance solution? and What is a performance solution report?. You may also want to see how much a report costs in our cost and timeframe guide.