Standards Australia and the Federal Government have partnered to waive the fee for access to the bushfire construction standard to support the recovery and rebuilding of bushfire ravaged communities.
All Australians will have access to AS 3959:2018 – Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas, a key standard referenced in the National Construction Code, for free.
The standard specifies requirements for construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas to improve resilience from burning embers, radiant heat, flam contact, and combinations of all three.
Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews said that waiving this access fee was a simple and practical way to assist, and part of the broader range of measures being provided through the National Bushfire Recovery Agency.
“Australians who are rebuilding their lives or planning new construction following the recent devastating bushfires should not have to worry about the cost of ensuring that their families are protected under the latest bushfire standard,” Andrews said.
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“We are pleased to be able to work with Standards Australia to ensure that this key standard is made available to everyone during the critical planning and rebuilding phase.
“I would also like to thank our peak standards body, Standards Australia, and its distributors – for making this initiative possible.”
In a release, Andrews said the recent bushfires have highlighted the need to ensure the safety of Australian lives, homes and property and designing homes to the highest standard is an important step to protect them.
The AS 3959:2018 standard will be made available by Standards Australia until 30 June 2021 through its distributor’s websites.