On this page:
Class 2 buildings Class 3 buildings Mixed classification buildings Serviced apartments The
Building Code of Australia classifies a building or a part of a building by the purpose for which it is designed, constructed or adapted to be used.
Here is an overview of how buildings with multiple dwellings within are classified.
Class 2 buildings
Class 2 buildings contain two or more sole-occupancy units each being a separate dwelling. The occupancy and use of the separate units should be similar to a house and because the residents are permanent and related they will be familiar with the building and have a degree of control over, and vested interest in, what happens within the unit.
Apartments are class 2 buildings.
Concessions applying to class 2 buildings
Disability access
There are no access or facility requirements for people with a disability.
Energy efficiency
There are less stringent requirements based on the assumption that buildings will be used as permanent dwellings and that the occupants will pay the electricity bills.
Fire safety
- self-contained smoke alarms are permitted with no requirement for a full smoke detection system
- no requirement for a fire alarm monitoring system connected to a fire station dispatch centre (unless fire sprinklers are required)
- additional exit sign exemptions
- sound and intercom systems for emergency purposes are not required unless the building is more than 25 metres high.
[top of page]
Class 3 buildings
Class 3 buildings are residential buildings, other than a class 1 or 2, which are a common place of long term or transient living for a number of unrelated people. The fact that the people are unrelated is very important for distinguishing them from class 1 or 2 buildings.
Class 3 buildings have separate sole-occupancy units that are not intended to be occupied and used on a permanent basis by related people.
Some examples of class 3 buildings include:
- a boarding-house
- guest house
- hostel
- lodging-house
- backpackers accommodation
- residential part of a hotel or motel
- residential parts of schools.
[top of page]
Mixed classification buildings
A number of different arrangements for apartment living are now available in the marketplace. In some buildings a number of units are permanently occupied by the owners and the remainder are available for short term accommodation. In this situation the mix can often change and it may be impractical to separate the building into class 2 and class 3 parts.
To provide the desired flexibility in the buildings use it should be classified for both class 2 and 3 in accordance with Clause A3.4 of the Building Code of Australia. This means that the building and units must be fully compliant for both classifications.
[top of page]
Serviced apartments
It would be possible for a building to contain serviced apartments in which the occupants of each unit are permanent residents and related to one another. In such a case it would be a class 2 building. However, it is more likely that a building with serviced apartments (either wholly or in part) will be operated like a hotel where apartments will be available for short term accommodation by unrelated people. In these instances the building should either have dual classifications (2 and 3) or just class 3 if all of the apartments will be available.
Where a building is described by the applicant as being either class 2 or serviced apartments, a building surveyor should query the nature of the intended use and if the apartments will be available for short term accommodation by unrelated people then the building must be classified as class 3.
[top of page]
More information
Other websites
Building Code of Australia