WOBO Governor David Gibson thanks Gary for his update in respect of developments of ABCB in Australia.

This is the first of a new series of messages from Gary Rake to help share information about the work of the ABCB. These regular messages will focus on news and updates from the ABCB, as well as things he has seen, read, heard or done over the previous month that might be of broader interest.

In recent months they have continued to work on the Livable Housing Project and you will find some more details below.

They have also been working hard to help industry prepare for NCC 2022. If you weren’t able to attend one of our NCC 2022 seminars or webinars or would like a refresher on the content, videos are now available online covering all presentations.

Livable Housing Project Update and Project Review

The ABCB has worked with experts and stakeholders to develop minimum accessibility requirements for Class 1a buildings (houses) and Class 2 sole-occupancy units (apartments) for inclusion in NCC 2022. The new requirements are based on the Livable Housing Design Guidelines’ silver standards and will ensure that future homes are designed and constructed to better meet the needs of the community, including older Australians and those with disability.

Micro mobility – electric bikes & scooters
A cautionary note from our fire authorities

Readers in NSW might have seen a recent statement from Fire and Rescue NSW about the increasing rate of fires associated with the charging of some lithium battery devices like e-bikes and e-scooters. While these consumer products fall outside the remit of the ABCB, I think this is a good reminder for all of us to think about fire safety with all devices and follow the practical advice from our fire authorities.