Exterior timber wall cladding currently faces complex regulatory barriers across the design and construction industry that result in added time and cost to projects. Even minor deviations from standard rules often trigger requests for custom solutions, delaying approvals and driving up costs—making timber a less attractive choice.
This proposed FWPA standard has been drafted by industry technical experts with input from timber cladding producers to provide a wider range of design options and remove the need to engage external consultants.
Unlocking Opportunities for Timber Products
The aim is to seek referencing of the proposed standard in National Construction Code (NCC) for compliance purposes.
- The proposed FWPA Standard introduces a non-mandatory Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) solution specifically for exterior timber wall cladding systems, offering an additional, streamlined compliance path for meeting condensation and weatherproofing requirements in the National Construction Code (NCC).
- Currently, there are no commercial building DTS solutions for using exterior timber wall cladding Volume One of the NCC.
- This Standard provides a first-of-its-kind pre-approved solution, significantly reducing the need for costly, customised Performance Solutions.
- For domestic projects under Volume Two, it accounts for modern cladding systems and updated installation methods, simplifying and expediting compliance.
Public Comment Period
To achieve NCC recognition, the FWPA Standard is being developed in line with the Australian Building Codes Board’s Protocol for the Development of National Construction Code Referenced Documents.
The public comment period for this standard was open from 13 November 2024 to 7 February 2025, allowing all relevant industry members to review and provide feedback.