Fact sheet for the first edition 2019 Fire Acceptable Solution C/AS2

The new edition of Fire Acceptable Solution C/AS2 was published as single volume in 2019 and provides a means of compliance for most buildings (excluding simple residential and complex buildings) for the fire provision of the Building Code. The first edition of this document is no longer current. However, it is retained on this site as a historical record.

Key changes

After analysing the submissions from the consultation in late 2018, MBIE has corrected omissions and inconsistencies and incorporated the following key changes to performance settings in the new edition of C/AS2:

• Adjusted the setting to prevent buildings within 1 m of the boundary being constructed with no fire separations (e.g. all glass facades located on the property boundary).
• Simplified the content in C/AS2 by referencing D1/AS1 – Access routes rather than repeating the content from D/AS1.
• Adjusted building height demarcations for external wall cladding requirements from 7 to 10 metres’ building height.
• Removed the part-height partitions for Group Sleeping Areas.
• Removed a generic smoke control requirement for air handling system shutdowns.
• Adjusted the barrier height of solid balustrades on balconies to align with F4/AS1.

Minor edits

• Referencing the current versions of Fire and Emergency and Hazardous Substances legislation.
• Sections 3.7.4–3.7.10 and 3.7.12 (seating arrangements): adding risk group icons for clarification.
• The external cladding guidance content will not be incorporated immediately into C/AS2 as it requires further work.
• Section 1.1.3: reverting to the current wording from C/AS6 as it did not clarify intent for a stay-in-place evacuation strategy.
• Section 1.1.6: reverting to the current wording from C/AS6 to ensure hazardous substance regulations do not only apply to warehouses.
• Tables 2.2b and 2.2c: adding the reference to notes 5 and 6 to allow some fire safety system concessions for risk groups CA and SM, as per the current Acceptable Solutions.
• Section 3.4.3: removing the dispensation for travel distance extension for intermediate floors in household units, as it was not substantiated.
• Section 3.10.4: removing the new and unsubstantiated requirement for lift landings serving risk group SI.
• Sections 3.13.1 (smoke lobby requirement) and 4.16.12 (requirement for service and delayed evacuation): reinstating these erroneously deleted sections, and the reference to AS/NZS 60598.2.2 for luminaires.
• Section 6.1.2 (fire service vehicle hardstanding): clarifying this section applies to risk group SI only, as per original Acceptable Solutions.
• Section 3.7.15 c) iii): adding ‘final exits’ to clarify where an independent escape route on an intermediate floor may terminate.
• Section 3.10.2 d): removing the floor area restriction for sanitary facilities in exit ways, as per the original intent.
• Section 3.15.6.b): clarifying that vision panels are not required in ward bedroom doors, to align with current practice.

What did not change

• Key principles and settings that have historically been included in the Acceptable Solutions are unchanged, for example the travel distance measurement.
• After considering sector feedback, MBIE did not adopt the proposed change to storage buildings 'capable of storage consideration'.
• Although there are new tables included to clarify requirements for low-rise buildings, they are not a technical change.
• Adding the term ‘protected path’ into the new document.

When these changes are effective

• C/AS2 becomes effective on 27 June 2019.
• There is a transition period of four months. This means the previous Acceptable Solutions C/AS2–C/AS7 can be used to comply with the Building Code until 31 October 2019.
• If C/AS2–C/AS7 is used from 31 October 2019 it must be treated as an alternative solution.

View Fire Acceptable Solution C/AS2 

For more information, view the first edition 2019 of the fire Acceptable Solution C/AS2.