The 2025 NCC Updates: Is Your Perth Commercial Property Still Compliant?

For many owners and managers, Perth commercial property compliance has felt relatively stable over the past few years. That period of calm is coming to an end. The Australian Building Codes Board Board has confirmed the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 will be published on 1 February 2026, with states and territories able to consider adoption from 1 May 2026. If you are planning a refurbishment, extension, or new build in 2026, now is the time to check whether your current approach will still comply.

A quick reality check is important. The NCC does not usually force immediate upgrades to all existing buildings. Instead, requirements typically apply when you seek approval for new works, change a building’s use, or undertake upgrades substantial enough to trigger current code provisions. This is where unexpected costs and delays arise, often through redesigns, additional reports, and late-stage service clashes.

What is changing for commercial property

Building ministers have confirmed four key focus areas for NCC 2025:

• Water management

• Carpark fire safety

• Commercial energy efficiency, including mandatory on-site solar PV

• Condensation mitigation

For commercial owners, the biggest impacts sit within Volume One for Class 3 and Class 5 to 9 buildings, along with common areas of Class 2 developments.

Residential changes: what’s not changing

It is also worth noting what NCC 2025 does not introduce.

Building Ministers have confirmed a pause on further residential-only changes to the NCC following the release of the 2025 edition. Once NCC 2025 is finalised, no new residential provisions will be added until at least mid-2029, except where urgent safety or essential quality issues arise.

For Western Australia, this means existing residential requirements such as the 7-star energy efficiency standards introduced under NCC 2022 remain in place. Proposed future measures like additional residential energy upgrades, EV charging mandates, or new embodied carbon provisions have been deferred.

While this pause primarily affects housing, it provides useful context for mixed-use developments and Class 2 projects with commercial components. Owners can plan upcoming works with greater certainty, knowing residential compliance settings will remain stable while NCC 2025 changes focus on commercial buildings.

Energy: Section J tightens up

Energy efficiency provisions largely sit within Section J. Material released by the ABCB for NCC 2025 indicates updated Deemed-to-Satisfy pathways, new infrastructure requirements to support EV charging, mandatory photovoltaic systems, and measures that support future electrification. These changes can directly affect decisions around switchboards, plant space, and whether existing gas services should be replaced during a renovation.

Mandatory rooftop solar PV

Under draft NCC 2025 guidance, Deemed-to-Satisfy compliance offers two main options:

• Install PV across 100% of available roof space, excluding plant areas, trafficable zones, and roof sections shaded beyond stated limits, or

• Size PV using a minimum output rating per square metre of conditioned floor area, then adopt whichever option results in the smaller system.

Where buildings continue to use natural gas for space heating or domestic hot water, additional PV capacity is required to offset higher emissions compared with an all-electric design. Projects must also be battery-ready unless a battery is installed initially, including allowing spare capacity within the main switchboard.

In Perth, this requirement affects building types differently. Warehouse offices often have ample roof area and simpler access. Multi-storey offices may have limited usable roof space once plant, setbacks, and access paths are considered. Early confirmation of roof zones using Perth building permit drawings is critical to avoid late design changes.

Carparks: sprinklers and fewer concessions

Proposed NCC 2025 changes introduce sprinkler protection for all carparks with more than 40 bays, including sites that previously relied on open-deck concessions. Sprinklers are also required for car stackers, and some fire-resistance concessions are removed.

The ABCB links these changes to modern vehicle fire risks, including higher plastic content and alternative energy sources. Sites relying on older concessions should expect additional scrutiny when undertaking major upgrades or changes of use.

A sensible pathway to staying compliant

Commercial owners do not need to read the NCC cover to cover, but they do need a plan.

• Start by listing likely works over the next 18 months, including fitouts, plant replacement, façade upgrades, carpark works, or roof repairs. If any work requires approval, assume NCC 2025 may influence design outcomes once adopted in WA.
  

• Next, assemble three key evidence packs: roof and electrical capacity, energy performance, and fire safety. This is where a targeted NCC 2025 compliance audit can reduce risk by identifying likely upgrades early, helping keep budgets and timelines realistic.
  

• Finally, ensure building records are accurate and accessible. Current as-built drawings and service schematics significantly reduce approval delays. Where documentation is incomplete, many owners rely on commercial drafting services in Perth to create a clear, reliable set of plans that reflect existing site conditions.

  
  

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When do the NCC 2025 updates become mandatory for Perth commercial buildings?

NCC 2025 is scheduled for publication on 1 February 2026. Adoption may occur from 1 May 2026, with the final start date set by Western Australia.

2. What are the new mandatory solar PV requirements for commercial properties in Perth?

Draft Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions require on-site PV. This involves covering 100% of suitable roof space with exclusions, or sizing PV to a minimum output per square metre of conditioned area, whichever is smaller.

3. How do the 2025 Section J updates affect commercial building energy compliance in Perth?

Expect tighter Section J settings, mandatory PV, EV charging readiness, and electrification provisions. Where works affect the building envelope or major services, updated energy modelling is commonly required.

4. Are there new fire safety requirements for commercial carparks under NCC 2025?

Yes. Proposed changes require sprinklers for carparks with more than 40 bays, including some open-deck layouts. Car stackers must be sprinkler protected, and some FRL concessions are removed.

5. Does my Perth warehouse or office need a new Section J report for 2025 renovations?

In many cases, yes. Adding conditioned space, altering glazing or insulation, or replacing HVAC or hot water systems often triggers the need for an updated Section J assessment.