In the absence of an Australian Basement Code, building professionals defer to using the well-known British Basement Construction Code – BS8102:2022.
Whilst a useful starting point, this code is inadequate in Australia as it does not take into account:
- The NCC mandatory requirements for condensation and mould/mildew (introduced 1st October 2023).
- Groundwater management regulations of NSW DPE and Water NSW (and those of other States).
- Ongoing maintenance requirements for drained basements
To address this information gap, Burak Dincel, founder-chairman of Dincel Construction System has written Australian Waterproof Basement Construction with the assistance of building professionals, and the document has been peer reviewed by independent waterproofing experts.
This document aims to provide guidance to building ministers, commissioners, the department of planning for all State and Local Government authorities, architects, engineers, builders and developers regarding the design of basements and as input to any future Australian Basement Code.
Australian waterproofing experts are welcome to provide their feedback so that the document can be enhanced and made the cornerstone of development of an Australian Standard beyond BS8102:2022.