Report on the Review of the Building Code: 13 Appendix 3 - Tables

Table 1: Physical conditions and events that affect how buildings perform

Physical conditions	Example of effects on buildings
Specific events that affect how buildings perform
Construction/demolition activity	Vibration, impact, loss of support, dust, noise
Earthquake	Fault movement, ground shaking, landslip, liquefaction
Tsunami	Collapse
Impact	Vehicles, machines, ships
Explosion	Internal explosion, external explosion
Land/ground movement/ landslip	Loss of support
Volcanic activity	Ground vibration, lava flow, lahar, ash fall, corrosion, geothermal activity
Wind	Pressure, moisture penetration, noise, vibration, fatigue
Snow, hail, ice	Moisture penetration, decay, weight, hailstone impact, wind-resistance
Rain	Flooding, rain penetration in storm events, initial construction moisture
Fire	Radiation, smoke, heat, fire spread
Physical conditions that could affect buildings all the time
Gravity - permanent	Self weight of permanent items, removable contents, creep
Gravity - transient	People, vehicles, machines, fatigue, removable contents
Earth pressure	Pressure behind retaining wall
Land/ground movement	Settlement, subsidence, swelling, freezing
Temperature	Temperature variation, expansion/contraction, freezing, condensation, inadequate temperature for health, energy use
Water and other fluids	Moisture penetration, condensation, humidity, scour, mould growth, shrinkage/expansion, fluid pressure, ponding
Vibration	Machinery, wind, building use, fatigue
Shrinkage/expansion	Wetting and drying, thermal movement
Machinery	Weight, noise, vibration
Human activity	Washing, physical impact, moisture, noise
Humidity	Moisture from use, weather
Noise	External noise, noise from building services
Environment	Toxic emissions, non-renewable energy use, material selection and disposal, water use, carbon emissions
Physical conditions that could affect the ability of a building to respond to the demands placed on it over a long period of time
Water and other fluids	Corrosion, decay
Reversing or fluctuating effects	Induced vibration, fatigue
Groundwater	Moisture penetration, decay, pressure, ground stability
Biological organisms	Fungi, mould, mildew, wood borer decay, vermin, disease, viruses and pathogens
Chemical action	Corrosion, sea spray, compatibility of materials
Humidity	Decay, mould growth
Sun	UV effects, effects on materials, over-heating, energy use
Contaminants	Hazardous substances, mould, toxic substances, contaminated air and water

Table 2: Performance groups

Performance Groups	Description of building types	Specific structure(s)
PG 1	Buildings posing low risk to human life or the environment, or a low economic cost, should the building fail. [These are typically small non-habitable buildings, such as sheds, barns, and the like, which are not normally occupied, though they may have occupants from time to time.]	'Ancillary buildings' meaning not for human habitation Minor storage facilities Back country huts
PG 2	Buildings posing normal risk to human life or the environment, or a normal economic cost, should the building fail. [These are typical residential, commercial and industrial buildings.]	All buildings and facilities except those listed in PGs 1, 3, 4 and 5
PG 3	Buildings of an increased level of societal benefit or importance, or with higher levels of risk-significant factors to building occupants. These buildings have increased levels of performance as they may house large numbers of people, vulnerable populations, or occupants with other risk factors, or fulfil some role of increased importance to the local community or to society in general.	Buildings where more than 300 people congregate in one area Buildings with primary school, secondary school, or day-care facilities with a capacity greater than 250 Buildings with tertiary or adult education facilities with a capacity greater than 500 Health care facilities with a capacity of 50 or more residents but not having surgery or emergency treatment facilities Jails and detention facilities Any other building with a capacity of 5000 or more people Buildings for power generating facilities, water treatment for potable water, wastewater treatment facilities, and other public utilities facilities not included in PG 4 Buildings not included in PG 4 or 5 containing sufficient quantities of highly toxic gas or explosive materials capable of causing acutely hazardous conditions that do not extend beyond property boundaries
PG 4	Buildings that are essential to post-disaster recovery or associated with hazardous facilities.	Hospitals and other health care facilities having surgery or emergency treatment facilities Fire, rescue and police stations, and emergency vehicle garages Designated emergency shelters Designated emergency preparedness, communication, and operation centres and other facilities required for emergency response Power-generating stations and other utilities required as emergency back-up facilities for PG 3 structures Buildings housing highly toxic gas or explosive materials capable of causing acutely hazardous conditions that extend beyond property boundaries Aviation control towers, air traffic control centres, and emergency aircraft hangars Buildings having critical national defence functions Water treatment facilities required to maintain water pressure for fire suppression Ancillary buildings (including, but not limited to, communication towers, fuel storage tanks or other structures housing or supporting water or other fire suppression material or equipment) required for operation of PG 4 structures during an emergency
PG 5	Buildings whose failure poses catastrophic risk to a large area (eg, 100km2) or a large number of people (eg, 100,000).	Major dams Extreme hazard facilities

Table 3: Maximum contaminant exposure levels in buildings

Group	Contaminant	Maximum long-term level (mass, volume) Time average	Maximum short-term level (mass, volume) Time average
Oxides	CO CO2 NO2 SO2	10mg/m3 - 8 hr 6300mg/m3 - 8 hr 40µg/m3 - annual 20µg/m3 - 24 hour	30mg/m3 - 1 hr 200µg/m3 - 1hr 500µg/m3 - 10 minute
VOCs	Formaldehyde		100µg/m3 - 30 mins
Particulates	(≤ = 10µm)	50µg/m3 - 24 hr
Particulates	(≤ = 2.5µm)	25µg/m3 - 24 hr
Asbestos		No safe level

Table 4: Scale of impact levels

TIL 0	TIL 1	TIL 2	TIL 3	TIL 4	TIL 5	TIL 6
Insignificant	Mild	Moderate	High	Severe	Very severe	Extreme
No significant effects on building elements, occupants or functions	Minimal consequence for loss of human life, or very small economic, social or environmental consequences	Low consequence for loss of human life, or small or moderate economic, social or environmental consequences	Medium consequence for loss of human life, or considerable economic, social or environmental consequences	High consequence for loss of human life, or very great economic, social or environmental consequences	Severe consequence for loss of human life, or very severe economic, social or environmental consequences	Extreme consequence for loss of human life, economic, social or environmental consequences

Table 5: Connection to the outdoors

1	2	3
No view	Partial view of distant landscape, extensive views of near landscape	Full view of distant and near landscape
No ability to observe external surroundings	Partial ability to observe external surroundings	Full ability to observe external surroundings
No direct sunlight in any part of the habitable unit	Future partial blocking of access to daylight is possible and probable	Future blocking of daylight to any part of the unit is very unlikely or not possible
Living room has access to daylight; no direct access to daylight for any habitable rooms other than a living room; service rooms do not have access to daylight	Living room has direct access to daylight; first bedroom has direct access to daylight; other bedrooms (if any) have borrowed access to daylight; kitchen has direct access to daylight; other service rooms do not have access to daylight	All habitable rooms have direct access to daylight; kitchen has access to daylight; other service rooms have access to daylight or borrowed daylight
Daylight in the living room enables occupants to read without eyestrain and without using artificial light, in 20 percent of floor area; borrowed daylight to habitable rooms is sufficient for occupants to move around safely during daylight hours without using artificial light		Average-sighted occupants can read using daylight only during daylight hours in all habitable rooms in 50 percent of the floor area of each room; sufficient daylight in the kitchen to allow safe use during 4 daytime hours, without using artificial light