TECHnotes complement NATSPEC worksection Guidance text and cover a wide range of topics of interest to specification writers in 1 or 2 pages. They are general in nature and provide guidance for consideration that either relates to several worksections or does not fit into a generic worksection.
Numbering and classification of TECHnotes is based on the categories used for the AIA Environment Design Guide:
- GEN - General issues and miscellaneous
- DES – Design strategies
- PRO – Products and materials
NATSPEC worksections identify any relevant TECHnotes in Guidance text. A TECHnote will be reissued if it is significantly revised and the footer will reflect the date of reissue.
TECHreports are detailed reference documents providing a deeper understanding of particular construction related topics than is possible with a brief NATSPEC TECHnote. TECHreports are cited within the NATSPEC worksections where appropriate but may also be read for general interest. TECHnotes are researched and written by the NATSPEC editors and externally reviewed. Currency is maintained by the NATSPEC editorial team and TECHreports are updated twice a year.
The Publications Index includes abstracts of NATSPEC TECHnotes which are currently available.
TECHreports
TR 01 Specifying ESD
This TECHreport outlines the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) and their application to building specifications. ESD-related items included in NATSPEC worksections are listed and cross referenced to BCA and Green Star requirements.
Download TR 01 Specifying ESD
Download TR 01 Specifying ESD
TR 02 Information classification systems and the Australian construction industry
This TECHreport provides an overview of the use of classification systems for organising construction information for various purposes.
TR 03 Specifying Design and Construct for mechanical services
This NATSPEC TECHreport outlines how NATSPEC may be used to prepare Design and Construct mechanical specifications. It discusses some of the issues and presents a range of approaches for preparing these specifications. It does not address the suitability.
Download TR 03 Specifying Design and Construct for mechanical services
Download TR 03 Specifying Design and Construct for mechanical services
TR 04 NATSPEC for refurbishment retrofitting and adaptive reuse
This TECHreport outlines how the NATSPEC specification system may be used for refurbishment, retrofit and adaptive re-use projects. Key upgrade options are summarised and refurbishment related items in NATSPEC worksections are highlighted.
Download TR 04 NATSPEC for refurbishment retrofitting and adaptive reuse
Download TR 04 NATSPEC for refurbishment retrofitting and adaptive reuse
TR 05 Selection and design of Building IT systems
Provides guidance on how the component parts can be configured and how a satisfactory overall IT installation can be achieved using NATSPEC worksections.
Download TR 05 Selection and design of Building IT systems
Download TR 05 Selection and design of Building IT systems
TR 06 Procurement - Past and present
Outlines the major procurement systems used in the construction industry today, and how procurement has evolved from past methods.
Download TR 06 Procurement - Past and present
Download TR 06 Procurement - Past and present
TR 07 Providing access for maintenance
This TECHreport outlines the basic principles of providing access for maintenance, current requirements in Australian legislation and standards, and, good practice.
TR 08 Management of Council gravel pits in country areas - A case study
This TECHreport outlines the basic principles of providing access for maintenance, current requirements in Australian legislation and standards, and, good practice.
TECHnotes
DES 001 Slip resistance performance
Raises awareness of the design and documentation requirements for optimising slip resistance of pedestrian surface materials.
DES 001 Slip resistance performance
DES 001 Slip resistance performance
DES 002 Moisture content in timber floors
Addresses ways to take this movement into consideration when a floor is being installed.
DES 002 Moisture content in timber floors
DES 002 Moisture content in timber floors
DES 003 Fire hazard properties of insulation and pliable membranes
Addresses the fire hazard properties of insulation materials as dealt with in both the BCA and in NATSPEC.
DES 003 Fire hazard properties of insulation and pliable membranes
DES 003 Fire hazard properties of insulation and pliable membranes
DES 004 Air, moisture and condensation
Outlines the factors that affect the selection and detailing of vapour barriers in buildings.
DES 004 Air, moisture and condensation
DES 004 Air, moisture and condensation
DES 005 Preventing condensation on ducts and air handling plant
Addresses the use of insulation to prevent condensation on ducts and air handling plant.
DES 006 Specifying concrete
Outlines the factors affecting the performance of concrete and how to specify it.
DES 007 Static control floors
Discusses electrostatic charges and the basic types of static control floors.
DES 008 Preparation of concrete substrates
Discusses preparation of concrete substrates for secondary finishes.
DES 009 Limit state design
Introduces this method for designing and evaluating structures and for unifying structural codes and standards.
DES 010 Atmospheric corrosivity categories for ferrous products
Recommends a method for specifying atmospheric corrosion protection systems or products by referring to standards and the Corrosion Mapping System.
DES 011 Rainwater harvesting
Suggests ways in which a NATSPEC based specification can be used to specify a rainwater harvesting system.
DES 012 Using NATSPEC to specify BMS and automatic controls
Suggests ways to use NATSPEC worksections to specify Building Management Systems (BMS), building IT and automatic controls.
DES 013 NCC Energy efficiency protocol and software for housing
Discusses rating software and tools to demonstrate compliance with the NCC.
DES 014 Environmental rating schemes for buildings
Outlines the national voluntary energy efficiency schemes.
DES 015 BCA - NCC Volume One Energy efficiency provisions
Outlines NCC energy efficiency provisions for Class 2-9 buildings.
DES 016 BCA - NCC Volume Two Energy efficiency provisions
Outlines BCA energy efficiency provisions for Class 1 and Class 10a buildings.
DES 017 Selection of sealants
DES 018 Bushfire protection
Summarises the factors influencing bushfires and the planning, construction and maintenance requirements for bushfire protection.
DES 019 Pipe support spacing
Tabulates the pipe support spacings nominated by several Australian standards. It covers pipes of various materials and diameters and carrying a range of liquids and gases.
DES 020 Fire behaviour of building materials and assemblies
Provides guidance on the National Construction Code (NCC) classification of the fire behaviour of building materials and assemblies and where to specify in NATSPEC.
DES 021 Site electricity supply
Highlights design and construction issues for consideration and suggests suitable NATSPEC worksections for the documentation of electricity supplies.
DES 022 Microbial control
Discusses the requirement for microbial control in building services and how this is dealt with in NATSPEC.
DES 023 Mechanical services pipe and vessel insulation
Addresses the selection of appropriate levels of insulation for piping, vessels and heat exchangers with curved surfaces.
DES 024 Water sensitive urban design (WSUD)
Outlines the objectives and application of water sensitive urban design principles and suggests where they can be implemented in AUS-SPEC.
DES 025 Mechanical design and install HVAC checklist
Provides a checklist intended to assist the architect or building designer in the assessment of proposals for the design and installation of HVAC systems.
DES 026 Living walls and roofs
Highlights design and construction issues and suggests suitable NATSPEC worksections for the documentation of living walls and roofs.
DES 027 Impact sound insulation
DES 028 Grass seeding and turfing
Provides guidance on the selection of grass seed mixes and turf species for general landscaping.
DES 029 Native grass lawns
Discusses several of the native grass species suitable for lawn applications.
DES 030 Seismic design actions on non-structural components
Discusses the requirements of AS 1170.4 for seismic restraint to the non-structural components of a building.
DES 031 Specifying R-Values
Describes the various meanings of R-Value and the ways in which designers and specifiers can document compliance with statutory requirements.
DES 032 Airborne sound insulation
Addresses the use of insulation to reduce the transmission of airborne sound between habitable rooms.
DES 033 Duct leakage and leakage testing
Discusses testing of duct systems to AS 4254.2 to reduce energy consumption and improve the quality of the service delivered.
DES 034 Pavement stabilisation for unsealed roads
Discusses testing of duct systems to AS 4254.2 to reduce energy consumption and improve the quality of the service delivered.
DES 035 Improvement and stabilisation of unsealed roads
Preservation of existing unsealed gravel roads can be an economical and effective alternative to: · Frequent grading maintenance intervention. · Frequent gravel resheeting. · Full construction of a sealed road.
DES 036 Need for subsurface drainage on local roads
The objective of this TECHnote is to assist road owners identify the need for subsurface drainage. It further discusses the various options of providing subsurface drainage types on local roads.
DES 037 Accessible housing
Refers to housing that includes features which enable use by people either with a disability or transitioning through their life stages.
DES 038 Universal design - Introduction
The design of buildings, products or environments to make them accessible and usable to all people of different ages and abilities over time, without the need for adaptation or specialised design.
DES 039 Universal design - Slip resistance
Slips can occur when a person\'s foot loses traction with the ground surface due to surface contaminants such as water or grease, poor maintenance, inappropriate footwear or flooring product\'s finish and innate slip resistance rating.
DES 040 Universal design - Trip avoidance
Trips causing a person to lose balance and fall may lead to serious injury and hospitalisation. Statutory requirements are met by complying with Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions which focus on prevention of trips in critical areas. Qualitative guidelines comp
DES 041 Using design and install services worksections
NATSPEC provides design and install worksections for mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and fire services. These worksections are intended for use by architects and other designers without input from specialist services consultants, with the services design being completed by the contractor using NCC Deemed-to-Satisfy requirements. This TECHnote describes the use of these worksections and their limitations.
DES 042 Universal design - Lighting
Discusses lighting as part of a universal design approach. It looks at available standards, universal design guidelines, the design process, and other considerations for lighting design.
DES 043 Universal design - Wayfinding
Discusses wayfinding as part of a universal design approach. It looks at available standards, universal design guidelines, the design process, and other considerations for wayfinding design.
DES 044 Weatherproofing of external walls
Discusses design considerations and specification of weatherproofing of external walling to meet Performance Requirements of the National Construction Code.
DES 045 Corrosion protection of building services
This TECHnote aims to provide specifiers with guidance in deciding the required protection to prevent excessive corrosion.
DES 046 Universal design - Acoustics
Acoustic design can have a significant impact on health and wellbeing, communication and productivity. Good acoustic design allows for speech intelligibility and helps promote human interaction and knowledge transfer.
DES 047 Specifying air filters
This TECHnote discusses options for specifying particulate air filters for air conditioning and ventilation.
DES 048 Chiller schedules
NATSPEC worksections cover a wide range of chillers including those with centrifugal, screw or scroll compressors, air or water cooling and heat recovery. Absorption chillers are also included.
DES 049 Office Lighting Design - The Lumen Method
The lumen method, or zonal cavity method, is an initial calculation for office lighting design, to determine the number of fixtures required (N).
DES 050 Weepholes
Weepholes are the unfilled gaps provided at regular intervals in the vertical mortar joints of external masonry or masonry veneer walls.
DES 051 Efflorescence
This TECHnote is to outline the nature, causes, control measures and treatment of the more prevalent white efflorescence.
GEN 001 Getting help
GEN 002 NATSPEC’s use of standards
Discusses use of Australian and other standards in specification writing.
GEN 003 Multiple contracts and ‘work by others’
Suggests ways in which NATSPEC can be used for projects procured using multiple contracts, also called packaged contracts or multiple prime contracts.
GEN 004 Shop drawings and samples
Addresses the need for shop drawings and samples, their management and the documentation of requirements in a construction contract.
GEN 005 Specifications
GEN 006 Product specifying and substitution
Reviews generic and proprietary specification and NATSPEC’s procedure for substitution of specified products.
GEN 007 Making sure your specification is up-to-date
Offers updating strategies relating to NATSPEC information.
GEN 008 Branded versus generic worksections
Defines both types of worksection and outlines their advantages.
GEN 009 Hold points and witness points
Defines hold points and witness points and explains their contractual implications in the context of both NATSPEC and AUS-SPEC worksections.
GEN 010 Mechanical commissioning strategies
Discusses alternative mechanical balancing and commissioning strategies, which have a significant impact on the performance of mechanical services.
GEN 011 Specifying NCC requirements
Discusses specifying NCC compliance based on Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions or by using a Performance (Alternative) Solution.
GEN 012 Door hardware scheduling
Outlines the two alternative approaches to specifying door hardware provided for in SELECTIONS in NATSPEC’s 0455 Door hardware worksection.
GEN 013 Specifying quality
Communicating the requirements for quality is the main technical function of the specification. This TECHnote outlines how NATSPEC is used to achieve quality in construction projects.
GEN 014 Submissions and testing
Addresses the specification of the various contractor’s submissions and tests that may be required during the construction process.
GEN 015 Using the NATSPEC classification system to organise information
Discusses how the NATSPEC National classification system can be a useful means of organising construction information other than specification content.
GEN 016 Preliminaries and contract schedules
Aims to clarify items which are sometimes overlapping in the General conditions of contract and the specification’s Preliminaries.
GEN 017 Using AUS-SPEC for asset management
Provides guidance on using the AUS-SPEC specification system for asset management.
GEN 018 Using AUS-SPEC for asset maintenance
Aims to describe the philosophy and components of the AUS-SPEC maintenance system for urban and open spaces, buildings and facilities, roadways, bridges and public utilities.
GEN 019 Using AUS-SPEC for contract documentation
Provides an overview on using AUS-SPEC for standard and period supply and service contract documentation for the life cycle management of assets.
GEN 020 Building commissioning
Provides information on the process of whole-building commissioning and the role of a Commissioning Authority on a project, discussing how NATSPEC can be used for whole-building commissioning.
GEN 021 Scope of works clauses
Discusses the benefits and risks of Scope of Works clauses and suggests approaches to writing an effective clause.
GEN 022 Using AUS-SPEC for asset delivery
Describes the benefits of using AUS-SPEC in providing a documentation system for the delivery of assets, to meet essential services required by the community.
GEN 023 Using AUS-SPEC for management of unsealed roads
Provides guidance on using the AUS-SPEC specification system for the design, construction and maintenance of unsealed roads.
GEN 024 Using NATSPEC SELECTIONS schedules
GEN 025 Sprayed preservation surfacing treatment
Assists road owners in determining the most appropriate sprayed preservation surfacing.
GEN 026 Otta seal - A different approach for road sealing
Aims to assist road owners to understand the feasibility of using Otta seal for low traffic volume unsealed gravel roads.
GEN 027 Maintenance of unsealed roads
Aims to assist local road authorities to maintain low volume unsealed gravel roads.
GEN 028 Specifying recycled materials for roadworks using AUS-SPEC
To assist local road authorities implement the use of recycled materials by including it in their policies, construction specifications and approval processes.
GEN 029 Design and specification guidance text in NATSPEC
Discusses how NATSPEC worksection Templates include guidance in the form of ‘hidden’ Guidance text to help specifiers select the most appropriate worksections and edit Template content to create a project specification.
GEN 030 Digital archiving - Introduction
Addresses requirements for successful long-term storage of, and access to, digital archival records.
GEN 031 Digital Archiving Glossary
Digital archiving is the process of collecting records in a digital environment. Records may include drawing documentation, specifications, reports, email correspondence and photographs, and may be stored in a range of file types.
GEN 032 Digital Archiving - File naming and project folder structure
Clear and consistent file naming and folder structures will make it easier to rapidly locate files, including the latest versions of files, reducing confusion and the likelihood of potentially costly mistakes, while also facilitating the reliable retrieval of files from the project archive.
GEN 033 Understanding two-part specifications
A two-part specification allows for up-to-date content, consistent baseline quality and reduced risk. NATSPEC reference specifications are updated periodically to account for any new editions or amendments of standards and other referenced documents.
GEN 034 Construction product conformity
This TECHnote aims to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of construction product conformity by designers, specifiers, contractors and manufacturers.
PRO 001 CCA treated timber
PRO 002 Mineral wool
Discusses the manufacture, properties and safety issues related to the use of mineral wool.
PRO 003 Warranties for steel protective paint coatings
Discusses the requirements for and availability of warranties for steel protective coatings.
PRO 004 Ceramic tile and adhesive selection
Provides guidance to specifiers on the selection of ceramic tiling and adhesives used for fixing the tiles.
PRO 005 Formaldehyde - indoor air quality
Discusses the effects and control of formaldehyde emissions within a building and how NATSPEC can be used to meet the mandatory requirements for formaldehyde emissions.
PRO 006 Glass types used in buildings
Provides guidance on the types of glass used in buildings, their properties and the manufacturing processes involved.
PRO 007 Refrigerants
Discusses the background and implications of Australia’s phase-out of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants and the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, in conformance with international protocols and mark