ABB224 Construction Legislation
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | ABB224 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | Completion of 96cp or EGB273 |
| Equivalent(s): | UXH312 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,192 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,704 |
| International unit fee | $5,436 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | ABB224 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | Completion of 96cp or EGB273 |
| Equivalent: | UXH312 |
| Coordinator: | Madhav Nepal | madhav.nepal@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit introduces the Australian statutory requirements, building laws and legal frameworks that regulate building works and construction activities to provide a broad understanding of how the mandatory technical requirements dictate the selection of the materials, construction elements, facilities and services in buildings. It articulates the potential risks and issues associated with non-conformance and non-compliance and their impact on project cost, time, and quality. The ability to identify, assess and resolve issues of non-compliance in relation to the application of National Construction Code (NCC), relevant building acts, Australian Standards and associated legislative frameworks is critically important to achieve the minimum necessary performance requirements of buildings in relation to health, safety, amenity and sustainability. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are relevant to building professional practice in all areas of the built environment.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Independently locate and assess regulatory requirements to identify matters of potential risk critical to practical completion of buildings and rights to occupy building.
- Critically analyse issues related to statutory building compliance and articulate priorities to resolve potential impacts around 'on time', 'within budget' and 'quality' outcomes.
- Interpret and apply building legislation and relevant statutory requirements to determine the compliance of building construction.
- Identify and analyse the increasing social responsibility elements of building construction.
- Collaboratively work in a professional team to solve and communicate building legislative, regulatory and compliance requirements and issues in the planning, design and construction process.
Content
The unit covers a range of themes contained in the following:
Building Act 1975
National Construction Code (NCC)
Building Code of Australia Volume 1 (BCA)
Queensland Development Code (QDC)
Relevant Australian Standards
The Native Title Act
Other relevant Queensland legislation
Learning Approaches
The unit employs problem and scenario-based learning. The content and assessments are drawn from real world situations to enable students to identify and analyse building work related issues within the context of relevant building legislation and statutory requirements.
The unit provides you with the following knowledge and skills:
Building Act 1975; National Construction Code (NCC); Building Code of Australia Volume 1(BCA); Queensland Development Code (QDC); Relevant Australian Standards; Other relevant Queensland legislation
Your participation in the unit will include:
• Lectures
• Class exercises
• Tutorials
• Assessment consultations
• Exam discussions
• Reading designated course materials
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will receive both formative and summative feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
- Informal: worked example, verbal feedback in lecture and tutorial
- Formal: in writing, such as criteria sheets, written comments
- Direct: to individual students, in written form or in consultation
- Indirect: to the whole class, in lectures, tutorials or via the unit site
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in ABB224 Construction Legislation is designed to develop your ability to interpret, apply, and communicate statutory building and construction requirements in realistic professional contexts. Across the semester, you will progressively build skills in locating and assessing relevant legislation, analysing compliance risks, and evaluating building performance against regulatory frameworks.
The assessments move from individual application of legislative requirements, to collaborative analysis of real‑world compliance scenarios, and conclude with an examination that consolidates your understanding of construction legislation and its implications for project delivery, risk, and professional responsibility.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See Canvas for specific guidelines.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Inspection and Compliance Report
Working in a team, you will review a designated building and a range of existing buildings as case studies or examples representing different building classes and prepare a case study report. You will: (i) identify a building's different characteristics; (ii) identify examples of building elements that do not comply with the performance requirements of the NCC; and (iii) provide a range of examples of building elements that demonstrate social responsibility or sustainability.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See Canvas for specific guidelines
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Examination
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
There is no set text. Items selected by the unit coordinator will be made available to you online for your use throughout the unit. Relevant readings and other resources will be uploaded onto the unit Canvas website.
You are also required to use the following:
- The unit website
- QUT Library Databases:
- QUT Cite| Write: You can access QUT cite/write online (Free download from QUT library)
Risk Assessment Statement
All commencing SEF students are required to complete the Mandatory Safety Induction
There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.
Standards/Competencies
This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.
Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer
1: Knowledge and Skill Base
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination
Relates to: Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination
2: Engineering Application Ability
Relates to: Examination
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Inspection and Compliance Report
3: Professional and Personal Attributes
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Examination
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Inspection and Compliance Report
Relates to: Inspection and Compliance Report
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.AB01 Bachelor of Built Environment (Honours)
- Apply theoretical, practical and cultural knowledge and skills across a range of disciplines and specialist knowledge and skills in one built environment area.
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination - Design and critically evaluate sustainable and creative solutions to social, economic, technological and environmental challenges.
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination - Communicate knowledge, ideas and creative solutions in diverse modes, for a range of contexts and diverse audiences.
Relates to: Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination - Plan, develop and complete research and other projects.
Relates to: Construction Compliance Problem‑Solving Task, Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination - Strategically collaborate with diverse stakeholders and communities, including First Nations peoples.
Relates to: Inspection and Compliance Report, Examination