1.1 What is the Building Quality Standards Handbook?
The Building Quality Standards Handbook (BQSH) sets the minimum quality criteria for all school- and Victorian School Building Authority-led capital projects, including new construction, refurbishment and maintenance works. Its purpose is to assist architects and designers to create high-quality designs for school and early learning facilities across Victoria.
The BQSH uses 'early learning facilities' as an umbrella term covering 2 facility sub-categories:
- kindergartens, which include kindergartens on school sites (KOSS), kindergartens on acquired land (KOAL) and modular kindergartens for placement on or off school sites, and
- early learning and childcare centres (ELCCs), which are government-owned and operated facilities for education and care services.
Unless otherwise stated, the term ‘school’ encompasses the primary, secondary and specialist school types.
The term ‘specialist school’, in the VSBA/Department of Education context, encompasses the following:
- Special schools: cater for students with mild intellectual disability
- Special Development Schools (SDS): cater for students with moderate to profound intellectual disability
- Dual mode/specialist schools: (combining special and SDS roles) cater for students with mild to profound intellectual disability
- Autism schools: cater for autistic students
- Deaf schools: bilingual (Auslan/English) schools catering for hearing impaired students, and
- Physical Disability schools: cater for students with physical disability and/or health impairments.
The BQSH reflects the considerable expertise of the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) and Department of Education, developed from years of delivering and evaluating school and early learning building projects.
The handbook is reviewed in the first half of every calendar year in consultation with a range of BQSH users and key stakeholders. These annual reviews ensure the best practice quality criteria set out in the BQSH is continuously improved through aggregated findings from post-occupancy reviews, specialist stakeholder advice, and lessons learned.
Feedback is welcome as it helps us know what we are doing well and what we can improve on.
Project consultants can raise issues for consideration through their VSBA project delivery contact. VSBA and DE staff members can give feedback directly through the BQSH and Design Policy Unit.
Feedback will be considered during the annual review process.
1.2 BQSH users
The BQSH is primarily used by architects, designers and schools. The term ‘project consultant’ is used interchangeably with architects or designers.
Secondary users include VSBA officers, regional offices, portfolio managers and school and early learning facility staff, who use the BQSH for asset management and capital works planning purposes.
1.3 Structure
The BQSH has six distinct sections and 2 appendices. Each section is to be read in conjunction with any additional and external information referenced in that section, to build a complete understanding of the specific considerations for design of Victorian government schools and early learning facilities.
The six sections are:
| 1 | Introduction | Describes the purpose of this document and how it is to be used by project consultants to develop designs for capital projects at Victorian government schools and early learning facilities. |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Education vision and philosophy | Details DE’s vision, values and mission. Helps readers understand the core business of DE and the VSBA, and the need for project consultants to support DE’s vision. |
| 3 | Planning | Details the principles that inform the planning stages of best practice school and early learning building design. Provides insight to requirements to be considered before the construction phase of capital projects. |
| 4 | Special factors | Details special factors that may lead to additional costs or otherwise affect budgets. Special factors should be identified as soon as possible. |
| 5 | Technical specifications | Details the minimum performance standards for each element of the building, and describes the execution of key design elements. |
| 6 | Building handover and completion | Details commissioning, tuning, operations and maintenance information, and training requirements. |
The handbook is appended by a glossary of acronyms and initialisms.
1.3.1 The writing style of specifications
All technical specifications have been written in a performance/output-format. This is to encourage project consultants to use their knowledge and expertise in meeting the requirements of the VSBA.
Specifications include at least one of the following four key parts.
Specification intent
The specification intent is a basic description of what the element/product is. This statement of intent in most cases will only be a sentence. It will be clear whether or not users need to read on.
Applicable standards
Standards (including international, national and industry standards) reflect best-practice. Where applicable, standards will be quoted in the specification, in which the design must follow.
The following is an example of a standard quoted in a technical specification:
All lighting must comply with and be installed in accordance with the relevant Australian standard:
AS/NZS 1680.1: Interior and workplace lighting – General principles and recommendations.
In addition to the above standard, project consultants are required to comply with all associated and necessary standards.
Standards will only include reference to the number, rather than a specific version.
It is expected that the latest version of the standard will be adhered to.
As indicated in the standard example, project consultants are required to comply with all associated and necessary standards. The onus is on project consultants to identify any such standards. For the example above, the associated and necessary standard would be AS/NZS 3000: Electrical installations (known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules).
Performance requirements
Performance requirements are specific requirements of the element/product that need to be reflected in the design developed by project consultants. These requirements are presented as bulleted lists.
Hierarchy of requirements and departures
Experience has shown that some designs and products do not work in school environments. ‘Must’ and ‘should’ qualifiers seek to ensure that these products and designs are not used again, and those that work continue to be used.
BQSH Qualifier: 'must'
Definition: A ‘must’ requirement is critical for effective building operation, and/or required under other department policy (for instance, concerning safety, pedagogy or environmentally sustainable design).
How to vary a ‘must’ requirement: A request to vary a ‘must’ requirement must be submitted for endorsement on a Form 30 form with a costed, design team justification for the variation, based on safety and design, operational and maintenance considerations:
- in all design phases
- at tender documentation
- for approval at (delivery phase) design gateway/Planning Review Evaluation Panel (PREP) meetings.
BQSH Qualifier: 'should'
Definition: A ‘should’ requirement is the recommended method for achieving effective building operation, and/or compliance with other department policy (i.e. concerning safety, pedagogy or environmentally sustainable design).
How to vary a ‘should’ requirement: A request to vary a ‘should’ requirement must be submitted on a Form 30 form with a costed justification for the variation, based on safety and design, operational and maintenance considerations:
- in all design phases
- at tender documentation, and, at minimum,
- project design-level meetings.
BQSH Qualifier: 'where installed'
Definition: The phrase 'where installed' refers to design elements that are not mandatory (such as sensory rooms or vape detectors) and installed on a case-by-case basis. It is used when minimum quality criteria applies to these elements, for instance, for safety or system integration reasons.
1.4 BQSH hierarchy of requirements
The BQSH sets out performance criteria requirements that build on statutory and legislative requirements. Expert knowledge of and compliance with the NCC and/or National Law Act and Regulations, for example, is assumed, and the BQSH does not aim to replicate their requirements.
All work on school and early learning facility sites, including design materials, workmanship, testing and commissioning, must comply with relevant building and safety legislation, regulations, codes, standards and the version of the BQSH current at time of planning. Every effort has been made to ensure that the performance criteria set out in the BQSH aligns with the National Construction Code (NCC), National Quality Framework's (NQF) Education and Care Services National Law Act and Education and Care Services National Regulations (National Law Act and Regulations), National Quality Standards, and applicable Australian standards.
See section 3.6 for more information on legislative requirements.
Where no guidance has been provided for a particular product, element or design, please refer to relevant building codes, standards and legislation for further details.
1.5 Departmental and government procedures
Project consultants are required to adhere to all applicable VSBA, DE and government procedures and ensure that the requirements of each are reflected in the design and construction.
1.5.1 Project Management Framework
The Project Management Framework (PMF) provides schools and their communities, project managers, principal design consultants, cost managers and other consultants with the overall framework within which capital and maintenance projects must be delivered.
The PMF is to be used in the delivery of capital and maintenance projects with a value of more than $200,000. It is applicable to all school-led, partnership and VSBA-led projects.
1.5.2 Local Jobs First – Victorian Industry Participation Policy
The Local Jobs First Policy is comprised of the Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP) and the Major Projects Skills Guarantee (MPSG). More information can be found at Local Jobs First.
The Local Jobs First – Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP) ensures that small and medium-sized enterprises are given an opportunity to compete for government contracts valued over $1 million (if in regional Victoria) or over $3 million (in metropolitan Melbourne or across all of Victoria).
1.5.3 Local Jobs First – Major Projects Skills Guarantee
Under the Major Project Skills Guarantee, all publicly funded works contracts valued at $20 million or more must use Victorian apprentices, trainees or engineering cadets for at least 10% of the project’s total labour hours.
1.5.4 School infrastructure policies
The VSBA develops and reviews school infrastructure policies for use by Victorian government schools. These policies assist in delivering and maintaining a high-performing asset base that supports world-leading education and student outcomes for all Victorian government schools.
The VSBA takes a ‘whole-of-life-cycle’ approach to managing school infrastructure assets. Policies generally fall within four key asset life-cycle stages: ‘plan’, ‘build’, ‘manage’ and ‘dispose’. Policies are continually reviewed and developed to ensure the improvement of the operation and condition of Victoria’s government school infrastructure.
School infrastructure policies are on the DE Policy and Advisory Library, in the School Facilities and Infrastructure section.
1.5.5 School and early learning facilities area schedules
The required area allocation of each school or early learning facility is determined according to the facility type and enrolments (both current and projected).
Facility area schedules detail the number and size of functional spaces – including general and specialist education and care, staff work and amenity spaces that are scheduled for a school or early learning facility type.
Facilities schedules, which are available to DE staff and VSBA contractors, are used to determine built area for new schools or early learning facilities, capital and maintenance funding for existing schools, and are relevant to a number of VSBA programs – for example, the Modular Classrooms Program and Response Programs.
For schools, the School Facility Area Schedules are supported by the Explanatory Brief for Facility Area Schedules and Design Guideline (Design Guideline). The Design Guideline explains area allocations and design requirements according to the curriculum requirements and pedagogical approaches as well as expected spatial and functional relationships for each facility type. The Design Guide is available to current principal design consultants through the IPM platform.
Area schedules for early learning facilities are developed on a site by site basis. Child place numbers, rooms and additional facility scope are determined by the Education and Care Services National Law Act and, in the case of kindergartens, are contingent on agreed outcomes with third party partners and other strategic opportunities. The Early Childhood Strategy and Planning Unit prepares area schedules for each site prior to principal design consultant procurement. Indoor and outdoor space allocations in early learning facility design, including those in multi-storey buildings, must comply with the minimum requirements of the National Law Act. For further details, refer to Space Requirements for Early Childhood Services.
1.5.6 Shelter-in-place for schools and early learning facilities in bushfire-prone areas
DE maintains a Bushfire-at-Risk Register (BARR) that identifies schools and early learning facilities considered to be at the highest risk of fire danger within bushfire-prone areas. Inclusion on this register is a trigger for pre-emptive closure or relocation. Details can be found on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) webpage.
An important aspect of emergency management planning for these schools and early learning facilities is the designation of shelter-in-place. A shelter-in-place, or SIP, is a temporary shelter for educators, children and students from a potential or actual bushfire. The SIP’s design and location must take into account its bushfire attack level, and proportionately reduce the use of combustible materials, noting that a non-combustible material produces only a limited amount of heat and flame when exposed to temperatures of approximately 750°C, as per the tests outlined in AS 1530. It must also support the contingency of needing to leave the SIP and move to a secondary shelter location in the event of the SIP igniting.
Shelter-in-place is not designated with formal status by Emergency Management Victoria, nor does it provide the same bushfire protection as a fire refuge. A shelter-in-place is not intended to provide refuge to the wider community in the event of bushfire nor is it expected that the structure must survive a bushfire event.
1.5.7 Working with First Nations people
The Victorian government is committed to including Aboriginal perspectives in education space design, as per the Dhelk Wukang 2022–2026 Aboriginal Inclusion Plan. Meaningful, timely and culturally safe engagement with recognised First Nations representatives is an essential first step to doing this well. The VSBA’s Best Practice Guide for First Nations Engagement supports the department’s commitment by explaining who, what, why and how we engage with First Nations people.
Refer to section 3.1.2 Recognition of First Nations culture in new facilities and major upgrades for more information.
Updated