Performance Solutions: A Practical Guide to the NCC's Alternative Solution Pathway

Australia's National Construction Code (NCC) sets prescriptive ‘Deemed-to-Satisfy’ (DTS) requirements for most aspects of building design. But not every well-designed building fits neatly within those provisions — and that's where a Performance Solution comes in. For architects and engineers working on ambitious or unconventional designs, understanding this pathway can be the difference between a design compromise and a design that gets built as intended.

What Is a Performance Solution?

A Performance Solution is an alternative design that departs from the DTS provisions of the NCC, provided it can be demonstrated to meet the same Performance Requirements — the same level of health, safety, amenity and sustainability the Code is built around. Rather than following a prescriptive rule, the design team demonstrates compliance through evidence: expert judgement, comparison with a DTS benchmark, verification methods, or a combination of these.

When to Consider a Performance Solution

Performance Solutions are commonly used where a DTS provision would otherwise force a compromise on design intent, material choice, or building form — for example, non-standard fire separation, atypical egress arrangements, or facade systems that don't fit a standard DTS pathway. They're also frequently used to unlock genuine cost savings, by avoiding over-specification that a strict DTS reading would otherwise require.

The Performance Solutions Process

As a performance-qualified Building Surveyor, TWC Group works alongside the design team from concept stage, assessing which Performance Requirements are engaged and what evidence will be needed to support the alternative design. We prepare the Performance Solution Report for submission with the building permit application, documenting the methodology, supporting evidence, and how the proposed design meets the relevant Performance Requirements of the NCC.

Why Engage TWC Group

TWC Group has been assessing and approving Performance Solutions across Victoria for over two decades, including some of Melbourne's tallest and most complex buildings. Engaging early — during design development rather than after documentation is complete — gives your project the best chance of a smooth, defensible approval pathway. If you're an architect, engineer, or project manager working through a Performance Solution, contact TWC Group to discuss your project.