An atrium that doesn't meet a prescriptive smoke clearance formula. A basement car park with a layout no Deemed-to-Satisfy provision was written for. A high-rise egress arrangement that's genuinely safer than the code default, but can't be proven that way on paper. In Australia, these situations don't stop a project - they trigger a Performance Solution: evidence-based analysis demonstrating the design still meets the National Construction Code's underlying safety intent. HyperCurve provides the FDS and CFD simulation work that Performance Solutions are built on - modelling exactly how fire, smoke and airflow will behave in your specific building, not a generic one.
Key takeaways
- Performance Solutions under the NCC are common for atria, basement parking, complex egress and unconventional building geometry.
- FDS models the fire and smoke scenario; CFD models everyday ventilation - both are often needed for a complete fire safety case.
- The core safety comparison is Available Safe Egress Time against Required Safe Egress Time, agreed with stakeholders before modelling starts.
- Reports are prepared to support review by your building surveyor/certifier and other project stakeholders.
Table of Contents
Why Australian Projects Need This
The National Construction Code (NCC) sets out Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions - prescriptive rules that, if followed exactly, are accepted as meeting the code's fire safety requirements. Plenty of ambitious or unconventional designs don't fit those prescriptive rules neatly: a large atrium, an open-plan basement car park, a stepped or mixed-use egress arrangement. That doesn't make the design unsafe - it means safety has to be demonstrated a different way.
Performance Solutions Explained
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Performance Requirements | The underlying safety outcomes the NCC actually requires (e.g. safe evacuation, limited fire spread) |
| Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions | Prescriptive rules that, if followed, are accepted as meeting the Performance Requirements |
| Performance Solution | An alternative approach, supported by engineering analysis, demonstrating the Performance Requirements are still met |
FDS and CFD modelling are among the most common and credible forms of evidence used to support a Performance Solution, since they demonstrate outcomes - smoke behaviour, egress tenability, ventilation performance - for the specific building, rather than relying on generic assumptions.
What HyperCurve Provides
| Service | What it covers |
|---|---|
| FDS fire & smoke modelling | Design fire selection, smoke development, tenability and ASET/RSET analysis for evacuation scenarios |
| CFD ventilation analysis | Everyday airflow, CO/NOx dispersion and jet fan performance for car parks and enclosed spaces |
| Smoke control system validation | Confirming mechanical smoke exhaust and pressurisation systems perform as intended under the design fire |
| Performance Solution reporting | Documentation prepared to support review by your building surveyor/certifier and other stakeholders |
Common Building Types We Work With
- Basement and underground car parks - ventilation and smoke control for enclosed parking structures
- Atria and large open spaces - smoke reservoir performance and exhaust system sizing
- High-rise residential and commercial buildings - stairwell pressurisation and egress tenability
- Mixed-use and retail developments - complex, interconnected egress paths across different occupancy types
- [Add other building types relevant to your actual project portfolio]
Internal link: for more on the distinction between everyday ventilation and fire scenario modelling, see our article on Fire and Smoke Analysis Using FDS.
How the Process Works
- Identify the Performance Solution trigger: confirm which aspects of the design fall outside the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions.
- Agree the fire engineering brief: design fire scenarios, acceptance criteria and methodology, agreed with the project team and relevant stakeholders before modelling begins.
- Model the building geometry: the relevant spaces, ventilation, smoke control systems and egress paths.
- Run CFD and FDS simulations: everyday ventilation where relevant, plus fire and smoke behaviour for the agreed scenarios.
- Assess against agreed criteria: ASET versus RSET, tenability and smoke control performance.
- Document for review: a report supporting your building surveyor/certifier and other stakeholders' assessment.
Why Work With HyperCurve
- Combined CFD and FDS capability under one team, avoiding coordination gaps between separate ventilation and fire consultants
- Methodology built around defensible practice - documented assumptions, mesh sensitivity checks, and results presented for certifier review
- [Add your real turnaround times, project volume, or other verifiable proof points here]
- [Add relevant registrations, memberships or qualifications your engineers hold, if applicable]
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Engaging fire engineering too late. Bringing modelling in after key geometry is fixed limits how much the results can actually improve the design.
- Not agreeing acceptance criteria upfront. Design fire scenarios and criteria should be agreed with relevant stakeholders before detailed modelling, not retrofitted afterwards.
- Assuming Deemed-to-Satisfy is always simpler. For unconventional designs, forcing a prescriptive-only approach can be more restrictive and costly than a well-supported Performance Solution.
- Underestimating certifier review time. Build realistic time into the project program for the certifier and any other stakeholders to review the Performance Solution.
- Treating the report as a formality. A clearly documented, defensible methodology makes the certifier's review process smoother and reduces the risk of delays from requests for further information.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is a Performance Solution needed for fire safety in Australia?
A Performance Solution is needed when a building design cannot, or does not intend to, fully comply with the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions of the National Construction Code for fire safety - common examples include large atria, complex egress arrangements, basement car parks, and buildings with unconventional geometry. In these cases, fire engineering analysis, often including CFD and FDS modelling, is used to demonstrate the design still meets the relevant Performance Requirements.
Who reviews and approves a fire engineering Performance Solution in Australia?
Performance Solutions are typically developed by a registered fire safety engineer and reviewed by the project's building surveyor/certifier, often alongside other stakeholders such as the fire brigade or a peer reviewer, depending on the project's complexity and the requirements of the relevant state or territory.
Does HyperCurve work Australia-wide?
Yes, HyperCurve provides fire and smoke analysis services Australia-wide, supporting clients across all states and territories. Our team delivers remote CFD and FDS simulation services tailored to Australian project requirements.
What information do you need to start a fire and smoke analysis for an Australian project?
Typically architectural drawings showing the relevant geometry, details of the mechanical/smoke control systems where applicable, the building's classification and occupancy, and any Performance Requirements or acceptance criteria already agreed with the certifier or other stakeholders.
Conclusion
A Performance Solution isn't a compromise on safety - done properly, it's a more precise answer than a one-size-fits-all prescriptive rule, built specifically around how your building will actually behave. FDS and CFD modelling is what makes that precision possible, turning "we believe this design is safe" into "we've demonstrated it, and here's the evidence a certifier can review."
If your Australian project involves an atrium, basement parking, complex egress, or any geometry that doesn't fit neatly into the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions, engaging fire engineering analysis early gives your design team the room to actually respond to what the modelling shows - rather than defending a fixed design after the fact.
To discuss an Australian project, contact HyperCurve, or explore more fire engineering and simulation insights at HyperCurve.
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