Shade sails

Standards
Compliance requirements for embellishments
Note:
- Where Australian Standards or part thereof have been adopted by legislation, they are a legal requirement.
- This list may not be exhaustive. Please refer to the relevant authority websites for updated information and current document distribution dates. These documents are subject to amendments from time to time.
Legislation
Refer Legislation for guidance.
Australian Standards/industry guidelines
National Construction Code (NCC)
The embellishment shall be developed in accordance with the NCC (current edition):
- Building Code of Australia (BCA) Volumes 1 and 2
- Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) Volume 3.
Safety in design (SiD)
Include Safety in Design (SiD) principles to eliminate, or if not reasonably practical, minimise risks to health and safety throughout the design, construction and life of the embellishment.
See Legislation – Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for additional safety guidance.
Shade sails
- AS 4174:2018 - Knitted and woven shade fabrics. Specifies requirements for the classification, performance and labelling of knitted and woven shade fabrics for horticultural and human protection applications.
- AS 1170.2:2011 – Structural design actions – Wind actions. Procedure for determining wind actions on structures (region B).
- AS 4100:1998 – Steel structures (includes Amdt 1–2012). Sets minimum requirements for the design, fabrication and erection of steelwork in structures. This Standard is referenced in legislation.
- AS 2741:2002 – Shackles. Requirements for forged shackles.
- AS 4055:2012 – Wind loads for housing. A process by which wind loads can be determined for houses that fall into the dimension limits imposed by the standard.
Structural design
- The shade sail must be designed by a structural engineer for the following wind loads:
- wind region – area specific
- terrain category – project specific
- site wind speed (ultimate limit stage) – project specific.
Designing for shade
- Creating Shade at Public Facilities: Policy and Guidelines for Local Government Edition 2 - prepared by Australian Institute of Environmental Health. Technical resource containing guidelines about ‘essential’ and ‘preferred’ quantities of shade at public facilities.
Designing for access and inclusion
- AS 1428 (Set) – Design for access and mobility. Design requirements for new building work to provide access for people with disabilities. This Standard is referenced in legislation.
Designing for safety (CPTED)
- Queensland Government – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) – Guidelines for Queensland, 2021. Provides guidelines about designing a safe environment to assist in the prevention of the opportunity for crime.
Erosion and sediment control
- Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control (BPESC) documents - IECA Australasia. Erosion and sediment control documents by the International Erosion Control Association (IECA).
- Queensland Acid Sulfate Soil Technical Manual: Soil Management Guidelines. Technical and procedural advice to avoid environmental harm and to assist in achieving best practice environmental management (BPEM).
- Procedural guide (Environmental Protection Act 1994) - Releases to waters. Best practice guide to achieve water quality objectives and management goals:
- from building sites and small construction sites less than 2500 m2
- from land development sites and construction sites greater than 2500 m2.
Trees
- AS 4970:2025 – Protection of trees on development sites. Provides guidance on the principles for protecting trees on land subject to development.
- AS 2303:2018 – Tree stock for landscape use. Specifies the criteria for the assessment of above-ground and below-ground characteristics of tree stock that are to be supplied for landscape use.
- AS 4373:2007 – Pruning of amenity trees. Specifies methods for pruning trees and gives guidance on correct and uniform practices.
Approvals/authorised person
Assessable development
A shade sail is deemed ‘assessable development’ and requires building approval from a private building certifier, and must meet all of the requirements of the Building Regulation 2006, the Building Code of Australia (current edition) and the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014.
Certification
- For all structures over 3.0 m in height, certification by a professional building certifier is required. The professional certifier will advise which forms are necessary. (e.g. Form 15 - Before construction, Form 12 - During construction, Form 16 - During construction at mandatory inspection stages, Form 21 - End of construction).
- Installation must be by an installer licensed to carry out shade sail installation.
- The contractor installing the shade sail is to organise a private certifier as part of the contract.
Equipment installation, inspection and maintenance
The manufacturer is to supply product installation, inspection and maintenance information for each item of equipment, illustrated where possible. Information should also include:
- Maintenance requirements – the manufacturer’s instructions will specify the type, frequency and methods of the inspections and maintenance regime and if a particular level of competence is necessary for inspection and/or maintenance.
- Specific maintenance requirements for the membrane, structure and components.
- Running-in requirements such as tightening of fastenings.
Coastal management district
- Ensure appropriate environmental approvals are obtained and the conditions observed where any building work is proposed in the Coastal Management District.
- Consult with Queensland Government Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP) – State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) for application forms, guidelines and information sheets.
Other
- Ensure all relevant approvals are obtained from the appropriate governing bodies and all conditions are observed.
- Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) approval is required for works near state controlled roads. This applies to any part of the road reserve including pathways, kerb and channelling, nature strip and traffic island.
Council additional requirements
Corporate documents
- Refer Overview of corporate documents for guidance.
Corporate liaison
Developer delivered assets
- Council (Development Services) – all works associated with any development application.
Council delivered assets
- Council (Parks and Gardens) – recreation parks, amenity reserves, linear parks, landscape corridors, sports grounds and recreation trails enquiries relating to asset management, business planning and direction.
- Council (Environmental Operations) – recreation trails, foreshore infrastructure, environment reserves, constructed waterbodies and wetlands.
- Council (Design and Placemaking Services) – recreation parks, amenity reserves, linear parks, landscape corridors, sports grounds, specific purpose (sports), recreation trails and streetscape/centres enquiries relating to design.
This component is currently in development