Essential services are installed in buildings to ensure the safety of occupants especially in the case of emergencies such as fire, earthquake, and bomb threat and at other times such as power interruptions. These essential services act as tools to assist in the evacuation of people from the building.

Essential Services include such items as:- Ventilation systems to control smoke exhaust;

  - Fire stairwell pressurisation;
  - Sprinkler Systems;
  - Fire doors;
  - Exit signs;
  - Emergency lights;
  - Egress routes;
  - Hose reels and extinguishers;
  - Smoke Detectors
  - EWIS

Under the requirements of the Building Code of Australia and the Local Government (Approvals) Regulation 1993, CB Richard Ellis is required to provide annual certification of maintenance and compliance of the building essential services to Council. This certification must show that these services have been maintained and are capable of operating to at least the level to which they were originally designed and installed in the building.

CB Richard Ellis provides certification on behalf of the owners to Council for all essential services in the building common areas, car park and plant rooms. However, it is the tenant’s responsibility to maintain and certify to CBRE that the essential services within their tenancy has been tested and maintained in accordance with the Building Code of Australia and/or the Local Government (Approvals) Regulation 1993.

In typical tenancies, the following items are to be certified on an Annual Fire Safety Statement Form:

  - Exit signs.
  - Emergency lighting.
  - Sprinkler head layout.
  - Egress routes are maintained in a clear signposted manner.
  - Fire extinguishers are installed and checked as required.
  - Fail-safe locks.
  - EWIS

There may be additional services installed in some tenancies. Those essential services in your Council Building Approval (DA/BA) will need to be certified and maintained.

The building’s Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System (EWIS) is tested monthly. It is a requirement that sufficient speakers are installed to adequately cover the tenanted area.

Any works carried out in the tenancy that may effect the operation of any essential service is required to be certified for compliance to the Code after the works are completed. Even minor partitioning changes require a Council Building Approval and a completed relevant form would need to be submitted to Council.