Four Construction Categories – CC1-CC4 – are recognised in the SFC framework. It enables specifiers to select a level of quality management appropriate to how safety critical the component will be in the construction. The level of quality management required for a farm shed, for example, will be much less than that required for a large stadium. As well as the whole building, the CC-rating may apply to individual elements within the structure. For instance, the seismic load-resisting system for a building may be higher than the gravity portion of the structure.

The type of structure relevant to each Construction Category is noted in the diagram below.  The methodology for determining Construction Categories is presented in AS/NZD 5131, appendix C.

Risk-based approach