North Ryde fire testing will continue until June 2027
Independent fire testing at the CSIRO North Ryde facility will continue until June 2027 after the site’s lease was extended.
The Royal Australian Institute of Architects NSW Chapter and the Association of Consulting Architects NSW Branch welcomed the decision. The extension keeps essential testing capability in service across NSW and Australia.
Architects, engineers, regulators and industry rely on independent fire-testing infrastructure in NSW and across Australia.
Elizabeth Carpenter, NSW President of the Australian Institute of Architects, stated: “The North Ryde facility plays a critical role in supporting building safety, product certification, National Construction Code compliance and innovation across the built environment sector.”
The earlier proposed closure raised concerns about the loss of independent national fire testing capacity. No equivalent replacement has yet been confirmed.
Elizabeth Carpenter on North Ryde
After learning of the proposed closure, the institute lobbied ministers, parliamentarians, industry stakeholders and the media. Carpenter described the North Ryde site as nationally significant.
However, the lease extension does not answer what happens after June 2027. RAIA NSW Chapter and ACA NSW Branch are still seeking clarity on Australia’s future fire testing capacity.
Carpenter argued that the extra time creates a chance to build a durable long-term solution. She welcomed the extension while warning that key questions remain.
Stephen Pearse, ACA NSW/ACT advocacy spokesperson, praised RAIA, ACA and ACIF for helping to get the closure decision reconsidered.
Pearse argued that testing by nonaligned bodies such as CSIRO helps deliver safe buildings, especially as the housing sector faces pressure for more supply at greater speed.
CSIRO testing also supports innovation in building delivery systems for a rapidly changing market.
Meanwhile, the ACA will keep working with industry partners on outcomes it says are in consumers’ interests. That work centres on safe buildings, trusted product testing and independent assessment.
For now, the confirmed date is June 2027. By then, architecture and consulting groups want a sustainable long-term solution for independent fire testing in NSW and across Australia.
