Design standards for Department of Education facilities

​​​​​The Queensland Department of Education (DoE) is committed to inclusive education. The diversity of our staff, students, school and early childhood communities is our greatest strength. By valuing culture and creating inclusive teaching and learning environments, we are driving our Equity and Excellence: realising the potential of every student strategic goals across every state education setting.

The design standards for DoE facilities have been developed in consultation with stakeholders to assist design consultants and delivery professionals in the design of inclusive, safe, healthy and environmentally sustainable education facilities. To provide optimum functionality for the users, and the flexibility to adapt to modern pedagogies over time, the design standards detail key design requirements that support our aim of delivering high-quality, fit-for-purpose facilities. The design standards set out the mandatory minimum requirements for all new DoE facilities or significant upgrade projects and should be applied wherever possible to maintenance and renewal projects.

The design standards set the framework for a consistent approach to the delivery of innovative and cost-effective education facilities and form part of a suite of briefing documents.

Amendments

The design standards for DoE facilities are maintained and updated by Infrastructure Services Division.

The revised design standards documents include changes that may affect the responsibilities of service providers carrying out work on departmental facilities. A summary of changes to the design standards is available and service providers must ensure the applicable design standards are implemented for all projects.

Feedback can be provided to the department's Infrastructure Services Division project team at POE.DesignStandards@qed.qld.gov.au.

Current documents and version control table

Design standards for DoE facilities

The design standards for DoE facilities document is intended to provide coherent, integrated information to guide the planning, design and construction of education facilities.

The document is broken into 3 sections.

• Part A: The design principles outlines the overarching education rationale, principles and framework for designing and developing contemporary Queensland state education settings that respond to context and place and provide access for all.
• Part B: The master planning design principles section details the master planning, architectural and landscape design principles and includes the minimum requirements for the external learning environment and traffic management.
• Part C: The technical standards section details the minimum performance standards for the building fabric and finishes, building and site services, services and utilities, structural and civil works, acoustic performance, security, information and communications technology, and ecologically sustainable design.

Design standards for DoE facilities

Technical notes to design standards

The following technical notes are to be read in conjunction with the design standards and are intended to provide additional information on specific topics.

Special school evacuation guideline

The intent of this document is to generate design recommendations for the safe egress of occupants during an evacuation from special schools, with particular consideration for occupants with a mobility impairment.

These recommendations take into consideration specific functions and uses, building height, generalised layouts, and readily available operational plans, as well as the higher proportion of occupants with a mobility impairment typically seen in special schools. The intent is to provide a framework to homogenise the evacuation design process and approach implemented across special schools.

Special school evacuation guideline

Supplementary documents to design standards

The following documents are to be read in conjunction with the design standards. Periodic updates to these documents will be provided by the relevant teams within DoE.

Security specifications

The security design requirements and specifications relate to electronic and physical security for reference during capital works projects, retrofits and minor upgrades to schools. These requirements incorporate the concepts of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Electronic security guidelines

Security fencing specification

Network infrastructure procedures and standards

The following document outlines the standard to which all network cabling and supporting infrastructure within the DoE environments shall be installed, and the procedures and processes to follow.

Network infrastructure procedures and standards

Basketball equipment specification

The basketball equipment specification is required to be used by schools for the supply and installation of basketball equipment for new basketball structures or modification to existing structures. The specification provides a consistent standard which will ensure the structural safety of basketball equipment in Queensland Government schools.

Schools installing basketball equipment must use only suppliers whose equipment has been certified in accordance with the current basketball equipment specification.

To assist schools, the department has established Standing Offer Arrangements (SOAs). Details on SOAs can be provided by your departmental contact person.

Basketball equipment specification

Archived design standards and documents

Further past versions of the design standards may be obtained by contacting the project team at POE.DesignStandards@qed.qld.gov.au.