CSIRO Appraisals is a project of CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology providing a range of assessment products including:

• Technical Assessments - full fitness for purpose appraisals of innovative products, systems or materials that may or may not be covered by Australian Standards or building regulations.
• Interim Reports - appraisals of products that have not yet reached the fully developed or manufacturing phase. They aid with product development and may be used as a step towards a subsequent Technical Assessment.
• Certification Assessments - appraisals of products, systems or materials solely against the requirements of the BCA and used for gaining approval from Federal or State authorities.

From 1978, under the auspices of the Australian Building Systems Appraisal Council (ABSAC), CSIRO ran an appraisal service in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors, the Housing Industry Association, the Insurance Council of Australia and the Master Builders Association. In 1999, CSIRO Appraisals was formed to continu the business of ABSAC under the sole patronage of CSIRO. This new scheme retains the committee structure of technical and interstate advisors that operated as ABSAC. All past ABSAC publications and appraisals are being continued and supported by CSIRO Appraisals.

CSIRO Appraisals is a founding member of the World Federation of Technical Assessment Organizations.

Technical Assessments are intended to help all those concerned with the approval, specification and use of new products or systems. They are objective assessments of the fitness for purpose of the product, system or material but are not approvals or endorsments. They may be submitted to approval authorities as part of the justification process required to obtain approval.

Each Technical Assessment has been prepared by CSIRO Appraisals and then reviewed, revised and finally endorsed by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), detailed below. CSIRO makes the apprasials on a national basis by obtaining input from regional committees in each State and Territory to take account of variations in local building regulations, practice and local climactic features.

CSIRO Appraisals bases it's assessment on the product and information it receives and cannot accept responsibility for deviations in the manufactured quality and performance of the material, product or system. However, Technical Assessments will be withdrawn where adequate quality or performance has not been maintained.

Technical Assessments are given a term of validity of three years from the date of issue. They are reviewed annually and at the end of the term of validity may be extended for a subsequent three year term. The validity of a particular Technical Assessment can be obtained from CSIRO Appraisals.

A Technical Assessment must not be copied, in whole or in part, without authorisation by CSIRO Appraisals. Where permission is granted, copies must be of the entire document.