Why Building Code updates matter to builders

The Building Code sets the performance standards for all building work in New Zealand. When it changes you need to know about it.

The Building Code should be something every builder is familiar with as all building work needs to comply with its requirements. This is the case whether a consent is required or not.

The Building Code sets the standards buildings must meet, covering things such as structural stability, durability, protection from fire, access, moisture control, services and facilities, and energy efficiency. Our building code in Aotearoa New Zealand is performance based. This means the code states how a building must perform, rather than describing how the building must be designed and constructed.

The Building Regulatory System

Our Building Regulatory System provides a framework for the building process. The system structure includes things that must be complied with – such as the Building Act 2004 and Building Code – as well as non-mandatory items such as acceptable solutions. Guidance documents are available to help show how you can comply with the Building Code, but you can choose if you want to use these.

The Building Code

The Building Code outlines the minimum requirements that buildings must achieve. It’s a performance-based system, so designers, architects, and builders can meet the building standards in a number of ways.

An alternative solution can be used to show compliance for an unusual or new design. By focusing on how buildings perform rather than how they are built, the building standards can be met in flexible and innovative ways. Many designs use the deemed-to-comply solutions that are provided in the acceptable solutions and verification methods. These set out ways that building work can be designed and constructed, and are an easy way of ensuring a building meets the performance requirements set out in the Building Code.

Updating the Building Code

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) updates the Building Code and the deemed-to-comply documents regularly. We do this to ensure that the system is effective and keeps pace with changes to construction methods, and that our buildings are safe, healthy and durable. When we make changes to the Building Code, or to the acceptable solutions and verification methods, we run a consultation first. This gives everyone the chance to submit feedback on the proposed changes. After the consultation closes, all submissions are considered and analysed before we release the outcome of consultation and updated documents are published.

The public consultation phase is where you get to have your say about the changes that we are proposing. It’s a chance to look at what will change and consider how it will affect you and your business. We want to make sure that builders know about our consultations as it’s important that we hear what you think about the changes. Consultation proposals explain what we want to change and ask if you support the idea. We are also really keen to know how long you think we should allow before the change is effective, to give you enough time to prepare for it, and what help and information you think you will need.

The changes are likely to have a direct impact on how you build, so it’s vital that you find out about them as early as possible and take the opportunity to let us know what you think.

Recent changes to the Building Code

It’s fair to say that the 2021-22 period has been a challenging time for builders. We know that the pressures that the sector faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have meant that you are short on time. It may seem that finding out about updates to the building code documents and the impacts of these on how you build will take time that you don’t really have, but they are important, and we are keen to help you with this.

Here are some of the recent changes, and some help that is available to get you up to speed with them:

H1 Energy efficiency

• In November 2021 MBIE announced the biggest energy efficiency changes to the Building Code in over a decade which aim to reduce energy needed for heating residential homes by approximately 40%. We published updates to the acceptable solutions and verification methods for H1 Energy efficiency.

You can find these, along with a summary of the changes on our website www.building.govt.nz/building-code-compliance/ h-energy-efficiency/h1-energy-efficiency/ • The H1 changes are effective now, but there is a staged transition period for insulation in housing which is shown in the figure. You can check what climate zone your building is in in any of the acceptable solutions or verification methods. • To help people understand the updated requirements, the Building

Performance team have created two new learning modules covering insulation, energy efficiency and climate zones.

Module 1 is aimed at homeowners and the general public.

It helps you understand why insulation is important in buildings to increase energy efficiency and the benefits of installing better insulation. It explains how to identify the climate zones that different parts of the country fall into and the background to the new requirements for houses that will apply from May next year. Module 2 teaches you about the different compliance pathways for the Building Code’s energy efficiency requirements, including how to choose the appropriate acceptable solution or verification method for your building.

It covers how to choose the compliance pathway for housing and other building uses.

H1 energy efficiency and insulation training modules – www.learning.building.govt.nz • You can find tools and resources to help you understand the H1 changes on our Building CodeHub site – www.codehub.building.govt.nz/ • There is help available from some of our partner agencies too.

You can find resources from our partner agencies such as the

BRANZ H1 Resource Hub – https://h1hub.branz.nz/H1Hub/s/

Other changes:

• The 2021 Building Code updates also brought changes to some other code clauses, including G7 Natural light. We have published an online learning module to explain the changes.

It covers the scope of the different deemed to comply documents and help choose the right one for your building. G7 Natural light training module – www.learning.building.govt.nz

STAGED TRANSITION DATES FOR THE H1 ENERGY EFFICIENCY INSULATION REQUIREMENTS FOR HOUSING

3 November 2022 1 May 2023

Windows and doors Climate zones 1 and 2 = R0.37 Climate zones 3 and 4 = R0.37 Climate zones 3 and 4 = R0.46

Roofs

Floors

Walls

Skylights

Climate zones 5 and 6 = R0.37 Climate zones 5 and 6 = R0.50

Region A1 = R2.9 Region B2 = R3.3 All climate zones= R1.3 Slab-on-ground floors (Climate zones 1 to 4) = R1.5 Slab-on-ground floors (Climate zone 5) = R1.6 Slab-on-ground floors (Climate zone 6) = R1.7 Other floors (Climate zones 1 to 3) = R2.5 Other floors (Climate zone 4) = R2.8 Other floors (Climate zones 5 and 6) = R3.0

Climate zones 1 to 6 = R6.6

Region A1 = R1.9 Region B2 = R2.0 Climate zones 1 to 6 = R2.0

Climate zones 1 to 6 = R0.37 Climate zones 1 and 2 = R0.46

Climate zones 3 and 4 = R0.54

Climate zones 5 and 6 = R0.62 3 November 2023

Climate zones 1 and 2 = R0.46

1 Region A comprises all of the North Island/Te Ika-a-Māui excluding the Taupō District, the

Ruapehu District and the part of the Rangitikei District north of 39°50’S (-39.83), and all offshore islands north of 37°15’S (-37.25). 2 Region B comprises the Taupō District, the Ruapehu District, the part of the Rangitikei

District north of 39°50’S (-39.83), the South Island/Te Waipounamu, Stewart Island/

Rakiura, the Chatham Islands, and all offshore islands south of 37°15’S (-37.25).

What next for Building Code updates?

This year MBIE consulted on changes that focussed on plumbing and drainage, protection from fire and structural stability of hollowcore floors.

You can read the consultation documents on the MBIE website https://www.mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/building-code-update-2022 The consultation closed on 1 July 2022 and we received over 100 detailed submissions and comments. MBIE have now made decisions on two of the proposed changes: limiting the maximum allowable content of lead in new plumbing products and removing the deemed to comply solution for new hollow-core flooring systems. Updated acceptable solution and verification method Building Code documents will be published for these on the Building Performance website in November 2023. MBIE will now continue to work through the submissions on the proposed changes to protection from fire, and the other plumbing and drainage proposals. Due to the number of in-depth submissions received, we will announce the remaining decisions prior to publishing the Building Code acceptable solutions and verification methods in November 2023.

Changes to the Building Code affect what you do. Make sure that you stay up to date with these changes when they come into effect by subscribing for updates on our website www.building.govt.nz

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. MBIE is the central regulator of New Zealand’s building system. Our Building System Performance (BSP) branch provides policy and technical advice on New Zealand’s building system, rules and standards, and implements building legislation and regulations to meet New Zealand’s current and future needs. Find out more at www.building.govt.nz