2012 News
Media releases and other news updates.
Codewords issue no. 54
20 December 2012: Keeping you up to date with information from the Building and Housing Group of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Read the latest issue of Codewords »
Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) for November 2012
17 December 2012: The Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) analyse sector trends for stakeholders and people interested in the building and construction and housing sectors. View the latest reports »
Landlord newsletter Issue No.23
14 December 2012: The December edition of Landlord newsletter has been released. Read the newsletter online »
Final 3 reports of Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission released
10 December 2012: Today the Government released Volumes 5 to 7 of the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission report.
Volumes 5 to 7 of the Royal Commission’s report look at:
- the collapse of the CTV building
- building management after earthquakes (the red, yellow and green placard building assessment system)
- the roles and responsibilities in the building and construction system.
You can read Volumes 5 to 7 on the Commission’s website.
Final Report - Part Three (Volume 5, 6 and 7) 
The Government has released this without a response as it wanted to get the information out to families who lost loved ones referenced in the report. It will issue a comprehensive response to all volumes 1 to 7 of the report in early to mid 2013.
As these are the final reports the Royal Commission had to deliver according to its terms of reference, it has now ceased to exist.
For more information about the Royal Commission and its work, contact the Ministry at: canterburyroyalcommission@mbie.govt.nz
Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission report released
7 December2012: Today the Government has released Volume 4 of the Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission Report. This report looks at earthquake-prone buildings and how we manage them. It contains 36 recommendations on how we could change the way we manage these buildings. It is estimated that there might be as many as 25, 000 buildings that could currently be classified as earthquake-prone. You can access the report via this link: http://canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nz/Final-Report---Part-Two
To help inform the Government’s response to the Royal Commission recommendations, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is now consulting on proposed changes to the system for dealing with earthquake-prone buildings. The proposals set out a consistent national approach to dealing with these buildings.
Essentially the proposals would require all non-residential and multi-unit, multi-storey residential buildings to have a seismic capacity assessment done within five years. Owners of buildings identified as earthquake-prone would then have up to 10 years to strengthen or demolish these buildings.
For further information, read the consultation document, Building Seismic Performance.
The consultation runs until Friday 8 March 2013.
Earthquake-prone buildings – consultation on change proposals
7 December 2012: The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is seeking comments from the public and technical experts on proposals to improve the earthquake-prone buildings policy system.
Consulting on the Unit Titles Amendment Bill
20 November 2012: The Ministry seeks your comments on the Unit Titles Amendment Bill consultation document. Have your say »
Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) for November 2012
13 November 2012: The Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) analyse sector trends for stakeholders and people interested in the building and construction and housing sectors. View the latest reports »
Workshop for Architects and Designers"The groundwork for good decisions"
8 November 2012: Register today for this workshop for Architects and designers on guidance about the Canterbury Rebuild. Find out more »
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics October 2012
6 November 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for October 2012 have been published by the Building and Housing Group. View the latest statistics »
Market rent - 1 May 2012 - 31 October 2012
5 November 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.
Revised Certificate of Work for RBW Design
29 October 2012: As a result of feedback on the Certificate of Work, and after discussions with IPENZ, ACENZ, NZIA and several Councils, a revised Certificate has been developed. This new version, together with additional guidance can be found in The new process for Designers section.
Codewords issue no. 53
23 October 2012: Keeping you up to date with information from the Building and Housing Group of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Read the latest issue of Codewords »
Annual Report 2011-2010
19 October 2012: A summary of the last 12 months of the Building and Housing Group. Read the Annual Report 2011-2012 »
What do the Technical Categories mean for you?
16 October 2010: Dave Kelly, Director of the Canterbury Rebuild for the Building & Housing Group explains the technical categories. Why and how were they created, and what do they mean for you, whether you live in technical category 1, 2 or 3? Watch the video or read the transcript here »
Changed loans makes building on multiply-owned Māori land easier
12 October 2012: Changes to the Kāinga Whenua loan will make it easier for Māori to build on land with multiple owners. Read about the Kāinga Whenua loan »
New ‘no-fault’ entitlement for retirement village residents
11 October 2012: Residents in registered retirement villages are now entitled to receive the original capital sum of their investment in a ‘no-fault termination’ situation, such as an earthquake. Read more »
Estimated building costs update
8 October 2012: The Building and Housing Group provides estimated building costs to help territorial authorities estimate values when questioning a job value provided with a building consent application. The latest 6-monthly overview of estimated building costs, to July 2012 have been published »
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics September 2012
5 October 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for September 2012 have been published by the Building and Housing Group. View the latest statistics »
Technical Reviews for Hastings District Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council released today
4 October 2012: The Building and Housing Group reviews the performance of territorial authorities and building consent authorities in relation to their functions under the Building Act. Read the latest reviews for Hastings District Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council in relation to Schedule 1(k) exemptions and issuing infringement notices.
New Board members sought for the Engineering Associates Registration Board
1 October 2012: The Minister for Building and Construction is seeking expressions of interest as a member to the Engineering Associates Registration Board »
Update on new gas and electricity regulations
27 September 2012: New regulatory amendments to the gas and electrical certification regimes were published in the New Zealand Gazette on 27 September 2012 and will be effective from 1 July 2013. Read the updated regulations »
Transitional Arrangements for Internal Surface Finish Requirements for Building Code Clauses Protection from Fire
6 September 2012: Guidance for Transitional Arrangements for Internal Surface Finish Requirements for Building Code Clauses Protection from Fire has been published. Read the guidance.
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics August 2012
4 September 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for August 2012 have been published by the Building and Housing Group. View the latest statistics »
Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) for August 2012
10 August 2012: The Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) analyse sector trends for stakeholders and people interested in the building and construction and housing sectors. View the latest reports »
Market rent - 1 Feburary 2012 - 31 July 2012
3 August 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics July 2012
2 August 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for July 2012 have been published by the Building and Housing Group. View the latest statistics »
Urban redevelopment company to transform Tāmaki
25 July 2012: The Government and the Auckland Council have signed a Heads of Agreement to jointly form New Zealand's first urban redevelopment company to transform Tāmaki (including Glen Innes, Point England and Panmure) in Auckland over the next 15-25 years.
Technical Review for Wellington City Council released today
17 July 2012: The Building and Housing Group reviews the performance of territorial authorities and building consent authorities in relation to their functions under the Building Act. Read the latest review for the Wellington City Council in relation to Schedule 1(k) exemptions and issuing infringement notices »
Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) for July 2012
16 July 2012: The Key Indicator Reports (KIRs) analyse sector trends for stakeholders and people interested in the building and construction and housing sectors. View the latest reports »
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics June 2012
9 July 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for June 2012 have been published by the Building and Housing Group. View the latest statistics »
Market rent - 1 January 2012 - 30 June 2012
9 July 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.
A review of the Licensed Building Practitioners scheme is underway
4 July 2012: The Ministry invites your comments on the Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP) Scheme. Have your say »
Dealing with timber in leaky buildings: A guide for Builders and Building Professionals
28 June 2012: The Department has introduced a handy guide Dealing with timber in leaky buildings ».
This guide is aimed at builders and building professionals who are involved in repairing leaky buildings.
The purpose of the guide is to provide practical advice on dealing with decayed timber that is found once the cladding of a leaky building is removed. Topics covered include:
- Repairing a leaky building
- Types of decay
- Removing decayed timber
- Health and safety issues
- Site applied preservative treatment
- Other sources of information
Read the Dealing with timber in leaky buildings guide »
There is also a technical report Site Applied Timber Treatment: Summary of research carried out by Scion for the Department of Building and Housing available for processionals involved in assessing the condition of leaky buildings and designing repairs to timber framing affected by decay.
Read the Site Applied Timber Treatment: Summary of research carried out by Scion for the Department of Building and Housing »
Māori housing centre stage at World conference
18 June 2012: Housing for Māori took centre stage when Associate Housing Minister Tariana Turia attended the World Indigenous Housing Conference in Vancouver, Canada, in mid-June. »
New Board members sought for Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board
15 June 2012: The Minister for Building and Construction is seeking expressions of interest for member of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board »
Guidance for assessing the seismic performance of non-residential and multi unit residential building in greater Christchurch published
12 June 2012: The Department today published guidance for building owners and engineers assessing the seismic performance of non-residential and multi unit residential building in greater Christchurch. »
Market rent - 1 December 2011 - 31 May 2012
8 June 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics May 2012
8 June 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for May 2012 have been published by the Department of Building and Housing. View the latest statistics »
New Board member sought for Electrical Workers Registration Board
8 June 2012: The Minister for Building and Construction is seeking expressions of interest from people wishing to be considered for appointment as a member of the Electrical Workers Registration Board »
Practice Advisory 14: Long span steel roof trusses - welding and section checks needed for some
5 June 2012: A new Practice Advisory about concerns regarding the collapse on 18 September 2010 of the Stadium Southland roof in Invercargill during a snow storm and provides guidance for owners, territorial authorities and practising structural engineers.
Building Controls Update No. 132: Gazette notice updated for fire design review
1 June 2012: Read the latest BC Update clarifying when a design must be submitted to the Fire Service Commission. Read BC Update 132 »
Statement of Intent 2012/2015
24 May 2011: The Department's Statement of Intent has been released. Read more »
Building Controls Update No. 131: Building Code documents C1-C6 Protection from Fire, F7 Warning Systems and F8 Signs available now
14 May 2012: If you are a designer, qualified fire design engineer or building official these changes affect you. Find out how to get print or e-copies of these updated documents. Read BC Update 131 »
Experts identify reasons for Southland Stadium collapse
11 May 2012: The roof of Invercargill’s Stadium Southland collapsed on 18 September 2010 because of substandard building design and construction, Chief Executive of the Department of Building and Housing Katrina Bach announced today.
Read the full media release »
Notice of chief executive initiated determination under the Building Act 2004
12 May 2012: The chief executive of the Department of Building and Housing has given a direction under section 181(1) of the Building Act 2004. View the full notice »
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics April 2012
7 May 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for April 2012 have been published by the Department of Building and Housing. View the latest statistics »
Media release - Guidance for repairing and rebuilding foundations for homes in TC3 areas of Canterbury published
27 April 2012: The Department of Building and Housing (the Department) has today published guidance on foundation repairs and reconstruction for houses in Foundation Technical Category 3 (TC3) areas of Canterbury. View the full media release »
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics March 2012
11 April 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for March 2012 have been published by the Department of Building and Housing. View the latest statistics »
Changes to Building Code documents Protection from Fire (C), Warning Systems (F7) and Signs (F8)
On 10 April 2012, the Department of Building and Housing released:
- a new Building Code Protection from Fire with six new code clauses (replacing the previous code clauses C1-C4), seven new Acceptable Solutions (replacing the current C/AS1), and a new Verification Method C/VM2 and
- An amended Code Clause F8 and an amended Acceptable Solution F8/CAS1.
- An amended Acceptable Solution for Warning Systems F7/AS1
Find out about the changes in the latest edition of Code Watch »
Market rent - 1 October 2011 - 31 March 2012
10 April 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.
Building Amendment Act 2012 changes
14 March 2012: The Building Amendment Act 2012 is the result of a comprehensive review of the Building Act 2004 carried out in 2009/2010 and is aimed at lifting the overall performance of the building and construction sector. The Building Act 2004 is the primary legislation that governs the building and construction sector in New Zealand.
Further reforms are contained in another Bill currently before parliament.
Some of the immediate changes that come from the Amendment Act 2012 are:
- An Owner-Builder Exemption from Restricted Building Work
- New provisions clearly stating the responsibilities of the parties involved in building work
- A number of changes to the compliance schedule and Building Warrant of Fitness regimes which affect councils and building owners. The changes introduce new requirements for the content of compliance schedules and the requirement to amend compliance schedules where they do not align with the Building Act 2004 provisions.
- Some aspects of the licensed building practitioners scheme are clarified. These include some new grounds for discipline.
See here for more details »
Market rent - 1 September 2011 - 29 February 2012
09 March 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics February 2012
8 March 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for February 2012 have been published by the Department of Building and Housing. View the latest statistics »
Statutory board appointment
20 February 2012: The Minister for Building and Construction is seeking expressions of interest from people wishing to be considered for appointment as members of the Building Practitioners Board »
Building Controls Update No. 128: End of transition period for Structure and External Moisture Building Code documents
10 February 2012: From 1 February 2012, only the latest versions of the Structure (B1) and External Moisture (E2) documents can be used. These incorporate changes introduced on 1 August 2011. The transition period for the Structure (B1) and External Moisture (E2) documents ended on 31 January 2012. Read BC Update 128 »
Building Controls Update No. 127: P21(2010) Wall bracing test and evaluation procedure
10 February 2012: From 1 February 2012 all users of the Acceptable Solution B1/AS1 document must follow the latest version (Amendment 11). This version references NZS 3604:2011. Read BC Update No. 127 »
Media release – Experts identify critical factors in CTV collapse
9 February 2012: Intense ground shaking, non-ductile columns and the asymmetrical layout of shear walls were the critical factors contributing to the collapse of the CTV building during the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, a Department of Building and Housing technical investigation has found. View the full media release »
Market rent - 1 August 2011 - 31 January 2012
06 January 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.
Briefings to the Incoming Ministers
2 February 2012: The Briefing for the Minister for Building and Construction and the Briefing for the Minister for Housing are now available on the Departments website.
"Build it Right" New Zealand
17 January 2012: The Department of Building and Housing today launched a two-year campaign “Build it Right” aimed at improving the quality of building in New Zealand and increasing the confidence of consumers. View the media release
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service (WHRS) claims statistics December 2011
16 January 2012: New Weathertight Services statistics for December 2011 have been published by the Department of Building and Housing. View the latest statistics »
Market rent - 1 July 2011 - 31 December 2011
06 January 2012: Market rent is described (in the Residential Tenancies Act) as what a willing landlord might reasonably expect to receive, and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, in comparison with rent levels for similar properties in similar areas.