Skip to content.
Return to Department of Building and Housing home page.

Building Act Implementation

Building Act Implementation
This output class involves implementing provisions of the Building Act 2004 with supporting regulations. It includes establishing regulatory schemes and operational frameworks such as the building consent authority accreditation and registration scheme, providing advice and guidance on the new regulatory systems, and reviewing the Building Code.
Key Business Strategies

The key business strategies in this output class are to:

  • develop an accreditation scheme for building consent authorities (BCAs)
  • review the Building Code
  • develop a product certification scheme
  • promote awareness of key changes to the Building Act 2004 and building controls regime and the implications for consumers
  • develop other associated processes to support the Building Act 2004.

 

Service Performance
Deliverable Performance to 30 June 2005
Building Code Review
Consultation on societal and Building Code user requirements initiated by 31 March 2005

Completed

Initial consultation with stakeholders completed. Stakeholder workshops were undertaken in Wellington in November 2004, and in Auckland in February 2005

Building Code analysis and proposal documentation completed by 30 March 2005 and reported on

Not yet complete

Performance requirements of existing Building Code have been analysed and compared with requirements of the Building Act 2004. A Building Code Review Key Advisor Workshop with key experts was convened in March 2005. International practices for specifying building performance have been analysed and a framework is under development for consultation later in 2005

Develop Accreditation Scheme for Building Consent Authorities (BCAs)
Accreditation guidelines issued to territorial authorities and certifiers for consultation by 31 December 2004

Completed

A consultation paper on the BCA framework and key guidelines was completed and issued in December 2004. Work to finalise the regulatory framework is progressing and will be completed in time to enable BCAs to apply for registration by 31 May 2006

Stakeholder relationship work has also progressed, visiting various territorial authorities, facilitation of provincial territorial authority cluster groups and disseminating information

Regulation defining Accreditation standards and criteria by 30 June 2005

Not yet complete

Design and development work is in progress on:

  • proposed BCA standards and criteria
  • a guidance document on quality assurance systems and processes for BCA accreditation, with strong industry collaboration
  • a draft BCA self-assessment guidance document
  • BCA accreditation scheme rules

Relationship and service development and operational matters have progressed with the likely accreditation body (IANZ), including the drafting of a Service Level Agreement

Product Accreditation

Design new product certification scheme:

  • Standards and criteria documented for new product certification scheme completed by 31 August

Not yet complete

Discussion document on scheme standards and criteria awaiting release for public consultation. Sign-off has been deferred until the full package with the regulations has been finalised

  • Scheme uptake strategy agreed with Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) by 30 November 2004

Not yet complete

MOU between the Department and the ABCB providing for cooperative management of the scheme was signed by the ABCB in July 2005Negotiation and consultation with the ABCB is continuing regarding trans-Tasman operation of the aligned scheme

  • Regulations drafted for approval by 31 March 2005

Not yet complete

Completion delayed by changes in project management resourcing and time required to complete public consultation

Consumer information
Awareness of key changes to the Building Act and building controls regime and the implications for consumers. Survey completed as part of the Building Act Implementation programme

Ongoing

Analysis of printed media news and comment on the Building Act 2004 was completed and reported on in June 2005. A consumer survey was commissioned just prior to the end of the reporting year

Approximately 950 queries about the Building Act 2004 were responded to by phone and email

Information stands were manned and presentations delivered at five major industry conferences and events: Building Officials (BOINZ), Water and Waste, New Zealand Institute of Architects, Certified Builders, and the BuildNZ Expo

Published suite of five leaflets for: homeowners and renovators; builders, designers and specialist trades; building owners; residential property developers; and relating directly to new safety measures for premises intended for public use. These were distributed widely to territorial authorities and as inserts to industry publications (such as BUILD magazine, Progressive Building, Architecture New Zealand, and NZ Property Investor)

A print run of 180,000 of the consumer guide to the building process, The Building Act and You, was undertaken for distribution through territorial authorities, Citizens Advice Bureaux and building outlets

 

  2005
Actual
$000
2005
Main
Estimates
$000
2005
Supplementary
Estimates
$000
2004
Actual
$000
Financial Performance (figures exclusive of GST)
Revenue
Crown - - - -
Departmental - - 6 -
Other - - - -
Total Revenue - - 6 -
Total Expenses 2,996 - 3,015 -
Net surplus/(deficit) (2,996) - (3,009) -

Back to top