Changes to the Building Act 2004

POSTED: 05/18/2020

The submission to Parliament from BEAL:

10 July 2020 – BEAL has made a two part submission on the proposed Bill. Click here to view. A copy of Appendix 1 of the submission is available on request.

8 May 2020 – Read here to see what the Government is proposing and how it could effect your business:

On 8 May 2020, the Minister for Building and Construction introduced the Building (Building Products and Methods, Modular Components, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill to the House.

Key proposals include –

• introduction of minimum information requirements about building products to support better and more efficient decision-making;
• introduction of a specialist framework for modern methods of construction such as offsite manufacturing and prefabrication to speed up the consenting process;
• strengthening of the product certification framework (CodeMark) to improve trust and confidence in the scheme.

Reasons for the changes include:

Better information and clear responsibilities for building products

Manufacturers and suppliers will be required to make a minimum level of information publicly available about the building products they sell.

Benefits:

• Designers and builders have access to minimum building product information to help choose the right products and use them as intended.
• More efficient consenting as Building Consent Authorities have the information they need to assess compliance with the Building Code.

Strengthening CodeMark to provide greater product assurance

The Bill strengthens New Zealand’s existing product certification scheme, CodeMark, by preventing the registration of unsuitable products certification bodies.

Benefit:

• Building Consent Authorities and building owners have greater confidence in the strengthened product certification scheme, CodeMark. 

A new manufacturer certification scheme for modern methods of construction.

This scheme will be voluntary and will allow manufacturers of prefabricated buildings and modular buildings built off-site to achieve certification and demonstrate compliance with the Building Code.

Benefits:

• Shorter and more efficient consenting for certified manufacturers, with fewer inspections needed.
• Less duplication and fewer delays will save time and money without compromising quality.
• Confidence for Building Consent Authorities that certified manufacturers’ construction is compliant with the Building Code.
• Frees up Building Consent Authorities to focus on the compliance of on-site installation like foundations and site works, or elements not covered by the scheme.
• Building owners may benefit from more building choices and reduced time and costs, and be assured of quality construction in a controlled environment.

If you would like to find out more you can download the Bill in pdf format here.

In addition you can mail us if you would like to be included in a new forum to discuss the implications of the Bill. Email changes@beal.co.nz

---