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Building Code compliance amendments

Protection from fire, plumbing.

MBIE has amended Acceptable Solutions C/AS1, C/AS2, F7/AS1 and Verification Method C/VM2. Amongst other changes, the amended C/AS1 and C/AS2 cite NZS 4514: 2021 for the installation of interconnected smoke alarms in new residential homes.

MBIE has also amended acceptable solutions and verification methods for E1 Surface Water, G12 Water Supplies and G13 Foul Water. Among the changes, the latest version of the AS/NZS 3500 plumbing and drainage standards have been made part of the compliance pathways.

06 November 2023

 

 

Houses with poor indoor air quality

NIWA tracks the problem.

A NIWA study has found that some homes contain 3 times more particulate matter from smoke and other pollutants than others.

NIWA’s principal scientist for air quality Dr Ian Longley says that it is not necessarily where the pollution is created that poorer air quality is found. Rather, it tends to settle where the wind transports it. “Air also settles into valleys, even shallow ones, meaning that even in relatively flat towns…you get more pollution in lower areas of land.”

NIWA hopes the study will help councils set regulation and design solutions for good indoor air quality. “Although we can use filtration to scrub indoor air clean, it is always better to stop or reduce pollution at its source. Switching to electric heating will remove heating emissions entirely, while keeping chimneys clean, using dry or ultra-low emission wood, and using pellet burners are a few other steps that people can take that will help.”  

06 November 2023

 

 

Stand-alone house consents plunge

Down 27% year-on-year.

In the year ended September 2023 there were 16,619 stand-alone houses consented, down 27% compared with the year ended September 2022. Multi-unit home consents (23,789) were down 15%.

There were 7.8 new homes consented nationally per 1,000 residents in the year ended September 2023, compared with 9.9 in the year ended September 2022. The 2023 figure remains higher than the long-term average, which is 6.7 homes consented per 1,000 residents between 1966 and 2023.

 

06 November 2023

 

 

NZ lags global retrofit targets

NZGBC pushes for action.

The NZ Green Building Council says the new Government needs to put a rocket under MBIE’s Building for Climate Change programme.

“Ireland, a country the same size as NZ, has a goal to retrofit 500,000 homes by 2030…

The IEA (International Energy Agency) sets a goal of 20% of all buildings and homes retrofitted to low carbon levels by 2030. For Aotearoa this would mean 360,000 households in the space of six years, or 60,000 homes per year starting now.”

“In terms of retrofits New Zealand is lagging behind…This has to be our next chapter.”

 

06 November 2023

 

 

BRANZ scholarships open

Funding for postgrad work.

Each year, BRANZ offers funding opportunities to exceptional postgraduate scholars in Aotearoa New Zealand's tertiary institutions. This scholarship programme not only adds diversity to the BRANZ portfolio of investments but also supports future research and strengthens relationships with tertiary education providers. Scholarships are open until Monday 20 November 2023.

Current scholars are conducting research on a wide range of topics including low-carbon construction, sustainable building, home maintenance, environmental resilience and mental health and wellbeing.

06 November 2023