From Building Controls Update18 December 2017 – No. 226
Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa has announced that the Government is making it easier for people to access information on best practice when designing and constructing buildings.
MBIE recently launched a new building system search engine, Building CodeHub, which helps people locate the latest building rules and guidance information for designing and constructing buildings. In addition, five commonly used building Standards and a handbook are now free to download from the Standards New Zealand website.
By making it easier for people to access building-related documents, MBIE hopes to see improved compliance with the Building Code, and more importantly, safer homes and buildings.
MBIE will continue to make the building system more accessible and is considering ways to improve access to more design and construction building standards.
The five Standards and handbook are:
- Design for access and mobility: Buildings and associated facilities (NZS 4121:2001) – provides solutions for making buildings and facilities accessible to and usable by people with disabilities.
- Housing, alterations and small buildings contract (NZS 3902:2004) – a plain English standard building contract.
- Thermal insulation – housing and small buildings (NZS 4218:2009) – helps establish the levels of thermal insulation for houses and small buildings.
- Interconnected smoke alarms for houses (NZS 4514:2009) – provides information about the placement and audibility of smoke alarms.
- Safety barriers and fences around swimming pools, spas and hot tubs (NZS 8500:2006) – describes barriers for residential pools including ways to assess their strength.
- Handbook on Timber-framed buildings (selected extracts from NZS 3604:2011) – figures and tables to help design and construct timber-framed buildings up to three storeys high.
Building CodeHub helps you to access what you need to design and construct buildings that comply with the Building Code.
Building-related Standards on the Standards New Zealand website has the Standards and further information.
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