Making it easier to build

These changes are the first step of the Government’s work plan to liberalise the building regulatory system and make it easier for a wider variety of high-quality building products to be used in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

A package of changes to the Building Act will be made at each level of the building system including standards, certification schemes and compliance pathways. Together, the Governments package will deliver benefits for Kiwis, including improving competition and lowering the cost of building while ensuring our homes and buildings are safe and durable.

For Aotearoa/New Zealand’s building and construction sector, this means:

• overseas suppliers will have more confidence that their products will be recognised for use in Aotearoa/New Zealand without requiring additional tests
• manufacturers and suppliers will be able to reference recognised standards and certification scheme when making claims under the Building Product Information Requirements
• owners, designers and builders will have more confidence when specifying or using unfamiliar building products
• Aotearoa/New Zealand suppliers may choose to test their products against widely accepted overseas standards, facilitating easier access to overseas markets.

What happens next?

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will now begin work to progress options to change the Building Act to:

• make it easier to use products from recognised overseas locations
• streamline the recognition of international standards
• mandate acceptance of certain overseas building products
• remove barriers for making minor changes to an existing building consent
• enable minor customisation of pre-approved MultiProof designs when applying for a building consent.

Building products shakeup to lower prices - beehive.govt.nz