Have your say on fire safety
23 October 2024
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment are seeking feedback on fire safety requirements in the Building Code to offer better protection from fire for people and property.
Safety objectives for people, other property and firefighting applied to clauses C2 to C6 of the Building Code.
This clause provides objectives that apply to clauses C2 to C6 to: (a) safeguard people from an unacceptable risk of injury or illness caused by fire, (b) protect other property from damage caused by fire, and (c) facilitate firefighting and rescue operations.
C1 provides objectives for each of the C clauses.
Most of the guidance applies to all of the C clauses and some relates to a specific clause.
There may be specific products and determinations under each code clause.
The 2019 1st edition of C/AS2 combining C/AS2–C/AS7 is summarised in this fact sheet.
Record of amendments is a record of changes to the acceptable solutions, verification methods and handbooks.
The Building Code is published in Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations 1992.
The Building Code clauses include objectives, functional requirements and performance criteria. These are mandatory provisions that all new building work must comply with.
The acceptable solutions and verification methods provided on this page are deemed to comply with Building Code clause C.
MBIE has historical versions of the code clause documents which can be located under 'Previous Versions' and 'Version History'. Alternatively if you cannot find the document you are looking for, you can send an email with the year and code clause you are after to info@building.govt.nz.
Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods (AS and VMs) were called compliance documents. Some still have the “compliance document” title but the AS or VMs they contain are valid and unaffected by the name change.
Standards are frequently referred to in Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods. They provide practical information and guidelines for building solutions.
Over 120 building standards used for Building Code compliance are now available for free download.
See the free standards relating to Code Clause C1.
All standards, including the funded ones, can be accessed through the Standards New Zealand website.
These documents are provided for assistance. They are not intended as a means of establishing compliance with the Building Act or Building Code, and they do not have the same status accorded to Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods under the Act.
Determinations are made by MBIE on matters of doubt or dispute to do with building work. Rulings are legally binding in relation to each case. Circumstances in one case may differ to others.
This information is published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Chief Executive. It is a general guide only and, if used, does not relieve any person of the obligation to consider any matter to which the information relates according to the circumstances of the particular case. Expert advice may be required in specific circumstances. Where this information relates to assisting people:
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