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.
Fire warnings, visibility of escape routes (smoke obscuration), automatic fire sprinkler systems, means of escape.
This clause sets requirements for warning systems and the provision of visible escape routes complying with F6 for movement to a place of safety.
It sets conditions for evacuation time in relation to carbon monoxide levels, thermal effects and smoke obscuration - even in the event a fire safety system fails. It also has provisions about automatic fire sprinkler systems.
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 C4.
All standards, including the funded ones, can be accessed through the Standards New Zealand website.
These documents are provided to assist Building Consent Authorities, building owners, designers and persons who carry out building work.
A determination is a binding decision made by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. It provides a way of solving disputes or questions about the rules that apply to buildings, how buildings are used, building accessibility, health and safety.
All building products and building methods that have current CodeMark certification will be listed with their most up to date certificate in the Product Certificate Register on Te Pae.
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:
This will print only the current page of this guidance document.
Print this page