Previous determinations

Discussed whether a modification of C3.4 is reasonable and the possible consequence of non-compliance with that clause. Also discussed the granting of waivers and modifications under section 67 of the Act.

This determination considers the fire safety design of a proposed tall building and whether compliance with Clauses C1-C6 has been established by means of Verification Method C/VM2.  The determination discusses the scope of the Verification Method, how compliance is established by way of the Verification Method, and the compliance of the proposed design – in particular the lack of isolated interconnection between the lobby containing the designated fire fighters lift and the stair that is the means of egress and which firefighters use to access the floor of fire origin.

N/A

This determination considers the compliance of a warehouse fitout, comprising a storage racking system and a mezzanine floor, with the fire safety requirements of the Building Code. The determination considers whether the fitout was part of the original building as it was intended to be built, or whether it can be considered an alteration to an existing building.

N/A

Note: The decisions in this determination were reversed on appeal to the District Court. See: Palmerston North City Council v Brian Green Properties (1971) Limited (District Court, Palmerston North, 12 February 2020, CIV-2018-054-000288).

Read the appeal judgment.

This determination considers whether the authority was correct to issue a notice to fix in respect of locks to doors that are providing the means of escape to a commercial building containing food and retail outlets.  The determination considers whether the locked doors provide adequate means of escape from fire when the building has no occupants.

This determination considers whether a territorial authority was correct to issue a notice to fix for building works that involved the alterations and modifications of an existing specified system – an automatic sprinkler system – where a building consent was not obtained prior to the works commencing. The determination also considers if the building works could have been undertaken in accordance with clause 10 of Schedule 1 of the Building Act.

This determination considers the granting of a building consent and whether a proposed three-storey apartment building with a common stairwell requires smoke lobbies in the ground floor apartments in order to comply with the Building Code by means of the Acceptable Solution C/AS2. The ground floor apartments have alternative egress routes and the common stairwell is the single escape route for the occupants of upper floors.