The Government has announced an overhaul to the classification of earthquake-prone buildings, introducing a new system that will see thousands of buildings moved out of the regime.
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk revealed the “refocus” of the system for earthquake-prone buildings alongside Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at an announcement in Wellington this afternoon.
The previously teased changes to the rules would “reduce repair costs and reinvigorate communities,” Penk said in his announcement, suggesting the new system would save more than $8 billion that would otherwise be spent on demolition and remediation.
Under the changes, existing New Building Standard (NBS) percentage ratings for strengthening or demolishing buildings would be removed, in favour of a “more proportionate, risk-based EPB system that reduces costs while addressing life-safety risks in the most vulnerable buildings located in medium and high seismic zones”.
Approximately 55% of quake-prone buildings would be removed from the register — about 2900 buildings. Around 1440 will face “more cost-effective remediation requirements”, while 840 will require no remedial work, according to the Government.
“Only around 80 buildings will still need a full retrofit because of the risk they pose.”
Approximately 55% of quake-prone buildings would be removed from the existing system. (Source: 1News)
Around 5800 buildings on the register are currently awaiting remediation or demolition under the existing system which has overall seen more than 8000 structures classed, according to information supplied by Penk’s office.
Rather than requiring all quake-prone buildings to be remediated to at least 34% of the NBS, the new mitigation requirements will vary by building type and location.
The four levels of mitigation in the new system involve being publically listed on the register, façade securing, a targeted retrofit, or a full retrofit.
Auckland, Northland removed from new regime
Penk said the new system would only capture buildings that “pose a genuine risk to human life in medium and high seismic zones”.
“This category includes concrete buildings three storeys or higher, and those constructed with unreinforced masonry.”
Local councils would also have the authority to grant extensions to remediation deadlines of up to 15 years, “giving building owners time to secure funding, plan and carry out any major work still required,” he said.
Auckland, Northland and the Chatham Islands will be removed from the regime entirely “to reflect the low seismic risk in those areas”.
The review will be extensive and will aim to be completed by the first half of 2025. (Source: 1News)
But coastal Otago would shift from a low to a medium seismic zone, meaning 150 buildings in Dunedin would remain in the system, “and more may be identified”.
There would also be big changes for unreinforced masonry buildings in smaller towns.
“Unreinforced masonry buildings under three storeys in small and rural towns will no longer require remediation or warning notices, but owners must secure the façade before the building can be removed from the earthquake-prone register,” Penk said.
“This change recognises that the risk of a façade falling on a pedestrian is simply lower in communities with fewer than 10,000 residents than it is in larger urban centres, because there are fewer people on the streets.
For buildings that still require some remediation, the Government would also be removing a rule that owners must upgrade fire safety and disability access at the same time as earthquake strengthening, Penk said.
The investment would see Reading Cinema upgrade the building which has been shut since 2019. (Source: 1News)
“This requirement can add significantly to building costs and has discouraged owners from carrying out essential seismic safety work.”
Priority building criteria limited
The Government would also be changing the criteria for “priority” earthquake-prone buildings.
Priority buildings are a special category of structures that “present a higher risk to public safety or to essential community services … They must be identified and remediated twice as quickly as other quake-prone buildings in the same seismic risk zone.”
Quake-prone building status scrapped for thousands in regulation shakeup – Watch on TVNZ+
Under the new system, fewer buildings will be classified as priority buildings.
Priority status will be removed from buildings such as hospitals, schools, police stations, and their remediation deadlines will be extended.
It’s taken 25 years of research including investigating ways to strengthen pre-cast concrete floors, which are prone to collapsing in earthquakes. (Source: 1News)
“This will give government agencies more time to plan and carry out seismic risk mitigation across their portfolios,” according to a factsheet from Penk’s office.
‘Reinvigorating communities’ – Govt’s rationale
The Building and Construction Minister said the changes would help to relieve “overwhelming financial burden on building owners” and reinvigorate derelict buildings.
“Cities and regions are losing the businesses, churches, town halls and classrooms that are central to their local economies and community spirit,” Penk said.
“For many buildings, the price of strengthening runs from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars. As a result, these buildings are often left empty and become derelict, making them even more dangerous to bystanders in an earthquake.”
He added: “On top of this, apartment and small business owners who cannot afford the fixes demanded by the current laws have faced years of stress and sleepless nights, as their most valuable asset has become unsaleable through no fault of their own.”
The guidance has been put out to clear up confusion with the Government agency refuting it could have come sooner. (Source: 1News)
Penk said “ministers will also consider further regulatory relief, including changes to resource management and heritage rules.”
The changes announced today come after a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-led (MBIE) review into the existing scheme.
“The changes give effect to recommendations from an independent review led by MBIE
“The review confirmed what has always been clear: protecting human life must remain our top priority. It also recognised the need for a fairer balance between costs and the real risks buildings pose, so that strengthening work is achievable,” Penk said.
Last November, remediation deadlines for earthquake-prone buildings that had not lapsed as at April 2, 2024 were extended by four years to allow time for the Government’s review and any subsequent changes to be implemented.
Changes announced today will be enacted through the Building (Earthquake-prone Building System Reform) Amendment Bill, with the legislation’s Cabinet paper and regulatory impact statement on the changes expected to be released this afternoon.
