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To give time for a review into better managing the risks of quake-prone buildings, new legislation has changed the timeframes building owners have to complete strengthening work. The Building (Earthquake-prone Building Deadlines and Other Matters) Amendment Act came into effect on 26 November 2024 and includes an extension of four years on remediation deadlines for […]
To give time for a review into better managing the risks of quake-prone buildings, new legislation has changed the timeframes building owners have to complete strengthening work.
The Building (Earthquake-prone Building Deadlines and Other Matters) Amendment Act came into effect on 26 November 2024 and includes an extension of four years on remediation deadlines for earthquake-prone buildings, strengthening of the building warrant of fitness scheme and other minor technical changes. This applies to buildings whose deadlines hadn’t lapsed before 2 April 2024.
“The earthquake-prone building system attempts to manage risk by requiring earthquake-prone buildings to be remediated before set timeframes. However, the system is not working as well as it could, and the reality is many buildings are not getting remediated,” says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk.
“Many building owners are unable to meet deadlines due to high remediation costs and an excessive layering of regulations.
“The current system lacks clarity, and some owners are stuck in impossible situations, where they can’t move forward with the remediation but equally struggle to sell and move on with their lives.
“This is why we have acted with urgency to bring forward the review to provide certainty and ensure we get a good balance between protecting lives and real-world costs.”
Penk says there’s over five thousand quake-prone buildings nationwide, many not remediated because complying with the regulations is too complicated and expensive.
The extensive review will report before July 2025 with focuses on the cost of mitigating quake risk and improving building resilience, incentives that would help building owners better manage seismic risk, and housing and economic growth aligning with broader Government objectives.
“The terms of reference published today demonstrate the Government’s commitment to ensuring we get the balance right between public safety and costs to building owners,” Chris Penk says.
“The Government is focused on reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth. Buildings sitting empty and abandoned for months, or, in many cases, years is bad for everyone. Empty, derelict buildings can be dangerous, but they are also a handbrake on growth and development and can suck the life out of a town or city.”
A building is considered earthquake-prone if an engineering analysis shows it is 33% or less of the new building standard. In essence, this means the building has a seismic capacity less than one third of the level required for a new building.
New Zealand’s position along the boundary of the Indo-Australian and Pacific tectonic plates results in significant seismic activity. Each year, the country experiences over 20,000 earthquakes, with 150 to 200 of these being strong enough to be felt.
The National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) provides detailed estimates of the likelihood and strength of earthquake shaking across New Zealand. The 2022 revision of the NSHM indicates an increased seismic hazard throughout most of the country, with some areas experiencing more than double the previously estimated hazard levels.
A notable concern is the Alpine Fault, which runs along the western edge of the South Island. Studies estimate a 75% probability of a significant earthquake occurring on this fault before 2068.
The government is committed to enhancing public safety while supporting economic growth and urban development. By addressing the challenges associated with earthquake-prone buildings, the goal is to create resilient communities prepared for future seismic events.
