Challenges facing building code compliance in New Zealand

PurposeThe New Zealand building code has played a vital role in reducing the impact of disasters in the built environment. Following the nature of earthquake occurrences, the associated impacts such as building collapse and the increase in technological innovation in the building sector, the New Zealand building code has been frequently amended. The building code amendment ensures that buildings and other related infrastructures can withstand the impact of ground shaking without substantial damages to buildings. The purpose of this paper is to identify and explore the benefits of building code amendments in New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachDocument analysis and closed-ended questionnaire were adopted as data collection instruments for this study. The relevant stakeholders comprise structural engineer, geotechnical engineer, architect, building services consulting engineer, licensed building practitioner, project manager, building contractor, local authority, academic/researcher and quantity surveyor.FindingsA significant proportion of the survey participants that agreed to the importance of building code amendments in New Zealand justify the benefits of the amendments. The study serves as a useful guide to policy regulators and researchers who are exploring other aspects of regular building code amendments in New Zealand. The findings from this study suggest that amending the New Zealand building code needs a proactive approach to promote local technology, enhance low-cost construction materials, training of code users and reducing bureaucracy in design approval and construction inspection. The study concludes that improving on the 28 factors identified in this study would contribute intensively to disaster risk reduction in the built environment and an increase in compliance level in New Zealand.Originality/valueThis paper originality comes from its practical approach towards identifying the benefits of building code amendments

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Implementing Nepal's National Building Code: A Case Study in Patience and Persistence

Earthquake Spectra ◽

10.1193/121716eqs242m ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. 167-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lucy Arendt ◽

Ayse Hortacsu ◽

Kishor Jaiswal ◽

John Bevington ◽

Surya Shrestha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Earthquake Engineering ◽

Relative Effectiveness ◽

Building Code ◽

National Society ◽

Gorkha Earthquake ◽

Engineering Research ◽

2015 Gorkha Earthquake ◽

Code Compliance ◽

And Training

The April 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal revealed the relative effectiveness of the Nepal Standard or the national building code (NBC), and irregular compliance with it in different parts of Nepal. Much of the damage to more than half a million residential structures in Nepal may be attributed to the prevalence of owner-built or owner-supervised construction and the lack of owner and builder responsiveness to seismic risk and training in the appropriate means of complying with the NBC. To explain these circumstances, we review the protracted implementation of the NBC and the role played by one organization, the National Society for Earthquake Technology—Nepal (NSET), in the implementation of the NBC. We also share observations on building code compliance made by individuals in Nepal participating in workshops led by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute's 2014 class of Housner Fellows.

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A Comparison on Codes of Egress Safety in Each Country

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.374-377.2025 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 374-377 ◽

pp. 2025-2028

Author(s):

Hyun An ◽

Nam Yong Jee ◽

Seung Yup Roh

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Basic Data ◽

Building Code ◽

Fire Outbreak

As buildings tend to become bigger, higher and more complex, types of fire outbreak have diversified these days. Accordingly, it has also become difficult to cope with fire outbreaks resulting in a higher risk of suffering loss. The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for securing reasonable egress plans and safety of egress by comparing egress regulations of countries including America (NFPA 101), British (Building Regulation-Approve document B), New Zealand(Building Regulation & Compliance document for New Zealand building code), Japan (Architecture Relationship Statute book) and Korea (Architecture Statute book).

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