The discussion document provides background material on the fire safety issues in the Building Code regulations. Its purpose is to give information on the issues which you can provide feedback on.
The document seeks to build a shared understanding within New Zealand of issues as a basis for considering future change. The issues identified in this document draw on industry feedback, lessons learned from fire events in New Zealand and overseas, and how other countries are regulating for fire safety.
It contains findings from phase one of MBIE’s review into fire safety issues in the Building Code. The review was started in the wake of several emerging fire safety concerns in New Zealand including the Loafers Lodge fire which happened in Wellington on 16 May 2023, and in which 5 people lost their lives.
With its phase one review, MBIE’s wants to:
- identify issues relating to fire safety in the Building Code
- understand the challenges facing the owners of modern buildings in relation to fire safety provisions.
As part of the review MBIE looked at:
- discussion and feedback from over a hundred industry bodies and organisations from April to July
2024 - lessons learned from historical fire events in New Zealand and overseas
- 30 different reports on the New Zealand Building Code and the fire safety provisions prepared over
the last 3 decades - comparisons to other international building codes with similar frameworks and buildings as New
Zealand.
There is a separate background paper that contains supporting technical information with additional evidence on the issues described in the discussion document.
Issues MBIE identified in its phase one review
MBIE’s phase one fire regulatory review identified several key issues in the Building Code, including:
- effectiveness of fire safety measures
- the need to keep up with new technologies and new fire challenges such as mass timber buildings and greater housing density
- a lack of certainty, clarity, and consistency.
These issues are summarised in the discussion document. For further information on the areas of concern MBIE identified read the background document.
The issues impact people using buildings and the building regulatory system and may mean:
- failing to protect those who are most at risk in our country from the effects of fire
- leaving people and buildings in New Zealand at greater risk to a wide variety of fire hazards
- exposing firefighters and emergency responders to potentially avoidable risks
- making it harder for people to build in New Zealand and introduce unnecessary delays and costs in designing, consenting, and constructing buildings
- creating barriers to using products from overseas or using new technologies as part of a design
- causing frustrations for designers, engineers, and building consent officers who each are left to work out requirements which can lead to inconsistent decision making on what is required to comply with the Building Code
- create inconsistencies with other relevant legislation and regulations, which can create challenges when trying to comply with multiple requirements at once.
Now is the time to provide feedback on these issues
To support this ongoing fire safety review, MBIE is keen to hear your feedback on the issues identified so far.
Also let them know if you think they have missed any.
There are questions in the submission form on the fire safety review and the issues identified.
Your feedback will be used to develop further options for change and any further fire safety consultations.
Please take the time to let MBIE know your thoughts. They will carefully consider and weigh all submissions. Instructions on providing your feedback are on MBIE’s Fire safety review Have Your Say webpage.
3.5. Barriers to using newer fire safety systems
Improvements to the technology of fire safety systems have not been considered in the Building Code system. These newer technologies may better address the hazards in a building than current fire safety features.
While the Building Code system sets some requirements for warning systems for fires, there are no specific requirements for visual alerting devices. These are devices which can be used for emergency notification to warn people:
- with hearing impairments, or
- in a building where the background noise is too loud for audio alarms to be heard.
There are no specific provisions within the Building Code system that consider automatic fire suppression, other than the existing for water-based fire sprinkler systems. However, other types of fire suppression systems, such as those which use gas or foams may be more effective than water for some specific fire hazards.
Evacuation through stairwells in a building can be challenging in tall buildings, hospitals, and care facilities. Advances made in lift technology now allow for their use in an evacuation.
Because the Building Code system does not currently consider these new technologies, and there are often delays in citing new versions of standards into the Building Code documents, applying for a building consent as an alternative solution can be difficult. There can be challenges and duplication of work for designers, engineers, product manufacturers, or tradespeople in identifying how specific building products and building work contribute to fire safety in a building. These barriers to using new technologies result in:
- poorer safety in buildings and for their occupants, and
- more costs because of decision making delays.
You can submit your thoughts here: Research.net Powered Online Survey
