Subject & Study Guides: Architecture: NZ Codes, Standards and Legislation

The Building Code

The Building Code All building work in New Zealand must comply with the Building Code. It is a performance-based code, which means it states how a building must perform in its intended use rather than describing how the building must be designed and constructed.
Building Act 2004 Guidance
Guidance information on Building Act initiatives.
Building Code Handbook 2014
Third edition, including amendment 13
Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods
Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods provide ways to establish compliance with the performance requirements of the Building Code. The Acceptable Solutions do this by giving specific construction details that are deemed to provide Building Code compliance. The Verification Methods provide methods of testing or calculation that will result in Building Code compliance.
Useful info on Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods
E2 External Moisture
3rd Edition, including amendment 6, 2014

Building Code compliance documents and handbooks This link opens in a new window
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The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) publishes Acceptable Solutions and Verifications Methods, which provide means of establishing compliance with the Building Code. These documents, as well as the Building Code Handbook, are available to downloaded here.
QV Costbuilder [QV] This link opens in a new window
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QV Costbuilder (previously known as Rawlinsons New Zealand Construction Handbook) provides access to building cost data for those in the building trade industry and property professionals.
See instructions here for help with logging in to CostBuilder.
Click on Padlock icon for link to login booking calendar and password access information.

New Zealand Standards Online This link opens in a new window
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The online version of NZ standards. These are the official documents prescribing standards, specifications, codes, regulations and related documents prescribing the level work must be done.
See instructions for accessing NZ Standards.

NZS 3604 - Timber-framed buildings
This link will take you to this Standard (log in may be required). Scroll to page 3 of the Standard for a hyperlinked table of contents.

BRANZ Find
A searchable database of BRANZ documentation and data on a wide range of construction-related topics.

New Zealand Urban Design Protocol
Prepared by the Ministry for the Environment in conjunction with the Urban Design Advisory Group. The New Zealand Urban Design Protocol provides a platform to make New Zealand towns and cities more successful through quality urban design. It is part of the Government's Sustainable Development Programme of Action and Urban Affairs portfolio.
Te Aranga Design Principles - Auckland Design Manual Read design stories, use design tools and get best practice advice from here.

LexisNexis Practical Guidance – NZ Resource Management [LexisNexis] This link opens in a new window
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LexisNexis Practical Guidance – NZ Resource Management provides access to a vast collection of resource management law including information on resource consents, regional policy statements and plans, planning documents, Māori and resource management, enforcement and offences, and the Environmental Court process.

A new resource management system for Aotearoa NZ
New laws are being phased in that aim to help Aotearoa New Zealand protect and manage the environment and its resources.