On 2 April 2024, Property Council submitted on DZ TS1170.5 which is a draft Technical Specification that focuses on providing updated engineering guidance to determine earthquake loadings when designing new buildings.
Property Council did not make comments on the technical nature of the document but rather provided feedback on the broader issues within the system and the need for certainty and clear direction by Central Government on seismic related issues.
We recommend that:
- Standards New Zealand develop separate building standards for existing and new buildings
- Central Government conduct planned reviews of the New Building Standard (“NBS”) ratings system every 20 years
- The use of non-binding guidance such as the C5 Yellow Chapter be avoided;
- Tax deductibility of seismic upgrade costs be introduced for all property asset classes;
- Government undertake and publish ‘Cost Benefit’ analysis to validate proposed changes; and
- Engagement on technical standards should always include the wider property sector e.g. property owners and developers.