2022 Building Code decisions released

In May 2022, the Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) consulted on acceptable solutions and verification methods for complying with the Building Code. It has now released its decisions

Under Construction previously covered the proposed changes, which focused on plumbing and drainage, protection from fire and structural stability of hollow-core floors.

The consultation closed on 1 July 2022 and received 111 submissions and comments.

MBIE commented: “Feedback from the consultation has shown a clear mandate to change the requirements for two of the proposed changes: limiting the maximum allowable content of lead in new plumbing products and removing the deemed-to-comply solution for new hollow-core flooring systems.”

As a result, Acceptable Solution G12/AS1 will limit the maximum allowable content of lead permitted in plumbing products to 0.25%.

“The amended document will limit the maximum lead content of any product that contains copper alloys, intended for use in contact with potable water for human consumption,” explained MBIE.

This includes products such as:

• Pipe fittings.
• Valves
• Taps
• Mixers
• Water heaters.
• Water meters.

The proposal to limit the maximum allowable content of lead in plumbing products received 40 submissions, of which 92% supported the proposal. Of these, 35% came from building consent authorities, 25% from submitters who did not specific their occupation and 15% from building product manufacturers.

Out of 42 submissions, only three did not support the proposal or had no preference. The majority (61%) supported the end of the transition period being 1 September 2025.

As a result, the change to G12/AS1 will have a transition period that ends on 1 September 2025.

In addition to the limits on lead content, Acceptable Solution G12/AS1 will be amended to require all copper alloy water supply system components to be dezincification resistant and comply with AS 2345: 2006 (R2016) Dezincification resistance of copper alloys. This will come into force a year after the publication of the amended Acceptable Solution G12/AS1.

Hollow-core floors

MBIE is removing the citation of Clause 18.7.4.4 of the New Zealand Standard NZS 3101.1: 2006 from the Verification Method B1/VM1 for the design of the supports for hollow-core floor systems. The decision has been made as “MBIE believes removing this deemed-to-comply solution from B1/VM1 will minimise the chance of poorly designed systems being specified in new building work”.

There will be no additional transition period for this change. It will take immediate effect when the amended Verification Method B1/VM1 is published in November 2023.

The proposed received 26 submissions with 92% of them supporting the proposal. The submissions were primarily from building consent authorities (42%) and designers or engineers (35%).

Other proposals

MBIE has not reached a decision on proposed changes to protection from fire and other plumbing and drainage proposals. It says a decision will be announced prior to publishing the Building Code acceptable solutions and verification methods in November 2023.

MBIE blames the delay on “the breadth of in-depth submissions received”.