Keep up to date to build it right

Updated references to standards and minor changes in the Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods came into effect on 14 August 2014 – make sure you’re aware of the changes and incorporate them into your work!

To ‘build it right first time’ and stand behind the quality of your work, you need the right tools for the job.

Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment are some of those tools.

They are methods that, if followed, provide a sure way for a design to achieve a building consent. They are not the only way, but they are a direct way.

The Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods often refer to Standards. This means that the design will need to follow the Standard, or the part of it, that it’s referred to.

The Ministry works to make sure that Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods reflect the latest research, building practices and materials.

So, from time to time, the Ministry updates Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods to refer to the latest versions of Standards.

Changes in your toolbox: Updates to Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods

The Ministry has changed a number of Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods, so that they now refer to updated Standards. Following a consultation process, the Ministry published these changes on 14 February 2014.

A transition period of six months allowed both the old and the new solutions to be used. This transition period ended on 14 August 2014 – from that date, the old solutions are no longer effective and only the new solutions apply.

So, it’s important to make sure you are familiar with the new versions of the Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods, which can be downloaded at www.dbh.govt.nz/compliance-documents.

Check out the summary below to see what areas have changed.

Keeping your toolbox up-to-date

Keeping up to date with the latest tools helps make sure a design is Building Code compliant and can achieve a building consent.

Updated Standards can be purchased from Standards New Zealand, www.standards.co.nz and the latest Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods can be downloaded at: www.dbh.govt.nz/compliance-documents.