3.6. Consistency and certainty of compliance and consenting

Clear and up-to-date requirements in acceptable solutions and verification methods support consistency of how the requirements are applied and help provide certainty.

3.6.1. Topics identified

Clear and up-to-date requirements in acceptable solutions and verification methods support consistency of how the requirements are applied and help provide certainty for designers, Building Consent Authorities and building users that buildings comply with the Building Code. This also helps avoid unnecessary delays in the consenting process. 

For Acceptable Solution H1/AS2 and Verification Method H1/VM2, sector feedback helped us identify the following issues: 

  • Topic 15: The modelling method includes requirements that are unclear or outdated.
  • Topic 16: The schedule method does not adequately limit heat losses and gains from skylights in large buildings.
  • Topic 17: Thermal bridging from framing in walls is not adequately considered.
  • Topic 18: How the areas of roofs, walls and floors should be measured is unclear.
  • Topic 19: NZS 4214 includes ambiguous instructions for determining the R-values of walls, roofs and some floors.
  • Topic 20: For some mixed-use buildings it is unclear whether H1/AS1 and H1/VM1 can be used, or H1/AS2 and H1/VM2.
  • Topic 21: The look-up tables with R-values for slab-on-ground floors do not cater for some common situations.
  • Topic 22: Acceptable Solution H1/AS2 and Verification Method H1/VM2 include obsolete provisions and definitions, and outdated references to documents and tools.