Increasing the uptake of remote inspections

There are currently no requirements in the Building Act for building consent authorities to undertake inspections. However, the Act entitles them to undertake inspections to be satisfied on reasonable grounds that building work complies with the building consent, in order to issue a code compliance certificate. The Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006 require building consent authorities to have policies and procedures for planning, performing and managing inspections^[1].

The use of remote inspections in the building and construction sector is relatively recent. While COVID-19 lockdowns caused a spike in the use of remote inspections, levels of uptake still vary across the country, with some building consent authorities regularly using remote inspections, while others do not use them at all.

Practices also vary, with building consent authorities taking their own approach to the types of building work and the building professionals they consider appropriate for remote inspections.

MBIE recently published guidance^[2] to assist building consent authorities to make informed decisions when adopting remote inspection technology and to inform the sector on what to expect from different remote inspection approaches. While the guidance will go some way to supporting uptake, without further intervention it is likely that uptake will continue to be low, and practices will vary across the country. This could mean long wait times for in-person inspections when construction activity picks up again.

The opportunity and benefits of remote inspections

Remote inspections can make it easier, faster and cheaper to build by enabling building consent authorities to carry out more inspections per day, which can reduce inspection wait times due to greater availability of inspection slots. This, in turn, helps reduce on-site delays so building work can progress at greater pace.

The main benefits of remote inspections are increased efficiency and productivity through:

• reducing the need for inspectors to travel to site, eliminating unproductive time and the need for logistical planning. This is particularly beneficial where there are long distances or congestion
• greater convenience, flexibility and timeliness for inspectors and builders^[3], as inspections can be conducted at agreed times once building work is ready 
• the ability for inspectors to carry out inspections in other districts, which supports increased capacity and capability across the country.

Remote inspections can also reduce emissions due to reduced travel and can support good record keeping practices.

Different ways to conduct remote inspections

There are two main approaches to remote inspections – real-time and evidence-based. While both approaches can be suitable for assessing compliance, there may be differences in how they are being used across the country.

How are remote inspections currently being used overseas?

Most overseas jurisdictions use remote inspections for lower risk work and allow regulators discretion on when to use them. They are seen as particularly beneficial where there are large distances to cover.

The Australian state of Victoria requires mandatory inspections to be done on site, while non-mandatory ones can be remote if suitable. In the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), and Canada, on-site inspections are the standard approach. Remote inspections may be used for minor building work, and inspectors have discretion on when a remote inspection is appropriate. In the USA, customers can request a remote inspection.

Barriers to uptake of remote inspections

MBIE understands that the main barriers to greater uptake of remote inspections across building consent authorities include:

• Costs to building consent authorities to establish systems, technology, and training.
• Time for both building consent authorities and the sector to become confident with using the technology.
• Questions around the suitability of some building work to be inspected remotely, such as where physical testing is required (for example, moisture testing) or for complex work.
• Perceptions that might be harder to detect non-compliant work when inspecting remotely.

Risks of remote inspections

When MBIE consulted on the building consent system in 2023^[4], submitters expressed mixed views on remote inspections. Some submitters identified liability risks and suggested remote inspections should only be used for certain purposes with proper controls and standards to prevent misuse.

Key risks of remote inspections include:

• Building safety and performance: navigating sites remotely can be a disorienting experience and inspectors could miss non-compliant work, leading to defects. Consequent building performance issues may result in potential financial, health, and safety harms to owners.
• Dishonest practices: some people may take advantage of remote inspection approaches to hide non-compliant work, leading to potential defects.
• Liability concerns: any increased risk of defects arising from a remote inspection could also increase the risk of liability claims against building consent authorities.
• Trust in build quality: confidence in the quality of buildings that have been inspected remotely may reduce, which could make them harder to finance, insure, or sell.

The options presented in the next section include mitigations to address key risks. Further risk mitigation and implementation needs will be considered for any options that are progressed, including ensuring that occupational regulation^[5] and consumer protection measures are fit for purpose.

Footnotes

^[1] Building consent authorities can use other tools to confirm compliance with the consent, such as inspections by third parties and producer statements (for example, PS 3 – Construction and PS 4 – Construction Review). These are professional opinions based on sound judgement and specialist expertise.

^[2] Remote inspection guidance for building consent authorities [PDF 1.3MB](external link)

^[3] In the context of this document, the term ‘builder’ refers to any person who works on a building site (such as, from any trade/profession, whether licensed or not).

^[4] Building consent system review: options paper consultation (2023)

^[5] Occupational regulation ensures that professionals are competent and accountable for their work.

< Introduction | Section One: Options to increase the uptake of remote inspections and improve efficiency of inspection process >