Evaluation of the Building Consent System

1. Executive summary

The building consent system comprises the people, processes and regulatory environment that together provide assurance that building design and construction work complies with the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.

2. Evaluation background and purpose

The current building consent system was established by the Building Act 1991 and has since been strengthened under the Building Act 2004. It functions as a critical component of the building regulatory system to ensure that building work is designed and carried out according to the Building Code.

3. Understanding how well the building consent system is aligned with its intent

The building consent system provides assurance that the performance of a building satisfies the requirements of the Building Code.

4. Problems in the building consent system

The building consent system has long been faced with complaints of inefficient, inconsistent and ineffective decisions and processes. These typically involve frustrations with delays and inconsistencies and result in finger-pointing about poor-quality work and decision making.

5. Discussion of underlying causes

Reviewing data from the fieldwork, it is clear that there is no single underlying cause that is contributing to issues in the building consent system.

Appendix A: References and additional resources

Appendix B: Detailed evaluation approach

Appendix C: Key events in the building consent system

Glossary of terms