Avoiding requests for information (RFIs)

Intended use of the building

The intended use of the building is not always clearly defined in the application.

Ensure that the intended use(s) of the building is clearly defined in the application documentation. It is a requirement to state the intended use for the construction or alteration of a building. See building code clause A1 - Classified uses, these categories are used to define which building code clauses apply to the building work.

Stages of proposed building work

The manner in which the construction of a building is to be staged has not been agreed upon prior to the application for the first stage being submitted.

Contact the Council early in the design phase of the building work to agree on the manner in which the building work is to be staged.

Consideration to fit-outs must be given in staging as full compliance with the building code is not always achieved until the final fit-out has been completed.

Weather tightness

Alternative solutions to E2 - External moisture are not identified.

Alternative solutions for E2 - External moisture need to be identified in the application documentation. Supporting information also needs to be included to demonstrate that alternative solutions will comply with the building code.

Many commercial buildings are not within the scope of the acceptable solutions or verification methods for E2 - External moisture therefore their cladding systems require specific design.

In some cases, it would be appropriate for the overall designer to provide a design features report to detail their methodology for achieving compliance with E2.

Please contact the Council early in the design phase to discuss E2 requirements.

MBIE provide guidance on their website regarding alternative solutions(external link) and weather-tightness design(external link) principles.

Access and accessible routes

The accessible route from the street boundary or the accessible car park into the building is sufficiently detailed.

Identifying the accessible route to the internal space served by principal access needs to be clearly defined. It should be clear on the plans how this will comply as an accessible route.

The accessible car parks must be located in a way that avoids conflict between vehicles and people using or moving to or from the space. Wheelchair users should not have to travel behind other parked vehicles or share access ways with vehicles.

Where the accessible car park is not directly visible from the principal entrance of the building, further signage will need to be provided as necessary.

Contact the Council early in the design phase to discuss any issues with accessible routes.

Include sections through the building's accessible entrance and out to the footpath and kerb showing the finished surface levels and gradients to demonstrate compliance with D1.

Compliance with building code clause D1 - Access routes must occur within the property boundary lines as compliance with the building code is the responsibility of the property owner, not the Council.

The Council generally slopes the footpath at 2% (1:50) and does not normally permit re-grading of the footpath.

The design shows isolated steps on access routes.

Building code performance D1.3.3 (i) states "access routes shall not contain isolated steps".

This performance does not apply to detached dwellings or within household units of multi-unit dwellings, or to outbuildings and ancillary buildings.

In all other buildings, the acceptable solutions allow only a 20mm change in level weathering strip at a door threshold. 

Contact the Council early in the design phase to discuss any issues with access route requirements.

Design coordination

Lack of coordination between architectural design and other consultants' designs.

The lead designer should check architectural drawings are coordinated with drawings provided by other consultants e.g. structure, fire, civil and HVAC.

Insulation of building envelope

New requirements for achieving adequate thermal resistance of the building envelope

From November 2022 the higher insulation requirements especially for new buildings with a floor area greater than 300m² will require a report to show how adequate thermal resistance of the building envelope has been achieved. If the modelling method is being used this will have to come from an appropriately qualified and experienced consultant.

The energy efficiency of artificial lighting

Energy efficiency calculations are not included in the application for artificial lighting design in commercial buildings and communal non-residential with a floor area greater than 300m²

Where commercial buildings and communal non-residential buildings have a floor area that is greater than 300m² compliance with building code performance H1.3.5 is required to be demonstrated. Note this requirement applies to all new tenancies of buildings where the combined floor area of all spaces of the building is greater than 300m² regardless of the size of the tenancy.

Include a statement from the lighting designer detailing the mean of compliance used (e.g. schedule method of NZS4243: Part 2:2007) along with relevant calculations. Where an electrical engineer has been engaged, include H1.3.5 in the scope of building code clauses covered by their PS1.

Sanitary facilities numbers

No justification was provided with the application for the proposed number of sanitary facilities

G1/AS1 requires sanitary facilities to be provided for certain user groups. Accordingly, where it is not intended to provide sanitary facilities for all users of the building, the application should clearly identify the user groups and the number of persons associated with that group for whom sanitary facilities are being provided.

MBIE has a toilet calculator(external link) to allow the number of toilet pans, basins and urinals to be calculated to G1/AS1 based on the number of people and building use.

Confirmation of construction monitoring by the fire engineer is not included with the application.

Where the fire safety design includes significant features, engage the fire engineer for construction monitoring and include confirmation of this construction monitoring with the building consent application.

Not all the documentation has been provided with the application where the verification method (C/VM2) has been used as the means of compliance. 

The lead designer should ensure that all the documentation as agreed to in the fire engineering brief (FEB) process has been provided by the fire engineering designer and the peer reviewer.

Refer to Engineering New Zealand Practice Note: Guidelines for Documenting Fire Safety Designs (2011).(external link)

Not all emergency lighting design documentation is included with the application.

Ensure that emergency lighting design drawings are supported by a producer statement for design (PS1) and provide confirmation that the emergency lighting designer will provide a producer statement for construction monitoring (PS4) on completion of the work.

The foundation design is not coordinated with the recommendations from the geotechnical investigation report.

The geotechnical engineer needs to confirm in writing that the foundation design complies with his or her recommendations.

No confirmation as to whether a producer statement for construction monitoring (PS4) will be supplied and no schedule is provided of the construction monitoring to be undertaken.

Where there are significant specific engineering design (SED) elements included in the building work, ensure the application documentation includes a schedule of construction monitoring and confirmation that a PS4 will be supplied.

There is no supporting design documentation with the application where there is secondary or ancillary structural elements requiring specific engineering design (SED).

Often the producer statement for design (PS1) provided by the structural engineer covers only the design of the building’s primary structure. Ensure that PS1s are provided for all secondary or ancillary structural SED elements. e.g. barriers, seismic bracing to the building services, suspending ceiling systems, plant platforms, etc.

Written approval(s) from network utility authorities has not been included with the application where there is a new water supply, increase in wastewater outfall or change to the stormwater outfall proposed. 

• New water supply needs authorisation from WaterCapacity@ccc.govt.nz
• Increase in wastewater capacity needs authorisation from WastewaterCapacity@ccc.govt.nz
• Any change to the stormwater outfall that increases the effects needs authorisation from Stormwater.Approvals@ccc.govt.nz

Written approvals from other Council units has not been included in the application

• Structures to be built over Council footpath needs authorisation from asset.protection@ccc.govt.nz
• Grease management systems other than in-ground grease traps needs approval from tradewaste@ccc.govt.nz

Mechanical ventilation

Drawings, specifications and calculations are not included in the application where mechanical ventilation is required. 

Engage a mechanical engineer earlier in the design process to be able to provide details for mechanical ventilation. You should include mechanical drawings, specifications and calculations supported by a producer statement design (PS1)

Note, the natural ventilation solution in G1/AS1 cannot be applied to occupied spaces in commercial and industrial(external link) buildings where products listed in building code performance clause G4.3.3(external link) are generated (mechanical ventilation of these spaces is required).