Govt delivers earthquake-prone building reforms
New Zealand’s government passed reforms to focus earthquake-prone building regulations on life-safety risks, removing half of designated buildings from the system and saving owners $8.2 billion.
The government has enacted legislation to reform New Zealand’s earthquake-prone building system, prioritising life-safety risks over costly remediation. The changes are expected to remove around half of the buildings currently designated as earthquake-prone from the system entirely. The reforms aim to redirect funds previously spent on unrealistic remediation toward business growth, job creation, and economic development. Building owners and the New Zealand economy are projected to save $8.2 billion as a result of these adjustments.
Under the new system, remediation requirements for remaining earthquake-prone buildings will be more targeted, reducing costs and complexity while maintaining life-safety standards. The reforms address challenges faced by smaller communities, particularly in meeting current requirements. High-risk unreinforced masonry buildings and vulnerable multi-storey concrete structures in high and medium seismic zones will still be subject to earthquake-prone building requirements. Councils retain the ability to identify additional seismic risks that may have been overlooked.
Updated seismic zones, based on the latest scientific knowledge, will take effect the day after Royal Assent. Buildings in Auckland, the Chatham Islands, and the upper North Island’s low seismic zone will be removed from the earthquake-prone building system entirely, with all existing designations rescinded for these regions. Parts of coastal Otago and Stewart Island will transition from a low to a medium seismic zone, though building owners in these areas will still benefit from reduced remediation costs.
The remaining reforms will come into force on 1 July 2027, providing time for councils, building owners, and the sector to prepare. Guidance materials are being developed and will be released for public consultation later this year. The government states the changes will deliver safer communities, smarter regulation, and avoid disproportionate costs by focusing efforts on the highest life-safety risks.