Chief Executive's Upfront
Raising Standards: Building a Sustainable Development Framework

For many years Concrete NZ has been lobbying government to implement an adequately funded review of the Building Code system and the standards that support compliance with the New Zealand Building Code.

Rob Gaimster, Chief Executive

This has emphasised the need for engagement between the building regulator, that is part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), and industry to ensure building regulations readily support compliance to achieve a safe and durable built environment.

Therefore, MBIE’s 2021 Building Code system update consultation, which includes proposing two “operating protocols” for the referencing and upkeep of building and construction standards, is a step in the right direction.

OPERATING PROTOCOLS
The first proposed operating protocol is designed to provide greater clarity on what MBIE is looking for in terms of Standards being referenced in the Building Code system. The second protocol puts forward a tier framework consisting of around 40 Standards that will receive different levels of MBIE development support.

In short, the protocols propose which Standards MBIE will be focussing its resources on supporting, as well as guidance on what needs to be included in a Standard in order for it to be referenced in an acceptable solution or verification method.

MBIE have stated that their ideal future state is one where it (the building regulator), the building and construction sector, and Standards New Zealand work together to make sure targeted/selected Standards continue to be maintained; and these proposed protocols are the first step towards achieving that goal.

IMPORTANCE OF STANDARDS
The concrete industry can be described as very “Standards centric”, with around 25 of these hugely important documents guiding the production and use of both concrete and cement

Upon its establishment in 2017, Concrete NZ identified ‘Standards development’ as a key area of focus in its Strategic Charter, pledging to take leadership on behalf of industry in Standards advancement and maintenance.

A clear example of this commitment is the recent revision of NZS 3104 Specification for Concrete Production. Under a ‘partnership model’ Concrete NZ’s ready mixed concrete producer members funded the development phase of the revision, which saw the bulk of the administrative load transferred away from Standards New Zealand to a Concrete NZ ‘development lead’.

The revision has been designed to meet an identified industry need around the evaluation of compressive strength results, and provides a modernised, safer compliance document to enhance nationally consistent concrete production.

Concrete NZ has also recently conducted an online survey seeking feedback from its membership on options to rationalise, maintain and fund the current collection of concrete Standards, as well as seeking views on the adoption of international Standards.

Results from this survey have helped Concrete NZ with its thinking on MBIE’s proposed operating protocols for referencing and supporting Standards.

INDUSTRY POSITION
While falling short of its 2016 proposed long-term Standards funding and maintenance programme, particularly in terms of the number of Standards covered, MBIE’s operating protocols proposal is a positive initiative.

However, Concrete NZ has several observations, such as, while NZS 3101 Concrete structures standard, AS/NZS 4671 Steel reinforcing materials and the two main concrete masonry Standards (NZS 4229 and NZS 4230) are included in MBIE’s tier support framework, NZS 3109 Concrete construction is not.

Also, the fact that the tier framework caps its full or partial support at 40 Standards, means the remaining (approx.) 310 building and construction Standards are potentially vulnerable in terms of their upkeep.

Another two points worth noting, both of which came through in the Concrete NZ Standards survey, are that Standing Committees, which provide more continual and robust management to maintain and develop Standards, and the consideration of international Standards to replace New Zealand Standards at the beginning of the review process, are not explored in the proposal.

With regards to the latter, a separate preliminary piece of work, undertaken with industry input, could be a broader assessment of the existing Standards hierarchy to determine what improvements and rationalisations could be undertaken to enhance usability and effectiveness.

A BIG CHANGE
Concrete NZ liaised with its members and industry stakeholders in developing a response, because, as MBIE acknowledge, the proposal constitutes a “big change”.

However, the rationale for improvement makes perfect sense, and Concrete NZ is eager to participate in a meaningful engagement to secure the long-term gains from a more certain and robust Standards management process.