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Three new categories for residential foundation design have been developed and will be required for repairing and rebuilding homes in Canterbury following the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, it was announced today.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said the foundation designs apply to the flat land in the residential green zone in Canterbury, which has now been divided by engineering experts into three new technical categories (TC1, TC2 and TC3).

Building and Construction Minister Williamson has today welcomed a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report into the construction industry.

The report: Valuing the role of Construction in the New Zealand economy, was commissioned by the Construction Strategy Group (CSG) and launched by Mr Williamson at a CSG meeting in Auckland today.

The report highlights the key role the construction sector has played in the economic growth of the country and focuses on how Government and industry can achieve more economic growth by removing red tape and lifting the industry’s skills.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of The Hon Sir Hugh Williams to the New Zealand Registered Architects Board.

Sir Hugh, a retired high court judge, was an outstanding candidate who will bring value to the Board.

“Sir Hugh retains a strong desire to contribute his legal skills to the public and has a long standing interest in architecture. He also has an excellent understanding of the Board’s role and relationship with the New Zealand Institute of Architects,” Mr Williamson says.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of Jane Nees to the Chartered Professional Engineers Council.

Ms Nees takes up her appointment today for a three year term as the new consumer representative.

Current chairman Graham Shaw has also been reappointed for a five year term and the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) nomination, Roly Frost, has been reappointed for two years.

Ms Nees is a Bay of Plenty Regional councillor and is on the Bay of Plenty Regional Transport Committee.

Recommendations in the interim report from the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission of Inquiry will support and assist the rebuild of Christchurch, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Mr Williamson welcomed the report, which was released today.

Recommendations in the report cover such matters as soil analysis and appropriate foundation design, changes to some structural design standards and construction practices, and use of new building technologies.

The Government has asked the Law Commission to review how joint and several liability for defective building work is currently managed, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

‘Joint and several’ means that liability is jointly shared between multiple parties, and the payment of damages must be shared by the parties.

Mr Williamson said the Building Act Review includes a review of how liability for defective building work is currently managed, and the Government has now asked the Law Commission to consider this in a wider context.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson is urging people to have their say on a joint discussion document seeking views on limited variations to the Retirement Villages Code of Practice.

The document, Potential variations to the Retirement Villages Code of Practice 2008, was released today by the Department of Building and Housing and the Retirement Commission.

Consultation will be open from Monday, 10 October until Monday, 21 November.

Restricted Building Work (RBW) will be introduced from next year, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

From 1 March 2012 design and construction work relating to primary structure such as foundations, floor, load-bearing walls and columns, roof work and weathertightness such as exterior cladding and joinery will only be able to be carried out or supervised by licensed building practitioners.

More than 200 owners of leaky homes have qualified for $23 million in assistance under the Leaky Homes Financial Assistance Package, of which $18 million is from the Government and $5 million from local councils, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

The scheme - where homeowners may be eligible to have up to 50% of their repair costs paid by Government and the local council - became available on 29 July 2011.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has welcomed today's release of a Department of Building and Housing technical investigation into the performance of three buildings in Christchurch.

The report released today covers the Pyne Gould Corporation, Forsyth Barr and Hotel Grand Chancellor buildings. However, the technical investigation into the fourth and final building - the Canterbury Television (CTV) building is far more complex and will be part of a second report, which will not be completed until the end of this year or early 2012.

Amendments to the Dam Safety Scheme have been included in Building Amendment Bill (No 4), which was introduced in Parliament today.

“We have amended plans for the Scheme, because it was overly costly and complex,” Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

A Bill that proposes consumer protection measures to the Building Act 2004 was introduced to Parliament today.

Building Amendment Bill (No 4) provides for a range of measures designed to help consumers hold building practitioners to account.

The Bill is the companion to the Building Amendment Bill (No 3) which was introduced to Parliament in November 2010.

“These Bills form a package of changes to lift the performance and productivity of the building industry,” Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Retirement village registration fees will change on 11 August, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today. 

‘”The annual return fees for all retirement village operators will go down,’ Mr Williamson said. 

“It’s about making sure fees continue to reflect actual administration costs, so the system is fair and efficient.”

Mr Williamson said the changes are likely to mean lower overall costs for most retirement villages.

Leaky Homes Financial Assistance Package available from 29 July 2011

The Government’s leaky homes Financial Assistance Package will be available from tomorrow, Friday 29 July, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

Under the package, qualifying homeowners will receive a 25 per cent contribution from the Government and may receive 25 per cent from their local council. The contributions will be based on actual repair costs.

Good evening and thank you for inviting me here to speak with you as we toast some of Waikato’s best buildings and building practitioners.

I would like to acknowledge Mayor Julie Hardaker, and Mr Colin Bertram, President of the Waikato Master Builders Association.

I also congratulate all those exceedingly talented professionals who are finalists in this year’s Waikato Registered Master Builders 2011 House of the Year Awards and the RMB Commercial Projects Awards.

Owners of leaky homes can get their homes fixed faster following the third reading of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services (Financial Assistance Package) Bill in Parliament today, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Under the $1 billion package, qualifying home owners will receive a 25 per cent contribution from the Government and may receive 25 per cent from their local council. The contributions will be based on actual repair costs.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has appointed building surveyor Dianne Johnson to the Building Practitioners Board while current members Jane Cuming and Colin Orchiston will be reappointed for a further three year term.

Ms Johnson is managing director of a building inspection firm.  She was an executive member of the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and the National Association of Women in Construction and a former member of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service Evaluation Panel.

Claims that apartment owners are not eligible for the leaky homes financial assistance package are incorrect, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

“Owners of leaky apartments are entitled to the financial assistance package,” Mr Williamson said.

Last month’s change to the Unit Titles Act enables apartment dwellers to access the financial assistance package if 75 per cent of the residents agree this is what they want.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has made three new appointments to the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board.

Craig O’Connell, Sue Simons and Ian Rowe have been appointed for terms of three years.

Mr O’Connell is a director of Recruitment and Performance Consulting Limited. He was also the acting Chief Executive of the Board from February 2010, until the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive in November 2010. He holds a BA in Psychology and BCA in Economics.

Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me here to speak with you today and it is with pleasure I do so.

I know we share some common concerns in regard to increasing quality in the building industry, not just through practitioners but also in ensuring the quality of products used.

Like you, I support practical regulation of the industry through national and consistent application of the New Zealand Building Code and New Zealand standards.

The Canterbury Earthquakes

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has appointed Anthony Ahern to the Electrical Workers Registration Board and reappointed Michael Macklin.

Both are registered electricians and will serve for terms of three years. Mr Ahern replaces Stephen Albrecht who decided not to seek a further term.

“Mr Ahern brings strong strategic and financial skills to the Board,” Mr Williamson says.

Introduction

Thank you for inviting me to talk with you today. 

I am sure that for you as for me, the topic at the forefront of your mind is the devastating aftershock that struck Christchurch on 22 February, resulting in substantial loss of life, serious harm to people, and severe damage to buildings and property. 

That event reminds us that New Zealand is susceptible to earthquake and enforces the vital importance of good design, quality construction, and a building controls system that focuses on safeguarding human life.

Introduction

Thank you for inviting me to open your 13th annual conference.

As qualified builders, matters that you’ll have on your mind at the moment are the ongoing economic and business challenges being confronted by the building and construction sector; and the opportunities that will emerge in the wake of the Canterbury earthquakes as our second largest city starts to re-build, and in other main centres as the Government takes steps to help owners of leaky homes to get their houses fixed.

MultiProof regulations have been broadened to accommodate a wider range of building designs, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

MultiProof was introduced last year to cut red tape and cost, without cutting corners. MultiProof originally allowed volume builders to obtain fast-tracked building consents for standard single building designs just once instead of several times.

“Now that the service has proved itself it is time to open MultiProof up to a broad range of building designs,” Mr Williamson said.