As we deal with a wide range of builders across NZ, I’m often asked “What are you seeing?”. The general feel that I’m getting is that the industry is more positive but that businesses aren’t yet seeing it in their books. But it was much the same at the end 2024 and into 2025. Will 2026 be any different?

During the summer holiday, while I was driving about the North Island, I was aware of the continuing popularity of Black as the colour for exterior walls and roofs of recently built dwellings and terrace housing.

The challenge with H1 is that the underlying concept of thermal performance is quite complex. Surprisingly small things can tip a design over from passing to failing. Or costing a lot more.

Meeting the requirements of E2 ch 7.4 will ensure that your design offers a compliant level threshold solution, negating the need for any specific design. Avoiding alternative solution designs will assist in a smoother consenting process and reduce RFI responses.

Following instruction from the Minister for Building and Construction (the Hon. Chris Penk) asking MBIE to review the NZBC-H1 energy efficiency standard, a range of comments were received early this year (2025). I understand that recommendations for changes are nearing completion. In the meantime the current requirements are still in place, and then there will be a Transition Period to allow the current compliance methods to remain valid before the changes take full effect.

There's been a lot to keep up with in 2025 — from consent exemptions for granny flats and the removal of the schedule method, to recognition of overseas certification and mandating that 80% of building inspections be complete within 3 days. We've brought together the key changes in a single blog post so you can make sure you're up to date as we head into 2026. 

It's not enough to erect fire-resistant walls and floors; we need an integrated system that accommodates all building services, plumbing, electrical cables, HVAC and drainage while preventing vertical fire spread, maintaining integrity under seismic or thermal movement, and preserving life-safety performance.

For LBPs, Clause B1 defines much of their professional responsibility, especially when undertaking Restricted Building Work. By understanding and applying Clause B1 correctly, LBPs help protect the integrity of New Zealand’s homes and the safety of the people who live in them.

A recurring theme in complaints to the Building Practitioners Board is Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs) using Building Consent Authorities (BCA) as quality control. This is a misunderstanding of the regulatory framework and could lead to disciplinary action. The Building Act is quite clear on the responsibilities of the various parties involved in the building construction process.

Post-tensioned concrete slabs, with their associated steel tendons, are a common construction technique in New Zealand for elevated slabs, residential buildings, and warehouses. These flooring systems, along with the building's other structural elements and services, can penetrate the slabs and fire cells, so each penetration needs to be treated to stop the spread of fire.