In New Zealand, building environment laws and regulations are structured in a hierarchical manner, with overarching legislation at the top, followed by regulations, codes, standards, and guidance documents. Below is a hierarchy that outlines the key components of New Zealand’s building environment laws and regulations:
- Primary Legislation (Acts of Parliament)
- Building Act 2004
- Resource Management Act 1991
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
- Local Government Act 2002
- Regulations (Secondary Legislation)
- Building (Building Code) Regulations 1992
- Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006
- Building (Infringement Offences, Fees, and Forms) Regulations 2007
- Resource Management (National Environmental Standards) Regulations
- New Zealand Building Code (NZBC)
- Clause A: General Provisions
- Clause B: Durability
- Clause C: Fire Safety
- Clause D: Access and Mobility
- Clause E: Services and Facilities
- Clause F: Safety
- Clause G: Energy Efficiency
- Clause H: Hazardous Agents
- Standards and Acceptable Solutions
- New Zealand Standards (NZS)
- Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods
- Local Government Rules and Policies
- District Plans
- Regional Plans
- Building Consent Authority (BCA) Requirements
- Guidance Documents and Best Practices
- MBIE Guidance
- Industry Best Practices
- Technical Bulletins
- Case Law and Legal Precedents
- Court Decisions