The New Zealand Government has proposed changes to the earthquake-prone building (EPB) system. These changes could affect many private building owners, especially in Auckland and Northland. While the updates are not yet in place, they could simplify the current system and reduce requirements for some properties.
A Simpler, More Focused System
The main goal of the proposal is to reduce the number of buildings classified as earthquake-prone and to focus mandatory mitigation requirements on buildings with higher risk characteristics. Instead of applying broad criteria, the system would focus on two key building types. These include unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, which are older concrete masonry block and clay brick buildings with no steel reinforcements, and larger concrete or heavy buildings that are three storeys or more. These types are considered to present the highest risk during an earthquake. Buildings that do not fall into these categories may no longer be classified as earthquake prone. Meanwhile, requirements on the strengthening of such earthquake-prone buildings have been altered with a more targeted approach that aims to address the worst vulnerabilities rather than the current %NBS approach, which considers strengthening of the whole building. However, the strengthening requirements for URM buildings are more complex which might still require full scale strengthening for multi-storey URM buildings in urban centres.
Impact on Auckland and Northland
Auckland and Northland are considered lower seismic risk areas. Because of this, many buildings in these regions could be removed from the EPB system under the proposed changes.
However, the aforementioned URM buildings and multi-storey concrete or heavy buildings will continue to be assessed and managed under the EPB rules.
When Will This Happen?
The changes are still being reviewed and are not yet law. If approved, they are expected to take effect in late 2026.
Until then, current EPB rules still apply, and building owners must continue to meet existing requirements.
What This Means for Building Owners
If the changes go ahead, some owners may find their buildings are no longer classified as earthquake-prone and are taken off the earthquake-prone register. This could happen if a building does not meet the new EPB building types and is located in a low-risk area. In turn, some building owners will be faced with reduced mandatory assessment and compliance requirements and associated costs. However, owners of older URM buildings and multi-storey concrete or heavy buildings will likely still need to comply with the EPB rules.
What Should You Do Now?
For now, building owners should continue following the current EPB requirements and stay informed of any updates as they are confirmed.
Learn More
For more detail on the proposed changes, visit:
https://www.engineeringnz.org/programmes/advocacy/earthquake-prone-building-epb-system-reform/
