Building product information requirements

How building products are currently regulated

Building products are central to safe and durable buildings, yet information about products is not required and they are only regulated through the consenting process by how they are specified and used in building work. This has created significant gaps and inconsistencies in information about building products.

Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) frequently need to request additional information about specified products to ensure compliance with building code requirements. This creates costly delays for building owners.

There is also an increasing range and complexity of building products and building methods, and cheaper alternatives available, increasing the risk of not meeting building code requirements from using an unsafe product.

What's changing?

The Building (Building Products and Methods, Modular Components, and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 introduced the power to prescribe minimum requirements for information about building products that are available to the New Zealand market.

In June 2022, new regulations Building Product Information Requirements 2022 were made with a built in 18-month transition period. The changes will commence and become enforceable 11th of December 2023.

This information will need to be provided by product manufacturers and suppliers. Distributors and/or retailers will need to check that the products they distribute or sell meet the information requirements.

The requirements will ensure people are given the information they need to make good decisions about products, use them as intended, and will provide clarity on who can be held accountable if something goes wrong.

More information about building product information requirements