Earthquake-prone buildings resources

Last updated: 26 November 2024

MBIE has many resources available to support all stages to manage the earthquake-prone buildings for all people involved.

Definitions

District

An area managed by a territorial authority (defined in section 7 of the Building Act 2004)

Earthquake rating

Earthquake ratings mean the degree to which the building, or part, meets the seismic performance requirements of the Building Code that relate to how a building is likely to perform in an earthquake and that would be used to design a new building on the same site as at 1 July 2017 – the date the new system came into force.

Earthquake-prone building

A building, or part of a building, is earthquake-prone if it will have its ultimate capacity exceeded in a moderate earthquake, and if it were to collapse, would do so in a way that is likely to cause injury or death to persons in or near the building or on any other property, or damage to any other property.

Earthquake-prone building methodology

The document used by territorial authorities and engineers to identify, assess, and make decisions on potentially earthquake-prone buildings. It is set by the Chief Executive of MBIE under the Building Act 2004.

High seismic risk

An area that has a Z factor that is ≥ 0.3. Z factor is the seismic risk factor of an area determined in accordance with Standard NZS 1170.5:2004.

Medium seismic risk

An area that has a Z factor that is ≥ 0.15 and < 0.3.

Low seismic risk

An area that has a Z factor that is < 0.15.

Priority buildings

Buildings in high and medium seismic risk areas that are considered to present a higher risk due to their construction, building type, use or location.

Territorial authority

Defined under the Local Government Act 2002 as a city or a district council.

Legislation

The core legislation and tools that support the system are described below. These documents are for all people involved.

The Building Act 2004 - legislation.govt.nz

the core framework for managing earthquake-prone buildings – major changes to this framework took effect from 1 July 2017 (through an Amendment Act)
defines an earthquake-prone building (in a revised definition that clarifies certain aspects, including the application to parts of a building)
sets out exclusions from the scope of the earthquake-prone buildings provisions
makes certain provisions for heritage buildings.

Building (Specified Systems, Change the Use, and Earthquake-prone Buildings) Regulations 2005 - legislation.govt.nz

provide more details about how to meet certain requirements under the Building Act
define 'ultimate capacity' and 'moderate earthquake', two terms in the Building Act definition of an earthquake-prone building
establish categories for earthquake ratings and the form of earthquake-prone building notices
include criteria for territorial authorities considering whether alterations to earthquake-prone buildings trigger the requirement to complete seismic work
identify characteristics a building must have to be granted an exemption from seismic work
identify some new offences and fees for actions relating to earthquake-prone buildings.

Building (Infringement Offences, Fees, and Forms) Regulations 2007 - legislation.govt.nz

provide about fees and offences related to the Building Act 2004.

Building Code B1 Structure

set out the performance requirements how buildings should be stable, not degrade and withstand physical conditions to protect lives and other property.

a national, publicly accessible register of buildings determined to be earthquake-prone, and their earthquake ratings
will be added to progressively as buildings are determined as earthquake-prone.

Residential Earthquake-prone Building Financial Assistance Scheme

Press-release – earthquake-prone buildings review.

Guidance and information

The methodology to identify earthquake-prone buildings

sets out how territorial authorities identify potentially earthquake-prone buildings
sets out how engineers undertake engineering assessments
provide information on how territorial authorities determine whether a building or part is earthquake prone, and if it is, its earthquake rating
incorporates the Engineering Assessment Guidelines by reference.

The Seismic Assessment of Existing Buildings: Technical Guidelines for Engineering Assessments.

provide engineers with the framework and technical methods they are required to use in undertaking assessments
a full revision of the 2006 seismic assessment guidelines (also known as the ‘red book’) that incorporates new knowledge and research in earthquake engineering assessment methods.

Z values to determine seismic risk

provides information for territorial authorities and engineers on how to determine the Z value relevant to the seismic risk area.

Building infringement scheme guidelines

provide information for territorial and regional authorities to implement the Building (Infringement Offences, Fees, and Forms) Regulations 2007 (the Building Infringement Regulations), as amended in 2012
they may also help territorial and regional authorities develop policies around how to enforce the Regulations
sets out the provisions for penalties and provides guidelines for their issue and enforcement
includes a 'summary of rights' for any notice and offence codes.

Priority Buildings: a guide to the earthquake-prone building provisions of the Building Act

explains the definition of priority buildings and how to apply this
outlines the responsibilities of territorial authorities and building owners and the time frames for identifying and remediating priority buildings
provides detailed information on buildings such as hospital, emergency and education buildings that are prioritised because of their function.

Altering an existing building

helps to determine the requirements of proposed alterations to existing buildings, whether earthquake prone or not, and how these can be met
provide information for building professionals, engineers, territorial authorities and building owners.

Exemptions from carrying out seismic work

describe the process for applying for, granting and revoking exemptions, and explains the required building characteristics
include scenarios to illustrate the decision-making process, and provides a link to a suggested template letter from territorial authorities to building owners.

How to start - advice for territorial authorities on using existing information to identify potentially earthquake-prone buildings [PDF 197KB]

provides information for territorial authorities how to use existing information to identify potentially earthquake prone buildings.

Earthquake-prone buildings: Strategic engineering advice to assist territorial authorities [PDF 239KB]

helps territorial authorities and engineers to help identifying and decision making on potentially earthquake-prone buildings

Territorial authorities issue EPB notices for earthquake-prone buildings [PDF 187KB]

helps territorial authorities on the approach to apply when issuing an earthquake-prone building notice for an earthquake-prone building
includes the recommended approach for issuing earthquake-prone building notices in a range of different scenarios.

Earthquake-prone buildings: substantial alterations [PDF 510KB]

assist building owners who have an earthquake-prone building, and wish to have substantial alterations to their building.

Earthquake-prone buildings notices

provides information about the various earthquake-prone building notices issued by territorial authorities.

Information sheet: Identifying potentially earthquake-prone buildings

provide information for building owners, engineers and territorial authorities about the process of identifying potentially earthquake prone buildings.

Information sheet: Assessing potentially earthquake-prone buildings

provide information for building owners, engineers and territorial authorities about process to assess a potentially earthquake-prone building.

Information sheet: Deciding if a building is earthquake prone

provides information for territorial authorities about whether or not a building or part is earthquake prone.

Information sheet: Managing earthquake-prone buildings

provide information for building owners, engineers and territorial authorities about the process what happens when a building is earthquake-prone.

Earthquake-prone buildings: priority buildings [PDF 269KB]

provides information on what priority buildings are and how to deal with them.

Reports

Progress towards identifying potentially earthquake-prone buildings – yearly reports:

The Building Act 2004 requires all territorial authorities (TAs) to report regularly to MBIE on their progress in identifying potential earthquake-prone buildings. The following reports show the progress made each year by TAs depending on their reporting cycle.

C5 Evidence Reports

The Seismic Assessment of Existing Buildings (2017), or 'Red Book', is a mandatory set of technical guidelines for seismic assessments. One section, C5, deals with the assessment of concrete buildings.

In 2018, C5 was revised to include the latest knowledge following the 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake. Engineers can now use this revision, known as the 'Yellow Chapter', for all assessments – except when determining whether a building is earthquake-prone, whereby the Red Book must be used.

The C5 evidence project involved an independent assessment of 22 buildings to compare %NBS ratings using both the Red Book and Yellow Chapter. Prepared by Engineering New Zealand, the project was developed to help inform MBIE's decisions around the regulatory status of the Yellow Chapter.

C5 Evidence Report Phase 1

C5 Evidence Report Phase 2

Videos

Explanation videos on how the earthquake prone building methodology affects building owners.

Videos to support EPB methodology learning