Engineers, building professionals and earthquake-prone buildings

Role of engineers and other building professionals

Suitably qualified engineers will carry out engineering assessments on buildings. The earthquake-prone building methodology sets out the qualifications required for engineers assessing potentially earthquake-prone buildings.

Engineers:

• should be familiar with the earthquake-prone building methodology as this contains the engineering assessment requirements for buildings identified by territorial authorities as potentially earthquake-prone
• must carry out earthquake assessments in accordance with the earthquake-prone building methodology if these assessments are for earthquake-prone building purposes
• can provide technical support to territorial authorities when required.

Territorial authorities use engineering assessments to help determine whether a building is earthquake-prone and, if so, to assign an earthquake rating. New assessments must meet the criteria in the earthquake-prone building methodology to be accepted by a territorial authority.

Assessment requirements

The earthquake-prone building methodology contains information that relate to engineering assessments of potentially earthquake-prone buildings:

• the scope for engineering assessments
• qualification requirements; at the minimum the engineering assessment must be overseen and signed off by a Chartered Professional Engineer
• determining the appropriate form of assessment
• technical requirements for the assessment
• considering parts of buildings
• reporting requirements.

Building professionals (trades people and designers)

While any other roles than territorial authorities, engineers and building owners are not specifically described in the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016, others in the sector who are doing work on earthquake prone buildings have responsibilities too.

Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016 - legislation.govt.nz

This can be doing substantial alterations or earthquake strengthening. Any building work must be in accordance with the Building Code and any Health and Safety related regulations.

Improving buildings to make them resilient to earthquakes should be focused on issues such as:

• fall hazards. That is, chimneys, parapets, ornaments
• stability of walls
• connections between building elements
• improve loadbearing configuration
• foundations

Additional resource

Earthquake Prone Buildings – Guidance and Approaches - Auckland Council Guide [PDF 2.4MB] - aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

BRANZ Bulletin issue 556 - Upgrading piled foundations to resist earthquakes.pdf [PDF 4.7MB] - cloudfront.net

More information

More information is available for engineers and other building professionals

Access a variety of resources and tools to assist.

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