Previous determinations

This determination considers the granting of a building consent and whether a proposed three-storey apartment building with a common stairwell requires smoke lobbies in the ground floor apartments in order to comply with the Building Code by means of the Acceptable Solution C/AS2. The ground floor apartments have alternative egress routes and the common stairwell is the single escape route for the occupants of upper floors.

This determination concerns a new dwelling constructed at the rear of a site with an existing dwelling, and compliance of the new dwelling in relation to movement to a place of safety in the event of a fire.  The matter at issue is whether the escape route to a safe place for the occupants of the rear dwelling required a protected path past the existing dwelling.

This determination considers two dangerous building notices that were issued for a six-storey building in central Auckland.  The various levels of the building are fitted out for retail, offices, and sleeping accommodation.  The determination considers the authority’s decision to the second dangerous building notice restricting entry to part of the building, which meant part of the building could not be used for sleeping accommodation, and the authority’s decision to reissue that notice after thirty days.

This determination concerns whether a garage built over a boundary complies with Clause C3 (Spread of Fire) of the Building Code in place when the building consent was issued, and whether the authority was correct to issue a code compliance certificate for the work.

This determination considers the authority’s refusal to amend a compliance schedule to remove the fire-rated mezzanine floor from the schedule for an early childhood centre.

The matter turns on whether the fire-rated floor is a “fire separation” as that term is used in relation to specified systems.

Note: This determination is subject to clarification

This determination concerns an as-installed solid fuel heater installed without the clearance behind it that was described in the manufacturer’s installation instructions.  The determination considers the compliance of heater and a notice to fix issued in respect of this work.

This determination considers the fire safety design of a proposed tall building and whether compliance with Clauses C1-C6 has been established by means of Verification Method C/VM2.  The determination discusses the scope of the Verification Method, how compliance is established by way of the Verification Method, and the compliance of the proposed design – in particular the lack of isolated interconnection between the lobby containing the designated fire fighters lift and the stair that is the means of egress and which firefighters use to access the floor of fire origin.

Note: This determination is subject to clarification

This determination concerns a notice to fix issued by an authority in respect of the specified systems in a building, the compliance schedule, and the building warrant of fitness. The determination considers whether the notice to fix was correctly issued, the information to be provided in a compliance schedule, and the issue of the building warrant of fitness.

This determination considers the compliance of a warehouse fitout, comprising a storage racking system and a mezzanine floor, with the fire safety requirements of the Building Code. The determination considers whether the fitout was part of the original building as it was intended to be built, or whether it can be considered an alteration to an existing building.

This determination considers fire spread across a boundary in relation to an existing commercial building that is being altered. The determination considers how distance is measured to the relevant boundary for the purposes of considering fire spread to other property in order to satisfy the requirements of Building Code Clause C3—Fire affecting areas beyond the fire source.