Building Controls Update No. 132: Gazette notice updated for fire design review

1 June 2012: The Chief Executive of the Department of Building and Housing has given notice, under section 46 of the Building Act 2004, of the applications for building consent that must be submitted to the New Zealand Fire Service Commission (Fire Service Commission).

The Gazette Notice updates the list of Building Code clauses that determine when a design must be submitted to the Fire Service Commission.

The list now includes Building Code clauses C1-C6 to cover both the new clauses C1-C6 Protection from Fire that came into effect on 10 April 2012 and the existing clauses C1-C4 Safety from Fire that will cease to have effect from 9 April 2013.

Otherwise the Gazette notice, and the requirements contained within, is unchanged from the Gazette notice in force previously.

The updated Gazette notice 49 came into force on 7 May 2012, and can be downloaded here .

When must a design be submitted to the Fire Service Commission?

Designs for building consent must be submitted to the Fire Service Commission when both criteria 1 and 2 below are met:

Criteria 1 - Building type

Only the following types of buildings require designs be submitted to the Fire Service Commission (provided the design/building work meets one of Criteria 2 below):

Buildings (or parts of buildings) used for:

• gathering together of 100 or more people (for any purpose)
• employment for 10 or more people
• accommodation for 6 or more people (other than in 3 or fewer household units)
• hazardous substances in quantities exceeding prescribed minimum amounts
• early childhood facilities
• nursing, medical, or geriatric care
• specialised care for persons with disabilities
• lawful detention of people (not home or community detention).

Excluding the following:

• Crown buildings that are specified by the Minister in the Gazette
• premises of diplomatic missions
• single household units
• buildings in which every fire-cell is a household unit separated vertically from the other fire-cells, and each fire-cell has independent and direct egress to a safe place outside the building
• an internal fit-out, unless the fit-out relates to a change of use
• outbuildings or ancillary buildings.

Criteria 2 - Designs/building work type

Consent applications need to be sent to the Fire Service Commission in any of the following circumstances:

• Designs for new buildings using alternative solutions (not using an Acceptable Solution or Verification Method) to comply with any of the following Building Code clauses:
  • C1-C6 Protection from Fire (or C1-C4 Fire Safety, until 9 April 2013)
  • D1 Access routes
  • F6 Visibility in escape routes
  • F8 Signs.
• When waivers or modifications to any of the above Building Code clauses are required.
• Alterations, change of use or subdivisions that have a more than minor effect on fire safety systems.