What the building product information requirements mean for Licensed Building Practitioners

Codewords 115: October 2023

Even though Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs) will not have any new responsibilities under the new regulations, it’s important that you understand the principles and the benefits you can expect to see from improved and more consistent building product information.

At present, technical product information about building products can be poorly compiled and not address important issues such as how a product should be used, installed and maintained. The regulations will require a minimum level of information about building products to be made freely and publicly available.  This will help designers, builders and consumers to choose the right products for the right building work and install them in the correct way. It will also help building consent authorities with more-efficient consenting as they will have the right information readily available to check that products in plans and specifications meet their applicable Building Code performance requirements.

Aotearoa New Zealand-based manufacturers and importers will need to make particular information about the building products they supply to the Aotearoa New Zealand market publicly available, and they must be able to provide evidence for any claims they make about their products. Aotearoa New Zealand-based distributers and retailers will need to check that the product information for designated products they supply complies with the new minimum information requirements and that the information is available to their customers.  

You should confirm that all building products used meet the minimum product information requirements and that you are installing products according to instructions given in the product information. This is particularly important when dealing with products you might not be familiar with.  Information about the product must be available online with a link to the relevant website provided on or with each product.

If you find deficiencies in the product information, then we encourage you to raise your concerns with the relevant product manufacturer or importer.  If your concerns are not resolved, please notify the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).  This information is important to help MBIE assess the impact of the legislative reforms, as well as ensure enforcement action can be taken where appropriate.

You can contact MBIE at products@mbie.govt.nz

You should expect to see a reduction in the need to replace or remedy products that fail, provided installation is carried out according to the installation instructions provided.  You may also see a reduction in labour costs relating to fixing or reinstalling products that were not installed correctly in the first instance.

Better product information is expected to result in fewer building defects, less building rework, more efficient consenting, and safer and more durable buildings.

Key details

• The regulations provide for two classes of products and the specific information requirements for each class.
• A list of the specific information that must be provided is contained in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of the regulations.
• The regulations only apply to building products that, when used in building work, may affect whether the building work complies with the Building Code.
• Information must be published and maintained by manufacturers and suppliers on an internet site that is publicly available. 
• The regulations only apply to designated building products that are manufactured in or imported into Aotearoa New Zealand on or after 11 December 2023. The regulations will not be applied retrospectively.
• The regulations only apply to new products.
• A person cannot supply, in trade, a designated building product in New Zealand that does not have product information that meets regulatory requirements.
• Each manufacturer or importer of a product must ensure that the required product information is kept up to date on the relevant Internet site from which the information is available to members of the public.
• MBIE’s chief executive has powers under the Building Act to enforce the duties and obligations in the regulations. MBIE will monitor the market, investigate complaints and take enforcement action where deemed necessary.

You can read more information about the building product information requirements in the guidance document.

Building Product Information Requirements [PDF 5.86MB](external link) — Building Performance

By Gabrielle Caesar, Senior Advisor, Information and Education, MBIE

Quiz

1. When do the new regulations commence?
   1. 11 December 2022
   2. 11 December 2023
   3. 11 December 2024
2. What are the expected results of better product information being provided?
   1. Fewer building defects
   2. Less building re-work
   3. More efficient consenting
   4. Safer and more durable buildings
   5. All the above
3. The products you are using will have installation instructions provided in the product information, and they must be installed according to those instructions:
   1. True
   2. False