In a move of significance to Hawke’s Bay and our councils, the Government proposes to make the earthquake-prone building (EPB) system more risk-based and proportionate, by focusing on higher seismic risk areas and high-risk buildings. The relevant legislation will be introduced in coming months. 

[Editor: Subsequent to the original posting of this article, the Government released more detail regarding the expected impact in Hawke’s Bay. Approximately 15 buildings in Napier, 2 buildings in Havelock North, and 7 buildings in Wairoa will be removed from the EPB register entirely, and the remaining buildings will have more cost-effective remediation pathways. Together these changes will deliver savings of $245m for the Hawke’s Bay region.]

Says the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE): “The changes are designed to target buildings that pose the greatest risk to life safety, while improving affordability, reducing unnecessary costs and disruption, particularly in regional communities. By enabling more cost-effective approaches to seismic strengthening, remediation will be more accessible for building owners.” 

The proposed changes include:

• Removing low risk buildings and buildings in low seismic zones (Auckland, Northland and the Chatham Islands) from the EPB system.
• Introducing tiered risk mitigation requirements, making use of new engineering methodologies, based on location and building type. 
• Allowing building owners to apply for deadline extensions, provided they can meet key criteria.
• Reducing barriers to seismic strengthening by removing the requirement for concurrent fire and accessibility upgrades.

The proposed changes mean that:

• Around 55% of EPBs (around 2,900 buildings) will be removed from the EPB system.
• Around 1,440 EPBs will have more affordable remediation requirements
• 840 EPBs will have no mandatory requirement for remedial work, and
• Only around 80 buildings will require a full retrofit due to the risk they pose. 

It is expected the changes will deliver around $8.2 billion in savings for building owners, including government agencies, and will bring positive financial and economic outcomes for EPB owners across the country.

Obviously Hawke’s Bay – Hasting and Napier especially – have numerous earthquake-prone buildings, and as our region is indeed earthquake prone we will have no blanket removals from the EPB system.

Nevertheless, the proposed rules will benefit affected building owners in the region.

HDC’s John O’Shaughnessy, Group Manager: Planning & Regulatory Services, comments: “There are 84 buildings currently on Hastings District Council’s earthquake-prone buildings register. It seems likely that many buildings in Hastings currently on the register may be able to be removed due to lower risk given number of storeys etc. However, there is still a lot of detail to come out before we can get a clearer, more detailed picture of the impact.”

Napier has 34 buildings on the register. Napier City Council CEO Louise Miller comments: “Napier is in a high seismic risk zone, and although we don’t expect wholesale relaxation from the Government’s new targeted, risk-based approach to earthquake strengthening, it is still significant for our city. 

“By focusing on the highest-risk buildings such as multi-storey concrete structures and unreinforced masonry, which we have many of in our Art Deco precinct, the changes make strengthening work more achievable and sustainable, while still keeping public safety front and centre. 

“Importantly, these reforms remove some of the biggest barriers building owners have faced, including the need to complete costly upgrades all at once, and they give councils greater flexibility to extend deadlines. For Napier, this means we can better preserve the heritage buildings that define our identity, reduce the risk of empty or derelict structures in our CBD, and support owners to keep their buildings safe and occupied. 

“We welcome these changes and will continue working with building owners, government, and our community to ensure Napier’s unique character is protected for future generations.”