Findings of the review

Criterion 7 - Weathertightness compliance

Purpose

To assess the Council's ability to process and inspect weathertightness compliance with particular attention to:

• weathertightness design processing methodology
• the level and detail of consent documentation accepted and approved by the Council
• technical competency of both processing and inspection staff in weathertightness compliance
• the Council's inspection systems and procedures.

Background

Over the last 5 or so years, reports of building failure began to emerge. In response to these concerns the Government initiated several reviews that collectively found a systemic failure of the building system. The term 'systemic failure' illustrates that no one cause led to the failure; rather, it was the result of a complex interplay between a number of factors. Some of the key factors involved included:

• standards of design and construction that were set at the minimum level necessary to achieve compliance, providing no margin for error
• a lack of information and capability on the design and construction side
• inadequate review of consent applications and inspections of building work, which meant that specific problems were not being consistently identified and rectified
• capability and capacity issues within the regulatory building control sector and the need for better monitoring of emerging trends within the building control system.

The Building Act 1991 was repealed and replaced by the Building Act 2004, which introduced a more comprehensive regulatory regime for the building control sector. The Acceptable Solution (a prescriptive means of compliance) for meeting Clause E2 External Moisture (weathertightness) of the Building Code was also updated.

Initial review

The initial review identified that the Council did not consider weathertightness to be a local issue. As a consequence, little extra attention was being given by technical staff to weathertightness compliance. The Department found that the level of weathertightness detail provided with consent documentation was inadequate, as were on-site inspections. The Department also identified examples where code compliance certificates should not have been issued as weathertightness compliance was not achieved.

Recommendations to the Council	Action taken by the Council before the follow-up review
Establish sound weathertightness processing and inspection methodology and the use of weathertightness checklists.	The Council improved its processing checklist and inspection methodology.
Place specific focus on providing weathertightness training for technical staff.	Building officers attended Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) weathertightness seminars.
Place greater emphasis on ensuring adequate weathertightness details and information are supplied in building consent applications.	The Council placed improved emphasis on ensuring weathertightness detail is provided in building consent applications (eg, it advised that it began to require full flashing details to be provided with building consent applications).

Follow-up review

The February 2006 review found that the Council had endeavoured to implement most of the weathertightness recommendations in the December 2003 review. The follow-up review identified that the Council had improved its base knowledge, and the processing and inspection of weathertightness compliance, and had provided specific weathertightness training for staff. The Council needs to build on this improvement by providing ongoing staff training, and implementing policies and procedures for weathertightness processing and inspections, including improving and updating processing checklists.

The Department noted that using external contractors to process building consent applications had helped the Council ensure weathertightness inspections are undertaken accurately. It noted that, if the Council ceased using these private contractors, it would need to review its in-house capacity and resources for inspecting and processing weathertightness compliance.

The Department made a set of further recommendations to enable the Council to build on the progress made.

Recommendations to the Council	Response from the Council
Ensure all processing and inspection staff are able to develop appropriate levels of practical weathertightness compliance knowledge and skills through adequate training.	The Council advised that staff will attend weathertightness (and other) training. For instance, a new staff member attended the BRANZ weathertightness training in 2006.
Ensure inspection staff adequately detail all areas concerning weathertightness.	The Council provided the Department with a cladding checklist it was trialling.
Enhance policies and procedures for weathertightness processing and inspections, including comprehensive checklists.	The Council noted that its weathertightness processing and inspections checklists were used at the time of the Department's follow-up visit. Additional forms and documented policies and procedures were being developed as part of the Mainland Building Consent Authority Group's work.

Conclusion

The Department supports the Council's endeavours to ensure its staff receive appropriate weathertightness training. However, we also note that ongoing training in this crucial area is vital and the Council needs to continue to develop the collective technical skill sets of its Building Control Team in weathertightness compliance.

The Department notes that there are a number of training courses that the Council could use in this area. The BRANZ weathertightness training course provides a 2-week comprehensive training programme and the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors also runs training courses. To date, a number of staff have not attended these or other appropriate courses, or received any one-on-one specialist training. The Council needs to improve in this area.

We also note the work in progress to strengthen the Council's policies and processes, including the trialling of the cladding checklist.