Leak strategy's size criticised

By ANNE GIBSON

A new discussion paper about leaky buildings is too big for one Auckland engineer.

Dr Kelvin Walls says the Building Industry Association paper is "a wad of documents" which will take many hours to read and even longer to prepare a commentary on.

The document is a consultation paper for acceptable solution changes to the Building Code on the durability of buildings and the application of monolithic claddings and other types of external building components.

Building Industry Authority public affairs manager Mike Noon says it has to be detailed.

"This is a serious matter and the issues are technical," he said.

"They have been fully explained and documented, so the documents are lengthy.

"But there are summaries in the front, and they have been written in a language which is as easy to understand as it can be," Noon said.

But Walls said it was a matter of time.

"I'm grateful to receive this from the BIA, but consultants don't have the time to put in because we're paid by people engaging us and don't have a salary."

People have until August 8 to comment on the papers, Walls said.

He is a board member of the Institution of Professional Engineers and head of Building Code Consultants.

Walls said the document was about 3.5cm thick, which "was just unreal to overcome the problem".

He also raised doubts about how people on building sites would understand it.

"Most builders won't own a copy of the new standard being proposed."