KEY POINTS:
The latest discussion document reviewing the Building Code proposes that the impact on the environment of construction and maintaining a building should be taken into account.
The Minister for Building and Construction, Clayton Cosgrove, said the idea to require assessment of the overall carbon cost of producing, maintaining and using new buildings was the centrepiece of the second discussion document in the code's review.
The "embodied energy" - the total amount of energy used to produce a final product from raw materials - would be taken into account under Building Code requirements.
"The Labour-led Government believes New Zealand should aim to be the world's first truly sustainable nation," Mr Cosgrove said.
"We know the way we design our buildings and homes will be central to that effort.
"Every building component, even the humble nail, has a carbon cost, or simply the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that we created in making it. In a truly green building that cost might be included in the building's overall energy efficiency."
The approach, which would take into account energy and water efficiency, construction materials and waste, was worth considering.
Mr Cosgrove said more efficient buildings would help homeowners with lower electricity and gas bills.
New Zealand Building Industry Federation chief executive Bruce Kohn said practical implementation of the proposal would be especially challenging. It would put a great deal of pressure on regulators and there was a risk that materials would become costly.
"The key will be to ensure that regulators and policy-makers adopt an approach based on proven methodologies, not unsubstantiated theories."
He agreed green buildings could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
New Zealand Green Building Council chairman Patrick Fontein said the proposal was a step in the right direction.
"Whole building" measurement tools were needed rather than individual product ratings, which would be confusing.
The council has a Green Star rating system which looks at a range of criteria including energy use and sustainably sourced materials.
Other key points in the document included:
* Clearly set out minimum performance standards for buildings.
* Updated and clarified existing requirements.
* A new way to design buildings to prevent fire deaths.
* A new system to allow different types of building to have different levels of performance requirements; for example, a garden shed would have different performance standards compared with a school.
* Consideration of internal space requirements for housing to improve people's well-being and to better meet the needs of people with disabilities.
Submissions on the document close on September 28.
- NZPA
