Description

The application for this determination arises from the initial decision of the authority to refuse to issue a building consent, because it had received insufficient information in the documentation accompanying the consent application to be satisfied that the house would comply with Clause E3 Internal Moisture and Clause B2 Durability of the Building Code. The authority's concerns related to the potential for moisture problems to arise from the vapour-control membrane system specified for the proposed house (the vapour-control membrane). Compliance with Clause E2 External Moisture is also a relevant consideration. Following the provision of further information, the authority approved the building consent on the condition that changes to the building work would be made, if necessary, based on the findings of this determination on the code compliance of the of the house incorporating the proposed vapour-control membrane. The matters to be determined are therefore: whether the authoritys initial refusal to issue a building consent was correct; and whether the vapour-control membrane proposed for use within the exterior walls and ceilings of this house will comply with Clause E2 External Moisture, Clause E3 Internal Moisture and Clause B2 Durability of the Building Code. There is no evidence of dispute about any other matters related to the proposed house, and this determination is therefore limited to the vapour-control membrane. Building Code requirements related to the proposed membrane are provided in the Appendix.