Description

Following the public consultation, MBIE is extending the time to comply with new wall, floor, and roof insulation requirements for housing by a further six months. This change to the transition period has been made in recognition of pressure on the residential construction sector.

MBIE received a large number of submissions on this consultation, showing that that there is a broad range of perspectives and opinions on the matter.

Responses showed there is a high level of support for the insulation changes and the need for New Zealand to provide higher performing houses while responding to the urgency of climate change. However there were some significant concerns raised by key parts of the system.

All parts of the sector indicated there are existing stresses caused by COVID-19 and the current economic climate. Builders indicated this would be further amplified by introducing the new insulation requirements from November 2022.

Scope

From 1 May 2023 new building work in homes must meet the new wall, floor, and roof insulation performance requirements.

Window and door insulation requirements will continue to see a staged implementation process.

Construction in the upper North Island (climate zones 1-2) will keep to the previous timeline, with windows and doors requiring an interim minimum R value of 0.37 by 3 November 2022, and further requiring a minimum R value of 0.46 by 2 November 2023.

Construction in the rest of the country (climate zones 3-6) will now also have an interim increase. These zones will be required to reach a minimum R value of 0.37 for all windows and doors by 3 November 2022 and increase this to R0.46 (zones 3-4) and R0.50 (zones 5-6) six months later, on 1 May 2023.

By 2 November 2023, windows in new housing will be required to meet the increase performance levels for all parts of the country.

The amended Fifth Editions of Acceptable Solution H1/AS1 and Verification Method H1/VM1 will be published in August 2022.