Source: Duncan Cotterill partner Paul Calder via Property and Build
The new national framework for managing earthquake-prone buildings (EPBs) that became effective on 1 July 2017 has brought several changes.
These include a national register, new forms of EPB notice that must be displayed prominently on all EBPs and set time frames for assessment and strengthening.
Councils, engineers and commercial building owners are each assigned key responsibilities in connection with the implementation of the new system. These can be summarised as follows:
- The initial identification of EPBs by councils do not involve a detailed engineering assessment of the buildings.
- Councils are required to look at building features at a high level in making their initial assessments (as set out in the EPB methodology).
- It is up to building owners to undertake detailed engineering assessments as required.
Click here to find out more about what commercial building owners need to know i.e.:
- What happens now the new rules have come into effect?
- What must I do if I receive a notice that my building may be earthquake prone?
- How will a final decision be made about whether my building is an earthquake-prone building?
- What happens if my building is determined to be an earthquake-prone building?
- What strengthening work must I do?
- What happens if I don’t do anything within the required time frame?