New product regulations

New regulations coming into effect in December should ensure a minimum level of information is provided about designated building products, to increase confidence in their use, and support better and more efficient decision making.

The Building Product Information Requirements Regulations 2022 mean that certain information
is required to be provided publicly by building product manufacturers and also by importers.

Retailers and distributors will then need to check that the required information is available for the designated building products they sell or distribute.

The regulations will make it easier for designers, builders and homeowners to decide which products are right for the job, use them as intended, and make decisions about alternative products where there are product shortages.

They will also help building consent authorities with more efficient consenting, as they will have the right information readily available to check that building products included in plans and specifications meet their applicable Building Code performance requirements.

There are two classes of designated building products:
Class 1: batch or mass-produced products that are typically available for retail or wholesale purchase. For example, cladding products, mechanical fixings, insulation products, internal lining, roofing products, structural wood-based products, structural steel and reinforcing products, sanitary plumbing and drainage products, including tapware, among a multitude of others.

Class 2: custom-made lines of products that are made to order to client specifications. For example, external window joinery and doors that have been customised to the specifications of individual clients (for example, specifications on dimensions and glass type).

Information must be published and maintained on an internet site that is publicly available.