21 Nov 2017

Building industry worried by hurried fire rules

From Morning Report, 8:19 am on 21 November 2017

New fire rules kick in this week catching the building industry on the hop. New rules will apply to hospitals, care homes, high-rises over 20 storeys tall, stadiums, big transport terminals, buildings storing dangerous goods and large shopping malls are being shifted from one set of design rules to another. But fire engineers are calling on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to delay the change. And architects say it will force big projects that don't yet have consent to get their fire designs rechecked and possibly modified, costing time and money. Bruce Kohn is the chief executive of the Building Industry Federation and joins us to share his reaction.