It's been a year to the day since the Sky City fire, but MBIE has just decided to indefinitely postpone changes to the
building code that would have required more rigorous fire testing for cladding and wall assembly on tall buildings in NZ
- despite 80 percent of submissions on the proposal supporting those changes.
Kiwi building scientists Oculus say this is clearly allowing potential risk - thousands of people live in apartment buildings in NZ, and many
businesses operate from them.
Why has this happened? MBIE cites an unfair impact on the bottom line of the timber sector - as in NZ there is a high
use of timber in these constructions. Yet there has been ample time for proactive movement on this from that industry.
Submitters from many aspects of the constructions, design and safety industries overwhelmingly supported the proposed
changes, yet their views have been overlooked.
Please find attached a media release from Oculus Architectural Engineering on this issue.
Oculus co-founders James Powers and Shawn McIsaac are both available for further information or interview - please don't
hesitate to get in touch if you would like to speak with them or have any further questions. Photos are available on
request.