The general requirements for a Building Consent for Commercial
Premises are the same as for any Building Consent. However,
if you are planning to do building work on industrial or commercial
premises there are some extra requirements that would not normally
apply to a private building or dwelling. If you are planning
to do commercial work, you should read this information in
conjunction with the information on 'Building Consents'.
Certificate for Public Use
It is an offence to permit the public use of any part of a
building affected by building work before the Code Compliance
Certificate (CCC) or Certificate for Public Use (CPU) has been
issued. An application for CPU must be accompanied by detail of the
precautions that will be taken to protect the public using the
building until CCC is issued. This should include detail of
any specified systems and means of escape from fire.
Specified Systems and Compliance Schedule
Specified Systems are systems or features that
contribute to the proper functioning of a building.
Specified Systems require on-going inspection and maintenance
to ensure they function as required, because if they fail to
operate properly, they have the potential to adversely affect
health or life safety and may also affect your insurance cover.
Specified Systems include, but are not limited to, sprinkler
systems, lifts, mechanical ventilation or air conditioning
systems. Currently there are 16 different specified systems
prescribed under the Building Act. When you apply for a
building consent for a new (or existing) building with specified
systems, you will need to provide information with your application
to enable the council to compile (or amend) a compliance
schedule.
The council will require details of the design features of
the Specified Systems and proposed procedures for
inspection, maintenance and reporting so they can be included in
the Compliance Schedule. This will also include the
performance standard a Specified System is intended to
meet, and to continue to meet, for the life of the building. For
example, a fire alarm system may be required to meet New Zealand
Standard 4512:2003. When the council issues a building
consent they will state whether the building requires
a Compliance Schedule.
A Compliance Schedule states
the Specified Systems, their performance standards and
includes the inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures
needed to keep them in good working order. The building
consent will identify documentation the applicant is required to
provide to the council when construction is complete and before
a Code Compliance Certificate
and Compliance Schedule can be issued.
This documentation may include certificates from installers of
specified systems, testing and commissioning results, and third
party verification from accredited inspection bodies for fire
alarms and sprinkler systems as required by New Zealand Standards
4512:2003 and 4541:2007 respectively.
The Council is required to issue a Compliance Schedule
and Compliance Schedule statement for new buildings or
amend a Compliance Schedule where any Specified Systems are added
or changed in a building. The Compliance Schedule is issued
with the Code Compliance Certificate.
Building Warrant of Fitness (BWoF) and Owner
Responsibilities
Where a Compliance Schedule has been issued for a building, the
owner must provide a BWof annually to verify that specified systems
are in working order. This is a statutory declaration made by the
building owner that the requirements of the compliance schedule
have been carried out for the preceding year.For the first year,
you must display the Compliance Schedule Statement in a public
place in the building.
Every year after that you must:
- Issue a BWoF - To do this you must first ensure that all
requirements of the Compliance Schedule have been satisfied. This
will include inspections by an independently qualified person (IQP)
for each of the system's features.
- Display a copy of the BWoF - This must be displayed in a
public place in the building.
- Send BWoF and Independent Qualified Person/Licensed Building
Practitioner (IQP/LBP) certificates to the Council - The original
BWoF must be accompanied by all IQP 12a certificates required
by the Compliance Schedule.
In addition to inspections by independently qualified persons,
the owner is often required to perform inspections at regular
intervals. Records of the following must be kept together for two
years and produced when requested for audit purposes:
- inspections by independently qualified persons
- inspections by the owner
- the Compliance Schedule.
Pallet Racking
Pallet racking installations require a building consent, and
applications for consent must contain appropriate documentation in
support of the claim that the installation will comply with the New
Zealand Building Code. Please refer to the Best Practice Note - Pallet Racking PDF
(38.3kb) for further information.
Implementation of joint Palmerston North City Council and
Manawatu District Council Independent Qualified Persons (IQP)
register
Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) and Manawatu District
Council (MDC) have developed a joint IQP register.
IQPs can apply to either PNCC or MDC on a combined
application form and pay one fee for registration with both
Councils. This will provide you with savings in time and money.
The decision to develop a joint register also provided the
opportunity for the Councils to review how applications for IQP
status are accepted. The process provides a more robust and
consistent approach for approval.
IQP acceptance will be specific to an individual and there will
be minimum requirements established for acceptance.
All existing IQPs registered under MDC and PNCC have been
incorporated into the joint register.
A quick guide sheet "Information for persons seeking acceptance
as an Independent Qualified Person" was developed and is available
below or from the Council offices.
The joint IQP register has been affective since 1st December
2011.
Please contact Building Services at Palmerston North City
Council or Building Services at Manawatu District council for more
information.
Guidelines for persons seeking registration as an
IQP - PDF (23Kb)
IQP Application Form - PDF (342Kb)
Fees and Charges
Building Services - Fees and Charges
- PDF (535Kb)