The Minister for Building and Construction, Jenny Salesa, has announced a new programme to help ensure the building and construction sector is playing its part for New Zealand to reach its climate change goals. 

The Building for Climate Change programme will focus on finding ways to reduce emissions from buildings during their construction and operation, while also preparing buildings to withstand changes in the climate. This will be a long-term programme that will go on for the next 20 to 30 years, however, they will be getting started as soon as possible. 

Over the next year, the Programme will be focussed on engaging with the building and construction sector to test ideas and to make sure it is done right. From next year, a group of initiatives will be launched that will kick start changes in the building sector.  

Some adjustments to current building laws are planned – both the Building Act and the Building Code. There will also be a focus on starting to change people’s behaviour, and hthe way they think about designing, constructing and operating buildings. This will be done through incentives, and encouraging innovation.

Find out more details about the programme, and what’s happening now, on MBIE's website.