Specified systems and compliance schedules – requirements for security and gas detection systems

Reprinted from Codewords 34, February 2009, Department of Building and Housing.

Some systems in buildings are so fundamental to the ongoing safe use of the building that they must be regularly inspected, tested, and maintained, and records of these activities kept. These systems are known as 'specified systems' and include fire safety systems, as well as building features such as lifts and ventilation systems.

The Building Act 2004 requires a building not used as a single household unit to have a compliance schedule if it has any specified system. This applies regardless of why the specified system was installed in the first place. Therefore, if a building has a specified system it must be on the building's compliance schedule. (Note that the only instance when a single household unit requires a compliance schedule is if it has a cable car.)

UPDATE ON STANDARDS IN DEVELOPMENT

Fire sprinkler systems for residential occupancies

Committee: P4515 Amendment
Project manager: Erin Alderton
Estimated publication date: November 2009
The Standard will be amended to clearly define a residential occupancy and any fire formal interpretations relating to NZS 4515 since its last edition in 2003 will be applied. The committee met in March and meets again in April to continue preparing the draft for public comment.

Fire sprinkler systems for houses

Committee: P4517 Amendment
Project manager: Erin Alderton
Estimated publication date: January 2010
Comments: The Standard will be amended to emphasise its application to domestic occupancies only and to address design and installation issues that have been identified since publication. Any fire formal interpretations relating to NZS 4517 since it was last amended in 2003 will be applied during this project. The committee meets again in early April.

Automatic fire sprinkler systems correction amendment

Committee: P4541
Project manager: Vicki Allison
Estimated publication date: June 2009
Comments: The committee met in late March to discuss the small number of public comments received and to finalise the content of the correction amendment to NZS 4541. The project is on target for publication in June.

Fire-resistant doorsets and smoke doors adoption

Committee: P4520
Project manager: Jono East
Estimated publication date: To be confirmed
Comments: A committee has been constituted with the purpose of adopting AS 1905.1:2005 and AS 6905:2007 as a New Zealand Standard. The adoption will enable the Department of Building and Housing to reference the new Standard in clause C of the Compliance Documents to the New Zealand Building Code. The format of the document will be agreed upon during the first committee meeting.

Interconnected smoke alarms for single household units

Committee: P4514
Project Manager: Vicki Allison
Estimated publication date: July 2009
Comments: P4514 is being edited in preparation for public consultation, expected to start in late March. As part of the review of this Standard, the committee noted the recent debate regarding ionization versus photo-electric smoke alarms and noted that NZS 4514 does not recommend ionization alarms over photo-electric alarms.

Determination of the extinction propensity of cigarettes (adoption)

Committee: P4830
Project manager: Erin Alderton
Estimated publication date: November 2009
Comments: The committee has concluded that AS 4830 is suitable for use in New Zealand and the intention to adopt it as a New Zealand Standard. The next step is to invite feedback on the Standard.