Modular Off-site Construction and Building Products

BuiltReady is a voluntary certification scheme for off-site manufacturers that supports innovative and efficient building methods. It aims to give consumers more building choices and reduce building and consenting times and costs.

BuiltReady is suitable for off-site manufacturers based in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and overseas who design (where relevant), manufacture, assemble, transport, and install modular components. A modular component that has a certificate from a registered manufacturer and is being used as outlined on the certificate, must be accepted by Building Consent Authorities (councils) as meeting the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.

We expect the use of off-site construction, prefabrication and modular components will increase as the building sector looks to maximise efficiencies, reduce waste, and speed up the pace of new developments.

The BuiltReady Scheme was introduced by the Government in September 2022 to lift the efficiency and quality of building work by providing streamlined and more consistent building consent pathways for manufacturers that can meet quality assurance and performance standards.

Modular buildings or components designed and manufactured under BuiltReady certification.

• No Building Consent, Energy Works Certificate or Licenced Building Practitioner documentation is required for construction of the modular components.
• Modular buildings/products can be used in conjunction with work requiring consent, such as foundations and drainage for a modular home. In these cases, manufacturers’ certificates are provided at building consent stage and again when applying for a Code Compliance Certificate.
• If the manufacturers’ certificates are current and the components fall within the current scope of certification, then the components are deemed to comply with the New Zealand Building Code (NZBC).
• No inspections are required for modular components unless specified by the manufacturer.

Further guidance is available at BuiltReady | Building Performance

Modular buildings or components manufactured under BuiltReady certification.

• Building Consent will likely be required for approval of the design.
• No Energy Works Certificate or Licenced Building Practitioner documentation is required for construction of the modular components.
• Manufacturers’ certificates are provided at building consent stage and again when applying for a Code Compliance Certificate.
• No inspections are required for modular components unless specified by the manufacturer.

Further guidance is available at BuiltReady | Building Performance

BuiltReady manufacturer’s certificates – a deemed to comply pathway

A registered manufacturer can issue a manufacturer’s certificate to accompany a building consent application and a second certificate to accompany a code compliance application.

For manufacturers certified to design and manufacture, the manufacturer’s certificate will cover both the design and manufacture of the modular component included in the building consent.

For manufacturers certified to manufacture only, the modular component will be deemed to comply, but the building design still needs to be approved by the responsible BCA.

Any building work not covered by a manufacturer’s certificate must still be approved by the BCA as per standard practice.

A manufacturer’s certificate issued for a code compliance certificate is a statement that the modular component has been designed (if applicable), manufactured, transported, stored, and installed according to the specifications provided in the initial manufacturer’s certificate (including any approved variations).

Manufacturing and importing building products.

The Building (Building Product Information Requirements) Regulations 2022 apply to designated building products manufactured in, or imported into, Aotearoa New Zealand on or after 11 December 2023.

These regulations include new minimum information requirements for building products, to support better informed decision-making by building consent authorities, building owners, builders, and designers.

The new regulations identify a number of building products for which information must be provided and establish the minimum requirements for that information.

More detail is available in the MBIE guidance document Building Product Information Requirements