ModelDocs: Transforming building consenting behaviour

Inefficient consenting is estimated to cause half a million days of lost productivity per year. That’s a key finding of ModelDocs: Transforming building consenting behaviour (complete), a research project led by Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland with investment from the Building Research Levy. Researchers analysed hundreds of consenting applications and thousands of requests for information (RFIs) to pinpoint areas causing delays and identify where additional tools and training are needed. They focused on applications in May 2023 at Auckland and Tauranga Building Consent Authorities (BCAs), which accounted for 46% of all consenting applications that year. They found that information from submitters is often incomplete, which contributes to delays, and that 86% of RFIs related to submitter behaviour and 14% to receiver behaviour. Of the 86%, the main issue was missing and incorrect documents. Of the 14%, the main issue was that RFIs need not have been sent. Another problem - regularly raised by the sector - is inconsistencies in how consents are handled across Aotearoa New Zealand. With more than 60 BCAs and over 1,200 building control officers (BCOs), there is a lot of variation. More education for submitters would help reduce missing documentation and decrease RFIs, the report says. It also recommends that BCAs will benefit from guidelines on how to be consistent in their approach to RFIs. The project was led by Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland in collaboration with BRANZ, Auckland Council, Tauranga City Council, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Building Officials Institute of New Zealand, New Zealand Institute of Architects, Licensed Building Practitioners, Engineering New Zealand, Simpli, Objective Build, EBOSS, builders, manufacturers and suppliers.