Submissions to Parliamentary Select Committee on Building (Earthquake Prone Building) Amendment Bill

Abstract

Presents an economic case for changing NZ’s building legislation. It makes a novel comparison -- between the health costs of not retrofitting buildings to the values of un-retrofitted buildings. Eventually the novel comparison changed the way the Select Committee and the Minister viewed the policy question, and led to a major change in national building policy. This shift makes NZ a world leader in governing heritage buildings, while balancing preservation and safety. The submission uses the only data available at the time, as the full health costs data became available a month after the law passed. Thus the most effective form of research to the end user was a submission, as the data necessary for a full journal article would have been too late to inspire change. http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCLGE_EVI_00DBHOH_BILL12960_1_A438211/0e9291d39ca7464575eb95cb59f5c4f3930b111b ; http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/50SCLGE_EVI_00DBHOH_BILL12960_1_A387546/4e683e6bb91f5d7ead35c5565421a3bc17caf786