Auckland Council
Building consent
New housing developments require a
building consent that demonstrates compliance with the Building Code. The Auckland Council website offers a large number of resources to help with the building consent process and help you compile the necessary documentation. For council officials to have a complete understanding of the project, a comprehensive set of documents needs to be submitted, including:
- certificate of title
- a set of drawings containing architectural, structural and plumbing details (solar hot water systems should be included)
- specifications
- additional reports including geotechnical, energy efficiency, and fire design
- planning information
- information about pools, solid fuel heater appliances and water heaters.
An application for building consent is typically submitted to the council when finalising the detailed design documentation, but you should talk to your design team about their preferred timings based on their professional experience.
Eco-Design Advisors
The Eco-Design Advisor service is an initiative of BRANZ. Advisors work within city councils across the country and provide free, independent advice on how to improve the use of natural resources in homes. Although their focus is mainly on existing houses, they can also help you identify strategies, products and systems to improve efficiency.
Water Advice Line
The Water Advice Line is a free audit service provided by Watercare and the EcoMatters Environment Trust. It offers water advice to households so they can reduce their water consumption. Although their advice is mostly focused on existing houses, they can also advise on new projects.