New Zealand building law aimed at saving lives in earthquakes

A new law requiring New Zealand's older buildings to be upgraded is expected to save hundreds of lives over the next century, Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith said Wednesday.

"New Zealand is one of the most seismically active countries in the world and we need to progressively upgrade our older buildings to reduce the risks," Smith said in a statement.

"The new law targets the areas and buildings that pose the greatest risk and it is estimated it will reduce fatalities by 330 and serious injuries by 360 over the next 100 years."

The law changed previous requirements that had evolved in building regulations since 1931, when an earthquake killed 256 people in the eastern North Island region of Hawkes Bay.

It put an obligation on older-building owners, relative to location, use and risk, to have their buildings assessed within 15 years and upgraded from 15 to 35 years relative to seismic activity, with New Zealand classified into low, medium and high risk areas.

The law, which Parliament passed with only one vote against, came about after the Canterbury earthquake that killed 185 people in February 2011. Endit