Safety from falling - one of the objectives of the Building Code is to safeguard people from injury caused by falling. Buildings are to be constructed in a way that will reduce the likelihood of accidental fall.
Section - a parcel of land. In New Zealand the size, location and ownership of a section is defined by the certificate of title.
Slender precast concrete walls - wall panels used in high-stud single-storey industrial buildings. There have been concerns raised about the behaviour of these wall panels in earthquakes and fires.
Smoke alarm - a safety device that detects airborne smoke and issues an audible alarm, thereby alerting nearby people to the danger of fire.
Solar heating - use of the sun’s energy to heat buildings and water. Solar energy can be collected in photovoltaic cells and used to produce electricity or the energy can be used directly to heat water and homes.
Specifications - detailed written instructions containing details of work to be done and materials to be used in the construction of a building.
Specified systems - a system or feature in a building that contributes to the proper functioning of the building, for example, an automatic sprinkler system. It includes a cable car servicing a building (see full definition in section 7 of the Building Act 2004). The specified systems that must be inspected for building warrant of fitness purposes are listed in the Building (Specified Systems, Change the Use, and Earthquake-prone Buildings) Regulations 2005.
Stairway - a series of steps or stairs with or without landings giving access between two different levels.
Standards New Zealand - the trading arm of the Standards Council, a Crown entity operating under the Standards Act 1988. Standards New Zealand specialises in developing and marketing national, regional and international Standards covering a wide variety of subjects and industries, including building and the environment. New Zealand Standards are commonly cited by the Department of Building and Housing in its Compliance Documents.
Steel - a very hard and strong alloy of iron and carbon. Steel is used mainly in the structural framework and in the roofing and flashings of buildings.
Surface water - all naturally occurring water other than sub-surface water that results from rainfall. It is usually channelled into drain systems in urban areas to prevent damage or nuisance to neighbouring property, and flooding within housing.
Subcontractor -a tradesperson hired to do specific work such as roofing, plumbing, wiring or painting. The subcontractor takes instructions from, is paid by, and is responsible to the main contractor.
Swimming pool fences - a fence that complies with the requirements of the Building Code for swimming pools subject to the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 (section 2). It includes any part of a building and any gates or doors that form part of the fence. You have to get building consent to put in a pool or spa pool and its fencing. The building consent authority will approve the plans and specifications at consent stage, and inspect the building work including the fence before issuing a code compliance certificate.
Territorial Authority (TA) - City or district council (as named in Schedule 2, Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2002) responsible for community wellbeing and development, environmental health and safety (including building control, civil defence, and environmental health matters), infrastructure (roading and transport, sewerage, water/stormwater), recreation and culture, and resource management including land use planning and development control.
Timber - the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material.
Timber treatment - the treatment of timber to give protection from decay.
Toilet - a plumbing fixture for the disposal of human waste usually connected to running water and a drainage system.
Tradesperson - a skilled manual worker who has typically been formally trained through an apprenticeship programme, for example a carpenter, plumber, roofer, painter or plasterer.
Treatment - see timber treatment.
Variation – a change to the approved plans and specifications for a building project, occurring during construction. A variation requires an amendment to the building consent and needs to be formally advised and justified to the building consent authority, and then checked, approved and recorded by the building consent authority.
Ventilation - the process of supplying or removing air by natural or mechanical means to or from any space. The objective of ensuring good ventilation in buildings is to safeguard people from illness or loss of amenity due to lack of fresh air. Under the Building Act 2004, all buildings other than single residential buildings will require a compliance schedule and annual building warrant of fitness if they contain mechanical ventilation or air-conditioning systems.
Verification method - a prescriptive design solution comprising a calculation or test procedure, which provides an approved way of complying with the Building Code. Verification Methods (along with Acceptable Solutions) are contained in the Department's Compliance Documents, and often quote other documents such as New Zealand Standards. Designers are not obliged to use the Verification Methods, and may put forward their own alternative solution proposal.
Walls - a panel or partition used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure panel or partition.
Warnings - see bans.
Warrant of fitness - see building warrant of fitness.
Warranties - a promise, either written or implied, that the materials and workmanship of a building are without defect or will meet a specified level of performance over a specified period of time. The Building Act 2004 (sections 397–399) provides that building work on household units is automatically covered by warranties as to the manner in which the work is undertaken and the suitability of materials used. The warranties apply whether written into the contract or not.
Waterproof/waterproofing - the process of rendering a building element or building totally resistant to the ingress of any moisture.
Weathertight Homes Resolution Service - a service established through the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act 2002 to help owners of buildings who have suffered damage to their properties due to water ingress. The service provides free assessments to determine the extent of the water damage and to provide mediation or adjudication services to help resolve the issues.
Weathertightness - the resistance of a building to the weather. Weathertightness is not necessarily waterproofing (see above). A building is weathertight when water is prevented from entering and accumulating behind the cladding in amounts that can cause undue dampness or damage to the building elements, ie. moisture may occasionally enter a weathertight building but is able to harmlessly escape or evaporate. Failure to design and build effectively for weathertightness has resulted in ‘leaky buildings’ causing rot.
Window - a framework, usually of wood, metal or hard plastic, that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air.
Working day - means any day except Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, the Sovereign’s Birthday, Labour Day, Waitangi Day, the day observed in the appropriate area as the anniversary of the province of which the area forms part, and a day beginning on 20 December in any year and ending with the close of 10 January in the following year.