JASANZ as scheme administrator for CodeMark
- Author: JASANZ
JASANZ is primarily known as an organisation that accredits certification bodies. But did you know we work directly with scheme owners to develop new schemes, endorse schemes, manage schemes, and assist in scheme development?
One such scheme is the CodeMark Scheme New Zealand. CodeMark (New Zealand) is a voluntary third-party building product certification scheme established under the New Zealand Building Act 2004 and the Building (Product Certification) Regulations 2022 to provide a way to demonstrate that building product or methods meet the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.
The scheme is designed to provide confidence and certainty to building consent authorities and the market, through the issue of a CodeMark certificate.
CodeMark (New Zealand) was reviewed in 2022 to better meet market challenges, through a robust consultation process.
We sat down with Simon Thomas, National Manager, Building System Assurance at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to learn more about CodeMark (New Zealand) and the support JASANZ provides to the scheme.
Tell us about the CodeMark scheme. When was it developed, why and how?
The original CodeMark scheme was developed in 2008 by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), in consultation with the New Zealand Department of Building and Housing, Australian State and Territory governments, industry groups and certification bodies. The scheme was developed in response to the increasing integration of the building products market between Australia and New Zealand.
In 2016, the ABCB implemented a revised set of CodeMark scheme rules specifically for Australia. CodeMark (New Zealand) started operating as a separate entity.
In 2021, the Government introduced rule and regulation-making powers to strengthen the existing CodeMark scheme through the Building (Building Products and Methods, Modular Components, and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (the Amendment Act 2021).
The revised CodeMark scheme rules were introduced in September 2022 and updated in May 2023.
Why is the CodeMark scheme important?
CodeMark (New Zealand) is a voluntary product certification scheme that provides an easily-understood and robust way to show a building product or building method meets the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.
A CodeMark certificate must be accepted by building consent authorities as meeting the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code, provided the certificate is current and the product or method is used in accordance with details noted on the certificate.
How has JASANZ been involved in the CodeMark scheme?
While the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) owns the scheme, JASANZ as the appointed accreditation body, administers the day-to-day operation of CodeMark (New Zealand). MBIE collaborated with JASANZ when developing the technical content of the 2022 revised scheme rules.
JASANZ is responsible for assessing, accrediting and monitoring product certification bodies.
How has the experience of working with JASANZ been for you and the MBIE?
During the recent review of the CodeMark (New Zealand) scheme, JASANZ provided useful context on aspects of the scheme that MBIE may not have been aware of. The organisation gives MBIE insight on the challenges and needs of the industry they observe through their role within the scheme.
The ability to work with JASANZ in a really collegial and collaborative way has resulted in not only better regulation but also a better relationship between MBIE as the regulator and JASANZ as the accreditation body.
If anyone would like to find out more about the CodeMark scheme, what can they do?
We recommend going to MBIE’s Building Performance website to read more about the scheme under the CodeMark section. If you have any questions that can’t be found on the website, you can email the CodeMark team at codemark@mbie.govt.nz
Thank you, Simon!
About Simon Thomas
Simon Thomas is legally qualified with a regulatory background encompassing privacy law, occupational regulation (including LBPs) and Building System Assurance. The Building System Assurance team he leads is responsible for the regulation of BCAs, TAs, CodeMark, Multiproof, the Earthquake Prone Building register, product assurance more generally and the new BuiltReady scheme. His team also has a role to play in Building Emergency Management and serious building failure investigations.
More recently, Simon was a speaker for the JASANZ Futures Program.