Structural and geotechnical requirements for school buildings

The structural and geotechnical requirements are part of our 'Designing Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand' suite of documents. They set out the structural and geotechnical requirements and expectations for designing and assessing school buildings.

The school property seismic policy outlines how we manage seismic risk in both new and existing buildings across the school property portfolio, to ensure their safety and resilience.

Seismic risk management procedures

The seismic risk management procedures for existing school buildings provide operational guidance for assessing and upgrading school buildings. They include a structured process to make sure seismic information is consistently reviewed, and acted upon where required. The process is to:

• validate
• triage
• assess, and
• upgrade. 

Special attention is given to buildings with low seismic ratings, where occupancy decisions are made based on technical evaluations and stakeholder consultation. You must use the templates provided below when you’re updating seismic information.