Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods to be Issued for Clause H1
Pursuant to section 22(1) of the Building Act 2004 (“Act”), the following acceptable solutions and verification methods are amended:
- H1 Energy Efficiency Acceptable Solution H1/AS1 Sixth Edition;
- H1 Energy Efficiency Acceptable Solution H1/AS2 Second Edition;
- H1 Energy Efficiency Verification Method H1/VM1 Sixth Edition; and
- H1 Energy Efficiency Verification Method H1/VM2 Second Edition.
The new versions of the above acceptable solutions and verification methods come into force on 27 November 2025.
- The preceding versions of these acceptable solutions and verification methods continue to be in force until 26 November 2026.
The acceptable solutions and verification methods can be downloaded free of charge from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) website: www.building.govt.nz/building-code-compliance.
Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods to be Revoked for Clause H1
Pursuant to section 24(1) of the Act, I give notice that the following versions of these acceptable solutions and verification methods will be revoked and will cease having legal effect on 26 November 2026:
- H1 Energy Efficiency Acceptable Solution H1/AS1 Fifth Edition Amendment 1;
- H1 Energy Efficiency Verification Method H1/VM1 Fifth Edition Amendment 1;
- H1 Energy Efficiency Acceptable Solution H1/AS2 First Edition Amendment 1; and
- H1 Energy Efficiency Verification Method H1/VM2 First Edition Amendment 1.
Amendment to material incorporated by reference into acceptable solutions and verification methods
Pursuant to sections 405 and 410(1)(e) of the Act, I give notice that the following materials are incorporated by reference into the following acceptable solutions and verification methods on 27 November 2025.
H1/AS1 Sixth Edition:
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment:
- Building Product Specifications, First edition, 28 July 2025
- Acceptable Solution H1/AS2 Energy efficiency for buildings greater than 300m2, Second edition, 27 November 2025
- Verification Method H1/VM1 Energy efficiency for all housing, and buildings up to 300m2, Sixth edition, 27 November 2025
- Verification Method H1/VM2 Energy efficiency for buildings greater than 300m2, Second edition, 27 November 2025
Standards New Zealand:
- NZS 4214:2006 Methods of determining the total thermal resistance of parts of buildings
- NZS 4246: 2016 Energy efficiency – Installing bulk thermal insulation in residential buildings
- NZS 4299:2024 Earth buildings not requiring specific engineering design
- NZS 4305:1996 Energy efficiency – domestic type hot water systems
- NZS 4606.1: 1989 Storage water heaters – General requirements
- AS/NZS 4692.2: 2005 Electric water heaters – Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) requirements and energy labelling
- BS EN 673: 2011 Glass in building – Determination of thermal transmittance (U value) – Calculation method
- ISO 10077.1: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of the thermal transmittance – General
- ISO 10077.2: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of thermal transmittance – Numerical method for frames
- ISO 13370: 2017 Thermal performance of buildings – Heat transfer via the ground – Calculation methods
BRANZ:
- BRANZ House Insulation Guide (6th Edition), August 2025
- Cox-Smith, I. (2016). Perimeter insulation of concrete slab foundations. Study Report SR352, BRANZ Ltd, Judgeford, New Zealand.
H1/AS2 Second Edition:
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment:
- Building Product Specifications, First edition, 28 July 2025
- Acceptable Solution H1/AS1 Energy efficiency for all housing, and buildings up to 300m2, Sixth edition, 27 November 2025
- Verification Method H1/VM1 Energy efficiency for all housing, and buildings up to 300m2, Sixth edition, 27 November 2025
- Verification Method H1/VM2 Energy efficiency for buildings greater than 300m2, Second edition, 27 November 2025
Standards New Zealand:
- NZS 4214:2006 Methods of determining the total thermal resistance of parts of buildings
- NZS 4243.2:2007 Energy efficiency – large buildings – Part 2 Lighting Amendment 1
- NZS 4305:1996 Energy efficiency – domestic type hot water systems
- NZS 4606.1: 1989 Storage water heaters – General requirements
- AS/NZS 4692.2: 2005 Electric water heaters – Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) requirements and energy labelling
- BS EN 673: 2011 Glass in building – Determination of thermal transmittance (U value) – Calculation method
- ISO 10077.1: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of the thermal transmittance – General
- ISO 10077.2: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of thermal transmittance – Numerical method for frames
- ISO 13370: 2017 Thermal performance of buildings – Heat transfer via the ground – Calculation methods
BRANZ:
- BRANZ House Insulation Guide (6th Edition), August 2025
- Cox-Smith, I. (2016). Perimeter insulation of concrete slab foundations. Study Report SR352, BRANZ Ltd, Judgeford, New Zealand.
H1/VM1 Sixth Edition:
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment:
- Building Product Specifications, First edition, 28 July 2025
- Acceptable Solution H1/AS1 Energy efficiency for all housing, and buildings up to 300m2, Sixth edition, 27 November 2025
- Acceptable Solution H1/AS2 Energy efficiency for buildings greater than 300m2, Second edition, 27 November 2025
- Verification Method H1/VM2 Energy efficiency for buildings greater than 300m2, Second edition, 27 November 2025
Standards New Zealand:
- NZS 4214:2006 Methods of determining the total thermal resistance of parts of buildings
- NZS 4299:2024 Earth buildings not requiring specific engineering design
- NZS 4303:1990 Ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality
- BS EN 673: 2011 Glass in building – Determination of thermal transmittance (U value) – Calculation method
- ISO 10077.1: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of the thermal transmittance – General
- ISO 10077.2: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of thermal transmittance – Numerical method for frames
- ISO 10211:2017 Thermal bridges in building construction – Heat flows and surface temperatures – Detailed calculations
- ISO 10456:2007 Building materials and products – Hygrothermal properties – Tabulated design values and procedures for determining declared and design thermal values
- ISO 12631:2017 Thermal performance of curtain walling – Calculation of thermal transmittance
- ISO 13370: 2017 Thermal performance of buildings – Heat transfer via the ground – Calculation methods
American National Standards Institute:
- ANSI/ASHRAE 140:2017 Standard method of test for the evaluation of building energy analysis computer programs.
BRANZ:
- BRANZ House Insulation Guide (6th Edition), August 2025
International Energy Agency:
- Building Energy Simulation Test (BESTEST) and Diagnostic Method (1995)
H1/VM2 Second Edition:
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment:
- Building Product Specifications, First edition, 28 July 2025
- Acceptable Solution G4/AS1 Ventilation of Buildings, Fifth edition, 28 July 2025
- Acceptable Solution H1/AS1 Energy efficiency for all housing, and buildings up to 300m2, Sixth edition, 27 November 2025
- Acceptable Solution H1/AS2 Energy efficiency for buildings greater than 300m2, Second edition, 27 November 2025
- Verification Method G4/VM1 Ventilation rate and air purity, Fifth edition, 28 July 2025
- Verification Method H1/VM1 Energy efficiency for all housing, and buildings up to 300m2, Sixth edition, 27 November 2025
Standards New Zealand:
- NZS 4214:2006 Methods of determining the total thermal resistance of parts of buildings
- BS EN 673: 2011 Glass in building – Determination of thermal transmittance (U value) – Calculation method
- ISO 10077.1: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of the thermal transmittance – General
- ISO 10077.2: 2017 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters – Calculation of thermal transmittance – Numerical method for frames
- ISO 10211:2017 Thermal bridges in building construction – Heat flows and surface temperatures – Detailed calculations
- ISO 10456:2007 Building materials and products – Hygrothermal properties – Tabulated design values and procedures for determining declared and design thermal values
- ISO 12631:2017 Thermal performance of curtain walling – Calculation of thermal transmittance
- ISO 13370: 2017 Thermal performance of buildings – Heat transfer via the ground – Calculation methods
American National Standards Institute:
- ANSI/ASHRAE 140:2017 Standard method of test for the evaluation of building energy analysis computer programs.
BRANZ:
- BRANZ House Insulation Guide (6th Edition), August 2025
International Energy Agency:
- Building Energy Simulation Test (BESTEST) and Diagnostic Method (1995)
Purchase of material referred to in the acceptable solutions and verification methods
The material incorporated by reference described above may be purchased or accessed directly from the following organisations:
- Standards New Zealand (including for joint Australia/New Zealand standards, and standards issued by the British Standards Institution, International Organization for Standardization and European Committee for Standardization): standards.govt.nz
- BRANZ: www.branz.co.nz
- American National Standards Institute: webstore.ansi.org
- International Energy Agency: www.iea.org
Viewing material referred to in the acceptable solutions and verification methods
Material incorporated by reference is available for inspection free of charge at 15 Stout Street, Wellington, between the hours of 8.30am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
To make an appointment to view material incorporated by reference, please email building@mbie.govt.nz.
Dated at Wellington this 27th day of November 2025.
DAVID HALL, General Manager, Building System Performance, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.