People are being asked to have a say on what changes the building industry should make to construct greener buildings.
File photo. Photo: 123RF
The public consultation is the first under the new Building for Climate Change programme - the sector's contribution to New Zealand's goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says there are three aims - to reduce a building's emissions, reduce water use, and improve people's health through things like indoor humidity and ventilation.
The rule would apply to all new buildings, including housing, commercial, and industrial buildings.
The plan discusses setting annual caps on emissions for every square metre of a building, which would include efficient energy use, thermal performance, potable water requirements and limits on the use of fossil fuels.
It would also include a set of measurable requirements for indoor environmental quality.
There's also a plan to apply some changes to existing buildings in the future.
"As new buildings have yet to be built, they present an immediate and urgent opportunity to meet the objectives. However, the buildings that currently exist in 2020 are predicted to make up 65 percent of New Zealand's building stock in 2050 and a similar proportion of emissions," the consultation document says.
"It is proposed that changes to existing buildings will be addressed in future work by the Building for Climate Change programme."
Submissions close in 4 weeks.