Updates on standards for gas, construction contracts, natural hazards, model standing orders and much more...
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In this issue:
- National Manager Malcolm MacMillan's update.
- Paving the way for renewable gas integration
- New natural hazard risk analysis and flood hazard modelling standards
- New standards to complement the conditions of contract range for construction
- Updates from the global standards community at ISO’s AGM and conference in Rwanda and IEC's in New Delhi
- Celebrating New Zealand’s first Toy Safety Week and World Standards Day
- Call for volunteers, commissioners and public consultations feedback
- Update to model standing orders for meetings of local authorities standard
- Activities supporting standardisation across the Pacific
- Supporting pool safety through standards
- Standards in development update
Kia ora,
Over the past few months, Standards New Zealand has been actively engaged in a series of international events that reinforce our role within the global, rules-based system of international standardisation. As part of our statutory functions, we participate in key forums and bodies that shape the standards landscape worldwide.
Our recent engagements have included the ISO Annual General Meeting and General Assembly, the IEC Annual General Meeting, the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) Executive Meeting, a Pacific Islands Standards Committee profile-raising event, the Pacific Islands Quality Policy Workshop, the ASEAN Regional Workshop on Digital Standards Transformation, and the ISO Asia Pacific Regional Forum.
These events have highlighted that many national standards bodies face similar challenges and opportunities to those we encounter in New Zealand. While the scale may differ, common themes persist. One such challenge is the reliance on a volunteer industry workforce, which is increasingly stretched in today’s economic climate.
Another major theme is the transformative impact of AI and digitisation on the standards system. AI is reshaping how we manage intellectual property, revenue models, and the consumption of standards content. The future of standardisation lies in smarter, more agile delivery through apps, embedded tools, and AI-driven interfaces that provide fast, accurate, and accessible information. Standards New Zealand is already leveraging AI to improve business processes, and we expect this to grow as the technology becomes more affordable and we can make the business investment necessary.
Making standards more accessible and applicable for small and medium sized businesses is a challenge experienced by other standards bodies across the globe. In New Zealand, where most businesses fall into this category, it’s vital that standards are relevant and accessible. Participation in standards development committees is one way to ensure these voices are heard and that their needs are addressed. Find out more and complete an expression of interest:
Help make standards - Standards New Zealand
Finally, climate change remains the most pressing global challenge. Standards are playing a critical role in supporting renewable energy, infrastructure resilience, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction. These tools are helping industries and governments worldwide respond effectively to environmental pressures.
As we look ahead, our international engagement continues to inform and strengthen our work at home and maintain our international influence, contribution and reputation. I encourage all stakeholders to stay connected and explore opportunities to contribute to the standards development process.
Noho ora mai,
Malcolm MacMillan
National Manager, Standards New Zealand
Paving the way for renewable gas integration: a new chapter in NZ’s reticulated gas standard
Standards New Zealand, through the work of development committee P4206, has released a major revision to the national standard for reticulated methane-based gas - NZS 5442:2025 Specification for reticulated gas - marking a significant step forward in supporting New Zealand’s energy transition.
New natural hazard risk analysis and flood hazard modelling standards
Standards New Zealand has commenced a new standards development project developing two new standards for natural hazard risk analysis and flood hazard modelling, commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment. These are intended to support New Zealand’s resilience to natural hazards, climate change and priorities of the National Adaptation Plan.
Learn more about the natural hazard risk analysis and flood hazard modelling standards projects
New standards to complement the conditions of contract range for construction
Following the publishing of NZS 3910 Conditions of contract for building and civil engineering construction in late 2023, two complementary standards now bring good practice for construction contracts up to date:
- NZS 3917:2025 Conditions of contract for building and civil engineering – Fixed Term
- NZS 3916:2025 Conditions of contract for building and civil engineering – Design and construct
New Zealand’s building, construction, engineering, and infrastructure industries rely on New Zealand standard conditions of contract to ensure that their contracts are balanced to sustain and enable New Zealand’s economy and comply with our legislative scene.
Weeklong workshop helps build bridges across the Pacific with safer standards
October saw Standards New Zealand host the Building for the Pacific workshop in which we welcomed delegates from Pacific Island nations including Kiribati, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, and Samoa.
The workshop was delivered under the three-year Pacific Partnership Programme, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and aims to foster regional collaboration and support capacity-building in sustainable and safe construction across the Pacific. It also supports infrastructure resilience, trade, and economic growth for Pacific nations aligned with the New Zealand Government’s Pacific priorities.
Hear from some of the attendees to the Building for the Pacific workshops
Global collaboration at ISO’s 2025 AGM and conference in Kigali Rwanda
Over 1,000 delegates from 176 nations converged for ISO’s 2025 annual general meeting and assembly in Kigali, Rwanda, 6-10 October. Standards New Zealand joined in a series of international meetings reinforcing our commitment to global standardisation, multilateralism, and regional cooperation.
Insights from the 89th IEC General Meeting in New Delhi
Over 2,000 experts from 100+ countries gathered at the 89th IEC General Meeting in New Delhi to advance global electrotechnical standards. Representing New Zealand were Camilla Ojansivu and Peter Berry of the IEC NZ National Committee.
World Standards Day - Celebrating the experts behind our standards
World Standards Day – 14 October – is a moment to celebrate the people who make standards possible. Across Aotearoa New Zealand, around 1,000 volunteer subject matter experts are helping shape the standards that underpin our daily lives. These individuals generously give their time and expertise to develop standards that support safer products, smoother trade, better services and stronger protections for people and the environment.
Thank you to all our standards development committee members
Celebrating New Zealand’s first Toy Safety Week
It’s New Zealand first ever Toy Safety Week - a great time to check that the toys around our tamariki are safe. Every year, over 1,200 Kiwi children aged 0–3 are injured by toys, often from hazards that can be easily avoided.
Standards play a hidden role – toy manufacture should be guided by standards that safeguard tamariki from risk. By aligning with international standards, New Zealand helps protect consumers, supports consistent safety practices and keeps high risk, poorly manufactured, and non-compliant toys out of children’s toy boxes.
Call for volunteers, commissioners and public consultations feedback
Standards New Zealand is urgently seeking volunteers for 12 joint committees across a range of sectors including lightning protection, healthcare waste, refrigeration, gas fuel systems, occupational safety and more. If you have expertise in any of these areas, we encourage you to get involved and help shape the standards that impact New Zealanders every day.
We’re also inviting public feedback on several joint draft standards now open for consultation on our consultation hub.
Standards New Zealand - Citizen Space.
In addition, we are currently consulting to source project fees for eight upcoming standards projects, including updates to precast concrete pipes, electrical safety specifications, ambient air quality methods, and bridge design commentary.
Update to model standing orders for meetings of local authorities standard
The Department of Internal Affairs is updating NZS 9202:2003 Model Standing Orders for Meetings of Local Authorities and Community Boards to reflect legislative changes since 2006.
This update aligns with the upcoming Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill, which will empower the Secretary for Local Government to issue model standing orders. The revised standard will ensure consistency, transparency, and compliance across all local authorities, replacing outdated guidance and supporting improved governance.
(Model) standing orders will provide further consistency and certainty to councils about council meeting procedures. Consistent practices will help make council decision making processes more accessible and clearer for the public. The revised NZS 9202:2003 standard is intended for:
- Territorial authorities
- Regional councils
- Community boards
- all types of local authorities as defined under the Local Government Act 2002.
Public feedback is invited to help shape a standard that meets the needs of modern local government.
New e-learning modules support Pacific standards capability
Ever wanted to learn more about standards and how they are used? Then dive into this exciting new set of learning modules crafted with Pacific Island stakeholders in mind but useful for everyone.
Standards New Zealand in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) recently launched new resources to support Pacific nations to build their understanding of standards and standardisation to over 90 stakeholder organisations.
The resources, called the Pacific Standards Learning Journey, are a suite of five free interactive e-learning modules designed to support professionals and organisations working in this area.
These modules are part of a programme that goes beyond learning. It’s a bold step forward in strengthening capability, institutional infrastructure and regional confidence in standards development and use. The modules are practical, accessible and tailored to the unique needs of the region, including those with limited internet access.
Designed for professionals working in standards, compliance, and regulatory roles, the modules help participants:
- gain practical knowledge of standards development and adoption
- understand the benefits of standards in infrastructure, trade, health and safety
- build capability to apply standards within their national contexts.
We encourage everyone to explore the modules - you might just learn something new yourself.
Supporting pool safety through standards
As summer approaches, it’s a timely reminder that pool safety starts will strong, compliant pool barriers. NZS 8500:2006 Safety barriers and fences around swimming pools, spas and hot tubs provides methods for assessing the strength and performance of pool barriers. When used alongside Acceptable Solution F9/AS1, it supports compliance with Building Code Clause F9.
By aligning design and inspection practices with NZS 8500 and F9/AS1, professionals help ensure that pool barriers are not only code-compliant but also effective in preventing unsupervised access by children under five.
You can access the standard for free, thanks to sponsorship from the regulator Building Performance:
NZS 8500:2006 Safety barriers and fences around swimming pools, spas and hot tubs
Learn more about pool safety requirements:
Standards in development
Visit our Standards in development webpage to check each project’s stage and see what’s been done and what’s coming up next. Download the 'in-flight standards' spreadsheet and use the tabs for New Zealand only standards (NZS), Australia-led AS/NZS or rejointing projects under the 'Trans Tansman Standards Alignment Project'.
Standards in development - check out all projects underway
Updates on New Zealand standards under development
NZS 4121:2001 Design for access and mobility: Buildings and associated facilities provides well-integrated and workable solutions for designing buildings and facilities that can be accessed and used by people with disabilities. It is cited in the Building Act 2004, and has been the subject of a comprehensive environmental scan completed by Global Research which looked at similar standards used across the world and will help guide how the standard is further developed.
NZS 4303 Ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality is now undergoing a review and is at the initiation stage. This will be a significant project that will involve developing a new section on ventilation in residential buildings.
TS 1170.5 Structural design actions - Part 5: Earthquake actions is in the very final stages of development and editing and is planned for publication later in November.
NZS 4411 Environmental standard for drilling of soil and rock. The committee meets late October to finalise the last of the technical content with the preparation of a public consultation draft scheduled for November.
NZS 3404 Steel structures – the committee is finalising technical content and image revisions after the committee review of the draft standard. A public consultation draft will be prepared when the final technical content has been received and new images incorporated. It is expected that public consultation will commence late 2025 or early 2026.
NZS 3404.3 Durability requirements for steel structures and components. Technical Specification TS 3404 is being revised to become NZS 3404 part 3 Durability requirements for steel structures and components. Committee work is well advanced and a draft for committee review should be completed by the end of 2025 with public consultation occurring in early 2026.
NZS 3604 Timber-framed buildings. The committee is reviewing a draft with committee review meetings scheduled for this month to finalise the draft consultation content and review and approve new images under development.
New electrical safety standards have been published including Amendment No.1 to AS/NZS 4417.2:2020 Regulatory compliance mark for electrical and electronic equipment Part 2: Specific requirements for particular regulatory applications and Amendment No.1 to AS/NZS 60335.2.21:2023 Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 2.21: Particular requirements for storage water heaters.
You can view the latest published standards on our website - including filtering based on type of standards and industry:
Visit standards.govt.nz for more
- Online library subscriptions - choose the documents you need and access 24/7 on the go.
- Sponsored standards - find free-to-access standards for industry.
- YouTube channel - watch and discover more via YouTube channel.
- Join a standards development committee - complete an expression of interest to help shape tomorrow's solutions.
- Public consultation at Standards New Zealand Consultation Hub - give feedback on draft standards under development.
You use standards, so let's chat
We love to showcase how businesses and organisations use standards in the many diverse industries across Aotearoa. Standards are more than documents, they enable safety, reliability and quality assurance in services and products used by millions of New Zealanders every day. If you are interested in featuring in an article and telling us your story about the standards you use or that are important to your work, please get in touch for an informal chat: editor@standards.govt.nz
