15 December 2015
Geoff Merryweather
[FYI request #3477 email]
Ref: DOIA 1516-0824
Dear Mr Merryweather,
Thank you for your email of 15 December 2015 requesting under the Official Information Act 1982, the
following information:
The NZ Building code has performance criteria to allow for safe evacuation, in particular
C4.3 The evacuation time must allow occupants of a building to move to a place of safety in the event
of a fire so that occupants are not exposed to any of the following:
(a) a fractional effective dose of carbon monoxide greater than 0.3:
(b) a fractional effective dose of thermal effects greater than 0.3:
(c) conditions where, due to smoke obscuration, visibility is less than 10 m except in rooms of less
than 100 m2 where visibility may fall to 5 m.
C4.4 Clause C4.3(b) and (c) do not apply where it is not possible to expose more than 1 000 occupants
in a firecell protected with an automatic fire sprinkler system.
Can you provide any calculations, risk assessments or supporting documentation that was used to
justify the allowance in C4.4 where visibility and thermal radiation do not apply.
In particular any calculations, reports or references with regard to risk to life and any consideration
whether this should apply all risk or purpose groups, any building height or consideration if the
sprinklers would activate in time to be effective.
Your request is being processed in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. If you have any
enquiries regarding your request, you may contact us via email at [MBIE request email] or
Alan Witcombe
Manager, Ministerial Services
Communications and Ministerial Services
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
PO Box 3705
Wellington 6140
Please note that the days from 25 December 2015 to 18 January 2016 (inclusive) are defined as non-
working days in the Act and are not counted in the calculation for the response due date. This will
extend the time period for responding to your request.
Your request was received on 15 December 2015 and a response will be sent to you as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely
Alan Witcombe
Manager, Ministerial Services
