As part of the official working visit to New Zealand, on 27th July 2026, Deputy Minister Pham Minh Ha and the delegation from the Ministry of Construction held a meeting with New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to exchange experiences on building system governance, disaster resilience policies, digital transformation, standardization of construction sector data, and advanced building consent management models.
The delegation was received by Mr. David Hall, General Manager of the Building Performance System Branch; Dr. Michael Warren, Director of Policy; Mr. Dave Gittings, Director of Building Performance and Engineering; together with a number of MBIE experts.
During the meeting, Mr. David Hall provided an overview of the structure and functions of MBIE. He explained that the Construction System Performance Management Department is a specialized unit in consulting construction policy for the New Zealand Government, focusing on vertical infrastructure (civil and commercial buildings). MBIE noted that the New Zealand Building Code places a strong emphasis on resilience to natural hazards, particularly earthquakes, flooding, and landslides, which are recurring challenges due to the country's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
.jpg)
Overview of meeting.
One of the key topics discussed was the policy framework for managing and strengthening buildings constructed before 1976. MBIE shared its new targeted approach, which focuses on addressing specific structural risks rather than requiring comprehensive upgrades for entire buildings. Under this approach, retrofit measures are directed at high-risk elements, such as unreinforced masonry walls and undersized load-bearing columns, thereby optimizing costs while improving safety and effectiveness. MBIE is also submitting a new bill to Parliament to clearly define the roadmap and legal responsibilities for reinforcing old buildings, applying seismic risk zoning, and specifying completion deadlines.
In addition, the two sides discussed the current state of fragmented construction management data in New Zealand, where 67 local councils with 69 Building Construction Authority (BCAs) are applying different coding standards and procedures. To address this, MBIE is collaborating with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to develop a nationwide Single Data Standard, with a planned implementation timeline of 12-18 months. MBIE also introduced a policy of quarterly public reporting on application processing progress and a target of a maximum of 3 working days for on-site inspections (achieving a minimum rate of 80%) to shorten permitting times and enhance transparency.
Dr. Michael Warren also shared that the online application rate has reached 99%, and the application of BIM is being researched and encouraged in the commercial sector, although there are no mandatory regulations for public investment projects. Regarding research and development in the construction sector, MBIE introduced New Zealand's dedicated funding model through the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ). Under this arrangement, BRANZ is funded through the Building Consent Levy, which is automatically collected as part of the building consent process. This funding mechanism provides BRANZ with financial autonomy to undertake technical research projects and collaborate with universities on construction-related research and innovation. The New Zealand side also shared its policies for promoting energy efficiency and the use of sustainable building materials through voluntary standards. In addition, they presented New Zealand's approach to managing public investment costs and its social housing delivery model, which is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Kāinga Ora. The current investment cost is approximately NZD 4,000/m², with the goal of reducing it to NZD 3,500/m², about NZD 500/m² lower than commercial housing. Tenant support is provided through rent subsidies from MSD instead of price controls.
In his remarks at the meeting, Deputy Minister Pham Minh Ha expressed his appreciation to New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for sharing its valuable practical experience in building safety management, disaster response, reinforcement of old structures, development of a unified data standard set, innovation in licensing procedures, as well as mechanisms for scientific research and independent funding. He highly appreciated New Zealand's advanced seismic design solutions, especially the earthquake-resistant structures at the airport and MBIE headquarters with their seismic isolation systems.
Deputy Minister Pham Minh Ha noted that the Ministry of Construction of Viet Nam is currently focusing on improving the legal and regulatory framework, accelerating digital transformation, and enhancing the effectiveness of state management in construction and infrastructure development. He emphasized that MBIE's experience in data standardization, targeted strengthening of existing buildings, the BRANZ funding model, and its transparent approach to building consent administration would provide valuable references for the Ministry of Construction as it advances its state management responsibilities and develops an integrated construction sector data system.
Source: International Cooperation Department - Translated by: M.A