A new ratings system has been designed to give a better idea of how safe buildings would be in an earthquake.
The Quake Star project was started by Christchurch lawyer Don Holden, who hopes to launch the five-star rating system before the anniversary of the February 22 quake.
Wellington engineering consultant and CERA technical advisor David Hopkins told Fairfax Media that the simpler system would be useful to a wider range of people than the current, more complex building assessments.
He says the ratings system will also be commercially valuable to the owners of four and five star buildings – who would be likely to publicly display their ratings – and an incentive for people to strengthen lower-rated buildings.
The Christchurch quakes had prompted a lot of building evaluation, Dr Hopkins says, particularly in Wellington.
Under the current system an initial evaluation is carried out by engineers, and the responsibility then falls to owners to get further, more specific assessments.
The building’s safety is rated on percentage, with buildings below 34 percent considered earthquake-prone.
The Quake Star system would be assessed by a panel of engineers, who would estimate a building's safety, the damage it might sustain and how long it was likely to be out of action after a major quake.
Mr Holden says the system could speed up the Christchurch rebuild by reducing insurance hassles.
“Insurance companies are saying ‘give us the information first’, and this is a tool we can use to give compact information,” he says.
The system could be funded by stakeholders and run by a body similar to the Green Building Council.
3 News