The New Modules
Two new seismic resilience modules, developed through a partnership between BRANZ, MBIE, and the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tu Ake, are now available to builders and Licensed Building Practitioners. The modules provide practical guidance on strengthening homes against earthquakes — both during retrofit work on existing buildings and in new construction. They are accessible via mobile devices, making them usable on site rather than requiring desk-based study.
Completing the modules counts as one Elective activity point toward Licensed Building Practitioners’ continuing professional development requirements. For builders looking to accumulate CPD points in a way that directly improves their technical practice, the timing and format are well designed.
Why Renovation Is the Critical Window
BRANZ’s David Carradine has articulated the core insight behind the modules: “When you’re renovating, it’s the perfect time to make your home safer.” Renovation work opens walls, exposes structure, and provides access to building elements that are otherwise inaccessible without significant additional cost and disruption. A renovation that does not address seismic resilience when the structure is already accessible is a missed opportunity that the homeowner may not get again for a decade or more.
The modules specifically address common renovation scenarios where unconsented structural changes can inadvertently reduce earthquake resilience — basement conversions, wall removals, and loft conversions are among the most frequent examples. What appears to be a straightforward renovation can alter the load path of a structure in ways that only become apparent when seismic forces are applied. Early engineer involvement, as the modules recommend, helps identify these hidden vulnerabilities before work begins rather than discovering them in the middle of construction.
The Flood-Earthquake Connection
The modules also address a consequence of major earthquakes that is often overlooked in standard resilience discussions: earthquake-induced changes to river systems. Research funded through the Natural Hazards Commission has found that over 3,700 rivers nationwide could be vulnerable to flooding if nearby faults rupture. Fault movement can alter river channels, block drainage, and create new flood risk in areas that were previously considered low-risk. More than 450 rivers comparable in scale to the Hororata River fall within high-risk brackets under this analysis.
For builders working in areas near major fault lines — including much of Wellington, Marlborough, and Canterbury — this intersection of seismic and flood risk adds a dimension to site assessment that standard approaches to either hazard type do not capture on their own.
Where to Access the Modules
The modules are available through the BRANZ Learning system and the Natural Hazards Commission’s public education resources. For LBPs maintaining their CPD records, the Elective point is recorded through the standard LBP CPD reporting process. Given the frequency of renovation work in New Zealand’s existing housing stock — and the age profile of that stock — these are modules with direct application to a large proportion of the work most residential builders do.
