ABSTRACT
Following the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes in New Zealand, a Royal Commission was appointed to inquire into the buildings that collapsed and caused fatalities. Its Terms of Reference included making recommendations on the adequacy of legal and best practice requirements for building design, construction and maintenance related to managing the risks of building failures caused by earthquakes. The Royal Commission report, in seven volumes, contains a wealth of information of interest to engineers and construction lawyers. Chapter 19 considers several aspects of the Royal Commission Report, and explains various technical matters that are relevant to an understanding of the construction law issues, such as safety assessments, design risks and the assessment of existing buildings to modern standards.
