How does Auckland Council speed up the building process in Auckland?
AI-assisted processing, national digital portals, BIM digital twins and remote inspections could cut consent processing from 55 days to under 30.
Q.4.2 — Building & Construction
How does Auckland Council speed up the building process in Auckland?
Several approaches could shrink consent processing from 55 days to under 30:
- AI-assisted processing and vetting — automate document checks, verifying completeness, accuracy, and compliance before formal submission. BRANZ research shows building control officers want AI for referencing Building Code clauses and simplifying language, potentially reducing RFIs by up to 50%.
- National digital portals and integration — replace fragmented council systems with a unified online platform for submissions, tracking, and approvals, similar to Singapore's CORENET X.
- Digital twins and 3D modelling — adopt Building Information Modeling (BIM) to create virtual 3D replicas, allowing councils to simulate compliance checks virtually.
- Remote inspections and real-time monitoring — use video calls, drones, or apps for virtual site inspections, allowing more checks per day and faster approvals for low-risk projects.
A short-term pilot of AI vetting (2026–2027) could be scaled nationally, aligning with government reforms mandating digital record-keeping and accepting overseas products digitally.
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Written by Mark Pervan, Director, City Builders Association Limited
Mark Pervan is the founder and director of City Builders Association Limited, an Auckland civic think tank funded solely by membership. He has run manufacturing plants, with global sourcing and supply chain management in the same role, and has been project manager on multiple commercial and residential building projects. He was also responsible for product design and development across multiple mediums, and served as sales and marketing manager. He is a company director and business owner, including as a director of Idea Foundry. He served three years as an elected member of the Puketāpapa Local Board (2022–2025) and was a council candidate for the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward of Auckland Council.
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