An earthquake engineer says a lot can be learnt from the Kaikoura earthquake.

500 engineers and scientists are in Wellington for a three-day conference on earthquake engineering.

Earthquake Engineering Society President Peter Smith told Nadine Higgins on Newstalk ZB there's been a rapid increase in seismic measuring in buildings, which is very helpful.

He said there are very few opportunities to understand how a whole building responds to an earthquake.

"We can test components in a lab, but rarely do we get a chance to see those buildings actually tested through an earthquake, and every earthquake is different."

Smith said the building code doesn't place any duty on those designing buildings to achieve more than life safety in a significant earthquake.

He said it's time to not only look at the latest technologies and methods of designing buildings to achieve low damage design, "but possible even have a debate in society as to whether life safety alone is an appropriate requirement for buildings."

LISTEN ABOVE: Peter Smith speaks to Nadine Higgins