A critical GIB shortage may force developers to change build designs.

Government officials held emergency talks with building industry leaders yesterday in a bid to hammer out solutions to the product shortfall.

Winston Wallboards' product supply problem is so bad when one developer inquired on GIB in January, they were told to ask again in June.

Now, Simplicity Living will have to wait until Christmas.

MBIE general manager of building system performance John Sneyd told Heather du Plessis-Allan we need to design for products we do have.

“With our consenting bodies that sit within councils, we’ve given them some guidance on how they have a really effective and efficient process for allowing one plasterboard to be substituted for another.”

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