Commission chairman Justice Mark Cooper said the interim report was designed to contain recommendations that "inform early decision-making'' on rebuilding and repair work that forms part of Christchurch's rebuild.
The main thrust of the report was to ensure that "immediate action'' was taken to strengthen URM buildings that "could fail, causing injury or loss of life, in earthquakes that are less severe than the Canterbury earthquakes were''.
The report urged all local authorities to update their registers of URM buildings, and to ensure their safety by bracing parapets, installing roof ties and securing external falling hazards in the vicinity of public spaces.
It also made several geotechnical recommendations for Christchurch City Council, including a requirement for thorough soil investigations to be carried out as a pre-requisite to foundation design, and highlighted previous reports dealing with the failure of stairs and access ramps and other issues around multi-storey buildings arising from the quakes.
Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson welcomed the report, and confirmed that work by the Department of Building and Housing was already underway to address "aspects'' of the recommendations.
"Work on foundation system design is underway. The department has established an engineering advisory group and is working with the sector on aspects of design standards which include new building technologies and stair design.
"I have instructed the department to lead work on other areas identified by the commission including amendments to building standards which will further improve the performance of commercial buildings in severe earthquakes.
"The department is already working with GNS and engineers on seismicity issues and I have asked the department to progress work on the recommendations made in respect of unreinforced masonry buildings.''
The minister added: "I also expect to see building owners taking action on the recommendations for improving the performance of these buildings.''
The commission's recommendations included the establishment of a small group of structural engineers to draw up guidelines around those issues which could be applied during rebuilding work until national building standards were updated.
It also made recommendations around seismic standards, to incorporate new data about the damaging effects, especially liquefaction, of vertical movements.
Master Builders chief executive Warwick Quinn said the contents of the report were largely predicted by the industry.
"There were no real surprises but there will be a consequential change to building standards and techniques as a result of the commission's recommendations.''
In the interim report's foreword, Justice Cooper said the "catastrophic failures'' of the CTV and PGC buildings would be addressed in the final report expected by April 11, 2012.
"The Royal Commission is aware that, for all those who lost family and friends in those buildings, and for those bereaved as a result of the other building failures on 22 February 2011, it is vitally important that the explanation for the building failures be provided as soon as possible.
"We ask for their understanding that it was not possible to provide that explanation in this interim report.''
Brian Kennedy, spokesman for the Quake Families group, which consists largely of people whose loved ones died in the CTV building, said they will keep waiting for answers to their questions about why it collapsed.
Mr Kennedy, whose late wife Faye was one of the building's 115 casualties, said: ``As expected, this interim report doesn't address the CTV building at all, so we will continue waiting for now.
"I hope to get hold of a copy and have a nut through it, but I understand it is aimed more at the rebuild scenario as against any specifics that I'm interested in.
"I don't believe we will get any answers on the CTV building much before next March. I was happy to wait for the identification on my wife, and I am happy to wait for the correct answer on this case. I want a full and thorough examination, with every avenue explored where possible, and I think that will be the case for anyone who has lost loved ones in any of the buildings. Time now really doesn't matter as long as things are progressing.
"The Royal Commission public hearings start next Monday and I will be keeping a tab on what is happening there. When it comes to something I deem to be of interest, I will be there.''
