Engineering demand parameters (EDPs), such as inter-storey drift or floor acceleration, can be correlated to structural, non-structural and content damage within a structure. While current code provisions exist to estimate EDPs for design of components within a structure, their accuracy has not been rigorously quantified. This paper describes a robust and comprehensive study on 180 frame and wall type structural configurations using dynamic inelastic time history analysis with a suite of ground motion records to quantify drift and acceleration related EDPs. Parameters investigated included number of stories, design ductility and design target drift. It is shown that the current New Zealand code conservatively estimates median demands and the 84th percentile acceleration demands in most cases. However, the 84th percentile drift demands were often significantly greater than the code values implying that the code protects more against the possibility of damage due to acceleration, rather than drift, demands.