Timber-framed buildings Standard NZS 3604 update
Standards New Zealand has completed the draft of NZS 3604:2010 Timber-framed buildings (DZ 3604) and will be releasing it for comment soon. NZS 3604 is the foremost Standard in New Zealand for the building and construction industry.
Standards New Zealand initiated the project to revise NZS 3604:1999 at the beginning of 2009. As part of this process we sought feedback from stakeholders on the main issues that needed to be addressed through a revision. This feedback then framed the scope of the project.
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[more]Building Act review underway
The Building Act 2004 (the Act) is being reviewed as part of the Government's regulatory reform programme. The review aims to ensure the regulatory environment for building and housing is efficient and effective, provides for public safety, and delivers good quality homes and buildings.
The review will look at:
- ways to enhance building controls by removing regulation that adds cost for little benefit, streamlining existing rules, and providing incentives for building practitioners to lift performance
- other longer-term issues on improving the allocation of risk and liability, and the greater use of insurance/warranty products to better manage risk.
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[more]Standards referenced in New Zealand Building Code compliance documents to be updated
The Department of Building and Housing (DBH) is updating references to Standards and other documents which are cited in a number of New Zealand Building Code Compliance Documents. These Standards include building methods that help designers, architects, and builders ensure compliance with the Building Code.
DHB wants to be sure the compliance documents are up-to-date and reflect latest practice. Everyone in the sector who is affected will have an opportunity to comment on the changes, and industry practitioners are urged to familiarise themselves with the proposals.
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[more]Practice advisory on Grade 500E reinforcing steel now available
In late December 2009, the Department of Building and Housing (DBH) released 'Practice Advisory 11 Grade 500E reinforcing steel – good practice'. (http://www.dbh.govt.nz/guidance-information#pa11)
The online publication provides guidance on the use of 300E and 500E reinforcing steel. Topics covered include properties and characteristics of reinforcing steel, minimum bend diameters, advice on fabrication processes, a good practice guide, and more.
The updated advisory includes information on new research into bend diameters.
Related Standards
BRANZ Guideline December 2009
In December 2008, we wrote: 'Christmas is almost upon us once again, and the time since the last one seems shorter as each year passes. 2008 has seen quite an economic change in the last half of the year. While we know the economy and the building industry is cyclical, picking when the down cycle will begin and planning for it is difficult. What it does mean is that 2009 will be a difficult year for the building industry to maintain workloads and income and to retain experienced staff.'
And so it turned out to be. Dwelling consents dropped to their lowest level in decades, with the total value of building work – commercial and residential – at a historical low. Some recent figures have suggested that the outlook is starting to look brighter for the residential construction market, but while the percentage increase is positive, it is based on a very low starting point. We can only hope that the small amount of growth will be maintained at a sustainable pace, but 2010 will still be a difficult year for the building industry to maintain workloads and income and to retain experienced staff.
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[more]NEW PUBLICATIONS
AS/NZS 1163:2009 Cold-formed structural steel hollow sections
Specifies the requirements for cold-formed steel hollow sections for structural purposes, for the nine grades electric arc-welded, cold-formed structural steel hollow sections.
→ Buy this Standard
AS/NZS 4994 Temporary roof edge protection for housing and residential buildings
AS/NZS 4994.3:2010 Installation and dismantling for edges other than roof edges
Improves the safety of people performing any work near openings in floors, near the edges of floors or other elevated level working surfaces not being roofs of residential or commercial buildings.
→ Buy this Standard
NEW AMENDMENT
Free to download from our website: www.standards.co.nz
Or hard copy available at $29.95+GST (Members), $37.44+GST (Retail)
Amendment 1:2009 to AS/NZS 1477:2006 PVC pipes and fittings for pressure applications
Adds a new sentence to the end of clause 2.2.
→ Buy AS/NZS 1477:2006 PVC pipes and fittings for pressure applications with Amendment 1 incorporated
STANDARDS IN DEVELOPMENT
Installing insulation – Amendment 1
Committee: P4246 A1
Project Manager: Vicki Allison
Estimated Publication Date: April 2010
Comments: The committee met in December to review submissions on whether to remove the section on reflective pliable membranes from the Standard. This deletion has now been confirmed. The committee is now finalising the draft and is on target for publication in April 2010.
Specification for concrete production Amendment 2
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