Straight Up - Winter 2019

STRAIGHT UP THE MAGAZINE OF THE BUILDING OFFICIALS INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND

Winter 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

SPOTLIGHT ON CONFERENCE

Highlights of the 2019 Annual Conference & Expo New Online Training Academy Medium Density Housing EBANZ needs your help Building Systems Legislative Reform straight up | WINTER 2019

1

We have skilled and qualified

Building Control Surveyors

wanting work in NZ.

We are actively sourcing experienced building control surveyors based overseas, looking for opportunities in New Zealand.

Don’t miss your opportunity to recruit our skilled candidates. Get in touch today!

Email recruitment@boinz.org.nz

2

straight up | WINTER 2019

STRAIGHT UP THE MAGAZINE OF THE BUILDING OFFICIALS INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND

our contributors Board President: Kerry Walsh

IN THIS ISSUE

Vice Pesident Peter Laurenson

From the CEO

04

What's On

06

Administration: Chief Executive Nick Hill

Open Letter from EBANZ

07

Finance Manager Deloitte Private

Spotlight on a Member

08

Marketing and Events Manager Samantha Bryant

Medium Density Housing

10

Education Advisor Jason Goei

Spotlight on Conference 2019

12

National Accreditation Division Nicola Hakes

Smart Collaboration

18

Technical: AS/NZS 2918:2018

21

Building Act Reform

22

Board Members Jayson Ellis Cory Lang Craig White

Membershio Relations Coodinator Henry Cassin HR Division Manager Michelle Te Ohaere Advertising/Editorial Contractors Advertising/Editorial Please contact the Building Offcials Institute's National Office via office@boinz.org.nz

Striaght Up Answers

23

BOINZ Submission - legislative reform

25

Design & Print no9.co.nz

Online Training Academy

26

ISSN 1175-9739 (print) ISSN 2230-2654 (online)

Senior Building Control Officers' Forum 2019

27

Building Officials Institute of New Zealand PO Box 11424 Manners Street, Wellington Level 12, Grand Annexe 84 Boulcott St, Wellington Phone (04) 473 6002 Fax (04) 473 6004 Email office@boinz.org.nz

Your Board:

Kerry Walsh President

Peter Laurenson Vice President

Jayson Ellis

Cory Lang

Craig White

The information contained within this publication is of a general nature only. Building Officials Institute of New Zealand does not accept any responsibility or liability for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary or punitive damage or for any loss of profit, income or any intagible losses, or any claims, costs expenses, or damage, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), equity or otherwise arising directly or indirectly from, or connected with, your use of this publication or your reliance on information contained within this publication. The Building Officials Institute of New Zealand reserves the right to reject or accept any article or advertisement submitted for publication.

straight up | WINTER 2019

3

message from the chief executive

What keeps me up at night?

Nick Hill | BOINZ Chief Executive It’s a common enough question, but one I have been increasingly asked.

It can change daily and having given it some thought, I would say a common theme is concern for the consequences of the pressures our wider building sector is under.

Often there is another issue that frustrates and that is “why can’t they see the woods for the trees” or put another way “will they again cause / contribute to another systemic building problem?”.

Individually, one can do only so much to create positive and effective change.

Organisationally a multiplication factor comes into play to lighten the load.

That’s where Institutes like BOINZ and trade associations play their role.

The 'not for profit', or ‘third sector’ as it is often called, is a vital collection of membership organisations that play their part in bringing detailed, consultative reality to the fore. Membership organisations have an ability to provide a sense of reality in this new world of constant regulatory restructure and resultant knowledge deprivation in an industry where hectic is often the norm.

Don’t get me wrong, membership organisations can have their own version of hectic, but we are the repository of industry knowledge and generally we are genuinely working towards long term quality outcomes while dealing with short lived issues to achieve betterment. Industry businesses and individu-

4

als on the other hand often experience downward spirals or sector confusions which require collective leadership and wise-head collaboration and assistance to achieve meaningful alterations. I believe the building sector is now at a point where it has no choice but to work together collaboratively.

The upside is that over many years there are such groups, collectives or alliances within our building environment that has and will continue to make a difference. I am privileged to belong to a number of those on our members behalf, and I can truly say the intent and input of those involved is to be admired and supported. At my level, I cannot think of a build industry association CEO who does not have their sector or the industry at heart. We may view issues and points of discussion through differing lenses, but in general terms the longterm aspirations and visions align.

So, when I received a communication earlier in the year from a Senior Regulatory Official in the building area advising that “to support capability building, MBIE is looking to develop more direct channels to front line regulators, including BCOs. As a result, MBIE will be better placed to perform its role to build sector capability and it will remove the reliance MBIE has on membership organisations to do this job” I was flabbergasted at what such a statement implied.

This followed communications about being collaborative and transparent as a regulator. Hardly confidence inspiring when regulatory technical capacity appears to be reducing and the need to grow knowledge and skills across the sector is of paramount importance.

Collaboration is vital in our sector as is a solid understanding of the issues. The

two go hand in hand. Two of the organisations I am involved with have delivered at differing levels, but both contribute positively to the sector. These are the Construction Industry Council (CIC), and the Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels (ACRS) of which I was recently elected as chair.

The Construction Industry Council is a collective of build industry organisation CEO’s who meet and share knowledge and experiences, contribute to general consensus positions on topical, vital or trending issues and more recently have embarked on a number of projects to lift industry awareness.

The mutual knowledge sharing assists individual CEO’s and their sectors to advance benefits for their own members, while collectively as a group there could be a solid voice to influence pragmatic and sensible industry direction.

A good recent example of this was a collective discussion on the Building System Legislative Reform. BOINZ was able to share some preliminary work, as were other industry association CEO’s. A great example where working together provides the necessary perspective for a well-rounded submission to government.

As mentioned, the CIC has invested in numerous sector wide projects, a new one being 'Industry Attractiveness'; a real attempt to transform and create a value rich perception of careers across the building sector, including our own.

Watch this space, but in the meantime, BOINZ is actively promoting building surveying and building control as a meaningful and vitally important public role.

straight up | WINTER 2019

Similarly, the collective voice of industry came into play around the concerns held by BOINZ and its fellow “CICers” when Standards NZ was being merged into MBIE. We collectively campaigned for better access to Standards. The recent announcement by the Minister of Building and Construction, Hon. Jenny Salesa, that access to 120 Standards would be government funded will significantly benefit build skills, quality and productivity. Some initiatives take time, and in this case, it was worth the wait. Our members will benefit from better consenting inputs and practices and ultimately so will building owners and occupiers as a result of better building quality and efficiency.

I often get asked why BOINZ has a board position on ACRS, the peak structural steel certification body in Australasia to Australia and New Zealand Standards. My response is simple – “why wouldn’t the Institute representing the interests of building surveyors, and compliant and quality building outcomes for building owners and occupiers not want the best structural outcomes for buildings in one of the world’s most seismically active countries?”

There is a back story though. The global supply chain is far more accessible than ever, and both New Zealand and Australia's minimal quality and compliance regulation means product importation to our markets are open to product ranging from the world’s best producers, to those whose manufacture process and systems and resultant quality are at the very low end.

Our involvement with ACRS has been strategic. In an environment where the regulator has struggled (and quite frankly still struggling), we have gained knowledge, access to information, and now have a very real appreciation of product certification and traceability from one of the world’s best certification authorities. Product assurance is the 'Achilles Heel' of quality building outcomes. I am often amazed at some low-end manufactures and importers (and also our regulator), who claim that independent mandatory 3rd party product certification to standards (for critical products in critical building product areas such as structure, cladding, fire and health) are costly and a barrier to entry. My response is, consts are certainly not an issue and to meet New Zealand Standards is not a barri-

straight up | WINTER 2019

er, but a requirement in respect of our environmental and user needs.

In the steel product supply space, manufacturers and importers and procurement specialists have continually looked to game our market. The media, to its credit, has taken up the challenge of exposing projects which don’t honour the need to source and have certified structural steel, and its associated fabrication certified. BOINZ has a very real stake in ensuring product assurance is top of mind not only with our regulator, but the wider build community. It is heartening to see the years of education by ACRS representatives (to our members) assist the cultivation and realisation that product manufacturers, importers and suppliers need to undertake responsible procurement diligence in terms of supply traceability for critical building product.

So, in the spirit of collaboration, BOINZ welcomes the recent announcement of the Construction Sector Accord, a means to transform New Zealand’s construction sector. While early days, BOINZ has an expectation that it can contribute across both the government commitment, particularly in the area of improved building regulatory systems and consenting processes, and industry commitment to leadership and collaboration, as well as the combined government/industry commitment to growing workforce capability and capacity. We look forward to en-

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

*Subject to change; Branch meeting notices will be sent out closer to the time of the event with further details.

hanced collaboration from all parties to achieve much-needed outcomes in respect of New Zealand build productivity and quality.

Finally, I need to express a concern in respect of the skill fulfilment and resourcing for our members. In an environment of continuing construction growth, as an organisation we are receiving feedback that training needs are not being appropriately resourced.

Now, an academic may comment management is merely practicing 'risk management'. But is this risk management at a level where all that is being done is managing the risk to achieve compliance (a mechanical process)? Or is it a pro-active approach that delivers on opperational efficiency and output quality and as a consequence has customers valuing the role and expertise of the building surveyor and minimizing long term risks exposure? There should be no misunderstanding that training is the single most vital component in risk management for both the individuals and their organisation. I am sure some may believe they have the best model of training in place for their teams, but is the reality an actual trade-off in respect of minor savings today against significant legal costs and penalties 5 – 10 years on? I can’t answer this question but would ask all our members to consider the issue carefully.

There we are, those are some of the things that keep me up at night!

BRANCH

DATE

East Coast

Thursday 1st August

Canterbury/ Westland

Tuesday 6th August

Nelson/ Marlborough

Tuesday 20th August

Waikato/ Bay of Plenty

Friday 30th August

Central

Wednesday 4th September

Wellington

Wednesday 4th September

Southern

Friday 13th September

Auckland

Wednesday 18th September

Canterbury/ Westland

Weekend 21-22nd September

East Coast

Tuesday 24th September

5

what's on

TRAINING ACADEMY COURSES AUGUST 5-8th

Dunedin TA008 NZS 3604 Timber Framed Buildings 15-16th Palmerston North TA012 H1 Energy Efficiency 15-16th Christchurch TA020 Fire Documents

SEPTEMBER 2-3rd

Dunedin TA009 NZS 4229 Concrete Masonry Building

not Requiring Specific Engineering Design 6th Christchurch TA018 Piped Services and Waste th 13 Queenstown TA015 Clause D1 Access Routes/ TA016 Clause F1 Safety of Users 16-17th Wellington TA006 Site Inspection 19-20th Tauranga TA013 E2 Weathertightness th 25-27 Hastings TA022 BWoF and Specified Systems

th OCTOBER 3-4th Wellington TA005 Plan Processing

14 Wellington TA018 Piped Sevices and Waste th 14 Queenstown TA010 Light Steel Framing 21-23rd Timaru TA022 BWoF and Specified Systems

NOVEMBER 7-8th Christchurch TA013 E2 Weathertightness

11-13th Wellington TA017 Services and Facilities 18th Queenstown ADV025 Earthquake Engineering 25-28th Auckland TA008 NZS 3604 Timber Framed Buildings 25-6th Dunedin TA019 Plumbing and Drainage Compliance

DECEMBER 6th

Wellington NZHHA Solid Fuel Heating 9 Auckland ADV020 Advanced Fire 13th Christchurch ADV005 Difficult to Consent th

NEW COURSES • • • • • •

Difficult to Consent Advanced Fire Earthquake Engineering ANARP Asbestos Restricting Access to Swimming Pools • Leadership Certificates • BWof

COMING SOON • • • • • •

Tiling / E3 Advanced Accessibility Comlying with Building Code Documenting Decisions Report Writing 100 Q & A Assessment to Identify Skill Gaps

TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO: EMAIL TRAINING@BOINZ.ORG.NZ 6

straight up | WINTER 2019

An Open Letter to BOINZ Members

open letter

New Zealand’s internationally renowned Earth Building Standards are under threat.

New Zealand risks losing a key component for developing healthy, local, affordable, energy saving, and carbon sequestering homes. Changing the way New Zealand builds is integral part of achieving our climate targets and these standards are key to that change.

Thanks to EBANZ, New Zealand is a pioneer in Earth Building Standards.

First published in 1998 the Earth Building Standards (NZS 4297/98/99) are due to be updated. Over the past 8 years 95% of the work has been completed but we now have to ‘industry fund’ the final costs to get the draft standards through public consultation and publication. The original standards have proved their worth; there has been no reported failure to date of any compliant earth building but lessons have been learnt from the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes, and the results of new research need to be incorporated.

To save our standards, and to remain world leaders in earth building technology, they must be updated.

EBANZ is now working in partnership with Standards NZ to bring development work on the standards to its conclusion. Funding is estimated to be around $95,000 with this collaborative approach, and to date donations have raised around $34,500 towards this.

This is a great effort.

But we still have $35,000 to go and we need your help.

The challenges of climate change are upon us. The mainstream building industry is a huge contributor to CO2 emissions and wastefulness. The materials we build with are really important if we are to radically reduce CO2 emissions by the building industry, and this is where earthen materials come in. They have a low carbon footprint and are relatively easy to construct; affordable and imminently suited for owner-builders and community housing projects.

If these standards are not updated, we will lose our world class guidelines, along with a clear pathway to consenting; earth building will no longer be affordable and safe. This would be a tragic step backward.

What are the Earth Building Standards?

The suite of three standards are highly regarded internationally and have provided Building Consent Authorities, architects, engineers, builders and home owners a clear pathway toward building and consenting robust natural buildings.

These standards provide a means for resilient communities to build quality, affordable homes with resources local to them, while providing real options for the mainstream building industry to achieve true sustainability and low carbon buildings.

‘The New Zealand Earth Building Standards are an essential mechanism for making the continuation of this low carbon, affordable building method possible and it is imperative that the review process be completed’, said architect Graeme North, founder and former chair of EBANZ. What can you do?

EBANZ has teamed up with YIMFY (Yes! In My Front Yard); a charity promoting and developing ways of making buildings that foster the health and well-being of both the people who occupy them and the global ecosystems of which they are part. You can make a donation through our give-a-little page. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/we-need-your-help-to-keep-nz-earth-building-safe A tax credit can be claimed for donations to the earth building standards through YIMFY. Please email yimfynz@gmail.com if you would like a donation receipt.

Use of funds All funds received via our give-a-little page will go towards paying for the draft updated standards to be reviewed by Standards New Zealand in order to maintain a viable and clear pathway to consenting earth houses in NZ. We are pleased to have the support of the BOINZ Board in respect of our initiatives and look forward to any support from individual BOINZ members, no matter how big or small.

EBANZ Chair - Pat Mawson 022 657 9256 straight up | WINTER 2019

7

spotlight on a member

Meet Murray Kidd Murray Kidd is a Fire Risk Management Officer, Specialist Fire Investigator and Fire and Emergency Inspector based in Palmerston North. He’s been in the industry for 40 years and still loves the new challenges that each day brings.

We had a chat to Murray about his career with Fire and Emergency NZ and how his involvement with BOINZ has been invaluable.

What was your first full time job?

I was a carpentry apprentice with Richardson & Co in Invercargill.

How did you get into the industry?

I was involved in a motor vehicle accident which meant I couldn’t do carpentry anymore, so I went into selling tyres.

Didn’t enjoy it that much, so I joined the Invercargill Fire Service in 1970 where I was a a firefighter on the appliances before figuring out I loved the fire safety aspect of the job. I moved into that role in 1977, before moving to Gisborne in 1981 and eventually to Palmserston North in 1985.

You’ve said you love Fire Safety, what’s the most interesting thing about your role?

The never-ending change of activity.

One minute I’m working with a BCO from a council or an architecht/engineer providing guidance on fire aspects, then next minute I might be advising the public on fire safety issues, then next I can be exploring the aftermath of a fire. It’s the diversity. Every day is a different challenge.

What are the biggest challenges you face?

Dealing with contractors who don’t understand the Building Code. Cutting costs for clients doesn’t work when it jeopardises fire safety. It can be a real challenge to educate people to the danger of cutting corners and how it can result in loss of life – something as

8

Murray Kidd - Fire Risk Management Officer/Specialist Fire Investigator/Fire and Emergency Inspector - Fire and Emergency New Zealand simple as ensuring smoke alarms are in each bedroom, not just in the passageway 3m from the bedroom door. A fire in a bedroom can destroy a room before the smoke gets through the gaps in the door into the passageway – by the time you wake up, you’d be dead. *laughs*

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen come into play?

The way we do things – like the protection required under the Building Code. It’s been great to see but we are still working towards the ultimate level of protection.

What’s your involvement with BOINZ and how has this impacted your career?

I’ve been a member since 2007! I was a Branch Chairperson for Central Branch, and Chair of the Specical Interest Group Fire Safety, I seem to have now been roped in as the rep for Fire and Emergency NZ at BOINZ meetings, but it’s great because it means Building Inspectors from all around the country feel like they can get in touch for advice and guidance. I’m glad I can help them. I really appreciate the cooperation between BCOs and Fire and Emergency NZ. The comradery and working relationships I have built through BOINZ are invaluable.

Murray is incredibly passionate about what he does and the impact he has on public safety. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to anything fire safety, risk management and compliance, and it’s knowledge he’s always willing to share.

He’s a valued member of the BOINZ community, and the go-to-guy when it comes to guidance and advice.

Note: As a result of this interview, the interviewer has since installed smoke alarms in all bedrooms, in addition to the existing passageway alarms.

KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES THE SPOTLIGHT? If you’re interested in talking to us for future issues or you know of someone who is doing great work within the industry and deserves to have the spotlight on them, please email marketing@boinz.org.nz straight up | WINTER 2019

Like you, we’re proudly building for New Zealand.

Every day, passionate and dedicated professionals come together as an industry for the good of all New Zealanders. It’s something we’re proud to have been a trusted part of for over 90 years. gib.co.nz

straight up | WINTER 2019

9

medium density housing

Is it MDH/Mid-Rise or Residential?

Just because it looks the same doesn’t mean it is In the previous edition of Straight Up we covered the emergence of particularly Mid-Rise and Medium Density Housing (MDH) construction in NZ. In this article we’ll further explore the implications this likely has on Building Control and other construction related professions.

One of the considerations already touched on in the April ‘19 Straight Up article was weathertightness. And indeed further work may be needed to better understand how cladding systems used for traditional residential construction can be applied to mid-rise and MDH developments. For example the overall settlement/shrinkage of taller buildings, particularly prevalent in taller timber buildings, must be designed for in the exterior cladding and associated junction details. Similarly with cladding performance during seismic events where movement in taller buildings differs substantially to the that of residential dwellings.

This is an area BRANZ has identified as being of high importance and is researching to identify potential weak spots and factors that may limit the performance of different claddings designed for residential construction but used in medium density housing or midrise buildings.

There are other relatively obvious impacts; clearly dwellings with multiple tenancies will require different noise and fire considerations to ensure tenancies remain ‘separated’.

Consideration of acoustic performance in broad terms requires two feasible sound transmission paths to be consider in mid-rise and MDH buildings: • •

Fig 1. Shrinkage joins in cladding

“

10

Airborne sound such as voices, music, or traffic noise for example is evaluated using the sound transmission class (STC) system.

Impact sound transferred through the structure or its elements such as footsteps, moving furniture or ‘knocking’ plumbing is measured using the impact insulation class (IIC).

The STC rating ranges from poor sound control with little privacy at STC<30, to STC 40–50 where raised voices can be heard in adjacent tenancies, and STC >50 providing reasonable acoustic privacy. Occupants in mid-rise and MDH developments do expect a reasonable level of privacy and the ability to enjoy their own private space without undue influence of other

Clearly dwellings with multiple tenancies will require different noise and fire considerations to ensure tenancies remain ‘separated’.

Consideration of acoustic performance in broad terms requires two feasible sound transmission paths to be consider in mid-rise and MDH buildings

straight up | WINTER 2019

medium density housing tenancies within the same building. And while the NZ Building Code clause G6 sets minimum sound insulation at STC ≥55 for inter-tenancy walls and floors and the IIC ≥55 for inter-tenancy floors, ultimately what we consider an ‘acceptable acoustic influence’ can vary between individuals. The likely occupancy group of a mid-rise and MDH development should hence be taken into consideration also, rather than simply achieving minimum required levels.

Fire considerations essentially follow a very similar approach to the acoustic design in controlling gas/smoke and heat transfer.

Current Acceptable Solutions provide prescriptive guidance which can cover some MDH developments under C/AS1 Houses, small multi-unit dwellings and outbuildings, where each dwelling has an independent egress route and no more than one dwelling unit above another (eg. townhouses/terraced housing), or C/AS2 Buildings with sleeping (noninstitutional, multi-unit dwellings) for dwellings that have shared escape routes or are more than two dwelling units high.

Where buildings are designed for mixed-use then obviously other Acceptable Solutions will also need to be considered; for example C/AS5 Buildings for business, commercial or low-level storage or C/AS7 Vehicle parking. BRANZ provides further detail in their Guide to the Acceptable Solutions: Protection from Fire which can be downloaded from the BRANZ website.

An alternative to the Acceptable Solutions is the Verification Method C/VM2 and engineering analysis to show compliance with fire safety requirements of the NZ Building Code. Smaller MDH developments should be feasible within the bounds of C/ VM2, but its limitations will likely see larger MDH or mid-rise construction requiring more sophisticated fire protection analysis and systems. Aspects usually included as specified systems on building compliance schedules and under annual building warrant of fitness regimes. This is as a result of higher occupancy density and increased Fire and Emergency complexities – such as time required to set up fire-fighting equipment, adequate unobstructed access to fight a fire, and required infrastructure such as hydrants or standpipes being available. All of which clearly are very different in comparison to residential dwellings.

Further compliance impacts that might be less obvious could be overall stability (bracing) of the building for example. While the same structural principles apply to bracing design of stand-alone residential dwellings and mid-rise and MDH buildings, common residential solutions often no longer provide the required resistance or aren’t cost effective. Bracing in residential dwellings typically relies on sheathing (eg. plywood, plasterboard, fibre cement) fixed to framing with the framing tied together using connectors (steel straps, screws, hold-down brackets etc). In taller light timber/stick frame MDH or mid-rise construction the bracing on each floor level can still be achieved using sheathing, however transferring those loads through the framing down to the foundation/ground level using the ‘piecemeal’ connector approach becomes highly inefficient and load capacities of connectors is often exceeded on the lower levels as loads from each of the above floors accumulate.

threaded rods that run the full height of the building and are tied into each floor level using steel bearing plates. The ATS also deals with shrinkage of timber buildings (refer weathertightness paragraph and April ‘19 Straight Up article) using take-up devices installed at each floor level that self adjust over the buildings life to ensure a tight fit between bearing plates, washers, and nuts to transfer each floor level’s loads into the ATS steel rods

Fig 2. ATS bearing plate take up device washer nut and rod Similar to how bracing systems in residential construction are anchored into foundations/sub-floors, ATS also terminates into the foundation with anchors to dissipate the loads into the supporting ground (though ATS loads are much greater than loads in residential construction). Further detail on ATS installation and components can be seen in this YouTube video. Heavier duty connectors and ATS components required for timber mid-rise and MDH developments have been introduced to the NZ market over the past years as mid-rise and MDH construction gained traction.

These are just a handful of the numerous subtle yet substantial differences between traditional residential and MDH/mid-rise construction. And with the impact of these clearly not restricted to just building control, MBIE is looking at how it as the regulator of building and construction in NZ can aid in encouraging greater uptake of MDH and mid-rise without detrimental effect on safeguarding human life. You’ll be able to read more about the MBIE initiatives and proposed regulatory changes in the next Straight Up.

Daniel Scheibmair Specification Engineer Simpson Strong-Tie

Overseas mid-rise buildings using light timber frame utilise a continuous Anchor Tie-down Systems (ATS) consisting of steel

straight up | WINTER 2019

11

conference

That's a wrap - Annual Conference BOINZ would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and delegates who took part in the Annual Conference & Expo in Rotorua during May. The 2019 conference was another huge success thanks to the calibere of speakers presenting, exhibitions on show and delegate interaction that took place.

Check out the next few pages for some of the highlights of the 2019 event including Dr. Tom's health wake-up call and the BRANZ showcase.

Remember to save the date for 2020 conference in Auckland!

Frana Divich (Heaney & Partners) introducing Keynote speaker, Dr Tom Mulholland.

BRANZ showcase BRANZ CEO, Chelydra Percy, presented an update on the Artisan project which focused on the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the councils and build teams who have been the first users of the game-changing technology. The presentation was very well received, and feedback confirmed Artisan will make a real difference to build industry quality and productivity.

BRANZ researchers also lead an interactive plenary session that challenged perceptions and revealed insights that they have found. The researchers demonstrated and presented on impact of downlights, ventilation and thermal insulation performance, light timber-framed buildings research and technical helpline questions.

E V S AH E T TE D A Y 2020 MA 1 2 17

BRANZ showcase - Downlight, ventilation and thermal insulation

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

& EXPO 2020

GRAND MILLENNIUM

AUCKLAND

conference - keynote

Our KYND of Wellness Heaney & Partners were delighted to bring Dr Tom Mulholland to this year’s BOINZ Conference in Rotorua.

Dr Tom has been an Emergency Medicine doctor for 30 years, a rural GP, a best selling author, an honoury lecturer in psychological medicine, the founder of White Cross Taranaki and Doctor Global, an International Speaker on Wellness, the winner of multiple business awards, a regular on TV, radio and a newspaper columnist, a Polar expedition leader, surfer, snow boarder, spear fisher, skipper, pilot, founder of KYND Wellness – and if all that is not enough - he has now embarked upon a two year mission to travel around New Zealand visiting various locations and walking through our epic countryside discussing health and well being with every day New Zealanders.

Five years ago, disheartened at being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, Dr Tom decided to do something about the many kiwis he encountered in the ER who had become ill from preventable diseases. He converted a retro Chevy ambulance into a pop up medical clinic and became an ambulance at the top of the cliff, testing people for pre diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol and starting conversations about giving up smoking.

His focus is not just on physical health. He also spoke about mental health and healthy thinking. Dr Tom was literally hit by a tsunami, helped out in one, got divorced, stabbed and lost his online business…he was left feeling like a failure, thought he had lost his family and was contemplating suicide.

He came to realise that you can control the way you feel by changing what you think. Thoughts are not facts. He has written books on the subject and also lectures at medical school.

Dr Tom has developed an app called KYND – or Know Your Numbers Dashboard. It is constructed as a series of questions and provides scores for the physical (Body), mental (Mind) and social (Life). It measures things like blood pressure, fatigue, anxiety and stress levels. Heaney & Partners provided the BOINZ delegates with access to the app so they can become familiar with their own numbers and monitor their own health.

Dr Tom’s talk is timely. In 2016 it was reported that almost 7% of working age male suicides in New Zealand were by workers in the building industry, making construction the industry that experiences the highest number of suicides of any industry in the country. This is coupled with recent research that shows that the construction industry has the highest rate of illicit drug use of any sector in New Zealand.

We were really pleased to see how Dr Tom’s talk sparked conversation and was referred to by other speakers at the conference. We appreciate that for many of our clients the work is relentless, under staffed and difficult. We hope that Dr Tom’s message makes it easier for the members of BOINZ to visit their GPs and to talk to each other about work stress and anxiety and find support from within the organisation. It is also important that we have these conversations with our loved ones, as many people suffer silently or don’t realise that they are anxious or stressed.

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Tom for attending the conference, spreading his message and for the amazing work he does.

Keynote speaker - Dr Tom Mulholland

“

Disheartened at being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, Dr Tom decided to do something about the many kiwis he encountered in the ER who had become ill from preventable diseases. He converted a retro Chevy ambulance into a pop up medical clinic and became an ambulance at the top of the cliff, testing people for pre diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol and starting conversations about giving up smoking.

Frana Divich Partner - Heaney & Partners

To learn more about Dr Tom and his latest mission please visit https://www.drtomonamission.com/walk-the-talk

straight up | WINTER 2019

13

ANNUAL CON

FERENCE DE

LEGATES 201

9

ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPO 2019 THANK YOU TO ALL SPEAKERS, EXHIBITORS, MCS AND DELEGATES.

conference - ABS

Accredited Building Surveyors Conference Session How many BOINZ Accredited Building Surveyors does it take to make for a great one-day Conference session? The answer is 19!

With the theme of ‘Getting it right - Lead the Way’ the day began with Sarah Symon (ABS Course Facilitator) challenging attendees as to why they are Accredited Building Surveyors, what it means to them, how reporting to the standard is critical and what can go wrong if they deviate.

Ashley Mason (Executive Broker, Financial & Professional Risks, Crombie Lockwood) then talked through the importance of ensuring that, as Surveyors working in the pre-purchase sector, they had the correct insurance in place. This included the key points such as retro-active dates, run off cover and ensuring their business descriptions are correct. His presentation ended with some sobering examples of claims and their settlements.

Next was Paul Probett (Incodo Ltd) who presented on the good, better and best practice of moisture detection and measurement.

He showcased samples of nondestructive moisture meters (NDT) and demonstrated their correct usage. Paul then went on to talk about measuring “healthy” and identifying “causers” and the new Healthy Homes Guarantee Act. With the new Residential Tenancies Healthy Homes Standard setting the standard for heating, insulation, moisture, draught stopping and ventilation in rental properties, he explained how important it was for the surveyors to have the correct tools in place and know how to use them correctly, as their reports could be challenged and they need to ensure methodology, objectivity, accuracy and clarity.

Josh Doherty (Acting Head of Regulatory Services with the Real Estate Authority) then gave an update on the Authority’s proactive approach to growing the culture and conduct of real estate agents. Questions from the floor included issues around agent’s behavior towards pre-purchaser inspectors, in particular their promotion of preferred inspectors to provide ‘soft’ vendor supplied reports and how was the Authority dealing with out of court settlements generated by the poor conduct of agents.

To end the day, Phil Saunders (Hamilton City Council) and Phil Roberts (Tauranga City Council) spoke about their Councils’ perspective on current building stock, especially weathertightness issues. They discussed working with ABS and the need for thorough reporting and proper identification of defects, especially about identifying WT risk areas. They showed examples of non-compliant dwellings, which raised the question – How would you inspect and report on that?

16

Highlights of the ABS Meeting at the 2019 Annual Conference in Rotorua, NZ The feedback back from those who attended was it was long overdue and provided valuable and relevant information. The plan is to hold a similar event next year in the South Island.

A big thank you to Crombie Lockwood who sponsored the lunch for the day. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Nicola Hakes BOINZ National Accreditation Division Manager

ABS PROGRAMME 2019 9 - 11 August Wellington 13 -15 September Christchurch 22 - 24 November Auckland Find out how you can become an Accredited Building Surveyor E accreditation@boinz.org.nz P 04 473 6001

straight up | WINTER 2019

excellence awards Congratulations to all of our 2019 Excellence Award Winners. A very impressive line up of leaders from within our industry.

We would also like to extend a thank you to our Premier Partners who sponsor our awards; your support and commitment to the Institute helps us to grow and encourage our members to grow.

BRANZ OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO INFORMATION, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION OF BUILDING OFFICIALS: WINNER - CORINNE HAMLIN

CARTER HOLT HARVEY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR: WINNER - JEFF FAHRENSOHN

GIB BRANCH OF THE YEAR: WINNER - WAIKATO BAY OF PLENTY BRANCH

MITEK NZ TRAINING COMMITMENT: WINNER - PALMERSTON NORTH CITY COUNCIL

ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE: WINNER - QUEENSTOWN LAKES DISTRICT COUNCIL

PACIFIC STEEL YOUNG BUILDING CONTROL PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR: WINNER - BEN SWINBURNE

PRYDA NZ CONTRIBUTION TO BOINZ AWARD: WINNER - RICHARD WYN

RESENE CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS EMERGING LEADER: WINNER - HASAN SHUEB

UNSUNG HERO: WINNER - SARAH SYMON

VIRIDIAN GLASS NEW ZEALAND CONTRIBUTION TECHNICAL AND LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENTS:

TO

WINNER - DENISE WHELAN To view all of the Awards photos and relive the action on the night, check out our Facebook Page (make sure to 'Like' us while you're there).

straight up | WINTER 2019

17

technology

Smart Collaboration

A pragmatic and unified approach to meeting the challenges of regulation in New Zealand Over the past three year’s the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) has been solving challenges in the regulatory space by means of an app (report-a-cowboy). It provides a reporting and intelligence function to effectively help deal with unauthorised work swiftly.

The app with more than 13,430+ downloads from consumers, tradespeople and Local Council building inspection units has been doing its job effectively – and it is set to extend both reach and success with further smart collaboration.

“Effective collaboration has been critical in maximising the potential of the app to improve performance across the industry in the area of eliminating those working illegally in the trades”, says PGDB Chairman, Peter Jackson.

In November 2016, the Electrical Workers Registration Board saw the benefits of this technology. They joined forces with the PGDB by adding an electrical reporting component to the app.

“

Effective collaboration has been critical in maximising the potential of the app to improve performance across the industry in the area of eliminating those working illegally in the trades

Now, expanding on New Zealand’s regulation presence using this pragmatic approach, the Building Practitioners Board have joined forces in 2019. They have added a new reporting component for building work. This new version of the R.A.C app will be available to the industry and consumers from July this year.

18

straight up | WINTER 2019

technology In Peter’s opinion, “This unified approach of regulators working together to link common goals makes it possible to deliver a more effective and far-reaching presence.”

“While each area of regulation in the industry is covering a wide range of issues, the R.A.C app meets a shared focus specifically on identifying unauthorised work. It’s about collating intelligence received from those on the front-line, and eliminating those working unlawfully”, he concluded.

Another aspect of the PGDB’s core business for 2019 has been maximising their efforts in public awareness through the Sort the Pros from the Cons campaign.

They launched this in 2017.

This regulator is ‘big’ on building awareness that helps consumers become familiar with their trades, the legislation and building a strong reputation for those who hold the NZ Practising Licence.

In its first three years, the campaign has been a success story. A brand well established and familiar to the Kiwi D.I.Y’er. Its message with the linkage to regulation and restricted work connects homeowners looking to buy, sell, build or renovate.

The recent Colmar Brunton brand awareness survey results showed awareness that a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer needs to hold a NZ Practising Licence has remained constant and high over the last three years.

Over nine out to ten New Zealanders knew they had to use a licensed tradesperson. And, over half responded as being extremely or very confident in the trades.

The challenge for the PGDB 2019 campaign was keeping the brand similar to preserve familiarity - but deliver new content. They had to maintain their audience engagement levels and encourage communication where their presence was experiencing growth. The social channels. The campaign had to get the ‘chat’ happening.

“By year three, we had a more true understanding of our target audience.

And with that information in 2019 we

straight up | WINTER 2019

really started to connect”, says Peter. By bringing together consumer insight with the magic of a great creative team, we customised our ideas accordingly. We

“

Sometimes it's easy to focus too much on what has always been done because it is a safe and known path - a strategy that would have definitely hindered our success in 2019

completely changed our approach to the content.”

“A bold move - but it paid off. The new approach certainly came up with the goods.”

“Sometimes it’s easy to focus too much on what has always been done because it is a safe and known path. A strategy that would have definitely hindered our success in 2019”. The PGDB’s new approach to their campaign significantly boosted results.

The overall engagement in the campaign lifted by 40% in comparison to the year prior. Video content engagement increased by 32.7%. Digital advertising click-through increased by 133%, and those seeking information about the R.A.C app increased by 66%.

Trust BRANZ Specify with confidence BRANZ – your one-stop

compliance partner

∫ Providing clear pathways for product compliance ∫ Minimising risk and giving you and your customers peace of mind ∫ Independent and impartial validation delivering quality results and meaningful insight ∫ Applying BRANZ history of research work in the commercial world

Again, a collaborative approach was used by the PGDB to achieve the significant growth of the Sort the Pros from the Cons campaign. Their practitioners and stakeholder organisations had to be engaged and proactive in assisting them on a promotional level if they were to succeed again in 2019.

“The fact is there is nothing more important to our organisational success than collaboration”, Peter concluded.

Peter Jackson Chairman Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board

19

licensing

Licensing Regime for Refrigerant Engineers MBIE recently advised that cabinet have approved a Licensing regime for Refrigeration & Air • Conditioning Engineers and Technicians.

Central to this regime are the following key points: • • • • • •

All low GWP refrigerants with hazardous properties will be covered by this regime, being natural and flammable refrigerants such as CO2, HFO’s Hydrocarbons and Ammonia.

The Scheme will apply to every technician or engineer who works with those refrigerants on commercial or industrial plant and equipment.

It is likely that there will be classes of technician in the scheme, roughly inline with the recommendations IRHACE made to government in Industry submissions in December.

The training required will be integrated into the NZ Certificate in Refrigeration & Air Conditioning (level 4), along with other similar Qualification frameworks in coming years.

This will take the form of a License and will be administered

by Worksafe under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The proposed regime will not cover HFC’s (which are being

phased out from 1 January 2020). Collectively industry organisations do not support this decision. IRHACE feels it waters down the license and potentially leaves the door open for more risk and shortcuts which could result in damage, injury or even death.

A further consultation process is planned of July this year covering some potential areas of exclusion, the threshold and definitions for what is meant by light commercial and domestic appliances, licensing fees, offence provisions and penalties etc.

IRHACE are still waiting on clarification on several points and intend to send updates on more detail in the coming days and weeks.

CLICK HERE for more information on the proposed Licensing regime – document 5829 CLICK HERE for more information on the proposed Licensing regime – document 5830 CLICK HERE for more information on the proposed Licensing regime – document 5831 Republished and edited for pupose with permission from IRHACE.

W E AT H E RT I G H T R I G I D A I R BA R R I E R N OW W I T H

180 day exposure Ecoply® Barrier can now be left exposed to the elements for up to 180 days before the cladding has to be installed.

Achieve early close in and start on the inside sooner

BRANZ appraised Structural Bracing and Weathertight Rigid Air Barrier.

Engineered to allow the wall system to breathe and dry out.

BARRIER SPECIFICATION & INSTALLATION GUIDE SEPTEMBER 2017

www.ecoplybarrier.co.nz Information contained within is specific to Ecoply® Barrier structural plywood products and must not be used with any other plywood products, no matter how similar they may appear.

For more information on the Ecoply® Barrier system and how this could benefit you, visit: www.ecoplybarrier.co.nz or call Freephone 0800 326 759

AS/NZS 2918:2018 Update

home heating

AS/NZS 2918:2018 As you are aware AS/NZS 2918:2018 has been released. Please note that the AS/NZS2918:2001 is still the standard cited by the C/AS1 (Building Code Acceptable Solution for protection from fire). The statement on the Standards New Zealand website that the 2018 supersedes 2001 is not correct.

Some BCAs are trying to enforce the 2018 standard.

For example: 1. Stating that all appliance and flue testing done under 2001 no longer applies 2. Requiring a 6m (3m in the 2001 Standard) separation between the flue and an adjacent building 3. Heat shielding heights to within 100mm of the ceiling (450mm above the top of the appliance in the 2001 Standard) The NZHHA asks to please continue to refer to the AS/NZS 2918:2001 as the current Standard as per the C/AS1 and C/VM1.

MBIE has advised that the AS/NZS 2918:2018 will not likely be cited in an acceptable solution for at least twelve months.

The NZHHA Code of Practice

A Big Thanks

This document aims to clarify the grey areas of installations and the NZHHA’s goal is to have it ready by April 2020.

Thank you all those who have attended the NZHHA Course through the BOINZ Training Academy.

An engineer has produced a PS1 on external bracing calculations for publication in the NZHHA Code of Practice. Until the Code of Practice is published, the calculations will be available on a case by case basis for those who have an issue with bracing.

As a general rule, for “very high” wind zone properties, 1.7m of flue can be unbraced above the roof penetration provided: 1. There is at least 1000mm between the ceiling frame out and the support brackets under the roof.

2. That the flue is secured to each internal bracing (roof and ceiling) by at least two fasteners. A flue secured in a boxed timber frame out is acceptable.

For extremely high wind zones the above compliance with the above allows 1.5m of unbraced flue above the roof penetration.

If you have a specific installation you wish to enquire about, we are happy to apply the calculations on a case by case basis.

The attendees have been engaged and the classroom setting makes for an excellent environment to discuss issues.

The course has been totally overhauled so if it has been a while since you attended the course, please contact he BOINZ Eduation Advisor, Jason Goei via training@boinz.org.nz.

If you have any questions regarding this article, please contact Mike Chilton at president@homeheat.org.nz

Mike Chilton President - NZHAA

straight up | WINTER 2019

21

building act reform

Important reforms proposed for Building Act Help is on its way for Building Act Regulators.

Central Governement is proposing sweeping reforms to the Building Act - the most significant since it was introduced in 2004.

MBIE has recognised the long-standing issues with the building regulatory system, many of which we have written about in Straight Up. It has started a consultation process that aims to raise the bar by: • significantly increasing financial penalties for Building Act offending; • differentiating between penalties for individuals and organisations; and • extending the timeframe for councils to bring charges from 6 to 12 months.

Deterrence through increased penalties and accountability Deterring illegal building work is the biggest driver for prosecuting under the Building Act. As we have said previously, not every case of non-compliance needs to be prosecuted. It is always a balancing act.

To help councils, MBIE proposes to increase the maximum penalties for individuals and companies so they are fit for purpose and reflect the seriousness of the offence. MBIE has created a “low-medium-high-very high” scale for Building Act offending and maximum fines will range from $25,000 to $1.5 million, depending on the seriousness of the situation and whether the offender is an individual or a company.

Distinguishing between individuals and organisations will incentivise compliance and will bring the Building Act in line with the Resource Management Act and other pieces of legislation.

More time to file charges As we wrote in ‘If you snooze, you lose’, councils currently have 6 months to lay charges under the Building Act. MBIE accepts that this is not always long enough, due to the complexity of some cases and the number of people involved. In our experience, this narrow limitation period is one of the biggest barriers to prosecuting.

Fortunately, MBIE is proposing to extend the timeframe for a prosecution to 12 months. This will give councils more time to complete their investigations and take appropriate advice on their enforcement strategy.

Impact on building sector and regulators We are pleased to see MBIE taking action in this space, but it has been a long time coming. With better statutory tools, it is our hope that local authorities will feel more comfortable in using their enforcement powers and in doing so may prevent - in some cases - significant legal and reputational consequences.

Nathan Speir Partner - Rice Speir

22

straight up | WINTER 2019

straight up answers

Helen Rice Managing Partner - Rice Speir

Have a legal question that needs answering?

Rice Speir is here to help. For 25 years we have worked with councils to make the complex simple. We answer queries from our local authority clients from the far north to the deep south. Chances are we’ve dealt with your issue before.

Please send your questions to helen@ricespeir.co.nz.

Q: Can councils impose infringement fees on owners of wastewater treatment systems that fail to comply with the information requirements in a council’s wastewater bylaw?

A: In most cases, the answer will be no.

Infringement fees can only be imposed for bylaw breaches that have been prescribed in regulations or by statute as infringement offences. A council cannot establish and implement its own regime. Accordingly, unless specified as such in regulations, a council will not be able to impose infringement fees on persons who fail to comply with the information requirements in its wastewater bylaw.

Typically, infringements are used for offences that are set nationally, rather than locally, as infringement regulations would need to identify specific provisions in each local authority’s bylaw where a breach of that provision is an infringement offence. Examples of bylaw breaches that are also infringement offences include the Maritime Transport regulations, which establish infringement offences and set infringement fees for breaches of various navigation safety bylaws around the country.

It is important to remember that, even though often unable to take infringement action, councils are not entirely without recourse when it comes to breaches of bylaws. A person who breaches a bylaw commits an offence under the Local Government Act 2002 and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000.

While enforcement action of this nature may, on a cost/benefit analysis, not always be justified, when communicating with non-compliant owners the LGA penalty can serve as a helpful reminder as to the importance of complying with bylaws.

Tick all the boxes

straight up | WINTER 2019

Compliance with the NZ Building Code and acceptance by BCA’s all-in-one with CodeMark

AQ-11092018-CMNZ

23

The Engineering Journey of GIB Weatherline®

The Technical Team at Winstone Wallboards have invested over 7,500 development hours on the GIB Weatherline® systems and recently achieved BRANZ Appraisal and compliance with the New Zealand Building Code.

This is the first time that we have developed systems

Upon the completion of the test the laboratory technicians

specifically for the outside of the building and we have

found no visible signs of any water on the back of the lining

gone to great lengths to make sure they are suitable for

and there was no increase in the moisture content of the

New Zealand conditions. The extensive testing programme

timber frame in the eight designated measurement locations.

has included full scale wind pressure, weather tightness, fire, bracing and environmental noise to produce a range of market ready performance options. There have also been hundreds of small scale bench tests ensuring that our quality assurance meets consistent standards.

One of the most severe tests GIB Weatherline® was put through in order for us to be able to claim temporary weather protection for the exterior of a building for up to 90 days, was the BRANZ Weather Tightness Performance Limit Test.

our confidence that the GIB Weatherline® Rigid Air Barrier Systems were suitable for the New Zealand environment.

For your convenience a Technical Manual has been developed to cover buildings designed within the scope of NZS 3604 and offers five key sections (two rigid air barrier options, structural bracing elements, fire rated walls and a range of environmental noise options). For the first time we are able to offer fire rated wing wall and

This test involved a continuous water spray of 24 litres per

parapet options in both 30 min Fire Resistance Rating

minute directed onto a 2.4m tall x 2.4m wide timber frame

(FRR) and 60 min FRR.

wall lined with GIB Weatherline for a period of four hours. ®

During this four hour water spray period the lined wall was also subjected to a 70 Pa (Pascal) positive air pressure. This positive air pressure worked to force water into the lining, through the sheet joints and along the line of any sheet fasteners. This was where the performance of the GIB Weatherline® Flashing Tape came to the fore.

24

This result meant we had passed the test and added to

For buildings requiring specific design we have developed the Specific Design Technical Data Sheet. This document allows a suitably qualified professional to take the product performance data and incorporate it into their design.

For further information call the GIB® Helpline 0800 100 442.

straight up | WINTER 2019

legislative reform

BOINZ Submission on the Building System Legislative Reform MBIE released a consultation package in mid-April that closed 16 June, covering five reform areas: • Building Products • Occupational Regulation • Risk and Liability • Building Levy • Offences, Penalties and Public Rectification In response to the package, MBIE received just under 500 submissions. The preparation of the Building Officials Institutes of New Zealand's (the Institute)submission involved member consultation, sector collaboration and over 200 hours of work.

The Institute chose not to respond using the MBIE issued online format and provided a comprehensive 8-page document instead (visit MyBOINZ/Submissions to view).

The Institute considered the fundamentals of the proposals valid but could only “support in principle” the objectives of many proposals due to lack of detail, and due to a statement from the regulator that “further work needs to be done”. The Institute also believed there were some strategic shortfalls such as voluntary requirements, which the Institute belives should be mandatory, and in the liability settings to effect behavioural changes across industry participants.

In the Building Product area, the Institute supported clarity of definition around “Building Product” and “Building Methods” and suggested the term often used in Determinations “component” would be better served if there was a defined hierarchy of terms, such as materials, products, assemblies, and systems, with “building methods” as the term in how they are incorporated into a building.

Similarly, the Institute supported clarifying responsibilities of manufacturers suppliers, designers and builders for building products and building methods, but believe the role of the BCA in this space should also be clarified.

An important aspect of this product sec-

straight up | WINTER 2019

tion was a focus on the need to enable an appropriate framework for modern methods of construction (MMC) or what has traditionally been known as prefabrication. Disappointingly, more work is needed to be done in this area and BOINZ have asked at what stage we will be able to contribute.

A glaring omission in the requirement for product manufacturers and suppliers to supply information about their building products (with MBIE setting minimum standards) was, there was no recommendation for critical building products to be subject to mandatory independent 3rd party certification, and thereby providing additional confidence such products were “fit for purpose”. This is vital as NZ is exposed due to legislative limitations around imported building product in an increasing global supply market. BOINZ also emphasised that in the critical product area, volume was generally significant, and accordingly, certification costs were proportionately low, and at a level consumers would confidently support.

The Institute also supported strengthening the regulators certification product “CodeMark” for both products and methods but sought greater transparency and confidence in the certification process.

In the Occupational Regulation area, the Institute supported strengthening the LBP scheme, with an emphasis on having one LBP site supervisor per site, limiting the ability for non-LBP supervisors to instruct LBPs, particularly their lack of understanding of the Building Code. Increasing the competence level to become and maintain LBP status is also very important to the Institute, as is the need for a Code of Ethics to be introduced in this area. Changes to the regulation of engineers proposed that MBIE would privide a regulatory level of certification that in many ways duplicated what Engineering New Zealand had developed in its newly formed 'Chartered Member' status. BOINZ did not support this regulatory equivalence. Our approach was that the regulator support the conditions of Charter competency requirements and audit against these.

In the Risk and Liability area, BOINZ supported in principle the requirement for guarantee and insurance products (GIPs) for residential builds and major alterations but asked a number of relevant questions to ascertain more detail from the regulator.

In the absence of proportional liability, the Institute supported BCA liability being capped at 20%, as this would encourage better role responsibility, and significantly influence compliance and quality. We noted that BCAs were the only party with no choice in the building process.

A proposal to reduce the building levy was opposed by the Institute. Firstly, it was felt the existing mandate, for its age, was constraining and had created the large unused amount now accumulated. Secondly, the issues affecting the wider sector were of such significance that investment in well considered programmes would benefit the sector in terms of innovation, capability and productivity. Importantly there was urgent need for education.

Regarding the Offences, Penalties and Public Notification area, the Institute’s submission supported increasing maximum financial penalties proportionate to the size of the job.

Our submission was more comprehensive than this summary and we trust it provided the regulator with sound pragmatic and forward-thinking contributions to benefit the sector. We have requested to be involved in the further development of the topics raised and covered in this consultation, particularly in the product assurance area. We look forward to subsequent proposals as they evolve.

Nick hill BOINZ Chief Executive

25

training academy

BOINZ Launches Online Training Academy and Restricted Access to Residential Pools Course The three A's (accessibility, affordability and applicability) have been the objective of the Institute’s Training Academy for the 2019 year.

The BOINZ Training Academy team have been hard at work in the development of the new Online Training Academy, a platform that will make training courses to BOINZ members and those working in Building Surveying more accessible, affordable and applicable.

With a stable internet connection and basic hardware, BOINZ members will be able to gain access to quality resources and materials to upskill themselves from wherever they see fit.

W E N RSE

LE B COU A IL AVA

Marking the launch of the O_nline Training Academy, BOINZ has developed the most comprehensive and integrated training course for councils, pool owners, inspectors, designers and pool builders.

This course will be released as the first fully-online training course: Restricted Access to Residentials Pools.

The comprehensive programme will cover: • Building Code clause F9, F9/AS1 & F9/AS2 • A building wall forming part of the pool barrier • Small heated pools • 3 yearly inspection • Compliance for existing pools (including special exemptions from s5 FOSPA) Keep an eye on the BOINZ Training Calendar for release dates coming soon.

To express interest, or for more information, email BOINZ Education Advisor Jason Goei at training@boinz.org.nz

Jason Goei BOINZ Education Advisor

Are you advertising for building surveying roles?

It's super easy to upload your recent job vacancy to the most viewed page on the BOINZ website - Our Jobs Board.

With over 1200 building surveying members, it's an effective platform to expose your role. If you would like to hear how we can support your recruitment strategies for 2019, please email recruitment@boinz.org.nz

26

$250+gst 1 month jobs straight board listing up | WINTER 2019

sbco 2019

SBCO Features Jam-Packed Technical Programme for 2019 Kicking off with the Welcome Function on Wednesday 21st August, the 2019 Senior Building Control Offiicers' Forum boasts a very full 2-day technical programme covering the hot topics in the Building Sector this year.

Education and up-skilling is another hot topic this year so we've invited Sam Alavi from Future Skills Academy to talk us through the NZ Diploma of Building Surveying and the NZ Certificate of Building Regulatory Environment. Brendon Mason from TANZ will later take us through the new course in collaboration with the BOINZ Training Academy - Mitigating E3 isssues.

BOINZ are excited to announce that the Minister for Building and Construction, Hon. Jenny Salesa will be officially opening the forum on Thursday 22nd August at Shed 6 on the Wellington waterfront. The Minister will be discussing the proposed changes in the Building Regulatory Sector and other initiatives in the pipeline.

Following the Minister, Mark Pattemore, City Consenting and Compliance Manager at Wellington City Council, will delve into the vision and challenges ahead for Wellington City in the coming years.

All up, Thursday will host 12 sessions including presentations on coastal inundation, building safety, tiny homes and dangerous buildings, finishing off with Dinner back at Shed 6. Huge thankyou to our Thursday sponsors - James Hardie (Lunch) and Heaney & Partners (Dinner).

The Building Systems Legislative Reform is a key topic at the forum and we are honoured to feature representaives from both LGNZ and MBIE to discuss this. Q & A sessions will also feature during these presentations.

BRANZ are back with a showcase on their new mobile app, Artisan, which aims to streamline the residential building inspection process. CEO Chelydra Percy will run us through the concept, how the app works and the development of the app as a result of feedback from Tauranga and Auckland Council who have both been using the app since the end of 2018. Stick around for Friday's programme where Auckland Council will share their experience in using Artisan.

Friday is another big day and takes on a new structure with 5 out of the 16 sessions split across the plenary and breakout rooms.

Topics include the future of LBPs, Building Code performance solutions, pools legislation, Building Act compliance and more.

We also welcome back representatives from MBIE and host Engineering NZ and Housing NZ to share their new strategic directions. View the full Technical Programme on boinz.org.nz.

Make sure to visit the Trade Expo featuring 10 innovative businesses showcasing their newest products and services. The limited exhibition space is about delivering change perspectives which parallels our theme for the year: Getting it right- lead the way.

Registrations will remain open until 14th August and places are strictly limited. Register online at boinz.org.nz or email events@ boinz.org.nz to secure your place to witness this massive line up and the sold out trade expo.

Some of the SBCO 2019 presenters: L-R Hon. Jenny Salesa, Chelydra Percy, Helen Davidonson, Thomas Simonson, Patrick Dougherty, Sam Alavi, Mark Pattemore, Simon Thomas

Sam Bryant BOINZ Marketing and Events Manager

straight up | WINTER 2019

27

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK AND CONTENT

Tell us what you think of the new look Straight Up Send your feedback to marketing@boinz.org.nz