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GLASS & WINDOWS
TECHNICAL
AGWA’S ONGOING WORK ON AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS & NCC 2022 NAYAN DAS Technical Program Engineer, Australian Glass & Window Association
STANDARDS UPDATE The two Australian Glass and Window Association (AGWA) Technical Committees, supported by a number of working groups, sub-committees and State Chapters, actively identify, develop and deliver technical services of significant benefit to members. These include monitoring relevant industry trends and developments that affect our industry to inform members and respond to government, relevant regulatory bodies and building associations as required. One of the key roles the Association plays is to augment the industry’s engagement with Standards Australia in terms of developing new Standards, identifying shortcomings in the current Standards and subsequently, facilitating discussions for revision work of required Australian Standards. To this effect, the Technical Department of AGWA in recent months has contributed significantly to the development of many Australian Standards that are crucial to the glass and fenestration industry. The following section is divided into two parts – ongoing projects and upcoming projects – to provide specific information on the various Standards AGWA is working on behalf of the industry.
ONGOING STANDARDS PROJECTS Some of the milestone Australian Standard (AS) projects that AGWA is currently involved in with Standards Australia are: 1. AS 1288 – Glass in buildings – Selection and installation The lack of guidance in the recent 2006 version of AS 1288, especially for Section 6 (sloped overhead glazing) and Section 7 (balustrades), has created confusion amongst suppliers, builders, and certifiers. In order to facilitate a clear interpretation of the clauses within these sections, the AGWA has worked hard on behalf of members to amend existing Section 6 and Section 7 and develop new provisions in these sections. The AGWA is pleased to inform members that the public comment resolution and balloting stages of the Standard are completed and it is proceeding to the publication phase. Note: The publication of the Standard is subject to approval from ABCB and Standards Australia. AGWA will communicate to members once the final document is released by Standards Australia.
2. AS 4055 – Wind loads for housing When it comes to wind load assessment for buildings, we generally refer to either AS/NZS 1170.2 or AS 4055. AS 4055 is a simplified version of AS/NZS 1170.2 used specifically for determining wind ratings for housing as per specific geometric limitations set out in AS 4055.
BUILTVIEW
ISSUE 08 WINTER 2021
At the beginning of last year, a revised draft of AS/ NZS 1170.2:2020 was released for public comment. Since AS 4055 depends on AS/NZS 1170.2, AGWA worked closely with the Standards Committee to develop content for AS 4055 to align it with AS/NZS 1170.2. The motivation to revise these Standards was to improve the current understanding of severe wind events and the ongoing effects of climate change. As a result of the engagement and collaboration, AGWA is pleased to inform that the public comment stage of AS 4055 is completed and it is proceeding towards the publication phase. Note: The publication of the Standard is subject to approval from ABCB and Standards Australia. AGWA will communicate to members once the final document is released by Standards Australia.
3. AS 3740 – Waterproofing of domestic wet areas This document sets out the minimum requirements for the materials, design and installation of waterproofing for domestic wet areas. The public comment draft of AS 3740 revision was released in December 2020 with the intention to supersede AS 3740:2010. The primary objective of this revision is to bring this document in line with the current waterproofing practices in the building industry. Some of the changes in the revised draft that could impact our industry include: a) Updated figures for water-stops around shower screens. b) Revised definition for shower area – unenclosed and enclosed. c) Added information on risk levels of different areas. d) Additional figures with examples of applications. It is relevant to note that AGWA has worked on the development of this revision and contributed substantially to the drafting of provisions related to shower areas. Currently, the public comment resolution process of the revised draft Standard is completed, and the draft is proceeding to ballot leading to publication. Note: The publication of the Standard is subject to approval from ABCB and Standards Australia. AGWA will communicate to members once the final document is released by Standards Australia.
4. AS 1428.1 – Design for access and mobility – General requirements for access – New building work The purpose of this document is to provide building practitioners with the minimum design requirements for new building work to enable access for people with disabilities. In November 2020, Standards Australia released the draft revision of AS 1428.1 for public comment. The main objective of the revision is to make editorial changes to the document and align the Standard with the NCC drafting protocols. It is important to note that this public consultation period provided us with an opportunity to highlight concerns related to the unclear interpretations of many clauses within the Standard. Some of these ambiguities are associated with the definition
