Newsletters sent out from BQI

Issue 1

Dear Recipient,                      Re: Procedures For Managing Alternative Solutions
        
The Department of Building and Housing have confirmed their participation in an industry led initiative to meet to discuss the topic of forming a committee to establish procedures for managing alternative solutions and product / system approvals.
 
It it proposed that senior representatives of the building industry including yourself, meet on Wednesday the 15th November at the Terrace Room, Waipuna Lodge, in Auckland, commencing 1.00pm to discuss the issues.
 
Attached is an agenda to provide a starting point for the discussions.
 
Could you please RSVP to this e-mail at your earliest convenience.
 
Yours sincerely,

Issue 2

Dear Recipient,                       Re: New Acceptable Solution for Clause H1

BEAL is pleased to update your rcords by providing a free copy of the latest Acceptable Solution from the Department of Building and Housing.

If you have any questions about the new standards please contact the DBH or the undersigned.

Yours sincerely,

Issue 3

Dear Recipient,                       Re: New Life Cycle Cost Service

As you are aware the Government is encouraging businesses to employ more 'sustainable' practices in order to reduce Greenhouse Gas emission.

In response, several organisations are now offering to register those building products that show environmental responsibility, on their web sites.

To assist manufacturers with this, BEAL is now able to provide an essential part of the information required to demonstrate environmental responsibility; a Life Cycle Cost figure.

The Life Cycle Cost is defined the total discounted dollar cost of owning, operating, maintaining, and disposing of a building or a building product / system over a period of time.

BEAL have access a powerful computer modelling programme called OSMEM (Optimum Solution Maintenance Expenditure Model) which enables multi-dimensional analysis of Life Cycle Costs to suit the specific environment that a product is used in.

In order to demonstrate that a product has a BEAL LCC (Life Cycle Cost figure) a special logo has been developed for use by manufacturers. See below.

To calculate a building product's LCC the manufacturer needs to provide BEAL -

a) The material cost (trade supplied price)

b) The installation labour cost for Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. (A cost of labour for one region will enable BEAL to estimate rates in other areas).

c) The frequency - if any - of maintenance, including the estimated costs of material and labour of that maintenance, based on todays rates. (BEAL has data for recoating type maintenance).

d) The expected life of the product, if it is less than 100 years.

From this data BEAL can calculate the Life Cycle Cost taking into account the total discounted costs of owning and maintaining (if needed) the product.

For example the LCC for a polished concrete floor requiring no maintenance over the life of the floor will be different to that of a concrete floor covered in stained timber requiring restaining every x number of years.

For those interested in registering their product on the Greenbuild web site, have a look at www.greenbuild.co.nz then let us know. We will explain what savings we can provide by registering your product through BEAL on this web site.

If you would like to discuss any part this offer please free to call.

Yours sincerely,

Issue 4     

Dear Recipient,                            Re: Article - All About Appraisals

Attached in pdf format is the first in a series of articles on the subject of "all about appraisals". It is clear that the building industry as a whole have little understanding of what an appraisal of a building product is or how one is produced. Building Officers also seem not to understand some essential principles about the appraisal process. This series is intended to be published in various magazines for general inormation and PR for BEAL.
Any comments or suggestions for future articles would be most welcome.

Yours sincerely,

Issue 5

     
Dear Recipient,                          Re: Update - DBH Fact Sheet

Attached in pdf format is a fact sheet about the DBH for your reference.

In case you wish to receive regular updates from the DBH, visit http://www.dbh.govt.nz/Utilities/notifications/Subscribe-notifications.aspx

Issue 6 

Dear Recipient,                         Re: New Test Facility for Compliance with E2

Yesterday we completed a ten month project to design and construct a new testing facility to veriify compliance with clause E2 (External Moisture) of the New Zealand Bulding Code.

A photo of the completed equipment, including a 2m x 1..6m high sample of a polycarbonate cladding system is shown (see attached).

The key feature of this new facility is the ability to not only accurately maintain the wind pressure over the sample, but to control the speed of water being sprayed at the sample.

This feature provides an opportunity to both prove compliance and to research what the maximum conditions that a sample cladding can tolerate. Note that research work is eligible for additional tax relief.

In the near future the facilty will be upgraded to enable the testing of windows and doors to the relevant standard. Again, not only verification of compliance will be possible, but research into the tolerances of the window ( and seals) be able to be undertaken.

Yours sincerely,

Issue 7 

Dear Recipient,                         Re: Proposed Standard for Thermal Insulation of Housing

Public comment:

The attached New Zealand draft Standard, DZ4218 Thermal insulation – Housing and small buildings is now available for you to comment on.

Closing date for comment on this draft Standard is 2 February 2009.

Draft DZ4218 Thermal insulation – Housing and small buildings (Previous title: Energy efficiency – small building envelope)

 
© 2009 BEAL