BRANZ

This morning was the karakia (blessing) of our new Fire Lab. It was a beautiful moment and way to signify the mahi ahead with Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Incorporated (the mandated iwi authority of Ngāti Toa Rangatira) and our collaborators around Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally.   Our new Fire Lab means BRANZ and our collaborators can do more research and testing to help reduce the risk from fire in buildings. With the capability to test larger structures, we can better address the challenges of higher-density construction.   This means deeper insights into how different materials, products, and systems withstand fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide. This mahi is essential to keep New Zealanders safe in their homes, workplaces, schools, and public spaces for generations to come.     Thank you Hohepa Potini for leading our karakia, and to Helmut Modlik and the kaimahi and whānau of Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Ngāti Toa Rangatira, for supporting this milestone. 

This morning, we had the pleasure of hosting Hon. Chris Penk MP, Minister for Building and Construction. We took him on a whistle-stop tour of our research and testing laboratories, which can simulate the impacts of fire, earthquakes, extreme winds and rain on multi-storey buildings. During the visit, we highlighted some exciting new building research and testing that’s underway and demonstrated the real-world application of what we do, and how it is improving the quality, performance and resilience of the building industry and the built environment here in Aotearoa. Our investment in state-of-the-art facilities ensures that we stay at the forefront of research and testing, benefiting not just New Zealand but also the wider global community. In collaboration with Hon. Chris Penk and the broader sector, we're excited to work towards a future filled with affordable, resilient, sustainable and quality buildings. Thank you Hon. Chris Penk, for your engagement and support! #BuildingResearch #HousingAffordability #Construction #Sustainability With Claire Falck

Thank you Simpli Centre of Excellence. It was great to discuss the proposed regulatory changes and the role of regulation in the building industry. We also enjoyed sharing some of our research projects, like streamlining the consenting process and our recent waste initiatives with REBRI. Plus, it was exciting to discuss the developments in remote digital inspections with Artisan.   We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration and driving positive change in the sector together!

Thank you for hosting us HERA. It’s great to see a focus on important research areas like structural fire, hybrid design, and low carbon solutions. #Collaborating in these fields has the potential to make a real impact on the #building and #construction sector in #Aotearoa.

Recent economic forecasts indicate multi-unit dwellings will make up the majority of new #dwellings in Auckland and Wellington for the rest of the decade. When it comes to acoustics, inter-tenancy floors must meet or exceed an Impact Insulation Class (IIC) of 55, as per Building Code clause G6. However, complaints about sound transfer between units are common. To ensure client satisfaction, consider going beyond the minimum requirements. There are floor systems in New Zealand that boast an IIC rating of 60 or higher. Here are some tips: • Avoid placing bathrooms above living areas or bedrooms to reduce noise from above e.g. from dropped items. • Use materials like concrete floors with carpet and thick rubber underlay, or cross-laminated timber (CLT) with a cement screed layer for better sound insulation. • Specify suspended plasterboard ceilings on flexible resilient metal rails with thick acoustic absorbent insulation. • Minimise floor or ceiling penetrations of piped services and recessed downlights to prevent acoustic issues and potential fire risks. Check out our latest Guideline for more information 👇 https://lnkd.in/gh2gqZxD #BuildingStandards #Construction #MultiUnitDwellings #Acoustics #BuildingCode #ClientSatisfaction

Excited to share our collaborative project led by Massey University, with BRANZ as a major partner, focused on quantifying corrosion to enhance Aotearoa's resilience against future volcanic eruptions. Alongside Dr. Carol Stewart and Kelvin Tapuke, we're assessing the impact of corrosive volcanic gas and ash on the durability of buildings and infrastructure. This work will refine volcanic hazard profiles and improve risk models, ultimately guiding investment decisions to better protect our built environment. #VolcanicHazards #InfrastructureResilience #Aotearoa

Plumbing and drainage design | Webinar series 🔧 Stay ahead of the curve with changes to Building Code through our comprehensive three-part webinar series. Register today 👉 https://branz.arlo.co Gain in-depth knowledge on the Code changes (E1, G12, G13 and AS/NZS 3500), foul water fundamentals, and designing safe and sustainable water supply and stormwater systems. Gain the confidence to get your designs right the first time. 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: 28 November, 2 December, and 10 December (12pm-1pm) 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭: $130 for the full series, or $55 per webinar (prices include GST) 👉 https://branz.arlo.co Shay Harrop | Sam Wood | Bruce Klein | Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZ Institute of Architects

Sun, sea spray and geothermal activity are the background to our lives – fun in the present but silently eating away at our buildings over the long term. BRANZ #corrosion maps are invaluable in showing its effects and help understand what materials should be used where. Find out more about Aotearoa New Zealand’s most corrosive environmental aspects, and access the corrosion map in our most recent build magazine 👇 https://ow.ly/ZRgz50Tyrb6

We often get asked about ‘cleared ground level’ (CGL) in NZS 3604:2011. This term is key for building and #construction, appearing in figures related to piles and #foundation walls. Cleared ground level is the ground ready for construction after removing plant material, topsoil and any harmful material, but before foundation excavation. It’s different from ‘good ground,’ which supports a building’s load without settling. CGL helps determine pile heights and depth of footing for the likes of foundation walls. Finished ground level, seen in figures 6.13 and 6.14, is the ground level after backfilling, landscaping and paving which is often higher than CGL. Read our Guideline article here 👉 https://ow.ly/UXXI50Tyr9v For more details, refer to NZS 3604:2011. #BuildingStandards #Construction #NZS3604

BRANZ at Australian Disaster Resilience Conference Catherine Nicholson, Senior Materials Scientist at BRANZ, recently attended the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference in Sydney. As disasters become more frequent and severe, the need for collaboration in disaster management has never been greater. One of Catherine's key takeaways from the conference was the need to include communities as a critical aspect of resilience preparedness and recovery. “The importance of listening to communities and integrating their needs into preparedness and response can’t be overstated,” Catherine said. “This message was shared by presenters who had been personally involved in major flooding and bushfire disasters and echoed by professionals involved in first response and recovery.” This aligns perfectly with what Catherine and her team have heard from their extensive stakeholder engagement in Aotearoa on building back better – that community focus is key. Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience #DisasterManagement #BuildingBackBetter #ARDC2024