AIBS TABS Winter 2016 by arkmedia4217

AUSTRALIAN

www.aibs.com.au

WINTER 2016

COVER STORY

WINDOWS

MEET THE MEMBERS

Sanitary facilities-BCA compliance issues

More than just a hole in the wall...

Stan Spyrou

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF BUILDING SURVEYORS

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CONTENTS

FOREWORDS PRESIDENT’S REPORT

REPORTS AIBS NEWS

FEATURES AND UPDATES TECHNICAL UPDATES

WHY YOU SHOULD STICK TO YOUR CORE BUSINESS

SANITARY FACILITIES - BCA COMPLIANCE ISSUES

GREEN VILLAGE PROVES HIGH VALUE OF LOW CARBON LIVING

HOW BRICK-MAKERS CAN HELP BUTT OUT LITTER

CONCRETE IS NOT PERMANENT: SURFACES REPAIR AND RESTORATION

MORE THAN JUST A HOLE IN THE WALL…

MEET THE MEMBERS

BUDGET 2016: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR AIBS MEMBERS?

CONFERENCE CALENDAR

CHAPTER UPDATES

ON THE BUILDING SITE

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WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

From the AIBS President

JEFFREY BROOKS JEFFREY BROOKS, FAIBS National President & QLD/NT Director

IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHERE AIBS SEEK YOUR SUPPORT THROUGH YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT AND DEVELOP THE PROFESSION OF BUILDING SURVEYING AS THE NATIONAL PEAK BODY. Circumstances over the past two years with emerging issues such as nonconforming products and the fallout from the Lacrosse Apartment fires in Melbourne’s Docklands only reinforces the need for support of members in representing the profession. While the Senate Enquiry into non-conforming product continues, in reviewing the list of submissions to this enquiry I noted that the AIBS was the only Organisation to provide a submission purely representing the interest of building surveyors. Representations such as this are crucial to supporting the profession and you as a professional, but generally this is an aspect often overlooked in the contribution of membership. As you will no doubt be aware, the profession has also received a considerable amount of unwarranted criticism in the public domain and from so called ‘industry experts’ all too keen to lay the blame for everything at the feet of the building surveyor at the end of the building supply chain. There is a considerable amount of work being undertaken in this area, most of which is behind the scenes, but I can assure you there are a number of initiatives being pursued and we will report any development as we progress. In this respect, one initiative AIBS is actively pursuing is the requirement for the registration and greater accountability by all professionals and practitioners in the building supply chain. As I mentioned previously, it is the building surveyor that tends to end up with much of the blame when things go wrong and

it is far too easy for other practitioners and professionals to leave the building surveyor standing alone, especially when they are generally the only ones holding insurance and therefore become a ‘target’ for disgruntled consumers. As AIBS is the only organisation actively out in the public and industry representing the interests of building surveyors, your continued support is vital, not only in representing the interests of building surveyors, but also in developing the future of the profession. A key focus over the coming year will be the development of a Professional Standards Scheme for Building Surveyors. There are a number of reasons here as to why the development of such a scheme will be vital to the future of the profession. Firstly, in introducing a Professional Standards Scheme, the profession is then legislated as a profession. One advantage here is that we can then market the profession nationally and consistently to those seeking a genuine professional career, and attracting a new younger generation into the profession. Secondly, it will raise the level of professional standards and provide greater confidence (and exposure) to the public that building surveyors are there to protect them and the quality of the built environment. Finally, in another area that AIBS has been representing the profession, the introduction of Professional Standards Scheme will go some way to limiting to the concerning trend of increasing Professional Indemnity Insurance. One benefit that the members of the Professional Standards Scheme will have is the capping of their public liability, but in doing so, will also require members to adhere to higher standards

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

of professionalism, but in doing this it is really a win-win situation for the members, profession and the public. On a final note, your contribution is not just about you supporting AIBS, but it is also about AIBS rewarding you for your loyalty and support. This year, our very professional Member Services Team in the AIBS office led by Karyn McGrigor, has developed a new member benefit package that we hope will provide you with a range of benefits and discounts as part of your membership. The details of the member benefits are covered elsewhere in the magazine so I won’t go into detail, but I hope you find these of benefit and a small token of appreciation for your support. I also look forward to your continued support at our conferences and training sessions, all of which provide member benefits and discounts and thank you once again for your ongoing support.

JEFFREY BROOKS, FAIBS AIBS National President

NEWS

MEMBERSHIP: RENEWALS AND BENEFITS AS WE MOVE INTO THE LATTER HALF OF THE YEAR YOUR AIBS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL IS NOW DUE. AIBS THANKS ALL OUR MEMBERS FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT OF BOTH THE INSTITUTE AND THE PROFESSION OF BUILDING SURVEYING. You will have noticed that you now have the option to pay your renewals online through our new member management system, which the AIBS staff have been working on behind the scenes to provide a smoother, easier and more modern user experience for all our members. The membership team have also developed a new member benefit package that will provide a wide range of discounts through your membership of AIBS to hundreds of stores and services. Benefits include 5% discounts on Coles and Woolworths gift cards for your daily needs including petrol and groceries, as well as Flight Centre, Qantas Club and car hire for when you deserve to take a well-earned holiday and much more. Our new member benefits package will take the form of a digital card, which you can access on your phone, tablet or PC. This card links to the benefits app, which includes a GPS map so you can search for offers near you, an iSave feature where you can keep track of what you’ve saved, and more. The range of benefits available is huge, and even extends to entertainment with discounted

movie, sports, and concert tickets. With everything kept in the app and online you can access your benefits from your phone at any time, and there’s no need to worry about having to carry a card around. In addition to the member benefits package, another exciting edition this year to AIBS membership is the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) Forecasts. ACIF Forecasts are the industry’s own forecasts for the whole building and construction industry, for the next ten years. If you were to subscribe to this package separately, it would cost $410 per year, but this is now included as part of your AIBS membership. Of course, as a member you will still continue to receive discounts at AIBS events and on AIBS accreditation annual fees, each new edition of Australian Building Surveyor delivered to your door, and all the latest news and updates internationally, nationally and state-wide by email or on our website.

OUR NEW MEMBER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Our Members will have already noticed this; our all-new website and membership system. It is now a self-service system where anyone can easily create or log in to their account, keep their personal details up to date, register for events, apply for and renew membership and manage CPD. Of course, the AIBS staff will still be available to assist in any way necessary but this new system allows for ease of use whether you’re at the office, at home or away from it all. We are progressively rolling out features and refinements of this system, so the features discussed here and those you see when going onto our website today may be different, but the AIBS staff are continuously working to make this new system the best it can be for all users.

AIBS FUTURES AND INNOVATION TEAM The Futures and Innovation Team has commenced working on a number of different objectives and projects, some of which will be short-term and others that will be continuing for some time. The broad objectives the Team is undertaking are as follows: • Technology survey of members • Review emerging technology for adaption to

support the role of the Building Surveyor • Product reviews • Forge alliances with like-minded organisations of young building professionals • Develop communications strategy targeting younger professionals and promoting the profession to younger people • Building Surveying Towards 2050 Project • Develop Programs for Young Building Surveyors

The members of the Team are working in pairs and small groups towards each objective, coming together at regular teleconference meetings to share progress, gather ideas for future development, and decide on further courses of action. AIBS Members will soon start to observe the impact of the Futures and Innovation Team as these projects are further developed.

WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

TECHNICAL

NATIONAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WINTER UPDATE IN THE AUTUMN 2016 EDITION OF THIS MAGAZINE, I COMMENTED THAT THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE IS ALL ABOUT CHANGE; I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT THEME. Since writing that article there has been, to some degree, a common theme relating to fire and how we protect our built form and the occupants of those buildings from the effects of fire. While the issue of non-conforming building products (NCP) has been of concern for many years the Lacrosse Apartment fire in Melbourne thrust the consequences of this problem into the public and political arena. And as you will have read, the AIBS has contributed to providing feedback and responses to our various State regulators and the Senior Officers Group on non-conforming building products established by the Building Minister’s Forum. The AIBS is currently developing a report on cladding systems in response to speculation and uncertainty around the use of non-conforming cladding. The report has been written in such a way that the issues, conclusions and recommendations are presented so that AIBS can actively engage with the ABCB, regulators, and other stakeholders to influence, review and reform in this area. The report takes a diplomatic approach rather than point the finger and lay blame for what has happened in defense of the profession; it has attempted to demonstrate the complexity and difficulty in interpretation of the BCA in this area as well as identify possible resolutions that will go some way to trying to resolve the issue. Darryl O’Brien, who has been representing AIBS on the issue of NCP with the Construction Product Alliance and is the Head of Program for Built Environment courses at CQUniversity, has been undertaking research on NCP, third party certification and product attributes more generally.

Darryl recently stated that: “at a university research level we are looking at developing a three stage approach to developing an effective product compliance regime. Firstly, we are looking at developing a cause network approach to make it possible to isolate specif ic parties or underlying market factors adding to NCBP availability and use. A cause network approach is a model used to manage complex large scale projects that are characterised by multiple interdependent components, multiple feedback systems, nonlinear relationships and a range of data types. The similarity of this environment to the characteristics of NCBPs suggests that this may be a useful framework to adapt to the management of this problem. Related to this is an effective risk management process. We are proposing the introduction of a Risk Evaluation for Non-Conforming Building Products system (RE-NCBP). Specifically, the RE-NCBP framework governs all main risks of different NCBPs including their potential impacts with respect to various project characteristics (e.g. material delivery method, construction technology, etc.). Furthermore, the RE-NCBP framework also includes assessment of strategies to mitigate the risks based on different project characteristics. With this in mind, each construction product should be equipped with its specific Product Vulnerability Index (PVI). Ideally, by aggregating the PVIs associated with each construction product used in a project, an overall PVI of any given construction project can be determined and this potentially used as part of building approval process. It is early days for these systems, but we have lodged a submission to the SOG along these lines, so we will see what the response is.”

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

Recently in WA it was reported that 935 fire door frames will have to be replaced and nearly 500m of stainless steel water pipe was replaced during the construction of the Perth Children’s Hospital. While the reports only stated that these were “manufacturing defects”, it begs the question as to the origin of these products and whether they complied with the applicable building standards. The builder in this case identified the problems and replaced these components without further cost to the client. On 7 December 2015, Western Australia joined the rest of Australia in legislating for Bushfire Prone Areas, the catalyst being the 2011 Perth Hills fires in the City of

Armadale and the subsequent Keelty Report. Consequently, a suite of new legislation was gazetted or released that included: • Fire and Emergency Services (Bush Fire Prone Areas) Order 2015; • Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas; • State Planning policy 3.7 – Planning in Bushfire-Prone-Areas (WAPC 2015) and the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Amendment Regulations 2015; • Guidelines for Planning in BushfireProne-Areas (WAPC 2015); and • Building Amendment Regulations (No 3) 2015. • This package of documents heralded a four month transitional period which

ended with the Gazettal of Building Amendment Regulations 2016 (bushfire) on 5 April 2016, and became operational three days later thus ending the four month transitional period. As part of the process of the State government declaring parts of the State bushfire prone, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services produced the Bushfire Mapping for WA which identifies those areas of the State that are within a declared Bushfire Prone Area (BPA).The consequence of being in a BPA is that all new Class 1, 2, 3, 10a buildings or associated deck located less than 6m from the Class 1, 2, or 3 building must be constructed in accordance with the Performance

Requirements of the BCA, and AS3959-2009 or NASH Bushfire Standard 2014. Bushfire Reform and the consequences of non-conforming building products will continue to be issues that we as building surveyors will need to tackle. The Technical Committees of each of our Chapters will continue to provide state and national support and representation to our members and our legislators. DUNCAN WILSON FAIBS

Duncan Wilson is the Principal Building Surveyor at the Shire of Kalamunda in WA and a Director on the National Board. Duncan currently chairs the National Technical Committee .

WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

BUSINESS

WHY YOU SHOULD STICK TO YOUR CORE BUSINESS “YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TRYING TO SAVE A BIT OF TIME OR MONEY, TRYING TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON YOUR BOSS, OR PUTTING YOURSELF AT RISK TO ASSIST A CO-WORKER.” After several incidents involving workers who were injured after doing tasks outside their scope of work, SafeWork NSW Director, Regional and Response Operations, Tony Williams, urged workers to think twice before attempting work they are not trained to do. One of these incidents involved a warehousing company that recently attempted to install their own pallet racking during a move to another location. They had seen it done before and thought they could do it themselves instead of hiring a professional. This resulted in one staff member, hoisted up by a forklift, standing on a second level beam of the racking in order to assemble additional racking components. The 25-year-old male worker fell around 3.5 metres, hit his head on the concrete floor and sustained serious brain injuries. In another example, a 49 year old fumigator died after he attempted to remove the wheel assemblies on a tyre containing compressed air. He was assisting a tyre fitter who was having difficulty removing the wheel assembly when the fumigator offered to help. The wheel parts exploded with such force that he was propelled 10-15 metres away and pronounced dead on site. Attending inspector Brett Martin said the area had already been quarantined by SafeWork NSW and the police when he arrived on the scene.

“I’ve investigated a lot of incidents in my 30 years on the job, but this was truly a bad day for everyone involved,” Brett said. “And like many workplace incidents, this tragedy was avoidable – all the manuals say to deflate the tyres first and he would have known that if he was a tyre fitter. It’s very sobering to think that worker might have been alive today if he was using the right equipment, and following the operation and maintenance manual. It just wasn’t his job to do. I would advise anyone thinking of giving another worker a hand to think twice if they are not trained." SafeWork NSW Director, Regional and Response Operations, Tony Williams said workers should stick to what they are trained to do. “Going outside your core business activities can place yourself and staff at increased risk.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

Not having the experience required means you may not identify potential risks or consequences. You therefore have a higher chance of getting hurt,” Tony said. “Do what you know and don’t be tempted to have a go.” Whatever industry you work in, if you are unsure of how to do something or you have not had the proper training, talk to your supervisor about your reservations. If you are asked to do something you are uncomfortable doing because you are not qualified or don’t have the proper training, remember: you have a right to say no to unsafe work. Speak to your supervisor or health and safety representative if you have concerns about doing work outside of your expertise or training, or call us on 13 10 50.

SAFE WORK NSW

COVER STORY

SANITARY FACILITIES BCA COMPLIANCE ISSUES

ADEQUATE AND APPROPRIATELY DESIGNED SANITARY FACILITIES ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF BUILDINGS TO ENSURE A SATISFACTORY LEVEL OF AMENITY IS PROVIDED FOR OCCUPANTS. This is particularly important for public-type buildings such as restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs in which drinks, including alcoholic beverages, are consumed. There is evidence that some deemed-to-satisfy (DTS) provisions in Part F2 of Volume One of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) are not being applied correctly in relation to the design of sanitary facilities. This may be a result of a number of reasons including a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the relevant provisions. This article therefore highlights several of these commonly encountered issues, and aims to clarify a number of aspects of the Code. Amendments introduced in NCC 2016 are also discussed. There is evidence that F2.3 and F2.4 are being misapplied when designing and approving sanitary facilities using the DTS pathway. Some examples are: • sanitary facilities (pans, urinals and washbasins) for able-bodied male and female patrons are being provided within common shared (unisex) sanitary enclosures in breach of F2.3(a); • the application of the ‘Notes’ in Table F2.3 for determining when facilities for patrons are not required is being applied incorrectly; and • facilities for persons with ambulant disability (F2.4(c)) are being proposed to allow unisex usage contrary to the requirements for separate male and female compartments (F2.3(a)).

WHAT DOES PART F2 OF THE BCA REQUIRE? The Code sets minimum acceptable standards for the design and use of sanitary facilities including requirements for determining the type and number of facilities for various classes of buildings based on the number of occupants accommodated i.e. the total number of persons occupying or using a building. The Code also requires separate male and female facilities except where specific exemptions apply. In relation to the issues identified, the DTS provisions require: • physically separated sanitary facilities for males and females in all classes of buildings (F2.3(a)) except where otherwise specifically permitted by F2.3 (see Figure 1); • when determining whether facilities for patrons are not required as specified in the ‘notes’ of Table F2.3 (Class 6 and 9b buildings), the total (combined) number of persons (employees and patrons) accommodated must be counted; • when calculating the number of required sanitary facilities where there are employees and patrons (Class 6 and 9b buildings), the number must be calculated separately (F2.3(d)) for each group however all facilities can be made available for use by both employees and patrons; and • where standalone ambulant sanitary compartments (pan and washbasin) are provided separately to the main facilities they cannot be designated for unisex usage.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

It is worthy of noting however that where additional facilities are provided beyond the minimum requirements of Table F2.3, there are no restrictions in the Code in relation to shared or combined usage, but such facilities must be located separately to the primary facilities. USE OF SHARED MALE AND FEMALE SANITARY FACILITIES The use of shared (unisex) male and female facilities for able-bodied patrons is predominately associated with bars and nightclubs where the use of shared facilities appears to be a preference of proprietors or designers. This is evident in the Sydney region however there may be similar usage occurring in other cities and major regional centres. The provision of unisex facilities may be acceptable and approvable through an alternative solution pathway however such facilities and usage are not permitted through a DTS design. Some examples of the various designs and configurations for common or shared male/ female able-bodied sanitary facilities that have been permitted (approved) as “DTS compliant” are: • full unisex closet pans and common washbasins provided within a single common sanitary space with urinal stalls/ troughs located in a fully enclosed room but accessible from the common unisex sanitary space; • male and female closet pan compartments all designated for unisex use and located within a common area with urinal troughs located in semi-screened area adjoining a common unisex sanitary area;

• fully enclosed closet pan compartments each fitted with wash basins specifically designated for male or female use (and appropriately sign-posted) located within a common sanitary enclosure with urinal troughs located in a screened area adjoining a common space; and • shared washbasins or wash-troughs provided in a common space adjoining separated male and female sanitary enclosures. None of the above sanitary configurations are permitted through the DTS provisions. Figure 2 shows some examples of sanitary facility designs that are non-compliant with the DTS provisions and which would therefore require approval through the development and approval of an alternative solution. CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED FACILITIES A further area of apparent misinterpretation or misunderstanding is the method used for determining when facilities for patrons and customers are not required in Class 6 and Class 9b buildings (‘Notes’ in Table F2.3). In determining whether facilities are not required (or are required if the occupant capacity threshold is exceeded), both employees and patrons in a building must be counted. In establishing the number of persons accommodated in a building to determine whether facilities for patrons are required and/or the number of facilities required to be provided, F2.2 must be used. The following examples for Class 6 buildings explain the requirements.

Example 1: A proposed café has a dining area of 18 square metres and the business will employ 3 staff, as nominated by the applicant/ proprietor. The drawings do not show a table and seating layout and the application seeking a building permit does not specify an occupant capacity. Using F2.2 (and Table D1.13) the floor area of the dining space can be expected to accommodate 18 patrons (one person for each 1 square metre of dining space). A total of 21 persons (18+3) will therefore be accommodated in the building. Facilities for patrons must therefore be provided in addition to the facilities required for employees as the occupant capacity exceeds 20 persons. Employees and patrons however are permitted to share facilities (F2.3(d)). Example 2: A proposed single storey Class 6 department store (shop) has a total floor area of 2,000 square metres. From information provided with the application for a building permit, 35 staff will be employed. The sales floor has an area of 1,700 square metres. Applying F2.2(a) and Table D1.13, the number of shoppers expected to be accommodated is 567 persons (one shopper for each 3 square metres of sales floor area). The total number of persons to be accommodated is 602 (567+35) therefore facilities for shoppers must be provided (the building occupant capacity exceeds 600 persons) in accordance with Table F2.3, in addition to the minimum required facilities for staff.

FACILITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AMBULANT DISABILITY Additional to the requirements for accessible unisex sanitary compartments (F2.4(a)), male and female closet pans for persons with ambulant disability must be provided in accordance with F2.4(c). It is typical practice to provide ambulant closet pans within separated able-bodied male and female sanitary facility enclosures however singular standalone ambulant closet pan compartments accessible from a common area may be provided. Standalone ambulant compartments however cannot be designated or used as unisex facilities through a DTS design. ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION DESIGN Where a proposed design for facilities does not meet the DTS criteria an alternative solution design must be developed applying performance provision FP2.1. FP2.1 Suitable sanitary facilities for personal hygiene must be provided in a convenient location within or associated with a building, to the degree necessary, appropriate to: a. the function or use of the building; and b. the number and gender of the occupants; and c. the disability or other particular needs of the occupants.

WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

COVER STORY

ACCESSIBLE UNISEX FACILITY

URINAL STALLS UNISEX CUBICLES

SHARED BASINS

URINAL STALLS

SHARED BASINS FEMALE

URINAL STALLS MALE

ACCESSIBLE UNISEX FACILITY

Performance criteria (a) identifies that in considering an alternative solution design the “function and use of the building” must be considered. For some building uses such as bars and nightclubs in which alcohol is served, special consideration may need to be given in relation to the amenity and safety of patrons, particularly female patrons. There may also be state and territory legislation such as liquor licensing and work health and safety laws that govern the design of sanitary facilities that may need to be considered. WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO CLARIFY THE DTS PROVISIONS? In relation to facilities for able-bodied males and females, the BCA has always required the separation of facilities. However, to clarify this requirement recent changes (NCC 2016) have been made to more clearly state this. Changes have also been made to several ‘Notes’ in Table F2.3 to also more clearly prescribe when facilities for patrons are not required (or required if the occupant thresholds are exceeded). The following changes (additions in green text and deletions struck-through in red text) indicate the changes made for inclusion in Volume One of BCA 2016.

Examples of shared (unisex) able-bodied male and female sanitary facilities showing various configurations that are non-compliant with the deemed-to-satisfy provisions in Part F2 of the BCA.

F2.3 Facilities in Class 3 to 9 buildings a. Except where permitted by (b), (c), (f ), F2.4(a) and F2.4(b), separate sanitary facilities for males and females must be provided for Class 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 buildings in accordance with Table F2.3. TABLE F2.3 ‘NOTES’ Class 6 – department stores, shopping centres Note: Sanitary facilities need not be provided for patrons if the total number of persons accommodated in the building is not more than 600.

HAND WASHING TROUGH

FEMALE

SHARED

MALE

An example of conventional sanitary facilities showing separate male and female sanitary spaces that meet the deemed-to-satisfy provisions of the BCA.

URINAL TROUGHS

UNISEX CUBICLES

WHERE TO FROM HERE? Although The Guide to the BCA provides a detailed explanation of the various provisions there may be value in expanding the guidance material to provide further information and clarity for a number of provisions. This could include the use of diagrams and worked examples to provide greater assistance to readers. This matter will be pursued with the Australian Building Codes Board. The Guide to the BCA has also been amended to further clarify these requirements.

Class 6 – restaurants, cafes bars Note: Sanitary facilities need not be provided for patrons if the total number of persons accommodated in the building is not more than 20. Class 9b – public halls, function rooms or the like Note: Sanitary facilities need not be provided for patrons if the total number of persons accommodated in the building is not more than 20.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

PETER CONROY, MAIBS

Peter Conroy is an accredited local government building certifier and is a member of the NSW State Government’s Building Regulations Advisory Council.

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GREEN LIVING

GREEN VILLAGE PROVES HIGH VALUE OF LOW CARBON LIVING THE LOCHIEL PARK GREEN VILLAGE IS PROVING THAT NEAR ZERO CARBON COMMUNITIES, ARE NOT ONLY ACHIEVABLE, BUT CAN ALSO SAVE RESIDENTS' MONEY. The Lochiel Park Green Village in South Australia’s capital Adelaide, consists of about 100 suburban homes powered by rooftop solar. Water efficiency measures include rainwater for re-use as hot water and recycled stormwater for toilets, washing machines and irrigation. The homes use less than one-third of the energy usually needed to maintain thermal comfort and include features typical of low carbon dwellings such as energy efficient lighting, solar hot water and appliances. South Australia’s first zero carbon home was completed at Lochiel Park, a Renewal SA project, in 2013. The carbon dioxide produced by the home over its 50-year life will be offset within 32 years through cutting-edge sustainability systems. Researchers at the University of South Australia studied the energy consumption and generation of Lochiel Park Green Village. The investigation looked at the value propositions of the zero carbon housing policy and found that homes generated more energy than they consumed. Lead researcher Stephen Berry said the financial benefits could also be applied to the broader population. “We looked at the value proposition from two perspectives. One from the perspective of the homeowner, where we found that the net benefits from having a zero carbon home could be around $25,000 across the life of their home,” he said. “Second, was the benefit to the wider community. For every dollar invested, the community would receive almost $2.50 in

economic gain. By having super efficient homes, that can cope with heat waves and stress conditions you will end up lowering the cost for everyone in the community as well. If we were to move towards this kind of building standard, we could see around $1.3bn across the state. Even though we collected our data from Adelaide, the concept is equally valid in other climates. In fact, the more extreme the climate, the greater the benefits become.” Lochiel Park homeowner Willie Smyth said his home allowed his family to feel comfortable throughout the year and eliminated almost all energy costs. “We hardly use any heating in the winter. Even in the summer, the only time we have to use some air conditioning is when it is very hot, and once the house reaches a good temperature it can stay that way for some time,” he said. “We ended up with no electricity bills. The only energy bill we have is our gas bill. That’s a relatively small amount in itself.” Dr Berry said having carbon neutral homes also helped improve the mental health of homeowners.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

“The people living in Lochiel Park have no fear of the cost of energy because they actually generate as much energy as they use. The fact that none of them have an electricity bill helps to reduce the stress of owning a house,” Dr Berry said. “Most of the residents were also of one mind in thinking that they were helping with the environment, which helped with their mental wellbeing.” The research was funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL), which is pushing for a national zero carbon housing standard. CRCLCL Chief Executive Deo Prasad said Lochiel Park was proof that whole communities could be developed to become close to carbon neutral. “It has been possible for people to build individual homes that are zero carbon, or near zero carbon homes. But this project shows that it can be expanded on a bigger scale,” he said. “There are multiple co-benefits of living in one of these homes. The cost benefits, environmental benefits and the health benefits all point to the fact that there will one day be a carbon neutral city.” CALEB RADFORD

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VICTORY IS TRAINING IN STATE-OF-THE-ART RESEARCH FACILITIES

Victoria University is one of only three educational institutions in Australia to offer postgraduate studies in performance-based building and fire codes, and building fire safety and risk engineering. Students gain practical skills in state-of-the-art facilities including two fire research furnaces and an experimental building-fire facility, where experiments are conducted in realistic prototype buildings. The Graduate Certificate in Performance-Based Building and Fire Codes is specifically designed for building surveyors and other regulators, and provides a stepping stone for further education in fire safety and risk engineering.The Graduate Certificate also serves as the first year of the Graduate Diploma in Building Fire Safety and Risk Engineering, which leads to the Masters degree.

COURSE DATES FOR 2017 ARE: 6-10 February 10-14 July

24-28 April (ANZAC Day holiday inclusive) 2-6 October

Applications close 16 December 2016

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

cesare@vu.edu.au or phone 03 9919 8035

vu.edu.au/cesare Victoria University, CRICOS Provider No. 00124K (Melbourne) 02475D (Sydney), RTO Code: 3113

INNOVATION

HOW BRICK-MAKERS CAN HELP BUTT OUT LITTER RMIT RESEARCHERS HAVE SHOWN HOW FIRED-CLAY BRICKS MADE WITH CIGARETTE BUTTS CAN SAVE ENERGY AND HELP SOLVE A GLOBAL LITTERING PROBLEM. Trillions of cigarettes are produced every year worldwide, resulting in millions of tonnes of toxic waste being dumped into the environment in the form of cigarette butts. As butts have poor biodegradability, it can take many years for them to break down, while heavy metals such as arsenic, chromium, nickel and cadmium trapped in the filters leach into soil and waterways. Now a team at RMIT University led by Dr Abbas Mohajerani has demonstrated that bricks with as little as 1 per cent cigarette butt content can cut brick production costs and save the environment. Mohajerani, a senior lecturer in RMIT’s School of Engineering, said: “I have been dreaming for many years about finding sustainable and practical methods for solving the problem of cigarette butt pollution.” About 6 trillion cigarettes are produced every year, leading to 1.2 million tonnes of cigarette butt waste. These figures are expected to increase by more than 50 per cent by 2025, mainly due to an increase in world population. “In Australia alone, people smoke about 25 to 30 billion filtered cigarettes a year and, of these, about 7 billion are littered. This research shows that if just 2.5 per cent of the world’s annual brick production incorporated 1 per cent cigarette butts, we could completely offset annual worldwide cigarette production.” Mohajerani’s team discovered that adding butts can cut the energy needed to fire bricks by up to 58 per cent. Fired-clay bricks incorporated with cigarette butts were also lighter with better insulation properties – meaning reduced household heating and cooling costs.

Dr Abbas Mohajerani has shown that bricks with 1 per cent cigarette butt content like these pictured can help the environment.

Importantly, bricks incorporated with 1 per cent cigarette butts maintained properties very similar to those of normal bricks. During firing, heavy metals and other pollutants in cigarette butts are trapped and immobilised in the bricks, reducing problems caused by leaching. Mohajerani said: “Incorporating butts into bricks can effectively solve a global litter problem as recycled cigarette butts can be placed in bricks without any fear of leaching or contamination."

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

“They are also cheaper to produce in terms of energy requirements, and as more butts are incorporated, the energy cost decreases further.” ABBAS MOHAJERANI

School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.

C O M P L I A N C E

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CONCRETE

CONCRETE IS NOT PERMANENT: SURFACE REPAIR AND RESTORATION DESPITE ITS LONG HISTORY, CONCRETE DOES NOT LAST FOREVER. IT DETERIORATES DUE TO PROCESSES THAT CAN BE SEPARATED INTO CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CATEGORIES. Chemical changes may occur through natural interaction with the environment, or through contact with damaging chemicals in service or through accidental events such as spills or fires. Concrete has very high compressive strength compared to its tensile strength, along with low ductility at the time it cracks. Hence the use of ductile reinforcing in the form of steel bars (principally) couples the advantageous concrete compressive strength with the reinforcement tensile strength and ductility. Steel left out in the atmosphere will rust due to the availability of oxygen and moisture. Concrete provides a protective environment by encapsulating the reinforcement in a highly alkaline material, which creates passive conditions due to the high pH. This is the second main benefit of concrete: the passive environment it provides to the embedded reinforcement. Most modern structures, whether in the built environment or civil infrastructure, use reinforcement in concrete to great advantage. The expected service lives depend on the asset but typically range from around 25 years for mining infrastructure to 50 years for residential and industrial buildings (depending on industry), to 100 to 300 years for primary elements of major assets like bridges and ports. The rate of deterioration depends on the service environment, quality of the original construction, design details and maintenance carried out over time. Corrosion processes can initiate during service life.

Carbonation is a deterioration process which occurs when carbon dioxide diffuses into the concrete and reduces the alkalinity (pH) of the concrete. Once the pH gets below a level at which the passive layer becomes unstable and non-protective, corrosion of reinforcement occurs often accompanied by expansive rust products. These rust products then cause cracking, delamination and spalling of the concrete surface which accelerates the rate of decay. Loss of structural adequacy is usually due to a combination of loss of cross section in both the reinforcement and concrete.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

Chloride attack is a corrosion process which occurs when chlorides diffuse into the concrete and attacks the passive layer, leading to localised corrosion of reinforcement and loss of structural adequacy occasionally without obvious evidence at the surface. Both processes often work together especially in structures that are in coastal or near-coastal locations, or any that have sources of chlorides against the surface. When they work together the rate of deterioration is accelerated.

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CONCRETE

HOW DOES QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION HAVE AN IMPACT? Concrete quality is a function of compaction, curing, water to cement ratio, cement content and cover. In terms of durability, the first three contribute to the penetrability of the concrete, which affects the rate of deterioration and consequently the time to first damage in the form of rusting reinforcement. Cement content contributes to the alkalinity and therefore the passive (protected) state of embedded reinforcement, while the cover provides a protective zone through which contaminants must travel before attacking the passive layer. All else being equal, a higher cover of quality concrete is analogous to a greater time to first damage. Surface defects can be indicative of poor construction practices and need to be assessed carefully rather than assuming they can be remediated with a simple topical application of a particular product.

WHY IS QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION IMPORTANT? The answer lies in the cost of repairing damage sustained by reinforced concrete structures, which increases significantly over time if left untended. De Sitter’s Law of Fives has often been cited. In terms of construction work, control of quality in Phase A is important to avoid premature damage and repairs in subsequent phases. The same applies to any remedial works carried out. WHAT CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS IMPACT ON THE SURFACE QUALITY? The construction team has the greatest influence over concrete quality during handling, placement, compaction, curing and finishing. Deficiencies in these can respectively result in penetrable concrete, variable cover, boney concrete, excessive cracking and friable weak surfaces. As introduced above, the main damaging processes are penetrationrelated, but where construction defects occur they effectively reduce the

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

effective cover and so lead to premature initiation of corrosion. Some of the above defects can be effectively remediated during construction, however some are an inherent part of the concrete and cannot be ‘fixed’, rather, they require alternative remedial measures to bring the concrete up to the specified standard. WHAT REMEDIAL METHODS ARE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS SURFACE DEFECTS? The remedial method selected will depend on the issue being dealt with. For example, if the defect is only due to insufficient compaction or segregation in one part of the structure, then the repair might be limited to breakout of the low quality material and restoring the surface with a proprietary cementitious repair mortar. Where the surface shows a network of cracking, the remedies are not as easy to set out: it will depend largely on the size, frequency and orientation of cracks combined with the intended service life of the structure.

CONCRETE Below is a tabulation of deficiencies that may be experienced at the time of construction, being at the end of Phase A of the assetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deterioration path discussed earlier. Included are likely surface repair options that may be considered.

DEFICIENCY

Naturally, each case may have its own peculiar circumstances and should be assessed by a suitably experienced consulting engineer. Therefore, whilst the table below is provided for initial guidance, it should not be construed as being advice that relates to your particular circumstances.

LIKELY CAUSE AND ISSUE

More information can be obtained on avoiding concrete construction errors from sources such as the Concrete Institute of Australia. When defects are discovered, consult an appropriately experienced remedial engineer for an independent diagnosis, and refer also to Standards Australia HB84 Guide to Concrete Repair and Protection.

REMEDIAL METHOD

Movement of reinforcement or forms during pour; poor adjustment and support of reinforcement prior to pour. Shortened service life through reduced durability.

Surface penetrating sealant; surface coatings; cementitious overlays; electrochemical systems

Congested reinforcement; insufficient compaction; delayed pours; hot weather. Low cover in areas of boney material, reduced strength.

Restore surface profile using cementitious repair materials.

Hairline cracks throughout surface

Rapid drying and incomplete curing at time of finishing. Subject to maximum crack width, may have reduced durability where cracks cannot self-heal and reduce effective cover

Surface penetrating sealants; crystalline growth products; surface coatings.

Dusting of surface

Excess bleed water and poor finishing techniques at the time of construction. Low mechanical strength of surface likely to lead to high rates of abrasion, dusting may indicate permeable cover concrete.

Scabble/scarify the surface, high pressure or hydrodemolition to remove weak material then restore profile using cementitious repair materials.

Full thickness cracks aligned with reinforcement

Inadequate secondary reinforcement. Expose large sections of reinforcement to premature corrosion, leading to early loss of section and reduced strength.

If cracks subject to live loads, consider secondary reinforcement and flexible crack injection; electrochemical protection. If cracks are dormant, epoxy or polyurethane crack injection or microcements or repair or crystalline growth system.

Full thickness cracks perpendicular to reinforcement

Inadequate shrinkage control reinforcement; premature stripping of forms; ineffective control joints. Exposes localised sections of reinforcement to premature corrosion, leading to early loss of section and reduced strength.

If cracks subject to live loads, consider secondary reinforcement and flexible crack injection; localised electrochemical protection. If cracks are dormant, epoxy or polyurethane crack injection or micro-cements or repair or crystalline growth system.

Transverse cracks and cracks radiating from internal corners (conventionally reinforced slabs and walls)

Poor control joint detailing; incomplete or poorly installed shrinkage control reinforcement. Exposes localised sections of reinforcement to premature corrosion, leading to early loss of section and reduced strength.

Inclined cracks through beam webs and corbels

Insufficient shear reinforcement, premature stripping of forms; inadequate control joints. Exposes primary and secondary reinforcement to premature corrosion, leading to early loss of section and reduced strength.

Low cover to reinforcement

Boney or honeycombed concrete

CONCRETE INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA

WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

WINDOWS

MORE THAN JUST A HOLE IN THE WALL… A WINDOW (OR DOOR) IS BY DEFINITION A HOLE IN A WALL. IT MAKES SENSE THEN THAT WINDOWS AND DOORS MUST BE ADEQUATELY WEATHERPROOF SO THEY DO NOT BECOME A WEAK POINT IN THE BUILDINGS WEATHER TIGHTNESS AND SEAL. Windows supplied in Australia are regulated by Australian Standard AS 2047, which sets out minimum performance requirements and requires them to be subjected to rigorous testing covering all areas of performance; structural integrity, operating force, water penetration resistance, air infiltration and ultimate strength. Equally important to the performance of the window is its proper installation. Poor weatherproofing and flashing of the interface between the window and wall systems will compromise the overall performance of the building envelope. The National Construction Code states that: “A roof and external wall (including openings around windows and doors) must prevent the penetration of water that could cause— a. unhealthy or dangerous conditions, or loss of amenity for occupants; and b. undue dampness or deterioration of building elements.” Window and door openings are the most vulnerable points for water ingress and leakage. This can cause substantial damage to the wall frame, internal linings, insulation, flooring, or the window unit itself. Moisture associated with water penetration can pose significant health risks as residents are exposed to mould, mildew and fungal spores, which can cause asthma and respiratory related ailments. Installation problems such as the omission of flashings or the loss of continuity in the water barrier around windows can also contribute to excessive air leakage, condensation, and diminished energy or acoustic performance. The most significant forces that drive rain into buildings are; wind pressure, gravity and

capillary action. In some circumstances only one or two of these forces may be present, but in a windy rainstorm they will probably all be acting to move water through any available leakage path. The severity of exposure to wind is the most important factor in the specification and installation of windows and doors in openings. Components and installation practices, which are acceptable in sheltered situations, may quickly fail when exposed to the full force of the wind and rain. Head, sill and jamb flashings are integral components to the weatherproofing of buildings, and yet, are all too often over-looked, neglected or improperly installed. Over recent years there has been a proliferation of waterproofing claims and litigation across the country, with rectification costs totalling in the millions. Perhaps the most significant driving force behind this increase in problems associated with water ingress is the introduction of, and ever increasingly stringent, building insulation and energy performance requirements. Traditional methods of construction have been fairly forgiving, with little in the way of insulation and well-ventilated cavities, moisture management was of little consequence, but in today’s built environment, never has it been more important. Construction methods that include a cavity, such as brick veneer and double brick, tend to be more tolerant as they provide what is known as a pressure equalised rain screen wall. The external skin acts as the rain screen, while the internal skin provides an air seal. As the cavity between the two skins of the wall is pressurised, these types of walls improve

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

performance as the fundamental design of these walls addresses all of the forces that act on water to drive it through. Modern lightweight construction methods, which tend not to incorporate a cavity, rely upon a sealed outer face to prevent water entering the building. These systems rely entirely on the integrity of the materials used and the skills of the installer to prevent water from penetrating to the interior of the building. Consequently, they are not fault tolerant as once the outer seal is breached there is little to nothing, to prevent water penetration to the inside of the building. It is the builder’s responsibility to ensure that windows and doors are installed in such a way that water does not penetrate the building envelope. The Australian Window Association has developed a generic installation guide (visit www.awa.org.au) to provide guidance for the correct handling and installation of windows, and it should be noted that there are many different types of window designs and cladding materials available in the market today. In most cases

the walling system and window suppliers provide details for window installation and at all times these should be adhered to. However, there are some simple principles, which, if followed, should provide a good performing installation that will stand the test of time. • Sill flashing should be continuous across the entire opening and needs to be wide (tall) enough to reach to the outside of the wall, generally considered to be a minimum of 350mm. It should extend at least 150mm on either side of the window. • Jamb flashing should be at least 150mm wide and sealed to the window. It should extend 100mm above and below the window and be fitted over the sill flashing to direct any water captured onto the sill flashing below. • Head Flashing should have an upstand of at least 150mm and fitted in such a way that it’s highest point is behind the sarking and extends downward beyond the external face of the window to direct any water from above to the outside. Head Flashing should be continuous across the width of the opening, extend

either side of the window by a minimum of 150mm and overlap the jamb flashing. This principle of overlap is important as it should provide that at each transition, water is directed outward onto the element below i.e. the sarking above the window must overlap the head flashing; the head flashing must overlap the jamb flashing, the jamb flashing must overlap the sill flashing, and both jamb and sill flashing must overlap the wall sarking. Additionally, there must be provision for drainage below the window, so that any water captured has the ability to escape to the outside of the wall. So the message is clear and simple; it cannot be underestimated; the value of proper weatherproofing, which adds little to the cost of a building during construction, but can be so costly in the long-term if not executed correctly.

Typical flashing detail

RUSSELL HARRIS

The Australian Window Association is the peak association for the window industry and represents around 600 member companies nationally. Russell Harris is the Technical Manager for the AWA and is active in industry training, technical support, consulting and communications, as well as engaged in various Australian Standards committees and liaising with other industry associations.

WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

MEET THE MEMBERS

STAN SPYROU STAN SPYROU, MAIBS Managing Director Dix Gardener Group Pty Ltd

STAN IS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL BUILDING CERTIFIER AT THE DIX GARDNER GROUP PTY LTD. THE DIX GARDNER GROUP PTY LTD PROVIDES BUILDING SURVEYING, BUILDING CERTIFICATION, DISABILITY ACCESS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND FIRE SAFETY AUDIT SERVICES THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA. At the QLD/NT Chapter Conference held in June, Stan received the Certificate of Service for outstanding service of 16 years promoting the role and importance of the Building Surveying profession. DECADES OF LEARNING I started my career as a Building Inspector with Caboolture Shire Council in south east Queensland in 1981. I have just achieved the milestone of 35 years in the Building Surveying profession. In those early years I was fortunate to be guided and mentored by Finn Nielsen and, in 1982, I joined the AIBS. Through the AIBS, I was introduced to Ian White, John Wilson, Geoff Mitchell and many others who instilled in me a passion for Building Surveying and a drive to improve myself and to help promote the profession in whatever arena I happened to be working. I hold a Bachelor Degree in the Built Environment with dual qualifications in Building and Quantity Surveying. I hold a Graduate Diploma in Building. I have undertaken further studies in Law, Fire Safety Engineering and Disability Access. I am currently undertaking a Doctorate researching private certification systems across Australia with the aim of developing a more effective private certification model. I must admit, when I joined the Council in 1981, I did not know what a Building Surveyor was. I don’t think I was alone in this respect. I believe our profession is still misunderstood. As I came to understand what a Building Surveyor was and the role and responsibilities of the profession, I

"I must admit, when I joined the Council in 1981, I did not know what a Building Surveyor was. I don’t think I was alone in this respect. I believe our profession is still misunderstood." realised that is where I wanted to be and undertook to continue my professional development to achieve that. You might say I joined the Building Surveying profession by chance but I embraced the opportunity and have never looked back. SUPPORTING OUR PROFESSION My greatest triumph is to have been part of the mentoring and training of building surveyors. I am also very proud of having spent nearly 35 years as a member of the AIBS and feel privileged to have been elected to the AIBS Executive and having served over 16 years in the Executive and on various Local and State Government bodies representing our profession. I was fortunate to have been part of the greatest transformation our industry has seen with the introduction of private Certification over the past 20 years. BUILDING THE FUTURE I work across a number of States and Territories in Australia providing Building Surveying services. The greatest challenge is the significant differences in

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

the various jurisdictions with respect to the responsibilities placed on a Building Surveyor or Building Certifier (or both depending on the jurisdiction) by the enabling legislation and the licensing bodies in each jurisdiction. One could be forgiven for asking why, with a population of approximately 25 million, we need eight different pieces of legislation controlling how we do our job when some cities in the United States are of a similar size and work quite well with only one piece of legislation to administer and control the same function. I would like to see the profession raised to the standing it deserves in the industry. There needs to be a reflection of the importance of the statutory duty we have to ensure the built environment is safe for building users and occupants. Finally, I would like to see a system of National Licensing for Building Surveyors and those who choose to be Building Certifiers. STAN SPYROU, MAIBS

Managing Director and Principal Building Certifier at the Dix Gardner Group Pty Ltd.

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To ﬁnd out more about how OneSteel product reduces your risk, visit www.buildwithstandards.com.au An Arrium Company

BUDGET

BUDGET 2016: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR AIBS MEMBERS? BIG WINS FOR SMALL BUSINESS BUT SUPERANNUATION HAS BEEN HIT HARD. It is important to first note that this article was correct at the time of writing it. Changes may have occurred since writing this article so it is important to get advice before making any decisions. SMALL BUSINESSES Small businesses are viewed by the Government as the engine room of our economy and therefore, they have received considerable tax cuts to allow them to grow. Increase in small business entity turnover tests From 1 July 2016, the small business entity turnover test will increase from $2M to $10M. What does this mean? These businesses’ will have access to: • Lower corporate tax rates (see below) • Simplified depreciation rules, i.e. immediate write off for assets costing less than $20,000 • Simplified trading stock rules • Simplified method of paying PAYG instalments • Simplified GST reporting This does NOT affect the eligibility of small business capital gains tax concessions. This will remain available under its existing rules being the $2M turnover test or $6M net asset test.

Change in corporate tax rates This is best summarised in the below table. Unincorporated (e.g. individuals) small Business tax discounts Unincorporated businesses that have an annual turnover of less than $5M (currently $2M) will receive a tax discount. This will phase in over 10 years from 5% initially to 16%. This is up to a maximum tax discount of $1,000 per individual in an income year. New Tax Avoidance Taskforce The Government is funding the ATO in establishing a new Tax Avoidance Taskforce, which will focus on multinationals, large private groups and high net wealth individuals. SUPERANNUATION ‘Goodbye big balance superannuation funds’ is the message here. Pension Funds - $1.6M Balance Cap From 1 July 2017, an individual can only have $1.6M in a pension account (which is income tax free). All other funds in a superannuation fund will need to be in an accumulation account, which the income is taxed at 15%.

back into accumulation phase or withdraw the excess amount from super by 1 July 2017. Limit on Non-Concessional Contributions Effective from 7.30pm (AEST) on 3 May 2016, a lifetime non-concessional contribution limit of $500,000 is introduced. This is the amount you can contribute from your own money without claiming a tax deduction for the contribution. Prior to this, individuals could contribute $180,000 per year or $540,000 every 3 years. Therefore, a significant change to the amount you can put into super.

Individuals with pension balances above $1.6M will need to either transfer the excess

INCOME YEAR

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

ANNUAL TURNOVER

$2M

$10M

$25M

$50M

$100M

$250M

$500M

$1B

ALL

TAX RATE

28.50%

27.50%

27%

26%

25%

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

The $500,000 cap is takes into account contributions from 1 July 2007. If an individual has already gone over the cap prior to Budget night, no action is required, they will not be allowed to contribute any more non-concessional contributions. Significant changes to Concessional Contributions (tax deductible contributions) From 1 July 2017, the concessional contributions cap will be reduced to $25,000 per year. This is down from its current cap limits being $30,000 for those aged under 50 and $35,000 aged 50 and over. From 1 July 2017, individuals with income greater than $250,000 will have a 30% tax on their concessional contributions (as apposed to a 15% tax). The income threshold has reduced from $300,000 currently. From 1 July 2017, all individuals can claim a tax deduction for personal superannuation contributions, regardless

of your circumstance. This area has been quite restrictive in the past. From 1 July 2017, all individuals under 75 can claim a tax deduction for any personal superannuation contributions. Currently, individuals aged between 65-74, need to pass a work test in order to claim the deduction. From 1 July 2017, individuals with a superannuation balance of less than $500,000 are allowed to make ‘catch up’ concessional contributions if they haven’t used up their concessional contribution caps in prior income years. The unused amounts will roll forward from 1 July 2017 and will carry forward for a period of five consecutive years. Transition to Retirement Income Streams Individuals can roll their superannuation fund into pension phase when they are 56, even when they are still working, to access an income stream.

From 1 July 2017, the tax free status of the superannuation pension fund will be removed for these Transition to Retirement Income Streams. Additionally, tax free lump sum payments under these rules will be removed. PERSONAL INCOME TAX From 1 July 2016, the 32.5% personal income tax threshold will increase from $80,000 to $87,000. This is a tax saving of $315 for individuals earning more than $80,000. High income earners who earn over $180,000 are currently paying a 2% Temporary budget Repair Levy, this is scheduled to be removed on 30 June 2017.

MICHAEL ATKINSON

A partner at Peer Wealth, Michael is a Chartered Accountant that helps high income earners maximise their financial health today and in the future.

WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

CALENDAR

AIBS CONFERENCES QLD/NT CHAPTER CONFERENCE WRAP UP

The Gala Dinner was a night to be remembered

The 2016 QLD/NT Chapter Conference was held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Brisbane from 9 to 11 June, with over 170 delegates in attendance across the three days, 10 exhibitors and more than 20 speakers presenting on a range of topics under the theme “Facing the Challenges” and was a roaring success. “Facing the Challenges” was an accurate title for a Conference where presentations focused on providing building surveying professionals with an opportunity to develop a better understanding of current challenges facing our profession that include non-conforming products, performance solution, energy efficiency, access solutions, updates on other responsibilities imposed on us by Acts and Regulations, industry development, and other prominent issues. The speakers represented a wide variety of

areas across the industry sector and brought expertise and experience to their presentations. Other presentations that help us to think outside of the square with better memory techniques, about being pro-active not reactive, and the “Corporate Imposter” made us think about life in more ways than one. In addition to the speaker presentations, there were also two social events; the Networking Event on Thursday evening and the Gala Dinner on Friday. The Networking Event gave the delegates a chance to network with like-minded professionals with canapes and drinks on the Courtyard of the Hotel Grand Chancellor, whilst overlooking views of Brisbane City. The Gala Dinner, the social highlight of the Conference, featured a three course meal and live entertainment from one of Brisbane’s most experienced and versatile

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

cover bands and a world travelled MC that started the evening off with a bang and a lot of laughter. A “Service to AIBS” award was presented to Mr Stan Spyrou for his long term service and contribution to the profession through the QLD/NT Chapter. An “AIBS Fellow” presentation was made to Mr Jeffrey Brooks for his contribution to AIBS. Congratulations to two deserving recipients. It was a Conference well attended and enjoyed with Building Surveyors from both the public and private sector in attendance, as well as delegates from other professions. These events gave attendees an opportunity to develop relationships which open the pathways to future prospects and provide a basis for exchanging knowledge and ideas.

The Hon. Minister de Brenni provided the oﬃcial opening on Thursday

Jeﬀ Brooks was awarded the prestigious “Fellow of the AIBS” award

Stan Spyrou was awarded for his outstanding service to the Building Surveying profession

Conference tickets completely sold out, with over 170 individual delegates attending over three days

Geoﬀ Boughton kept us engaged with his presentation ”Building vs Wind”

Camp Quality livened up the day with some great characters

AIBS NSW/ACT CONFERENCE 2016 CHANGE AND CHALLENGES

Australian Institute of Building Surveyors

Tasmanian Chapter Conference 16 September 2016 Wrest Point, Hobart

Western Australian Chapter Conference 20 - 21 October 2016 Crown Perth

25-26 July 2016 Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf Darling Harbour Sydney Last Chance to Register!

Victorian Chapter Conference 10 - 11 November 2016 Crown Melbourne

WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

CEC UPDATES

AIBS CHAPTER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES, VOLUNTEERS OF THE CHAPTER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE PROFESSION AND YOU AS AN AIBS MEMBER IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. BELOW ARE SOME OF THE MEETINGS, WORKING GROUPS AND CEC REPRESENTATIVES THAT HAVE ATTENDED IN RECENT MONTHS, WHICH GIVES AN EXAMPLE OF THE WORK THE CECS DO, NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST. NSW/ACT March 2016 • The swimming pool safety working group at Westmead Hospital held their March 2016 meeting and AIBS was represented by a member of the NSW/ACT CEC.

NSW/ACT Continued • A member of the NSW/ACT CEC attended the BPB’s cross agency advisory group meeting regarding swimming pool matters.

• A representative of the NSW/ACT CEC met with Australian Standard regarding AS 4349.2 – Inspection of Building – Standard Building Inspection report for strata schemes.

• The Department of Planning and Environment stakeholder workshop on complying development in greenfield areas was attended by a representative of the CEC.

• AIBS was represented on a meeting with the BRAC subcommittee regarding mid-rise timber frame buildings.

QLD/NT March 2016 • The Housing and Public Works working group for livable Housing met in March, with a QLD/NT CEC member representing AIBS.

• A CEC member attended the UTS industry review panel regarding the reaccreditation of the Graduate Certificate in Development Assessment. April 2016 • A member of the NSW/ACT CEC attended a meeting with BRAC. • At the EDAP Conference AIBS had a stand and a member of the NSW/ACT CEC gave a presentation. May 2016 • A CEC member attended a stakeholder meeting regarding planning legislation with the Minister for Planning. • The Department of Finance, Services and Innovation held a stakeholder meeting on the proposed supporting provisions of the strata building defects bond, at which a CEC member represented AIBS.

May 2016 • A member of the CEC represented AIBS at a meeting of the Construction Industry Engagement Committed with Housing and Public Works. SA May 2015 • A representative of AIBS attended the UniSA Colloquium on Forecasting and Resource Assessment for Solar Installations. • An SA CEC representative attended the AIB awards dinner. • Two CEC members met with the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure regarding Auditing and the Bill.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

TAS March 2016 • A member of the TAS CEC met with the Director of Building Control regarding the Building Act Review, Qualifications & Training for Building Surveyors in the New System. April 2016 • A CEC member gave a presentation on the Role of the Building Surveyor in Tasmania to the Australian Property Institute in order to raise the profile and understanding of the profession. • The Department of Justice held Building and Plumbing Risk workshops, which were attended by a TAS CEC member. • A TAS CEC member met with the Minister for Building and Construction regarding the Review of the Act. • The Director of Building Control and a CEC representative met regarding Bushfire Prone Areas. May 2016 • A CEC member gave a presentation to the Legislative Council, which was based on a recent submission to the Director of Building Control. VIC March 2016 • Two members of the CEC attended the MBAV Stakeholder Reference Group Meeting, • A CEC representative met with NATSPEC.

VIC April 2016 • A meeting of the Building Advisory Council was held at which AIBS was represented by a VIC CEC member. • The VBA held a stakeholder reference group meeting, which was attended by a CEC member.

WA May 2016 • The Department of Finance held a meeting met regarding Home Building Mandatory Mapping at which AIBS was represented by a CEC member.

WA Continued • Several of the WA CEC members attended the Building Commission working group meeting on implementation of the recommendations of the General Inspection into Roof Compliance report.

• Several AIBS representative met with the VBA for the ACP Report presentation of document by AIBS. • A CEC member gave a building surveying presentation at the HEDRA seminar. May 2016 • A member of the VIC CEC attended the VBA reforms Consultation Meeting. • Following on from the meeting in March, a CEC representative had a further meeting with NATSPEC. WA March 2016 • The WA Local Government Association held a debrief on the Building Summit, which was attended by a CEC member. • A WA CEC member attended the Building Commission’s release of the General Inspection of Roof Construction Report. April 2016 • A member of the WA CEC presented a paper at the JazCorp conference including topics such as Bushfire reforms, NCC and compliance, stairways and slip resistance.

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ON THE BUILDING SITE

BUILDERS REVEAL THEIR STRANGEST REQUESTS VIA REDDIT THREAD HAVE YOU EVER BUILT SECRET ROOMS OR ANY OTHER STRANGE COMPARTMENTS BY REQUEST? THIS IS THE QUESTION THAT WAS PUT FORWARD TO THE BUILDERS OF REDDIT.

3. To enter just push the secret stone “I’m a pool builder and we were asked to build a hidden poolroom for the equipment and other random things. We had stonemasons turn the whole underneath of the house into a secret room and blended the door into the wall. To open the door you needed to push a stone and the door opened automatically.” – zziJizz

From mysterious doors to hidden passageways, here are our favourite responses to a very intriguing Reddit thread... 1. A school principal’s mini-fridge “I used to do some construction work on schools during the summer. The principal wanted, in his closet, a door to slide up where he could keep a safe for special school records, and a mini-fridge. Although it wasn’t very big or that cool, it was the coolest work I was involved in that summer. Plus, who wouldn’t want a mini-fridge hidden in their wall?” – nomore_mrniceguy

2. A peculiar hidden bunker “It was an underground survival bunker accessed through a hidden door in the back of a garage. It had an additional exit by means of an underground tunnel that lead almost 100 feet [30 metres] in[to] the bordering forest. The strangest thing about it was that it was a survival bunker that he had us wire with outlets and lights, despite there not being any type of of back-up/off-thegrid power. Makes me think that he actually had an alternative purpose for the shelter.” – Barley_Hops_Water

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR | WINTER 2016

4. An unusually insulated room full of secrets “We worked on what was supposedly going to be a hidden/secret walk-in safe in the basement. This room was heavily reinforced. Normally, walls around doors are framed using wood. This door frame was solid reinforced concrete. The room was a square attached to the outside of the basement, so all four walls were concrete. We poured concrete above it, so the ceiling was concrete. (Very unusual!) We also poured the floor. So, it was six sides made of concrete. Since it was attached to the outside, there was no sign that it existed from the inside. No ventilation. No wiring from what I saw. I never saw the finished product, but the owner was keeping it a secret, and wouldn’t explain much about it. So another contractor finished it off.” – sloppyjoes7 5. This rates 10/10 on our creepy radar “A friend of our family bought a huge old farmhouse after the couple living in it passed away. They were

doing some remodelling and found a hidden door in the back of a closet. It was only a couple feet tall, so you had to crawl through it. It went to a medium sized room with no windows that no one knew about. The only thing in the room was a bed, which would have had to be in there before the walls were put up. It was definitely creepy.” – Karmanology 6. A millionaire’s secret attic room “I’ve been painting houses since I was 15. One was in a millionaire’s summer home. On the fourth floor of the house there was a closet on the same wall as the elevator. A section of drywall came away and lead to behind the elevator. There was a wooden ladder that went up and down the entire house; at the very top was a trap door that lead to a small room that was about 6 by 6 feet [1.8 by 1.8 metres]. It had windows and vents that could be opened or sealed completely. Pretty sure it was for their son to hotbox.” – ceigetank 7. A hidden underground swimming pool “Yeah, working on a big house that this eccentric couple owned, there was a secret underground Olympic-size swimming pool, we installed a pool table that came out of the ground floor. Basically dug a big hole, some other dudes sorted all the pneumatics and electrics. Don’t know what the table looked like at the end, but his swimming pool was dope.” – dley88

8. Nothing suss at all “Never built one, but I did find one in a house I was doing some plumbing work in once. This was an expensive condo, and they had a secret office that had a secret one-way mirror looking into the GUEST SHOWER. Creepy as, man.” – I_am_pooping_now_AMA 9. And the Parents of the Year award goes to… “I built a Narnia closet for someone. Their daughter had one request for the new house: she had a built an armoire, white and modern looking with nice shelving units on the right side and a bigger opening on the left. However, when you pushed the back of the left, closet side, it opened up into an actual closet that was about 5×10 feet [1.5 x 3 metres] on the inside, not too shabby at all. Was a pretty fun build, albeit somewhat challenging.” – shadowatmidnight104

WHAT SIGHTS HAVE YOU SEEN

ON THE BUILDING SITE? We always welcome contributions to On The Building Site as it is an excellent way to have a laugh and maybe start a discussion around some of the issues that arise and what the solutions to them may be. So if you see something unusual, please take some photos and send it in to nat.editor@aibs.com.au along with a brief write-up of the situation.

10. A big-shot CEO’s request “I used to work construction over the summers in high school and within just a few miles of where I grew up there are 20,000+ square foot homes … anyways this one client (who was pretty well known for being a CEO of a large corporation) requested a secret self-contained smoking room. Complete with secret entrance, a bathroom, cedar paneling, self-contained heat and A/C, and an industrial sized smoke-eater. Along with hideaway shelving that would store an endless amount of mason jars full of pot. Also has some crazy vaporizeras well. He would have meetings upstairs in his underwear and robe while being high.” – Kraus247 WINTER 2016 | AUSTRALIAN BUILDING SURVEYOR

WHAT’S NEW

ADVERTISERS INDEX AUSTRALIAN WINDOW ASSOCIATION

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The Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA) is a national membership based professional association for people working to achieve accessibility in the built environment for all. It is the peak national body for access consultancy in Australia and a major partner in advancing equity of built environmental accessibility for people with a disability.

Australian businesses are experiencing dramatic savings by avoiding expensive travel and lodging costs required for “in-person” training. Web-based training applications provide an online environment that delivers a virtual eLearning classroom.

If you need an access consultant for your next building or design project, ACAA can help you find an access consultant who is an accredited member of ACAA through their online directory. If you wish to become an access consultant or provide services or products that are affiliated with the access industry, then you should definitely consider becoming a member of ACAA. Members of ACAA receive the following benefits: National support and advocacy for accessibility in the built environment. • Opportunities for continuous professional development at member prices. • The latest information on accessibility legislation, services and products. • Access to mentoring and closed discussion forums for seeking career advancement and advice from your colleagues in the industry.

ACAA also offers a range of accessibility related marketing opportunities to advertisers and sponsors.

The building industry of Australia shares the same drive for this migration to eLearning platforms and Pointsbuild are leading the charge with over 95 courses, providing the construction industry an easy and cost effective solution to maintain their CPD requirements. All of Pointsbuild online courses are approved for CPD obligations across a mix of industries, including: Building and Construction, Architecture, Engineering, Assessment and Certification. CPD is not just about earning points, CPD has always been about helping individuals and organisations to stay informed, up-to-date, skilled and more knowledgeable. Learn more about how Pointsbuild can provide education for your industry. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

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Know you’re OK with the AWA Don’t get caught with non-compliant products.

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Use AWA & WERS Members.

is a participating member of the AWA Accreditation Program, provides a 6 year Guarantee against faulty workmanship and materials (refer to Manufacturer’s Warranty), is committed to the Industry Code of Conduct and has met the requirements of the annual AWA Compliance Audit. The manufacturer certifies that the windows and doors supplied to: Delivery address:

Delivered on: have been manufactured to comply with the Australian Window Standard AS 2047 and Glass Standard AS 1288 including human impact requirements as specified in the order. The windows and doors have been manufactured to comply with NCC energy efficiency and bushfire requirements as specified by the purchaser.

Look for this certificate & ask for:

The windows have been manufactured to comply with: Housing

NCC Compliance

Energy Rating

WPR Pa

ULS Pa

WPR Pa

SLS

600

150

C1 600

1800

150

ULS

N2 400

900

150

C2 800

2700

200

WPR

N3 600

1400

150

C3 1200

4000

300

N4 800

2000

200

C4 1600

5300

450

N5 1200

3000

300

N6 1600

4000

450

SLS Pa

Australian Standard Compliance (AS 2047 & AS 1288) Independent Third Party Accreditation

Other Construction ULS Pa

N1 400

SLS Pa

AUSTRALIAN WINDOW ASSOCIATION GUIDE SERIES

Note: For corner windows, the next highest rating pressure applies.

A GUIDE TO WINDOW AND DOOR SELECTION

Energy Performance Ratings, AFRC Results: U Value, Uw Solar Heat Gain Co efficient, SHGCw Refer to attached schedule Bushfire Rating:

BAL 12.5 BAL 40

BAL 19 BAL FZ

Methodology:

Tested (AS 1530.8.1)

Tested (AS 1530.8.2)

Signed: Window Company

The inspection services of the AWA are accredited. Inspection Agency Number 13739

Prescriptive (AS 3959) Date:

The builder/installer certifies that the windows and doors supplied have been installed correctly in accordance with the requirements of the National Construction Code and the human impact glass located in the correct openings. Signed: Builder/Installer

Date:

For accreditation details, visit www.awa.org.au Document No. AWA.CC.A2014

Download our Window & Door Selection Guide: Visit www.awa.org.au for information on NCC Requirements.

BAL 29 Not required/specified

AN INDUSTRY GUIDE TO THE SELECTION AND CERTIFICATION OF WINDOWS AND DOORS