Builders & Contractors Magazine Issue#140

SHARPEN UP YOUR COMMUNICATION

How to adapt and thrive in times of change

Avoiding holiday stress

Reducing workplace anxiety leading up to Christmas

UNLOCKING BETTER CONSTRUCTION OUTCOMES

Managing the asbestos risk

What you should be doing with KPIs and why

Mind your step

Maintaining safe scaffold practices

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Ten years later, now with a fleet of ten cranes, Curly was joined by his eldest son Scott McLeod. His second son, Pete, joined the business a year later. Curly passed away in 2012, leaving the business in the extremely capable hands of his sons.

Continuing the family tradition, Phil Hutchinson, Curly’s cousin, came on board in 2013, when McLeod Hiabs joined McLeod Cranes under the umbrella of McLeod Group. Today, McLeod has grown to encompass more than 130 people with one of the largest modern fleets in the country including more than 70 cranes and hiabs.

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Welcome - publisher's note

In this issue of Builders & Contractors we delve into the art and craft of good communication, discussing how it can help you adapt and thrive in times of change.

With the silly season on our doorstep, we have pieces on reducing workplace anxiety leading up to Christmas, and getting your operation ready for the summer break so it’s all smooth sailing when you return next year.

We look at maintaining safe scaffold practices, managing the ever-present risk of asbestos, and what you should be doing with KPIs and why, and what happens if a building site changes ownership part-way through a project.

As always, we thank all our columnists for their expertise, along with the views, opinions and predictions of all those who contributed, to help you manage the risks your face each and every day. Editor

Contents

6: What happens if a building site changes ownership part-way through the project?

8: What you should be doing with KPIs and why

10: How to adapt and thrive in times of change

12: The Building Code decisions on lead in plumbing products

13: Construction embodied carbon gets new guidance

14: Leadership group aims for better construction outcomes

18: Reducing workplace anxiety leading up to Christmas

20: Getting ready for the summer break

24: Concrete industry awards to set new benchmark in excellence

28: Slab on grade – the multi-purpose flooring solution

Page: 68

34: Winning big at the SCNZ Awards

40: Better building with wood

44: Building a sustainable future

48: Taking care of yourself during the holidays

56: Breaking down gender barriers

60: The pilot project enabling plumbers to self-verify their work

66: Metalcraft Roofing’s overhead quality

68: New president appointed at SARNZ

70: Lifting elevating work platform safety standards

74: Maintaining safe scaffold practices

80: Managing the asbestos risk

84: AWCI launches Employee Assistance Programme

87: New Mosgiel pool well underway

88: Improving the safety of vehicle fleets

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What happens if a building site changes ownership part-way through the project?

By Geoff Hardy, an Auckland commercial lawyer

A construction contract is a relatively simple concept. The construction company is both obliged, and entitled, to build the structure defined in the plans, specifications and building consent, and to see the project right through to the end.

The only way the construction company can be relieved of that obligation - or denied that entitlement - is if the contract provides that either party can bring it to an end prematurely (ie. terminate the contract), or reduce the construction company’s scope of work. The circumstances in which the parties can do that, are usually pretty rare. In return for the construction company’s commitment to complete the project, the property owner’s primary obligation is to pay the construction company for the work and materials. But a related obligation is to allow the construction company access to the site to enable it to fulfil its commitments.

After all, the property owner has the right to determine who can go onto its land and what changes they can make to it – without that consent, you would be trespassing.

Now that’s all very straightforward when the property owner continues to own the site throughout the duration of the project. What if it sells the property partway through?

Remember that the original owner has promised the construction company that it can see the project through to the end, and has promised to pay for the entire work. But now that it no longer owns the land, it can no longer allow the construction company access to the site to enable it to fulfil its commitments. The new owner can refuse access.

After all, the new owner never signed the construction contract, and may not like the design of the structure that is yet to be completed, or the terms on which the build has been agreed. The new owner may only be prepared to allow the construction company to continue to access the site, if new terms are agreed – and those terms may not be as favourable to the builder as they were previously. And it’s conceivable the new owner may want an entirely different builder altogether.

When the new owner wants changes Sensible commercial parties will sort all this out before the sale takes place. But it requires negotiation, and it requires agreement. What each party wants may be fundamentally different, and they may be unwilling to compromise.

It’s unlikely that the original owner is required by law not to sell the site without the construction company’s consent – that stipulation is rarely seen in construction contracts and is unlikely to be implied into them.

But unless the original owner gets the new owner’s consent to continue the project on exactly the same terms (the legal name for which is “novation”), the new owner can hold out for modified terms in exchange for continued access.

If that happens, the construction company is in a difficult situation, but the original owner is even more so. The original owner is obliged to both pay the construction company and allow access, but has given up the right to do that latter.

If the new owner remains obstinate, and refuses access unless it gets its way, the original owner will be in breach of its obligations and will be liable to the construction company in damages. Those damages will be the difference between the profit the construction company would have made from the remainder of the project, and the profit it will end up making over the same period when it is forced to demobilise and go out to find replacement work.

Presumably any original owner who is not in desperate straits, won’t sell unless both the purchaser and the construction company agree on the basis for continuing the project.

Both the purchaser and the construction company may be perfectly happy to see the project through to the end on exactly the same terms, in which case the building contract would be novated in a three-way legal contract which effectively sees the purchaser substituted for the original owner.

Of course, it’s never quite that simple, because there are things like design and other consultancy contracts to novate as well, bonds, guarantees and warranties to assign or replace, retentions to account for, variation and extension of time claims to process, payment claims and liquidated damages to apportion, existing disputes to be resolved, and liability for breaches of contract to be dealt with.

Assignment vs. novation

But it’s equally possible that the purchaser and the construction company may not be happy to see the project through to the end on exactly the same terms. Don’t forget that the construction company can’t be forced to work for a new owner, on different terms, without its consent.

The new owner might not be as creditworthy as the original owner, or as easy to deal with. While many commercial construction contracts do allow the Principal to “assign” the contract to a third party, in a true assignment you can only transfer the benefits of the contract (eg. the right to have the building work carried out), not the burdens (eg. the obligation to pay for it).

entered into, and all the related transfers and apportionments referred to above, being resolved. Then the new contract is negotiated and signed, and it must accurately describe the new scope of work. The new contract must state that it is conditional on the construction company being released from the existing contract. Once it is signed the original contract is terminated as at the agreed changeover date.

Residential building projects

In residential building projects, there are a few other factors to consider, because those projects are subject to extra requirements under the Building Act relating to the need to use licensed building practitioners, and consumer rights and remedies.

For example, it is possible that all the LBPs who are working on the project should submit records of work to the original owner and the Council as at the agreed changeover date, as well as submitting records of work to the new owner and the Council, on eventual completion.

That is because even though it is the same site, if one contract has been brought to an end and another one entered into then they are two different contracts, and they may be treated as two different projects. However, on balance I think they would get away with just submitting one lot at the end.

If you are transferring both benefits and burdens you are talking about a “novation”, and that requires the consent of all three parties. It may be that the construction contract gives the construction company no say in the matter, but that requires pretty specific wording.

You can have a situation where the building contract is novated, but amended at the same time. This would be either to accommodate changes the new owner requires, or changes the construction company requires. Alternatively, it may be agreed that the existing construction contract is terminated by mutual agreement between the original owner and the construction company, and a replacement construction contract is entered into between the new owner and the construction company.

Assuming the parties go with the replacement contract option, the original owner’s agreement to terminate the existing building contract should be conditional on the replacement building contract being

In addition, the builder is technically required to submit a new checklist and disclosure statement to the new owner, before they sign the new building contract. And even though the new owner’s lawyer will give the Council a “Notice of Sale” advising of the change of ownership, it might be prudent to notify the Council’s Building Inspection Division separately, just so there is no confusion.

Finally, if there a third-party guarantee has been issued to the original owner in respect the project (eg. from MasterBuild Services or Halo Guarantees), then there is a process you need to go through to ensure the new owner gets the benefit of it. The new owner should contact the guarantee issuer in the first instance and find out what they require.

Geoff Hardy has 47 years’ experience as a commercial lawyer and is a partner in the Auckland firm Martelli McKegg. He guarantees personal attention to new clients at competitive rates. His phone number is (09) 379 0700, fax (09) 309 4112, and e-mail Geoff.Hardy@martellimckegg.co.nz. This article is not intended to be relied upon as legal advice.

After all, the property owner has the right to determine who can go onto its land and what changes they can make to it –without that consent, you would be trespassing.

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What you should be doing with KPIs and why

By Daniel Fitzpatrick, Business coach at Next Level Tradie

There’s never been a more important time to use KPIs because doing business is hard right now. Material and wage costs are increasing. Construction costs for new homes have risen by 9.6 percent over the last 12 months, according to RNZ.

Disruption of schedules, jobs being shifted around all the time, downturn in the market in areas, a shortage of good staff, your existing team having more time off and expecting more leniency.

All these things add pressure to your profits, cashflow, and day-to-day running of the business.

KPIs give you the ability to keep a firm handle on all important aspects of your business. Without having to be involved in every detail. The truth is, tracking your performance numbers and your progress is the only way to make sure all your hard work will be worth it. Let’s jump in:

#1: Use KPIs to make difficult conversations with staff easier

Ever had a team member who wasn’t performing, had a bad attitude, or was making too many mistakes? It’s easy for these issues to get kicked down the road. But, the longer it goes on, the worse it gets.

The best thing about KPIs is it’s not personal. It’s just about what the business needs to be successful. When standards have been set, everyone knows what’s expected. And it’s clear if they are meeting the mark - or not. For example, I once worked with a building company that needed more jobs. The sales rep was not getting the results. It was awkward, there were lots of excuses and the owners were almost resigned to accepting poor performance even though it was hurting their business.

We worked together on putting KPIs in place. Suddenly it was much easier to have those sales conversations. Combined with the right support, the focus shifted to meeting targets. Tracking how many new enquiries this week, how many quotes completed and followed up.

Conversion rates increased from 22 percent to 35 percent which everyone was

happy about - including the rep who was on commission.

#2: Use KPI’s to get staff into an accountability mindset - and fix underperforming

How to get your team to perform at their best? It’s one of the hardest things about being in business. Unfortunately, if you don’t provide the right structure and direction, even your star players won’t be able to deliver.

Does your team know if they are winning or losing each week? Is their definition of success the same as yours? Developing KPIs with your team will get everyone on the same page.

The trick is: KPIs only work if your team owns them.

To get buy-in, it’s most effective to get your staff to come up with their own performance goals.

A drainlayer I have been working with recently had a lot of issues in his team of seven. Jobs were taking too long, gear was being forgotten, a lack of accountability when things went wrong.

He’d tried motivating them before without success so was skeptical about KPIs. But he brought it up at the next team meeting and gave each guy the responsibility of coming up with their own KPIs (with a little guidance).

KPIs ranged from the apprentice turning up on time through to the foremen committing to finishing jobs on schedule. Results were starting to happen.

Then one day he overheard his guys comparing their individual targets and how they were going to go about achieving them. That was when he knew it was really working. Remember to only measure your staff on stuff they have influence over!

#3: Don’t overcomplicate your KPIs - only use the ones you really need

I’m a fan of Xero and job-tracking software. I’ll tell you what though. All of those complicated reports aren’t going to help you much.

KPIs are most effective when they are kept simple. In each part of your business, you should only have a few key things to focus on.

For example, if you want to improve cashflow, then the main KPI to watch is how much cash you have in the bank after all bills are paid.

The numbers you’re tracking must be identifiable so you can use them to make smarter decisions. If not, what’s the point? When I work with tradies to improve their profits, I put all their most important KPIs into one dashboard. Then it only takes around 20-30 minutes a month to see how we’re tracking. And it gives them laser focus on where to concentrate to get the best results.

This dashboard is a quick check. All the numbers are in one place. The last thing you need is to be hunting out info all the time!

One company I’ve been working with for the last eight months has gone from significant losses to now making 10k-20k every single month. This success is mainly down to using the dashboard. Consistency is key.

#4: Never base your KPIs off what others are doing

A word of caution: Don’t look at what others are doing and think you should be doing the same. And definitely don’t measure success by how big your team is compared to theirs.

Take it from me: A bigger team does not automatically mean a bigger profit. KPIs will vary depending on what stage you are at in your business.

When deciding your sales target, this will depend on where your break-even point is, your gross margins, and how much money you want to make for the year. It’s individual to you and always will be.

If you’re a builder you won’t be getting the same margins as an electrician. If you complete high-end work, your margins

should also be higher than others in the same industry. It’s important to get crystal clear on where your margin should be specifically for your business.

Wouldn’t you rather base your pricing and margins off concrete numbers that are right for you and your overheads so you know that you’re making money on every job and know exactly where you’re winning and losing?

#5: Use KPIs to avoid expensive mistakes

By now you’ll have realised that not having really solid KPIs is costing you more than you thought. Lost margins, lost profitability, lost focus.

Knowing exactly what you are aiming for will help you avoid mistakes (or at least see things in time to make adjustments when needed).

You can avoid pricing incorrectly (usually this happens if you don’t know where your target margin should be) and avoid leaking profits by tracking jobs well throughout.

You can avoid booking too many jobs (if you haven’t worked out exactly how much work is optimal for your team). This also means no burning out your team (and reputation) with too much work and crazy deadlines. You can avoid constantly not having money in the bank when you need it and sleepless nights with cashflow worries because you haven’t created a cash buffer or know what that should be.

These mistakes all cost you time, stress, and money.

The

bottom line

Running a business without tracking your performance is like being the captain of a ship in the dark of night during a storm. Trying to avoid the rocks. Without a lighthouse to guide the way.

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One company I’ve been working with for the last eight months has gone from significant losses to now making 10k-20k every single month. This success is mainly down to using the dashboard. Consistency is key.

Sharpen up your communication

How to adapt and thrive in times of change

Rob Clarke, CEO of Learning Architects

Often with this change in seasons come new opportunities, particularly now as different industries recover and reset after the disruption of the last few years, or tackle new environmental and economic challenges.

As we now know, change can come at us really fast and when it does, we have to rapidly change focus and the way we do things.

People’s roles may need to change; you may have to lay off staff or hire new employees, or diversify your products and services to keep your business afloat.

Expect change

Whatever your circumstances, whether you are looking at scaling up, downsizing, streamlining operations or diversifying, clear communication ensures people know where they stand and what is expected of them. And while it’s impossible to predict exactly what upcoming changes and challenges will look like, you can anticipate the different types of information you might need to address. For example:

• Changes to policies and procedures

• Staff changes and role expectations

• Environmental changes, supply chain issues.

Anticipate problems and pitfalls

While countless books have been written on this topic, here are a few common pitfalls that see communications fail:

• Information overload

• Poor timing, wrong channel

• Lack of process documentation and training

• Unclear or mixed messages creating confusion.

So how do you know if the quality of the communication in your organisation is fit for purpose?

A good place to start is by reviewing the systems, processes and channels you currently use to identify what works well, and what could be improved. And as you do so, consider some worst case scenarios you might encounter to help you avoid potential pitfalls, for example:

• Systems access gets lost when a staff member keeps business passwords in a personal notebook and forgets to pass them on when they leave

• People save files locally to their desktop instead of in the centralised file management system, which means that others waste valuable time tracking information down

• Unclear sales and customer service processes result in multiple people contacting the same client, giving them mixed messages; or conversely, nobody contacts them at all. This can impact the quality of the customer experience, damage your reputation and cost you money

• Lack of documented induction and training processes sees new staff come on board and make things up on the fly in a way that misaligns with your goals, values or organisational culture

• People leave your business expressing frustration which reflects poorly on your reputation as an employer.

Turn gaps into opportunities

Taking the time to identify gaps can also provide opportunities to improve your organisational productivity and culture. For example:

• Improving the user experience for your systems and processes so people know how to get the best out of them. This can free up their energy to improve customer satisfaction

• Ensuring there are processes in place that enable people to deal with situations as they arise

• Identifying ways to improve relationships with suppliers or vendors

• People leaving your organisation can attest to having had a positive experience, potentially becoming an advocate, helping you attract new talent.

Consider different communication styles

It’s essential to consider the different communication needs of team members.

Some people will be happy to be given a taste of what’s on the horizon and told where they can find information as/when they need it. Others will prefer to receive, digest and reflect on as much information as they can access, particularly in times of change.

Similarly, you need to consider and select the most effective method and channel so that messages are not inadvertently overlooked or intentionally ignored. And if you are sharing information that will have a personal impact on people, it’s vitally important that you use a suitable channel and approach that reflects empathy and care.

Seeking feedback will give you a sense of how communication flows and you might be surprised how a small change can make a big difference.

Provide clarity

However you choose to communicate in times of change, make sure that you provide clarity and assurance to people. Important aspects to include:

• A big picture overview to give context

• Details and steps to give guidance

• Emotional assurance to give certainty

• Expectations of timelines so people get the information they need.

Provide information in a timely manner via suitable channels so they can understand issues in a way that makes sense to them.

Plan for change

No two organisations are alike when it comes to communication needs, especially in times of change.

However, poor communication can cause numerous problems in every organisation, so it’s crucial that your internal communication channels are robust and fit for purpose.

As the end of the year approaches, look ahead and prioritise the areas for improvement based on your strategy and goals for the next 12 months.

Talk to people, review the systems across a range of areas to make sure you have a clear communication plan. That way, should change come at you fast, you’ll be ready to get the message across to your team.

Increasing the effectiveness of your communication will make your business more resilient to future changes so you can adapt quickly. So, what can you do to turn these gaps into opportunities?

Rob Clarke CEO of Learning Architects

At this time of year, after spring’s turned to summer and a new year awaits, it brings with it a sense of optimism and change.

If you are sharing information that will have a personal impact on people, it’s vitally important that you use a suitable channel and approach that reflects empathy and care.

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Building Code decisions made on lead in plumbing products and hollow-core flooring

flooring systems being specified in new building work, improving the safety and quality of our future buildings.”

MBIE will now continue to work through the submissions from respondents on the proposed changes to protection from fire, and the other plumbing and drainage proposals to ensure all points of view and feedback are considered.

MBIE Building Performance and Engineering manager, Dr Dave Gittings, says feedback from the consultation has shown a clear mandate to change the requirements for new plumbing products containing lead, and strong sector support to remove compliance pathways for new hollow-core flooring systems.

“The consultation received over one hundred detailed submissions and comments and this feedback has been used to inform the decisions announced today.

“As part of the consultation, we asked whether the maximum allowable lead content for plumbing products that come into contact with potable water should be reduced to a weighted average of 0.25 percent, in alignment with requirements in Australia,” he says.

“There was overwhelming sector support for the proposal, with over 90 percent

of submissions responding in support of the potential health benefits of the proposed change and therefore this change has been confirmed.

“This change to the acceptable solution for new plumbing products in the Building Code will take effect from September 2025, to allow for time to raise awareness of the changes and provide manufacturers time to comply with the requirements.”

A proposal to remove the deemed to comply pathway in the Building Code for new hollowcore flooring systems was also consulted on and received significant sector support.

“The proposal was made as a result of recent research which indicated that these floor systems behave poorly in seismic events.”

He says “92 percent of submitters supported removing the compliance pathway for new hollow-core floor systems and this change will take effect when MBIE publishes the revised verification method in November 2023.

“There has been a downward trend in the use of hollow-core floor systems following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.

“Removing this compliance pathway will minimise the chance of poorly designed

“Decisions on the remaining proposals will be announced prior to publishing the documents to ensure the sector and public are given as much notice of pending change as possible,” Dave says.

“Changes to the Building Code acceptable solutions and verification methods will be published in November 2023, with all except the hollow-core floor system changes having a transition period of at least 12 months.

“The Building Code updates and consultations are key factors in keeping the building system up to date as our knowledge and understanding expands in this modern and ever-changing building environment.

“MBIE is committed to updating the Building Code so that it keeps pace with innovation, current construction methods and the needs of modern society.”

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Following consultation earlier this year on proposed changes to the Building Code, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has announced decisions on lead in new plumbing products and hollow-core flooring systems.

Construction embodied carbon gets new guidance

The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) and sustainability firm thinkstepanz have released a new calculator for embodied carbon, paving the way for the building and construction industry to reduce emissions from building materials and supplies.

Thinkstep-anz’s Hotspot or not? The carbon footprint of NZ›s built environment in 2018 revealed buildings and infrastructure contributes up to 20 percent of New Zealand’s carbon emissions.

Embodied carbon - stemming from the materials and products a building is made from – accounts for around half of these emissions. The industry has since been asking for a way to measure and reduce their footprint.

NZGBC chief executive Andrew Eagles says “Our industry has become increasingly aware of the pollution caused by the manufacture and production of our materials and products.

“Awareness is all well and good, but we need to actually start measuring the carbon footprint of our projects robustly so we can reduce it as much as possible.”

The Green Building Council recently updated its flagship Green Star certification scheme for commercial buildings, adding a requirement to reduce embodied carbon by at least 10 percent, compared to a standard reference building.

“Several of our members and other industry bodies have developed embodied carbon calculators. This is a fantastic starting point, now we need to ensure they align.

“If we’re going to tackle our emissions, it’s essential our sector has a consistent

and comparable approach to measuring emissions,” Andrew says.

The NZGBC and thinkstep-anz have worked with a sector reference group from across the industry to help establish a robust approach to the calculation of embodied carbon and the methodology behind it.

Thinkstep-anz’s technical director ,Jeff Vickers says, “Through these discussions we’ve identified a need to develop an industry-wide approach to support the definition, scope and calculation of embodied carbon.

“We hope that the calculator and supporting documentation will help provide a consistent platform to measure embodied carbon while the Government finalises the Building for Climate Change programme.“

The freely available calculator has been released alongside a guide on how to use it, as well as a methodology, so projects who want to ensure consistency with other calculators already on the market can do so.

Offers a comprehensive range of new home plumbing and commercial plumbing services for new build projects in Auckland. By specialising in new construction plumbing we offer our clients best value.

We hope that the calculator and supporting documentation will help provide a consistent platform to measure embodied carbon while the Government finalises the Building for Climate Change programme.

Leadership group launched to unlock better construction outcomes

Leaders from New Zealand’s prominent construction companies have come together to form the Vertical Construction Leadership Group (VCLG).

The group has been established with the aim of providing a co-ordinated focus on crucial issues impacting productivity and the construction sector’s ability to deliver critical infrastructure, including our schools, hospitals, and workplaces.

Vertical Construction Leadership Group lead and Master Builders CEO, David Kelly, says the group was founded to achieve a united voice for the vertical construction sector.

“Our aim is to take action to deliver a better performing, stronger, and more sustainable sector that meets the current and future needs of New Zealand.”

The Group, chaired by leader in commercial construction, Peter Neven, has prioritised six key focus areas across the supply chain, labour market, sector sustainability, procurement, contracting, and addressing risk allocation.

A recent survey of leaders within the VCLG illustrated the scale of the issues facing the sector. The results revealed that while aligned with the issues facing residential housing, the challenges faced in vertical construction can be far more complex, particularly given the growing complexities of projects, the magnitude of cost escalation and delays, procurement, and sector productivity.

While highlighting the full scale and complexity of the sector, the survey showed larger projects made up the biggest proportion, with 42 percent of commercial builders managing projects costing over $100 million, over at least a 24-month period.

Most of these projects require complex teams, including more than 30 subtrades. More than three quarter of respondents are managing more than 10 projects at any one time, adding to the complexity facing the sector.

David notes the significance this project scale has on the industry, saying, “The risk involved in delivering a project like this is already significant – but when we add to it the current skills and product shortages – the complexity becomes acute.

“As a group we intend to establish an environment where we work more effectively with government at the outset of projects, so that the procurement process allows higher quality assessments of risk to produce better outcomes for taxpayers.”

A key focus for the VCLG is on the government procurement system. Progress has already been made here with the Construction Sector Accord, but the current environment is still putting pressure on productivity at the outset. While some (35 percent) have reported that procurement practices have been moderately better over the last 12 months, 57 percent claimed it has been moderately worse or there has been no change.

Similar results were reported for the impact of the risk and liability provision changes in contracts. The paperwork involved continues to increase with procurement processes currently on average consuming 26 percent of the VCLG’s workforce in administration time.

“Procurement for this sector is very specialised and requires expertise which is currently hard to find across local and central Government, and across the private sector. An added challenge for many Government agencies is that construction is not their core area of focus, and nor should it be.

“The VCLG is committed to working across the sector and with Government to find ways we can grow the talent pool in this critical area.

“We know how important this stage is to the overall project – it sets the success parameters and tone of the process ahead,” David says.

Cost escalation is also an increasing concern impacting the sector’s ability to deliver. One hundred percent of those surveyed are experiencing cost increases for both labour and products.

“While this is not a new issue for the sector, the chronic skills shortage continues and with it does the cost of labour.

“While apprentice numbers are up, it is the more experienced workers that are currently lacking and companies are finding it more difficult to bring in skills from overseas. As

a result, professional management costs continue to rise.”

The VCLG is looking forward to working collaboratively with The Construction Sector Accord, The Infrastructure Commission, The Property Council, The Institute of Architects, and the Association of Consulting Engineers to take on the very real issues facing the sector.

“As a sector we have recognised that we cannot wait for others to find solutions.

“Stronger leadership has been identified as a necessary condition to meet sector and Government’s construction goals and the group has come together as a result of this.

“We want to make it easier for all parts of the sector to work together – with better access and a united voice.”

About the VCLG:

The Vertical Construction Leadership Group (VCLG) consists of 72 leaders from New Zealand’s leading construction companies to give greater focus to the issues facing the sector.

A recent survey reveals the complex and varied issues facing the vertical construction sector across procurement, supply chain, labour market, and productivity:

- 100 percent of those surveyed are experiencing cost increases for both labour and products

- 53 percent of commercial builders say it is more difficult to get staff than what it was 12 months ago

- Nearly all commercial builders are seeing on-site delays, with 37% experiencing delays of over 6 weeks

- Nearly half of respondents reported procurement has become more complicated in the last 12 months, with on average 26 percent of a company’s workforce being involved in administration and procurement.

Procurement for this sector is very specialised and requires expertise which is currently hard to find across local and central Government, and across the private sector. An added challenge for many Government agencies is that construction is not their core area of focus, and nor should it be.

Get ready for building work on the West Coast

Get a head-start in the booming building industry with Tai Poutini Polytechnic’s hands-on, practical carpentry training.

Under the guidance of experienced tutors, you’ll work alongside your classmates to build a three-bedroom home as part of your learning. You’ll get a feel for what it’s like to work on a building site and you’ll cover how to handle tools and machinery, what’s expected on-site, health and safety and much more.

Tutor Rick King says students love the practical nature of the year-long training programme.

“They grow their confidence over the year and they’re ready for work by the end. Students get a big kick out of building the three-bedroom home, which is auctioned at the end of the year and transported to a new location on the Coast.

“We also work closely with local tradespeople so students have the opportunity to have work experience on a building site. The building industry is absolutely flat-out on the West Coast and students are snapped-up by local employers and in apprenticeships.”

The transferrable practical skills and theory get students started on a building apprenticeship. Tutors work closely with learners to support and assist them through this work to make sure they’re ready to go.

They grow their confidence over the year and they’re ready for work by the end.

Students are encouraged to become independent workers who can thrive on the building site. Learning what’s expected of you on the job, how to communicate with your boss and colleagues and how to handle yourself is key to employment success – all these skills are transferable to the construction industry.

“We’re proud to have trained some great builders and we look forward to welcoming a new class in 2023,” Rick says.

Give us a call or head online to find out how to apply and get your building career started in 2023 – visit www.tpp.ac.nz/carpentry.

Kiwitown Electrical

With over 30 years’ experience across commercial, residential, and rural, Kiwitown Electrical can provide all round knowledge and expertise for your residential, rural, project or commercial. As a Registered Master Electrician, we guarantee our work.

Kiwitown Electrical has been fortunate to be involved in several exciting projects, currently working as part of the exciting Otorohanga Kiwi House expansion project, as well as managing a refurb of the local bar, The Thirsty Weta. The growth over the region has meant we have been involved in many residential new builds and refurbs.

As a King Country based company, we work closely with our local farmers, priding ourselves on the reliability, responsiveness, and quality of work for new build sheds, rebuilds and workshops.

Kiwitown Electrical offer competitive rates with discounts for Super Gold card holders and specials on lighting, wiring and more.

Our friendly staff love working in the community and are respectful of all covid protocols across all work areas.

A little-known fact about Kiwitown Electrical Services is the ‘maintenance check’ we can provide. If you’ve got tenants moving out of the rental property, new workers moving into the farm house or just want to be sure that everything is working in commercial dairy, workshops and residential, Kiwitown Electrical can provide a report on all things electrical providing recommendations for maintenance, wiring checks, and tips for savings.

It’s easy to book a job in with Kiwitown Electrical, using your phone or tablet camera, scan the QR code and follow the link to book online. You will link to a simple online form and can carry on your day knowing that the team will be in touch to confirm the time. You’ll receive a confirmation text which is sent out for you to select time and day of the appointment.

Daniel and the team at Kiwitown Electrical are proud to provide quality service, done once, done right in the Waikato region.

Recruitment

Avoiding holiday stress Reducing workplace anxiety leading up to Christmas

By Timmi Aplin-Barrett

With Christmas right around the corner, stress levels in the workplace are beginning to rise. Deadlines are rapidly approaching and to-do lists are growing longer. Tasks which once seemed achievable can suddenly seem incredibly overwhelming.

Independent human resource consultant, Libby Fraser, offers some sage advice on reducing workplace stress for both employees and employers in this hectic period.

“We can get so frantic in the last part of the year and it’s exhausting for people,” Libby explains.

“People often end up going into the Christmas period feeling very burnt out which is no fun when it’s meant to be a wellearned holiday time and you’re exhausted.”

Libby suggests employers should work on stopping and thinking about their people and their wellbeing during this time. Slowing

down can help people focus on what’s important and revise upcoming tasks.

She notes that reducing workplace stress, in theory, seems simple. “How it looks in practice, however, can be tricky.”

Taking a realistic and pragmatic approach regarding what can be done with the time left in the year and what can wait until next year can be a massive help in this undertaking.

“This might look like resetting some goals and targets. If it can wait, why not wait until next year when everyone comes back refreshed? Wait until the stress levels are down,” she explains.

However, Libby understands that the mindset around getting things done at the end of the year is one that’s unaccustomed to slowing down. “It’s tricky. It often goes against the ‘push, push, push’ before the end of the year kind of rush.”

Libby says these moments of slowing down don’t need to look like accepting less productivity. It just means working with what people, employers and employees alike can get done in the time that’s given without placing undue stress on them.

“You’ve just got to be really pragmatic about what you can achieve. You might need to re-meet with your team and have those conversations and re-set some of those targets,” she says.

Not only that, but Libby has always believed in a ‘looking after our people’ approach.

“I’m a big believer in praising and thanking staff for their contribution in a genuine and meaningful way,” Libby suggests. “Not just

at the end of the but certainly at least at the end of the year.”

She explains that this may not be able to be an act of extravagance or even in a monetary way from the employers.

“But an employer making the team feel valued and appreciated for their contribution, particularly in the year that’s been, I think it really makes a difference to people.”

Dayle ITM

With three North Island locations, we’re conveniently located to be your one-stop-shop for building supplies. With fifteen trucks on the road daily – delivering across Auckland, North Waikato and the Coromandel Peninsula, we’ll see you right!

Dayle ITM have been proudly familyowned and operated for over 45 years, and counting. We provide our customers with a personal, straight-forward approach to building supplies. Throughout our history, our core business objectives have remained the same: Being trusted as a one-stop-shop in the building industry, and an extension of our customers' business.

“We take huge pride in our team and this business, we have a loyal range of amazing clients, small and large. It really does feel like one huge family.” says Managing Director, Martin Day.

No matter the size of your next build, we can help. By purchasing from one account across all three Dayle ITM locations, your job just got easier. Being part of the ITM Co-operative also means we’re connected to over 90 stores across New Zealand –so we’re always there to get you what you need.

Going the extra mile? That’s us. We’re constantly investing and innovating in equipment to make sure we’re ahead

of the game. With three MiTek prenail frame and truss plants, we can speed up your project timeline. Our three plants are well-known in the industry for the highestquality products on offer.

Avondale

Founded in 1976 by Alan and Gloria Day, Dayle ITM Avondale started out fabricating Dayle Cottages, before moving to prenail frame and truss manufacturing. In 1997 Alan’s son Martin joined the business, and in 1998 Dayle Timber became part of the ITM Co-operative. This gave Dayle ITM the platform for expansion to supply more building products and services directly to the trade. We haven’t looked back since.

East Tamaki

Already in the ITM fold first as Smith Timber, then as Tamaki ITM, our East Tamaki site joined the Dayle ITM family in May 2019. With an onsite MiTek prenail frame and truss manufacturing plant plus its central Auckland location, Dayle ITM East Tamaki is perfectly situated for projects in central, east and south Auckland, as well as northern Waikato.

Kopu

Dayle ITM Kopu is your trade building partner on the Coromandel Peninsula and Hauraki Plains. With a brand-new store and a state-of-the-art MiTek prenail frame and truss manufacturing plant, our team is perfectly suited to produce accurate and efficient prenail frame and truss requirements for your next build.

Find us online at www.dayleitm.co.nz or call any of our three locations on 0800 DAYLE ITM (0800 32953 486)

Avondale: 713 Rosebank Road, Avondale. Monday – Friday: 7am-5pm.

East Tamaki: 21 Greenmount Drive, East Tamaki. Monday – Friday: 7am-5pm.

Kopu: 71 Kopu Road, Thames. Monday – Friday: 7am-5pm.

Taking care of business

By Natasha Parrant

Getting ready for the summer break

Many Aotearoa companies are preparing for the Christmas and New Year break, as it’s not too far away now. Most employees want to stay on top of their tasks leading up to the busy period, so the new year isn’t too stressful.

So, what do employees need to do before their company shuts down?

My Food Bag (MFB) South Island operations manager David Nokes says the team will continue working throughout the summer break. They’ve got weekly meal kits and Christmas boxes scheduled for delivery right up to Christmas and throughout the break. Work finishes on Christmas and New Year’s for the distribution team.

“We pack three brands out of the Christchurch distribution centre – MFB, Bargain Box, and Fresh Start. Plus, we’ve got our full MFB kitchen curated with a range of everything from everyday essentials to local bespoke ingredients, indulgent baking kits, and seasonal goodies. So, there are lots to do…”

Leading up to the summer break is the busiest time for MFB, which usually starts from the 12th of December until the 27th of December, he says.

“Since we’re providing a great selection of Christmas boxes, in addition to our standard weekly meal kit offering, our workload during this three-week period is significantly heightened.”

MFB likes to spread the workload out across early December.

“This helps to reduce stress and ensure the process is more enjoyable for our team during the week of Christmas.”

MFB ensures Christmas is enjoyable. The Christchurch distribution centre has a Christmas Pick Day, which provides Christmas pies, snacks, and festive music playing in the warehouse.

Priority Communications also comments on what needs to be done before the break.

“About six weeks before Christmas, we start looking at the key pieces of work that need to be completed before the end of the year, so our clients meet their targets, and we can all relax over the holiday period. This quite often includes finishing marketing and communications strategies, so that companies can start on new pieces of work when they get back,”

Priority Communications director Michele Hider says.

“We plan social media schedules for December/January and help clients communicate their Christmas messages. We also make sure these tasks are covered for

Back in the office again

How can employees prepare themselves for the shock and horror of returning to the office after the break?

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) acting head of employment relations Victoria (Tory) Bourne says MBIE does not have an agency-wide shutdown during summer.

“Some of our buildings close on the days between Christmas and New Year.”

In terms of work-from-home flexibility, Victoria says, “People may be able to work from home depending on their work and roles.

“Where possible, we strongly encourage employees to take time away from the workplace during the summer period.” MBIE has flexible work practices in place. “This allows employees to have a good work/life balance. It helps employees’ transition back to their work in the office or home environments at any time of the year.”

Trade Me chief people officer Annie Brown also discusses how essential it is for their employees to have a break.

“We know it’s important for our people to take a break and spend time recharging over the summer, which is why we shut

down for two weeks (starting December 23rd this year).

“We’re a flexible workplace all year round and we empower our people to structure their weeks around what works best for them and their team.

“We offer a work-from-home allowance to help our people get set up and a monthly utility allowance.”

Trade Me’s employees’ well-being is also prioritised at work. “We know our people are our biggest asset at Trade Me, so we work hard to take care of them.”

Xero’s APAC people experience director Amanda Penny says the team has a threeweek shutdown in the Southern Hemisphere, which can be taken anywhere within four weeks from mid-December to mid-January.

“We gift our Xero’s the days in between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Xero encourages the team to relax/unwind so that when they come back, they are “feeling rejuvenated and re-energised.”

Xero keeps their staff feeling motivated after the summer break. “When staff return to work after the summer break we host welcome back morning teas, and social events in the office,” she says.

Staff can decide if/when they want to come into the office. “Xero’s flexible working policy

The office is always decorated, there’s lots of chocolate around, and we have more social events, like our annual Christmas dinner and a picnic in the park before we head off.

our own business and set up work for us to do when things are quieter in January.” Some of the team has longer breaks than others. Michele says, “While we are always available to help with crisis comms issues, we will be staying out of the office between December 22nd and January 4th. Some of us will start back after the public holiday period but others will take another one or two weeks off.”

Priority Communications’ employees are highly motivated and love what they do, so they’re happy to keep working hard until the break. They have lots of fun in December.

“The office is always decorated, there’s lots of chocolate around, and we have more social events, like our annual Christmas dinner and a picnic in the park before we head off.”

gives them the opportunity to work where they perform best.”

The New Zealand Automobile Association (AA)’s national manager talent and culture development Aman Dhaliwal says their support office often closes for two weeks over the festive period, but AA has some crews available mostly 24/7, such as AA Roadservice and retail centres. Health and well-being are important to AA. Therefore, summer is “a great time for a refresh with warm weather and quality time with family and friends.

“We are encouraging all our people to take a break, as it has been a tough few years, and we are very proud of our frontline and wider teams for their hard work during such challenging times.”

Post-Covid, hybrid working has remained, which varies depending on an employee’s division and location.

“We have been quick to adopt a flexible working arrangement that brings people back into the office environment twothree days a week, as we believe social connectivity and engagement are highly important.”

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Enquire with your timber merchant or scan the above QR code to learn more!

Funeral Director

South Waikato Garage Doors Ltd

We are the only locallybased garage door company in South Waikato.

Choosing a new door is not an easy task. There are an awful lot of different makes and brands out there in the Waikato marketplace.

At South Waikato Garage Doors Ltd, we will arm you with the best knowledge and advice for your investment. We also have access to a large network of qualified tradesmen who may assist in areas that we are not qualified in or familiar with.

At South Waikato Garage Doors Ltd, we will work with you to provide you with the best quality garage doors. We guarantee that your installation will be performed to the highest standard by trained and well-qualified staff, sub-contractors, and service personnel.

Upon completion, our experts will leave your premises as tidy, if not tidier, than how they found them. Our promise is if you should ever be dissatisfied with the quality of our workmanship, we’ll put it right.

South Waikato Garage Doors Ltd stocks a wide range of garage door parts, so we

can offer you an extensive range to choose from. Our installation service is second to none. We also service and repair all makes and models of garage doors and automatic openers.

For safety, security and style, think South Waikato Garage Doors Ltd. You will be pleased with the way it looks and the increased security from our garage doors.

The company has many benefits as our team is honest, reliable, gives good advice, has great communication skills,

extensive knowledge about the products we use, and are very hardworking.

Our team serves the greater Waikato with a wide range of high-quality automatic opener and garage door parts, and affordable repairs, services, and installations.

Our staff cares about health and safety and knows the site safety requirements well, and provides strong workmanship as the well-qualified team installs to a high standard. Our experts also know how to do individual assessments and can provide expert advice on how to solve any issues.

Check out our website to find more information about the company, our product, parts and services, team and guarantees, and contact details: www.swgd.co.nz

Call us at (07) 888 8715 to get started with a new garage door. We are Waikato’s most trusted team for all doors and we look forward to hearing from you.

Products and services

• Sectional doors

• Tilt doors

• Roller doors

• Commercial, industrial and rural

• Automatic door opener commercial and domestic

• Garage door parts

• Automatic door opener parts

• We are also able to install our complete range of garage doors and also offer repair services.

Our guarantee

We can provide you, our customer, with the following guarantees:

• Professional service

• Quality products

• Quality installation

• Tidy premises on completion

• Qualified staff.

South Waikato Garage Doors Ltd

“When

Concrete industry awards to set new benchmark in excellence

The Concrete Industry Awards will be presented at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, a venue spectacularly situated at the foot of Auckland’s Harbour Bridge in Westhaven Marina, overlooking the Waitematā Harbour.

Concrete NZ chief executive, Rob Gaimster says the new industry awards are set to become the benchmark for excellence in all aspects of concrete design, construction, rehabilitation, research, and innovation.

Rob is naturally excited to open entries to the wider New Zealand building and construction sector, and expects a high level of interest based on concrete’s status as a critical material across residential, commercial and infrastructure works.

“These new awards are very much outwards facing and inclusive, focusing on projects and initiatives that involve all building and construction sector businesses, including Concrete NZ members, as well as their clients, academic institutions and government agencies,” Rob says.

“The awards also recognise the leaders and team members who are designing, constructing, preserving and repurposing New Zealand’s future, low carbon, built environment through the use of concrete.”

Along with the overall Premier Concrete Award, the following categories will be acknowledged:

• Excellence in Commercial Concrete

• Excellence in Concrete Infrastructure

• Excellence in Concrete Landscaping

• Excellence in Residential Concrete

• Excellence in Concrete for the Community

• Excellence in ConcreteInnovation

• Excellence in Concrete Remediation and Reuse Excellence in Architectural Concrete (Monte Craven Award).

“There is no doubt that competition amongst the category winners to take home the Premier Concrete Award will be fierce, as New Zealand has seen many impressive commercial, residential, infrastructure and remediation projects, not to mention research initiatives, achieve completion recently, all of which could not have been realised without concrete,” Rob says.

The Premier Concrete Award is the Concrete Industry Award’s top honour and recognises the overall winner of the eight category awards.

The recipient of the Premier Concrete Award is judged to exemplify outstanding achievement in the advancement of concrete design, construction, rehabilitation or research, supported by an uncompromising drive to contribute to New Zealand’s sustainable development and net zero carbon objectives.

In addition to celebrating the winning entries, Concrete NZ is looking forward to the awards gala itself, and anticipate being joined by many building and construction sector partners, either as entrants or sponsors.

“The event is an opportunity for businesses to help honour achievements across all forms of concrete construction, while at the same time connect with key influencers from within the concrete industry and wider building and construction sector, as well as with asset managers and property developers,” Rob adds.

Why enter?

The Concrete Industry Awards are an opportunity to:

• Acknowledge all the professionals who made a project come-to-life

• Demonstrate the project’s quality to the construction sector and beyond

• Showcase the project team’s expertise and commitment to potential clients.

Celebrate with concrete industry and construction sector peers at the Awards Gala – an evening not to be missed.

Sponsorship opportunities

The Concrete Industry Awards are the new benchmark for excellence in all aspects of concrete design, construction, rehabilitation, and research.

They recognise the leaders and teams who are building and preserving New Zealand’s future, low carbon, built environment. Being a sponsor of the awards is your opportunity to leverage an important event and position yourself alongside significant projects and the exceptional individuals who designed and built them.

Contact Jenna Jevons, Concrete NZ’s events, marketing and membership officer, to receive a Sponsorship Prospectus: jenna@ concretenz.org.nz.

Entry and sponsorship details can be found on the Concrete NZ website.

There is no doubt that competition amongst the category winners to take home the Premier Concrete Award will be fierce, as New Zealand has seen many impressive commercial, residential, infrastructure and remediation projects, not to mention research initiatives, achieve completion recently, all of which could not have been realised without concrete.

Concrete NZ

Level 4 Solnet House 70 The Terrace Wellington (04) 499 8820 admin@concretenz.org.nz www.concretenz.org.nz

Concrete NZ has announced that entries are open for the first-ever Concrete Industry Awards, which will be presented at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in early 2023.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron at the Waitematā Harbour in Auckland. Image courtesy of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Advanced full performance rebar splice

Griptec® is a full performance (tension / compression / cyclic / fatigue) rebar splicing system designed to comply with the world’s most stringent project specifications.

Designed for the connection of concrete reinforcing bars of diameter

12mm, 16mm, 20mm, 25mm, 32mm and 40mm.

Dextra in NZ is exclusive to

For more information visit fletcherreinforcing.co.nz/dextra-griptec

For all enquiries dextra@freo.co.nz

MAX® saving workers’ backs with new stand-up battery-powered rebar tier

MAX® is aiming to cut down on back strain for workers tying rebar on concrete slabs with a new stand-up battery-powered tying tool.

They have introduced the NEW MAX® RB401T-E Stand-up TwinTier™, the first tool of its kind that gives ironworkers the ability to tie rebar while standing upright.

Features of the new MAX® RB401T-E Stand Up Twintier™ Rebar Tier include:

• Reduced Back Strain – the RB401T-E is an ergonomic solution for backbreaking slab work.

• Adjustable Handles – users can adjust the handles to 2 positions, to find the most comfortable fit for their height.

• Triggerless Technology – an automatic contact mechanism allows the tool to instantly tie when pushed down over a rebar intersection.

• Shorter Tie Height – a wire bending mechanism produces a shorter tie height. Less concrete is needed to fully cover a wire tie.

• Tilt Sensor – the tilt-sensor prevents the tool from tying when angled upward.

• Enclosed Design – greater protection against debris and moisture entering the tool.

The tool’s ergonomic construction, along with its contact mechanism, which requires no pulling of a trigger, lets workers automatically form a tie when pushing the tool down on a rebar intersection. The long nose attachment allows the tool to glide into rebar intersections with minimal effort from the operator.

The TwinTier's “wire bending mechanism” feeds a precise amount of wire to match the thickness of the rebar being tied and cut down on the use of unnecessary wire. This bending mechanism consistently feeds, pulls back, twists and releases the perfect sized tie for each application.

A low “battery power consumption” design allows the tool to produce 4000 ties per charge using a 14.4v , 4.0 Ah Li-ion battery, which recharges in just 65 minutes.

All of these features work together to reduce instances of back strain and the development of musculoskeletal injuries for ironworkers. This means the significant risk of developing back pain in the long term was reduced by 55% using the RB401T-E.

The RB401T-E can tie D10 x D10 up to D19 x D19 rebar combinations for a variety of applications including, but not limited to, road and bridge decks, industrial foundations, commercial floors and water tanks.

Like other tools in the TwinTier family, the RB401T-E’s special attributes include its faster tying speed, a reduction in wire consumption and a short wire tie.

The RB401T-E also uses the same battery and TwinTier™ tie wire as the RB441T and RB611T handheld TwinTiers.

Because the RB401T-E is such a unique and sophisticated tool in the marketplace, paired with the evolving TwinTier™ solution, contractors should find that their workforce is safeguarded from what has been a backbreaking industry.

The Battery-Powered RB401T-E Keeps You Standing

For more information visit the SIFCO website - www.sifco.co.nz

All of these features work together to reduce instances of back strain and the development of musculoskeletal injuries for ironworkers.

E2 Code Compliance & Alternative Solutions

E2 compliant Threshold drainage

E2 Building Code

Clause 7.3.2.1 of the E2 Building Code lists the requirements for an acceptable solution for level threshold drainage:

• A channel that is 150mm deep, 200mm wide.

• Maximum channel length of 3.7m.

• 1:200 minimum fall to outlet.

• The grating that sits over the channel must:

• Be able to be fully removed for maintenance.

• Be supported independently of the door frame.

• Have a continuous gap of 12mm.

Looking for an alternative solution? (E1 compliant)

If site conditions allow, a precast grated channel or slot drain can be installed against the building as a level threshold alternative solution, complying with the E1 Building Code.

To meet consent requirements, most councils require manufacturer’s calculations to demonstrate the performance of the system.

• ACO offers a free hydraulic design service.

According to the functionality of our ACO products the best practice would be to make sure nothing obstructs the clear flow inside the channel such as legs sitting in the channel base. A blocked channel can even cause water to back up into the cladding.

System fully supported by the cantilever arm.

Ideal for tile and paved exteriors. Can be scheduled so the landscaping contractor is not interfering with the installation of the drain.

OnePour is a bolted bracket system using the landscaping concrete for its support.

• Perfect for concrete floor finishes.

Both products do not require a rubber spacer or leg for structural integrity.

Each alternative solution needs to be addressed on a project-byproject basis. After providing detail and evidence, of an E2 alternative being fit for purpose at design stage, this will be checked by the designer and then go for coucil consent. More

• Provides product details at all stages of the project. Each council has different requirements, be sure to check with your ACO representative before choosing a drain to make sure it meets local requirements.

E1 compliant Threshold drainage

ACO KlassikDrain - grated channel

• E1 alternative solution.

• Often quicker & easier to install.

• Outlets can be spaced up to 80m.

Product selections include ACO KlassikDrain or Brickslot, and PowerDrain for heavy duty traffic applications.

080 info@aconz.co.nz

ACO. we care for water

ACO OnePour ThresholdDrain

ACO Cantilever ThresholdDrain

Slab on grade – the multi-purpose flooring solution

By Concrete NZ

Defined as any concrete slab poured over soil, slab-on-grade concrete floors are becoming increasingly popular for new residential properties throughout New Zealand.

This increased uptake is based on a range of benefits that include fire resistance, sound control, durability, value for money, and a huge range of attractive finishes.

Furthermore, as designers and their clients become more familiar with the principles of passive solar design and thermal mass, a concrete floor’s ability to offer an efficient alternative to traditional methods of heating in winter (and cooling in summer), will contribute to New Zealand homes becoming more comfortable and energy efficient.

Thermal comfort and reduced energy use

A reduction in a home’s energy use can be achieved through the incorporation of passive solar design principles in the building’s preliminary design stage.

A key component of passive solar design is to exploit the mass of heavy building materials, such as an exposed concrete floor, in conjunction with the sun’s changing elevation angle during the year.

By using concrete’s high mass together with the heat of the sun - or solar energymore comfortable living conditions can be achieved with reduced reliance on space heating or cooling, and subsequent reduced energy demands.

An exposed, well-insulated concrete floor has the capability to absorb, store and later radiate the sun’s heat, off-setting temperature troughs and peaks, to create a moderate living environment.

Employing the thermal mass of a concrete floor can help to reduce or even eradicate the need for energy-intensive heating (and cooling devices), while maintaining a comfortable temperature for occupants.

To optimise a concrete floor’s thermal mass, it must be used in conjunction with appropriate thermal insulation, window placement for good solar gains and natural ventilation as part of an integrated and sustainable passive solar design.

Fire resistance

An exposed concrete floor is non-flammable, noncombustible, and more robust in a fire situation than alternative materials.

A concrete floor does not emit hazardous smoke, gas or toxic fumes during a fire event, and can more readily be repaired post fire, minimising inconvenience and cost.

Sound control

The solid robustness of a concrete floor renders footfall almost silent when wearing soft shoes, socks, or going barefoot around the house.

Unlike alternative lightweight flooring materials, concrete does not suffer from the audible cracking and creaking associated with internal temperature swing and age.

Durability

Virtually impervious to household wear and tear, concrete floors do not stain or rot after becoming wet, or scuff or dent upon impact. Requiring only minimal surface preparation a resilient concrete floor will retain its level qualities indefinitely, providing decades of low maintenance and carefree living.

Health

As a component within passive solar design, concrete floors help lessen temperature troughs, reducing the potential for mould, fungi and dust mites, and in turn creating a healthy living environment, particularly for the elderly, very young or those with a respiratory or asthmatic condition.

Feature Concrete Floor

Energy storage capacity ü

Climate moderation ü

Aesthetically pleasing ü

Non-combustible ü

Suitable for under floor heating ü

Impact resistant ü

Value for money ü

Will not creak ü

Aesthetics

There is no doubt that a timber floor looks beautiful. However, so too does a polished concrete floor, and that is only one of a huge number of concrete surface finishes.

Through the use of dyes, stains, stamps, stencils, polishing, grinding and decorative aggregates (coloured stone, glass and shell) you are only limited by your imagination when it comes to concrete surface finishes.

Value for Money

In terms of price, a concrete floor is comparable to alternatives. While the cost of a concrete floor can increase depending on the surface finish specified, the cost of a timber floor may also rise when the complexities of installation and required finish are considered.

From a whole-of-life cost perspective the savings associated with a concrete floor’s energy efficiency and implicit health benefits make it hard to overlook.

Conclusion

The range of benefits offered by slab-ongrade concrete floors will see it remain the preferred flooring option for New Zealand homes.

Combined with its thermal comfort and reduced energy requirements, a concrete floor’s durability, fire resistance, sound insulation, value for money, and huge range of decorative finishes are second to none.

In short, concrete floors provide peace of mind under foot.

Photos supplied by Concrete NZ information and communications manager Adam Leach.

information and communications manager Adam Leach

EXPOL FLOOR AND SLAB INSULATION SOLUTIONS.

For over 40 years EXPOL have been at the leading edge of delivering Lightweight Polystyrene Construction Solutions.

With the introduction of the Building Code changes in 2023 our technical and engineering team have designed and developed a selection of New Generation floor and slab insulation solutions. These meet the code and address the specific needs of the varying projects and environments throughout New Zealand.

We’ve taken the hard work out of it.

Check out the EXPOL Concrete Foundation Insulation Calculator which shows you the EXPOL solutions that meet the new code for your project.

Experience paves the way…

Concrete Pumping Equipment NZ Ltd commenced business as a supplier to the New Zealand and South Pacific concrete pumping industry in 2003.

2023 will see CPENZ celebrate its 20th year in business, during that time we have delivered over 250 concrete pumping, spraying, placing and mixing machines into New Zealand’s construction industry.

In a small country like New Zealand, service, reputation, knowledge and integrity is key!

CPENZ is the agent for Putzmeister Concrete and Mortar Pumps, Sany Concrete Machinery, Aliva Shotcrete, Gunite Equipment, Baron Mixers and Conveyors.

We provide quality after sales, service and technical support and strive to keep our reputation as the best in the business.

CPENZ currently employs 10 people bringing together a collaboration of expertise from the Concrete Pumping, Readymix, Automotive, Hydraulic, and Sales industries. We have a family-based business philosophy, we are all in this together and we like to think if we look after our staff, they will look after our customers.

Key supplier for Quality Concrete / Mortar Equipment

We have proudly represented Putzmeister in New Zealand for nearly 20 years which has been the preferred choice for construction related concrete pumping equipment.

Recently we acquired the SANY agency where we are able to offer our customers an economical, globally proven range of robust Concrete pumping equipment. Collectively we develop, produce, sell and serve our customers with high quality, highly reliable machines for pumping, distributing, mixing and placing concrete, mortar as well as preparing, temporarily storing, processing, and transporting these materials. We strive to serve our customers by being close to their business

and this continues to beour mission looking to the future.

From large concrete boom pumps to small grout mortar machines, mixers and onsite conveyors, CPENZ has a vast array of machinery suitable for most applications.

CPENZ carries at any one time an inventory of over 25,000 spare parts and places weekly shipments all over the world in order to meet urgent spare part requirements. We offer longer lasting, better performing parts and accessories, which means greater savings and less downtime.

What sets us apart

We use innovative technologies that are constantly updated as per the latest research and development, along with ever demanding market requirements. We have the ability to customize equipment to the exact needs of our customers and provide effective, long term and simple solutions to complex problems through our hardy and versatile machines. We effectively and actively are able to partner with clients on projects and help them deliver on their promises. We have access to a vast range of experience from our close-knit network of partners in each nook and corner of the world.

The future

Electric Technology

Putzmeister has already launched the first zero-emissions truck-mounted concrete pump.

They also feature a significantly reduced noise level, with impressive efficiency leading to greater profitability. Environmental protection has become a

decisive factor when tendering and awarding construction contracts. In urban areas worldwide, regulations are becoming particularly strict – both for CO2 emissions and the noise level of construction machinery.

The solution of integrating a plug-in hybrid in the hydraulic pump train is not just environmentally friendly, but also saves fuel, space and weight – and it is so innovative that Putzmeister already has a patent pending for it.

The iONTRON from Putzmeister is now available for machines in the 20 to 40-metre class.

Joining our innovative range is the all new iONTRON eMixer.

Putzmeister is paving the way for environmentally friendly concrete transport offering low-decibel machines which are less intrusive on residential / commercial sites.

The iONTRON eMixer is not only a win for the environment, but also a direct hit from an economic point of view due to the rising prices for fossil fuels.

CPENZ’s continued growth is a testament to the knowledge, experience, support, and quality of the products and services we offer our customers.

New Zealand’s leading supplier of concrete pumping equipment & spare parts

We offer a superior level of support with experienced technicians locally & worldwide. Plus, a range of training programs tailored to our customers' needs.

CPENZ IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE BEEN APPOINTED THE EXCLUSIVE DEALERSHIP OF SANY CONCRETE EQUIPMENT.

Inforce

Inforce has taken it’s niche area of floor slab and external pavement design company to the next level over the past 12 months. The business has completed many large and complex projects across Australia and New Zealand. Inforce has quickly become the premier go-to company in the construction market for optimizing concrete floors and pavements.

Managing Director of Inforce, Tom McGaveston says, the market demand for optimization has never been greater due to pressure on projects. Many factors create these pressures including; cost increases, program delays and scarcity of common construction materials which we have previously taken for granted.

An Inforce design reduces program, reduces reliance on critical materials and reduces labor. Plus, there are many tangible dollar savings per square meter of concrete because of their smart design.

Inforce’s unique design method is predominantly based around fibre reinforcing technology which has been in place in areas such as Europe for many years. This allows the team to bring past experience and value they have gained over a long period of time to the market in New Zealand.

It’s taken years to gain this experience and knowledge, but Inforce is an excellent place to take on the seriously large complex challenges the business has been thrown.

Some projects include the new Waikeria Prison project in the Waikato, where there were many aspects to consider, compared to the standard loadings with many different pavement types depending on it’s purpose.

It’s projects like those which grow deeper knowledge in the team and the satisfaction of seeing designs turn into easy to construct optimized concrete on the ground is awesome.

The extensive Manawatu Gorge project is another large one Inforce has been involved in this year, where the contractor there was looking for ways to simplify the methodology of reinforcing shotcrete on difficult retaining structures.

While most day-to-day designs are in the industrial building space, Tom says it’s nice to get some variation in the work they do.

Whilst fibre reinforcing for concrete has been in place for a long time, fibre reinforcing for asphalt is a newer and more exciting concept.

Inforce have recently partnered with Surface Tech from the USA who have developed and patented the technology and it's catching on rapidly. Previously, there has been an increase in lack of strength, fatigue, rutting and cracking of asphalt.

Tom says when he was visiting the USA looking at the projects and speaking with key independent players in that market, the story was the same from all of them.

“Fibre reinforcing asphalt is a gamechanger as far as performance goes. There is nothing else like it on the market including liquid polymers.”

Tom said being a physical reinforcement in the asphalt helps people to quickly understand how it works.

“We reinforce concrete, why not asphalt too? There is much to do with verifying the extensive USA testing to match Australia and New Zealand requirements but much of that testing is international and easily transferable.

“We hope to get the pavements underway quickly which will show the difference in performance in real-life on the ground in our part of the world,” he says.

With extensive publicity on the quality of our roads in New Zealand, the asphalt fibre reinforcing has the potential to be a significant part of making our roads last longer and be more resilient moving into the future.

The longevity of asphalt will help improve eco-friendly aspects by using less environmental resources and ensuring tax payer money is used as efficiently as possible.

Where to from here with Inforce?

Tom says we have a massive pipeline of work ahead of them and it’s exciting seeing the team grow at each quarterly meeting where the team gets together to map out the next quarter and solve any problems or challenges.

Inforce head office is based in Westport New Zealand, with staff in all corners of the world. There are engineering staff in Australia and New Zealand and professional staff in Europe, UK and Asia.

This makes Inforce a truly global team with the ability to tackle any challenge that’s thrown their way.

To find out more make sure to visit inforceglobal.com.

Inforce

52 Russell Street Westport, 7825 0800 463 672 info@inforceglobal.com inforceglobal.com

Winning big at the SCNZ Awards

By Timmi Aplin-Barrett

More than 200 structural steel industry leaders and specialists attended the 2022 Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) Awards.

The winners were announced at the event which celebrates the best of the best in steel construction.

Held in Nelson on the 4th of November, the annual conference and gala awards dinner followed the steel structures seminar which took place the previous day.

SCNZ Chair David Moore says the high calibre of projects presented at the awards was a reflection of the skills, experience and commitment of the industry’s people.

“It’s what sets our local structural steel sector apart from the rest of the world which is so important in a post-Covid environment when local expertise continue to be in high demand,” he says.

D&H Steel Construction took out the Supreme Award and the $1.5M-$3M category for the NL2A Shared Pathway. Steel features heavily in the Shared Path, which follows the geometry of the existing KiwiRail tracks. D&H Steel provided value engineering to make the 2.9km mostly offroad pathway buildable and practicable.

D&H Steel also won the over $3M award alongside Aurecon for the Puhinui Station Interchange.

The interchange is a striking transport hub that supports the shift to low-carbon transport options.

The under $500K category was won by John Jones Steel for the Te Aika Sculpture. The sculpture is 8m high and 10m wide and was fabricated in one piece to ensure it was symmetrical before being split apart for transport and painting. It will sit on the Avon riverbank and form an entranceway to the Te Pae Convention Centre in Christchurch.

John Jones Steel also won the $500K-$1.5M category for the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Bridges. The three architecturally designed brides that cross the Avon River in Medway and Snell are 45m long, 4.5m high and 3m wide.

They were trial assembled in John Jones Steel’s workshop to ensure accuracy before being seamlessly installed.

The inaugural Earthquake Strengthening award went to Petone Engineering for Generator – Waring Taylor.

Strengthening work on this heritage building brought it up to 100 percent of the New Building Standard and involved adding new five-storey shear walls and a full-height structural steel K-frame.

VIP Structural Steel won the Standalone Residential category for Rocking Horse Road.

The home’s design references Christchurch buildings of the 1960s with its use of embossed blockwork and structural steel. The home’s design has resulted in a smart structure to overcome the challenges of building in a floodplain.

SCNZ also announced the winners of the Apprentice of the Year and Young Achiever of the Year awards.

“We are committed to investing in the future of New Zealand’s structural steel industry and developing the young members of our trade, which is so important given the effect of Covid on New Zealand’s capacity,” David says. “As a well-established industry, we have an obligation to impart our skills and experience to our up-and-coming structural steel specialists to safeguard the sector’s future and support our economic recovery.”

This is proven by the fact that more than 10 percent of the total workforce employed by local structural steel contractors are in a training programme and 70 percent of structural steel contractors employ an average of five apprentices.

Zayne Pullan from Red Steel won Apprentice of the Year. Zayne started his apprenticeship in 2019 and promptly impressed with his cando attitude and his ability to learn and grow.

Red Steel Workshop Manager Alister Varcoe says that Zayne has constantly grown in his ability to fabricator and weld complex, heavy structural steel items.

D&H Steel Construction won the over $3M award alongside Aurecon for the Puhinui Station Interchange.

Abishai Tupuola from Grayson Engineering took out the Young Achiever of the Year award.

Zayne Pullan from Red Steel won Apprentice of the Year.

As a well-established industry, we have an obligation to impart our skills and experience to our up-and-coming structural steel specialists to safeguard the sector’s future and support our economic recovery.

The SCNZ Chair’s Award went to Michail Karpenko, the Welding Centre general manager at Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA).

“Zayne is now one of our leading fabricators and completes with ease some of the most challenging fabrication and welding projects that Red Steel has ever seen,” he says.

Abishai Tupuola from Grayson Engineering took out the Young Achiever of the Year award.

He graduated from university with a degree in graphic design and worked as a labourer for Grayson Engineering while he searched for a job in his chosen field. Finding a job in line with his qualification proved difficult but he remained positive.

“Abishai has shown great motivation,” says Grayson Engineering Workshop supervisor Kurt Hatchard.

As a result, Abishai has worked progressively in all areas of Grayson

Engineering from on site to the workshop and the office.

Meanwhile, the SCNZ Chair’s Award went to Michail Karpenko, the Welding Centre general manager at Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA).

This prestigious award recognises individuals who have made a significant and lasting contribution to New Zealand’s structural steel industry.

David says Michail has been instrumental in helping the New Zealand structural steel industry raise the bar in the quality and compliance space.

“His guidance and support was particularly invaluable in developing the industry-led Steel Fabrication Certification (SFC) scheme.”

We are committed to investing in the future of New Zealand’s structural steel industry and developing the young members of our trade, which is so important given the effect of Covid on New Zealand’s capacity.

The Blockhouse Bay boardwalk’s close proximity to the railway line.

A cyclist on the Blockhouse Bay boardwalk.

The under $500K category was won by John Jones Steel for the Te Aika sculpture.

Hibond 80® design software, gives you the versatility to tackle design efficiency, whilst being intuitive enough to track and analyse design decisions giving you greater confidence in achieving the result you want.

hibond80.co.nz

SURFACE FINISHING SPECIALISTS

Syntech offers Abrasive Blasting Booths from Mechanical to our High-Production Pneumatic Recovery Systems.

In conjunction with this, we are a Direct Graco spray equipment supplier, and the New Zealand Distributor for Elcometer Inspection Equipment.

For all your Abrasive blasting & coating equipment requirements, contact the team at Syntech.

Our Range

Vapour Blasters

Compressors

Air Preps

Lighting Plants

Blast Pots

Blast Cabinets

Paint Sprayers

Bristle Blasters

Coating Inspection Gauges

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12B Saunders Place | Avondale | Auckland 1026

12B Saunders Place | Avondale | Auckland 1026 3/223 Annex Road | Middleton | Christchurch

Better building with wood

The Timber Design Centre is helping the design and construction industry build a better future for Aotearoa with timber.

They want to create a future where the benefits of building in wood are widely understood and building owners and property developers commission wooden buildings.

They are building a knowledge base that can be trusted as a single source of truth about timber design.

The Timber Design Centre is a collective of experts from across the value chain, leveraging established relationships with wood processors, design professionals, builders, QS, engineers and many others.

They’re striving for a future where design professionals specify timber in building designs as standard, builders and contractors construct high-quality wooden buildings and the public widely understands the benefits of building in wood.

Timber Design Centre director, Dr Robert Finch, says the company is playing a key role in supporting and encouraging greater use of mass timber building products within the New Zealand construction sector.

“Timber, in all its forms, is a highly desirable building material and the more that is sourced from sustainable managed forests and deployed into built structures, the greater the sequestration of CO2 from the atmosphere,” he says.

“This will bring real benefits to our communities, the build environment and the planet.

“The Timber Design Centre will promote and assist more widespread selection and application of New Zealand timber into built structures, with a particular focus on commercial, retail, public and industrial building sector,” Robert says.

“New Zealand, along with most other countries in the world, is facing the very real challenge of limiting and dramatically reducing total greenhouse gas emissions to minimise the adverse effects of climate change.”

He says a critically important mitigation strategy in sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere is to ensure that sustainably grown timber is recognised and used wherever possible and appropriate in the built environment sector.

Ultimately, the Timber Design Centre is planning to drive a culture-shift to using timber in all buildings, particularly mid-tohigh rise. This will provide long-term demand for wood products, which supports greater investment in domestic wood processing and diversification of New Zealand’s forestry exports.

To achieve their vison of bringing on people passionate about timber construction and its benefits, the Timber Design Centre supports the entire value chain by providing expert advice, research, information and education.

They foster connections so they can share and grow knowledge, techniques and skills across the country.

The Timber Design Centre provides a range of services from guidance and information, research and development and advice and assistance to promoting timber in construction as well as workshops, seminars, webinars and fieldtrips.

They’re creating a one-stop-shop of key information, research findings and guidelines on timber design and construction.

They’re also undertaking research to understand the barriers to designing in timber and how they can be removed; identify technical issues and hurdles and developing new solutions.

As well as acting as a hub for key technical information, the Timber Design Centre can also provide technical expertise for the industry to tap into directly.

They provide independent, impartial and expert information about the advantages and benefits of using timber in construction. The Timber Design Centre doesn’t just provide a wealth of information and advice; they’re also supporting a prestigious competition; the Timber Design Awards. After a Covid-forced hiatus, the awards will be celebrated with a gala dinner in November of 2023.

These awards highlight the latest advances in New Zealand’s timber construction capability, proving that the degree of creativity and innovation in wood-based design is accelerating at pace. Winners show an understanding of timbers resilience, strength, acoustics, sustainability, beauty and design versatility.

For the upcoming awards, entries may include buildings or projects completed from the 1st of July, 2019 to the 31st of December, 2022.

On the 31st of May, 2023, stage one entries close. On the 30th of June, 2023, the stage one judging will be announced. Between the 14th and 31st of July, 2023, the stage two entries will be confirmed.

And, on the 31st of August, 2023, the stage two judging will be announced. Finally, the awards will take place in November with the date still to be decided.

www.timberdesigncentre.co.nz

Timber Design Centre Private Bag 3020 Rotorua

St Patricks Church. Photograph by Stephen Goodenough.

Lindis Lodge. Photograph by Patrick Reynolds.

The Christchurch CSO Centre. Photograph by Stephen Goodenough.

It comes from Mother Nature

Riley got her job after the woodwork teacher at her school told her there was an apprentice job going at Hale’s joinery at Addington.

Trees are from Mother Nature, she says and it was so eye-opening to see all the beautiful things Hales were making for people out of wood.

Riley says working with her hands is a much better life than daydreaming over paperwork in an office somewhere.

www.woodourlowcarbonfuture.nz

RILEY PONDER R.A. Hale Joinery | Christchurch

Over 10 years of mass timber

XLam leads the New Zealand market in the supply of Cross Laminated Timber Panels (CLT).

Auckland City Mission, Auckland NZ (Photograph: Alex Wallace)

Building a sustainable future

A high-performance home is an investment in the future –for you, your family, and the local and global community.

When thinking about building a home, people often focus on what it looks like, but what about what it feels like to live in?

Imagine your sanctuary, a place to breathe easy and feel comfortable all year, without worries about drafts, overheating, mould, condensation, or energy bills.

People are demanding more than ever from the buildings they occupy. We have a rising awareness of how we as consumers have an impact on climate change.

What can we do to use resources smartly and more efficiently without compromising on quality?

Covid has shone the spotlight on the indoor spaces that we spend our time in – are they comfortable, fit for purpose, and with appropriate ventilation?

We are lucky in New Zealand that we don’t face the extreme temperatures that other parts of the world do. But then even more so we should question why traditionally our buildings are so cold in the winter, and overheating in the summer.

With any build or house purchase, we need to consider our priorities.

Sometimes we need to reconsider what is essential. Planning a simpler shape or a slightly smaller house in order to prioritise overall how the building will perform is just smart and forward-thinking.

Passive House is a proven and effective method of creating high-performance buildings that are both energy-efficient and healthy.

A Passive House building is designed and built to the climate, and will have excellent air quality, minimal use of energy required for heating and cooling, and a comfortable temperature maintained year-round.

The name Passive House comes from the German Passivhaus, with haus meaning building, and passive referring to the majority of heating and cooling demand being met through “passive” sources such as the sun, orientation and shading, or the heat emitted by occupants and household appliances.

Often people talk about applying “Passive House principles”, but this is a bit like assembling the ingredients of a cake and then ignoring the recipe.

You may end up with something edible, but it probably won’t be entirely what you expected, and it’s possible that the ingredients won’t interact in the way that was intended at all.

Passive Houses done right means that the different components of the building and how they interact with each other and the local climate can be modelled, predicted and measured.

Building a Passive House is a collaborative process – every step is considered, evaluated, and checked.

Aiming for Passive House standard means that all the way through the design, build and completion, a skilled professional certifier will be independently checking progress. This makes it much more likely that any errors in design or construction will be noticed and can be resolved much earlier.

A Passive House designer or builder knows how thoroughly their work will be checked and that they will be held accountable for the performance of the building.

And all this means that the homeowner can be confident they get what they paid for – a

durable asset with lasting performance, which will continue to perform as highly as expected for lifetimes.

While Passive House has a specific focus on building performance, it is also complementary with other considerations and schemes.

For example, achieving Passive House standard automatically means a number of credits towards Homestar.

Homebuilders may also consider things such as locally sourced, low carbon or recycled materials. Other considerations might be minimising construction waste, or making buildings more accessible for old age.

Passive House Institute New Zealand, Te Tōpūtanga o te Whare Korou ki Aotearoa (PHINZ), is the hub of the Passive House community in New Zealand.

Our Te Reo name means the grouping of the houses of vitality, a name which captures the purpose of Passive House beautifully.

Projects such as Ethos Homes’ Bushland Park subdivision demonstrate that we can and should build attractive, healty, comfortable and sustainable living communities.

Passive House – Homes Where People Thrive, is a free brochure published by PHINZ which can be downloaded here: https:// passivehouse. nz/PH-Homes-Thrive.

A list of Passive House professionals including designers, builders and component suppliers can be found here: https://passivehouse.nz/ directory/.

Kinetic Electrical

For over 20 years, Kinetic Electrical have been working across New Zealand to bring the very best in electrical services. They make sure they fully understand what’s required, prepare for the project at hand and deliver the right solution.

The skill and experience of their electricians is second to none but the thing that really sets them apart is the systems and procedures they have in place to support them and the work they do. Kinetic Electrical is constantly striving to work smarter which means they achieve better results for their clients.

Kinetic Electrical offer a wide range of services:

• Industrial

• Commercial

• Residential

• Rural

• Data and communication

• Switchboard design

• Facilities management

• Water management

• New housing

The industrial team provides a prompt and efficient call out service for plant and machinery malfunctions, any time of day of the night. Their industrial electricians fault finding skills have been honed from years of experience and can quickly resolve any issues your plant encounters. They provide advice on ways to pre-empt and anticipate problems, moving from “applying band aids” to making changes and improvements that have proven to be more cost-effective, long-term solutions. Kinetic Electrical have established, close relationships with all of the major suppliers in the industry.

This ensures competitive pricing and up to date technical information is availablefor client’s projects.

Kinetic Electricals’ commercial team are experts in designing, installing and integrating cost effective, commercial electrical solutions. They service commercial areas such as schools, hospitality industries, warehousing, office blocks and more. They focus on getting it right from the outset. That means investing sufficient time to understand the project fully, being realistic regarding timeframes and recognising potential challenges.

The residential team have developed a reputation for being trusted, professional residential electricians. Clients can rest assured the team will respect your home and your wishes. Kinetic Electrical have been providing residential electrical services throughout New Zealand for over 30 years. Their registered electricians have seen it all and will deliver on any project, big or small. They have nationwide relationships and competitive pricing on the markets leading home products and solutions. From LED lighting through to extraction fans and full home automation.

If you’re located rurally, Kinetic Electrical can assist you too. Whether it’s dairy sheds, irrigation or wastewater treatment, the companies farm electricians have the experience to service rural communities. Their rural electricians are committed to meeting the demands of their rural or farm customers, no matter how remote they are. Kinetic Electrical provide a prompt and efficient call out services for farms and rural clients for any time of the day or night.

No matter where you are, the team can assist with all electrical needs.

Kinetic Electrical 06 878 1103

www.kinetic-electric.co.nz

Challenge Fuel & Moore (Reefton)

Our locally owned and operated service station is conveniently located on the corner of Sinnamon and Church Streets.

We have been providing the Reefton community with our services for over 9 years. We provide the local community, business and visitors to the area with a vast range of services including trailer hire. We have many of your everyday items available in store, as well as hot food.

With our on-site workshop and A Grade Mechanic we are able to keep the locals up-to-date with vehicle servicing and repairs, warrants of fitness and tyre repairs.

www.challenge.net.nz

Taking care of yourself during the holidays

The MATES Helpline is available 24/7 throughout the Christmas and New Year holiday period including all the public holidays because this time of year can still be hard.

More than half of all New Zealanders – 51 percent – feel added financial and social stresses during the festive season.

For some of us, the pressure is on to create a magical day for our tamariki and whānau. For others, the Kirihimete period can increase loneliness and hardship, with limited access to kai, transport and other services.

Try to keep in mind that the true gift of the season is our presence, not our presents.

If you know a mate isn’t traveling well, we sure to check in and make sure they’re all good. Make sure you’re looking after yourself too during this busy time of the year: Keep active

Keeping physically active is great for your health and also helps improve your mental health too.

Take a break

Take five minutes for yourself to stop and breathe. Make sure you get enough sleep and some time put aside in the day to relax.

Stay in touch

Stay in touch with your friends of whānau or connect with people in your community. If you know someone that is alone/isolated, drop them a line to check in with them.

Watch what you eat and drink

A healthy balanced diet is good for both your physical and mental health. Set limits on how much alcohol you drink and stick to it. Keep expectations manageable and forget perfection

Be realistic about what you can do and achieve. Remember to set a budget when you are shopping and don’t forget that often with added stress and pressure it often ends up being less than perfect.

Learn to say no

Remember, its ok to say ‘no’ and sit some things out, spreading out your events so they are not all packed into one day may also help.

If you are alone and/or doing it tough, it helps to plan ahead.

Even if you don’t feel like celebrating, don’t isolate yourself these holidays. If you don’t have anyone you can spend time with, plan

to look after yourself on the day - treat yourself by doing something you really enjoy, get plenty of rest, eat your favourite food, exercise to release your “feel good” endorphins and enjoy a good movie, fishing, or a book.

If you are grieving.

Whether recent or some time ago, Christmas can be a painful reminder of your loss. Many people feel a range of conflicting emotions like sadness, enjoyment and guilt. Remember - It’s OK to take time out and allow yourself to feel.

It’s also ok to relax and enjoy yourself: it doesn’t mean you love or miss the person any less. No matter how you feel, try to surround yourself with people who can support you and share your memories.

Other things that may be comforting are finding a quiet place to remember the person, writing the person a letter and/ or going to places or doing things that you used to do together.

Christmas can be stressful – but it doesn’t have to be.

Most importantly, ask for help. Talk to someone if you need help, its ok not to be ok but it’s not ok to do nothing about it.

Call MATES at 0800 111 315.

Call the National Helpline 1737.

What MATES does

The MATES programme builds and strengthens communities in the workplace and across the industry – helping our people to be supportive and provide an environment that encourages positive wellbeing. The impact of this communitybased approach then goes beyond the workplace and into our everyday lives.

Suicide is everyone’s business - it does not discriminate. Our construction industry is losing nearly one person every week to suicide, and 99 percent of those that we lose are our men.

Determined to deliver.

Southbase is a specialist design and build construction company that has delivered over $1.5B of projects in New Zealand across the health and clinical research, education, civic, residential, student accommodation, industrial and commercial sectors.

Southbase provides clients with a broad range of construction management and technology solutions throughout New Zealand. We bridge the gap between conceptualisation and delivery by offering our bespoke collaborative solution. Founded in 2013, the business is backed by solid governance, which has rapidly propelled the organisation to become one of New Zealand’s leading construction companies, employing over 160 industry professionals across seven regions.

Branded Kiwi

for your business’s stand out needs.

We have now increased our signage capacity, so while you’re getting all of your fleet wraps done and your building signwritten, you can tick your business cards off your list, finally set up that website you have been putting off and get your team looking slick with some new branded uniforms. All while only dealing with one company, under one roof. Never has it been this easy to manage your company's branding needs!

With a diverse range of experience in our team, totalling over 75+ years, we’re sure to bring a fresh new perspective to your branding needs. Combine this with our gold partnership with 3M, we can pull off projects of any size, with confidence.

We’ve been there done that, we started as a small business (Geraldine Signs) in the

garage of our leader Sean Davidson. We understand the trials and tribulations of not only starting a business, but getting it found and establishing a name for yourself within the Canterbury market.

Today, we are a dedicated team of seven creatives who have just moved into a massive new space that we are itching to fill with brands from all over Canterbury, applying in ways that you would have never thought of.

Our team doesn’t do standard. We don’t believe in sticking to the status quo. Each brand, each business, and each message all have different needs and a different market to appeal to. That is why we thrive on thinking outside of the box and doing things in ways that others wouldn’t think of.

For the last two years, we have invested significantly into our systems, and processes in which our services flow and how they interact with our clients.

Over the next year, we aim to release new and improved solutions to help put the power back in the hands of our clients so that brand management becomes easy for business owners.

Today, our dream is to be the one-stopshop for Canterbury’s branding needs, providing a painless service, and a dedicated person to deal with all of your branding needs.

Branded Kiwi is ready to help you on your brand's journey, be that an innovative new idea, to uplifting your existing brand and plastering it all over the place for everyone to see. We’re looking forward to working with you.

For the past two years, we have been slowly finding our feet in the Timaru market. Testing what works and what doesn’t. It’s safe to say, we found it! Welcome to the next phase in Branded Kiwi’s journey, the all under one roof solution

Each brand, each business, and each message all have different needs and a different market to appeal to. That is why we thrive on thinking outside of the box and doing things in ways that others wouldn’t think of.

CJ Industries

CJ Industries is synonymous with civil construction in the Nelson Tasman region. Established as a family business over 40 years ago, the company has adapted and diversified to keep pace with the ever-changing construction market.

CJ Industries has a workforce of nearly 100 staff. They bring with them a specialised skill set, enabling the ability to undertake a wide variety of projects large and small. Spread over a range of divisions including construction, aggregates, transport, sealing, workshop, and administration.

Some services include:

• Subdivisions

• Premix concrete supply

• Earthworks

• Demolition

• Chip-seal

• Asphalt

• Drainage

• Residential projects.

There are three simple steps to complete a client’s next project, which include:

1. Visualise

Clients can talk to the team about their idea, objectives, and other important factors

2. Design

Clients can work with the team closely to figure out the most cost-effective result to fulfil the client’s wants and needs

3. Delivery

The team makes sure they always keep their clients informed of the progress throughout the whole process, so they can feel at ease knowing they’re in the right hands.

Having such a large workforce dedicated to undertaking the full range of projects, focusing on health and safety, mental health and well-being are crucial elements of a successful team. CJ Industries is a proud supporter of Mates in Construction having completed a range of their training programmes. They appreciate that their employees are their biggest asset.

CJ Industries' well-being initiatives include Mates in Construction training and mentoring programmes, which assists in supporting their employees. When teams are well supported, it benefits clients and it shows.

The team’s expertise is the client’s benefit! The company supplies to many various industries in the Nelson Tasman region. The main benefits include:

• Local resources, established skills and contract income stays in the area

• Efficient project delivery from the beginning to the end of the process

• Open, collective and clear with what is going to happen

• Friendly, supportive, experienced, knowledgeable, and positive attitude

• Dedicated investment in quality and welllooked-after plants and equipment.

The team is very much qualified with proven experience to help clients with any problem and is committed to delivering safe, on-time, budget-friendly services.

Cj Industries’ client relationships are made to last.

“We receive great feedback from our clients,” CJ Industries operations manager Zac Kerdemelidis says.

“It's a win-win.”

Check the website for more information on products/services, case studies, about the company, careers, and more www.cjindustries.co.nz

To get in touch with CJ Industries, contact 0508 728 377 or 03 528 4466, for sales and support contact: sales@cjindustries. co.nz, and for concrete enquiries contact: premix@cjindustries.co.nz

Alternatively, head to the company, which is based at 34 Hau Road, Motueka, New Zealand. The team looks forward to your enquiry!

Having such a large workforce dedicated to undertaking the full range of projects, focusing on health and safety, mental health and well-being are crucial elements of a successful team.

MATES engage with workers through on-site training and providing those identified as at risk with case management support that connects them to suitable professional support. MATES Field Officers are trained in suicide intervention skills and have experience with the Building and Construction Industry. This allows them to engage easily with the workers on site.

THE FOUR PILLARS OF MATES IN CONSTRUCTION

The MATES delivery model is not linear, it moves back and forth – each site has its own community ecosystem which exists within the greater industry environment. Therefore, what we do on one site will influence other sites.

The provision of training, case management and helpline services are elements of our model, but there is a complex interaction between all the different parts. The true value of MATES is not the sum of these

elements, but how they exponentially build on each other.

Informing industry through research by partnering with researchers in research on aspects of the construction industry that impact on mental health and suicide risk.

Raising awareness

That mental health and suicide is an industry issue that we can address together.

Creating resilient and stronger worksites

By training and supporting workers and managers to make a difference and improving mental health and preventing suicide.

Connecting to help

By providing case management support to workers who are struggling helping them to navigate the mental health support system.

Why partner with MATES?

Becoming a Partner of MATES in Construction enables you to be part of a programme tasked with reducing the number of people dying by suicide within our industry and creating a community within your workplace that is about MATES helping MATES. Our programme will provide your workers with the tools to enable them to identify the signs and have the tough conversations with their MATES when they notice that someone may not be travelling well.

Partnering with MATES gives your organisation the following opportunities:

• Make a difference in your company and industry as a collective

• Build wellbeing in your teams

• Engage and train your people so they can watch out for their MATES

• Promote your business as a responsible and engaged partner in your people’s lives

• Show that you care about your people

– actively prioritising health, safety and mental wellbeing

• Become part of a growing family of likeminded organisations.

Breaking down gender barriers

By Natasha Parrant

and Construction Industry Training

Building

Organisation (BCITO) celebrates women in trades, a predominantly maledominated profession.

The organisation encourages more women to enter the trades sector and supports diversity in employment. BCITO highlights women’s capabilities in the workplace to make sure tradeswomen are given a chance.

The business has already trained over 33,000 qualified professionals and seeks tradespeople who are confident and motivated to work in the industry, which is experiencing a skills shortage.

BCITO supports people to complete onthe-job training so tradespeople can have

successful careers and supports businesses to train their employees.

BCITO’s principal advisor for women, Kelly Bennett, encourages more females into apprenticeships and supports their achievements.

She says people need to acknowledge women in trades because there’s already a shortage of builders in New Zealand, let alone tradeswomen.

Currently, women only represent 13.5 percent of workers in the trades sector, and only 2.6 percent of the women are on the tools.

“We think more women joining the workforce is a great solution to skills shortages, and these percentages need to be a lot higher,” Kelly says.

Unfortunately, many people still believe women can’t do building and construction jobs.

Like with anything in life, stereotypes; a generalised belief or expectation about every person in a particular group, are everywhere.

Kelly says some people perceive women in trades as women who aren’t strong enough to do labour work and might be too busy caring about their parental responsibilities.

BCITO focuses on educating people to show these are false representations of women.

Kelly says, “feedback from employers who have hired women say they are great additions to the team.

“They are lighter on the tools, have great attention to detail, brilliant communication skills with the female customers, especially topical on residential sites, and they bring a fresh perspective and great attitude.”

Due to the low percentage of women working in building and construction, BCITO

aims to have women make up at least 30 percent of BCITO apprentices by 2040. Currently, women make up five percent of apprentices with over 1,000 women in apprenticeships. The organisation hopes women will make up 10 percent of apprentices by 2025.

Kelly says acknowledging female accomplishments will hopefully encourage more women to join the building and construction industry.

“We are also committed to working with employers to share the main advantages of diversifying their workforce.”

The organisation is advised by its colleagues in the education industry on how to support women in trades.

BCITO works with the Women in Trades Collective and its project on Trade Careers.

MOST SATISFIED CUSTOMERS REAL ESTATE AGENTS 2022

Winner of the Canstar Blue’s 2022 Award

THE ONLY REAL ESTATE NETWORK TO EARN A 5-STAR RATING FOR OVERALL SATISFACTION

COMMUNICATION & ADVICE

You can only make the best financial decisions when you have all of the facts at hand, and you’ll only have all of the facts if your agent does their job properly and keeps you in the loop. First National Real Estate achieved a five‑star rating in the area of communication and advice.

PROBLEM RESOLUTION

You learn a lot about agents when they’re under pressure. Problems are sometimes unavoidable in the fast moving world of real estate, whether it’s a buyer pulling out of a deal, or unruly tenants forgoing their rent – estate agents are in the thick of it on an almost daily basis. Only First National Real Estate achieved a five sta r rating from its customers in the area of problem resolution.

VALUE FOR MONEY

If you want great service and advice, you’ll obviously have to pay for it. Canstar Blue didn’t compare who provides the cheapest real estate services, but instead who offers the best overall value for your money! First National Real Estate was amongst the few firms to be highly rated in this area.

MARKETING (ACCURACY & E FFECTIVENESS)

You can only sell your home or find a new tenant if your agent or property manager is able to successfully get the message out there. Marketing is a crucial aspect of these particular services, so you’ll need your agent to put their money where their mouth is. Once again, Canstar Blue ranked First National Real Estate highly.

FINANCIAL PAPERWORK/CONTRACT HANDLING

No deal is done until you sign on the dotted line. Taking care of the contracts associated with your sale or tenancy is arguably the most important thing a real estate agent has to do – mistakes are not an option! This involves communicating the finer details to all parties concerned and ensuring everyone is happy before proceeding. First National Real Estate rated five stars for contract handling.

‘Our commitment to our customers, both past and present, is that we will continue to strive to be better every day.’ says First National Roper & Jones Director, Jill Powell.

“Our commitment to our customers, both past and present, is that we will continue to strive to be better every day”, says First National Roper & Jones Director, Jill Powell.

Recently, the collective announced it’s introducing an Insights Research with data showing New Zealand women are struggling to enter the building and construction industries.

Trade Careers also has a free online toolkit that provides resources for women entering the trades and for employers wanting to hire tradeswomen.

Recent Trade Careers’ survey results reveal 79 percent of employers in the trade sector want to hire women but need the support to do it.

Employers want to hire tradeswomen because of their dedication to work, more attention to detail, and time management skills.

Over half of the 2,200 women who participated in the survey expressed interest in entering the trades.

Results show women want to work in a workplace that has a supportive boss and colleagues, flexible work hours to support

their caring responsibilities, a better understanding of career pathways in the trades, safety, and respect towards women and cultures.

Data shows women might feel enticed to work in the trades sector to challenge gender stereotypes, inspire others, and be active rather than sitting at a desk all day.

According to tradecareers.co, the report was commissioned in April 2021 to understand the employment situation, as 22,000 New Zealand women lost their jobs due to COVID-19.

Research also shows only 1,653 women are in apprenticeships in the construction and infrastructure industry. Women in trade only make 3.2 percent of the total 35,428 people who joined the construction sector between 2019 and now.

BCITO likes to acknowledge the women who are enrolled in apprenticeships. Kelly says, “we have amazing women apprentices enrolled in training.”

The 2021 National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Excellence Awards were a huge achievement for tradeswomen. For instance, carpentry apprentice Chelsea

Roper was awarded apprentice of the year, and qualified painting apprentice Tegan Williams was named tradeswoman of the year.

The BCITO website has many resources such as real-life workplace stories captured on video, advice on how to employ diversity in the workplace and developed a supporting women in construction trades icon to show support for inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

BCITO created the icon so people could physically show their support for women in trades on International Women’s Day. BCITO encourages female apprentices, employers, and tradespeople to use the icon, so more women will consider the trades as a viable career option. Businesses from various industries are also encouraged to display the icon.

In return, this icon can promote their businesses as being diverse and inclusive. Industry people can display the icon on their company websites, stationery, vehicles, advertising in print and online, site signage, and workwear.

Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation

234 Wakefield Street Te Aro Wellington 0800 422 486 info@bcito.org.nz www.bcito.org.nz

Building great careers in the construction industry

Diversity in the workforce has been a topic which has been talked about for some time, and for the construction industry, commonly thought about as male dominated, the perception for those outside the industry seems to be hard to shake off.

However, through the likes of the Government’s free apprenticeship scheme during the last couple of years since Covid, and many workers looking for a change in career, it seems there is starting to be real a shift with many now considering the industry, creating greater ethnic and gender diversity in building and construction businesses both on-site and off within New Zealand.

CARTERS are proud of the team they have working for them, some who have even been working in the business for decades. The roles they have on offer as a building merchant across their nationwide business are varied, and as such, they have been seeing people from all walks of life joining the team.

From Branch Manager, to Account Manager, Inventory Manager to Manufacturing Operators and throughout other leadership and support positions, there are women in core roles right across the CARTERS network. They’ve found that the diversity of thinking and experience bought to the table by their workforce, coupled with an ambition to service their customers’ needs has led to a great team dynamic – which was really put to the test in the last couple of years given how busy the building industry has been.

CARTERS have also noticed with their customer base that they’ve seen an increase in female apprentices, builders, project managers and other supporting roles they interact with on-site when arranging the supply of building materials. Even through their sponsorship of Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year competition, it’s been encouraging to see more female apprentices entering the competition.

CARTERS Chief Executive, Mike Guy, says “In the past women and underrepresented

groups have been less likely to apply for jobs in our industry. I encourage everyone to consider a career at CARTERS if you are excited about building and construction. We value diversity of experience”.

It’s still an exciting time to be in the building and construction industry, and whether you’ve got knowledge on or off the tools, it has something to offer everyone. So if you’re looking to build your career, speak with your local branch or check out their vacancies at www.careers. carters.co.nz. It’s rewarding to be helping build New Zealand.

The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation principal advisor for women Kelly Bennett.

Jasmine Gregg-Schofield is an electrician in New Zealand.

We think more women joining the workforce is a great solution to skills shortages, and these percentages need to be a lot higher.

- Kelly Bennett.

B & C Magazine spoke to CARTERS about women in construction and the diverse range of roles which support the industry from the merchant channel.

KEEPING THINGS RUNNING SMOOTHLY

We understand that building is not always easy. That’s why our CARTERS Account Managers are there to be part of your team, through the ups and downs, supporting your business.

Let’s partner together.

0800 CARTERS | www.carters.co.nz

Self-verification speeds up consent process

Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ.

Advocating for the industry is a key role at Master Plumbers. The organisation has lobbied for many years for plumbers and drainlayers to be able to self-certify their work, which would bring them in line with gasfitters and electricians.

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace says, “With many councils having unacceptably long wait times for inspections and some relying solely on PS3 and PS4 documentation, which have no legal status, self-certification would speed up consents, reduce unauthorised activity and enable a nationally consistent record-keeping process.

“Wait times for inspections can blow out projects by three to four weeks, even for simple drainage or first fit items for plumbers, and we know from our 2021 Member Survey that this is the second biggest challenge across the industry, after labour shortages.”

Self-verification pilot

In 2021, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) completed its statutory review of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006.

Self-certification for plumbers and drainlayers was considered as part of the review, but it was decided there were ‘gaps’ that would need addressing first, including implementing an auditing regime.

A self-verification pilot scheme was planned as a first step along the journey.

With slow inspection and consenting timeframes continuing to hold up building projects, particularly in Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, Master Plumbers has taken the lead on driving the pilot forward, appointing a project manager for the initiative, which is being jointly funded by Master Plumbers and MBIE.

The pilot uses digital technology to speed up inspections and consent approvals, making good use of the existing Artisan app, developed by BRANZ for the building industry.

“The average drive time for an inspector per site visit in Auckland is 42 minutes and the average time on site is fourand-a-half minutes,” Greg says.

“Significant efficiencies can be created through the use of remote technology.”

The pilot kicked off in Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland in August 2022, with plumbers and drainlayers taking photos of their work as they go and submitting these to Auckland Council. Any necessary remediation work can then be completed, and the changes resubmitted for approval.

Workshops have also been held in Te Tai Tokerau-Northland to explain the initiative to plumbers and drainlayers in the region.

Where to next

The aim now is to roll out the pilot in Christchurch and Hamilton, with the objective of being able to extend selfverification throughout the 69 Building Consent Authorities. Master Plumbers believes MBIE must put some key elements in place to ensure the end goal of self-certification for plumbers and drainlayers is a success.

These include clear rules setting out the tradesperson’s responsibilities and requirement, a training and registration regime to ensure tradespeople are competent (already largely in place), a credible auditing regime and an

enforceable obligation on the certifier to remediate over a suitable period.

“Master Plumbers also sees the use of digital technology as essential in providing an accessible, centralised record of work,” says Wallace.

Entries open for plumbing awards

Entries will open in January for the 2023 New Zealand Plumbing Awards. The Awards Night will take place on Friday 5 May 2023 at Te Pae, Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Lead-free plumbing changes

After lobbying by Master Plumbers, changes to the Building Code will see a transition to lead-free plumbing products in contact with drinking water by 2025.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) announced its decisions on lead in new plumbing products in mid-November. This follows consultation earlier this year on proposed changes to the Building Code.

It will see the maximum allowable lead content for plumbing products coming into contact with drinking water reduced to a weighted average of 0.25 percent, bringing New Zealand into alignment with requirements in Australia.

Carbon-neutral gas futures

Master Plumbers is educating its members about renewable gases such as hydrogen and biogas and how they will transition into use.

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace says renewable gases will still need qualified gasfitters and the organisation strongly believes carbon-neutral gas fuels will be a strategically important part of New Zealand’s energy resources in the future.

Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ

admin@masterplumbers.org.nz

www.masterplumbers.org.nz

A new pilot project enabling plumbers and drainlayers to self-verify their work is an important first step towards the ultimate goal of self-certification, according to membership organisation

The self-verification pilot enables plumbers and drainlayers to submit photographic evidence of their work to the council, reducing long inspection wait times.

A self-verification pilot scheme for plumbers and drainlayers, jointly funded by Master Plumbers and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), will help speed up inspections and building consent approvals.

Triple barb design

SecuraGold™ fittings have THREE barbs ensuring each crimp well engages the pipe three times

Wider crimp area

Our crimp tools have a wide jaw for a wide, more secure crimp area

Faster to install

Independent testing proved SecuraGold™ to be up to 60% faster to install than other trade systems

Well protected

End caps protect the copper crimp ring and prevent the entry of dust and grime

Quick to spot

End caps and tools are colourmatched for faster, easier installations, and red pipe clips quickly identify hot lines from cold

Seeing eyelet

Fittings have a seeing eyelet so it’s easy to visually check that the pipe is fully engaged to the fitting

Customer confidence

Our Producer statement lets you stand out from other plumbers by providing a quality written guarantee of the product

Interchangeable

We provide a full tooling and stock swap for full conversions

25-year performance warranty

SecuraGold™ is backed by a 25-year performance warranty, so you have protection for 25 years from the date of manufacture

Backed by the big boys

We’re backed by an international organisation so if something went wrong, you won’t be left high & dry

We’re the experts

Our technical team have been part of the Dux team for an average of 17 years each, our sales & marketing team 11 years

We’ve got your back

All non-conformance incidences are investigated & a written report given to the plumber for supply to homeowner or insurance company

Future proof your project with Marley rainwater systems

Marley understands that both durability and style are essential when designing and building a new home. Their Stratus Design Series® range of coloured spouting and downpipe systems provide a variety of options to help designers, installers and homeowners select long lasting, good looking rainwater solutions.

1. Long term durability

All Marley rainwater systems carry a 15year guarantee, and their products are designed to protect against New Zealand’s unique UV rays and climate. The Stratus Design Series® is the result of years spent researching and perfecting superior coextrusion technology to create a hard wearing, UV resistant coloured surface. Most importantly, Marley’s uPVC systems can’t rust or corrode. This is very important for developments in coastal locations which are exposed to salt spray.

2. Low to no maintenance costs

uPVC is very low maintenance. To maintain appearance, a Marley rainwater system just needs to be cleaned with mild soapy water if it gets dirty and a regular maintenance schedule is not required to maintain warranty cover. Recently, there has been an increase of multi-storey housing projects and these designs require scaffolding for any ongoing maintenance or repair. It’s this whole life cost of a build that makes material choice extremely important for reducing future maintenance costs.

3. Easy low-cost repair

Marley systems are modular which means any isolated damage caused by accidents or adverse events can be repaired without removing entire runs. Marley has a large range of injection moulded fittings allowing for rapid, costeffective replacement. uPVC is a resilient material and Marley downpipes do not dent. This is particularly important at ground level where downpipes are regularly subjected to light knocks.

4. Sustainability

Marley is committed to creating environmentally sustainable processes and products and has earned a long list of credentials. The company was the first plastics manufacturer in New Zealand to achieve ISO14001 registration and is also Best Environmental Practice (BEP)-certified for its entire range of manufactured uPVC systems, recognised under the New Zealand Green Building Council’s Greenstar rating system. Marley is also a participant in Meridian Energy’s Certified Renewable Energy programme, which will help the company achieve its goal of only sourcing electricity from 100% renewable sources by 2025. It has completed Environmental Product Declarations for its PE and PVC ranges that reaffirms its commitment to measuring and reducing the environmental impact of its products. And recently Marley became one of the first recipients of The Plastics Innovation Fund (PIF), investing in new plastic recycling facilities across New Zealand to recover PVC and HDPE plastic from construction and industrial sources for re-use, completing the loop and reducing overall plastic resin importation.

5. Made in New Zealand

You can trust Marley to stand behind their residential rainwater systems as they are locally designed, manufactured and supported. In fact, Marley has a trading history in New Zealand dating back over six decades to 1957. Marley is also internationally backed by the European based Aliaxis Group which employs 16,000 people across 45 countries and is made up of more than 100 companies. This gives the company access to additional global water management expertise.

6. Weathertightness

Marley components have no seams as they are moulded and not folded. This is particularly important for water tightness on corners which are susceptible to wear and tear. Furthermore, their downpipes are extruded so have no vertical seam. All Marley systems are solvent jointed to help ensure a secure, watertight weld between components. Their spouting systems feature a high front face to help reduce windborne salt, dirt and grit getting under the roof edge. They also maintain a 10mm gap between the back face of the gutter and the fascia board. This means that in adverse weather or blockage situations, water can safely overflow over the back face without entering the internal envelope of the building. This design approach is in accordance with Section 4.0.1 of the BRANZ Technical Bulletin 509 ‘Sizing Gutters and Downpipes’.

7. Potable water safe

Marley rainwater systems comply with the New Zealand standard for the safe collection of drinking water - AS/NZS 4020. Along with seam free downpipes, this is very important for people on tank water supply.

8. Stormwater management

The Marley Curve® leaf and debris diverter removes larger contaminants from downpipes. With the increasing specification of retention/ detention tanks on urban builds, leaf diversion solutions are also required to help prevent sediment build-up in these systems. Curve is a stylish option and is a component of the Marley RP80® downpipe system. As such it is available in all Marley Stratus Design Series® colours - Black, FlaxBlack®, Grey Friars®, Ironsand®, Copper and Titanium.

Marley Stratus Design Series® Typhoon® spouting and RP80® downpipes in Black.

Marley RP80® downpipe with Curve® leaf & debris diverter in Ironsand®.

FlaxBlack® joins the Stratus Design Series®

Take an integrated approach to construction site security

Good decision making around the best mix of security measures to deploy at your construction site is your best defence against theft writes FIRST Security’s GM Strategic Accounts Brian Switalla.

While dairies and jewellery stores have been battling the wave of ram raids and smash and grabs that have become so much a feature of 2022, the construction industry has been hit recently by a spate of Gib burglaries.

And not just Gib, but copper, tools, machinery, batteries, fuel, even work vehicles. In May, thieves in Wainuiomata even achieved a curious ‘double’ when they stole an excavator from a construction site and used it to ram raid a nearby service station.

What’s been a clear takeaway from these incidents is that the thieves’ tactics are both well practiced and brazen. So much so that good fencing, bright lighting, CCTV coverage, or security patrols in isolation are just not going to defeat them. What will stop them is the right mix of security measures that together work to deter, detect, and delay an intruder, and to enable quick response and recovery in the event of a security incident.

An ‘integrated’ approach picks and chooses from the broad range of available security measures, including:

1. Plans & Procedures

2. Physical Barriers

3. Technology

4. People

Plans & Procedures

In the same way that you have plans and procedures around Health & Safety, it goes without saying that you should

also have them for security. They serve similar purposes, including setting out your security governance and accountabilities, and getting your employees and contractors on the same page in relation to protecting themselves and their equipment.

As the saying goes, ‘preparation prevents poor performance’, and well-developed security plans and procedures help you to be on the security front foot. Ensure your personnel are well versed in expectations around security awareness, checking in/ out, contractor management, and incident and emergency management, etc.

Everyone in your organisation (including your contractors) have a role to play in keeping your site secure. Having well communicated policies and procedures in place provides the basis for a strong security culture.

Physical Barriers

Perimeter fences, gates, and cages are the most visible indicators of a site’s security. While their presence can serve as a strong deterrent to thieves, poorly maintained fencing and poorly secured gates may have the opposite effect.

And while we’re on the topic of visibility, bear in mind that thieves tend to be turned off by the prospect of being seen, so a good lighting solution can be worth its weight in gold.

Technology

Security technologies include intrusion detection systems, alarms, CCTV, access control, and visitor management systems. CCTV, for example, can be an incredibly effective security measure in terms of its ability to deter would-be perpetrators, detect possible incidents in progress, inform a response, and support recovery from an incident by providing footage for any post-incident investigation. Unfortunately, thieves tend to know that most businesses aren’t necessarily ‘watching’ their cameras.

CCTV and other security technologies are only helpful in detecting incidents and informing a quick response when they’re monitored – either onsite, by an offsite monitoring centre, or remotely via a browser/app-based solution.

An excellent example of a monitored solution is VirtualGuard by FIRST Security. Faster than traditional alarm response and cheaper than static guards, this as-a-service solution involves the deployment of a portable pole mounted solar-powered camera system to a customer site, which is monitored by a guard in a control centre 24/7.

Security personnel can provide static guarding, mobile patrol, alarm monitoring and response, and incident response services. They are more than just boots on the ground, observing, reporting, and responding when needed.

People

As part of an integrated security solution, security personnel are an important security measure, not least because they can play a key role in ensuring that all aspects of the solution – procedural, physical, technological, and human – are working well together.

Security personnel can provide static guarding, mobile patrol, alarm monitoring and response, and incident response services. They are more than just boots on the ground, observing, reporting, and responding when needed.

FIRST Security is trusted to provide security guarding and patrol services for a diverse range of sites across the country. Our officers are trained in detecting risks, threats, and suspicious behaviour, responding to incidents, de-escalating potential conflict situations, and in operating site management and security systems.

As the saying goes, ‘preparation prevents poor performance’, and well-developed security plans and procedures help you to be on the security front foot.

When you want quality overhead

A roof is not just a roof; something the team at Metalcraft Roofing knows all too well.

Darren Ager manages Metalcraft Roofing’s Christchurch branch and says the company is continually looking at new profiles and international trends in roofing, with all of its roofing profiles suitable for use as exterior cladding.

New roofing and cladding profiles

Metalcraft Roofing offers a wide range of metal roofing and cladding options, which are all backed by solid manufacturing and installation warrantees. Its roofing and rainwater systems are manufactured from New Zealand Steel, Galvsteel®, Zincalume®, Colorsteel®, Endura® and Colorsteel® Maxx®

Metalcraft’s primary niche product is its Espan® profile, which has been designed for style and performance and features high ribs, creating defined shadow lines and providing superior weather performance.

Darren Ager says “It’s a timeless look which is comparatively maintenance free. It’s very aesthetic and we’re getting a number of inquiries about it.”

Another new product for Metalcraft Roofing is its Kāhu® roofing and cladding profile, which can add elegance, strength and style to any residential or commercial project.

Kāhu® is designed for roofs with a 3° minimum pitch and as both horizontal and vertical wall cladding.

Joining Metalcraft Roofing’s range of profiles is the recently released Metcom 965.

To explain the benefits of Metcom 965, Darren says, “The larger spanning capabilities on commercial projects will make it more economical with a 965 mm cover. It comes with or without swages. Architects are keen on it because it can be used as industrial cladding.”

While targeting the commercial market, it can also be used in residential applications. Darren says light-weight metal cladding has been popular in Canterbury since the earthquakes, with demand continuing to be strong.

New technology for faster installation

Metalcraft Roofing uses the innovative Angus Robertson Mechanical Dridex® Burner system.

This burner system is attached to Metalcraft’s MC965 rollformer and utilises laser technology to provide a high precision burning method for the burn back of Dridex roofing sheet edges.

The preparation method is more effective than conventional methods and upholds New Zealand Steel’s product guarantee.

The burner system saves time during installation because roofing sheets will not require manual burn back of roofing sheet edges before installation.

In addition, the burner system creates effective, anti-wicking barriers to lower the risk of water wicking into buildings via the roofing sheet pan.

Metalcraft Roofing manufactures and installs a range of high-quality products, including:

• PV solar solutions

• metal roofing and cladding

• metal tiles

• metal guttering and spouting

• steel purlins, girts and tophats

• metal fencing

• asphalt shingle roofing

• metal insulated panels.

To protect workers, Angus Robertson

Mechanical’s burner system is designed with a specialised safety system that prevents laser emission from leaving the burning chamber with four levels of safety according to New Zealand safety standards. This ensures that the system is a safe, efficient and efficacious solution to the burn back of roofing sheets.

USING UNI-QUIP PRODUCTS GIVES YOU TOP QUALITY LASTING SOLUTIONS

The installation of Kāhu® wall cladding at Hornby High School.

Espan 340 and Espan 470 wall cladding are pictured on the new Akaroa Salmon building.

Dridex® and Metcom 930 are pictured in the new Metalcraft Roofing Hobsonville factory.

Delivering quality nationwide

Operating nationwide Metalcraft Roofing has been manufacturing innovative and stylish metal roofing and cladding products for the residential and commercial markets since the 1950s.

Today the company operates 12 branches throughout the country and has firmly established itself as New Zealand’s largest and most-established, privately owned building product rollformer and installer, offering an extensive range of longrun roofing profiles, light-weight metal tiles and rainwater system solutions.

Metalcraft Roofing has been in the industry for more than 50 years, and John Campbell has been with Metalcraft for 33 of those years. So, it makes sense when building his new home in Tauranga, John turned to Metalcraft for his roofing needs.

Employee turned client

For John, Metalcraft Roofing puts a roof over his head in both senses of the phrase. More than familiar with the long run roofing profiles available at Metalcraft, John decided to use the company’s most popular profile, Espan®.

Although many choose this profile for its style, John says an Espan® roof is superior to conventional roofs because it doesn’t have any screw fixings through it.

Because of its concealed clip system, there are no penetrations through the roof. Therefore, it’s less likely the roof will leak.

Turning to Metalcraft and United Industries for his building needs, John went from employee to client. This opportunity provided a unique insight for John and Metalcraft.

When reflecting on his experience as a Metalcraft client, Metalcraft Roofing Tauranga manager, John Campbell says, “Communication between Metalcraft and the construction company is very hands on.

“Metalcraft Tauranga is very, very proactive in working with the designers and the construction companies and ensuring that the substrates and pre-build for that particular roof is absolutely spot on, so that when the roofer comes in and does the job there is no ‘you need to do this, you need to do that,’ or, ‘sorry, this is different, you’ve done it wrong,’ sort of thing – you know?

“We get heavily involved with the design and build.”

Metalcraft Roofing is proactive also because of the detailed plans available on the company website for clients to use.

The drawings are based on the latest building codes so architects can go on the website and immediately find the correct drawings to submit to council.

“Functionality is important for us as far as design and build and presentation.

“We can help the client go right from the very first concept through to final consent drawings. We can support the consumer and get the project started and finished,” John says.

“If a client has an idea of what they want, maybe something a little different than the norm, we can work with them to ensure that whatever they build, it’s going to be to standard.”

Metalcraft Roofing is made up of 13 branches which dot the country. Each branch provides a small window into the national company and its happenings.

Metalcraft Roofing www.metalcraftgroup.co.nz

New president appointed at SARNZ

His father started Cunningham Construction in 1979 and was a founding member of SARNZ in the 1990s, so Paul was literally and figuratively raised around scaffolding and rigging.

“Dad loved the industry and the characters involved in it. As a kid I was never too far away from greasing fittings or sweeping the yard floors in the school holidays.”

After 15 years overseas – in the US, UK, and Singapore – and pursuing a professional football career, Paul says the call came in “from the old man” to return home.

In 2018 he was elected to the SARNZ executive committee and since then, he says he has worked and learned from some of the best in the industry.

Paul was announced as the new board president at the AGM in August.

“The presidency appointment is exciting and something I do not take lightly, there is a lot to do, and I am looking forward to working with the SARNZ board as well Tina (Wieczorek –CEO) and the SARNZ team behind the scenes on the various projects and initiatives designed to achieve our strategic plan.”

Paul says the industry has come a long way over the past 30 years.

“We’re lucky to have an industry body in SARNZ that represents a large portion of the scaffolding, access and rigging companies in New Zealand. There are shared goals and core values.

“I take a lot of pride in the new role as the president, knowing that I’m following on from some individuals that have shaped and redefined our industry and I am excited for the challenge to do my part.”

Scaffolding, access and rigging are all essential elements to any and all construction activity in New Zealand and worldwide, as one of the first trades on-site and the last to leave.

Despite this, Paul says the industry is sometimes an afterthought in the planning stages of projects.

“We can also struggle to attract school leavers for apprenticeships who are attracted to some of the larger trades without considering the benefits of a career in scaffolding or rigging.”

Paul wants to change this mindset and to attract the best youngsters into the industry. He also wants to educate clients and customers about the tangible benefits in engaging with a SARNZ member company. The industry is not without challenges. Labour shortages is high on the list of issues that a lot of members are facing.

In addition, RoVE review, training and streamlining our apprenticeship programmes, as well as ensuring fit for purpose pathways in the rigging space is a work in progress.

“Ensuring these pathways are firing on all cylinders is critical to train and retain staff in the industry. I want members to be heard and issues addressed as they arise.”

New shrinkwrap guidelines

Following a lot of work, research and the help of many industry experts, the Shrinkwrap Guidelines have now been completed and finalised. These guidelines offer advice for keeping workers safe when installing, dismantling, and working with shrinkwrap. Plastic encapsulation and various sheeting types are used for environmental and safety purposes.

The guideline is to ensure that all encapsulation and sheeting is installed in a manner that meets or exceeds legislative and regulatory requirements.

All parties involved in the process – from design, scaffold installation, wrap installation to CPEng Chartered Professional Engineer sign off – have duties and responsibilities. The intention of the guidelines is to highlight these duties and establish best practice. The guidelines are available on the SARNZ website: www.sarnz.co.nz/goodpractice-guidelines/

Key points about using Shrinkwrap:

• Duty holders have responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

• Duties under the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995 still apply

• Ensure Shrinkwrap is fit for purpose and conditions

• PPE should be used at all times.

SARNZ has worked alongside many in the industry over the past 12 months in the creation of the guidelines, which will be reviewed in 2023, following that a review will take place every two years.

Training

There are now two new training providers for scaffolding and rigging – Vertical Horizonz and Tai Poutini.

Apprentices enrolled and studying before 1 October 2022 will continue to learn through Skills and will not transition to another training facility.

Key changes include apprentices enrolled and starting study after 1 October 2022 can choose to study through Vertical Horizonz or Tai Poutini.

CEO of SARNZ Tina Wieczorek says they are expecting some teething problems for the first six months.

The new president of Scaffolding, Access and Rigging New Zealand (SARNZ) Paul Cunningham has scaffolding in the blood.

New SARNZ president Paul Cunningham.

The shrinkwrapped Dunedin railway station.

“As our members know, the transition so far has not been smooth sailing. But we’re here to support members and apprentices, so contact us if you need to, and let your apprentices know that they can contact us if they need us as well.”

For course information and training provider contact details: www.sarnz.co.nz/newtraining-system-for-apprentices.

SARNZ issues Certificates of Competence (CoC) for scaffolding in accordance with the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995.

These reflect the training, experience and areas of expertise of the holder – Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced and Suspended.

National Certificate or NZ Certificate scaffolding qualifications are prerequisite for obtaining Certificates of Competence.

Find out how the qualifications and types of work relate to Certificates of Competence on the website www.sarnz.co.nz/certificates-ofcompetence/scaffolding-coc/

SARNZ membership

Recognition

With SARNZ membership, your customers know they can rely on you to deliver on our promise of quality and safety every time

Support

Members have support from the SARNZ office for a wide range of needs including training, health and safety and business development.

Industry Representation

SARNZ works closely with government agencies to ensure that standards and regulations are fit for purpose. Be part of the organisation that regularly lobbies the government on behalf of our members.

Scaffolding Access and Rigging New Zealand P O Box 30758 Lower Hutt (04) 589 8081 admin@sarnz.org.nz

www.sarnz.co.nz

Napier residential build.

Omaroro water reservoir.

Metro Sports Centre in Christchurch.

Lifting EWP safety standards

Work Platform Association

As part of this, the association created a Registered Inspector Programme that ensures MEWPs are inspected at the highest standards, providing assurances to all owners and users that the machines are safe to use.

This is geared toward making the industry have a career pathway and a continuing education programme for inspection personnel.

This would make training more relevant and specific to MEWPs and Registered Inspectors compliance and documentation more structured, consistent and regularly audited. This ensures an inspector is a competent person to carry out inspections.

MEWPs are commonplace on construction sites in New Zealand, there are thought to be 10-12,000 machines nationwide, ranging from what’s commonly known as cherrypickers, to scissor platforms and booms that reach up to 55m.

They’re seen on just about any job site that requires staff to work at height.

This includes construction workers, electricians, painters, signwriters, window cleaners, and many other occupations. An MEWP is an excellent control method for hazards when working a height.

Operator training

MEWPs come under the umbrella of Worksafe’s Good Practice Guidelines (BPG), Mobile Elevating Work Platforms 2014.

The BPG requires any worker who operates an MEWP of any type to be properly trained in its operation.

One means of showing competency is holding the relevant NZQA unit standard for the type of MEWP being operated. Silvercard™ Competent Operator MEWP Card is an easy identifier of suitably trained operators.

If there’s an incident or accident, causing injury to people or damage to property, insurance potentially won’t pay out for repairs or replacement of a machine if whoever was operating it wasn’t adequately trained.

The Elevated

(EWPA) is constantly driving initiatives to improve safety and compliance for owners, operators and those who carry out inspections of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs).

How to become a registered inspector

An applicant wishing to hold a

Registered Inspector card is required to:

• Be employed by a member company of the EWPA

• Be nominated and sponsored by their employer

• Submit a completed application form containing relevant training, qualifications and experience for formal assessment and verification. Applicants are required to document and provide physical evidence of their industry training, qualifications and experience covering:

• Industry experience: inspection experience and amount of years in the industry

• Training courses attended: manufacturers’ training courses and any other relevant technical courses

• Professional/trade related qualifications: e.g. qualified diesel mechanic, electrician etc

• CBIP Accreditation - Level 1 (for 6-month certs), L2 (for major inspections) or L3 for both.

In a workplace, this could also lead to being investigated and even prosecuted for Health and Safety breaches.

Operator error is a common factor for accidents with MEWPs.

Poor machine selection for the job, poor site conditions, using a machine outside

of its parameters, can also contribute to incidents, so effective and proper training reduces the risk significantly.

Maintenance and inspection

The EWPA also aims to raise awareness about the required competencies of EWP inspectors. EWPs require inspections and maintenance at set intervals.

All EWPs require a six-monthly safety inspection, which is similar to a motor vehicle warrant of fitness, and all require what industry refers to as a “major rebuild” when EWPs reach an age of 10 years old.

The EWPA Registered Inspector Programme is a national initiative where potential inspectors are formally assessed, verified and moderated to ensure they have the level of experience and expertise needed to undertake six month and/or major inspections of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWP).

All inspections must be carried out as per manufacturer’s instructions and the NZ/ Australian standard AS2550.10.

The New Zealand EWP Best Practice Guidelines state that only a “competent person” can carry out six month and/or major inspections.

The EWPA Registered Inspector Programme is the best method to educate and improve compliance and consistency of elevated work platforms maintenance within New Zealand, thus ensuring inspectors are up to “competent person” standards.

The cost of major inspections is significant for EWP owners, so it is essential that maintenance is undertaken correctly and consistently across New Zealand.

The Registered Inspector Programme advises inspectors to follow the EWP Best Practice Guidelines and relevant industry standards.

The programme gives EWP owners and operators a greater certainty of equipment compliance and safety.

The Registered Inspectors Programme has a range of criteria, and it is the role of the EWPA to moderate those people or businesses that are doing these inspections.

The Snorkel S2755RTE electric narrow rough terrain scissor lift is designed to be ultra-compact for outdoor work in confined spaces. Long-lasting lithium batteries mean clean and quiet operation that can be used indoors or outdoors. Equipped with hydraulic outriggers as standard, the S2755RTE features automatic leveling on uneven ground with excellent off-road performance. snorkelnetzero.com

Hamilton Rentals

Harcourts Hamilton Rentals was started in 2009 from a desire to change the way property management was done.

A focus on better communication and education for owners and work life balance for the team were the key parts of the strategic direction of the business.

In the lowly regulated environment and with the kiwi DIY culture it was the norm for many property investors to self manage a contrast to the highly regulated Australian market of the time.

So setting up a business that focused on getting the best returns for investors who chose to use professional services was key.

To do this the first focus had to be the team making sure that the property to staff ratio was low, the team was taken care of and technology was used to streamline processes, freeing up staff time for the personal contact aspect of the job. People are the core of everything we do and people require time.

This is why we have two property managers per property so our owners, tenants and contractors always have someone to speak to who knows the property. With staff absences due to Covid this approach has proved its worth with an average arrears rate of under

0.2%, vacancy of under 1% and 2.4 days between tenancies over the last 2.5 years.

The Harcourts values of people first, doing the right thing, being courageous and fun and laughter are at the core of everything we do from dealing with owners, contractors and tenants. This has led to New Zealander’s voting Harcourts as the most trusted real estate brand for the last 10 years.

Fast forward to now and we are working in a heavily legislated rental market, no longer is the DIY approach going to work for people. You might get a good tenant and things run well but we see the other side when it didn’t go well and the person wasn’t equipped with the knowledge to deal with it.

We are now in a era where professional property management is a must if you want to get the return your investment property should be giving you, saving a few dollars a week to do it yourself could cost you thousands in the long run.

At Hamilton rentals the team consistently focuses on being 1% better every day which has led to them winning the number one team in the Harcourts group for both regional and national awards. When service is your focus everything else in the business must align to steer towards that goal.

To find out how you can maximise the return on your investment contact our qualified team today.

Mind your step

Maintaining safe scaffold practices

People using the completed scaffold should follow any special requirements outlined on the handover certificate or scaffold tag.

Pre-start checks and regular inspections

Pre-start checks before a scaffold is first used for the day should identify any risks. Pre-start checks on suspended scaffold must be done by a competent person and include a visual check and load test.

Details of the inspection must be recorded and signed by the person who carried out the inspection. They can just be a checklist of main findings and comments.

The inspection record or register must be kept on-site, and for convenience can be included on or combined with the scaffolding tag.

Damaged or non-compliant scaffold

If the scaffold cannot be repaired, it should have the stair or ladder access removed if possible, and/or tags attached to all access points (where the means of access cannot be removed) or on visible locations on the scaffold, stating the status of the scaffold. The scaffold should be dismantled and disposed of.

Scaffolding that does not satisfactorily meet inspection requirements, or has been damaged, must be taken out of service immediately and may not be used until repairs have been done.

A scaffolding tag should be hung on the scaffold at access points to advise other people of the status of the scaffold. Physical means to prevent access should also be considered.

Repairs must only be done by someone qualified to do so. Bent tubes must not be straightened for reuse – it must be cut out and/or discarded.

Repairs and alterations to the scaffold

Repairs and alterations must only be done by a competent person. Before carrying out repairs or alterations, isolate the area and ensure scaffolding tags on all access points display the correct status of the scaffold.

When carrying out alterations or repairs ensure:

• The scaffold is stable

• The status of the scaffold is displayed clearly

• Repairs comply with the manufacturer and/ or supplier’s information

• The scaffold is not used until repairs have been completed and the scaffold has been inspected by a competent person.

Dismantling the scaffold

A risk assessment should be done before dismantling the scaffold. Risks when dismantling scaffolding may be different to risks when erecting scaffolding and should be considered separately.

Before dismantling the scaffold, exclusion zones should be set up with warning notices for other workers and public protection as required.

If the scaffold was used for removal of asbestos or work with hazardous material, obtain a clearance certificate from the user before dismantling.

In addition, ensure the scaffold is free of loose material and debris. Inspect the scaffold for stability and plan for dismantling. Also, ensure all debris and rubbish has been removed from the scaffold before beginning to dismantle it.

When dismantling scaffolding:

• Dismantle by reversing the procedures required to erect the scaffold

• Remove ties, braces, ledgers, transoms, planks and guardrails, followed by standards as joint positions are reached

• If a building or structure is being demolished, dismantle the scaffold so that no more than four metres of scaffold is left above the last vertical tie point at any time

• If a scaffold is being partially dismantled, make sure that the remaining section is stable

• Lower materials down. Do not drop or throw them

• Do not overload lower lifts with dismantled component (some components may be temporarily placed on lower lifts but must not be allowed to build up)

• Install temporary raking tubes or ties to stabilise the scaffold if necessary

• Remove all scaffolding materials. Do not leave components on roofs or projecting cornices, etc.

Content kindly provided by and under the copyright of WorkSafe New Zealand. More information can be found at www.worksafe.govt.nz.

Standard requirements for work on a scaffold include:

• A safety helmet and appropriate safety footwear should be worn

• Clear access of at least 450 mm should be maintained on all access and working platforms

• The scaffold should be kept clear of rubbish and excess material. Harmful substances such as silica dust should be prevented from collecting on the scaffold

• Inspections of the scaffold and associated equipment should be carried out regularly to ensure the scaffold is safe to use. Records of inspections should be kept

• Tools and equipment should be in good working condition

• Repairs and alterations should be carried out by a competent person. All scaffolds that have been repaired or altered should be inspected

• Scaffolding that is no longer safe to use should be taken out of service immediately until repairs have been done. It should be tagged to warn people and access points should be closed off.

Common risks when working on the scaffold include:

• Slips and trips on slippery surfaces, decking with trip hazards or obstructed working and access platforms

• Falling through gaps in poorly constructed platforms or through unprotected openings

• Using tools incorrectly, or defective or badly maintained tools

• Carrying or transporting tools and materials

• Hazardous substances such as asbestos and silica dust contaminating the scaffolding

• Falling from the scaffold (e.g., due to inadequate edge protection or climbing the outside of the scaffold)

• Failure of scaffold components

• Scaffold collapses (e.g., due to overloading, unauthorised alterations, incorrect construction or design).

Many risks associated with erecting a scaffold also apply to people using and working on it. Regular inspections of the scaffold are essential.

If the scaffold was used for removal of asbestos or work with hazardous material, obtain a clearance certificate from the user before dismantling.

Intaks NZ

Whether you are a commercial or residential business, Intaks NZ’s’ lightweight scaffolding and edge protection is designed to work for you.

The scaffolding and edge protection systems help improve building productivity dramatically, a win for tradies. Both systems are thoughtfully designed to ensure installation and dismantling is a breeze, which is a win for our clients.

General Manager of Intaks, Joel Warren says, “One of our main focuses is on people who want to start a scaffolding and edge protection business.

“We have customers who have been with us since the very early years, who we continue to support the whole way along”.

Our model is based on providing support and advice to business entrepreneurs wanting to start in the scaffolding and edge protection market.

“Everyone knows straight away when they see our system installed, either in our training facility or on a building site that INTAKS is the easily the best system on the market but what most people don’t realise is that we believe our biggest strength is our support and training, which is unparalleled in New Zealand.”

Joel says, “the industry is huge with work out there for all levels in the market and,

with our support and training we can help both experienced Scaffolding businesses and new clients who have never had any experience in the industry.

“There is also a gap in the edge protection market where people still need to better understand regulations and guidance for what to look out for. There is movement in the industry to get this information out there which will then help stop uncompliant systems been used and creates massive opportunities for our clients in this niche.

Intaks works closely with customers, new and established to support their businesses regarding the INAKS scaffolding and edge protection training. Our commitment to this is demonstrated with our amazing indoor training facility and full time Training Manager, Gary Tavey.

Gary says he is available to travel and work in with their customer’s needs or have them come to our training facility in Tauranga where training can be given in a safe and controlled environment.

“We want our customers to know we are always there for them.

“The training is very adaptable, and Gary will be there to support new customers in their journey,” Joel says.

Intaks professional expertise and innovative ideas means your business will run smoothly, while also having the team there to support you.

If you are a new business and want to reach out, make sure to visit their website at intaks.co.nz or give them a call on 0800 468 257 for more information.

22 Porutu Place Tauriko Tauranga 3110 0800 468 257 info@intaks.co.nz Intaks.co.nz

Everyone knows straight away when they see our system installed, either in our training facility or on a building site that INTAKS is the easily the best system on the market but what most people don’t realise is that we believe our biggest strength is our support and training, which is unparalleled in New Zealand.

Defining edge protection

Edge protection helps prevent people, tools, and materials from falling:

• Around the perimeters of a work area

• Around openings

• Where brittle material cannot safely support the weight of a person.

Edge protection comes in different forms:

• A proprietary system – as in a system bought “off the shelf”

• Guardrailing and/or physical barrier constructed from materials or components that form a guardrail and/or physical barrier

• Scaffolding in the form of a temporary edge protection system for working at height. Where the hazard of working at height cannot be eliminated, edge protection should be used to isolate workers from a fall.

When is edge protection required?

Edge protection is the preferred control for preventing falls from roofs on single-storey buildings because it isolates multiple workers from the risk of a fall.

If this is not practicable then the use of scaffolding (more detail below), mobile elevating work platforms or temporary work platforms are more acceptable alternatives. Provide edge protection on all the exposed edges of a roof, including the perimeter

of buildings, skylights or other fragile roof materials, and any openings in the roof. This also applies to openings and edges of floor areas.

Working at height means working in a place where a person could be injured if they fell from one level to another. Rather than thinking about how high the fall will be, consider how someone could fall and what they might land on.

Planning the work

Plan for when you will need edge protection, how it will be installed, and how to manage risks to safety during installation. Sourcing and erecting edge protection may take time, and the configuration will depend on a number of factors, such as how many workers will be in the work area at any one time, and the pitch of the roof.

Installing edge protection

Install edge protection as early as possible on a job, so multiple groups of contractors, sub-contractors and workers can use it throughout the project (eg builders, electrical workers, and roofers).

Construction and installation must take into account the forces that are likely to be applied to the edge protection as a result of the work undertaken. Do not install it from the roof.

Inspect edge protection regularly, especially after a storm or other occurrences that could affect its ability to prevent falls from height.

Information sourced from: worksafe.govt.nz | 0800 030 040

Scaffolding and edge protection specialists

Absolute Scaffolding is New Zealand’s leading scaffolding company giving you the best local and edge protection services in the North and South

Island.

The company provides fast and responsive friendly customer service in the country. Services also include high-quality scaffold solutions with safe working products on time and within your budget.

Absolute Scaffolding offers a wide range of solutions to suit everyone’s needs.

For instance, commercial and residential scaffolding, edge protection, and mobile access towers.

The company provides:

• Commercial scaffolding solutions to properties and structures internally and externally through (water treatment plants, motorways plyons, bridges, factories, cantilever, and suspended scaffolding)

• Residential scaffolding to suit your requirements whether it’s a new build, modification, paint job, re-roof, or repair (ranging from house extensions/alterations, multi or single storey new builds, gutter replacements/re-roofing, re-painting, skylight installations, and minor dwellings/ farm sheds)

• A detailed consultation either onsite or via a detailed plan

• A quote outlining what will be covered and Terms & Conditions

• Erection as the company is under the NZ OSH and the standards of ‘The Best Practice Guidelines for Scaffolding in NZ’ handbook by Absolute Scaffolding’s SARNZ COC qualified staff

• Rental and safety inspections with Weekly Saftey Site visits

• Dismantlement as the site is closed when the scaffold is dismantled and the site is cleaned

• Absolute Scaffolding creates a safer working environment by providing highquality solutions whilst having close relationships with its customers

• The team of experts offers professional scaffolding solutions with high-quality systems, excellent communication, and affordable prices.

Core values the team strive to do well in include:

• Safety (the number one priority is to work onsite without any incidents or injuries – the team are members of Site Safe NZ and Hazardco)

• Integrity (it’s about building a trustworthy relationship with clients by communicating well and efficiently from start to end)

• Quality (The Tube and Clip, Proscaff System, and Mobile Tower Access Scaffold are very high-quality solutions).

At Absolute Sccafoling, the team hopes to satisfy the needs of construction companies, builders, painters, roofers, and homeowners throughout New Zealand.

The team is always up for a challenge, so no project is ever too big or small.

Let the team provide you with a ‘Safe Qualified Scaffold’ solution so you can get on with your job knowing you have the best support.

Contact today for a free quote!

Contact the North Island team via 021 356 429 or 021 237 0480, or head to Sanderson Road, Warkworth, Auckland. Contact the South Island team on 027 344 0978 or 027 637 0882, or head to 52 High Street, Parkside, Timaru.

Otherwise, email: manager@absolutescaffoldingltd.co.nz or admin@absolutescaffoldingltd.co.nz.

For more information, check the website: www.absolutescaffolding.nz.

We use high quality Proscaff Scaffold and Tube and Clip Scaffold to ensure the safest working conditions for your contractors so you can get your job done safely and efficiently, on time and within your budget.

The best in safety nets

Safety Nets NZ is a preferred safety-netting specialist for supplying all your safetynetting requirements.

Workplace falls are one of the most common causes of injury within the New Zealand construction industry and the easiest thing you can do to mitigate that risk is to choose a trustworthy provider of safety net equipment.

From large commercial and industrial sites to residential home builds, Safety Nets NZ’s fall protection systems are suitable for a range of circumstances to meet your every heightsafety concern.

Supported by a nationwide network of installers, the company is able to offer its solutions to businesses nationwide.

It has over 600,000sqm of nets available for use in different regions, which is the equivalent to more than 4,000 house-lots of nets.

As an industry leader the company has been instrumental in developing and improving industry standards. This includes assisting in the writing the Code of Practice, and together with a team from the Massey University School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, developing a facility to test its safety nets and engineer the only fully independently certified and compliant safety net fall protection system for use on residential construction projects in New Zealand.

The Health and Safety at Work Act (2015) states that all PCBUs have an obligation to ensure the health and safety of themselves and others. The act requires all PCBUs to ensure that any system that they are using is without health and safety risk so far as is reasonably practicable.

There is a “duty to test” placed on all PCBUs to ensure and verify that they are certain that the systems, materials, and more that they use are fit for purpose, and capable of performing as expected, without risk to health and safety of the workforce.

By using the systems developed by Safety Nets NZ, which have been independently

tested and certified by the team at Massey University, the company’s clients can rest assured that they have discharged their duties in regards to their obligations of the Act.

The company has continued to develop the stable of services that it offers to include a bespoke protection system for use with the removal/replacement of existing roof sheeting on large warehouses. The combination of safety net, debris net and plastic sheeting forms a “sandwich” that is proving very popular with clients who are looking to replace aged roofs on their properties.

The system has successfully been established on numerous projects throughout the country with minimal disruption to existing factory processes, meaning that our clients’ business processes have been able to continue of unaffected as their roof has been replaced.

The system has subsequently been further developed to deal with the removal of asbestos contaminated roofing materials. It is the aim of Safety Nets NZ to offer the most professional, practical and efficient safety net installation solution in the country, with delivery of the highest possible level of customer service being its main focus.

• Safety industry pioneer Safety Nets NZ has developed a fall through protection system that has been independently tested and certified by Massey University

• By using our system you have the comfort of knowing that as PCBU, you have taken all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the system you are using is fit for purpose and capable of performing as expected without risk to the health and safety of your workforce.

• Are you re-roofing an industrial property? If so ask us about our bespoke debris and asbestos containment, fall protection system which enables your work processes to continue uninterrupted whilst the roof is replaced.

• Our nationwide network of local installers are dedicated to providing exceptional, customer focussed fall arrest solutions.

The company has continued to develop the stable of services that it offers to include a bespoke protection system for use with the removal/replacement of existing roof sheeting on large warehouses.

Managing the asbestos risk

WorkSafe, the New Zealand Demolition & Asbestos Association (NZDAA) and the Faculty of Asbestos Management of Australia and New Zealand (FAMANZ), have come together to encourage better asbestos management.

“It’s our number one work-related killer, with around 220 people dying each year from preventable asbestos-related disease,” WorkSafe chief executive Phil Parkes says. “What we’re seeing today is the legacy of past exposure to asbestos, often while at work.

“But action must continue to prevent future illness and death through proper asbestos handling and management.”

When kaimahi (workers) are required to work on asbestos-containing material, they must be trained to do the work safely.

This means understanding the risks involved and controls used to suppress or contain any asbestos-containing dust that is generated and how to dispose of asbestos waste safely so that others are not exposed to the dust.

“The dangers of asbestos exposure have been widely known for decades, and it’s important that businesses and tradies manage the risk appropriately. All kaimahi have the right to be kept healthy and safe at work,” Phil says.

“Lung diseases caused by asbestos, such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, have taken a dreadful toll robbing many of their health and time with their whānau.

“Businesses must manage the risks from asbestos to keep people healthy and safe,” he says.

NZDAA president Helina Stil says the amount of work being carried out in the construction industry, combined with aging residential and commercial buildings, means it’s not a ‘yesterday problem’ – asbestos exposure continues to be a risk.

“The proliferation of asbestos-containing materials in houses, buildings and machinery until the 1990s, combined with the fact these are progressively deteriorating and are approaching or have exceeded their design life, means there remains the potential for accidental exposure by workers, DIYers and others,” Helina says.

“Asbestos removalists are one part of the ecosystem, but it also begins with kaimahi on any site knowing how to identify and manage asbestos.

“This includes homeowners, landlords and property managers as well. Asbestos should be identified and appropriately addressed in similar fashion as a business would any other health and safety risk.”

FAMANZ is calling on businesses who need to remove asbestos to make sure they’re using quality professionals who belong to an industry body.

“Unsafe levels of asbestos exposure are happening every day because of poor work practices, insufficient identification

of hazards prior to works, and a blatant disrespect for health and safety,” says FAMANZ director Bridgette Jennings.

“Cost is cited as being more important than quality in the eyes of businesses when choosing qualified people to survey, remove, and assess asbestos.

“This attitude of price over competence needs to change. Quality must come first to ensure all reasonably practical steps are taken to protect people now and prevent more deaths in the future.”

Three organisations dedicated to reducing and eliminating asbestos exposure are calling on businesses and tradies to do better and keep themselves, their workers and others safe.

The dangers of asbestos exposure have been widely known for decades, and it’s important that businesses and tradies manage the risk appropriately. All kaimahi have the right to be kept healthy and safe at work.

Ward Demolition Ltd

Winners of a 2022 World Demolition Award in the Urban Demolition Category, Ward Demolition is New Zealand’s #1 Demolition and recycling company. Founded

national and international awards under their belt.

This recent award is not their first World Demolition Award, in 2014 Ward won in the same category for successful Demolition and Asbestos removal of a science block amongst a live University campus.

The World Demolition award winning project included deconstruction of 3 multistory buildings in the heart of Auckland city. The tallest, seven-story high-rise boasted an astounding lack of rebar, with street facing columns containing absolutely none whatsoever. Beams containing 80 mm thick rebar held up 100mm concrete slabs held together with chicken mesh rebar. Being partially abandoned for over a decade the team battled over ankle deep guano, which had to be treated similarly to asbestos. The team successfully completed the technical project with the use of world class Innovations Including, New Zealand’s first brand new DXR 300 robot and a high reach integrated dust suppression system.

This job reflects Ward’s high level of experience from over 10,000 projects completed across 35+ years in Demolition, some of their more recognizable jobs include: Eden Park demolition of the South stand in preparation for the rugby world cup (2008), 28 story Hotel Grand Chancellor in Christchurch post-earthquake (2012), Sensation Yachts demolition of a superyacht and surrounding buildings (2017), Ellerslie Racecourse gentle deconstruction of the historic “tote house” for restoration (2018).

Alongside this achievement Ward were shortlisted in the Recycling and Environmental category for two of their projects out of the four contenders. The larger of the two was the demolition of Imperial Tobacco in Wellington where Ward obtained the highest demolition large scale recycle rate in history for the region with 98% of the structures materials recovered. 26,272 tonnes of Concrete was crushed onsite and recycled back into the foundations. These two shortlisted jobs highlighted Ward’s standard practices and dedication to recycling. This year Ward became the first demolition company in New Zealand with green star accreditation. Although Ward did not win this category having 2 projects in the top 4 for the World was a huge achievement in itself.

Ward were shortlisted in the Recycling and Environmental category for two of their projects out of the four contenders. The larger of the two was the demolition of Imperial Tobacco in Wellington where Ward obtained the highest demolition large scale recycle rate in history for the region with 98% of the structures materials recovered.

Ward Demolition view this achievement as motivation and continue to excel in every aspect of Demolition and deliver projects to a World class standard. Managing Director Peter Ward says “This is a huge achievement for us and it's a reflection of the world-class team we have at Ward”.

in 1987, the family owned and operated business has grown to be Industry leaders, with multiple

Scaffolding

Scaffolding training across the country and at all levels with Tai Poutini Polytechnic, a division of Te Pūkenga. Contact registrations@earnlearn-tepukenga.ac.nz

Enrol now

Facts about asbestos

• Around 170 people die each year in New Zealand from asbestos-related diseases

• Exposure to asbestos dust can cause serious health issues, including various forms of cancer such as lung, larynx, and ovarian cancers

• Asbestos in good condition and left undisturbed is unlikely to pose a health risk and doesn’t need to be removed

• If asbestos is present NEVER cut it, drill it, sand it, scrape it, scrub it, waterblast it, or demolish it, unless you have had asbestos awareness training

• All friable asbestos must be removed by a Class A licensed asbestos removalist

• Never use high pressure waterspray, compressed air or power tools on asbestos or suspected asbestos materials

• If you accidentally damage or uncover asbestosstop work immediately, keep people away, minimise the spread of contamination and get advice on what to do next

• Always wear the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with asbestos materials

• All asbestos removal work over 10 square metres must be done by either a Class A or Class B licensed company.

New Zealand Demolition & Asbestos Association 57 Walls Road Penrose Auckland 1061 0800 469 322 nzdaa@nzdaa.com www.nzdaa.com

We specialise in industrial & commercial demolition, & undertake projects of all sizes including internal & partial demolition, New Zealand Wide

Our work is always undertaken with minimal disruption to neighboring properties and business activities

We can provide complete project solutions for all facets of demolition, deconstruction and site works including:

> Industrial Demolition

> Commercial Demolition

> Residential Demolition

> Partial Demolition

> Asbestos Removal

> Commercial Excavation & Site Works

> Heavy Haulage

> Technical Planning

> Structural Engineering Advice

> Methodology Development

> Concrete Cutting

Finalist NZDAA Awards: Project over $1M

jurgensdemolition.co.nz

AWCI Employee Assistance Programme launched

The Association of Wall and Ceiling Industries (AWCI) has partnered with Habit Health to provide an Employee Assistance Programme service for their members.

The EAP scheme is a confidential well-being service for all team members, including managers and business owners.

Membership fees have already been paid by AWCI and for those who take up the opportunity for counselling, the first two sessions are free of charge.

Habit Health offers other services such as drug and alcohol testing, financial and legal advice, along with occupational health services.

Once a staff member contacts Habit Health they will be in contact with the business regarding further sessions or assistance required.

To join the AWCI EAP AWCI members need to contact Habit Health to register.

Email: accountmanagement@eapservices.co.nz

EAP mental health assistance

Call 0800 327 669 or email: nsc@eapservices.co.nz

Be self-aware when it comes to mental well-being

It is highly beneficial for business owners to be aware of how well they are coping with stress in business and their personal life.

As stress builds, it can change thoughts, mood and behaviour, negatively impacting on mental health and wellbeing.

These changes can show up on a personal level and in the business. The sooner they are noticed the better to head-off burnout and protect mental wellbeing.

Personal warning signs:

• Irritable

• Angry

• Anxiety

• Panic attacks

• Fatigue

• Forgetful

• Procrastinating

• Difficulty sleeping

• Changes in appetite

• Headaches and muscle tension

• Overwhelmed

• Withdrawn

• Aches and pains

• Headaches and dizziness

• Getting sick often

• Unhealthy coping strategies (eg) alcohol, drugs,overeating, gambling

• Depressed

• Suicidal thoughts.

Work warning signs:

• Difficulty concentrating

• Not meeting deadlines

• Less engaged in meetings

• Less attention to detail

• Lower than usual work standards

• Not keeping up with regulatory expenses, (service providers, suppliers and wages)

• Anti-social with colleagues, customers and clients

• Negative mindset

• Not being solution-focused.

Shannon from Apex Interiors, Stu from Tauranga Plasterers and Daniel from Tika Interiors who all won Awards of Excellence categories at the Gala Dinner for excellence in project delivery. Image courtesy of Grace Jones Photography.

AWCI conference and award winners

It was ‘back to business’ at the AWCI Conference in Rotorua in September.

The event was deemed a big success with nearly 140 delegates attending over the two days.

AWCI president Daniel Pepperell says one of the highlights of the conference was the newly refurbished apprentice competition.

“It really brought the crowd alive. It was great to hear all the experienced directors and managers giving advice to their apprentices as they powered through the difficult task of lining and plastering a steel stud structure of the Letters A W C and I.”

The AGM was also held at the conference where Daniel laid out the plan for the next 10 years.

“We will get this out to all members, along with the strategic plan so you can see how we will be adding value and growing the organisation.”

The delegates enjoyed two dinners, the Speed Apprentice competition, 19 trade stands and 20 speakers. It was a busy couple of days, but there was still time for a ride on the luge.

AWCI Awards of Excellence

The Association of Wall and Ceiling Industries (AWCI) announced the winners of their annual Awards of Excellence for 2022 at the Association’s Gala Dinner in Rotorua.

The awards are designed to highlight the exceptional standard of interior fit-out and craftsmanship in residential and commercial buildings carried out by AWCI members. There were 18 finalists this year and AWCI president Daniel Pepperell says that some exceptional projects were delivered. “This means some stunning new buildings for New Zealanders to enjoy.”

The winners

• Commercial project over $500,000: Apex Interiors, Auckland for their work on the Sylvia Park Galleria

• Commercial project under $500,000k: Tika Interiors, Tauranga for their work on the Te Tahuhu Te Rangi Library

• Residential project: Bay Interior Specialists (formerly Tauranga Plasterers) for their work on Surd Road residential house in Tauranga

• Heritage, Fibrous and Decorative project: Hush interiors, Christchurch for their work on a the renovated St Bede’s Chapel in Christchurch.

AWCI Conference 2023

To be held in Queenstown in September 2023.

AWCI is offering a payment plan so members and delegates can book and pay in instalments.

About the AWCI

AWCI is a trade association which represents the interests of building professionals and organisations operating in the interior construction sector.

Members include contractors, tradespeople, manufacturers and suppliers in the drywall, fibrous plaster, proprietary partitions, tiling, suspended ceilings and fibre-cement linings industries in New Zealand.

AWCI was established to represent the interests of members and their customers for interior wall and ceiling lining systems and related products.

Association of Wall and Ceiling Industries New Zealand Inc.

PO Box 45098 Waterloo

Lower Hutt 5042 0800 AWCINZ admin@awcinz.org.nz www.awci.org.nz

Apprentices who entered the Apprentice of the year Competition.

HUSH Interiors winning an Awards of Excellence category. Trophy handed over by Jamie from Potters Interiors. Image courtesy of Grace Jones Photography.

Creating a quality outdoor space

By Timmi Aplin-Barrett

This might mean you might have to get smart when putting it together, especially in cities such as Auckland. Auckland is an evergrowing city and, with sites getting smaller, it means less space to play with.

Auckland Design Manual offers a design checklist to highlight what is important when creating an outdoor space. It says:

1. The primary outdoor space is located to afford privacy to its users and receive direct sunlight during the times it will be most used.

2. The outdoor spaces are attractive and allow for a wide range of functions; at least one outdoor space allows occupants and guests to dine outside.

3 A large outdoor space without easy access to a driveway or road is provided for children to play.

4. Sufficient space is allocated for rubbish bins and general storage.

5. The outdoor spaces are accessible and can be used by people of all ages and abilities.

6. The landscape design improves the appearance and functionality of all spaces around the house, including the driveway.

It’s vital to make your space work for you. “Outdoor spaces should allow for a range of difference uses in reasonable privacy, including outdoor dining, informal recreation, clothes drying, bin storage and other service function,” the Auckland Design Manual advises.

It’s also important to ensure privacy and maximise sun exposure.

“The space should maximise direct sun exposure, take advantage of prominent views, provide adequate protection from the prevailing wind and connect directly and conveniently to the main living area within the house,” the manual says.

It also says that it’s good design practice to take not of the neighbouring houses, including their views and the location of their outdoor areas, and to respond accordingly. In creating a workable outdoor space, ensuring accessibility for everyone is important. Auckland Design Manual says a good rule of thumb is that the entrance path to the primary outdoor space should be at least 1200 mm wide.

For more information, please visit the Auckland Design Manual at: www.aucklanddesignmanual.co.nz.

It offers further detailed information and tips to ensure your outdoor space is functional, creative and a good quality area.

Creating a really positive outdoor space can be difficult and it can be hard to know where to start. You want your backyard to work for you, look good and fit into whatever site space you’ve been given.

The space should maximise direct sun exposure, take advantage of prominent views, provide adequate protection from the prevailing wind and connect directly and conveniently to the main living area within the house.

New Mosgiel pool well underway

By Timmi Aplin-Barrett

A new swimming pool for Dunedin’s Mosgiel is forging ahead with workers continuing to meet construction milestones. The Dunedin City Council says this bigger, improved pool will be open in May 2023.

The old Mosgiel pool was struggling to cope with user demands and was only open for around half of the year.

This joint project between the Dunedin City Council and the Taireri Community Facilities trust is costing $19.2m with the council contributing $15.2m and the trust contributing $4m.

Not only will the new pool be bigger; it’s been designed to high accessibility standards. In addition to male and female changing rooms, the city council says the new facility will have four gender-neutral family changing rooms, two gender-neutral accessible changing rooms and four gender-neutral toilets.

The city council says the new facility will include an eight-lane 25 metre pool and hydrotherapy pool, leisure pool with toddlers’ area, learn to swim and spa pools, family and accessible hanging rooms and a meeting/multiuse room for community use.

In March of 2022, a massive construction milestone was completed with the instillation of seven large steel beams that support the roof and walls of the building.

The city council says the largest beam is 18 meters long and weighs five tonnes. In June of 2022, roof panel installation began and the pool shells arrived from Italy. Also in June, the steel portal frame was in place and the pool bases were formed.

By July 2022, the buildings 10-meter-long roof panels were craned into place. This was

another construction milestone meaning the new pool was well on its way. Precast panels were installed including the feature wall at the back of the building. The city council says the remaining foundations and slabs were near completion. The concrete bases of three pools had been completed.

In September 2022, Mosgiel saw the demolition of the old pool well underway and most of the exterior and interior wall framing being completed. By October 2022, the building was covered in most of the windows.

Most doors were installed and the exterior cladding was nearly complete. Interior scaffolding was coming down and concreating of the walkways around the pools began.

November 2022 saw the reception area being gib stopped, changing rooms painted and the four pools nearly completed.

Despite some delays previously, the Dunedin City Council is confident the target of opening in May of 2023 is more than achievable.

An ariel view of the pool base from May 2022. Photo courtesy of the Dunedin District Council.

Building the concrete walkways. Photo courtesy of the Dunedin District Council.

Improving the safety of vehicle fleets

With accidents occurring on the road every day, vehicle safety is a huge concern in New Zealand.

For every fleet of vehicles, safety should be made the main priority. Safety is not the sole responsibility of the drivers however, it’s also the technicians, dispatchers, and upper management who are responsible.

One way that many Kiwi businesses keep their drivers safe is through regular fleet servicing.

A regular service can detect many issues with cars and other vehicles before they escalate to the point of causing damage.

It ensures that thorough safety checks are performed, and preventative maintenance is completed to avoid accidents or time off the road.

Many business owners in NZ are now upping the technology used in their fleets as another safety measure.

Adaptive cruise control, collision warning systems, and lane departure warning systems are now integrated into many vehicles. Speed

monitoring is another popular safety option that can contribute to reducing accidents.

More fleets are also having cameras installed to provide more information about the reason that a driver may have been suddenly braking or accelerating.

This can help to detect the difference between an unavoidable incident and a driver who may need some coaching.

One crucial way of managing safety on the road is by reducing the driving hours of workers.

Whether it’s a fleet of trucks or cars, staff should not be expected to drive for more than 13 hours a day.

However, in terms of safety, less is even better. Longer hours can result in drowsiness and inattention, both predominant causes of traffic accidents.

Owners of vehicle fleets in NZ seem to be becoming more aware of the need to prioritise safety in their vehicles.

There is a push towards increasing the awareness of the need to improve vehicle safety.

The importance of caring for your fleet

With accidents occurring on the road every day, vehicle safety is a huge concern for all New Zealanders.

For every fleet of vehicles, safety should be made the main priority.

Safety is not the sole responsibility of the drivers however – it’s also the technicians, dispatchers, and upper management who are responsible.

One way that many Kiwi businesses keep their drivers safe is through regular fleet servicing. A regular service can detect many issues with cars and other vehicles before they escalate to the point of causing damage.

It ensures that thorough safety checks are performed, and preventative maintenance is completed to avoid accidents or time off the road.

Many business owners in NZ are now upping the technology used in their fleets as another safety measure.

Adaptive cruise control, collision warning systems, and lane departure warning systems are now integrated into many vehicles.

Speed monitoring is another popular safety option that can contribute to reducing accidents.

More fleets are also having cameras installed to provide more information about the reason that a driver may have been suddenly braking or accelerating.

This can help to detect the difference between an unavoidable incident and a driver who may need some coaching.

One crucial way of managing safety on the road is by reducing the driving hours of workers.

Whether it’s a fleet of trucks or cars, staff should not be expected to drive for more than 13 hours a day.

However, in terms of safety, less is even better. Longer hours can result in drowsiness and inattention, both predominant causes of traffic accidents.

Owners of vehicle fleets in NZ seem to be becoming more aware of the need to prioritise safety in their vehicles.

There is a push towards increasing the awareness of the need to improve vehicle safety.

Someone to turn to when under the pump

The Team at JFC Pumps provides concrete pumping services for all residential and commercial projects with experienced operators and the latest model concrete pumps.

The company offers a complete service and can help clients source placers, concrete and traffic management if necessary. Also, it will undertake site visits to make sure they have the right equipment for the job.

JFC Pumps aims to take the hassle out of your next project by providing a ‘concrete-andpump’ solution. To do that, JFC Pumps works with any concrete supplier the customer wishes to use.

The team is made up of experienced staff with access to a wide range of equipment to meet every need, including JFC Pumps’ ten concrete pumps ranging from 18m to 38m. Projects of significance

Working alongside McMillan Drilling, two of JFC Pumps’ projects include the Canterbury Health Board Energy Centre and the Metro Sports Facility.

In order to fill the concrete for both projects successfully, JFC pumps had to coordinate with engineers and others involved in the projects to ensure that the correct mix designs and concrete were used – an example of how JFC Pumps works together to create solutions.

JFC Pumps also partnered with Watts and Hughes to pour the concrete necessary for the new Countdown on Moorhouse Avenue. Because the two halves of the store have different purposes, the half servicing online orders needed to be restrengthened to support the additional weight of stock and equipment.

Reflecting on the project,

JFC Pumps managing director Tim Johnstone says that the team put a solid effort into the project. The site had limited access which meant the team couldn’t use the boom of the pump and had to line pump instead which is much more challenging than your typical pour.

JFC Pumps’ part in the project took place over a two-night period. The team started pouring at 8 pm and finished around 12.30 am and did it all again for the second pour.

Branching out

JFC Pumps opened a new branch in Invercargill which now has two concrete pumps servicing the market.

Local legend Terry Renton is leading the branch with his 13 years of experience of Southland concrete pumping. Tim says, “It makes it easy when you’ve got local people dealing with the local market”.

Eight ways to handle the holiday slowdown

So what should you do to navigate the holidays and keep your business on the right track? Here are a few of the suggestions.

1. Get ready for the tax year. Riveting huh? Well maybe not but it will save you a ton in accountancy fees and also have you ready at the front of the line to get those annuals done and dusted and the tax position planned for the ensuing year. Well prepared records means a reduction in time spent which spells savings to you.

JFC Pumps likes to bring experts on the team to make sure that jobs are done well and on time. That’s why Tim thought it was important to bring Neil Davidson on as the operations manager to ensure that day-today jobs run smoothly.

Clients will also be happy to know that Tim was asked to join the board of the New Zealand Concrete Contractors Association for his concrete pump knowledge and the company is a member of SiteWise NZ and a registered Site Safe NZ industry safety auditor.

JFC Pumps

83 Branston Street Hornby Christchurch (03) 349 8849

info@jfcconcretepumps.co.nz www.jfcconcretepumps.co.nz

2. Communicate with your clients and customers more in the slow period to remain top of mind for when business speeds up. Send holiday cards and dream up some holiday based special offers for customers.

3. Declutter at work. Take the time to do the filing, cull old records, throw out those records you can (usually over seven years old).

4. Take a break yourself. Have a long weekend or longer, enjoy a change of scenery, visit family or friends, do

some industrial research on your competitors. Just chill a bit.

5. Study. Find something that interests you or will help your business and go do some study. Stimulate the brain, expand your horizons… check out other options.

6. Declutter at home. Getting rid of things that you will do as soon as “you get around to it” will clear your mind for bigger, better and more fun things. It’s amazing what a drag these simple chores can be when you leave them undone.

7. Shop! Maybe for yourself, but really we were thinking about things for the business. Take the time to research plant and equipment you need, source some training and courses.

8. Visit family and friends. When you’re busy you possibly don’t give these integral people enough time. Drop in and say hi, keep home fires burning, keep friendships and relationships alive.

One-stop shop for your heavy vehicle alignment, wheel balancing, CoF, servicing and repair needs. We have a reputation for quality work at a fair price.

It is quite understandable for some business owners to get a little freaked when business slows down, as can happen over the holidays.

Fire resistant hydraulic oil goes the distance with CRL

Hydransafe is a new-generation hydraulic fluid specially designed for applications where there are fire hazards. The synthetic biodegradable oil was developed to provide customers with a product that helps them reduce their environmental footprint. It is specifically formulated to offer an extended operating temperature range, meaning it can be used in a variety of situations.

Auckland’s 3.45km City Rail Link (CRL) Project aims to turn the Britomart Transport Centre into a two-way throughstation better connecting the city’s rail network. The $4.4 billion project quickly became New Zealand’s largest ever infrastructure project, allowing for two-times the current rail capacity (the equivalent of 54,000 people on 16 lanes of road!). Estimated to be complete in 2024, the CRL requires over 2000 people to build the tunnel, and the nature and complexity of the project will upskill the New Zealand workforce for future generations.

They key piece of equipment involved in the tunnel construction is the tunnel boring machine (TBM). CRL have purchased a custom TBM from a specialist German manufacturer – Herrenknecht. This is the same manufacturer that designed and built Alice – the TBM used to construct Auckland’s Waterview motorway tunnel. The TBM that CRL have was named after Maori rights activist Dame Whina Cooper following a public vote.

The TBM is 130m long, cost $13.5 million, and can travel up to 32 metres per day, excavating up to 1500 tonnes of soil in the process.

CRL went to market investigating HFDU (fire-resistant) hydraulic oil options in early 2020. This actually ended up taking place during the first COVID lockdown, which added a layer of complexity. Key to becoming an approved supplier was product quality and compatibility. TENZ worked closely with Technical Specialists

Bob and Tony to ensure Hydransafe measured up to their requirements, providing samples for CRL to test. Subsequently, TENZ were chosen as 1 of 3 approved HFDU hydraulic oil suppliers along with Shell and Condat. Ultimately Hydransafe exceeded their requirements, particularly with having the “Factory Mutual” approval. This is the highest approval a product can receive for its use as a fire-resistant oil, and many insurance companies require these standards to be abided by for equipment and products being used in these high-risk areas.

TotalEnergies New Zealand worked on relationships within CRL over the next 6 months, establishing key points of contact across the project to establish as the majority supplier across their sites, for Hydransafe and the full lubricants range. Over time, TotalEnergies proved to be one of their most reliable suppliers through continuity of supply, excellent delivery time frames, and responsiveness to urgent delivery requirements. Furthermore, the technical support provided through Bob has been second to none, and widely appreciated throughout the CRL team.

Committed to Better Energy

TotalEnergies New Zealand is the country’s third largest lubricants company, and the exclusive distributor of global energy producer, TotalEnergies. With operations in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies engages in all aspects of the energy industry. This includes oil and gas, renewable energies and bio-energies. From discovery and production together with processing, community projects and marketing. TotalEnergies shares New Zealand’s commitment to respecting the environment together with protecting kiwi’s health and safety.

Service excellence is the driving force for TotalEnergies NZ. Their network of warehousing and distribution throughout New Zealand, supported by the best technical brains in the business and TotalEnergies’ industry power, gives TotalEnergies NZ the leading edge in service delivery, and their customers high quality products. Additionally, batch tested at blending plants, the product range adheres to international quality regulations, and is ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001 rated.

Across a wide range of industries, the TotalEnergies NZ specialist team provides customers with multi-faceted lubricant solutions. They understand the challenges their customers face, and can find solutions that fit the unique demands of the business. TotalEnergies NZ prides itself on having a clear strategy. To be the best supplier of the best quality product, the best technical support and to be the best employer. Repetitive? They’re okay with that. Striving to be the best means clear direction, building solid partnerships, and furthermore, hiring people who are behind the vision 100%.

To find out if Hydransafe is right for your project, give our Technical Specialist Team a call on 0800 TOTAL OIL (0800 868 256)

Ultimately Hydransafe exceeded their requirements, particularly with having the “Factory Mutual” approval. This is the highest approval a product can receive for its use as a fire-resistant oil, and many insurance companies require these standards to be abided by for equipment and products being used in these high-risk areas

With operations in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies engages in all aspects of the energy industry. This includes oil and gas, renewable energies and bio-energies. From discovery and production together with processing, community projects and marketing.

Dedicated range of Lubricants for Construction, Earthmoving, Quarrying & Mining

totalenergies.co.nz @totalenergiesnz

TotalEnergies is a broad energy company that produces and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the wellbeing of people