7 minute read
Updates
GET UP TO SPEED WITH INDUSTRY NEWS FROM AROUND AOTEAROA.
The Commerce Commission’s draft report on its market study into residential building supplies was released in August, as NZ Plumber was set to go to print. We’ll have more on the outcome in the next edition.
CHANGES TO HOUSING INSULATION UPGRADE DATES
MBIE has revised the date that some Building Code clause H1 insulation requirements for housing will become mandatory. Roof, wall and floor same until 1 May 2023
The date for transition to the 5th edition H1/AS1 and H1/VM1 documents will remain as 3 November 2022. From this date, the previous 4th edition H1 documents can no longer be used for building consent applications.
However, where building consent applications for housing are submitted before 1 May 2023, roof, wall and floor minimum construction R-values can be equivalent to the previous (4th edition) requirements. 2-step increase for windows and doors
All window and door construction in new housing now has a 2-step increase. The first step is a minimum construction R-value of R0.37 for the whole country from 3 November 2022. After that, the date of the second step varies by climate zone: From 1 May 2023, the minimum R-value in: • climate zones 3 and 4 rises to R0.46 • climate zones 5 and 6 rises to R0.50 From 2 November 2023, the minimum R-value for climate zones 1 and 2 rises to R0.46
Skylights
For the extension period of 3 November 2022 to 1 May 2023, skylights will have the same minimum R0.37 requirement as windows and doors.
Starting on 1 May 2023, the minimum R-value for skylights will be R0.46 in climate zones 1 and 2, R0.54 in climate zones 3 and 4 and R0.62 in climate zones 5 and 6.
Only applies to housing
The 5th editions of Acceptable Solution H1/AS1 and Verification Method H1/VM1 were amended in August 2022 to contain the R-values for housing that are deemed to comply until 30 April 2023. There are no alterations to the timing or requirements for other buildings besides housing— either small or large buildings.
This article by David Hindley is reproduced from BRANZ Build, August 2022. www.buildmagazine.org.nz
GOT YOUR FREE RATS?
Everyone in New Zealand can now pick up free RAT kits from collection sites, which include local pharmacies, health centres, marae and testing centres. You don’t need Covid symptoms to get free kits.
The Ministry of Health’s Covid reinfection advice has also changed. It is now advising that people can contract Covid again within 29 days of first getting sick and should take a RAT test. Previously, it advised that people should not retest if they had tested positive for Covid within the past 90 days.
The self-isolation rules for household contacts haven’t changed.
Find the list of RAT kit collection sites at https://requestrats.covid19.health.nz
MOVERS & SHAKERS
New CEO for Skills Group
Training and consulting organisation Skills Group appointed Rosanne Graham as CEO in July.
Graham has held senior roles in the education sector over the past 20 years. Most recently she was Chief Executive of Evolve Education Group, Director of a vocational consulting organisation, and Chair of Ignite Colleges, before managing The Skills Organisation’s sale process and integration to Skills Group. She replaces Garry Fissenden, who has left the role after 11 years.
Skills specialises in vocational education, including workplace training, consulting to businesses on upskilling their people and improving their wellbeing and productivity, and delivering campus-based training to individuals.
Skills Group CEO Rosanne Graham.
Aqualine GM appointment
Gareth Withers has been appointed as General Manager of Aqualine Products. Gareth was previously Aqualine's National Commercial Manager and is passionate about the company and the industry.
Former General Manager Kieran Nally, who has moved on to new ventures, has accepted an invitation to join the Aqualine Board in recognition of the strong relationships he has built with the team and with their suppliers and customers. “We are lucky to have Kieran’s continued governance support as we move forward,” says Board Chair David Steele. “We are delighted with Gareth’s promotion, which underscores the excellent work Kieran has done in building a senior team for the future.”
Fergus on global growth journey
The Fergus job management software platform has secured $15 million in Series B growth funding from Octopus Ventures—one of Europe’s largest early-stage investors— with venture capital investor EVP also participating in the round. EVP first invested in Fergus in 2017.
Fergus CEO David Holmes says the company’s vision is to help as many trade companies around the world as it can.
With its HQ in Auckland, Fergus currently serves over 18,000 tradespeople in eight countries. In late 2021, the company opened offices in Manchester to provide local support for UK tradespeople, and the investment is earmarked for further product innovation and geographic expansion.
Snippets to make you smile.
The Crombie Lockwood Kiwi Burrow, a brooding and incubating facility built in Taupō in 2019, is helping save kiwi from population decline. Kiwi used to number in the millions, but today there are fewer than 70,000 in the wild, due to predators and lost habitat. By partnering with national charity Save the Kiwi, Crombie Lockwood, the name behind Master Plumbers Insurance, wants to ensure our national bird’s call will be heard in our forests forever. Since its inception, the burrow team have hatched 224 kiwi. “In the wild, kiwi only survive to adulthood at a 5% rate,” says Cam Maloney, Crombie Lockwood’s sponsorship and events manager. “That number reaches 65% in the burrow.” The chicks are raised for three to four weeks before being released into the predator-free Santuary Mountain Maungatautari. Rheem NZ are also a sponsor of Save the Kiwi, contributing financially and volunteering their time to assist with initiatives. “Hopefully sometime in the future, Rheem will have helped grow the population to levels that mean we’ll all be able to see kiwi in our backyards again,” they say.
Plumber Curtis Powell captured the bright flash of a meteor from the dashcam in his van while driving north of Shannon one afternoon this July. Space scientist Dr Duncan Steel told RNZ it was extremely unusual to see a meteor in daylight, and it would have released the energy equivalent of about one seventh of the Hiroshima bomb. It’s believed the space rock fragmented above the sea East of Blenheim. You can find Curtis’ video footage on You Tube. Rinnai took part in Auckland City Mission’s HomeGround project, ensuring delivery of hot water to this 11-storey social development of 80 apartments for New Zealanders in need of a permanent home by donating and installing a system consisting of nine Rinnai N56 boilers, with two common header flue systems and a dual boiler pump and control system. The HomeGround system is futureproofed too, with the N56 boilers able to operate with blends of up to 30% hydrogen. In addition, Rinnai will provide on-site maintenance of the system for five years. “It’s been an absolute privilege to contribute to such a meaningful and important initiative,” they say.
Foleys in Palmerston North is helping the local community by collecting donated food items for the foodbank run by Palmerston North Methodist Social Services. This follows similar initiatives by Foleys in Dunedin and Christchurch. Foleys send customers a text the day before they’re due on a job to see if they would like to leave any food donations outside their home. These are then collected by the plumber, taken back to the office and picked up Methodist Social Services. Nice one!
Palmerston North Methodist Social Services practice manager Gavin Rooney collects donated food from Foleys Palmerston North manager Nathan Lock.
