in the frame tHE ECONOMY AND THE BUILDING INDUSTRY Reading
current
media
comments
about the economy and
the
housing
market in particular, could lead some into believing doom
all and
the gloom.
However and PLEASE NOTE we are not yet
in
recession!
Recession is regarded as 2 or 3 consecutive quarters of negative growth and this has not yet occurred, and may not. Currently the NZ economy is definitely softening, but is not in recession. While there are a number of significant negatives including: • Consumer and business confidence being down • Retail spending being down • Interest rates being high • Inflation is on the rise
There are however also still lots of positives within the economy, including: • The dairy industry is still reasonably strong despite the recent drought • We have a free trade agreement with China with the opportunities that offers • Net migration is still positive at about 5000 pa • Our Balance of payments is still strong • The NZ$ is strong • There are good employment and reasonably strong wage levels We do need to acknowledge that the new housing/building industry has had one of the longest periods of sustained growth in recent history and that the housing market may have become somewhat over-heated in terms of pricing. Given that these recent activity and pricing levels were probably not sustainable in their own right, it was inevitable that we would experience a downward adjustment. From their peak of 33,000 pa in mid 2004, New dwelling consents have declined steadily over the last 3 to 4 years to the extent that they now sit at approx 25,000 pa.
Most people are predicting further decline in the 10% to 20% range over the next 1 to 2 years. This would mean new starts of around the 20,000 pa, which are similar to levels last experienced in the late 1990’s. Commercial construction activity, while still softening, is more steady and will definitely provide opportunities for ASL and it’s fabricators because of our new product range and marketing initiatives. To date, high end/Architectural housing has been largely unaffected and the Renovation/ Replacement market usually strengthens when there is a decline in new home starts. Similarly, Healthcare, Retirement Homes/Villages and Education should remain relatively firm or even strong over the next year or two. The media’s negative perspective appears extreme at this stage. Certainly we are in an economic and market decline. If you have a diversified portfolio of work with quality customers and take the time to do all the basic’s in your business right (including a tight/ strict debt collection policy) you should weather the current economic storm well and can even position yourself positively for the next lift in the market.
NEW TO MARKET
Sofitel Hotel, Queenstown
Everything you need to know about the Free-Fold® Bifold!
Page 2
NEW FABRICATORS Warkworth & Whangarei two Elite Windows & Doors fabricators
Back page
CASE STUDIES
The Commercial brochure will be sent to specifiers, including a competition card, for the chance to win a weekend for 2 at the fabulous Sofitel Hotel!
An amazing curved double glazed project and an eco-house!
C O MMER C I A L COUNTDOWN!
Dyann Stewart talks energy efficiency and its industry effect!
We are excited to announce the launch of our new Commercial Series aluminium joinery, together with supporting resources! There will be an intense advertisement campaign in some of the biggest industry publications and a website has been created containing downloadable details as well as showcasing some great Commercial case studies. We will be mailing out the Commercial brochure to most major specifiers throughout New Zealand.
Page 2
Details are also available for download from KarelCad's Revit 3D Building Information Modelling (BIM). See back page for more info. For specifiers, a definitive containing information within the Series with been created and will
KNOWLEDGE
Commercial handbook, about all products details illustrated. has be available shortly.
Page 3
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
The official Commercial brochure, containing an overview of the Series is now available, contact Dawn or Pauline on 09 574 2900 for your copy, alternatively, download in PDF format from www.commercialwindows.co.nz
Newcomers to the Sales and Marketing and Technical Team
Back page Kar me n
THE CURVED, DOUBLE GLAZED
GREEN WINDOWS CHALLENGE
Curved double glazed house,Taupo
A L I W A Y S COMPLETE TRULY UNIQUE TAUPO HOME A project that not only looks fantastic, but achieves its thermal performance Besides being stunning with its curved windows, this house is a marvel of window precision.
Architectural designer, James Thomson of JT Design, has capitalised on the premier location overlooking lake Taupo to fully capture the lake and mountains of the Central North Island.
There were many hurdles that were overcome. Several of the curves were coupled to a flat faced sidelight which presented a problem at the interface.
The house was built in Taupo, a Zone 3 area where Energy Efficiency was introduced last year. To achieve its thermal performance this house used double glazing throughout. However, to complicate matters several of the windows are curved double glazed units and they put AliWays, our Elite Windows & Door aluminium joiner, on a new learning path.
Penny Homes, the builder, had to be incredibly accurate with the concrete rebates.
to complicate matters, several of
AliWays, the Taupo fabricator, have achieved a fantastic job with these windows using the skills and knowledge of their own staff and others within the industry.
Have a fantastic Case Study you think should be published in the next Newsletter? Contact Pauline Nola on 09 574 2900 or email paulinen@aslnz.co.nz
NEW TO MARKET ASL’s Free-Fold® Bifold windows and doors Products evolve, develop and improve. Using a standard bifold template, we have designed the basis of a Free-Fold® Bifold, allowing the panels to fold back 180°, whilst still providing an ease of manufacture and installation plus providing a multitude of configurations. The key to the Free-Fold® Bifold is the hinging system. This is a simple system of sequencing and bridging hinges to produce the free fold capacity, with the sequencing hinge using a spring to return the panel to its original position when closing the door. The new hinging system has been successfully cycle tested in excess of 50,000 cycles. This is the equivalent of fully opening the bifold door 9 times per day for 15 years and ensures the system has a smooth, continuous, long running movement.
The maximum panel weight is 50kg, with a maximum panel height of 2.0 and a maximum panel width of 0.85. All other gearing is standard issue, making the manufacturing a straight forward operation. The hinges use the same gearing operation as the standard hinge bifold resulting in a cost effective free fold bifold system. The Free-Fold® Bifold is testament to the high standard of a product design team at Aluminium Systems, who have designed a great product that is not only extremely functional, but available at a very affordable price. The new Free-Fold® Bifold has been designed for any residential building and can be used on existing residential Bifold and Evolution systems. The Free-Fold® Bifold is particularly useful where there is limited deck space and is a viable alternative to French doors Visit: www.designerwindows.co.nz ®
Free-Fold Bifold Door
3 METHODS TO TEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN COMPLIANCE WITH H1 The H1 clause of the New Zealand Building Code will be phased in throughout the rest of New Zealand, and will be effective for the whole country on 30 September 2008. Zone 3, 30 October 2007 The South Island, the Taupo and Ruapehu Districts and the Rangitikei District. Zone 2, 30 June 2008 All other areas of New Zealand that are not in climate zone 3 or climate zone 1. Zone 1, 30 September 2008 Northland, Auckland and the Thames-Coromandel districts in the North Island. There are 3 methods available for determining compliance to H1 – Energy Efficiency and NZS:4218 Energy Efficiency in Small Buildings. Method 1 – Schedule Method. This method uses tables clearly defined in H1. Meet the minimum values required, and you achieve compliance. With the Schedule Method, the Glazing requirement is an R-value of 0.26, to achieve this the minimum glazing possible is double glazing. The Schedule Method can be used with glazing up to 30%. Method 2 – Calculation Method. This method uses tables clearly defined in H1 for both a reference house and your design. In the Calculation method, insulation in the walls, ceiling, floors and glazing can be traded off against each and allows the use of single glazing as long as the insulation R-values have been reached via other materials. There are several websites available that offer H1 Calculation tools to assist in this procedure. The Calculation method can be used with glazing up to 50%. Method 3 – Modelling Method. This method uses a computer program to calculate the thermal performance of the building against a reference building. To comply with the standard, a building need not comply with the schedule or the calculation method, provided the proposed building has an annual assessed energy use which is not more than that of the reference building. As in the calculation method, single glazing can be used and the R-values traded off against the insulation R-values of the walls, ceiling and floor. The Modelling method can be used for glazing up to 50%, and is also the only method available for glazing over 50%. Learn more: www. branz.co.nz
www.design-navigator.co.nz
Eco house, Auckland
THE ECO HOUSE The origin of this house was the belief that an Ecological House could not only look contemporary could be priced within the mainstream. The house, just north of Auckland, was built using a modular system. Laminated beams and posts provide the structure and the engineering is all in the frame. The plan is based around a standard building materials size, 1.2 x 2.4. The design system worked on that grid size which ultimately meant no wastage of materials (1 skip of rubbish) and rapid construction as the cutting of timber and other materials was avoided. Paul Gladman, the architect, says a ‘building sustainable’ philosophy has gone into the planning. Timber is used wherever possible. There are minimal foundations and minimal use of concrete, as concrete is a heavy pollutant. All insulation is sheep wool, not only in the walls but also under floor.
With 100mm under floor and 150mm in the walls and ceiling, the R-values are achieved without the use of double glazing in the windows and doors. Phoenix Aluminium, one of our Fairview Windows & Doors fabricators, provided residential joinery. With no jamb liners and by returning the gib board into the liner groove, the look to the inside is very clean and crisp - a great architectural look. Double glazing could not be used without changing the sizes and configurations of the joinery which neither the Architect nor the client wanted to do, as doing so would compromise the design. The overall R value was achieved with other insulation. There is solar water heating, and there is also passive solar gain by facing the house with maximum glazing facing north. Being away from the city also means there is a passive sewage system and rainwater recovery. The basic eco principals have been learnt and developed over time by Paul Gladman and applied very successfully in this house, proving that an Eco house can comfortably be part of prevailing trends in looks and cost.
Have a fantastic Case Study you think should be published in the next Newsletter? Contact Pauline Nola on 09 574 2900 or email paulinen@aslnz.co.nz
Fairview Windows & Doors and Elite Windows & Doors designed by Aluminium Systems
Aluminium Systems Ltd, 3 Timaru Place, Mt Wellington, Auckland | Ph 09-574-2900 | www.aslnz.co.nz
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
wELCOME TO NEW FABRICATORS New horizons for Northland company
Technical Team
Dyann Martin, our Technical Support Manager, became a radiant bride and subsequently Dyann Stewart. Her team now has a Shop Drawing division with Himanshu Patel, Jim Gaerlan and Bruce Burns. Rob Simpson is the Co-ordinator for Commercial projects.
Even though Whangarei has six competing aluminium joinery manufacturers, Dave Greenhalgh and Matthew Armiger felt there was an opportunity to be successful in a startup business.
Darren Craig, is our new Technical Representative. assisting fabricators to continue to produce quality aluminium joinery.
Sales and Marketing Team
The Sales and Marketing team have a new Architectural Advisor Karmen Dumper. She will be visiting Architects from Taupo northward and introducing new products. Rob Simpson, Mob: 021 887 463 Darren Craig, Mob: 021 742 932 Karmen Dumper, Mob: 021 858 142
Elite Window Solutions, Warkworth
Competing Warkworth companies merge
Following discussions with Aluminium Systems and utilising the Elite brand, they have commenced Elite Windows & Doors Whangarei, specialising in Residential and Commercial applications and have already secured some major builders. Using their past business skills of focusing on customer service and quality at a fair price, they are confident of growing this business to a very satisfactory level.
Two aluminium joinery companies that have been in competition for the past 20 years have merged.
Da rre n Cr aig
R o b S im p-
Gulf Windows and Doors and Nebulite Warkworth from Morrison Drive have been transformed into a new entity called Elite Window Solutions, making it a significantly sized joinery company for the Rodney area. The Morrison Drive factory is larger and better set out for a business at twice the size and is now home to the new company. The factory staff from both companies are being retained, which makes for a great combination of skills and knowledge.
Ka rm en
CAD JUST GOT C L E V ERER
Elite Windows & Doors Whangarei
This brings our total network of Elite Windows & Doors and Fairview Windows & Doors fabricators in NZ to 56! The largest single benefit of this database is when the architect changes a drawing all other corresponding details alter as well, dramatically reducing the time to completion.
The Designer knows the product content can be manufactured to the exact design specs straight out of the Revit design platform and won’t require rework once the drawings are complete.
And because architects can drop in product content (windows in our case) they find that this speeds up drawings by at least 25%.
Specifiers will appreciate the ‘window product content’ which can be more accurately dropped into drawings as either Fairview or Elite brands or generic. Both customers and builders will applaud the more accurate and And because architects can drop detailed plans and specifications
There will be a CAD system in most Architect and Designer practices in New Zealand. Of these, KarelCAD is the largest auto desk partner in Australasia training 400-500 CAD personnel each month.
The design content online portal ( w w w. d e s i g n c o n t e n t . c o m . a u ) contains 2D and 3D representations of supplier’s products that can be manufactured exactly as designed.
Now KarelCAD have introduced Revit 3D Building Information Modelling (BIM) into New Zealand.
The advantage of this website is that the digital models are a true representation of manufacturer’s products at the time of creation.
At this stage there are about 1500 Revit licences in New Zealand and growing. We believe this is leading edge technology and will provide enormous benefits to every party involved.