Lessons from the design of service penetrations through fire rated walls and floors on a recent high-density residential project. 

A truly resilient building needs to continue to provide core services in the event of a prolonged emergency or natural disaster. Domestic hot water is one of these services. 

As an incentive to sustainable housing, in mid-April the ANZ Bank announced that it is offering reductions to some of its interest rates and fees, subject to particular conditions, if the property being financed has a minimum Homestar rating of 6 stars.

The consultation is on proposals to improve the regulation of building products and methods, strengthen occupational regulation, look at how risk and liability are managed, reduce the building levy, and strengthen penalties for those who don’t comply with the law.

It is coming to be accepted that there is a personal and, to a lesser extent, a national benefit in having energy generation and water collection within the family home, but the conversation has not yet extended to applying this thinking to a co-operative community setting.

We pipe water inside buildings, so what happens when we turn it into steam?

There are lots of configuration options when adding this form of an operable wall, and there are a few things to consider.

MBIE is calling its proposed legislative changes to the building regulatory system in the areas of risk and liability, building products and occupational regulation, the biggest change to the regulations since the Building Act was introduced in 2004.

We often come across situations where compliance with NZBC requirements for fire protection is in conflict with other requirements.

Tariff concessions have applied to many materials used in residential construction since 2014. The government has decided not to re-impose these tariffs.