On balance, is there a long-term thermal and economic gain to be had from fitting insulation to the exterior face of a ‘slab-on-ground’ concrete floor... and is it as effective as it seems? 

My new blog on EBOSS is intended to give you an understanding of applied building science relating to moisture control. Every month I will address a variety of building physics facts and discuss their relevance to the New Zealand climate and construction industry.

In this post we'll look at performance testing for textiles and upholstery and examine how to extend the lifespan of materials in commercial and heavy duty environments.

As the cost of energy continues to climb, we are looking for better ways to reduce the heat loss from our buildings.

Kiwis like to get things done – fast. The quicker the design period and the faster the build, the fewer overheads and less risk to the client and contractor. It makes good business sense. Or does it?

It is very important to let your Professional Indemnity Insurer know if a circumstance arises that may expose you to a claim.

Acoustic performance is a key aspect to the success of any building, as it ultimately ensures workplace satisfaction and affects the productivity of its users.

No matter how high the thermal performance of a window, it remains much less than the same area of a standard insulated wall. With this in mind, it would be wise to give the location of a building's windows careful consideration.

The NZ Building Code clauses for Protection from Fire (C1-C6) aim to protect people in buildings, limit fire spread to other buildings and help firefighters and rescue personnel.

Just like thermal mass, insulation will keep you cold if you do not use it intelligently.