Healthy Plasterboard, Healthy Homes and a Healthy Environment

Winstone Wallboards has made some big steps forward over the last 15 years to ensure as an organisation, they make better use of their existing materials to reduce, reuse and recycle where they can. Ultimately, GIB are focused on contributing positively towards the creation of healthier homes in New Zealand as well as reducing their impact on the environment.

Making the most of how GIB products are made

GIB looks at every part of the manufacturing process to see what can be done to make their products have less impact on the environment, from controlling water discharge that includes suspended solids to removing the need to use solvents containing halogenated hydrocarbons.

The wide range of GIB plasterboard lengths and widths that are readily available helps to reduce wastage. GIB has also introduced initiatives like the GIB cut-to-length service (minimum order quantity and lead times apply) to reduce the amount of waste that could potentially end up in landfill. These services allows builders to order the most efficient lengths and reduces the finishing time — a win-win for everyone.

Getting gypsum back to basics

Plasterboard is comprised mostly of naturally occurring gypsum, which is blended with 100% recycled paper and small quantities of other ingredients. Gypsum is infinitely recyclable and converting it back into plasterboard as well as gypsum products like compost not only enriches New Zealand soils, but acts as a super growth booster for fruit such as avocados.

As well as recycling plasterboard manufacturing waste into composting materials, GIB's Tauranga manufacturing plant will also have an onsite recycling facility which will enable GIB plasterboard to include a portion of recycled gypsum, with the expectation that this will grow over time.

In 2019, GIB introduced onsite plasterboard recycling services in the Auckland region in partnership with Green Gorilla, which now recycles around four million kilograms of plasterboard from building sites each year.

Partnerships have also been expanded into other part of New Zealand too, and plasterboard recycling services are now available in the Waikato, Nelson, Christchurch and Central Otago regions with hopes of more operators coming on board in the future.

Environmental performance

Global GreenTag is one of the world’s most robust, trusted and widely recognised certification programmes, with products tested against sustainability criteria like greenhouse gas emissions, health and ecotoxicity as well as analysis on the lifecycle of a product.

Winstone Wallboards received GreenTag Level A Certification for six of GIB's products, including GIB Standard, GIB Fyreline and GIB Noiseline, and Level C Certification for GIB Ultraline, GIB X-Block products. This is thanks to huge efforts across the entire Winstone Wallboards team to ensure GIB's products continue to meet high standards of environmental performance.

GIB Aqualine, GIB Weatherline, GIB Barrierline, GIB Toughline and GIB Toughline Aqua products also hold GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia) Ecolabel certification, which is a recognised multi-sector ecolabelling program across New Zealand and Australia that supports significant improvement in the sustainability of products.

The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for GIB plasterboard has also recently been updated and renewed. The EPD quantifies the environmental performance of GIB plasterboard including its carbon footprint, embodied energy and other environmental data.

GIB are well on their way to not only significantly reducing their own environmental impact but also helping the sector work more efficiently by repurposing and reusing waste construction plasterboard, which is not only good for our environment, but good for New Zealand homes too.

Want to know more?
Find out more about Winstone Wallboards approach to sustainability and the environmental performance of GIB products here.

GIB Noise Control Systems

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Winstone Wallboards Ltd offers a wide range of GIB wall and floor/ceiling noise control systems. GIB Noise Control Systems have been extensively independently tested and evaluated and can be depended on to perform.

Green Tag Certified

NZ Made

Noise control plays an important role in office comfort, productivity and privacy/confidentiality. Studies show that a positive environment has a positive effect on business. Attention needs to be given to noise control, room acoustics, and services. Open plan offices require a degree of privacy which is achieved to some extent by masking sounds. Senior managers expect more noise control and require it for confidentiality. Seminar and meeting rooms, and walls between tenants need to protect the amenity value of users. Wall penetrating ceilings will provide a higher level of performance, thus making GIB Noise Control Systems the perfect solution.

Other areas requiring attention are those that endure noise disturbance from neighbouring rooms (adjacent, above or below) in the form of airborne sound from TV and voices, impacts from footsteps along corridors and stairs, or services like showers and toilets. Noise from impacts travels horizontally along floors as well as up and down; impact through walls can be a concern where there are no buffers from wardrobes or bathrooms.

Noise from lobbies, entertainment and conference rooms can require special attention as well.

Protection from external noise is important near main roads and airports, while room acoustic treatment around receptions in large foyers can aid intelligibility.

GIB Noise Control Systems are ideal for use in such situations.

In the opinion of BRANZ , the GIB Noise Control systems, if designed, and used, installed and maintained in accordance with with the statements and conditions of Appraisal No.394 [2017], will meet the following provisions of the NZBC:

Clause B1 Structure: Performance B1.3.1, B1.3.2 and B1.3.4.
Clause B2 Durability: Performance B2.3.1(a), B2.3.1(b), B2.3.1(c).
Clause C3 Spread of Fire: Performance C3.4(a) and C3.6
Clause F2 Hazardous Building Material: Performance F2.3.1
Clause G6 Airborne and Impact Sound: Performance G6.3.1 and G6.3.2.

All GIB unfinished plasterboard sheet materials achieve a Group 1-S interior fire rating to NZBC C/AS2-AS6, Table 4.1, following testing in accordance with ISO 5660.1 and ISO 5660.2.

Structure

Durability

Protection from Fire

Hazardous Building Materials

Airborne and Impact Sound

BRANZ Appraised

GIB® Intertenancy Barrier System

GIB

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The system consists of a double timber frame wall with a 25mm thick plasterboard barrier between the frames.

GIB Intertenancy Barrier Systems for Terrace Homes have been designed to provide an improved NZBC compliant separating wall between attached dwellings.

GIB Intertenancy Barrier Systems for Terrace Homes, if designed, used, installed and maintained in accordance with the statements and conditions of the attached Appraisal, will meet the following provisions of the NZBC:

Clause B1 STRUCTURE: Performance B1.3.1, B1.3.2 and B1.3.4. GIB Intertenancy Barrier Systems for Terrace Homes meet the requirements for loads arising from self-weight, imposed gravity loads arising from use, and impact [i.e. B1.3.3 (a), (b) and (j)]. See Paragraphs 8.1 - 8.5.
Clause B2 DURABILITY: Performance B2.3.1 (a) not less than 50 years, B2.3.1 (b) 15 years and B2.3.1 (c) 5 years. GIB Intertenancy Barrier Systems for Terrace Homes meet these requirements. See Paragraphs 9.1 - 9.3.
Clause C3 FIRE AFFECTING AREAS BEYOND THE FIRE SOURCE: Performance C3.4 (a) and C3.6. GIB Intertenancy Barrier Systems for Terrace Homes meet the requirements by providing passive fire and smoke protection. See Paragraphs 12.1 and 12.2.
Clause F2 HAZARDOUS BUILDING MATERIALS: Performance F2.3.1. GIB Intertenancy Barrier Systems for Terrace Homes meet this requirement and will not present a health hazard to people.
Clause G6 AIRBORNE AND IMPACT SOUND: Performance G6.3.1. GIB Intertenancy Barrier Systems for Terrace Homes meet this requirement. See Paragraphs 15.1 and 15.2.

GIB Weatherline Rigid Air Barrier System

GIB

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Used as a component in GIB Weatherline Rigid Air Barrier Systems, GIB Weatherline sheets feature a water and mould resistant fibreglass reinforced gypsum core and a water resistant glass fibre sheet facing for excellent water, mould and fire performance.

Can have the added benefit of providing bracing, fire and acoustic performance.

System Description:

GIB Weatherline Systems have been appraised by the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ), Appraisal No. 1048 (2019) and meet the NZ Building Code requirements for rigid underlays (rigid air barriers). GIB Weatherline System components include a range of 10mm and 13mm GIB Weatherline sheets which can be exposed to weather for up to 90 days prior to cladding installation as well as GIB Grabber Ceramic Coated fasteners, and GIB Weatherline Flashing and Sill Tapes, specially designed and tested for use in GIB Weatherline Systems.

GIB Weatherline Systems are suitable for use in both residential and commercial buildings and have been tested for wind speeds up to and including Extra High wind zone as defined in NZS 3604.

Technical information is available to allow specific design for buildings outside the scope of NZS 3604.

Extra High Wind Zone

Specific Design Wind Zone

In the opinion of BRANZ, GIB Weatherline Rigid Air Barrier Systems, if used, designed, installed and maintained in accordance with the statements and conditions of this Appraisal, will meet, or contribute to meeting the following provisions of the NZBC:

Clause B1 STRUCTURE: Performance B1.3.1, B1.3.2 and B1.3.4. GIB Weatherline Rigid Air Barrier Systems meet the requirements for loads arising from earthquake and wind [i.e. B1.3.3 (f) and (h)]. See Paragraphs 12.1 – 12.6.
Clause B2 DURABILITY: Performance B2.3.1 (a), not less than 50 years, B2.3.1 (b), 15 years and B2.3.2. GIB Weatherline Rigid Air Barrier Systems meet this requirement. See Paragraph 13.1.
Clause C3 FIRE AFFECTING AREAS BEYOND THE FIRE SOURCE: Performance C3.7. GIB Weatherline Rigid Air Barrier Systems can be used to meet this requirement by providing passive fire and smoke protection. See Paragraphs 15.1 and 15.2.
Clause E2 EXTERNAL MOISTURE: Performance E2.3.2. When used as part of the cladding system, GIB Weatherline® Rigid Air Barrier Systems will contribute to meeting this requirement. See Paragraphs 16.1 and 16.2.
Clause F2 HAZARDOUS BUILDING MATERIALS: Performance F2.3.1. GIB Weatherline® Rigid Air Barrier Systems meet this requirement and will not present a health hazard to people. 3.2 GIB Weatherline® Rigid Air Barrier Systems can be used to satisfy the bracing demand requirements of Section 5 of NZS 3604 which is an NZBC Acceptable Solution

See BRANZ Appraisal 1048 for full information.

GIB Wet Area Systems

GIB

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Although able to cope with infrequent short-term exposure, standard gypsum plasterboard will have a shortened life expectancy when frequently exposed to water or moisture.

NZ Made

GIB Aqualine is ideal in situations where lining materials may be exposed more frequently to water or streams (particularly one-off events such as leakages or flooding of a room) because it features a water resistant wax polymer impregnated core.

Clause B1 Structure: The design and material specification for steel and timber framing used in GIB Aqualine systems must be in accordance with the performance requirements of NZBC Clause B1 (Structure).
Clause B2 Durability: When installed and maintained in accordance with this literature, GIB Aqualine tiled or vinyl covered systems have a serviceable life of at least 15 years. They comply with the requirements of NZBC Clause B2 for use in wet areas directly exposed to liquid water, e.g. showers, showers over baths and splash-backs. When used as a general wet area lining and maintained under normal dry internal conditions, GIB Aqualine systems have a serviceable life of at least 50 years and comply with NZBC Clause B2 for use within toilets, kitchens, bathrooms and laundries not directly exposed to liquid water.
Clause C3 Spread of Fire: GIB Fire Rated Systems provide passive fire protection in accordance with the requirements of NZBC Clause C3. When GIB Aqualine is substituted into fire rated systems in place of the equivalent thickness GIB Fyreline, the Fire Resistance Rating (FRR) of that system will be maintained.
Clause E3 Internal Moisture: When installed in accordance with this literature, tiled or vinyl covered GIB Aqualine systems may be used in areas directly exposed to liquid water, such as showers, to provide an impervious and easily cleaned wall surface.
Clause F2 Hazardous Building Materials: At no stage during handling, installation, or serviceable life does GIB Aqualine constitute a health hazard. It therefore meets the provisions of NZBC Clause F2.
Clause G6 Airborne and Impact Sound: GIB Noise Control Systems can be used to provide ratings for Sound Transmission Class (STC) and Impact Insulation Class (IIC) in accordance with the requirements of NZBC Clause G6.

All GIB unfinished plasterboard sheet materials achieve a Group 1-S interior fire rating to NZBC C/AS2-AS6, Table 4.1, following testing in accordance with ISO 5660.1 and ISO 5660.2.

Structure

Durability

Internal Moisture

Hazardous Building Materials

Airborne and Impact Sound

BRANZ Appraised

GIB Tough Systems

GIB

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New GIB Tough Systems 2014 provides improved resistance against accidental impact and wear and tear in internal wall areas subject to medium–high pedestrian traffic or where equipment use is expected.

Green Tag Certified

NZ Made

Suitable for residential and non-residential applications.

All GIB unfinished plasterboard sheet materials achieve a Group 1-S interior fire rating to NZBC C/AS2-AS6, Table 4.1, following testing in accordance with ISO 5660.1 and ISO 5660.2.

Protection from Fire

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