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InteriorInterior
betterBRACE Rigid Air Barrier
Description

saveBOARD betterBRACE rigid air barrier is made in Hamilton from 99% recycled composite packaging and soft plastics. betterBRACE is a semi-vapour permeable, cost-effective rigid air barrier for use on a timber frame in residential to multi-story construction up to 10 metres.  It is finished with a moisture resistant fibreglass facer on one side and a paper facing on the interior side. betterBRACE is a negative carbon alternative to traditional building underlays and rigid air barriers.

Panels are 1200mm in width and either 7mm or 10mm thick, and three lengths: 2450 mm, 2750 mm and 3050mm. Panels can be custom cut to length (minimum order x70) to save time and fixings on site and to reduce waste.

Key Features
  • CodeMark Certified
  • Designed for use in Extra High wind zone
  • Excellent wind & seismic bracing capacity 158 BU/m
  • Install with a flexible wall wrap or use industry standard jointing tapes
  • Fire Group 3
  • Each panel diverts 24kg of waste from from landfill
  • Embodied Carbon (A1-3 including biogenic) -5.51kgCO2/m²
  • DECLARE label
  • Eco Choice Aotearoa Certified
  • Environmental Product Declaration
  • Product Stewardship Program
Categories
Rigid Pre-Cladding
Ranges
Enclosure
LBC Declare Red List Approved
LBC Declare Red List Approved
NZ Made
NZ Made
Recyclable Content (Post-Consumer)
Post-Consumer Recyclable Content
Recycled Content (Pre-Consumer)
Pre-Consumer Recycled Content
Scope of Use

saveBOARD betterBRACE is certified for use with buildings:

  • designed and constructed to:
    • NZS3604 or
    • NZS3603 and AS/NZS 1170 with a maximum wind design pressure (ULS) of 2.5kPa,
    • in existing buildings where the existing structure is equivalent to i) or ii) above, and
  • located in wind zones up to and including Extra High (as defined in NZS3604), and
  • located in Exposure Zones B, C and D (as defined in NZS3604:2011 section 4.2), except microclimates, and
  • located in:
    • i. Climate Zones 1, 2 and 3 where the internal lining is plasterboard, or
    • ii. any Climate Zone where the indoor environment is controlled between 18C and 24C and maximum relative humidity 65% rh, and
  • where the cladding system:
    • i. is not open-jointed, and
    • ii. incorporates an 18 mm minimum drained cavity.

saveBOARD betterBRACE shall:

  • be installed with all joints, openings and penetrations taped and sealed with a compatible flashing tape. If the betterBRACE is over fixed with a synthetic underlay the betterBRACE joints are not required to be taped and penetrations and openings may be sealed using compatible flashing tape with the underlay, and
  • be installed in accordance with the saveBOARD betterBRACE 7mm Installation Guide NZ Jan 2026 rev 1.1 or
  • be installed in accordance with the saveBOARD betterBRACE 10mm Installation Guide NZ Jan 2026 rev. 1.2, and
  • not be directly exposed to the weather or ultraviolet light for more than 30 days during construction. (It may be over-fixed with a synthetic wall underlay within this period).
  • not have joints in cladding that allow rainwater to penetrate the cladding or expose the underlay or air barrier behind the cladding or expose the underlay or air barrier behind the cladding to UV.

The cladding system shall not be directly fixed to saveBOARD betterBRACE. 

Limitations on Use
  • Construction up to 10 metres
  • For use on a timber frame  — betterBRACE 4Steel is available for use with steel framing

 

Statement of Building Code Compliance
  • Clause B1 Structure: Performance Clauses B1.3.1, B1.3.2, B1.3.3 (b, f, h), B1.3.4
  • Clause B2 Durability: Performance Clauses B2.3.1(a); B2.3.2
  • Clause E2 External moisture: Performance Clauses E2.3.2 (contributes to), E2.3.5 (contributes to), E2.3.6 (contributes to), E2.3.7
  • Clause F2 Hazardous building materials: Performance Clauses F2.3.1
  • Clause H1 Energy efficiency: Performance Clauses H1.3.1 (b) (contributes to)
In-Service History

The same plant and recipes that saveBOARD uses for manufacture in New Zealand and Australia originates from the USA, where it has been in operation for 14 years.

Other Performance Attributes
  • Low Carbon (Cradle to Gate, Aa1-3 including biogenic) -5.51/CO2/kg product
  • VOC (volatile organic compounds) emission: <0.003 mg/m²/hr
  • Made from 99% locally sourced and recycled composite packaging and soft plastics
  • No water, glues, resins or additives are used in the production process
  • Declare Red List approved, and Eco Choice Aotearoa certified
  • The use of saveBOARD products will earn, or contribute towards earning, Green Star credits
  • 15 year warranty
  • DECLARE label
  • Eco Choice Aotearoa Certified
  • Environmental Product Declaration (completion Oct 24)
  • Product Stewardship Program
CodeMark
CodeMark
Eco Choice Aotearoa (ECNZ) Licensed
Eco Choice Aotearoa
Homestar / Green Star (Envirospec) Compliant
Homestar / Green Star
Documents
CodeMark: betterBRACE and betterBRACE 4Steel

CMNZ70162 Ver1 2026

Product Technical Statement: betterBRACE

2024V1:4

Design & Installation Manual: 10mm betterBRACE

2026 v1.1

Design & Installation Manual: 7mm betterBRACE

2026 v1.1

saveBOARD Material Safety Data Sheet

2024

Declare Certification

SVB-0001

Eco Choice Aotearoa Certification

3223189

EPD Environmental Product Declaration: betterBRACE

EPD-IES-0014118

Claiming Green Star Credits
Claiming Homestar Points

saveBOARD manufacture low carbon building materials using recycled waste.

Product Enquiries

News from saveBOARD

The Case for Custom: Why Cut-to-Length Rigid Air Barrier Makes Financial Sense
Sustainability at Sydney Airport with saveBOARD
CodeMark Certified BetterBrace Rigid Air Barrier Range Now Includes 7mm and Steel Frame Options
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