Newsletter Issue 1, January 2022

Welcome to 2022

2022 promises to be a busy year for NASH and the residential sector. With residential consents at all time high, government committed to building more social and emergency housing all at a time when traditional framing materials are in scarce supply and with significant cost increases. The timber shortage will be with us for some time, as it is a global issue and exacerbated here in New Zealand owing to significant log exports to China. If material supply and running a business amid COVID restrictions wasn’t enough of a challenge for the residential sector there is more change ahead. New H1 requirements
come into force in November 2022. MBIE’s Building for Climate Change programme will require all of us to better understand how our building products contribute to the embodied and operational carbon in new houses and what we as manufacturers are doing to reduce the impact. The Commerce Commission launched an enquiry into the building supplies market and no doubt some of you will be contacted.
Managing through these turbulent times is why we need a strong and active member organization representing our interests. The NASH team currently have a large programme of work to address current and future challenges which include
  • Seismic bracing R & D programme in partnership with University of Auckland and Alrite Steel.
  • Producing a Best Practice Design Guide for Light Steel frame to compliment NASH Standards – our thanks to New Zealand Steel for funding / hosting an intern to deliver this work.
  • Developing an R & D programme to deliver to MBIE’s H1 – Energy Efficiency Code changes.
  • Working with Councils to develop a simple process for product substitution when builders are held up though lack of supply. Our thanks to Rodney and EQ Struct for developing a simple and robust process to support Council. This will be trialed in February.
  • Upgrading the NASH website with user friendly portal to provide easy access for members to technical literature and R & D learnings. Again our thanks to New Zealand Steel for providing support funding this upgrade.
In addition the NASH team are focused on QA process / audit for members and working with the Sustainable Steel Council to assist NASH members to sign up to and audited against the Sustainable Steel Charter. All of the above would not be possible without member contributions and the support of NASH’s major partners – so thanks for your ongoing support.

NASH would like to thank our sponsors and industry partners for their continued support.

New Zealand Diploma in Structural Detailing

NASH has been working Waihanga Ara Rau Construction and Infrastructure Workforce Development Council to develop New Zealand Diploma in Structural Detailing (Level 5) with strands in Light Steel Frame, Structural Steel, Reinforcing Steel and Precast Concrete with strands in Light Steel Frame, Structural Steel, Reinforcing Steel and Precast Concrete.  The purpose of this qualification is to provide the structural manufacturing sector of the construction industry with graduates who have the skills and knowledge to perform structural detailing to a professional standard. Graduates will be able to operate unsupervised to perform all aspects of structural detailing, maintain currency with technology and practice and support others in structural detailing operations.  Read more 
 

Getting to know NASH members – Pawel Milewski from ExtraMile 

Who are ExtraMile?
ExtraMile is an independent structural engineering practice in Hawkes Bay. We pride ourselves for our emphasis on innovative and exotic designs backed by our experience of numerous building materials and construction techniques – from traditional to cutting edge innovation. We primarily work on unique small projects locally, while also working all over New Zealand and internationally.
How did ExtraMile get involved with NASH?
We have been experts in light gauge steel framing for a long time, having worked with it in the UK before moving to NZ. We were able to bring our expertise and contribute to LGSF’s use here, and subsequently got involved in NASH.
 
What is a project that ExtraMile is particularly proud of?

We are proud of how we managed to utilise the advantages of light-gauge steel framing (LSF) to design an innovative apartment building on Regent Street in Auckland. This building was unique in how it had a completely modular design, where an offsite factory assembled 9 volumetric modular units. These were fully finished with walls and services such as water and electricity. Then, they were simply stacked on site like boxes. The finished project marked one of the first practical modular buildings in New Zealand, while also significantly reducing the cost of the building and shortening its assembly time on site. We are proud of how this project leads the way in making construction a more streamlined and affordable process using new technology.

What brings you satisfaction in your job?

I am always excited to come up with and see clever, innovative solutions being used in the construction process. I get out of bed in the morning as I am excited about the future of construction technology, and am eagerly waiting for the way we build things to change from how it was done x years ago, as little has changed since then. I get the greatest satisfaction when my work contributes to a fundamental change in what is possible in construction.

How did you get involved with steel framing?

My experience with LSF comes from work in Ireland and the UK after I moved there from Poland. There LSF was also a new technology, and I worked with the BRE (UK equivalent of BRANZ) to certify the LSF building method. The company I worked with was the second ever to receive certification to work with LGSF. There I helped use the technology to build a good amount of multi-storey buildings. After moving to New Zealand I am working with LSF in my own company, upholding the innovation in the technology on a slightly smaller scale here.

What challenges are you facing in your job?

I am interested in using innovative technology like LSF to boost construction possibilities. Unfortunately, getting some of my colleagues to have the same will to use these lesser proven, new methods has not always been easy. The fact that building technology has not progressed much in x years has something to do with how common to just want to build things the old way. It is an ongoing challenge for me to work with LSF at scale. I try to overcome this by always making my LSF designs as well designed as possible, and set the precedent that innovation like this is truly worthwhile and beneficial to construction. I am seeing it slowly get embraced and look forward to help contribute to where LSF can get to in the future.  I am surprised by how strong small amounts of LSF steel can be as long as it is designed and detailed correctly.

What do you do outside of you work life, is there anything on your bucket list?
One of the reasons I moved to New Zealand originally was to enjoy the beautiful nature here. I enjoy hiking and seeing untouched scenery and would love to walk the Te Araroa Trail at some point. I have been training Karate as sport since I came to NZ, and have managed to reach a Black Belt grade last year. As someone who designs static things that stay on the ground, I also enjoy the idea of flying. In my free time, I like to go paragliding.

To learn more about ExtraMile

Construction Sector Accord Newsflash: Get prepared for Omicron – new resources from Business.govt.nz

New Zealand is well-prepared for an outbreak with high vaccination levels, boosters and vaccinations for children now available, and public health measures in force through the COVID-19 Protection Framework. There are also some important steps you can take to get your business ready for the arrival of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

It will make its way into our communities and workplaces eventually. When it does, many people are likely to get COVID-19 and it is important to prepare for that outcome.

MBIE’s Business.govt.nz has released new advice on preparing your business, including resources for business continuity planning.

See the new advice on preparing your business for Omicron

Article from Construction Sector Accord Newsletter, 21st January 2022, sent by MBIE

MBIE – New tiny house guidance released

New tiny house guidance has been developed around what rules apply and what requirements to consider before building a tiny house.

Tiny houses need to be safe, healthy and durable for their intended use. As building regulator, MBIE aims to ensure that all building work in New Zealand meets these requirements.

This guidance seeks to clarify any ambiguity on which rules apply to which tiny houses, particularly for tiny houses on wheels. Tiny houses on wheels will often be vehicles (eg motor homes) but will also be buildings if they are ‘immovable’ and ‘occupied by people on a permanent or long term basis’. Read more

 

 

Product Substitution Guidance

MBIE has put out a guide that will assist designers, builders and home owner who are considering different products to those specified or requested. See Product Substitution Guidance.

National Construction Pipeline Report

The 9th edition of the National Construction Pipeline Report was released December 2021.

The report was commissioned by MBIE is based on building and construction forecasting by the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ), and data from  building economics consultancy Pacifecon NZ Ltd on known non-residential building and infrastructure intentions.

It includes national and regional breakdowns of actual and forecast residential building, non-residential building and infrastructure activity.  The report projects building activity for the next six years, ending 31 December 2026.

Commerce Commission opens market study into residential building supplies

On the 22nd November 2021 the Commerce Commission announced that they had commenced a market study to look into any factors that may affect competition for the supply or acquisition of key building supplies used to build the major components of residential buildings. The major components of residential buildings are, for the purposes of this study, the foundation, flooring, roof, walls (structural and non-structural, interior and exterior) and insulation.

On the 17th December 2021 the Commerce Commission released a a paper outlining the preliminary issues it may explore and the proposed scope for it market study into residential building supplies.  To view the full articleRead more

Submissions close at 4:00pm on 4 February 2022 and can be emailed to buildingsuppliesmarketstudy@comcom.govt.nz.

NASH will be making a submission please contact Nick Collins at gm@nashnz.org.nz if you are interested in being involved.