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BRANZ’S E-Learning Modules
One of NASH’s E-learning initiatives is now available as featured in the NASH Winter newsletter.
NASH recognised the limited educational resources available to residential designers covering steel-framed housing. BRANZ who have produced the Building Basics – Lightweight Steel Framing guide proposed developing an on-line learning resource to address the knowledge gap. Thanks to our NASH members for their contribution and to BRANZ for their expertise.
This series of three modules provides a practical and comprehensive introduction to the design and construction of lightweight steel-framed buildings. Developed by BRANZ in collaboration with the NASH, the modules are aimed at designers and builders seeking to gain skills and knowledge on this topic.
TOPIC 1. Steel-Framed Buildings – An overview for designers and builders
This 20-minute module steps designers and builders through the basics of steel-frame buildings. By completing these building blocks, you will gain an understanding of statutory requirements; materials and specifications; linings, thermal breaks, and insulation; and floors, roofs, and walls. Learn more
TOPIC 2. Steel-Framed Buildings – Understanding the principles of design
This 20-minute module gives designers in-depth, practical guidance on design principles and considerations for lightweight steel framing that differ from timber construction. This module includes preplanning; steel basics; fixings and connections; and on-site remediation. Learn more
TOPIC 3. Steel-Framed Buildings – Designing a steel-framed building
This 20-minute module provides comprehensive guidance on the design and construction of steel-framed buildings and steps learners through a diverse range of fundamental topics including walls, floors, and rafters; roof structure; insulation; thermal breaks and underlays; wiring and piping; fire and acoustics; windows, doors and wall cladding; bracing; and foundations and connections. Learn more
H1 Energy Efficiency webinar – 18th March 2022
Speckel is a group of self-proclaimed sustainable design-loving geeks, with toes in building science, mechanical engineering, and software development. They are doing a good job in making people aware of thermal performance and tomorrows webinar is of interest to all.
https://lnkd.in/gPZVd7tD
H1 Energy Efficiency – From Schedule to Verification
On the 18th of March, Speckel will be stepping through the New Zealand H1 Schedule to Verification pathways for energy efficiency, providing a clear route to compliance opportunities and beyond.
Newsletter Issue 1, January 2022
Welcome to 2022
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.
- 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.
NASH would like to thank our sponsors and industry partners for their continued support.
New Zealand Diploma in Structural Detailing
Getting to know NASH members – Pawel Milewski from ExtraMile
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.
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?
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
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
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.
Infinite recyclability is one of the key aspects underpinning the sustainability message of steel.
HERA Report R5-89 Steel Recycling Report shows steel plays a key role in the circular economy
Undertaken by thinkstepANZ it showed an impressive 72% of steel scrap in New Zealand is recycled, and that recycling steel scrap produced in Aotearoa New Zealand provides significant environmental benefits – despite the need for transport to overseas recycling facilities.
The study also showed that the amount of steel scrap collected for recovery is critical to the overall benefits of the recycling system. Read more
Ngā Kāinga Anamata – Homes of the Future
Ngā Kāinga Anamata is a sustainability-innovation public housing pilot project, aimed at driving carbon emission reduction in New Zealand’s construction industry.
The project was gifted its name, meaning ‘homes of the future’ to reflect its aspiration of building tomorrow’s houses today, while maintaining a cultural lens and links to core Māori values.
The core focus of Ngā Kāinga Anamata is to achieve the Government’s 2030 carbon emission targets by 2024, sharing insights and influencing change in New Zealand’s built environment.
The project will deliver 30 new homes within five, three-level apartment buildings in Auckland’s Glendowie. Each near identical building will use a different construction technology, enabling sustainability insights to be gathered on a range of building materials and systems.
Source Kāinga Ora, released 28th October 2021
Council issues warning to tradies as list of building materials expanded
Auckland builders have an expanded list of materials they can substitute to cope with the supply crunch caused by Covid-19.
But the council is warning tradies to do their homework and check in with it early on.
Supply shortages have been forcing more and more tradies to ask councils if they can swap out specified products if they cannot get them.
Auckland Council has now expanded its scope to allow for swaps of:
• timber framing to steel framing
• metal roofing to concrete tiles, or vice versa
• some cladding types
Read the full article: Council issues warning to tradies as list of building materials expanded
By Phil Pennington of RNZ – Published in the Herald, 17th October 2021
August 2021 Newsletter
August 2021 Newsletter
What’s inside this issue.
- Chairman’s Reflections
- NASH Update
- Introducing the Board for 2021/2022
- Building Code Changes
- There is no timber first-policy
- Skills shift initiation
- Getting to know our members
- Rollforming Services
There is no timber first-policy.
“There is no ‘timber-first’ policy. There is a policy to reduce the carbon impact of government buildings.”
This is Minister for Economic Development, Government Procurement and Forestry Hon. Stuart Nash’s response to written parliamentary questions from Opposition spokesperson for Construction Tim van de Molen, inquiring into the government’s timber-first policy in June 2021.
The minister and his predecessor have been subjected to significant lobbying by sector players to adopt a timber-first policy for the procurement of government buildings. The minister was right not to yield to pressure.
In a comment piece which ran in the National Business Review on 17 July, Metals outlines why Nash was right to reject a ‘wood-first’ policy.
This includes the fact that New Zealand’s Building Code and government procurement are material agnostic, focused on delivering resilient and high-performing buildings. Decisions with respect to which material is used in what building needs to be left to architects and engineers based on independent robust data, informed by International Standards and New Zealand’s specific seismic/climatic challenges.
Read the full comment piece here as a PDF: NBR-No timber first policy-17.07.21 or online at the National Business Review.
Author : Nick Collins
Source: National Business Review
Building Code changes drives warmer, drier, environmentally friendly homes
Every year MBIE consults on the Building Code. This year’s proposed changes aim to make homes and buildings warmer, drier and healthier, with less impact on our environment, while also bringing New Zealand more in line with international standards.
Metals New Zealand in partnership with the National Association of Steel Framed Housing Inc (NASH) has submitted on the proposed changes, which are long overdue. Read our submission here Metals New Zealand NASH submission-form-building-code-consultation-2021 final.
Overall, we support the direction. The proposed changes are significant and coupled with the Building for Climate Change programme, the sector will need time to design and test solutions to deliver to increased performance requirements and international standards.
Then there will need to be learning programmes for designers, engineers and subtrades to ensure new solutions are designed and installed appropriately.
Alongside pointing out some gaps in the proposed changes regarding energy efficiency, the bigger area of concern for us with the discussion document is lack of engagement on and funding for Standards.
The performance and resilience of New Zealand’s built environment is dependent upon Standards. But, since they were absorbed into MBIE there has been intermittent dialogue with the sector as to funding Standards, a programme of work and Joint Australia/ New Zealand Standards – at a time when the accumulated funds in Building Levy have been significant.
The effective decoupling of join AS/NZ standards due to MBIE’s unwillingness to fund contributions has created a trade barrier, increased risk and resulted in loss of business for New Zealand manufacturers.
We point out that NASH has funded its own technical solutions and met the costs of developing Acceptable Solutions. When NASH Standard Part b 2019 and NASH Building Envelope Solutions 2019 were cited as Acceptable Solutions under the Building Code, MBIE insisted that NASH technical documentation should be available free of charge to the sector.
The costs of preparing / maintaining this documentation are met by NASH members who effectively are paying for technical support for the sector, (both members and non-members who build in light steel framing) – hardly a fair, equitable or sustainable funding model moving forwards.
Given that some of our past building solutions are currently constrained by material supply, NASH asks the question as to why MBIE should not be funding Standards for light steel framing and other 21st century solutions to New Zealand’s building needs?
Read our submission here Metals New Zealand NASH submission-form-building-code-consultation-2021 final
What was the Minister thinking?
The following opinion piece by Metals CEO Nick Collins appeared in NBR-15 June
Making Sense of Wood First
Minister Nash – what were you thinking?
On Friday 10 June, Forestry Minister Stuart Nash announced a timber first strategy for government buildings – stating that “there is nothing you can do with steel and concrete that you can’t do with timber”.
Is the Minister proposing that the new pedestrian / cycling bridge over Auckland harbour will be built from timber?
Prefabricated Steel Panels Boost Quality and Construction Speed for Church and Retirement Community Projects
Two projects, a Latter-day Saints church in Australia and a retirement community in Canada, show how prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) wall and roof truss systems help ensure straight and accurate construction and improved construction schedules versus wood framing and concrete framing alternatives.
Embracing light steel framing as alternative to timber
Uncertainty around timber supply for residential construction shows how the fortunes and future of New Zealand’s construction and manufacturing sectors are inextricably linked.
Our residential construction supply chains are not resilient, with an over reliance on one material. Firstly, there are credible and cost-effective alternatives to timber. Light steel frame construction has been available in New Zealand for over 30 years as a viable alternative to light timber frame construction in one to two story housing. Read more
NASH March Newsletter 2021
March 2021 Newsletter
What’s inside this issue.
- Chairman’s Reflections
- NASH update
- R & D Scoping Workshop
- Detailer
- BRANZ E-Learning
- Getting to know our NASH members – Rodney Stokes from EQSTRUC
NASH Newsletter December 2020
December 2020 newsletter
What’s inside?
- Chairman’s reflections
- Management team update
- MDH with prefabricated CFS
- Getting to know NASH members -Alrite Steel & Services Ltd
NASH Newsletter June 2020
What’s inside?
- Nick’s news
- Training update
- Interesting reading from around the globe
- What is the Sustainable Steel Council and what can it do for my business?
- People
Supply chain performance in CFS house-building*
Prefabrication is gaining greater traction because of its potential to address New Zealand’s housing problem with cost-effective, rapid construction and quality solutions. This has placed huge responsibility on producers (supply chains) as the flagbearers of innovation in construction. However, most of the small and medium sized producers, irrespective to their involvement in the offsite work, are facing critical challenges to remain in this competitive business.
A list of critical factors was compiled based on the opinion of prefab experts for performance of suppliers in prefabricated house-building (from manufacturer to builders). Later a survey was conducted (pre-COVID), with suppliers of CFS building products (framing to volumetric), to determine the criticality level of performance challenges at company level. This study provides an insight of the CFS industry and vary based on the organizational maturity, supply chain roles and business scope. Also, it is helpful for both existing and prospective suppliers of CFS products, to understand the business dynamics.
*These findings are taken from PhD research project of Mr. Rehan Masood under supervision of Dr. James Lim, from Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland (rehan.masood@auckland.ac.nz). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210670720307538?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Steel Framing Presentation at UNITEC in Lockdown Level 3
One of the skills that lockdown has taught us to embrace is using technology and the level 3 lockdown in Auckland meant the steel framing presentation to the Architectural Technology student had to be held via a Zoom session. Over 150 students attended the virtual session, it was the largest presentation on steel framing that NASH have given.
The presentation was planned for 3 hours, but over ran by 15 minutes. There were questions at regular intervals throughout the sessions from the students.
The presenters were Alistair Fleming from NASH providing an introduction to steel production and applications.
Daniel Spencer from Framecad gave an in depth presentation on designing with light steel framing and examples of buildings under construction.
Bruce Campbell who is an Architectural Designer who has designed a number of steel framed houses and had a couple steel framed houses built for his own use.
Steve Tsai the lecturer who arranged the session was pleased with the presentation.
We are now looking to next year to improve the coverage and activities for steel framing at UNITEC.
Wintec’s Carpentary Students discover the benefits of Light Steel Framing
Rollforming Services (RFS) and Central Steel Framing (CSF) teamed up to help Wintec’s (Waikato Institute of Technology) carpentry apprentice students learn how to assemble steel frame walls. Students discovered the benefits of steel framing and the experience opened their eyes to the possibility of working with steel framing in the future. See more
Cold Formed Steel Design Seminar Feb 2020
Cold-formed steel is one of the most vibrant and exciting developments in steel construction, with New Zealand and Australia being amongst the world leading countries in this form of construction. Cold-formed steel is used in New Zealand for portal frame structures, houses and medium rise buildings. The design of cold-formed steel is completely different than hot-rolled steel due to thin section thicknesses and the associated need to consider buckling behaviour.
THIS SEMINAR WILL COVER:
• Direct Strength Method provided by AS/NZS4600 needs engineering judgments on the buckling behaviour of the elements that will be introduced and discussed in this seminar.
• Direct Strength Method demands computer modelling in THINWALL, CUFSM, or other finite strip method software which will be covered in this seminar.
• There will be worked examples presented during the seminar such that participants will be prepared to use Effective Width method and Direct Strength method with more confidence as soon as they get back to their office.
• Connection designs and their concepts will be discussed in the portal frame and building designs which are useful for practicing engineers.
• New findings in the area of cold formed steel designs will be introduced and discussed.
Seminars are being held all over NZ!
For full information and how to register, please click here.
NASH Standard Part 1 & 2 available for FREE download
NASH is pleased to advise that NASH Standard Part 2: May 2019 Light Steel Framed Buildings and NASH Building Envelope Solutions 2019 are now referenced by MBIE as Acceptable Solutions to the NZ Building Code.
Please complete the form below to gain access to the downloads.
