Collaboration. It sounds great, but is it so easy to do when it comes to building and designing structures? Many say yes, but if we’ve learnt anything from the Canterbury rebuild it’s that this isn’t always the case. So much so, that the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand, the New Zealand Institute of Architects…
2016 has been an encouraging year, fuelled by an exceptional demand in steel construction in response to rebuild and immigration pressures. In June 2016, the reported New Zealand annual heavy steel consumption stood at 170,697 tonnes, exceeding FY2015 with a total annual growth of 8.4%. This reflects a healthy industry responding to strong market conditions,…
A significant milestone for New Zealand structural steel industry has been achieved with the approval of the new standard AS/NZS 5131 Fabrication and Erection of Steel – released early this month. The need for this standard has arising out of concerns that product conformance does not meet the specified requirements in an increased global construction…
Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) has appointed Darren O’Riley as its new Manager – based in the organisation’s office in South Auckland. Darren’s knowledge and expertise are a strong fit for SCNZ as the organisation moves forward. He has 28 years of sales and marketing, and business development experience – gained largely in the building…
The Steel Fabricator Certification (SFC) scheme continues to grow strongly with the latest group of three structural steel fabricators to achieve certification recognised at the Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) AGM in Napier on 16 September. Since SFC’s introduction, 23 fabricators – representing 75 percent of New Zealand’s structural steel output – have become certified.…
Firstly, I would like to thank the members for voting me onto the HERA Executive for a third term, and secondly a ‘Thank you’ to the HERA Executive for endorsing me as Chairman of our industry-owned research association. Being on the Executive since 2010 and having served as Deputy Chairman in the last three years…
As members may have heard from Radio New Zealand’s interview of Stewart Askey on 19 August 2016 -concerns have again been raised on the quality of steel imports. Whilst the interview was largely on steel products used in reinforced concrete construction, comments were made in the closing remarks about sub-standard structural bolts. The Kathryn Ryan-led interview outlined in a…
In response to recent media coverage involving allegations that some building products are unfit for purpose or non-compliant with the Building Code, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has established a dedicated email address to collect product complaints for analysis and investigation. Even though a number of concerns have been raised in the…
New Zealand’s structural steel fabricators are showing strong support for the industry’s recently launched quality assurance scheme, the Steel Fabricator Certification (SFC), an initiative designed to ensure safety of fabricated structural steelwork. Developed jointly by industry bodies HERA and Steel Construction NZ (SCNZ), the SFC scheme is based on the European system, which is part…
The Ministry of Business Inovation and Employment (MBIE) and Commerce Commission announcement that some concrete reinforcing steel mesh supplied into the New Zealand construction market doesn’t comply with New Zealand standards has caused considerable concern. Resulting in HERA staff recently being the target of extensive media attention with varying degrees of accuracy in being quoted.…
B.C.Update 176: Further Guidance Relating to Building Product Substitution Work by MBIE to assist BCAs concerned about inferior building products has highlighted ongoing issues relating to product substitution. In some cases, products substituted after building consent has been granted have been unauthorised, have no evidence of compliance with the relevant Building Code requirements, and invalidate…
During the NZ Geothermal Workshop in Taupo, the attendees had the opportunity to tour the nearby Wairakei geothermal plant and the newly constructed Te Mihi plant both operated by Contact Energy who had organised this tour. A group of about 30 participated in this tour including AGGAT team members from HERA and the University of…