New Houses Are Becoming Green

The Building Code and associated compliance documents are making provisions for energy efficiency in several ways. There are also more and more building products available to the consumer that have less effect on the environment.

“Building Green” or “Eco Friendly” houses is something that New Zealanders will hear much more about in the near future.

Some examples of this type of construction are;

• Choosing materials that are more sustainable such as recyclable materials, plantation type timbers
• Using paints and plastics that are less harmful to the environment
• Building wise - Such as using passive solar heating in the form of windows and overhead glazing, and designing for airflow to reduce the likelihood of dampness, mould and reduce the need for mechanical ventilation
• Improved water consumption. This includes installing systems to make use of rainwater for irrigation and toilet water, and recycle waste wate
• Investing in better insulation at the building process and during improvements

BRANZ has produced two publications. The first is Easy Guide to Eco-Building - Design, Build and Live with the Environment. It has lots of ideas for building compatibly with the environment, such as positioning the house for solar energy and saving water. It also has a comprehensive list of other material and resource links. The second publication is The Easy Guide to Being a Climate Friendly Kiwi. This guide talks about greenhouse gases and global warming and gives some options for reducing emissions in the home, for example by insulating hot water cylinders and choosing energy efficient appliances, and planting trees and shrubs. Visit www.branz.co.nz for free copies of these publications

Buying Commercial Buildings

Many owners of commercial and industrial type buildings wished they had known more about their obligations to the Building Act before they purchased their building. One obligation they have can be fairly costly and takes some organizing to meet. This is the Building Warrant of Fitness. It is a requirement that certain types of buildings must have regular checks carried out by Independent Qualified Persons (IQP’s) and some of these checks must be done monthly, quarterly or annually. Some inspections have to be carried out by IQP’s and some can be carried out by building owners. The Building Act states that it is the building owner’s responsibility to ensure that these obligations are met and there are hefty fines that follow if they are not. Some buildings may cost $1000.00 or more per year to meet these obligations. The type of buildings that need these types of maintenance checks are generally public buildings. The inspections required will depend on the type of safety features and accessibility features the that are associated with the building.

Examples of these features are ;

• Fire alarms
• Emergency lighting
• Means of escape (fire exits, smoke doors)
• Fire hose reels
• Lifts
• Mechanical Ventilation

There are other features that will require regular inspecting, but these are the more common ones.

There are also evacuation procedures and fire extinguishers that need consideration and organizing.

Property Check are experts in the Building Warrant of Fitness procedures and can help with the purchase process of commercial buildings. We can provide prepurchase inspections on these buildings and provide the necessary maintenance and reporting procedures.