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NEW SUSTAINABLE AND GREEN BUILDING SECTIONS

27 Jul 2017

Masterspec are excited to announce the launch of no fewer than ten new General sections to assist you in specifying your next sustainable/green building project. The development programme was initiated in response to multiple requests for help across all types of sustainable building methodologies.

Masterspec Managing Editor Alex Shaw consulted with sustainable building industry organisations and experts to develop these sections over an 18 month period. Each section has been trialled ‘in the field’ in architectural practices and the feedback incorporated into this first release.

“With regard to content and functionality, this is our first step into formal sustainable/green sections for Masterspec” said Shaw “and is not expected to be all things to all people, at least initially. Over time it might develop across more of the Masterspec sections and cover more formal sustainable systems”.

Michelle Johansson, an experienced Living Future Accredited professional, was one of the external experts who helped to write the sections. “These projects have special demands and requirements which need to be explicitly stated at tendering stage so the contractor can price and programme arrangements accordingly” says Michelle. “The sections clarify the responses and requirements in order to meet the terms of certification”.

James Griffin, Network General manager from The Sustainable Business Network, is excited about the sections being available to Architects and designers. " We see the CEMO specification playing a crucial role in systemising and embedding CEMO practices across the design and build phase of projects" he commented.

The new sections are:

CEMO (Circular Economy Model Office) for minimising waste from office and commercial fit-outs

  • 1226CE CEMO PROJECT - SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
    • Available in Standard, Basic, Services and Interiors
  • 1226CS CEMO PROJECT - SELECTION SCHEDULES
    • Available in Standard, Basic, Services and Interiors
GREEN STAR rating environmental attributes of Commercial, Industrial and Educational projects
  • 1226GD GREEN STAR PROJECT – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
    • Available in Standard, Structural & Civil, Services, Interiors and Landscapes
  • 1226GO GREEN STAR - TECHNICAL CREDIT SCHEDULE
    • Available in Standard, Structural & Civil, Services, Interiors and Landscapes
  • 1226GT GREEN STAR INTERIORS - TECHNICAL CREDIT SCHEDULE
    • Available in Standard, Structural & Civil, Services and Interiors

HOMESTAR rating environmental aspects of Housing and Apartment projects

  • 1226HM HOMESTAR PROJECT – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
    • Available in Standard, Basic, Services and Landscapes
  • 1226HT HOMESTAR PROJECT - SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
    • Available in Standard, Basic, Services and Landscapes
LBC (Living Building Challenge) sustainable and regenerative tools for all types of projects
  • 1226LB LBC PROJECT – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
    • Available in Standard, Structural & Civil, Services, Interiors and Landscapes
  • 1226LS LBC - IMPERATIVE SUBMISSIONS SCHEDULE
    • Available in Standard, Structural & Civil, Services, Interiors and Landscapes

GENERIC for all types of projects not requiring a formal environmental rating system

  • 1226SP SUSTAINABLE PROJECT – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
    • Available in Standard, Basic, Structural & Civil, Services and Interiors

WORK SECTION for waste management - existing section updated to recognise the new sustainable sections.

  • 1256 WASTE MANAGEMENT
    • Available in Standard, Basic, Structural & Civil, Services, Interiors and Landscapes

General intention
The intention of these sections is to modify our standard General Sections by ‘special’ clauses, as well as inform the Contractor(s) of what is required of them outside of a normal project to meet the requirements of the particular programme.

The section 1256 WASTE MANAGEMENT is the exception as it is simply an upgrade of the existing section to work more closely with these new sections.  

Special Requirements
CEMO, Green Star, HomeStar, Living Building Challenge (LBC) and the generic section Sustainable Project are partly Special Requirements sections. These sections provide a range of information and modify the usual standard General sections (rather like special conditions of contract).

Modifying standard General sections can be done by just using the clauses in these Special Requirement sections or by customising a range of the General sections and modifying the Special Requirement sections.

Schedule sections
Most of the Special Requirement sections have specific additional Schedule sections. These are based on the formal schedules of:

  • Green Star (Technical Manuals)
  • HomeStar (HomeStar V4, MAT-1)
  • CEMO (CEMO Matrix)
  • LBC (Imperative Submissions)

Green Star has two Schedule sections, one for general buildings (Green Star Technical Manual v3.1) and the other for office interiors (Green Star NZ Office Interiors 2009).

Using any of these sections indicates to the Contractor what they will be formally expected to provide/deliver to meet the Green Star, HomeStar, CEMO or LBC requirements. They also indicate what the Contractor may have to contribute to.

As with all Masterspec sections these sustainable/green building sections should be customised to suit the specific project.

And for the future? “We would welcome constructive comment on the sections, as well as suggestions for any section that helps reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry” stated Shaw. “Masterspec are a future-focussed company and we strive to meet the needs of industry now and as the industry grows. We are dedicated to providing the tools Architects, Designers and Engineers need to meet the challenges ahead”.

MASTERSPEC WORK SECTIONS

For generic information on Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) with Masterspec and useful Masterspec Work Sections when specifying ESD projects go to the updated article ESD - SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS & MASTERSPEC

Reference Material

The Masterspec Sustainable and Green Building sections hare based on the following documentation

Green Star
Green Star Technical Manual v3.1
Green Star NZ Office Interiors 2009
Recognised Eco-labels and Indoor Air Quality Schemes

HomeStar
HomeStar v4 Technical Manual
 
LBC
Living Building Challenge Standard
Living Building Challenge Documentation Handbook
Petal Handbooks
(all above) -  https://living-future.org/lbc/resources/
 
CEMO
CEMO Guide - Sustainable Business Network
CEMO Matrix
CEMO New Materials Compliance Matrix
(all above) - http://sustainable.org.nz/the-circular-economy-model-office-guide/

Waste Management
REBRI Contract Specifications for Waste Management
REBRI Guidelines
REBRI Waste Management Plan
REBRI Waste Transfer Form
REBRI Guides
(all above) - https://www.branz.co.nz/cms_display.php?st=1&sn=240

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