In case you missed our Masterspec NOTES at the beginning of the month, here is a list with reference links for the new Product Partner work sections published for January 2021.

Masterspec and SCNZ are delighted to announce a new industry partnership to support the structural steel design, fabrication and erection in the New Zealand construction industry. The two organisations reached a Memorandum of Understanding to foster technical excellence, promote best practice methods and develop tools for the adoption of requirements under the New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 5131 Structural Steelwork – Fabrication and Erection.

November 2020 brought a number of updates to the Building Code, including a new Acceptable Solution in the form of E1/AS2 in its newest version, Amendment 11. Designers and specifiers now have the opportunity to use AS/NZS 3500.3 (with modifications) as an Acceptable Solution for stormwater drainage systems. In addition to amendments to various clauses throughout E1/VM1 and E1/AS1, rainfall intensity data has been comprehensively revised.

The Green Star Technical Manual v3.2 has been superseded by Green Star Design and As Built NZ v1.0. Also Green Star Office Interiors v3 has been superseded by Green Star Interiors NZ v1.0. Although the versioning is a little confusing, Masterspec Green Star sections have been amended and are now based on the v1.0's. Find out more…

It is not often that changes to the NZBC Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods provide a windfall that makes life a whole lot easier for a designer. But that is exactly what has happened due to the changes to NZBC E1/AS1 Surface Water, and the addition of NZBC E1/AS2. Find out about the NZ Metal Roofing Manufacturers Association Inc. (NZMRM) Code of Practice roof drainage design 5.7 Capacity Calculator.

Earlier this year MBIE ran public consultation on proposed changes to a number of Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods. Despite a number of delays due to COVID, changes are expected to be published by MBIE on the 5th November 2020. What can you expect?

At Masterspec the amount of specifications live on the platform at any one time has always given us an indication of the health of the industry. In this article we look at how the industry seems to be currently tracking.

A number of the formal sustainable systems, Living Building Challenge and Green Star, have recently made significant changes to their systems. Masterspec has taken this opportunity to review all its' sustainable/green/ESD General sections. Find out what has happened…

AS/NZS 5131: 2016, Structural Steelwork - Fabrication and Erection is cited in NZBC B1/VM1, 5.0 Steel. This new Amendment A1, which has just been released, of course, is not cited yet and so the use of amendment A1 would be an Alternative Solution.

This month Masterspec has added more clauses to the electrical sections about earthing and equipotential bonding of conductive elements of the building that do not form part of the electrical installation. Although they are an essential part of electrical safety, they are different and often confused. Find out more!