Finding the perfect gift for the architect in your life can be both exciting and challenging. Architects are known for their love of design, precision, and functionality, so why not surprise them with something that fuels their creativity and aligns with their passion? From cutting-edge tools to thoughtful, design-inspired keepsakes, our Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Architects: 2024 Edition has something for every taste and budget.

As the New Zealand construction industry increasingly focuses on sustainability and carbon reduction, there is a growing need for tools that can help professionals make informed, measurable decisions about the products they specify. That’s why we’re excited to announce eCert, a powerful new feature on the Masterspec platform, launching on 4 November 2024.

"Masterspec has been an indispensable tool for our project Manawa House. During the specification, Masterspec streamlined our entire specification process, enabling us to efficiently contact product suppliers and obtain technical feedback. ..."

"Masterspec was used for providing a detailed, fully customised, specification as part of our comprehensive project documentation for the Ligar Bay Bach, as it is for all of our projects."

“Masterspec is a critical component in our studio. Its user-friendly platform and regular product specification updates, keep us constantly on the pulse with the latest in industry practices.”

In Masterspec NOTES June 2024, we provided commentary around the changes to the NZ Building Code relating to domestic smoke alarms.

A new industry-led initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of Aotearoa New Zealand’s buildings, which contribute up to 20% of the national carbon footprint.

Streamlined Workflows and Improved Collaboration with MasterKey4. We are excited to announce the latest update to MasterKey4 for Revit 2025, designed to further enhance your BIM workflow and collaboration capabilities.

This month we have published amendments in response to building code updates. The 2023-24 NZBC changes were published by MBIE on the 2 November 2023, these generally have a 12-month transition period ending on the 1 November 2024 with the exceptions of amendments to NZBC B1/VM1 which came into effect immediately with no transition period and amendments to NZBC G12/AS1 relating to lead in plumbing, which has an extended transition date until 1 September 2025. This round of building consent updates have not included the amendment relating to lead in plumbing, with these amendments to be released early in 2025.

From November 2023 the Building Code Acceptable Solutions for Protection from Fire (C/AS1 and C/AS2) have been amended to make Type 1 interconnected smoke alarms the minimum fire safety system for new built homes and substantial renovations, citing NZS 4514:2021 – Interconnected smoke alarms for Houses.