Teaching Airtightness
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
WWW.BUILDINGCONNECTION.COM.AU AUTUMN 2019 TEACHING AIRTIGHTNESS INSIDE: BREAKING THE SILENCE ON SQUEAKY FLOORS | PE-X EDUCATION AN ODE TO AWA’S FEARLESS LEADER | BREAKING THE SILENCE ON SQUEAKY FLOORS WHAT ARE YOU REALLY WORTH? CHARGE OUT RATE CALCULATOR The original FyreBox™ just got The Simplest Firestopping Method. Ever. BOSS’s multi award-winning FyreBox™ - now approved for multiple penetrations. PROVIDES UP TO -/120/120 FOR: 7,?7,?(3\7=*WPWLZ:[LLSZWYPURSLYWPWLZ*VWWLY 7HPYJVPS Now approved for risers, shaft walls, inter-tenancies & all common wall types /LILS:WLLKWHULS:OHM[^HSS0U[LY^HSS:OHM[SPULY+PUJLS)SVJR)6::)H[[Z Guarantees compliance every time. 1300 502 677 IVZZMPYLJVTH\ 7,? 7,?(3WS\TIPUN NHZWPWLZ better (SSV^Z\USPTP[LKJVWWLY WHPYJVPS -\SSYHUNLVMWV^LY KH[HJHISLZ -`YL)V_™ THE GAME CHANGER CONTENTS COVER STORY 10 AIRTIGHT BUILDINGS: THE NEXT ‘BIG THING’ IN CONSTRUCTION Airtightness has been labeled as the single most important contributor to a building’s energy effi ciency. So why is Australia so far behind the rest of the developed world? 10 FEATURES 18 PE-X EDUCATION 52 BREAKING THE SILENCE ON The choice of cross-linked SQUEAKY FLOORS polyethylene piping products has Protection from the elements increased in recent years, with is the key to preventing noise many builders and plumbers still pollution in new residential confused as to which piping is properties. Brihony Tulloch 18 best for which job. investigates how you can help. 22 AN ODE TO AWA’S FEARLESS LEADER REGULARS Following more than 15 years with the AWA, executive director 06 Editorial and CEO Tracey Gramlick has 08 Industry news drawn the curtains on an 28 Waterproof Positive illustrious career in fenestration. 32 Kitchens & Bathrooms WHAT ARE YOU REALLY WORTH? 24 36 Window World There’s a mountain of stuff to get 56 Products 22 your head around in order to be a successful small business owner. 81 Trade stuff And one incredibly important fragment of that mountain is knowing what to charge. 50 CERTIFY TO THRIVE An Adelaide building company is the fi rst in South Australia to achieve the new Standard 67 TOOLS in safety as well as quality and environmental management. Can 70 LEGAL 52 you do the same? 72 MARKETING 4 BUILDING CONNECTION Autumn 2019 IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP SOME THINGS DRY WATER RESISTANT PLASTERBOARD USG Boral water resistant plasterboard* for use in bathrooms, showers, laundries and toilets. Lightweight – quick to install – easy to handle, score and snap – less waste – superior finish in painted areas. *Includes USG Boral 13mm WETSTOP™, Fire WetStop™ and MultiStop™ 4 and 5. USGBORAL.COM/AU/WR-PLASTERBOARD SALES ENQUIRIES 1800 003 377 TecASSIST™ 1800 811 222 USGBoral.com Interior Linings Ceilings Cornice Finishes Systems Solutions © 2018 USG BORAL. All rights reserved. USG BORAL, INNOVATION INSPIRED BY YOU, WETSTOP™, Fire WetStop™ and MultiStop™ are trademarks of USG Boral Building Products or one or more of its affiliates. SHEETROCK is a registered trademark of United States Gypsum Company and used under license. WetStop™ Plasterboard used as a cricket pitch cover for illustrative purposes only. USG Boral does not currently sponsor any major cricketing events. UB1297 12/18 EDITORIAL WHERE’S THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO www.buildingconnection.com.au AIRTIGHTNESS? MANAGING DIRECTOR Jeff Patchell jeff [email protected] GENERAL MANAGER Jeremy Sweet [email protected] EDITOR - BUILDING CONNECTION Justin Felix 03 9542 9014 [email protected] EDITOR – ACROSS THE TRADES Paul Skelton [email protected] STAFF WRITERS Brihony Tulloch, Cameron Grimes GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Sam Elliott, Kat Jeff erys uring the recent hearings a simple air tightness test costing ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER into the Banking, less than $1000 would have saved Tracey Glanville Superannuation and over 30 years! SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER D Brigitta Novosell Financial Services Industry we heard Our cover story is a bit of a 03 9542 9005 some unbelievable testimony. monster, but when it comes to the CONTRIBUTORS That included learning that the top issue of airtightness, there’s nothing Andrew Golle, Jerry Tyrrell, Selina Zwolsman, 200 mortgage brokers representing short and sweet about it. John Power, Dr Darry O’Brien, Paul Cott the Commonwealth Bank earn up As John Power reports, airtightness ADVERTISING to $2.5 million dollars annually. Now has been labelled the single most Ralph Harpur 0417 449 699 [email protected] that’s enough to upset brain surgeons important contributor to a building’s TO SUBSCRIBE 1800 623 214 and the plumbers! energy effi ciency. Why is it then that Australia 03 9542 9000 We’re sure there are better ways Australia is so far behind the rest of New Zealand +61 3 9542 9000 to spend money rather than on the developed world? Fax (with credit card details) 03 9542 9090 the broker’s fi rst class holidays to In the article we assess the Maldives at the expense of the how improved airtightness – www.facebook.com/BuildingCXNMag/ fully-extended home owner who notwithstanding potentially complex www.linkedin.com/showcase/building- discovered their brand new ‘dream ventilation and moisture control connection-australia/ home’ is leaking like a sieve and strategies – is ultimately a positive chewing up money on electricity and force when embraced to achieve www.twitter.com/BuildingCxnMag other expensive fuels. optimal building effi ciencies. By mail, please write to the address below In an era of value-add, maybe the PUBLISHED BY: banks should have been insisting WELCOME BACK Connection Magazines Pty Ltd on an air tightness test as part of Former editor Justin Felix has 2/18-22 Lexia Place, Mulgrave, VIC 3170 their loan condition, as in the years returned to the hot seat. After a two AUSTRALIA to come, lots of these interest-only year hiatus in the fi shing industry, and ISSN 1320-0100 loans are going to come back to bite a European adventure, we’ve lured Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily refl ect those of the publisher. many a home owner, let alone pay for him back in for a second stint. Although all materials are checked for accuracy, no the artifi cially infl ated energy costs. liability is assumed by the publisher for any losses due to the use of material in this magazine. Copyright Little did average home borrowers Enjoy the read 2019 by Connection Magazines. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored know, the brokerage fees were adding in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by $6,750 to the servicing cost of an any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior permission of average $300,000 loan. Imagine what Jeff Patchell Connection Magazines. 6 BUILDING CONNECTION Autumn 2019 Learn m or stiebel.com.au/decentralised e a b o u t g o i n g d e c e n t r a l i s e d INDUSTRY NEWS UPDATED RESIDENTIAL AIR CONDITIONING EFFICIENCY STANDARDS RELEASED AS/NZS 5141:2018, Residential heating and cooling systems – Minimum applications and requirements for energy effi ciency, performance and comfort criteria has been published following the work of industry representatives, consumer advocates, regulators and technical experts. “There are countless schemes in place to guide energy effi cient products in our homes, but none look at the installation and design of air conditioning and its impact on overall energy effi ciency,” said Standards Australia chief executive Dr Bronwyn Evans. This Standard specifi es the ACCESSEAP ADVOCATES FOR BETTER “Talking about problems and taking requirements for design, selection, MENTAL HEALTH IN TRADE INDUSTRIES action are proven ways for male installation, commissioning and The rate of suicide among men in the tradies to stay mentally healthy, but maintenance of residential heating trades industry, especially lower- it’s still diffi cult to get them to take and cooling climate control systems. skilled employees, is approximately that all important fi rst step,” explains “Over the last two decades, double that of the general male AccessEAP clinical services director equipment energy effi ciency programs working population. Marcela Slepica. such as Energy Labelling and MEPS It’s this trend that motivated Managers and employees need to be (Minimum Energy Performance Australian not-for-profi t AccessEAP educated on the behaviours that may Standards) have driven air conditioning launch Toolbox Talks. These sessions indicate a colleague is going through equipment manufacturers to focus on increasing awareness of a tough time and learn ways to dramatically improve the energy mental health issues and helping men encourage them to seek help if there is effi ciency of their products,” said to understand that at some point concern for their welfare. Standards Australia technical most people need help and that help is committee chair Robert Beggs. available. AccessEAP off ers some tips to help “However, these effi ciency gains AccessEAP relationship men reach out in times of need: (which have come at a cost to the management director Eleni van ∫ Seeking help is positive for your manufacturer and ultimately the Delft has already provided tailored mental health. It is not a sign of consumer) can be blown away with toolbox talks to organisations in weakness; poor application or installation. the manufacturing, mining and ∫ The best health is achieved with “This Standard now introduces construction industries and is amazed looking after both your physical and minimum requirements for the by the immediate eff ect it has had on mental health; selection and installation of the participants. ∫ Make self-care a priority and set equipment and system components to “Often in male dominated industries, goals for sleep, exercise and “me” ensure that the installed system can the macho mentality still exists where time; operate at optimum effi ciency.