PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY PROUD MEDIA PARTNER CONCRETE INSTITUTE of AUSTRALIA CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA FEB/MAR 2019 V5.01 BUILDING COMMUNITIES CONSTRUCTION CIVIL WORKS CIVIL ENGINEERING PRINT POST APPROVED - 100001889 ACRS_2019_Ad11_Globe_PRESS.pdf 2 26/2/19 1:35 pm ACRS - The Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels Ltd Have confidence in the conformity of your steel... Wherever it’s from! C M Y CM MY CY CMY K With the building products being used on construction sites now sourced globally, the importance of independent, expert technical validation of materials conformance has never been greater. It's simply not enough to think just because steel has been ordered to an Australian or New Zealand Standard that the delivered product will automatically conform with Standards and be fit for purpose - even if it comes with a test certificate. ACRS certification makes checking for steel compliance with Australian and New Zealand Standards easy. ACRS manufacturer and supplier certificates demonstrate INDEPENDENTLY and EXPERTLY that the manufacturer, processor or supplier consistently meets the Standards stated on the certificate. www.steelcertification.com Ph: (02) 9965 7216 | E: [email protected] ABN: 40 096 692 545 ACRS - Independent, Expert Third Party Certification & Verification of Reinforcing, Prestressing and Structural Steels for Compliance with Australian and New Zealand Standards FEB/MAR 2019 contents Volume 5 Number 1 Published by: 2 Editorial Editorial and Publishing Consultants Pty Ltd ABN 85 007 693 138 PO Box 510, Broadford 4 Industry News Victoria 3658 Australia Phone: 1300 EPC GROUP (1300 372 476) Int’l: +61 3 5784 3438 Fax: +61 3 5784 2210 8 Product Focus www.epcgroup.com Publisher and Managing Editor Anthony T Schmidt 10 Fleet Maintenance 8 Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0414 788 900 Email: [email protected] 14 Cover Feature: IPWEA Business Development Manager Lawrence Whiter Mobile: 0418 543 821 20 Concrete Institute News Email: [email protected] National Advertising Sales Manager Product Brief Yuri Mamistvalov 30 Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0419 339 865 14 Email: [email protected] 32 National Precast Feature Advertising Sales - SA Jodie Gaffney - AmAgo Mobile: 0439 749 993 40 Waterproofing Email: [email protected] Advertising Sales - WA 42 Case Study: Gyprock Russet House Licia Salomone - OKeeffe Media Mobile: 0412 080 600 Email: [email protected] 44 Precast Technology Graphic Design Annette Epifanidis 42 Mobile: 0416 087 412 46 IPWEA NSW News TERMS AND CONDITIONS This publication is published by Editorial and Publishing Consultants Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). 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While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. About the Cover Copyright ©2018 - EPC Media Group During a meeting attended by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Roads Minister Melinda Pavey, Transport & Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance, Registered by Australia Post IPWEA NSW’s ‘Pocket Sally’, and the Institute of Publication No. 100001889 Public Works Engineering Australasia NSW, (IPWEA) ISSN 2204-7247 CEO Mr John Roydhouse, the Premier highlighted NSW’s need for “building jobs and creating more engineers”. Turn to Page 14 for the full story. EDITORS COLUMN Highlighting the importance of independent expert validation and certification of building materials Dear Readers, non-compliant building materials being compliance through lack of correct process used in many new and refurbished or an innocent misunderstanding of what buildings across Australia is both extensive constitutes compliance with Australian With several major incidents over recent and alarming. Standards, is again, effectively a moot months, the issue of flammable, non- While there is nothing inherently point. compliant cladding is proving to be a criminal about wanting to maximise profits Using non-Australian Standard building problem of monumental proportions. on a job, when that cost-cutting occurs at materials carries a high risk of 'built-in' Worse still, without wanting to be alarmist, the expense of public safety, it’s another failure and the results can be disastrous. it is also a problem which is beginning to matter altogether. The only way to be truly sure that the look more like a ‘disaster waiting to happen’ Importantly, whether the use of materials being used are fully compliant with each passing day. substandard, and ultimately dangerous with the appropriate Australian Standards Indeed, the most recent fire – in an building materials in a project is intentional and fit for purpose is through independent apartment block in Melbourne’s CBD which or not, is effectively a moot point. The risks expert validation and certification. And the was reportedly not fully clad, and as such, and consequences are the same - and the key word here is INDEPENDENT! only considered to be of moderate risk responsibility remains. In today’s environment, it is simply – was allegedly the result of a carelessly Put simply, ignorance is no defence. In not enough to think that just because a discarded cigarette butt. these days of widespread litigation and product has been ordered to an Australian Yes - I will repeat that and let that sink strict ‘chain of responsibility’ legislation, Standard that the delivered product will in... a carelessly discarded cigarette butt! the use of non-Australian Standard automatically comply with the standard. By any measure, any material that can compliant materials can spell disaster for Certifiers, builders and customers should burst into flames as a result of contact engineers, specifiers, suppliers, builders ask for and then check the proof of with a discarded cigarette butt would have and contractors in more ways than one. compliance for the product. That check to be considered ‘extremely flammable’ to There is a clear and implicit onus on all should include the independent, expert say the least. stakeholders to ensure that all materials third party certificate and supporting While I don’t profess to have even the meet the requirements of all relevant documents. slightest insight into why these materials Australian Standards, comply with the Having confidence that all buildings and were used on these or any other buildings, relevant Building Codes and are fit for structures are being designed, specified it would be fair to speculate that in some purpose – regardless of the price-point. and built using materials that meet the instances, the main driver behind the Unfortunately, in some instances, one of relevant Australian Standards and Building material choice would be cost related. the major problems associated with the Codes is of critical importance. After all, In recent years, pricing pressures, selection and use of materials that comply it doesn't matter how well a building or combined with efforts to maximise with all relevant Australian Standards is civil structure is built if a higher risk of margins in what is often a tough and one of identification or, more specifically, structural failure or other disaster is 'built unforgiving marketplace, have seen a who to believe. in' by using substandard materials. significant increase in the amount of In some cases, even though the sub-standard building materials be used materials have been specified and ordered in Australian buildings. From electrical to an Australian Standard, the materials cabling, fixtures and fittings, through that arrive are non-compliant. Importantly, to structural components (including whether this 'noncompliance' is an structural steel and