Building Performance’s Post

Maintaining the health of your commercial roof is crucial for the longevity of your building. One of the most efficient ways to ensure your roof is in top condition is through a MEWP roof survey. But what exactly is a MEWP roof survey? Find Out today by reading our blog - https://lnkd.in/eZWj9Ups

Momentum is Building! Friends, it’s been a big year of building reforms since the election took place exactly a year ago. In short, we are making it easier and more affordable to build and we have some really exciting announcements still to come before the end of the year 👁️👁️ So far we have made a range of changes and proposed changes including: 1- Commencing a major reform of the structure of the Building Consent system to improve efficiency and consistency across New Zealand. 2- Removing barriers to overseas building products to increase competition and drive down prices for building products. 3- Increasing the use of remote inspections to reduce delays in the consenting process. 4- Allowing "granny flats" (👵🏼🏡) and other structures up to 60sqm to be built without a building or resource consent. 5- Extending deadlines for earthquake prone buildings to give building owners certainty. 6- Reviewing the earthquake prone building legislation to ensure the settings effectively balance the risk of life safety with the real-world implications on building owners and communities. 7- Holding careless builders accountable by looking to strengthen registration and licencing regimes, including penalties. 8- Exempting small building projects like home renovations from paying the building levy. 9- Streamlining building consent changes by defining minor variations - meaning builders don’t need to formally amend a building consent for small changes like swapping out comparable building products. 10- Making it possible to customise multi-proof designs, which are pre-consented building consents with a fast-tracked approval process. 11- Putting the spotlight on building consent delays by publishing building consent timeframes each quarter. 12- Cutting dam red-tape meaning small dam owners don’t have to comply with burdensome regulations. 13- Investigating the impacts of the recent H1 building code changes to ensure the settings are balancing the impact of upfront costs with energy efficiency. 14- Removing compliance costs for councils by reducing the frequency of competence assessments for building control officers. 15- Initiating a review into the fire safety provisions in the building code so we can better protect people and property. And there's to come in our quiet revolution. Watch this space!

With the imminent close of the Future Homes Consultation later this month, Barratt is proud to launch our ‘Delivering without Delay’ research which considers the impact caused by LPAs requiring S73 applications to sign off necessary changes to comply with Building Regulations, rather than the more practical S96a route.   The result… a potential loss of 3,700 homes in the 3 years to March 2026 – equivalent to 4,300 jobs and £673 million in economic output.   With a raft of new consents required to comply with Future Homes requirements, the research concludes with 3 key asks from Government. All will help remove the risk of thousands of unnecessary S73 applications, for very minor changes, clogging up the planning system, taking up valuable Officer time and adding to already unacceptable planning timescales. Applications for amendments that would be considered as PD rights if a homeowner were making the changes themselves.   1 - Immediately issue a Chief Planners Newsletter or SoS Letter confirming that, in the overwhelming majority of cases, a S96a is most appropriate consenting route for changes driven by Building Regulations compliance.  2 - Embed within the NPPF the presumption that changes to comply with Building Regulations should be considered as non-material, and dealt with quickly and efficiently. 3 - Amend relevant PPGs, clarifying that changes to comply with Building Regulations would fall under PD rights if the property was already constructed, and thus should be considered as a non-material change to extant planning permissions. 4 - Consider the drafting of a specific NDMP which confirms that changes to comply with Building Regulations should be presumed as acceptable and non-material, aside from in exceptional circumstances.   Many thanks to the Savills team of Jon Gateley, Charles Collins and Hamish Simmie who were commissioned to deliver the research. Hopefully, the Government will listen.

Many of us in Australia spend a lot of time indoors. One of the crucial purposes of building codes is to set out requirements for a healthy environment for building occupants. Building codes cover factors that impact the health of building occupants. Some examples include requirements around air quality, condensation, waterproofing, and sound transmission. The National Construction Code (NCC) sets the minimum required level for the health, safety, amenity, accessibility, and sustainability of new buildings in Australia. Find out more at abcb.gov.au #BuildingCodesofAustralia #PlumbingCodesofAustralia #NCC

Vital to keep buildings safe in cities! Let's keep focusing on making sure buildings are strong and safe, with strict rules and thorough checks. #BuildingSafety #FacadeEngineering #CommunityProtection

Environmentalists want buildings to last longer; for them to be refurbished rather than removed. But are modern buildings built from the right stuff and by the right people? https://lnkd.in/e5ZvjzFh. #construction #demolition #demolitioncontractor #demolitionequipment #equipmentrental #equipmentoperator #planthire #infrastructure #constructionsite #constructionworker #constructionequipment #constructionindustry 

Buildings Kill The Grenfell tower fire reinforced two vital lessons for the future of buildings: 1) buildings can kill 2) the construction industry is riddled with staggering levels of self-serving players, many of whom promote the vested interests of powerful forces to whom they are in thrall. This must change.    I have just contributed to the 'Buildings and Cities' website a piece listing three things I think need to be put immediately on research agendas around the world. 1.     Near Term: All buildings to be mandated to have at least some opening windows. 2.     Medium Term: All buildings in the future will have to be able to operate with mixed mode conditioning, being largely naturally ventilated, using mechanical heating and cooling only when needed. 3.     Urgent NOW: A root and branch review of the building regulatory and planning systems, their aims, structures, functioning, independence and effectiveness. Not only have such systems done little to date to reduce emissions from the built environment, but they have demonstrably not prioritised the safety, well-being and financial health of most ordinary citizens and businesses.  Time for real change. Check out the full article.

The incredible construction solution value of 𝗜nsulated 𝗖oncrete 𝗙orms is not limited to new construction. Planning an expansion, renovation, or retrofit? This Ontario seniors' home is expanding capacity. 𝗜𝗖𝗙s are providing: Versatility ~ see the photos for the various ways they are being used to rapidly, yet effectively expand capacity on a space-challenged site. (foundation of new wing, 2-storey, stairwell, and more!) Speed of Construction ~ no need to assemble complex formwork. Assemble ICFs once and leave in place. Thermal benefits ~ a healthier, more consistent temperature envionment for this sensitive resident popultion. And an easier, more predictable energy bill for the asset owners to manage. Resilient & safe ~ Fire & disaster-safety should always be considered in today's climate-challenged world. Even more so to protect our first responders and our most vulnerable. and more. What do you love most about choosing #ICFs for expansion, renovation, or retrofit? #insulatedconcreteforms #ICF

Environmentalists want buildings to last longer; for them to be refurbished rather than removed. But are modern buildings built from the right stuff and by the right people? https://lnkd.in/e5ZvjzFh. #construction #demolition #demolitioncontractor #demolitionequipment #equipmentrental #equipmentoperator #planthire #infrastructure #constructionsite #constructionworker #constructionequipment #constructionindustry 

It's important to reflect on how much we've grown - as a company, but also as an industry. We recently came across this picture from the Vancouver Archives of the building our Vancouver team now calls home - 780 Beatty Street. This picture was taken some time around 1985 - three years before LMDG was founded! So we asked, what was the fire protection and life safety industry like at that time? 🔥 The British Columbia Fire Code was only about five years old - that first edition being an adoption of the 1977 National Fire Code of Canada with the addition of a schedule of amendments unique to BC. 🔥 Around the same time, a new edition of the NBC was released, which put a greater emphasis on accessibility. This was the first time the term "barrier-free access" was used, and changed the way we look at building accessibility. Fast forward to today - look at the progress we've made! The BCFC is well-established, and much more refined. It places a higher emphasis on barrier-free design, and sustainability. We can't wait to see how the codes will continue to adapt to growing industry trends! What industry trends are you curious to see adapted in the building and fire codes?