The new Kaikoura District Council building is a great example of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) being combined with other engineered wood products including CLT in a Pres-Lam (Prestressed Laminated) timber building. “Pres-Lam is the result of years of research and a unique collaboration between commercial and academic partners at the University of Canterbury’s School of […]

New Zealand has always had the ability to build bigger timber structures. However it wasn’t until the emergence of the latest timber technologies that this has become a cost effective possibility, says Jeff Parker, technical manager of the Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association. “The economies of using products such as CLT and LVL, combined with […]

A quality assurance programme for structural timber called the Timber Quality Scheme (TQS) is focusing on the material’s two main properties – durability, and physical characteristics of strength and stiffness. The new scheme is being established by the New Zealand Timber Industry Federation (NZTIF), with the Wood Processors and Manufacturers’ Association, in conjunction with the […]

By Damien O’Carroll The current Mazda BT-50 is arguably a better ute than the Ford Ranger, particularly when it comes to value for money. But it has always been the Ford’s more traditional and truck-like looks that have seen it win out over the Mazda. With the recently facelifted BT-50 Mazda New Zealand decided on […]

A key piece of new legislation is starting to have a significant impact on the insulation sector, says Hamish Aitken, immediate past president of the Insulation Association of New Zealand (IAONZ). “Earlier this year the Government passed an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) which included new requirements for insulation and smoke alarms, strengthens […]

The rise in high-density living and developments being undertaken closer to busy roadways has heightened the need to control noise and vibration on the construction site. With many new local and overseas builders and contractors entering the market, particularly in Auckland, it is critical they are made aware of the limits they must adhere to […]