20 years ago:
• Letters threatening court action showed that the NZMBF’s quest for proven quality in building materials was taking a toll on some manufacturers, according to NZMBF chief executive Trevor Allsebrook.
Since September 1997, the Master Build Services guarantee, while continuing to cover workmanship, only covered products appraised by independent organisations such as BRANZ, or ones that had been manufactured to specified standards.
Mr Allsebrook said threats of court action showed the restriction on products used was hurting those manufacturers who had not had their products tested.
“It is clearly having an impact — and that is all the better for the manufacturers who have made the investment in research and development. All we want to do is ensure the products covered by our guarantee have been properly manufactured or tested. There may still be the possibility of product failure but it will be very rare,” Mr Allsebrook said.
15 years ago:
• The Weathertightness Overview Group appointed by the Building Industry Authority (BIA) said the leaky homes syndrome was a “major crisis” in the industry, and more regulation may be required.
Overview Group chairman Don Hunn released the third and final part of a report into the weathertightness of buildings. It said the Overview Group acknowledged that “it has taken a major crisis in the industry to expose deficiencies in the legislation which, in many cases, are quite subtle”.
It said the Government-appointed BIA had been criticised for being too slow to respond to concerns, defensive and vague, and recommended it be overhauled so it can give a more comprehensive service to the public and the industry.
10 years ago:
• Prominent South Island construction companies Amalgamated Builders Ltd and Naylor Love Ltd prioritised staff safety through a joint project with Remarkable Physios and the ACC.
Aimed at reducing injuries in the workplace, the initiative placed a physiotherapist at the companies’ construction sites to train and educate building site employees.
Amalgamated Builders manager Karsten Pedersen said the companies were the first major commercial contractors in the region to proactively work to reduce injuries through a specifically designed injury prevention project.
ACC injury prevention consultant Fraser Fyfe said both companies proved their commitment by sharing the costs 50-50 with the ACC.
5 years ago:
• New Zealand’s newest coastal residential development was officially opened at Long Bay on Auckland’s North Shore.
The 18-stage, 162ha development was to eventually contain approximately 2500 dwellings, but much of the site was to include open space, including extensively landscaped areas, parks, reserves and newly-planted wetlands.
The project was originally challenged in the Environment Court by environment groups and residents who wanted the area to be retained as parkland adjoining the existing Long Bay Regional Park.
