Page 10 - HW July 2020

hard news
Remembering
John Lawford
We’re sad to report the passing of industry personality John Elliot “Johnny” Lawford in June.
When John was born in 1933, the family wholesale hardware rm CE Lawford had already been in business for 32 years.
Being the eldest son, John was obliged to join the family business and started straight from school in January 1950. Soon enough, he was cutting his teeth as a commercial traveller in the rm’s country territories.
Armed with the trusty leather sample suitcases which were to become his trademark for the next 60 years, he would y from Whenuapai to Kaitaia by DC3, spend the week making his way south and often returning to Auckland late on a Friday night.
During his 60 years on the road John had seen the industry change from one where you succeeded on your wits and by having the stock, reasonable pricing, good personality and relationships with the individual shop owners and managers in each town, to a more corporatised one, policed by SKU numbers, barcodes, national deals, GPS tracking and just perhaps a little less challenging and fun for a young rep on the road.
Many will have fond memories of Johnny – he will certainly be missed.
Building industry to be called on to play key role in achieving climate change goals
ON 3 JULY, the Government surprised some by calling for the New Zealand building and construction sector to play a major role towards helping the country reach its climate change goals, including net zero carbon by 2050.
In this light a new long term program for the next 20 to 30 years called “Building for Climate Change” is being established.
e aim is “to get us building in a completely di erent way. Tackling the climate change challenge will require vision, commitment and perseverance as well as signi cant change.”
“It won’t be done overnight and it won’t be easy,” admits MBIE.
“We’ll be setting targets around energy use and carbon emissions that focus on getting New Zealand where it needs to be.
“At the start, we should be able to reach the goals through good current practice, but over time, the goals will be increased to make greater carbon savings and emissions reductions.”
In terms of a timeline, following engagement with the building and construction sector, from next year, says MBIE’s Building Performance team, a group of initiatives will be launched to “kick start” changes in the building sector.
To meet these goals, there will be changes to both the Building Act and the Building Code.
As well as adjustments to current building laws, the program broadly aims to “change people’s behaviour, and the way they think about designing, constructing and operating buildings.” is includes building and construction workers.
e launch documentation adds that it is “possible that changes may need to be made to existing buildings as well.”
In essence, the planned changes are about making homes “warmer, drier and better ventilated, and provide a healthier place for us all to work and live. Buildings will be built to use as little water and energy as practical, meaning more money in New Zealanders’ pockets as well as less emissions.”
Energy e ciency and carbon emissions “will become core considerations when building – just as important as cost and design. Reusing buildings and recycling materials will be an important part of the building process, as well.”
You can get involved with and follow the progress of this program on the MBIE website.
www.mbie.govt.nz/building- and-energy/building/
8 NZHJ | JULY 2020
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz