Page 28 - HW April 2022

building envelope – pre-cladding & insulation
Manager for insulation, and he is equally enthusiastic about the prospects for his high R-value, but thin Kooltherm insulated board product, thanks to the doubling of R-value in the roof.
INSULATION – OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
As in the rigid air barrier space, opportunities have arisen for some suppliers of insulation due to the unfortunate circumstances of others.
Take Alex McGregor, Auckland Sales Lead at Autex, with
its GreenStuf polyester insulation product, who says despite the challenging times and polyester’s price disadvantage compared to fibreglass, Autex has had a really good year.
The supply shortfalls facing others in this respect have been good for Autex which has been able to “help ease some of that demand.”
What’s more, compared to what we’re hearing of 40-45% price increases elsewhere, “People don’t even blink at a 5% or an 8% price increase,” says Alex with candour.
Back to Murray Durbin and Enveloped, with its new Eliment glasswool thermal and acoustic insulation product, and another supplier who’s more than happy to be picking up some of this unfulfilled demand.
Moving on to the new H1 Energy Efficiency regs, thanks to the sizeable increase in roof insulation, Murray reckons the insulation market is going to grow by as much as 40-45%.
Aren’t we already undersupplied?
“When we increase in November, it’s going to be touch and go whether there is going to be enough product available,” he believes.
And in this respect, he adds: “Hardware stores really need to start thinking now about secondary suppliers and I’d go so far as to say, even stockpile, to go into the end of this year with really good stocks.
“If they are hand-to-mouth now, I tell you, later they’ll be really struggling,” warns Murray Durbin.
Fierce competition, inflation and supply issues have benefitted Polyester insulation like Greenstuf from Autex.
TOO MUCH TOO SOON – OR NOT ENOUGH?
The proposals for November’s changes to H1 insulation in
new housing and small buildings attracted a record number
of submissions and, according to MBIE’s figures on those who supplied feedback, the vast majority wanted to match or exceed international standards, which this year’s changes do not.
The Insulation Association of NZ (IAONZ) said late last year: “The changes go as far and as fast as is achievable using current insulation products and construction design and practices to create better quality homes and buildings for New Zealand with less impact on the environment.”
Leaving wall insulation at the current level while raising that for the roof is evidence of the pragmatic approach hinted at by IAONZ. What about these changes – more than enough or too little to
make a difference? After all, the changes start from a low base... Indeed, BRANZ has found that the average wall framing
percentage across 47 case study dwellings was above 34%, considerably higher than the 14-18% framing content previously assumed by regulators.
Why is this a big deal? The more timber there is in a wall the lower the wall’s total insulation value.
MBIE says of this: “In typical walls more energy will be lost
H1 changes – builders ask why now?
New Zealand’s builders have a lot on their plate right now, what with shortages of products and more demand than perhaps many are comfortable or even able to cope with.
On top of which, adding to their stress levels, come November they’ll be facing some substantial changes to the way homes are built and there is clearly a high degree of angst about this.
Indeed, David Kelly, CEO of the Registered Master Builders Association (RMBA), this month went on the record as saying the November 2022 implementation of the H1 Energy Efficiency changes for housing and small buildings is just too soon.
Back in May last year, the Master Builders had already voiced
their misgivings about the timing of the proposed changes in the organisation’s response to the request for feedback on the proposed H1 changes.
Without beating around the bush, the RMBA’s submission said: “Implementing the proposed changes (including new materials,
manufacturing, building methods) will result in significant delays in new builds, at a time when New Zealand’s construction sector is already impacted by significant delays.
“This may negatively impact on New Zealand’s housing availability.”
The RMBA submission also picked out the coldest of the new Zones (5 and 6) as potentially being “particularly impacted by the proposed changes” and warranting “further specific investigation in terms of cost/benefit and ability of the industry to meet the
potential higher settings.”
In summary, the RMBA said:“The sector will need significant time to
work through the proposed changes to find an appropriate solution.” Based on the knowledge that many if not all specifiers are already
designing to accommodate the new H1 Energy Efficiency regs, will builders be able to keep up?
Time will tell.
26 NZHJ | APRIL 2022
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz