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This popular publication gives designers and electrical contractors guidance around designing and specifying electrical and other cabling in domestic buildings. It pays particular attention to energy efficiency and homeowner comfort while reducing household running costs. 

This second edition takes account of the many changes since the first edition was published in 2009. These include updates to the New Zealand Building Code and standards, new materials and technologies (such as electric vehicles) and changing consumer preferences.

This publication covers:

• Building Code and standards requirements
• power supply system design
• internal electrical wiring
• wiring layout and installation
• low voltage systems. 

This publication gives guidance to designers and plumbing contractors in the key decisions and requirements around design and installation of hot and cold water supply and sanitary plumbing in a domestic building.  

This publication covers:

• statutory requirements
• design of water supply systems 
• materials selection
• water supply fundamentals including rainwater harvesting
• cold water supply installation
• hot water system selection and installation
• sanitary plumbing including greywater harvesting. 

Specifying and fixing internal linings demands a high degree of skill to ensure that the finished installation will perform in the environment the internal linings are installed in and meet the end user's expectations. There is a wide range of internal lining materials available, and there is often a gap between what is expected of particular lining materials and what is achievable given the construction methods being used. 

This guide covers most current wall and ceiling lining applications including lining selection, support systems and fixings. It sets out the requirements and installation processes for all aspects of lining installtion so that realistic finish quality levels can be set and the completed installation achieves the expected quality level. It does not cover the selection and installation of suspended ceiling systems. 

The audience is designers and specifiers, builders, partition installers, lining installers, stopping contractors, building officials, building owners and students of design and construction.

This publication helps designers, specifiers and builders ensure that new and existing houses are warm and effectively ventilated, providing owner comfort, convenience, health and safety while minimising running costs. It acknowledges the importance of good passive design - taking advantage of free sources of energy such as sun and wind to provide heating, cooling and ventilation.

This publication covers:

• heating and cooling design considerations and methods
• thermal design
• ventilation design considerations and methods.

This seminar aims to give you the answers to a wide range of practical questions. The topics covered range from the new requirements for fencing of swimming pools to specific topics including:

• concrete slab design and construction: free joints, shrinkage control joints, floor tile movement control joints, reinforcing steel cover, edge distances, slab moisture contents, screw bolt installation
• flashings:  proprietary flashings and large roof flashings
• access: level entries, stair design 
• building exterior: timber finishes, timber profiles
• verandas and sunshades: uplift, fixings/connections, bracing 
• corrosion: protection to structural steel, dissimilar metals
• compliance: notices to fix, certificates of acceptance, outbuilding exemptions, acoustic wall principles
• innovation: prefabrication/panellisation, CLT, LVL.

Please note that access to this recorded seminar will expire 1 month after purchase.

This seminar takes a back-to-basics approach to bracing taking you through the steps that need to be addressed using examples to calculate the bracing required for framed walls.

Please note that access to this recorded seminar will expire 1 month after purchase.

This seminar provides information on design, specification and installation of current roof membrane systems.

Please note that access to this recorded seminar will expire 1 month after purchase.

This seminar covers questions that have been asked of BRANZ. These range from updates on released standards such as NZS 4223.3:2016 Glazing in buildings - Part 3: Human impact safety requirements to specific technical topics.

Please note that access to this recorded seminar will expire 1 month after purchase.

Windows and glazed doors play a vital role in sustainable building. They can account for more heat gain or loss than any other element in an insulated building envelope. A well designed glazing system can improve internal daylight levels, reduce glare and help maintain thermal comfort by reducing heat gain and loss. This contributes to energy efficiency by reducing the need for artificial heating, cooling or lighting.

This guide covers: 

• building controls
• functions of windows
• performance of windows
• aluminium, uPVC, steel, timber and fibreglass windows
• classification of opening windows
• glazing
• insulating glass units (IGUs)
• fittings and accessories
• building construction.

This guide does not cover overhead glazing, roof windows, skylights or commercial facades or window sections.

The thermal performance requirements of building elements given in this book are from the 4th edition Building Code acceptable solution H1/AS1 and verification method H1/VM1. Note that 5th editions of H1/AS1 and H1/VM1 replaced the 4th edition from 3 November 2022.

This guide covers important choices facing designers and homeowners in selecting active energy systems such as water heating, space heating and lighting and looks at options such as photovoltaic electricity generation. Considerations include what different technologies can achieve and which options are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly than others.

It explains the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code, standards and other obligations that need to be met while pointing out that going better than the required minimum typically brings benefits in comfort and ongoing cost savings.

Note that the energy efficiency requirements in the Building Code have been amended since the publication of this book.

Clay and concrete tiles have long been popular choices of roofing material, particularly in severe coastal or thermal environments. As a general rule, clay and concrete tile roofs can be expected to last 50 or 60 years before needing replacement.

Regular checks and proper maintenance are critical to keep the roof in sound condition and to keep the water out. This Good Repair Guide focuses on the repair options for isolated areas of concern. 

Approximately 10% of New Zealand households rely on rainwater collected from roofs for their water supply. Typically, these are rural residential properties but may include country schools, camping grounds, marae and other community buildings. A number of fairly simple and relatively inexpensive measures can be introduced to existing systems to improve water quality

This Good Repair Guide looks at upgrading options and maintenance requirements for existing rainwater storage systems to ensure a quality potable roof water collection and storage system is maintained. 

Although the many atttibutes of concrete such as compressive strength, excellent durability and versatility are well known, concrete floors are not completely immune from problems. This Good Repair Guide focuses on the restoration of the appearance of concrete floors.

Inconsistency of the original concrete mix, poor surface finishing and inadequate curing may result in a floor finish that is less than acceptable. Shrinkage cracking, staining, surface pitting and wear from vehicle or foot traffic can also be a problem.

Building and renovation work can result in spills and splashes causing undesirable staining on nearby surfaces. The most common substances likely to cause staining if not handled or used correctly include:

• paints, varishes and stains (waterborne and solventborne)
• oil, grease and wax
• adhesives
• sealants (silicone and latex)
• concrete and cement-based mortar and grout
• asphalt and tar.

 This Good Repair Guide covers:

• the solvents and cleaners available for stain removal and the procedures for removing different types of construction-related stains without damaging the underlying material
• physical removal options such as abrading, rubbing, sanding, scraping, sandblasting, grinding, steam cleaning, brushing or scouring where appropriate
• dry materials that may be applied to a stain or spillage. 

Overlay flooring is a flooring system that is laid over timber tongue and groove (T&G) boards, particleboard, plywood or concrete. It includes solid timber boards, parquet flooring, timber composite flooring systems and bamboo flooring

This Good Repair Guide describes the repair options for existing overlay flooring. It describes how to: 

• repair minor damage
• replace a section of floor
• replace an entire floor
• prepare an overlay floor for a new protective finish.  

Floor coverings such as cork tiles, vinyl tiles or sheet vinyl are not covered by this guide. 

General wear and tear in a house often results in damage to interior wall linings. Damage can range from repairable (a picture hook pulled out or a door handle through the wall) to the catastrophic (a major leak or structural failure). 

This Good Repair Guide outlines some options for repairing existing wall linings and guidelines for when to replace a sheet or larger area of lining.

Prefinished linings (such as melamine-faced boards) are not included in this guide.

Hinges for timber doors and windows are frequently overlooked hardware items. It is not until they fail to operate properly that attention is paid to them. By the time this occurs, they are sometimes beyond refurbishment, and replacement is the only option. If problems are addressed before they become too serious, hinges can generally be refurbished and restored.

This Good Repair Guide looks at the types of hinges used with timber doors and windows, the problems that can occur and how they can be refurbished and, if necessary, replaced.

Wet area sheet wall linings may be subjected to continual wetting, such as in showers and around baths with a shower over the bath, and splashing, such as the wall area immediately around the rim of a bath, outside an enclosed shower with a shower curtain only or behind basins, laundry tubs and sinks.

This Good Repair Guide looks at the options for repairing wet area sheet linings (factory-finished hardboard or fibre-cement panels, painted oil-tempered hardboard sheet and acrylic sheeting) and how to replace them if they cannot be repaired.

Houses built before the late 1970s are unlikely to have any insulation in the walls unless major alterations or renovations have been carried out.

This Good Repair Guide explains options for retrofitting insulation into existing residential timber-framed walls. Insulation materials covered include fibreglass, polyester, wool and mineral wool (and blends of these) and rigid sheets such as polystyrene and PIR/PUR foam.

This guide does not cover blown-in and injected foam insulation or retrofitting insulation to walls where there is no access to the wall framing or solid construction such as concrete block, precast concrete, double-skin brick or solid timber.

The thermal performance requirements of building elements given in this book are from the 4th edition Building Code acceptable solution H1/AS1 and verification method H1/VM1. Note that 5th editions of H1/AS1 and H1/VM1 replaced the 4th edition on 3 November 2022.

Residential basements are common in houses built on sloping ground and can be valuable and useful spaces if they are dry and warm. In many cases, the use of a basement changes over time as household size, lifestyle and interests change. 

Work may be required to upgrade the space. High internal humidity, musty odours and efflorescence in below-grade basements are all signs that moisture may be entering the space through porous concrete retaining walls. 

This Good Practice Guide covers only basement walls of residential buildings on sloping sites that are no more than one storey in height below natural ground and not subject to hydrostatic pressure. Where a wall is subject to hydrostatic pressure from groundwater or a spring, seek specific design advice from a specialist damp-proofing company.