Insights
A review of the New Zealand Building Industry: Is it really that bad? An honest building industry review from a humble, British surveying bloke.
I have been in New Zealand for nearly 2 years during which a lot of my time has been spent working within a team evaluating, redesigning, remediating or supporting a claim for defective workmanship…
Mechanisms of Moisture Ingress
I have been in Building Surveying now for nearly 8 years and, in my experience, one of the leading causes of decay/deterioration in buildings is due to moisture ingress.
Employee highlight: Meet Kevin Raives
Kevin has nearly seven years of experience in the design, investigation, and rehabilitation of building enclosure and facade systems for major commercial, residential, and institutional buildings.…
Our Architecture Infographic
We have the experience, innovative culture, and skills to grasp your ideas and turn them into reality.
Kaizon & The Fire Guys first social gathering
After merging companies in 2020, The Fire Guys and Kaizon staff finally all came together for a bowling match in July.
Kaizon Quantity Surveying: About us
Kaizon provides a full range of comprehensive and competitive quantity surveying services from early feasibility stages right through to project completion.
Save 16% on your Utility Bills by Retro-Commissioning.
Every building can benefit from regular tune-ups to make sure the mechanical systems are operating efficiently to meet the needs of the occupants, at minimal costs.
Meet Vallen Dai, the most recent addition to our Quantity Surveying team, and what an addition he is
Read our interview with Vallen Dai who joined the Kaizon team in 2020. Vallen is one of our Quantity Surveyors and has quickly developed a great reputation amongst the entire team at Kaizon and with…
Kaizon Acquires ‘The Fire Guys’ in strategic business diversification move
We are excited to announce that effective 1st April, 2020, Kaizon Group completed an acquisition of the majority shareholding in the New Zealand owned business, The Fire Guys Limited.
The importance of timber sampling when assessing timber framing
A question I regularly get asked whilst undertaking a timber remediation project is why do we take timber samples? Quite simply, the answer is how else do you know if the timber has started to decay?
A letter to our Clients from Matt Sanders, Managing Director, Kaizon
As you are all aware, we are in unusual times with the global spread of Covid-19. Throughout these uncertain times, we wanted to take this opportunity...
Richard Cakar, Senior Building Surveyor, talks to us about his journey to becoming Chartered with RICS
We met with one of our newly-qualified Chartered Surveyors, Richard Cakar MRICS of Kaizon, to discuss the APC process and what he learnt along the way.
From Administration Manager to Health & Safety Manager, Natalie Spray shows us what it means to follow your passion. Read about her journey here.
Introducing Natalie Spray, Health & Safety Manager at Kaizon. Natalie began her career in Administration but once she was…
Video: Energy Audits, featuring Greg Inman
Greg Inman, Senior Mechanical Engineer who specialises in Energy & Sustainability at Kaizon, talks about what Energy…
Kaizon’s full range of services
*View Kaizon’s full service intro doc*
Advantages of Employing a Project Manager
Project Managers (PM) and Contract Administrators (CA) are familiar figures to those involved in large scale construction projects.
Why do I need an Architect – and how the heck do I choose the right one?
Firstly, you should understand why you need an Architect for your project. An Architect should guide you through the design, planning and construction of your project. They should deliver value for…
The misconceptions of building surveying: a look into what a Building Surveyor really does
What is a Building Surveyor? Most people have heard of a Building Surveyor, but few people have a clear understanding of what is involved in building surveying and the part they play in the project…
Social at Kaizon: When the team at Kaizon were taken to Samoa
When our consultants aren’t onsite, writing a feasibility study report, or designing a 7-storey commercial building, they are having fun! In 2018 Kaizon management took all employees to Samoa for…
Kaizon Engineering Hires a Green Star Accredited Senior Mechanical Engineer, Specialising in Energy & Sustainability.
Greg Inman, Senior Mechanical Engineer, joined Kaizon Engineering in July as the new Energy & Sustainability Consultant.
Ben Critchlow, Senior Engineer and member of Engineering New Zealand, talks to us about his experience, and the role of a Facade Engineer.
1. What prompted your move from Australia to New Zealand, and how did your career begin?
How to avoid crisis mode by engaging a Professional Quantity Surveyor in the early stages of a project.
A Quantity Surveyor is a Cost Manager or Cost Engineer within the construction industry. They are an integral part of a building project and are, arguably, one of the most important service…
Fire at SkyCity Convention Centre – Expert Opinion from Jonathan Hill, Director of Engineering, Kaizon
Jon has over fourteen years of international and national experience in the design, investigation, and construction contract administration of building enclosure and facade systems for major…
What you need to know about New Building Commissioning
The term “commissioning” is used broadly in the New Zealand construction industry.
Life as a Graduate Engineer: What’s involved and what you need to know
My name is Lucy Adams, and I’m a Graduate Engineer after recently graduating from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering.
Continuity of Air/Water Barriers at Glazing Assemblies: Where it goes wrong in New Zealand
The key to maintaining a weathertight building is continuity of the air, water, and (sometimes) vapour barrier.
Upcoming Events
- Complete our 5-minute survey on Energy & Sustainability to help us gather important market research on businesses goals and views. In return, we are offering a half-hour, obligation-free phone conversation with our Senior Mechanical Engineer, Greg Inman, who specialises in Energy & Sustainability. Start the survey here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ftG-AkWKdUCHrb9ti26…
- Engineering New Zealand: 'Adrilling Support Fluids For Bored Piles.'
- Engineering New Zealand: 'Great NZ Upgrade: Is Your Business Tender Ready?
- Property Council: 'Residential Property Summit 2020.' Conference, August 27th, Auckland.
Resources
Building for climate change - MBIE
We’re working on reducing emissions from buildings during their construction and operation, while also preparing buildings to withstand changes in the climate.
The Building for Climate Change programme:
The Building for Climate Change programme has been set-up to get us building in a completely different way. Tackling the climate change challenge will require vision, commitment and perseverance as well as a significant change. It won’t be done overnight and it won’t be easy.
NZ Wood-Resene Timber Design Awards 2020: Winners announced
Though the gala event for the 2020 Timber Design Awards, scheduled for 26 March, was cancelled due restrictions related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NZ Wood has still announced the winners for the 2020 programme. The NZ Wood-Resene Timber Design Awards have been celebrating innovation and excellence with timber in the commercial and residential sectors for 45 years.
Updates to the Building Code
MBIE will be making the following updates to the Building Code:
• Aligning the provisions for hollow-core flooring with the Concrete Structures Standard to allow increased depth of hollow-core flooring. This gives building owners more options, and makes it easier to comply with the Building Code (amending B1/VM1).
• Making light steel framing a standard compliance solution, which will reduce the need for peer review around the structural design of light steel-framed buildings. This will give compliance certainty for designers and developers considering the option of using light steel framing (amending B1/VM1, B1/AS1, and B2/AS1).
• Providing a new test method for building facades up to 25 m using the BRANZ Evaluation Method as a way to confirm building cladding is weathertight (new test method E2/VM2).
• Adding extractor fans as a compliant way to ventilate bathrooms and kitchens, so that homeowners can more easily comply with the new Healthy Homes Standards (amending G4/AS1).
• Updating the Water Supplies and Foul Water sections of the Building Code to cite the most recent joint Australian/New Zealand plumbing and drainage standards. This will make it easier to show compliance, and aligns with current industry best practice (amending G13/AS1, G13/VM2, G13/AS2 and G13/AS3; amending G12/VM1, G12/AS1 and G12/AS2).
• Bringing together six separate Fire Acceptable Solution documents into one all-encompassing document that is clearer, more consistent, and covers things that weren’t included in the previous version. This means less ambiguity and confusion across the sector about which document to use, and an easier way for people to find the information they need to do their job. The changes are summarised in the first edition 2019 C/AS2 fact sheet.
MBIE Fire Performance Systems - Guidance
This guide discusses how external wall cladding systems can be tested to determine their fire performance. It will help industry to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.