Australians are yet to see the final aftermath of the wild weather and flooding in Queensland and NSW this month. With most cities, towns, and critical infrastructure located along coastlines, we need to focus on the future protection of property and infrastructure to minimize damage from these rising weather events.
Over the next 12 years, reducing carbon emissions will be a critical focus to slow down global warming. Construction is a major contributor to global warming, and architects can make an enormous impact. In the shorter term, architects can start with the selection of carbon-smart materials and products that are compliant, durable, sustainable, and weatherproofed.
Weatherproofing is future proofing. Although waterproofing equates to a small 1% of a building’s costs, water defects and the resulting damage can account for 80% of all building defects. Previously, 85% of multi-owned buildings built since 2000 had defects, and 40% of these were the result of poor waterproofing practices equating to $1.4 billion in water damage.
Professional Indemnity insurance does not cover non-compliant cladding – this includes improper waterproofing.
The impact from this month’s natural disaster will likely have a huge domino effect on architects and builders alike as they consider flood risk alongside fire safety, insurance, and compliance risks for current and future building projects. Future projects must carefully consider how to avoid building defects, property damage and subsequent loss of time and money. With increased focus on weatherproofed cladding, bonded laminates can provide a robust solution, while also ticking the fire safety, design intent, insurance, and compliance boxes.
Vitracore G2 is a bonded aluminium facade panel with multiple benefits, including being weatherproofed to BCA Clause FP1.4, and a facade cladding system that can help to mitigate damage caused from floods.
Leaking buildings are non-compliant, extremely common, and very expensive. This impact is far worse with flooding events. If a building’s insurance includes a non-compliant cladding exclusion, a leaky facade will not be covered. It is imperative that all people involved in facade design understand the relevant building code requirements, design, and testing considerations and how to address concerns with build quality.
The NCC includes waterproofing requirements for all new Australian construction. Performance requirement FP1.4 provides that a roof and external wall, including openings around windows and doors, must prevent the penetration of water.
Facade designs need to be appropriate for the use, climatic conditions, and required performance life of the building. Designers, and specifiers, should consider the “rainscreen” system in facade design. This approach doesn’t prevent the use of sealant as a primary waterproofing layer but utilizes a two-layer redundant system that increases reliability.
