BCA 2010 - ABCB - Australian Building Codes Board

Smartbreeze - the green solution for heating and cooling a building
Heating and cooling a building can
be a costly exercise particularly with
increasing running cost and the ongoing
impact on the environment using
traditional methods.
The latest innovation in heating and
cooling using total solar energy has
been introduced by Smart Roof Australia
Pty Ltd and has been influential in
providing a clean environmental
solution with minimal cost to various
buildings throughout Victoria.
The award winning product
smartbreeze, Australian designed and
manufactured uses the roof, whether
metal or tile, as a collector of air and
moves the air to assist either heating or
cooling a building.
On a hot day there is a significant build
up of radiant heat directly under the
metal roof sheets or tiles. This hot air
is dormant and creates a significant
heat bank which filters into and heats
a building. The smartbreeze unit
minimizes this build up of heat by
continually purging the hot
air from the roof on a hot day.
After a hot day, smartbreeze
is able to provide nocturnal
cooling throughout the
night. When the cooler
night air is needed to cool
a building after a hot day,
smartbreeze will continually
blow this fresh cool air into
the building to significantly
reduce the heat build up
that is absorbed in the walls
and furniture and provide a
cooler environment for the
start of the next day.
On a cool day there can be a significant
heat build up due to the radiant heart
on the roof. Smartbreeze will filter this
warm air and re-direct into the building
to provide fresh warm air on a cool day
for heating.
The movement of air and monitoring
of temperatures is all thermostatically
controlled day and night. Power is
provided by a 30w solar panel.
Smartbreeze can be adapted for
larger volume areas whereby a greater
capacity for heating and cooling in
addition to cross ventilation is required.
For more information on smartbreeze,
please view the website www.smartroof.
com.au or call Smart Roof Australia Pty
Ltd on 03 95103484.
BCA PRODUCT + iNDUSTRY INNOVATION NEWS
Standards Australia moves to tighten steel specifications in response to Industry concerns
Standards Australia have just released
a new revision of AS/NZS 1163 on
Structural Steel Hollow Sections. These
revisions were triggered by industry and
asset owner concerns on compliance
of specified tubular products. The
Australian Steel Institute (ASI) is also
aware of situations of inferior or nonspecified
product substitution for
critical applications resulting in product
qualities not being commensurate with
AS/NZS 1163 expectations.
These issues are not isolated to Pipe and
Tube and are also relevant to other steel
and construction materials.
Revised welded steel hollow
sections specification released
by Standards Australia
This Standard specifies the requirements
for cold-formed, electric resistancewelded,
carbon steel hollow sections
suitable for welding and used for
structural purposes.
Products compliant with AS/NZS 1163,
which is referenced via the steel design,
fabrication and erection Standards listed
in the BCA, are used in many and various
building construction applications.
These include structural columns/posts,
beams, ties, trusses, flooring systems,
awnings, lintels, etc.
The major changes to the Standard
include:
• In Australia, the mandatory individual
length identification required on all
ex-mill tube lengths
• Mandatory minimum information
required on test certificates
• Mandatory requirement for testing
to be performed by third-party
accredited laboratories (e.g. NATA)
• Mandatory ‘Product Conformity’
provisions to demonstrate
compliance with the Standard by the
manufacturer/supplier
• Additional provisions on steelmaking,
coil feed, chemistry, mechanical
properties and tolerances.
The revisions to the Standard
provide further confidence in
product conformance of tubular
products to AS/NZS 1163.
The tubular product range and coatings
offered by suppliers to the Standard
have not changed.
The new edition of AS/NZS 1163 was
published and became effective on 9
December 2009 with the previous 1991
version remaining available superseded
till its withdrawal one year later.
The ASI strongly urges building
construction project delivery
participants to specify and order AS/
NZS 1163-2009 product to get the
confidence that new standard provides
in mandating that the construction is in
line with intended design.
For further information contact the ASI
on (02) 9931 6612.
Copies of AS/NZS 1163 can be purchased
from SAI Global (www.infostore.
saiglobal.com).
Australian Building Regulation Bulletin
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