Brian Stanley
The Wood Processors and Manufacturers’ Association (WPMA) is anxious to assure the New Zealand public that timber retains its excellent reputation as a construction material. Source: Timberbiz
In an open letter to Timberbiz, Mr Brian Stanley, chair of WPMA, said that it was the most appropriate body to comment and there were several points the WPMA would like to clarify around this issue.
Timber framing cannot cause a leaky building. If water cannot enter the building envelope through a range of faulty construction techniques and design parameters, timber framing cannot rot.
Current timber treatments for framing are effective medium-term protection against accidental pipe breaks and other leakages, as specified in the NZ Building Code.
Like any industry, timber technology is developing all the time and Standards need to be regularly updated to keep pace.
There are no “secret” negotiations with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. As with revisions of any New Zealand Standard, expert opinion is extensively canvassed and public consultation is carried out prior to any final decision being made.
The WPMA is working with other industry experts to help Standards NZ draft appropriate performance-based updates to NZS3640.
It is incumbent upon Standards NZ to carefully consider all aspects of an issue, but speculation on what a revised Standard may or may not ultimately contain is not helpful at this stage.
WPMA is keen to ensure no mischievous or misleading information should be released to confuse the public, and we trust this letter clarifies the overall position.
