By Greg Overton
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1 December 2009, Build 115
The many examples of rotting parapets have raised concerns about the details used. A 2-year BRANZ project assessing the performance of parapet walls provides confidence that parapets can manage water when E2/AS1 details are used.
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By Stephen McNeil
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1 December 2015, Build 151, Feature article
Newer homes may be less draughty but concern is growing that they are accumulating too much internal moisture. Ventilation is key, and BRANZ is researching how to keep homes aired, warm and healthy.
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By Ian Cox-Smith
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1 December 2016, Build 157
Modelling of concrete floor slabs at BRANZ has provided insights into how to optimise the effectiveness of exterior perimeter edge insulation.
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By Peter McDowall
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1 April 2017, Build 159
A proven technology using UV light to clean air of contaminants is being used in a BRANZ project looking to harness it to remove mould from New Zealand homes.
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By Stephen McNeil
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1 August 2021, Build 185, Feature article
As we push for higher performance from our houses, expectations for airtightness and ventilation are changing rapidly. Some changes will be needed in design to improve airtightness, and mechanical ventilation is likely to soon be the norm.
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By Malcolm Cunningham
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1 December 2011, Build 127, Feature article
Recently, several cases of an insidious new form of thermal bridging have been seen. Aggravating factors have been identified that contributed to the problem, so there are now lessons to be learnt to avoid this on other buildings.
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By Greg Overton
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1 December 2015, Build 151, Feature article
In this latest look at BRANZ’s vapour control in walls project, we outline the benefits of WUFI, a sophisticated computer modelling software that calculates heat and moisture movement in building components.
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By Dr Manfred Plagmann
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1 February 2016, Build 152, Feature article
Ventilation systems in New Zealand homes rarely have their airflows measured and adjusted during installation, resulting in poorly ventilated rooms. Using active flow hoods during commissioning could change this.
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By Greg Overton
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1 August 2016, Build 155, Feature article
For low-rise buildings, E2/VM1 can be used to demonstrate that a cavity-based wall system can meet the requirements of E2. But what is E2/VM1, and why might it not be suitable for medium-rise buildings?
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By Vicki White
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1 August 2017, Build 161
BRANZ’s latest house condition survey points the way to where improvements could be made to help achieve the goal of warmer, drier and healthier homes for all.
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