How to avoid an uncertain future for your windows and doors
Whether it's you or your architect specifying your new aluminium window and door systems, you should exercise extreme caution with imported options – choose the quality products, water-tight documentation and local back-up that comes with specifying from New Zealand specialist Altus® Window Systems
The problem – imported window and door products come with risks
The potential problem with cut-price imported window aluminium window and door products is real.
The Window & Glass Association’s CEO Brett Francis says non-compliant and fraudulently certified window and door products are a growing and serious building safety issue and the New Zealand Government is failing to address it.
“Windows and doors are not decorative extras, they are a critical part of the building envelope. They must perform structurally, resist water penetration, support durability, and contribute to warm, dry, energy-efficient homes," he says.
"If the documentation cannot prove the product complies, that product should not be going into New Zealand homes.”
“It’s the unsuspecting homeowners that are ultimately paying the price for the inaction from the Government.
New Zealanders deserve homes that are safe, durable, weathertight and energy efficient. They also deserve confidence that the products being installed in those homes have been properly tested, properly certified and honestly represented.
“This issue comes down to one core concern: imported window and door products are entering the market with compliance documentation that is incomplete, misleading or potentially fraudulent. Without reliable proof of compliance with the New Zealand Building Code, those products should not be installed in New Zealand homes," he says.
"Homeowners should not be left carrying the risk of weak enforcement.”
Specific issues to consider
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has outlined the specific risks and considerations to consider:
- Test reports may be incomplete, not clearly attributable to the product being specified, or missing key information such as the applicable standard, scope of testing, or issuing laboratory credentials.
- Some reports may not meet expectations for recognised overseas testing (for example, lack of accreditation markings or full report documentation), which can affect their validity in a New Zealand context.
- There are concerns that, in some instances, certification documentation may have been altered or misrepresented without the knowledge of the issuing body.
(As front-line regulators, Building Consent Authorities have responsibilities under the Building Act 2004 to assess whether products used in building work demonstrate compliance with the Building Code.)
In a nutshell
Buying off shore comes with its own special set of problems.
1/ Windows and doors are key to the security of your building's envelope along with the health, even safety for your family and purchasing online from overseas players with potentially suspect documentation may mean the products themselves are inferior quality and may fail/loose their integrity down the track – maybe in months, maybe in one or two years.
2/ If the documentation itself isn't fully compliant under close scrutiny, then this might mean problems in claiming on insurance or guarantees if things do go wrong.
Altus® Window Systems' position is direct and reassuring
Altus® is a leading New Zealand manufacturer and exporter of innovative designs in aluminium extrusions and extrusion-based building systems.
This is the company's position on this potentially growing problem in our country:
- Windows and doors are critical to a building’s performance
- Compliance must be documented, demonstrable and verifiable
- Products that are to be used here must be tested appropriately for New Zealand conditions
- Any documentation must clearly support real-world application
The Altus® Window Systems approach has long been grounded in compliance and performance.
The company's products are locally designed, engineered and manufactured.
They are also tested specifically for New Zealand conditions – ensuring reliable performance, full compliance and peace of mind for the end consumer at every stage, from consent through to completion.
The takeaway – buy local, buy quality, buy with Altus® Window Systems
Altus® Windows Systems' comprehensive range of window and door systems are specifically crafted to meet the demands of the New Zealand environment and the Kiwi lifestyle.
Designed to blend seamlessly together, these thermally resolved systems offer greater freedom to mix and match without the need to compromise.
Whatever your style of architecture, from classic renovations to stand-out modern architecture, Altus Window Systems' products come with the highest possible quality and the locked-down, fully scrutinised documentation that supports them.
Visit the Altus® Windows Systems website to find out more
Story by: Trendsideas
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