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Another TDA milestone |
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Friday, 10 July 2009 00:00 |
Associations in the building materials sector are all too often short-lived -- yet the Timber Development Association (TDA) NSW is going from strength to strength. June 18 saw an important milestone passed in the history of the TDA: the 400th meeting of our Board of Directors since the founding of the TDA in 1938. Not big news, perhaps, but a testament to the resilience of the TDA and to the support of our members.
Why has the TDA weathered the years so well? We believe it is down to the capacity of the association to remake itself to address new problems and opportunities facing its membership. Issues that were once on the periphery -- timber certification, sustainability and the like -- have become central to the future profitability of the timber industry in NSW. The TDA, meantime, has changed with the times to address these issues. |
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Timber and AS 3959-2009 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas |
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Friday, 10 July 2009 00:00 |
The AS3959-2009 Standard is now legislated in Victoria and the ACT and will be called up in the 2010 edition of the BCA for application in all other states and territories.
AS 3959-2009 is based on construction details appropriate for a variety of Bushfire Attack Levels (BALs). There are now five BALS: BAL-Low, BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29, BAL-40 and BAL-FZ (flame zone). The BALs are based on an assessment of the potential exposure of a site to ember attack and to radiant heat thresholds, expressed as kW/m2. For example BAL-29 is primarily concerned with protection from ember attack and from radiant heat up to and including 29 kW/m2.
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Read more... [Timber and AS 3959-2009 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas]
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Code of conduct collaborative industry project |
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Friday, 10 July 2009 00:00 |
The TDA is leading a consortium of associations from the timber industry and allied sectors to develop a Code of Conduct to verify legality of harvest of wood-based products.
Stephen Mitchell, the TDA’s sustainability program manager, is leading this project. Stephen says that "For a number of years different industry sectors have worked to maximise the certainty that timber and wood-based products are sourced from legally harvesting forests and plantations. While legality of forest harvesting and importation of wood-based products are complex issues, substantial progress has already been made in addressing and reducing the potential risks."
The project is intended to support the Federal Government’s policy of ensuring that wood products are only obtained from legally verified forestry activities. It is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
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Read more... [Code of conduct collaborative industry project]
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Bumper year for the Australian Timber Design Awards |
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Friday, 10 July 2009 00:00 |
2008 Overall Winner :: Peter Stutchbury Architecture :: Outcrop House
Entries for the 2009 Australian Timber Design Awards are suddenly pouring in. The submission deadline for the Awards, the highest profile timber design competition in the Australasian region, is now July 31 -- and we know that the closer we get to that date, the more entries we will receive each day in the post. Judging from the quantity of entry forms we have already received, 2009 looks to be a record breaking year for the Awards.
Don't forget that this year, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Awards, we have introduced regional awards. That means, of course, more opportunities to win. It also means bigger and better presentation nights. Andrew Waugh, Director of Waugh Thistleton Architects of London, will be the main speaker at each of the Awards regional presentation nights. Mr Waugh was the principal architect behind the Murray Grove Tower, the world's tallest modern timber residential building, so we are very much looking forward to hearing his insights into timber-based design at each of these events.
And one more thing: the TDA has reached a special agreement which gives the National Winner a 4 Page project profile in a Universal Magazine of their choice, e.g. Luxury Home Design, Green Living, Outdoor Rooms Magazine, Contemporary Home Design Annual, Renovate & Extend, Kitchens and Bathrooms, Poolside, Outdoor Design and Living.
If you have been involved in the design of an outstanding timber structure within the last 3 years -- or know of someone who has -- download an entry form today! |
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