Non-conforming building products aren’t sustainable products, says GBCA
24 August 2017
Building a sustainable future for
both people and planet demands the use of best practice materials and
products, says the
Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).
“There is nothing sustainable about non-conforming or non-compliant
building products,“ says the GBCA’s Head of Public Affairs, Jonathan
Cartledge.
“The GBCA and the Green Star rating system for
buildings and communities
delivers holistic sustainability aligned with our vision for healthy,
positive places for people.
“No product or building can claim sustainability in its design or use if
it does not first ensure safety."
The current resolve by governments to address the complexity of
non-conforming building products must not be compromised through
fallacious arguments that link non-conforming building products with
sustainability. A building or product that is unsafe is not sustainable.
“Increasing public scrutiny on the supply and use of these products is a
welcome development which demands a comprehensive response by government
and industry.
Like many in the industry and government, the GBCA is acutely aware of
the risks and challenges associated with non-conforming building
products and their increasing prevalence throughout the construction
supply chain.
“Building ministers around the country have made it quite clear that
these issues are not easily resolved, but require a collaborative
approach across industry.”
The ongoing inquiry into non-conforming building products with the
Senate Economics Reference Committee is expected to conclude with a
final report before 31 October 2017.
“Our submission to the inquiry was supportive of the significant
industry efforts led by the Construction Product Alliance and the
Building Products Innovation Council,” Mr Cartledge says.
“In particular, we recognise that the pathway forward must address both
non-compliance and non-conformance.”
Non-conforming products are those products that do not comply with the
relevant standards or codes in Australia. In contrast, non-complying
products adhere to standards and codes but are installed or applied
incorrectly.
“The best solution is a national approach to reinforce our already high
standards,” Mr Cartledge says.
The Green Building Council of Australia stands ready to work
collaboratively with our members to support any appropriate industry
response in collaboration with government.”
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Source: Green Building Council of Australia - www.gbca.org.au
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