Joinery testing ensures early detection of systemic issues
Panuku Development Auckland is a council-controlled organisation that delivers urban regeneration in Auckland in partnership with other parts of the council, government organisations, businesses and locals to regenerate Auckland City in ways that benefit our communities. One of the organisation’s goals is to provide safe, high-quality, comfortable social housing for older people. The Panuku Apartments in Henderson is a new development currently under construction with the first stage due for completion before the end of 2019.
Veron was engaged by Panuku Development Auckland’s main contractor to carry out water penetration resistance tests in accordance with AAMA 502 on a representative selection of aluminium joinery units installed at a high level to the building.
Testing and results:
Our Building Surveyors carried out testing to one sliding door and four opening sash joinery units on levels 3 and 4 of the apartment building on both the North and South elevations. During our initial testing, only one unit passed the penetration resistance test. Our rigid testing procedure highlighted the following issues on site:
• Failure to adequately clean joinery frames prior to installation
• Undersized rubber seals
• Additional threshold not installed to the sliding door section of the balcony door units
The failure of four joinery units prompted an internal quality assurance investigation by the main contractor that discovered that some of the rubber seals on the windows were undersized compared to those used in factory testing conditions. It was also confirmed by the supplier that in order to replicate the factory testing conditions on site, the trickle vents required closing off and another threshold required to be installed to the sliding door section of the balcony door units.
Because Veron was involved as early as possible in the joinery installation programme, we were able to work alongside the main contractor, joinery installers and suppliers to fine-tune the joinery installation to ensure a consistent standard is adhered to, avoiding further delays and unexpected costs to the programme.