Building to Code
The Building Code’s objectives aim to safeguard people from illness or injury but not to ensure their comfort and health. Building to Code will not necessarily provide the level of comfort your family aspires to and can result in significant heating, cooling and maintenance costs over the lifecycle of your home. The Code should be viewed as a mandatory minimum standard which can be improved to better or even best practice levels.
Saving money by using below-the-Code specification
The Building Code sets bare minimums to ensure occupants’ health. Using below-the-Code specification is not only illegal, it is likely to have health consequences for you and your family as these minimum requirements are not being met. Using inferior specification on the walls’ insulation levels, for example, might save you a little money during construction but is likely to cost more in the long run as more energy will be required to heat your home to comfortable levels.
Construction processes that limit performance of design and materials
Your builder’s role in achieving objectives and targets around comfort and health will be crucial. Ensuring your builder is qualified and has an eye for detail can make a significant difference to the way your home performs once it is completed. Products such as insulation need to be stored and installed following the manufacturers’ instructions and failing to do so will result in increased thermal bridges, air leaks and dampness. This is also the case for other building elements such as slabs, framing and windows.