David & Paul representing AIW.
Recently, when representing AIW (Australian Institute of Waterproofing) in a Brisbane show, we discussed the industry issues with our neighbours QBCC (Queensland Building and Construction Commission). The QBCC appear to be the most pro-active Building Authority in the country, yet they lament the difficulty in avoiding waterproofing failures. In each State the Insurance industry reports the highest single repair payouts relate to waterproofing. Such a waist as the cost of getting it right is so low. We all recognise the key issues of; poor waterproofing design strategies; application errors; and lack of quality checking. The QBCC licence Builders, Waterproofer’s (as a registered trade) and ‘inspecting Engineers’, providing an active penalty regime for those who are non-compliant. Augmenting this process the QBCC are pro-active in training and ‘policing’ activity. Whilst the QBCC are seen as leading the way, they have confided in being seriously under resourced to effectively reduce waterproofing defects. In comparison, their cousins, the VBA (Victorian Building Authority) have not formulated a functional strategy. With personnel changes within the VBA occurring more rapidly than changing Prime Ministers, the capacity to remedy waterproofing failures is not improving. Raising the standard of waterproofing in Victoria is thus left to industry.
