Smartspec

The countdown is on—Design Experience heads to Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton, and Tauranga next week!

Ahead of his keynote address, acclaimed Canadian architect Talbot Sweetapple spoke with Industry Insider.

Read the interview: https://industryinsideronline.co.nz/2026/08/defeating-sameness-across-the-globe/

It’s going to be a great series of events, filled with fresh perspectives, product innovations, and opportunities to connect.

Register here—entry and refreshments are free: https://designexperience.co.nz/register/

The latest edition of Industry Insider is out now—bringing specifiers a useful mix of industry insight, design inspiration, technical guidance, and new product solutions.

In this edition:

• What the election could mean for construction-sector reform
• Coloured concrete inspired by New Zealand’s natural landscapes
• A simpler approach to specification, procurement, and supply
• The design possibilities of exposed engineered timber trusses
• Answers to common technical questions about Barrierline®
• Flexible rainwater solutions for projects across Aotearoa
• Standout work from the 2026 Master Builders House of the Year awards
• Canadian architect Talbot Sweetapple on creating meaningful, place-responsive architecture

Whether you’re researching products, exploring new design possibilities, or keeping up with the forces shaping the industry, you’ll find plenty worth reading.

Explore the latest edition: https://industryinsideronline.co.nz/

Here’s some great news for Smartspec subscribers!

EQUITONE® Fibre Cement Cladding specifications are now available on Smartspec.

Designed for contemporary architectural façades, EQUITONE® offers:

• High-density fibre cement façade panels for ventilated rainscreen cladding systems
• Large-format panels in a range of colours, textures and finishes, with the flexibility to be cut into custom shapes and sizes to suit your design intent
• Durable, low-maintenance performance with resistance to weather, moisture and fire, plus the choice of visible or concealed fixing systems over timber or metal framing

Find out more via EQUITONE®'s NZ distributor, The Building Agency.

Not a subscriber and want to find out how to make spec writing quicker and easier? Head to: https://smartspec.co.nz/

Check out the latest Industry Insider post!

Eaves might be small — but fire separation detail isn’t.

In terraced housing and medium-density projects, maintaining compliant intertenancy fire separation through roof eaves is one of the trickier junctions to resolve under C/AS1 requirements.

GIB® Intertenancy Barrier Systems, including GIB Barrierline®, provide a practical way to extend fire separation through the eaves while accommodating common roof configurations — helping designers and builders maintain compliance without overcomplicating detailing.

Check out the latest edition of latest Industry Insider to see how these systems help simplify one of residential construction’s most critical fire safety details. https://industryinsideronline.co.nz/2026/05/resolving-eaves-fire-separation/

Check out the latest Industry Insider!

Now manufactured in New Zealand — and raising the bar for building envelopes.

Kingspan’s insulated panel systems are now proudly produced in Christchurch, bringing locally made PIR roof, wall and coldstore solutions to commercial and industrial projects across Aotearoa.

From the KSN1000FC Five Crown system to high-performance coldstore panels, these integrated solutions streamline construction, improve thermal efficiency and support demanding H1 energy requirements — all while reducing complexity on site.

Read the latest Industry Insider to explore how local manufacturing is strengthening performance, compliance, and certainty in New Zealand construction. https://industryinsideronline.co.nz/2026/05/kingspan-insulated-panels-now-made-in-nz/

📐 Simplifying structural timber specification.

Whether you're designing a residential home, commercial project or engineered timber structure, finding the right beam, portal or post shouldn't slow down the design process.

The Prolam Ltd Specifier has been developed to help architects, designers, builders and specifiers quickly identify suitable glulam solutions, perform structural timber calculations and generate supporting documentation for code compliance. All from a single online platform.

By reducing reliance on manual span tables and streamlining the specification process, the tool helps save valuable time during design, documentation and consent preparation.

As engineered timber continues to play a bigger role in modern construction, digital tools like the Prolam Specifier are helping project teams work smarter, specify with greater confidence and keep projects moving.

👉 Read the full article here: https://industryinsideronline.co.nz/2026/05/a-faster-way-to-specify-structural-timber/

Check out the latest Industry Insider!

Is uncertainty making a comeback in New Zealand construction?

After two years of rebuilding post-pandemic, the industry is once again watching global events closely. Rising fuel and freight costs linked to instability in the Middle East are raising questions about what comes next for projects, budgets, and supply chains.

In the latest edition of Industry Insider, we explore:
✔️ Industry perspectives on the return of volatility
✔️ Smarter specification tools for timber design
✔️ Simplified H1 compliance ahead of major changes
✔️ Reliable LVL framing solutions
✔️ NZ-made insulated panels with strong thermal and fire performance
✔️ Practical fire-rated detailing for residential projects

Whether you're designing, specifying or building, this issue is packed with insights and solutions to help keep projects on track.

📖 Read the latest edition now at https://industryinsideronline.co.nz/

Here’s great news for Smartspec subscribers— ColorCote specs are now live!

ColorCote® has been pushing innovation in pre-painted steel and aluminium since 1973, with systems designed to perform across everything from inland builds to extreme coastal and industrial environments.

Their three-tier range—ZinaCore™, MagnaFlow™ and AlumiGard™—combines multiple substrate options with advanced paint technologies, making it easier to match performance with project conditions.

If you’re working on projects where durability and finish really matter, this is worth a look.

Explore more: https://www.colorcote.co.nz/

In great news for our subscribers, we’re thrilled to announce that you’ll now find Ambiance by Stärke uPVC Windows & Doors specs on Smartspec.

Designed in Germany and made locally by NZ-owned STÄRKE, Ambiance delivers European-level window performance to Kiwi homes. With average R-values of R0.74—around 50% higher than most thermally broken aluminium systems—high-performance glazing is now available at scale in New Zealand.

Built for NZ’s harsh UV conditions, BRANZ-appraised, and fully compliant with the WGANZ Industry Standard, Ambiance windows include a high-performance recessed flashing kit that can improve as-built performance by up to 20%. The system is available in a range of colours, including black!