Introduction to Tim’s talk

In the latest 2019 version of the National Construction Code, condensation management provisions were introduced for the first time. Although a major milestone in itself, what does it really mean for buildings? And does it deliver on its objective of a healthy building?

This talk goes through the history and studies that underlie these provisions in Australian residential buildings (houses and multi-storey apartments), and interrogates the adequacy of these mandated minimum standards, together with the dangerous inadequacies where we find the construction code inadequate.

Tim’s background

Tim Law (PhD) is an Architectural Scientist, and Principal at Archsciences. He is also a lecturer in Built Surveying at Victoria University. His research over recent years has been into the occurrence of condensation in new code-compliant buildings in Tasmania, and the study of mould and its impact on occupant health.

Tim has found the problem to be very widespread, very serious, and as a nation he has demonstrated that Australia is very far behind under countries in construction quality and legal recourse. He has completed reports for the Tasmanian building Regulator and the Australian Building Codes Board, and has been working behind the scenes for the inclusion of more robust condensation stipulations into the National Construction Code. He thrives on complex interdisciplinary work involving architectural science, environmental microbiology and public health.

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