Selecting NZ made products provides a level of assurance that suppliers who use offshore production are unable to fulfil. Additionally, the economic benefits are retained in New Zealand and fed back into local communities.

The core purpose of Passive Fire Protection (PFP) is to prevent loss of life and property by containing or minimising the spread of fire. PFP essentially protects the building and its inhabitants through ‘Safety in Design’. The major benefit is that PFP is effective regardless of the actions taken by individuals or active safety systems.

High density projects have been found to encourage stronger community relationships and interactions. Designing and developing these projects with this as a central point will help establish and enhance local communities, reduce urban sprawl, support public transport and unlock much needed housing supply.

Selecting local manufacturers not only provides designers and installers with innovative NZ made products designed specifically for the local market and building code, but also further supports our local communities.

Allproof manufactures PFP products at its factory on Auckland’s North Shore employing over 130 staff. As a New Zealand product manufacturer Allproof is an environmentally conscious business.

Selecting NZ made products provides a level of assurance that suppliers who use offshore production are unable to fulfil. Additionally, the economic benefits are retained in New Zealand and fed back into local communities.

Allproof’s intumescent material is produced in-house, then cut and assembled into a range of products at the head office factory in Auckland. The cast-in fire collar range are moulded on site from 100% recycled materials using clean solar energy reducing the carbon footprint of innovative NZ made products.

All testing and assessments are conducted by independent accredited testing laboratories. Further to this, Allproof’s PFP range and literature has been BRANZ Appraised ensuring integrity and providing utmost assurance in selection, performance and installation.

Drawing upon experience as a plumbing and drainage manufacturer Allproof are perfectly positioned to design and develop new products specifically catering to the local NZ industry. When composite steel tray floors with undulating profiles were introduced to New Zealand, Allproof were able to respond to demand as the innovator of the drop in fire collar system. This provides an excellent example of how local manufacturers can respond to industry developments using Kiwi ingenuity combined with advanced production facilities.

Allproof distribute PFP products through a nationwide network of merchants which ensures accessibility to the products. Allproof’s technical team support and train installers through its national sales network, offering a range of solutions for PFP with specialist knowledge on its integration with other plumbing and drainage systems.

Selecting Allproof provides a premium PFP solution while supporting local NZ manufacturing.

There is a wide range of floor waste designs on the market, each with features to suit different applications and installation methods. When selecting floor wastes in projects that require passive fire rating some consideration should be taken to the systems compatibility and the Passive Fire Protection (PFP) product selected.

The penetration/core hole through the flooring structure should be kept as minimal as possible for fire rating. Easy clean wastes that use a bucket and funnel design are often supplied with shower trays. They provide an excellent solution for squat flooring cavities; however, they do require larger core hole sizes to be cut and have minimal testing for passive fire protection.

In accordance with AS 4072.1-2005 an install scenario that hasn’t been tested can only be used if it is:

1. 1. 1. approved by the regulatory authority;
      2. permitted in accordance with AS 1530.4; or
      3. formally assessed by a registered testing authority.

As mentioned above, large core holes for easy clean wastes may not have the testing needed for the installation scenario, this would likely result in a fire engineer designing an alternative solution. Some local authorities such as Auckland Council have gone as far as stating that an alternative PFP solution should only be used if a tested solution is not readily available. Utilising tested solutions through considered product selection streamlines the process by not relying on additional input and consultation.

Selecting products such as Allproof’s Trayrite allows the tray waste system to be converted to a traditional floor waste gully, providing a fully tested passive fire solution for shower trays. An added benefit to a traditional floor waste gully is the reduced maintenance as they are considered self-cleaning, water pressure from modern systems washes away any debris.

When testing PFP products in accordance with AS 1530.4:2014 on floor wastes a temperature sensor is positioned directly in the centre of the open metallic or plastic grate, or the area with the highest exposure to heat, as the water trap below combusts/melts.

Allproof’s advanced intumescent is able to activate and close the opening before exceeding the temperature allowance on the thermocouple, giving a full FRR result for insulation and integrity that cannot be achieved by most competitors globally.

Allproof have floor waste results for the below flooring systems with a range of PFP products:

• Concrete Slab
• Composite Steel Tray Floors
• Rib & Timber Infill
• CLT
• Plaster Board Ceiling
  

Designers have taken advantage of Allproof’s fully tested plumbing and PFP systems with projects such as Seascape in Auckland, who have selected NZ-made custom Tile Over Stainless Trays with Drop-in Fire Collars for composite steel tray floors. Other examples include Kāinga Ora developments where an Allproof Exposed Stainless, or an acrylic shower tray, has been used with Trayrite on a wide range of floor systems with an Allproof PFP solution.

Selecting PFP manufacturers that specialise in the systems passing through fire cell penetrations means designers can benefit from fully compatible and innovatively designed solutions. These integrated systems improve the selection, design and installation aspects of both the plumbing and passive fire protection.

Allproof’s testing and assessments are conducted by independent accredited testing laboratories. Further to this, Allproof’s PFP range and literature have been BRANZ Appraised, ensuring integrity and providing utmost assurance in selection, performance and installation.

Passive Fire Protection Products:

Allproof is expanding the NZ made commercial channel drain range by adding a 300mm clear opening channel. This update increases the versatility of the product line by expanding the capacity and catchment area for surface water. The new 300mm channel will complement the popular 200mm clear opening, which has been well-received since its launch in 2021.

The Commercial Channel is made locally from 100% recycled polypropylene, with a focus on sustainable manufacturing. Using recycled materials in products with a long service life significantly extends the lifecycle of plastic and reduces landfill waste. This enables projects to benefit from the physical properties of recycled polypropylene while reducing the generation of excess carbon. Allproof operate with a zero-waste ethos with further onsite recycling processes at its production facility in Auckland so that all scrap material is reused.

Furthermore, Allproof harnesses clean energy generated onsite through 449 solar panels installed on their main production facility. This solar panel installation prevents a further 50 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere annually, further reducing the carbon footprint of Allproof’s recycled Commercial Channel drainage range.

Selecting locally made products also reduces the embedded carbon footprint through logistics. The Commercial Channel drain range is manufactured on the North Shore of Auckland reducing supply chain distances and therefore embodied carbon through transport.

Key Features

• • Manufactured in New Zealand using 100% recycled polypropylene.
  • The 300mm wide opening enhances surface water catchment and capacity, enabling the system to service large open areas with impervious finishes.
  • The channel’s 150mm depth ensures optimal performance while minimising the labour required for excavation.

The use of recycled polypropylene allows Allproof to produce a lightweight channel drain that improves installation efficiency, and reduces installation time, breakages, costs, and embodied carbon through logistics, all without compromising on strength. The Commercial Channel has been designed to utilise the strength of the surrounding concrete to create a strong durable solution for commercial drainage applications.

The grates offer a range of features that enhance the performance of the system. All grate options are designed to be heelproof for pedestrian safety and mobility and bicycle tyre friendly with consideration to the direction of travel. Grates are secured with fixings to prevent damage through vehicular movement and unauthorised access.

Grate Options

Wedge Wire (WW) Grate: Made from 316-grade stainless steel, it offers enhanced corrosion resistance in marine environments. Rated load class B (when tested in accordance with AS3996) for light vehicles and independently tested for slip resistance (AS4586), achieving an R11 classification.

Heelproof Cast Iron (HCI) Grate: Rated load class D for commercial vehicle traffic with a slip resistance certification of P5.

Galvanised Steel (GAL) Grate: An economical option, rated load class B, with a large open area for excellent hydraulic performance.

Allproof provides nationwide support through a team of technical sales representatives who can assist in product selection and advise on installation details and training.

Allproof is confident that the new 300mm clear opening Commercial Channel offers a premium NZ made solution for high-capacity surface water drainage. The Commercial Channel considers sustainability and environmental factors as well as install process and economic aspects providing an all-round exceptional product.

The Weathertightness Design Standards for School Buildings by the Ministry of Education (MoE) is a comprehensive guide aimed at architects and designers for creating educational facilities that are safe, healthy and durable with lifetime cost economics in mind.

Within the document, the MoE advises on best practice for creating level threshold transitions to protect internal spaces at building entrances. Advice covers a range of considerations from where to position accessible entrances to the design specifics of the channel and grating system.

Regarding the design of the channel itself, the standards identify the following criteria.

• Designed to be dry in service with a 1:50 fall away from the channel (not towards it),
• Minimum 200mm width x 150mm depth internal channel dimensions,
• Minimum grate width of 150mm,
• Outlets at a maximum of 3,700mm centres or 7,400mm centres if sufficient shelter is provided,
• Grate design to be easily removable for school staff to conduct maintenance, and should consider prevention of removal or vandalism by others,
• Maximum of 20mm surface level change between grate and internal surface to meet NZBC and NZS4121 accessibility requirements,
• The foundation & slab edge must be waterproofed with a liquid-applied UV-stable membrane,
• Channels laid to create a minimum of 1:200 falls to a sump connected to the stormwater system,

The design is to also consider NZBC Clause E2 which includes the following criteria:

• is supported independently of the door frame,
• is specifically designed to accommodate imposed loads,
• has gaps sized to prevent the wheels of wheelchairs or mobility aids from entering or being trapped, and
• has a continuous gap of 12 mm minimum from the door frame and wall cladding.

The MoE weathertightness standards make an important clarification on the use of three-sided channels as alternative solutions:

“6.4.10 Three-sided pre-formed channel systems are prohibited – the required solution are systems specifically designed for level thresholds to building perimeters, of which there are a number available in the market.”

The document illustrations appear to take reference from Allproof products with the profile of the Perimeter Drain channel shown in the details. The Allproof Perimeter Drain has recently undergone a significant design update enhancing features that the MoE weathertightness standards outline.

The channel itself is designed to be installed against the building slab running parallel to the joinery line. When installed following Allproof documentation the channel provides a 200mm wide x 180mm reveal against the building foundations, this reduces labour-intensive boxing out, multiple concrete pours and post-installing fixings to provide support to the system. The preformed L-shaped channel allows a waterproof membrane to be easily dressed from the building slab down into the channel. The 180mm depth allows for a 1:200 fall to be screeded into the base maintaining compliance with all NZBC E2 and MoE design standards. To ensure the 150mm grate width the channel can be set back off the building foundations, increasing the internal width of the channel. This would be applicable if the joinery extends over the channel reveal by more than 38mm (accounting for the continuous gap of 12 mm).

The stock grate is designed to allow for trimming down on site at regular set widths, this means that the grate width can be customised to maintain and not exceed the 12mm continuous separation from joinery. Inspectors may disapprove of larger openings that present a trip hazard, debris to enter or hands to get caught in.

The Perimeter Drain design update means that grates are now secured in place using an innovative clip system. The clip itself is attached to the channel wall using pre-installed fixing points. The Glass Filled Polymer (GFP) grate, NZ made from recycled materials and solar energy, is available off the shelf, it can be customised on site to suit the channel reveal dimensions.

To clip the grate into place and remove it a flat-head screwdriver is needed to lever the clip back, this ensures it is easily accessible for maintenance staff while also tamperproof for young students.

The stainless options are fabricated by Allproof to suit the channels and maintain the 12mm separation from joinery once installed.

Allproof’s Perimeter Drain system has been designed to suit load class A – pedestrian traffic. Grates have been designed to have perforations that provide excellent hydraulic performance while preventing wheels or other walking aids from becoming caught. The grates are designed with NZBC Clause D1 accessibility in mind with testing for slip resistance up to an R11 classification and going further with design features such as Heelproof grate openings, also helpful for keeping things like fingers out.

The Perimeter Drain update provides a premium finish through easy on-site customisation when using the GFP grate, therefore removing delays and hold-ups towards the end of a project. This improves the transition between trades and contributes to delivering the entire project on schedule.

Allproof’s level threshold solutions have been used across New Zealand in educational facilities such as Kings School Remuera, Rolleston College, Scott Point School, Massey University, AUT Auckland CBD campus and Long Bay College just to name a few.

Allproof is confident the innovative Perimeter Drain update marks a significant evolutionary step in NZ-made level threshold systems that meet the requirements of the MoE while improving the installation process and economy, and providing a superior finish.

PERIMETER DRAIN

The Perimeter Drain presents an innovative and premium solution for simplifying level threshold drainage.

Allproof are at the forefront of industry leading level threshold systems by developing innovative design solutions that have been selected for high profile projects such as Commercial Bay, Kings School in Remuera and Hillmorton Hospital.

Located on the North Shore of Auckland, Allproof’s team of over 130 staff include tradespeople such as engineers, fabricators and product designers. As a New Zealand product manufacturer Allproof is perfectly positioned to develop products that drive the NZ construction industry forwards through innovative systems designed specifically to the NZBC and local trade practices.

The latest development by Allproof is a design update to the Perimeter Drain. Since its initial launch in 2016 the Perimeter Drain has transformed the level threshold drainage market in New Zealand. Through a regular R&D program the Perimeter Drain has been recently reviewed to consider design efficiencies from materials to installation process.

The design update has removed the bracket system from the polymer (GFP) and stainless grates, a clip is attached to the pre-installed fixing points on the channel wall allowing the grates to simply ‘clip’ into place.

The new grate and clip system is NZ made using recycled material and reinforced with glass fibres and UV protection. This provides an environmentally conscious and highly durable solution for level threshold installations.

The L shaped channel is installed as usual to create a 180mm x 200mm reveal against the building foundations, this reduces labour intensive boxing out and multiple concrete pours. The 180mm depth allows for a 1:200 fall to be screeded into the base maintaining compliance with NZBC E2.

Clips are then fastened to the channel wall at the pre-installed fixing points.

Off the shelf polymer grates are trimmed on site to suit the reveal while allowing for a 12mm separation along the joinery line, alternatively a custom stainless-steel grate can be fabricated to accommodate. Nuts are either inserted into the underside of the polymer grate, or supplied attached if a stainless grate has been selected. The threaded legs are screwed on, and height adjusted via the foot to suit the channel depth before being clipped into place.

This significant update provides a premium finish through easy on-site customisation when using the GFP grate, therefore removing delays and hold ups towards the end of a project. This improves the transition between trades and contributes to delivering the entire project on schedule.

Allproof are confident this innovative design update marks a significant evolutionary step in NZ made level threshold systems that will improve the installation process while providing a superior finish.

One of New Zealand’s leading snack brands have spent 150 years building a strong reputation as a quality food manufacturer. Their potato chips have been an integral part of their success as a market leading brand with a large range of products on supermarket shelves across NZ.

As a result of this success, its production facility has been expanded to increase capacity and efficiency. The new facility was designed by Designgroup Architects h + k and completed in 2020. It currently processes an average of 400 tonnes of potatoes per week, equating to approximately 720,000 packets of chips per week.

The equipment used at the Auckland facility is industry-leading. This includes automated machinery along large production lines, where the processing stages are separated into defined locations so that the infrastructure in the areas can cater to the requirements of each stage.

The separating, washing, and cooking stages presented unique challenges that the design team had to address. During these stages, large volumes of water and other liquids are used. The building needed to be designed to cater to daily operations and weekly boil-outs/deep cleans but also withstand significant dumps of water to keep floors clear of hazards should they occur. The facility also recycles wastewater from the production cleaning process to be reused, adding another layer of consideration for drainage, as other facilities interact with the overall system.

The drainage systems around the large and high-tech equipment needed to be designed to work efficiently through all the anticipated scenarios that could be foreseen, as well as provide a robust, durable, and hygienic solution.

Allproof Industries, a specialist in commercial food and beverage production facility drainage, was engaged to assist in the design and manufacturing of a system that would meet the operational requirements over the lifetime of the facility. Allproof worked closely with the design team to create the optimal drainage solution for the challenges faced. Drainage systems are built into the floor slab to suit the layout and operation of the production facility. It is imperative that the system is designed to fulfill all the requirements, as it can be costly to remedy if it does not perform as needed.

A good drainage system contributes to food safety, hygiene, and cost control — all vital factors in a successful commercial food operation.

The ladder grate with a load class C rating (AS3996) was selected, as large machinery will often pass over drainage systems due to the nature of the facility being a production factory. Furthermore, the ladder grate openings are large, which improves hydraulic performance and can remove solids (potatoes) from the floor surface, catching them in the sump’s strainer basket, reducing trip hazards.

Channel depth is a factor in wastewater catchment and hydraulics. The channels were selected/designed to provide enough capacity to capture the surface wastewater, so as not to cause flooding or safety hazards. Each channel section terminates at a sump, and an outlet performs better hydraulically if there is a head of water creating pressure. This increases the flow rate and, thus, the speed at which wastewater is removed from the drainage channel system. Therefore, the depth of the sump was created to a requested measurement, as determined by the hydraulic design.

The drainage system is made from stainless steel as it makes an excellent hygienic material for food processing facilities. It contains no pores, cracks, or open spaces for bacteria, including odour, to embed itself in, as it is a self-contained piece of material. Its great mechanical properties mean it’s also resistant to dents and surface defects, ensuring the surface remains sealed for hygienic purposes. It is also easy to maintain/clean, ensuring that bacteria don’t have an opportunity to grow or spread.

Overall, Allproof manufactured and supplied 69 meters of stainless-steel channel drain with 22 sumps, either connected to or separate from the channel drain system. This provides an excellent case study of a food manufacturer looking for specialized expertise.

By using other local knowledge and manufacturers the potato chip brand ensured the success of their project positioning them to meet growing demand in their own product offering.

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Drainage systems in kitchens or food and production facilities can be critical to their operation. These systems need to cater to the specific needs of each facility and install scenario, this will likely include hydraulic performance, load rating, slip resistance and ongoing cleaning / maintenance. Each commercial kitchen or production facility will have a unique layout to best enhance the efficiency of its operation. This often results in machinery / equipment and workstations being in defined locations with services designed to fit and cater to that exact space and requirement.

Allproof’s commercial kitchen channel (CK Series) has been a key go-to product for these projects. Customisation has been widely utilised to develop the best solution for each installation, when customising a CK Series product the installer can select from a variety of variables such as size, outlet location, quantity of outlets and grate options. While this option provides a high degree of flexibility it also involves lead times as Allproof’s team of fabricators need to draw / design it before cutting a flat pattern, folding, welding, and cleaning. Some projects might have tight timelines that do not allow for this process, therefore Allproof has designed an innovative modular channel, the MC Series, which can be assembled from stock components to create desired layouts.

The MC Series has been designed to provide an off-the-shelf solution that is easy to transport and assemble on site, while also creating a system that can be tailored to suit each unique scenario. It comprises of channels and sumps all connected with bolted unions using gaskets and end caps. Outlets suit 100mm PVC or HDPE pipe with O-rings and come with a double strainer basket. Sumps and channels include anti-float tags and 15mm epoxy-filled safety edge.

The channels come as 100mm or 200mm clear opening in one-metre and two-metre lengths. Channels are available in 100mm and 125mm depths as well as a joiner channel with built-in fall to connect them. Additionally, a one-metre length channel with a 125mm depth is available with a centre outlet in both width options.

Sump sizes are available to suit the two channel width options providing a 200mm and 300mm clear opening. Sumps have been designed to connect to the channels as either the endpoint or as a continuous sump in the centre of channels.

The MC Series provides a high degree of flexibility by creating layouts to suit the requirements of each installation. For example, if located in front of a chiller door a 1m channel and sump could be selected, creating a 1200mm length drainage system spanning the width of the opening. A slip-resistant ladder (SRL) grate would provide an ideal solution for fast-moving foot traffic and heavy wheel loads moving stock in and out. If the install is in a large canteen or restaurant kitchen selecting one 1m channel with a centre outlet, plus any further channels as needed for the space, with two end caps, provides an ideal solution, using a heelproof wedge wire grate will prevent service staff from potential injury.

Should an installation be in a food production factory with equipment that may release large volumes of water quickly the 200mm clear opening channels provide excellent catchment and accommodates runs of up to 6 meters terminating at a sump. A mirror image can then be run in the opposite direction, resulting in 10 meters between sumps. Overall system length is unlimited when using the continuous sump.

From these example scenarios, it’s clear the MC Series offers a high degree of flexibility while also allowing for fast turnaround, transportation, and easy onsite installation by utilising stock components. This innovative system allows installers to quickly select the required componentry and assemble the ideal solution for their project while ensuring the plumbing and drainage installation maintains pace with fast-moving construction schedules.

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The recent unfortunate events in Wellington, bring back into focus the elements involved in multi-storey buildings regarding fire safety, whether they are active or passive fire protection (PFP) systems within the building envelope. The building’s systems need to work hand in hand and function appropriately in the event of a fire-related emergency.

Ultimately, the building design in relation to the fire compartments and cells is geared towards containment, as well as creating safe paths out of the building and affected areas.

Walls, floors and ceilings are examples of building elements that are used as part of a fire separation system that forms fire compartments that inhibit the spread of fire vertically, or horizontally. These elements are commonly penetrated by service entries into and through the zones for the buildings utilities and need to be protected by a passive fire protection solution.

What is an FRL?

The building’s Fire Resistance Level (FRL) is determined by a fire engineer and is based on the activities, age and mobility of the occupants along with the building’s design, size and proximity to other properties or structures. The design of the fire protection system provides sufficient time for building occupants to safely evacuate and allows firefighting and emergency services to control the fire, limiting further spread.

The building’s construction methods and the services within the building envelope introduce elements that need to be treated as part of the PFP system. Individual service penetrations demand a designed and tested fire-stopping solution with an associated FRL to meet the requirements of the building’s fire protection performance criteria.

What happens in the event of a fire?

In the event of a fire, the intumescent material in the PFP device activates when the installation is exposed to heat which in turn causes the volume to increase at a significant rate and pressure. The service material (e.g. PVC pipe) melts away and the expanding intumescent packs the void creating a char, which fills the space left by the service. The activated intumescent is a poor thermal conductor which retards heat transfer and insulates the penetration preventing the fire from spreading between areas.

Testing and product selection, ‘the system’

An example of an Allproof Industries PFP system, is a Stainless-Steel Shower tray, Trayrite outlet, Floor waste Gully and a Low-profile Fire Collar installed on a concrete flat slab or rib and timber infill constructed floor. This system has been independently tested to provide an Integrity and Insulation FRL result for the specific penetration, which can be incorporated into the building’s overall FRL and therefore protect the area above the associated service penetration. Other floor construction methods such as Composite Floors, as well as, rib and timber infill, also have a tested shower system solution using a Drop-in Fire Collar as the passive fire protection device. The Drop-in Fire Collar, designed by Allproof, allows the service penetration to be cored out on any profile of the flooring tray and easily achieves the required FRL without the use of batts or creating plaster surrounds.

Allproof Industries is an NZ manufacturer and leader in the passive fire protection market. Coupled with their NZ-made plumbing and drainage products, they provide an innovative range of passive fire protection systems and solutions to offer.

Service penetration passive fire protection is critical to the overall integrity of a fire cell and can contribute to a positive outcome in the event of a fire if correctly installed to specification.

The passive fire protection industry has come a long way in the last couple of years. We should all collectively strive to cause change and learn from events, by ensuring our designs and solutions contribute to reducing harm and damage caused by a fire. Partnering with a reputable local manufacturer is the first step towards this goal.

2023 has started with two major weather events in the first two months. Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle recorded 300-400mm of rainfall and Auckland received over 45% of its annual rainfall in just the month of January. The release of the latest assessment report from The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identifies a trend for these extreme weather events to intensify in frequency.

With the above in mind, some consideration should be taken to futureproofing new developments to ensure surface water drainage is efficient and will prevent unnecessary flood damage to property. Our cities are becoming increasingly less permeable with higher coverage of hard surfaces as they intensify. Designing in Allproof large capacity surface water drainage systems to efficiently remove surface water can mitigate any potential issues as rainfall intensifies.

Large 200mm and 300mm wide channels provide an excellent solution for draining large surface areas such as car parks, urban hardscaped zones, loading areas and high-density projects. Allproof’s large pits provide high-capacity stormwater drainage along with sediment collection to prevent local authority’s stormwater systems blocking. Allproof pits can be stand-alone or connected to a channel drain system.

Channel drain systems and pits include grates that have been designed to AS3996 specifications. Grates have been load class tested providing a range of options from A-E catering for pedestrians through to large trucks and commercial freight vehicles. Lockdowns are included to prevent damage from grate movement knocking against the edges when exposed to traffic or dynamic wheel loads. Materials such as 316 stainless steel offer great solutions in marine or corrosive environments, glass filled nylon grates provide an option when a permanent black finish is desired, while cast iron can be used to enhance laneway or aged aesthetics as well as be utilised for its excellent durability and strength.

Allproof manufactures plastic channel drains and pits from recycled Polypropylene reducing the demand for virgin material and landfill. Further to this Allproof utilises solar energy to produce these recycled products which are made at its production facility in Auckland. These factors are aimed at reducing the embodied carbon of drainage products in NZ to avoid further escalation of the major weather events that have defined 2023 so far.

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A look at the various ways of approaching roof and balcony drainage on high density residential projects.

There are various ways of approaching roof and balcony drainage when designing high-density residential projects. The process is the same for recessed or cantilevered balconies. Each balcony is required to have an outlet and an overflow. The outlet will connect to a downpipe, servicing the balconies above and below. Additionally, a roof drain is required which is often incorporated into the balcony drainage system allowing multiple levels to be drained through one downpipe.

Traditionally a downpipe leading from the roof would be designed to penetrate through, or adjacent to each balcony, this would allow the soffit of each balcony to hide a junction for a balcony drain to connect to it. In this situation, Allproof’s uPVC Three Way Connector Junction (104.100.65.88) would integrate a 65mm balcony drain (VRTW65) into the downpipe. The downpipe penetration through the balcony would be sealed using an Allproof Balcony Downpipe Flange (BDF100). An overflow drain (VRTW65 OFLOW) is also required which would be covered by an Allproof Soffit Cover on the underside of the balcony. As each balcony is treated as part of a tenancy and included within a fire cell the penetrations would need passive fire protection (PFP).

A more integrated system such as the Allproof Allthrough can be used to reduce complexity. This system integrates the balcony drainage and roof drainage through the same penetration on each balcony removing the need for additional fittings. The Allproof 100mm Allthrough (AT100 O) has been hydraulically tested using an independent NATA accredited laboratory. It is suitable for draining the roof and individual balconies up to 5 litres per second without splashing from the downpipe through the Allthrough grating onto the waterproof membrane level. This is important in multi-level apartments to ensure water is not discharged onto a balcony under another property title.

Alongside the Allthrough outlet drain, an overflow would have to be provided in a separate penetration to indicate if maintenance is required. This would use the same Allproof base, adding an overflow riser to protect the penetration in the membrane. As with the previous example, the overflow outlet can be covered with an Allproof Soffit Cover and both penetrations are protected with an Allproof Fire Collar.

Allproof’s roof drains have been hydraulically tested using an independent NATA accredited laboratory to maintain integrity in published testing data. Roof drainage options include small and large diameter bronze drains or the thick gauge PVC Sureflow and VRTW, both available with stainless or plastic grates. All of these are compatible with New Zealand’s leading roof membrane suppliers including their heat-applied membranes.

This coupled with Allproof’s stainless steel downpipes, rainwater heads and scuppers means specifiers can be confident when selecting Allproof they are getting a fully integrated NZ-made drainage system from the roof to ground level. Allproof have been supplying NZ-made membrane clamp ring drains and accessories for over 30 years, over this period Allproof has collaborated on a vast array of high-profile projects with other industry suppliers, specifiers and trade professionals.

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