Network News - March 2009

What’s new – the Noticeboard

Infrastructure spending package for school property

As an economic stimulus, the government has announced $217 million to boost capital spending in school property by bringing forward a number of projects and programmes.

The package consists of:

• $69 million for five new schools where the opening date has been brought forward:
  - Mt Wellington primary from 2012 to 2011 (construction in 2009/10)
  - Papamoa primary from 2012 to 2011 (construction in 2009/10)
  - Papamoa secondary from 2012 to 2011 (construction in 2009/10)
  - Kerikeri primary from 2013 to 2012 (construction in 2010/11)
  - Hingaia primary from 2014 to 2012 (construction in 2010/11)
• an interim $30 million school property guide deficiency programme which provides funding for 74 schools.
• an interim $11 million replacement building programme which provides funding for seven schools who were next in priority but were not included in the 2008/09 programme announced last year.
• $28 million to meet the extra demand for school property projects this financial year (this funding is related to projects which are already approved but for which planning will be accelerated so that they spend as soon as possible)
• $30 million to address the property needs of Upper Hutt Schools over the next three years.
• $6 million over the next two years to establish a trade academy at Southern Cross School.
• $9 million for special schools and satellites; and
• $34 million to fund ICT infrastructure developments in schools.

Passive solar design advice

Government policy requires the use of passive solar design principals when designing new government buildings. The Ministry for the Environment has published guidance on how to incorporate passive solar design principles into government building projects. This is available at the Ministry for the Environment website.

Contractual documentation for new buildings should include a requirement to use and demonstrate the use of passive solar design principles.

Passive solar design is the use of the sun’s natural energy to heat, cool, and ventilate internal spaces in a building. This can reduce the size of the mechanical systems required to heat, cool, and ventilate the building. This can mean both reduced construction costs and operational costs.

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Early childhood playground equipment must comply with NZS5828: 2004

Compliance with NZS5828:2004 includes ensuring new playground equipment has a certificate of compliance and is installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. It is not enough that a manufacturer produces a product similar to one that already has a certificate of compliance. Each manufacturer must have put their product through an inspection or assessment process. This is usually done by registered engineers.

Identifying poisonous plants

Poisonous plants are a hazard that school boards of trustees must manage to protect the health and safety of students and other people who use the school grounds. This means identifying plants that are poisonous and removing them from the school grounds. It could also mean making sure poisonous plants on neighbouring properties are not hanging over the school fence and accessible to students.

To identify poisonous plants read the factsheets available on Landcare Research web pages.

Shade sails

Keeping safe from the sun

The sun presents a hazard to staff and students that boards of trustees have to manage under the Health and Safety Code of Practice.

Schools frequently put up shade sails to protect people from the sun during breaks and outdoor activities times. The Ministry of Education does not have a specific requirement for canopies or shade cover above sandpits and other outdoor areas as sun hazards can be managed in other ways, for example by having all students wear hats when outdoors, or gathering under trees.

If your school is thinking of building a sunshade the Cancer Society has suggestions on its Sunsmart website . This website also introduces a national SunSmart Schools Accreditation programme for schools that develop and implement a comprehensive sun protection policy.

Funding and insuring shade sails

Many schools use discretionary funding, such as fundraising, surplus operational funding and community grants to build shade sails. The board must then use discretionary funding to pay for the insurance, maintenance and upgrade of these shade sails. This includes sunshades built with surplus operational funding.

Alternatively, boards can budget for shade sails in their 5YA. Sun shades paid for with 5YA funding will be covered by the ministry’s risk management insurance, and boards can use their maintenance funding to maintain the shade sail built with 5YA funding.

For information about discretionary funding, 5YA, risk management and maintenance funding see Section 3 of the Property Management Handbook (PDF v1.6, 1.28mb).

Keeping students off the shade sail

Board’s responsibilities under the Health and Safety Code of Practice extend to making sure students are not able to climb onto the shade sail. The danger comes from falling off or through the sail. Boards can minimise the risk by making it difficult to climb on top, eg having no trees close by.

Ensuring the structure is not easy to climb will also minimise risk to people on the school grounds outside of school hours and without the board’s permission.

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Frequently asked questions

Translucent sheet roofing

Q. The translucent sheet roofing on our relocatable classrooms needs replacing due to age. However, there appears to be no roofing material available that would comply with the spread of flame and smoke developed indices. Can we install new translucent roofing?

A. There are translucent panel materials on the market that claim to meet ministry fire resistance standards. There are also translucent sheet roofing products on the market that claim to meet New Zealand Standards for impact strength. This means that they are able to be installed without safety mesh. Also, plastic coated safety mesh is now available for use below translucent sheet roofing. This allows the installation of translucent plastic sheeting in areas where standard roofing mesh could not be used because of corrosion.

Your designer needs to provide evidence that a chosen product and its installation method meet both building code standards and ministry impact and fire safety standards.

The restrictions on the use of translucent roofing material are due to the use of polycarbonate and other materials that become brittle and weak with age and/or are flammable. The restrictions are detailed in Section 6.23 of the property handbook.

Q. The policy on translucent plastic sheeting says that "no panel shall be less than one metre from any verge, eave, or roof edge", but aren't most covered ways no more than 2 metres wide?

A. That part of the policy applies to flammable translucent plastic sheeting, therefore there should be no problem as long as non-flammable materials are used and installed to meet building code and ministry standards. Your designer needs to provide evidence that a chosen product and its installation method meet the relevant standards.

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New on the web

Vandalism Rates
Updated for 2009 rates.

Resource Management Act (RMA) Services Contract
Added download

Regional Forums
2009 dates added.

2008/09 Interim Replacement Buildings Programme
New page.

2008/09 Interim School Property Guide Deficiencies (SPG) Programme 
New page.

Dental Clinics on School Sites - Memorandum of Understanding
Updated page information and added Memorandum of Understanding download.

What to look out for

2009 Property Forums

For more information on the forums see the Regional Forums page.

Teacher housing

For all property matters, particularly urgent repairs, tenants should ring DTZ - 0800 800 885.