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New Insulation & Weatherproofing Technology Set To Revolutionise NZ's Building Industry

Friday 7 June 2013, 3:09PM

By VILLAGE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING

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A New Zealand company has today launched the first insulated weatherproofing system in Australasia, specifically designed to tackle our biggest building industry issues – cold and leaky homes.

The revolutionary ARIDON® system, unveiled today at a concept home in Palmerston North, turns traditional ideas about insulation inside out - literally. The rigid water-resistant panels interlock together on the outside of a building’s frame to form a seamless blanket of insulation and weatherproofing.

This does away with the need for traditional building wrap, cavity battens, insulation and tapes/sealants. External cladding is then placed over this insulated, weatherproof layer.

Demand for the product is expected to create a new market niche, especially amongst leaky homeowners and those affected by the Christchurch earthquakes. ARIDON® enables people to remain living in their homes, warm and dry, while they are re-clad, among a myriad of other benefits.

The product also has the potential to significantly speed up the construction of new residences by four to six weeks.

ARIDON® is the brainchild of Palmerston North-based structural engineer, Stephen Pinkney, and product developer, Christina Gomes, who carefully studied the underlying issues causing cold and leaky homes in New Zealand when developing and patenting their product especially for the Australasian market.

“New Zealanders deserve a better quality of insulation and ARIDON® turns the traditional idea of insulating and weatherproofing houses firmly on its head,” Pinkney says.

“Our product can typically be installed on a simple 200m2 dwelling within two days. This speed of construction, coupled with the insulated rigid sheathing and temporary weather protection benefits, means building teams can complete houses faster than ever before, with significantly less waste. This allows people to get their homes delivered on time and with a much reduced risk of weather interruptions and delays,” Pinkney says.

The product’s benefits have already generated interest from a number of architects and homeowners who are looking for cost-effective, high-performing insulation and weatherproofing solutions.

ARIDON® panels are made from state-of-the-art, high density, water repellent expanded polystyrene. If, by chance, any water does get beyond the exterior cladding, ARIDON® is designed to ensure it drains below the building’s foundations, keeping the building frame completely dry, even in extreme weather.

The ARIDON® system also has a series of custom-designed auxiliary components, such as window flashings, which ensure parts of the building that are prone to leaking have a secondary line of defence.

Gomes says because the ARIDON® panels lock together to provide a seamless insulating air barrier they significantly improve the air quality within a building, reducing the risk of respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Its superior insulation R-values also maintain a stable warm temperature inside the home which will reduce a household’s energy requirements and power bills.

“New Zealanders have put up with cold, leaky houses for far too long. ARIDON® will help keep families cool in summer, warm in winter, and dry all year round. The panels are 100 per cent recyclable and have a guaranteed insulation life of 50 years.”

The ARIDON® system complies with the relevant New Zealand Building Code (NZBC) requirements. It is an alternative building solution compliant with the performance requirements of NZBC E2 External Moisture for up to Extra High wind zones and NZBC H1 Energy Efficiency.

“For the last three years we have been working closely with BRANZ, an independent and impartial research, testing, consulting and information company providing resources for the building industry.  We expect we will be fully BRANZ appraised by next week,” says Gomes.

For more information about ARIDON® please visit www.aridon.co.nz