Building history

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Training for building

By Nigel Isaacs 1 June 2012, Build 130

The apprenticeship system has been part of New Zealand’s building industry since the middle of the 19th century, boosting the labour supply in boom times and training our future tradespeople.

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Precast becomes popular

By Nigel Isaacs 1 February 2012, Build 128

Advances in technology in the 20th century saw concrete’s use as a building material flourish. This was also the case in New Zealand where, as the demand for precast grew, homegrown products were developed.

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Works on paper

By Nigel Isaacs 1 April 2012, Build 129

New Zealand’s early apprentices and builders relied on both imported and local instruction books and booklets to learn about building materials and construction techniques.

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Mastering meters

By Nigel Isaacs 1 December 2012, Build 133

Once electricity and then gas became available for public supply, meters were needed to measure how much people used. Prepaid options were a fairly early innovation.

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Resourceful timber

By Nigel Isaacs 1 October 2012, Build 132

Prone to earthquakes and with abundant native timber, New Zealand was quick to adopt timber as a building cladding. It could even replicate stone with design elements such as quoins.

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Brushes with paint

By Nigel Isaacs 1 August 2012, Build 131

Paints protect materials from the environment while providing a decorative surface that allows easier cleaning. Originally made from plant and mineral extracts, technical and chemical sophistication now offer new possibilities for these surface coatings.

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