An 17 NZ Bangkok notes
Notes Prepared For
3rd Meeting of the ACCSQ Product Working Group on Wood-based Products to
be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 15 & 16 December 2005.
ISO TC165 Committee Meeting in Rotorua, New Zealand, November 2005.
The ISO TC 165 Committee
The general scope of this committee is the suite of ISO Standards related to timber and
wood products. The meeting was attended by representatives from Australia, Canada,
China, Finland, France, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Korea, South Africa, Sweden, the
United Kingdom, the United States of America, and New Zealand.
•
It takes a long time to develop an ISO Standard, especially if they have to
progress through all the stages of the ISO process, despite the facility of email
communication. The full ISO process includes Working Draft (WD), Committee
Draft (CD), Draft International Standard (DIS), Final Draft International Standard
(FDIS), and published International Standard (IS)
•
To shorten the process the working group committee can agree to begin with an
existing Standard and treat it as a DIS or a CD.
•
Despite the length of time it takes to develop ISO standards, membership of the
ISO Technical Committees relating to timber construction conveys two important
benefits:
o it enables representatives to exchange views about approaches to
problems and learn about new technologies being developed in different
parts of the world; and
o it gives representatives the opportunity to influence the contents of
standards that are likely to be followed in potential markets.
•
Active participation on the committees can be rewarding to those countries that
choose to contribute. ASEAN should also keep in mind its potential to influence
ISO committees if member countries decide to participate. Australia and New
Zealand develop joint timber standards and this translates into a strong lobby in
the ISO committees. Work done on joint A/NZ Standards can influence the
development of ISO standards and the contrary also applies: work done in the
ISO committees will take into account in developing the A/NZ Standards.
•
A list of ISO timber standards and the relevant ISO websites is attached to the
copies of this paper.
Progress at the Rotorua ISO 165 Meeting
The meeting in Rotorua made good progress on Standards for:
glulam (timber members made by gluing layers of timber together so as to build
up members that are stronger than its component layers).
The various working groups discussed such matters as the methods for testing
the strength of the glue layers (known as glue lines) including consideration of
Japanese and European test methods. These are important tests because the
strength of glulam members is dependent on the strength and reliability of the
glueline. There was also discussion about the bond performance of adhesives
used in timber structures, including resistance to moisture, chemical and fire
degradation, all of which can affect the durability, long-term strength, and other
properties of the timber components in which the adhesives are used.
fingerjointing (the jointing of boards longitudinally by means of wedge-shaped
projections from one board being glued into corresponding recesses in the
other).
The working groups’ discussions on the performance of adhesives was also
relevant to fingerjointing. As with glulam the strength of the joint in fingerjointing
is dependent on the properties of the adhesive and the surface area of the two
pieces of timber being joined. Temperature and moisture content of the timber
and the atmosphere can affect the strength and durability of the glue line.
strength classes (the classes into which timber is graded according to its
strength)
This discussion concerned not only the various ways of measuring the strength
of timber (to ascertain how well it will perform under compressive, tension and
bending loads, for example) but also ways of measuring the impact resistance of
sheet materials such as plywood. The issue of gluelines and their performance
is vital to the durability and strength of plywood.
•
There was also discussion about the many various metal fastening systems,
including nail plates and joist hangers, which have been devised to ensure that
the fixings have a strength commensurate with the strength and other properties
of the timber or wood products being joined. The success of timber framed and
braced buildings in cyclone conditions is due in part to the marriage of
appropriate metal fastenings and timber or wood-based components.
Source: Report on ISO TC165 Committee, November 2005, Rotorua, prepared by G B
Walford (a NZ attendee)
Progress on a New Zealand / US proposal for reducing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)
in the Wood Products Sector.
Background.
•
Under the current Doha Development Round of trade negotiations at WTO,
forestry trade is covered by the Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA)
negotiating group.
•
The mandate of the NAMA negotiating group is to “reduce or, as appropriate,
eliminate all tariffs and non-tariff barriers”. (Non-tariff barriers are known as
NTBs in WTO jargon).
•
WTO Members were invited to submit lists of NTBs that were facing their
exporters in different markets. New Zealand and the US both recognised timber
standards and technical regulations as the source of a large number of NTBs
affecting the use of timber. A study for APEC had estimated that the opportunity
costs of prescriptive fire safety codes, for example, was US$10 billion per
annuim.
•
Out of these initial notifications discussions began between New Zealand and
the US on ways to address these timber NTBs.
Forestry NTB Proposal
In January this year New Zealand and the US submitted a paper to the WTO NAMA
(non-agricultural market access) negotiating group entitled, Non-Tariff Barriers: Building
Codes and the Wood Products Sector: Some Suggested Negotiating Opportunities.
•
The purpose of the paper was to:
o Draw Members’ attention to the way standards and conformity
assessment methods are used in national building codes and how these
can result in NTBs;
o Note the costs these NTBs imposed; and
o Suggest possible ways of addressing them.
• These NTBs, which can discriminate against the use of timber or types of timber
in building construction, were identified as an obstacle to wider wood usage and
a hindrance to trade, thus eroding the benefits of tariff elimination.
•
The paper identified six specific issues or areas that were the source of many of
these NTBs. These were:
•
Technical regulations and standards that create an
inappropriate incentive for use of limited types of products
•
Differing technical regulations and standards in different
jurisdictions create market segmentation
•
Exclusive reliance on nationality or geographic location of
conformity assessment bodies rather than technical
competence
•
Duplicative and /or discriminatory testing requirements
•
Overly restrictive limits on use of wood products in
building codes
•
Problems with counterfeiting and lack of enforcement of
technical regulations
The paper suggested a necessary starting position before these issues could be fully
assessed was some sort of comparative assessment of Members’ standards, test
methods and conformity assessment methods underlying their respective building
codes.
New Zealand and the US developed a pro forma “information table” document that
could potentially be completed by each Member to record the information needed for a
comparative assessment. In practice it proved to be very difficult for some Members to
complete the “information table”. It appears that in many cases it was difficult for the
representatives of some countries to obtain the necessary technical input required to
complete it.
The Meeting in Rotorua
•
The fortuitous timing and location, in New Zealand, of a meeting of the ISO
Technical Committee TC 165, provided an opportunity to test some of these
ideas on the members of the Committee, the objective of whose work is seen as
closely aligned to that of the NAMA negotiating group.
•
While the TC 165 Committee was enthusiastic and expressed an interest in
further engagement, it did raise questions concerning the sheer size of the task
and about potential sources of funding.
The Way Forward
•
Thought is being given to a proposal that a working group of technical experts
(ideally including TC 165 members) could carry out the comparative analysis of
the information the information table was intended to capture. The relevant
knowledge already held by the technical experts could enable the group to
assist more countries to complete the table
•
To overcome any concerns about the size of the task it is contemplated that one
option would be to concentrate on one product (e.g. structural plywood) and to
compare the Standards used in a limited number of interested countries for this
one product
•
Working in parallel with the technical working group, and in close
communication with it, would be a team of trade policy officials. The officials’
purpose would be to develop a framework that sets out the longer-term process
for resolving structural timber NTBs on a plurilateral and potentially multilateral
basis
•
The trade policy officials would also consider how best to reflect the results of
the international standards work , carried out by experts in the ISO, in the
context of the WTO’s system of multilateral trade rules
•
A clear commitment of both technical and trade policy resources from
participating Members would be required – one of the key issues raised by TC
165 delegates
•
Following the advice from TC 165 delegates that a further detailed discussion
around the technical work programme would be helpful in more closely defining
the scope and objectives of the programme, New Zealand and the US plan to
initiate an e-dialogue with interested TC 165 delegates over the next few
months.
Source: Draft Progress Report: Discussions on NTBs: Communication from
New Zealand and the United States.
Annex One
ISO technical committees related to timber
TC 59 Building Construction
Scope:
Standardization in the field of building and civil engineering, of:
•
general terminology for building and civil engineering;
•
organization of information in the processes of design, manufacture and
construction;
•
general geometric requirements for building, building elements and components
including modular coordination and its basic principles, general rules for joints,
tolerances and fits;
•
general rules for other performance requirements for buildings and building
elements including the coordination of these with performance requirements of
building components to be used in building and civil engineering;
•
geometric and performance requirements for components that are not in the
scope of separate ISO technical committees.
Excluded:
•
acoustic requirements (ISO / TC 43);
•
fire tests on building materials, components and structures (ISO / TC 92);
•
bases for design of structures (ISO / TC 98);
•
calculation of thermal properties (ISO / TC 163).
ISO Technical Programme:
Subcommittees
TC 59/SC 2
TC 59/SC 3
TC 59/SC 4
TC 59/SC 6
TC 59/SC 8
TC 59/SC 13
TC 59/SC 14
TC 59/SC 15
Title
Current NZ
participation
Terminology and harmonization of languages
Functional/user requirements and performance in
building construction
Dimensional tolerances and measurement
Internal subdivision
Jointing products
Organization of information about construction
works
Design life
NZ members
Performance criteria for single family attached
NZ members
TC 59/SC 16
TC 59/SC 17
and detached dwellings
Accessibility and usability of the built environment
Sustainability in building construction
TC 89 Wood-Based Panels
Scope:
Sta nd a rd iza tio n in the fie ld o f wo o d -b a se d p a ne ls suc h a s fib re b o a rd s, p a rtic le
b o a rd s a nd p lywo o d , inc lud ing te rmino lo g y, c la ssific a tio n, d ime nsio ns, te st
me tho d s a nd q ua lity re q uire me nts.
ISO Technical Programme:
Subcommittees
Title
TC 89/SC 1
Fibre boards
TC 89/SC 2
Particle boards
TC 89/SC 3
Plywood
Current NZ participation
NZ members
NZ members
TC 98 Bases for Design of Structures
Scope:
Sta nd a rd iza tio n o f the b a se s fo r d e sig n o f struc ture s irre sp e c tive o f the ma te ria l o f
c o nstruc tio n inc lud ing e sp e c ia lly te rmino lo g y a nd symb o ls, lo a d , fo rc e s a nd o the r
a c tio ns a nd limita tio ns o f d e fo rma tio ns. Co nsid e ra tio n a nd c o o rd ina tio n o f b a sic
re lia b ility re q uire me nts c o nc e rning the struc ture s a s a who le , inc lud ing
c o nsid e ra tio n o f struc ture s ma d e o f p a rtic ula r ma te ria ls (ste e l, sto ne , c o nc re te ,
wo o d , e tc .) a s fa r a s is ne c e ssa ry fo r the p re p a ra tio n o f a c o mmo n a p p ro a c h to
re lia b ility in lia iso n with the re le va nt te c hnic a l c o mmitte e s.
Sub Committees (SC) / Working Groups (WG):
Committee Title
TC 98/SC Terminology and symbols
1
TC 98/SC Reliability of structures
2
TC 98/SC Loads, forces and other actions – NZ members
3
TC 165 Timber Structures
Scope:
Standardisation concerning structural applications of timber, wood -based panels, other
wood based products, and related lignocellulosic fibrous materials including:
•
requirements for design;
•
structural properties, performance, and design values of materials, products,
components, and assemblies and;
•
test methods and requirements to establish related structural, mechanical and
physical properties and performance.
Note :
In cases where topics of TC 165 are also a subject, for non structural purposes, of the
Technical Committee of the relevant material or product (e.g. TC 89 or TC 218) a strong
liaison with the relevant Technical Committee will be established.
Sub Committees (SC) / Working Groups (WG):
Committee Title
TC 165/WG 2 Requirements for structural glued
laminated elements
TC 165/WG 5 Characteristic values for sawn
timber
TC 165/WG 6 Glued joints for timber structures
TC 165/WG 7 Joints made with mechanical
fasteners
TC 165/WG 8 Structural properties of woodbased panels
TC 165/WG 9 Round timber and poles
TC 165/SC 1 Wood materials - Durability and
preservation
Current NZ involvement
NZ members
NZ members
NZ members
Annex 2
Websites
The main I SO web page is found at:
http:/ / www.iso.org/ iso/ en/ ISOOnline.frontpage
A list of all I SO committees and what they do is found at:
http:/ / www.iso.org/ iso/ en/ stdsdevelopment/ tc/ tclist/ TechnicalCommitteeList.TechnicalCommitte
eList
TC 218 Timber
Scope:
Standardization of round, sawn and processed timber, and timber materials in and for
use in all applications, including terminology, specifications and test methods.
Excluded:
•
those applications of timber as covered by ISO/ TC 16 "Timber structures".
Sub Committees (SC) / Working Groups (WG):
Committee Title
Current NZ involvement
TC 218/WG 1 Terminology
TC 218/WG 2 Round timber
TC 218/WG 3 Sawn and processed timber
TC 218/WG 4 Test methods
TC 218/WG 5 Flooring
Appendix 3
Joint Australia/New Zealand committees and links to ISO
Joint committees relating to timber – links to ISO technical committees
Joint
committee
TM-001
TM-002
TM-003
TM-004
TM-005
TM-006
TM-007
TM-008
Subject area
Timber Structures
Timber Framing
Timber Grading
Glued Timber Products
Reconstituted Timber Panel
Products
Timber Preservation
Sawn Milled And Speciality
Timber Products
Plywood Timber Products
No. of NZ
members
6
6
3
7
Related
ISO TC
TC 165
5
3
TC 89
TC 165
TC 99 and
TC 218
2
2
TC 218
TC 165
Appendix 4
Joint standards managed by committee
Committee
Short Title
TM-001
Timber
Structures
TM-003
Product
Designation
AS 1720.1-1997
AS 1720.2-1990
AS 1720.4-1990
AS/NZS 4063:1992
Timber Grading
AS/NZS 1080.1:1997
AS/NZS 1080.2.1:1998
AS/NZS 1080.2.2:1998
AS/NZS 1080.2.3:1998
AS/NZS 1080.2.4:1998
AS/NZS 1080.3:2000
TM-004
Glued Timber
Products
AS/NZS 1148:2001
AS/NZS 1748:1997
AS/NZS 2878:2000
AS/NZS 4490:1997
AS/NZS 4491:1997
AS/NZS 1328.1:1998
AS/NZS 1328.2:1998
AS/NZS 1491:1996
AS/NZS 4364:1996
TM-005
Reconstituted
Timber Panel
Products
AS/NZS 1859.1:2004
AS/NZS 1859.2:2004
AS/NZS 1859.3:1996
AS/NZS 1859.4:2004
AS/NZS 1860.1:2002
AS/NZS 4266.0:2004
AS/NZS 4266.10:2004
AS/NZS 4266.11:2004
AS/NZS 4266.12:2003
AS/NZS 4266.13:2004
AS/NZS 4266.14:2004
AS/NZS 4266.16:2004
AS/NZS 4266.18:1995
Short Title
Timber structures-Design methd
Timber properties
Timber structures-fire resist
Timber-ingrade strength/stiff
MoT timber-Moisture content
1080.1
MOT Timber-grain slope-scribe
MOT-Timber-Grain slope-Surface
MOT-Timber-Grain slope-Splintr
MOT-Timber-Grain slope-Cmpound
MOT TIMBER-DENSITY
TIMBER-AUS/NZ IMPORTD
SPECIES
Mechan stress-graded timber
TIMBER-CLASS-STRENGTH
Timber-stress graded-structral
Timber Standard-Glossary terms
Glued laminated timber-Perform
Glued laminated timber-Select
Finger jointed struct timber
1491
Adhesives for timber structs
4364
x RECON WOOD PANELPARTICLEBRD
x RECON WOOD PANL-DRY
FIBREBRD
Recon wood panels-Decorative
x RECON WOOD PANL-WET
FIBREBRD
PARTICLEBOARD FLOORING SPECIFICATIONS
RECON WOOD PANEL-GEN
INTRO
x RECON WOOD PANEL-WET
BENDING
x RECON WOOD PANEL-MOIST
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANEL-WTR
ABSORP
x RECON WOOD PANELSCREWS WD
x RECON WOOD PANL-DIMENSN
CHGE
x RECON WOOD PANLFORMLDEHYDE
Recon wood panels - Fungicide
AS/NZS 4266.19:2004
AS/NZS 4266.1:2004
AS/NZS 4266.20:2004
AS/NZS 4266.21:2004
AS/NZS 4266.22:2004
AS/NZS 4266.23:2004
AS/NZS 4266.24:2004
AS/NZS 4266.25:2004
AS/NZS 4266.26:2004
AS/NZS 4266.27:2004
AS/NZS 4266.28:2004
AS/NZS 4266.29:2004
AS/NZS 4266.2:2004
AS/NZS 4266.30:2004
AS/NZS 4266.31:2004
AS/NZS 4266.32:2004
AS/NZS 4266.33:2004
AS/NZS 4266.34:2004
AS/NZS 4266.35:2004
AS/NZS 4266.3:2004
AS/NZS 4266.4:2004
AS/NZS 4266.5:2004
AS/NZS 4266.6:2004
AS/NZS 4266.7:2004
AS/NZS 4266.8:2004
AS/NZS 4266.9:2003
TM-006
Timber
Preservation
AS/NZS 1604.2:2004
x RECON WOOD PANELMELAMINE
RECON WOOD PANELSAMPLE/CUT
x RECON WOOD PANEL-TABER
ABRAS
x RECON WOOD PANELOVERCURE
x RECON WOOD PANELPOROSITY
x RECON WOOD PANEL-STEAM
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANEL-CRACK
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANEL-STAIN
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANL-DRY
HEAT RESIS
RECON WOOD PANEL-IMPACT
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANL-PVC FLM
STRENG
x RECON WOOD PANEL-PVC
FILM HEAT
RECON WOOD PANELDIMENSIONS
x RECON WOOD PANEL-FOIL
MOISTURE
x RECON WOOD PANEL-PAPER
ADHESON
x RECON WOOD PANEL-VENEER
STRENG
x RECON WOOD PANEL-VENEER
DURABL
x RECON WOOD PANL-SURFACE
ABSORP
x RECON WOOD PANEL-TEST
PIECE
RECON WOOD PANEL-MOIST
CONTENT
x RECON WOOD PANELDENSITY
RECON WOOD PANELELASTICITY
RECON WOOD PANL-TENSILE
STRENG
RECON WOOD PANEL-SURFACE
SOUND
RECON WOOD PANELSWELLING
x RECON WOOD PANEL-GLUE
BOND
x RECONSTITUTED WOOD-BASE
PROD
and Durability
AS/NZS 1604.3:2004
AS/NZS 1604.4:2004
AS/NZS 1604.5:2005
AS/NZS 1605:2000
AS/NZS 2843.1:2000
AS/NZS 2843.2:2000
TM-007
TM-008
Sawn Milled And
Specialty Timber
Products
AS/NZS 4787:2001
Plywood Timber AS/NZS 2097:1998
Products
AS/NZS 2098.0:1996
AS/NZS 2098.10:1995
AS/NZS 2098.1:1996
AS/NZS 2098.2:1996
AS/NZS 2098.3:1996
AS/NZS 2098.4:1996
AS/NZS 2098.5:1996
AS/NZS 2098.6:1996
AS/NZS 2098.7:1996
AS/NZS 2098.8:1996
AS/NZS 2098.9:1995
AS/NZS 2269:2004
AS/NZS 2270:1999
AS/NZS 2271:2004
AS/NZS 2272:1996
AS/NZS 4357:1995
PLYWOOD PRESERVATIVE
TREATMENT
LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER
PRESERV-GLUED LAMINAT
TIMBER
SAMPLE PRESERV/TREAT
TIMBER
TIMBER PRES CODE-PLANT
DESIGN
TIMBER PRES CODE-PLANT
OPERAT
TIMBER-ASSESS DRYING
QUALITY
Method-Sampling veneer/plywd
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Intro/list
2098.0
MOT veneer/plywood-Dimen-shape
2098.1
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Moisture
2098.1
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Bond qualty
2098.2
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Scarf joint
2098.3
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Dimensions
2098.4
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Gluelines
2098.5
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Peeler chks
2098.6
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Density
2098.7
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Water absrp
2098.8
MOT veneer/plywood-In-grade
2098.9
x PLYWOOD-STRUCTURAL
Plywood/blockbord interior use
x PLYWOOD BLOCKBOARD
EXTER
Plywood - Marine
2272
Struct Laminated Veneer Lumber
4357
3rd Meeting of the ACCSQ Product Working Group on Wood-based Products to
be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 15 & 16 December 2005.
ISO TC165 Committee Meeting in Rotorua, New Zealand, November 2005.
The ISO TC 165 Committee
The general scope of this committee is the suite of ISO Standards related to timber and
wood products. The meeting was attended by representatives from Australia, Canada,
China, Finland, France, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Korea, South Africa, Sweden, the
United Kingdom, the United States of America, and New Zealand.
•
It takes a long time to develop an ISO Standard, especially if they have to
progress through all the stages of the ISO process, despite the facility of email
communication. The full ISO process includes Working Draft (WD), Committee
Draft (CD), Draft International Standard (DIS), Final Draft International Standard
(FDIS), and published International Standard (IS)
•
To shorten the process the working group committee can agree to begin with an
existing Standard and treat it as a DIS or a CD.
•
Despite the length of time it takes to develop ISO standards, membership of the
ISO Technical Committees relating to timber construction conveys two important
benefits:
o it enables representatives to exchange views about approaches to
problems and learn about new technologies being developed in different
parts of the world; and
o it gives representatives the opportunity to influence the contents of
standards that are likely to be followed in potential markets.
•
Active participation on the committees can be rewarding to those countries that
choose to contribute. ASEAN should also keep in mind its potential to influence
ISO committees if member countries decide to participate. Australia and New
Zealand develop joint timber standards and this translates into a strong lobby in
the ISO committees. Work done on joint A/NZ Standards can influence the
development of ISO standards and the contrary also applies: work done in the
ISO committees will take into account in developing the A/NZ Standards.
•
A list of ISO timber standards and the relevant ISO websites is attached to the
copies of this paper.
Progress at the Rotorua ISO 165 Meeting
The meeting in Rotorua made good progress on Standards for:
glulam (timber members made by gluing layers of timber together so as to build
up members that are stronger than its component layers).
The various working groups discussed such matters as the methods for testing
the strength of the glue layers (known as glue lines) including consideration of
Japanese and European test methods. These are important tests because the
strength of glulam members is dependent on the strength and reliability of the
glueline. There was also discussion about the bond performance of adhesives
used in timber structures, including resistance to moisture, chemical and fire
degradation, all of which can affect the durability, long-term strength, and other
properties of the timber components in which the adhesives are used.
fingerjointing (the jointing of boards longitudinally by means of wedge-shaped
projections from one board being glued into corresponding recesses in the
other).
The working groups’ discussions on the performance of adhesives was also
relevant to fingerjointing. As with glulam the strength of the joint in fingerjointing
is dependent on the properties of the adhesive and the surface area of the two
pieces of timber being joined. Temperature and moisture content of the timber
and the atmosphere can affect the strength and durability of the glue line.
strength classes (the classes into which timber is graded according to its
strength)
This discussion concerned not only the various ways of measuring the strength
of timber (to ascertain how well it will perform under compressive, tension and
bending loads, for example) but also ways of measuring the impact resistance of
sheet materials such as plywood. The issue of gluelines and their performance
is vital to the durability and strength of plywood.
•
There was also discussion about the many various metal fastening systems,
including nail plates and joist hangers, which have been devised to ensure that
the fixings have a strength commensurate with the strength and other properties
of the timber or wood products being joined. The success of timber framed and
braced buildings in cyclone conditions is due in part to the marriage of
appropriate metal fastenings and timber or wood-based components.
Source: Report on ISO TC165 Committee, November 2005, Rotorua, prepared by G B
Walford (a NZ attendee)
Progress on a New Zealand / US proposal for reducing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)
in the Wood Products Sector.
Background.
•
Under the current Doha Development Round of trade negotiations at WTO,
forestry trade is covered by the Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA)
negotiating group.
•
The mandate of the NAMA negotiating group is to “reduce or, as appropriate,
eliminate all tariffs and non-tariff barriers”. (Non-tariff barriers are known as
NTBs in WTO jargon).
•
WTO Members were invited to submit lists of NTBs that were facing their
exporters in different markets. New Zealand and the US both recognised timber
standards and technical regulations as the source of a large number of NTBs
affecting the use of timber. A study for APEC had estimated that the opportunity
costs of prescriptive fire safety codes, for example, was US$10 billion per
annuim.
•
Out of these initial notifications discussions began between New Zealand and
the US on ways to address these timber NTBs.
Forestry NTB Proposal
In January this year New Zealand and the US submitted a paper to the WTO NAMA
(non-agricultural market access) negotiating group entitled, Non-Tariff Barriers: Building
Codes and the Wood Products Sector: Some Suggested Negotiating Opportunities.
•
The purpose of the paper was to:
o Draw Members’ attention to the way standards and conformity
assessment methods are used in national building codes and how these
can result in NTBs;
o Note the costs these NTBs imposed; and
o Suggest possible ways of addressing them.
• These NTBs, which can discriminate against the use of timber or types of timber
in building construction, were identified as an obstacle to wider wood usage and
a hindrance to trade, thus eroding the benefits of tariff elimination.
•
The paper identified six specific issues or areas that were the source of many of
these NTBs. These were:
•
Technical regulations and standards that create an
inappropriate incentive for use of limited types of products
•
Differing technical regulations and standards in different
jurisdictions create market segmentation
•
Exclusive reliance on nationality or geographic location of
conformity assessment bodies rather than technical
competence
•
Duplicative and /or discriminatory testing requirements
•
Overly restrictive limits on use of wood products in
building codes
•
Problems with counterfeiting and lack of enforcement of
technical regulations
The paper suggested a necessary starting position before these issues could be fully
assessed was some sort of comparative assessment of Members’ standards, test
methods and conformity assessment methods underlying their respective building
codes.
New Zealand and the US developed a pro forma “information table” document that
could potentially be completed by each Member to record the information needed for a
comparative assessment. In practice it proved to be very difficult for some Members to
complete the “information table”. It appears that in many cases it was difficult for the
representatives of some countries to obtain the necessary technical input required to
complete it.
The Meeting in Rotorua
•
The fortuitous timing and location, in New Zealand, of a meeting of the ISO
Technical Committee TC 165, provided an opportunity to test some of these
ideas on the members of the Committee, the objective of whose work is seen as
closely aligned to that of the NAMA negotiating group.
•
While the TC 165 Committee was enthusiastic and expressed an interest in
further engagement, it did raise questions concerning the sheer size of the task
and about potential sources of funding.
The Way Forward
•
Thought is being given to a proposal that a working group of technical experts
(ideally including TC 165 members) could carry out the comparative analysis of
the information the information table was intended to capture. The relevant
knowledge already held by the technical experts could enable the group to
assist more countries to complete the table
•
To overcome any concerns about the size of the task it is contemplated that one
option would be to concentrate on one product (e.g. structural plywood) and to
compare the Standards used in a limited number of interested countries for this
one product
•
Working in parallel with the technical working group, and in close
communication with it, would be a team of trade policy officials. The officials’
purpose would be to develop a framework that sets out the longer-term process
for resolving structural timber NTBs on a plurilateral and potentially multilateral
basis
•
The trade policy officials would also consider how best to reflect the results of
the international standards work , carried out by experts in the ISO, in the
context of the WTO’s system of multilateral trade rules
•
A clear commitment of both technical and trade policy resources from
participating Members would be required – one of the key issues raised by TC
165 delegates
•
Following the advice from TC 165 delegates that a further detailed discussion
around the technical work programme would be helpful in more closely defining
the scope and objectives of the programme, New Zealand and the US plan to
initiate an e-dialogue with interested TC 165 delegates over the next few
months.
Source: Draft Progress Report: Discussions on NTBs: Communication from
New Zealand and the United States.
Annex One
ISO technical committees related to timber
TC 59 Building Construction
Scope:
Standardization in the field of building and civil engineering, of:
•
general terminology for building and civil engineering;
•
organization of information in the processes of design, manufacture and
construction;
•
general geometric requirements for building, building elements and components
including modular coordination and its basic principles, general rules for joints,
tolerances and fits;
•
general rules for other performance requirements for buildings and building
elements including the coordination of these with performance requirements of
building components to be used in building and civil engineering;
•
geometric and performance requirements for components that are not in the
scope of separate ISO technical committees.
Excluded:
•
acoustic requirements (ISO / TC 43);
•
fire tests on building materials, components and structures (ISO / TC 92);
•
bases for design of structures (ISO / TC 98);
•
calculation of thermal properties (ISO / TC 163).
ISO Technical Programme:
Subcommittees
TC 59/SC 2
TC 59/SC 3
TC 59/SC 4
TC 59/SC 6
TC 59/SC 8
TC 59/SC 13
TC 59/SC 14
TC 59/SC 15
Title
Current NZ
participation
Terminology and harmonization of languages
Functional/user requirements and performance in
building construction
Dimensional tolerances and measurement
Internal subdivision
Jointing products
Organization of information about construction
works
Design life
NZ members
Performance criteria for single family attached
NZ members
TC 59/SC 16
TC 59/SC 17
and detached dwellings
Accessibility and usability of the built environment
Sustainability in building construction
TC 89 Wood-Based Panels
Scope:
Sta nd a rd iza tio n in the fie ld o f wo o d -b a se d p a ne ls suc h a s fib re b o a rd s, p a rtic le
b o a rd s a nd p lywo o d , inc lud ing te rmino lo g y, c la ssific a tio n, d ime nsio ns, te st
me tho d s a nd q ua lity re q uire me nts.
ISO Technical Programme:
Subcommittees
Title
TC 89/SC 1
Fibre boards
TC 89/SC 2
Particle boards
TC 89/SC 3
Plywood
Current NZ participation
NZ members
NZ members
TC 98 Bases for Design of Structures
Scope:
Sta nd a rd iza tio n o f the b a se s fo r d e sig n o f struc ture s irre sp e c tive o f the ma te ria l o f
c o nstruc tio n inc lud ing e sp e c ia lly te rmino lo g y a nd symb o ls, lo a d , fo rc e s a nd o the r
a c tio ns a nd limita tio ns o f d e fo rma tio ns. Co nsid e ra tio n a nd c o o rd ina tio n o f b a sic
re lia b ility re q uire me nts c o nc e rning the struc ture s a s a who le , inc lud ing
c o nsid e ra tio n o f struc ture s ma d e o f p a rtic ula r ma te ria ls (ste e l, sto ne , c o nc re te ,
wo o d , e tc .) a s fa r a s is ne c e ssa ry fo r the p re p a ra tio n o f a c o mmo n a p p ro a c h to
re lia b ility in lia iso n with the re le va nt te c hnic a l c o mmitte e s.
Sub Committees (SC) / Working Groups (WG):
Committee Title
TC 98/SC Terminology and symbols
1
TC 98/SC Reliability of structures
2
TC 98/SC Loads, forces and other actions – NZ members
3
TC 165 Timber Structures
Scope:
Standardisation concerning structural applications of timber, wood -based panels, other
wood based products, and related lignocellulosic fibrous materials including:
•
requirements for design;
•
structural properties, performance, and design values of materials, products,
components, and assemblies and;
•
test methods and requirements to establish related structural, mechanical and
physical properties and performance.
Note :
In cases where topics of TC 165 are also a subject, for non structural purposes, of the
Technical Committee of the relevant material or product (e.g. TC 89 or TC 218) a strong
liaison with the relevant Technical Committee will be established.
Sub Committees (SC) / Working Groups (WG):
Committee Title
TC 165/WG 2 Requirements for structural glued
laminated elements
TC 165/WG 5 Characteristic values for sawn
timber
TC 165/WG 6 Glued joints for timber structures
TC 165/WG 7 Joints made with mechanical
fasteners
TC 165/WG 8 Structural properties of woodbased panels
TC 165/WG 9 Round timber and poles
TC 165/SC 1 Wood materials - Durability and
preservation
Current NZ involvement
NZ members
NZ members
NZ members
Annex 2
Websites
The main I SO web page is found at:
http:/ / www.iso.org/ iso/ en/ ISOOnline.frontpage
A list of all I SO committees and what they do is found at:
http:/ / www.iso.org/ iso/ en/ stdsdevelopment/ tc/ tclist/ TechnicalCommitteeList.TechnicalCommitte
eList
TC 218 Timber
Scope:
Standardization of round, sawn and processed timber, and timber materials in and for
use in all applications, including terminology, specifications and test methods.
Excluded:
•
those applications of timber as covered by ISO/ TC 16 "Timber structures".
Sub Committees (SC) / Working Groups (WG):
Committee Title
Current NZ involvement
TC 218/WG 1 Terminology
TC 218/WG 2 Round timber
TC 218/WG 3 Sawn and processed timber
TC 218/WG 4 Test methods
TC 218/WG 5 Flooring
Appendix 3
Joint Australia/New Zealand committees and links to ISO
Joint committees relating to timber – links to ISO technical committees
Joint
committee
TM-001
TM-002
TM-003
TM-004
TM-005
TM-006
TM-007
TM-008
Subject area
Timber Structures
Timber Framing
Timber Grading
Glued Timber Products
Reconstituted Timber Panel
Products
Timber Preservation
Sawn Milled And Speciality
Timber Products
Plywood Timber Products
No. of NZ
members
6
6
3
7
Related
ISO TC
TC 165
5
3
TC 89
TC 165
TC 99 and
TC 218
2
2
TC 218
TC 165
Appendix 4
Joint standards managed by committee
Committee
Short Title
TM-001
Timber
Structures
TM-003
Product
Designation
AS 1720.1-1997
AS 1720.2-1990
AS 1720.4-1990
AS/NZS 4063:1992
Timber Grading
AS/NZS 1080.1:1997
AS/NZS 1080.2.1:1998
AS/NZS 1080.2.2:1998
AS/NZS 1080.2.3:1998
AS/NZS 1080.2.4:1998
AS/NZS 1080.3:2000
TM-004
Glued Timber
Products
AS/NZS 1148:2001
AS/NZS 1748:1997
AS/NZS 2878:2000
AS/NZS 4490:1997
AS/NZS 4491:1997
AS/NZS 1328.1:1998
AS/NZS 1328.2:1998
AS/NZS 1491:1996
AS/NZS 4364:1996
TM-005
Reconstituted
Timber Panel
Products
AS/NZS 1859.1:2004
AS/NZS 1859.2:2004
AS/NZS 1859.3:1996
AS/NZS 1859.4:2004
AS/NZS 1860.1:2002
AS/NZS 4266.0:2004
AS/NZS 4266.10:2004
AS/NZS 4266.11:2004
AS/NZS 4266.12:2003
AS/NZS 4266.13:2004
AS/NZS 4266.14:2004
AS/NZS 4266.16:2004
AS/NZS 4266.18:1995
Short Title
Timber structures-Design methd
Timber properties
Timber structures-fire resist
Timber-ingrade strength/stiff
MoT timber-Moisture content
1080.1
MOT Timber-grain slope-scribe
MOT-Timber-Grain slope-Surface
MOT-Timber-Grain slope-Splintr
MOT-Timber-Grain slope-Cmpound
MOT TIMBER-DENSITY
TIMBER-AUS/NZ IMPORTD
SPECIES
Mechan stress-graded timber
TIMBER-CLASS-STRENGTH
Timber-stress graded-structral
Timber Standard-Glossary terms
Glued laminated timber-Perform
Glued laminated timber-Select
Finger jointed struct timber
1491
Adhesives for timber structs
4364
x RECON WOOD PANELPARTICLEBRD
x RECON WOOD PANL-DRY
FIBREBRD
Recon wood panels-Decorative
x RECON WOOD PANL-WET
FIBREBRD
PARTICLEBOARD FLOORING SPECIFICATIONS
RECON WOOD PANEL-GEN
INTRO
x RECON WOOD PANEL-WET
BENDING
x RECON WOOD PANEL-MOIST
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANEL-WTR
ABSORP
x RECON WOOD PANELSCREWS WD
x RECON WOOD PANL-DIMENSN
CHGE
x RECON WOOD PANLFORMLDEHYDE
Recon wood panels - Fungicide
AS/NZS 4266.19:2004
AS/NZS 4266.1:2004
AS/NZS 4266.20:2004
AS/NZS 4266.21:2004
AS/NZS 4266.22:2004
AS/NZS 4266.23:2004
AS/NZS 4266.24:2004
AS/NZS 4266.25:2004
AS/NZS 4266.26:2004
AS/NZS 4266.27:2004
AS/NZS 4266.28:2004
AS/NZS 4266.29:2004
AS/NZS 4266.2:2004
AS/NZS 4266.30:2004
AS/NZS 4266.31:2004
AS/NZS 4266.32:2004
AS/NZS 4266.33:2004
AS/NZS 4266.34:2004
AS/NZS 4266.35:2004
AS/NZS 4266.3:2004
AS/NZS 4266.4:2004
AS/NZS 4266.5:2004
AS/NZS 4266.6:2004
AS/NZS 4266.7:2004
AS/NZS 4266.8:2004
AS/NZS 4266.9:2003
TM-006
Timber
Preservation
AS/NZS 1604.2:2004
x RECON WOOD PANELMELAMINE
RECON WOOD PANELSAMPLE/CUT
x RECON WOOD PANEL-TABER
ABRAS
x RECON WOOD PANELOVERCURE
x RECON WOOD PANELPOROSITY
x RECON WOOD PANEL-STEAM
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANEL-CRACK
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANEL-STAIN
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANL-DRY
HEAT RESIS
RECON WOOD PANEL-IMPACT
RESIST
x RECON WOOD PANL-PVC FLM
STRENG
x RECON WOOD PANEL-PVC
FILM HEAT
RECON WOOD PANELDIMENSIONS
x RECON WOOD PANEL-FOIL
MOISTURE
x RECON WOOD PANEL-PAPER
ADHESON
x RECON WOOD PANEL-VENEER
STRENG
x RECON WOOD PANEL-VENEER
DURABL
x RECON WOOD PANL-SURFACE
ABSORP
x RECON WOOD PANEL-TEST
PIECE
RECON WOOD PANEL-MOIST
CONTENT
x RECON WOOD PANELDENSITY
RECON WOOD PANELELASTICITY
RECON WOOD PANL-TENSILE
STRENG
RECON WOOD PANEL-SURFACE
SOUND
RECON WOOD PANELSWELLING
x RECON WOOD PANEL-GLUE
BOND
x RECONSTITUTED WOOD-BASE
PROD
and Durability
AS/NZS 1604.3:2004
AS/NZS 1604.4:2004
AS/NZS 1604.5:2005
AS/NZS 1605:2000
AS/NZS 2843.1:2000
AS/NZS 2843.2:2000
TM-007
TM-008
Sawn Milled And
Specialty Timber
Products
AS/NZS 4787:2001
Plywood Timber AS/NZS 2097:1998
Products
AS/NZS 2098.0:1996
AS/NZS 2098.10:1995
AS/NZS 2098.1:1996
AS/NZS 2098.2:1996
AS/NZS 2098.3:1996
AS/NZS 2098.4:1996
AS/NZS 2098.5:1996
AS/NZS 2098.6:1996
AS/NZS 2098.7:1996
AS/NZS 2098.8:1996
AS/NZS 2098.9:1995
AS/NZS 2269:2004
AS/NZS 2270:1999
AS/NZS 2271:2004
AS/NZS 2272:1996
AS/NZS 4357:1995
PLYWOOD PRESERVATIVE
TREATMENT
LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER
PRESERV-GLUED LAMINAT
TIMBER
SAMPLE PRESERV/TREAT
TIMBER
TIMBER PRES CODE-PLANT
DESIGN
TIMBER PRES CODE-PLANT
OPERAT
TIMBER-ASSESS DRYING
QUALITY
Method-Sampling veneer/plywd
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Intro/list
2098.0
MOT veneer/plywood-Dimen-shape
2098.1
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Moisture
2098.1
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Bond qualty
2098.2
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Scarf joint
2098.3
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Dimensions
2098.4
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Gluelines
2098.5
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Peeler chks
2098.6
Mot-Veneer/plywood-Density
2098.7
MoT-Veneer/plywood-Water absrp
2098.8
MOT veneer/plywood-In-grade
2098.9
x PLYWOOD-STRUCTURAL
Plywood/blockbord interior use
x PLYWOOD BLOCKBOARD
EXTER
Plywood - Marine
2272
Struct Laminated Veneer Lumber
4357