The Specification

With a range of beautiful cladding and batten products combined with a unique concealed fixing system,  Sculptform  has become a regular feature in Australia's various design publications. In this episode of The Specification, Joe and Laurence welcome Jeremy (MD) and Andrew (BDM) from  Sculptform  to discuss their products and find out what designers need to know for a successful  Sculptform  proj...

Building facades  have arguably received more scrutiny and attention than any other building product or system in recent years, with revelations around combustibility and growing knowledge around how they – the skin of a building – can make or break the structure's operational performance.     While there are a broad range of façade cladding products available on the market today (all of which wil...

How many times have you had to yell over your neighbouring table at a restaurant, or endure a neighbour's noisy event, TV, or musical instrument practice? The people who use and inhabit buildings rarely notice their acoustic performance until there is something wrong, so how can we make sure our spaces are designed for acoustic success?   In this episode of The Specification Joe and Laurence are j...

Vinyl is one of those materials where if specified and installed correctly it can perform optimally for decades. However with several different types, different performance ratings, and practically its own vocabulary, it's not always easy to get this right.     Don't panic though – this episode explains all. In this podcast Joe and Laurence are joined by Andrew Ferguson, National Technical Manager...

Modern civilisation has been built on concrete, and by extension cement. Cement is the glue that binds the concrete together, forming strong bonds which resist incredible loads. It's difficult (some may say impossible) to produce high performance concrete without cement, but with awareness of GHG emissions growing around the world, many are concerned about the significant amount of CO2 created dur...

Over time, fibre cement has become a staple of Australia's construction industry. Employed wherever a project requires water protection, fire separation, acoustic attenuation, or simply high durability, fibre cement products are used in almost every project in one way or another.      In this episode of The Specification Joe and Laurence are joined by Mark Turemko from James Hardie, who introduces...

Where do you start if you want to learn more about textiles, and specifying them in designs? Arguably one of the design and construction industry's largest and most dynamic sectors, textile design and production is a globalised business with designers and manufacturers collaborating across borders to produce unique and often breathtaking fabrics.     With this in mind Joe and Laurence approached K...

Laminated surfaces are practically everywhere in the indoor built environment. Their smooth, durable surfaces can come in a wide range of profiles and colours, offering almost unlimited flexibility, but what does a designer need to know if they are to make the most of these finishes?   This week Joe and Laurence welcome Neil Sookee, Product Design Manager at Laminex, a household name in the world...

This week Joe and Laurence welcome Chaz Whiteley from Portugal Cork Co., a Sydney based importer of cork and cork products. Chaz explains how cork is produced, where it can be most effectively used (did you know it can be an external cladding?), and gives some valuable tips for consideration when specifying or designing with the product.   If you're interested to find out more about cork you can c...

This week Joe and Laurence welcome Adam Jones from XLam, Australia's first commercial scale supplier of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glue Laminated Timber (GLT or Glulam). Adam introduces the guys to mass timber before getting into more detailed discussion about supply, fire testing, and how best to design with these innovative and sustainable products.     If you're interested to find out mor...

In this inaugural episode of The Specification Podcast Joe and Laurence introduce themselves and the podcast, and hint towards some of the exciting guests who will be joining them in the next few episodes.   The Specification Podcast is for designers, builders, and others interested in our built world. Each episode we welcome a subject matter expert onto the show so they can give us a deeper under...