Introducing a Zero Waste, Low Carbon Footprint Foundation System

The tradition of digging or drilling holes to concrete in timber piles for typical New Zealand house and deck foundations is a widely used system. But when looked at in detail, this method is both slow, wasteful and often has unknown elements that lead to delays — and thats before the weather is factored in.

The process of digging, waiting for excavation inspections, pouring concrete, stripping temporary bracing and cutting piles to height is a process that will take a minimum of two or three days, and produces a bin of waste to go to landfill, and a large amount of spoil to truck off site. Multiple site trips by contractors and delivery trucks adds to the inefficiency and carbon emissions.

In contrast, a groundscrew foundation is installed and ready to build on in a single day (or less!). There is no impact on the ground, so nothing to clear up.

The groundscrews are set to a laser level datum and therefore create zero waste, and the fact StopDigging!'s comprehensive system is certified by CodeMark means no onsite inspections required. This eliminates a large number of site trips by engineers, contractors and delivery trucks.

A completed house foundation in a single day, with zero waste and low carbon footprint is available NOW with the StopDigging! groundscrew system. Backed up by CodeMark, StopDigging! offer a pre-engineered solution that is also simple to specify and gain building consent for — this allows the highest form of product assurance available in NZ today.

When you also consider the fact that for temporary buildings the groundscrews can be unscrewed and re-used, the sustainability of the system becomes second to none.

Groundscrews have significant less CO2 emissions than both a timber pile or a concrete slab foundation, as shown in StopDigging!'s emissions summary and lifecycle assessment produced by MyImprint.

Traditional House Pile Foundation

StopDigging!

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StopDigging provide a CodeMark certified groundscrew pile foundation system, that works as a cantilever pile foundation for lightweight and low rise buildings.

NZ-Owned Business

Groundscrews are suitable for all types of house piling either within the scope of NZ3604 or with structures that have specifically engineered design.

They are suitable for low rise structures, lightweight transportable and modular buildings and traditional built on site construction methods.

They are suitable for use in most TC2 and TC3 ground classification with appropriate structural design to suit the site specific requirements.

Groundscrews work as a single, or grouped cantilever pile system and can also be used as a spot footing for pile extensions and posts.

The specification of the StopDigging groundscrew system has been simplified as part of the CodeMark accreditation, and has removed the need for producer statements.

The StopDigging groundscrew system is specified by an LBP Designer for projects within the scope of our Design Guide, without further structural engineering input.

An LBP Designer needs to simply provide pile design loads and a connection detail on the subfloor plan - these are taken from the table in Appendix 2 of our Design Guide for structures within this scope. ( 3604/Nash)

For all other types of buildings, a CPEng will provide a pile design load calculation package based on the structure, and the Designer will include this in the documentation.

The Designer or Engineer provides a completed Design Declaration form as part of a building consent application. StopDigging provide an Installation Declaration and formal pile test report on completion of the foundation.

The StopDigging groundscrew system is certified with a CodeMark certificate and complies with the following performance clauses of the New Zealand Building Code.

B1 Structure

B1.3.1 , B1.3.2, B1.3.3 (b), (f), (g) and

(h), B1.3.4

B2 Durability

B2.3.1 (a),

B2.3.2 (a)

F2 Hazardous Building Materials

CodeMark

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