SuperAdobe

Creation of a Performance Solution for Super Adobe (Australian clay mixed with cememnt stabiliser)

Historical references for SuperAdobe:

• http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/Testing/superadobe.htm
• http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/articles/earthbaghistory.htm
• Evaluating Earthen mortarts for rendering: https://craterre.hypotheses.org/files/2018/05/TERRA-2016_Th-4_Art-416_Santos.pdf
• https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/192/
• https://whc.unesco.org/en/earthen-architecture/
• https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/192/
• https://whc.unesco.org/en/earthen-architecture/

Process for creating a validated performance solution.

• The ABCB's CodeMark Certification Scheme is a voluntary third-party certification scheme for verifying that a building product meets the nominated requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) as defined by the National Construction Code (NCC).
• The CodeMark certificate demonstrates compliance against the NCC's Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) Provisions, which attests to the compliance of a building product against the 'Performance Requirements' of the NCC.
• CodeMark provide's confidence to regulatory authorities and the market through the issue of a Certificate of Conformity, which is one of several options available for meeting the ‘evidence of suitability’ requirements of the BCA.
• CodeMark products are certified by the ABCB to: increase consumer confidence, guaranteed legislative acceptance by building authorities, enable timesaving consent during the inspection process, demosntrate the product meets mandatory compliance requirements.
• CodeMark is used by: building surveyors and certifiers; architects and designers, builders and building owners and trade suppliers.
• CodeMark is the most stringent form of "evidence of suitability" under the NCC with ongoing requirements for a 'hierarchy of evidence' to validate the product.
• CodeMark products are validated via: technical information specifications, laboratory testing results, independent expert assessment and appraisals, clear scope of use for the product and criteria against requirements in the NCC.
• The CodeMark certification process involved ongoing validation via: audits of the manufacturing process and facility, audits of critical components, installation and construction site audits, review of technical documentation by an Unrestricted Building Certifier (UBC), supplier declarations, supply control chains and regulatory oversight by the ABCB and JAS-ANZ for Australasia.
• CodeMark products are evaluated against 'Cewrtificate of Conformity' for various categories, e.g. structural, thermal, weatherability, fire perofmrance, etc.

The process for a performance solution validation

1. Performance Based Design Brief
2. Analysis of the product against the specified criteria
3. Evaluation of the product, e.g. via testing, etc.
4. Final report declaring which NCC requirements the CodeMark product has achieved.
5. Registraiton of the CodeMark product by the Schema Accreditation Body (JAS-ANZ)