What Is Recladding?
Recladding is the replacing of the external façade cladding. This is necessary when the existing cladding begins to deteriorate or is deemed unsafe.
Why Is Recladding Necessary?
The current necessity for recladding substandard aluminium composite cladding with either solid aluminium, high-mineral content cladding or other forms of non-combustible cladding has been predominantly driven by insurance companies and fire regulators, following the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy and Lacrosse Tower fire in Melbourne in 2014.
The Grenfell Tower fire in London caused 72 deaths and many injuries. Authorities have confirmed the fire started from within the building and spread both internally and externally, with a key contributing factor to the vertical and lateral spread of the fire being the recently installed external wall cladding (Aluminium Composite panels with a PE core).
This tragedy has prompted governments globally to enforce stricter compliance regulations to ensure cladding installed on buildings is non-combustible and/or conforms to national building codes which have been and are being revised in light of these fires.
The Western Australian State-wide Cladding Audit
In 2017 the WA Building Commission (Building Commission) broadened the scope of an initial audit it had been carrying out on aluminium composite panels (ACPs) into a state-wide cladding audit that would includes all high-risk, high-rise buildings with cladding attached.