Most countries have made it mandatory for commercial buildings to have adequate fire protection systems installed as a condition to granting of business licence to commercial establishments. The design, package and installation of fire protection equipment have to comply with the relevant statutes, standards and codes of the local authorities. Failure to do so can result in heavy penalties for non-compliance.

Fire prevention equipment includes smoke detectors, small fire suppression systems, portable extinguishers, large fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, explosion suppression systems, etc. The use of appropriate fire protection equipment would depend on the size of the building, the materials used for construction, the type of furnishing, the nature of materials stored in the building, the type of electrical wiring and installation, etc.

Fire prevention consultants have a thorough knowledge of the combustible nature of every material used in building construction. They perform fire modelling that includes fire development, growth and movement, structural response to fire, evacuation of personnel, etc. This is particularly necessary for the modern large commercial complexes and industrial establishments. Such fire protection service consultants are also helpful in bringing old and historic buildings to adequate safety standards. They should ensure compliance with the January 2003 amendments to Building Code of Australia (http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/energyefficiency/buildings/code.html) so that there is no room for any problem in complying with the governmental regulations on fire fighting systems.

Fire suppression systems are effective in buildings that house telecommunication facilities, halls and museums containing valuable artefacts, data processing centres, etc. Portable extinguishers are necessary for small offices, cinema halls, auditoriums and other places where people assemble. Extinguishers come in several models such as cartridge operated type, wheeled type, kitchen class type, etc.

Fire alarm systems are a must in any commercial building today. Fire alarm systems should have a fast response and should be integrated with the fire extinguishing equipment usage, so that the hazard is minimised and controlled at the lowest possible level. Large commercial and industrial establishments have sprinkler systems with a full assembly of spray nozzles that come in open types and automatic types. They also have several nozzle orifice sizes and spray patterns to suit all types of applications. The materials used for fire control and extinguishing are also different according to the need, like carbon dioxide, dry chemical, foam, water, etc. Nowadays, in large establishments, the fire protection equipment and the fire protection installation carry ISO certifications to meet the high standards required. Fire fighting equipment manufacturers and suppliers and fire fighting service consultants in Australia can be easily approached for effective fire management system in the buildings, since nearly all of them are listed in several trade directories available in the country.

Modern life cannot be thought of without a few essential products like steel, cement, plastic and glass. Glass holds a special place in present day living, serving humanity in several ways. As such, glass merchants / glaziers are indispensable in today’s construction work. Insulated glass and specially treated glass are used in buildings for keeping the inside air either warm or cool, while providing adequate condensation.

This glass contains sound control qualities also and is used in halls and auditoriums for better acoustics. Doors and windows are made safe and secure with the use of tempered glass and laminated glass. Modern commercial complexes, the glass panels not only reduce the necessity of artificial lighting but also provide a distinctive and attractive look and façade to the entire building. Even homes are made to look bright, inviting and airy by the creative usage of glass doors, large windows, skylights, sunrooms, etc.

Glaziers are a specialised profession. They select, cut, install, remove and replace all types of glass in buildings. Those who are experts in residential glazing undertake jobs that include the installation of glass mirrors, glass doors and windows, fitting glass for tabletops, display cases, etc., shower doors, bathtub enclosures, etc.

Commercial glaziers concentrate on entire interior decoration projects, installing heavy, etched and decorative type room dividers, security windows, panels, glass doors, walls, skylights, etc. on a large scale. In commercial establishments like supermarkets, banks, auto dealerships, etc. glaziers do the installation or the replacement of entire storefront windows. In large commercial buildings, glaziers also undertake the work of metal framework extrusions to hold glass panels, curtain walls, etc.

The third type of glaziers concentrate on the automotive industry, installing, repairing and replacing glass in automobiles and trucks.

In nearly all the glass related work, the glass merchants /glaziers pre-cut the glass and mount it in frames. This is done either in a factory or in the shop of that particular contractor. Then the glass is transported to the construction site. If the glass is large and heavy, hoists or cranes are used to lift the glass to its fitting place. When the glass is positioned properly, it is secured with materials like putty, paste-type cement, mastic, rubber gaskets, glazing compound, metal mouldings, wood mouldings, metal clips, etc. Normally, the most used method is to have a rubber gasket, which is a moulded, thick, half rubber tube, having a split running along its length. This gasket is secured around the perimeter in the opening or in the pre-designed frame and the glass is set into the split of the gasket. The gasket clamps the edges and holds the glass in place. Glazing compounds, metal clips, etc. are also used by them wherever needed using their expertise in glass installation work. To cut glass, glass merchants / glaziers use hand tools, glass cutters, suction cups, glazing knives, etc. and also power tools like cutters, drills, saws, grinders, etc.

There are several reputed and renowned glass merchants / glaziers and their details could be obtained from the several trade directories available in Australia.

From private homes to large business establishments, cleaning of the premises is an essential work that needs to be done regularly. Whether it is the living space of the house or the work space of the business or the garages, restrooms, furniture, fans, ducts, etc., all of them require regular cleaning. Since even a working couple find it difficult to clean a small house regularly, it would be very difficult for large business houses to have their own in-house staff for attending to all aspects of cleaning. This inadequacy is duly filled in by private cleaning contractors. There are specialist cleaning contractors for commercial and industrial establishments. They are available in all the states of Australia.

Commercial & industrial cleaning contractors normally work only on hourly basis, with a set number of hours per day . To cite an example, a cleaning contractor might undertake a cleaning contract of your establishment for four hours a day and five days a week. The fees charged by the industrial & commercial cleaning contractors would depend on the number of hours per week spent by them. Further, the number of rooms to be cleaned, the type of cleaning required in each room and the amount of furniture and equipment in each room would also play a significant part in their fees structure decision.

There are different types of jobs involved in cleaning. They include dusting, wiping and cleaning desks, furniture, doors, windows, etc., taking out and emptying garbage, supply of cleaning materials and room fresheners, toilet paper, tissues, floor, wall and ceiling cleaning, cleaning of pipelines and water tanks, curtains & blinds cleaning, carpets/mattresses cleaning, etc. Each type of cleaning requires a different kind of cleaning job. Hence, the charges of the cleaning contractors would vary according to the types of cleaning jobs, apart from the number of hours devoted by them for cleaning.

The cleaning of commercial & industrial establishments could be awarded to cleaning contractors or local cleaning services on a per-job basis, calling them as required or on a permanent basis, with fixed weekly or monthly payments. A proper decision on this should be taken only after considering the size of the establishment and the amount of cleaning required in the premises, along with the need of regularity in cleaning period. Individual householders could afford to use the services of cleaning contractors once every few months. Commercial & industrial establishments would do well to have continuous cleaning operations on an ongoing basis. In Australia, cleaning contractors are listed in the local directories available in the country.

Building construction is a vast subject, ranging from the construction of a small individual home to tall skyscraper commercial complexes and huge malls. The construction of non-residential buildings like hospitals, courts, schools, etc. require specialised design knowledge and use of different type of building materials. The building materials required will have a wide variance according to the size and the budget of the said construction. Even between two individual homes of the same size, there can be a huge difference in the materials used, depending on the budget allocation. A simple home can be constructed with a few building materials, while a similar home of the same size can use a large variety of materials if there is no constraint on the budget.

The January 2003 amendments to Building Code of Australia have specified measures and regulations on building construction and the type of building materials that can be used in Australia. This has been done with the intention of achieving minimum energy requirements of new buildings and major refurbishments and energy efficiency measures are completely met with. The inclusion of energy efficiency measures is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) is a subsequent initiative of the Australian government to include all the levels of the government and representatives of the building industry.

An interesting item termed as the Building Assemblies & Materials Scorecard is being developed by the Centre for Design at RMIT University. This tool is expected to help users to find the actual environmental impact of building products and building assemblies. The new tool considers the impact of the entire building assemblies, not just the individual products, like the impact of using both timber & plaster for a wall. Another study reveals that the major constructions are proliferating around coastal Australia areas and the incidence of solar radiation is very high over a major portion of the Australian mainland. This affects organic materials and metal surfaces severely and products that work well in other countries are found wanting in Australia many times. Hence, special care is needed to be taken while choosing the building materials. It will be best if leading experts in the field, be it architects, engineers or developers, are considered and consulted in this sensitive matter, to avoid later problems and save long term costs.

Some of the most essential building materials can be listed as follows:

• Bricks & tiles
• Ceilings & Wallboard
• Cement
• Decorative Concrete
• Doors
• Drainage Products
• Elevators
• Faucets
• Fireplaces
• Flooring
• Home Automation Products
• Insulation
• Lighting
• Pipes & Plumbing Fixtures
• Roofing
• Spas & Saunas
• Wood & Joinery

Many of the leading building materials suppliers are expected to participate in the Designbuild Perth 08 Exhibition and the Perth Plumbing Show to be conducted in the city of Perth

between October 17 and October 19 this year. The site has provided a list of the exhibitors that have consented to participate in this Designbuild Perth 08 exhibition. There are several trade directories available in Australia, through which building materials suppliers can be located.