The NSW Government's billion dollar cladding remediation program, Project Remediate, has reached a significant milestone with the first cladding removed for investigation from a Darlington apartment block this morning.
Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson said the start of the investigation work today is a huge step for Project Remediate, which is on track to remove all flammable cladding from NSW's eligible high-risk residential apartment buildings by the end of 2023.
"This is an incredibly important moment for the families and residents living in apartments impacted by dangerous cladding," Mr Anderson said.
"Today is the start of a critical program that has been years in the making. So much careful work has been done behind the scenes to reach this point, and we are now ready to fix a problem that has been burdening owners for a long time."
Project Remediate will provide no-interest loans, free expert program management, and the assurance that when remediation work is completed, the work will be accepted by insurers. The program will also create 3,440 new jobs in NSW.
"The NSW Government launched Project Remediate in March and since then has put in the work to recruit the right team, including appointing top experts in the field to oversee the work, and to date we have more than 155 buildings registered for remediation," Mr Anderson said.
"A project of this magnitude is all about strong foundations and momentum and we have plenty of both, but it is not too late for eligible buildings to be a part of Project Remediate. I encourage owners corporations still considering Project Remediate to register their interest as soon as possible, so that work can commence."
NSW Building Commissioner, David Chandler OAM said the program had been set up with a consistent approach which assures owners their interests are considered as the highest priority. "Cladding removal and building remediation is not just about taking off a piece of cladding and replacing it with another," Mr Chandler said.
"It's an opportunity to get a thorough up-front investigation and assessment of the building to determine what is needed to do the job properly.
"Project Remediate's Managing Contractor Hansen Yuncken will investigate the materials gathered during the assessment process and Global Façade Consultant ACOR will give expert engineering and design advice on the best remediation solution for each building.
"There are many factors to take into consideration during remediation, including the role the previous cladding played with regards to weatherproofing, wind resistance, durability, thermal insulation and aesthetics, and the work taking place today will lay the framework for the entire physical remediation."
For more information or to register for Project Remediate, visit the NSW Government website.
