IPWEA Vic Blog

Transport Infrastructure Product Evaluation Scheme (TIPES)

The ARRB Group is pleased to introduce ‘TIPES’ the Transport Infrastructure Product Evaluation Scheme into the Australian road sector. TIPES is a process aimed at providing an independent fit-for-purpose assessment of innovative road construction products such as; non-traditional stabilizers, ultra-thin surfacing products, pothole fillers, etc. It is intended for the evaluation of products that fall outside the scope of established standards and specifications.

Internationally, there are various examples of successful national technical assessment schemes for road construction products. Such schemes provide road agencies with objective assessments of product performance, while providing the proponents of innovative products with a mechanism to gain market acceptance.

TIPES was originally developed by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. ARRB took over administration of the TIPES process with the objective to develop a single national product evaluation scheme, thus reducing the need for separate evaluations of an applicant’s product for multiple agencies. Although other road agencies have operated their own approval schemes for particular applications, TIPES is now a national scheme that has been endorsed by all Australian state and territory road agencies. It has also gained support from the Queensland Local Roads Alliance, Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) and Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia Queensland (IPWEA QLD).

“The aim of TIPES is the establishment of a national process for all Australian state and territory road agencies to follow when adopting new technology, thus creating a pool of approved products for all agencies to use.” says Peter Damen General Manager of Research and Consulting at ARRB GROUP. “In doing this we can have a safe and reliable point of reference as well as a standardisation of processes administered by one independent body”.

In addition to road construction products, ARRB has been developing other areas of product evaluation in particular road traffic devices and intelligent transport systems, with the aim of increasing the scope of TIPES. Considerable work has been undertaken by ARRB on decision-support guidelines and processes for the TIPES scheme.

Local governments are encouraged to ask prospective suppliers to provide a TIPES certificate of registration where a new or substantially modified product is being considered for use.  Likewise, product developers are being encouraged to seek an assessment of their products through TIPES.

For further information, refer to www.arrb.com.au/TIPES or contact Gerard McAllister at ARRB (gerard.mcallister@arrb.com.au).

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The Building Amendment (Additional New Residential Zones) Regulations 2014 where made, gazetted and commenced on 30 October 2014.  Download amendment HERE

The Amendment continues the implementation of the new residential zones by aligning the building approval system with planning schemes containing varied height and siting provisions for the construction of single dwellings on an allotment.

Specifically, Schedule 5 to the Building Regulations 2006 has been updated to reflect approved planning scheme amendments Ararat C33, Ballarat C177, Cardinia C187, Darebin C144, Greater Shepparton C173, Kingston C150, LaTrobe C84, Moorabool C72, Mornington Peninsula C179, Southern GrampiansC34 and Whitehorse C160.

To ensure consistency between the planning permit and building approvals systems in relation to height limits, Schedule 5 has also been updated to reference the Residential Growth Zone (RGZ) for all planning schemes in which that zone it has been applied.

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The Spring 2014 edition of SPECnotes, the quarterly newsletter from NATSPEC, can be downloaded HERE

The latest TECHnotes Index can be viewed HERE

There are new TECH notes for using AUSspec for contract documentation and for management of unsealed roads

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