Engineering Buildings Winter 2020

Buildings

VOLUME 2 / ISSUE 4

ENG

ineering

The official journal supplement for CIBSE Australia and New Zealand region

Secret to happiness

Blue Roof Technology

Appetite for education

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Hepa filters & casings

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Contents 5

ANZ

Committee

7

Editorial

8

News

Splash

Features 10

In Focus – Mark Crawford

16 I have nothing to wear 21 Constructing you 89

The game changes

76

In the spotlight – Stephanie Donnelly

8

Wellbeing 24 Secret to happiness

Technical 28 National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J – Tech Notes 50 Can blue sky thinking lead to blue roof inspiration?

52 Australian renewable energy update 54 Next big thing 61 The importance of water trap seals and correct drainage ventilation in 21st century high-rise buildings 65 Bushfire smoke & commercial buildings

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68 Smart buildings: It's not (just) about the tech 70 Awareness of potential sources of contamination from drainage systems within the field of 'Public Health Engineering'

Opinion 43 Appetite for education 47 What are ‘Superlabs’? And what makes for a superbly designed Superlabs?

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EDITORIAL Engineering Buildings Editor: Paul Angus Tel: 0488 210 447 Email: paul.angus@aecom.com

CIBSE ANZ Committee

Business Development Manager: Sharon Pestonji Tel: 0435 979 400 Email: spestonji@cibse.org.au CIBSE ANZ ONLINE Website: www.cibse.org.au https://twitter.com/cibseanz https://www.facebook.com/CIBSEANZ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cibse-anz https://www.instagram.com/cibse_anz

Mark Crawford ANZ Chair mcrawford@cibse.org.au

Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers Australia and New Zealand Region Tusculum PO Box 671, Gladesville, NSW 2111, Australia Engineering Buildings is the official magazine for the CIBSE ANZ region for engineers, written by engineers.

ADBOURNE PUBLISHING 18/69 Acacia Road Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156 PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160 www.adbourne.com

Mathew Klintfält

Jen Cardwell

Honorary Treasurer mklintfält@cibse.org.au

Honorary Secretary secretary@cibse.org.au

Stephen Hennessy Technical Advisor shennessy@cibse.org.au

Paul Angus Immediate Past Chair & Engineering Buildings Editor

Sharon Pestonji

Peter Kinsella

BDM spestonji@cibse.org.au

Technical Advisor pkinsella@cibse.org.au

Phil Senn

Mark Davie

ADVERTISING Melbourne: Neil Muir T: (03) 9758 1433 F: (03) 9758 1432 E: neil@adbourne.com Adelaide: Robert Spowart T: 0488 390 039 E: robert@adbourne.com PRODUCTION Emily Wallis T: (03) 9758 1436 E: production@adbourne.com

Keith Merry QLD Chair kmerry@cibse.org.au

NSW Chair psenn@cibse.org.au

WA Chair mdavie@cibse.org.au

ADMINISTRATION Tarnia Hiosan T: (03) 9758 1436 E: admin@adbourne.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Enquiries: (03) 9758 1436 Fax: (03) 9758 1432 Email: admin@adbourne.com Tony McDermott Adbourne Publishing cannot ensure that the advertisers appearing in Engineering Builders comply absolutely with the Trades Practices Act and other consumer legislation. The responsibility is therefore on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisement(s) for publication. Adbourne Publishing reserves the right to refuse any advertisement without stating the reason. No responsibility is accepted for incorrect information contained in advertisements or editorial. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or otherwise alter articles for publication. All original material produced in this magazine remains the property of CIBSE and cannot be reproduced without authority.. The views of the contributors and all submitted editorial are the author’s views and are not necessarily those of the publisher.

VIC Chair tmcDermott@cibse.org.au

Melanie Finch YEN Chair mfinch@cibse.org.au

David Brown SA Chair dbrown@cibse.org.au

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The opinions expressed in editorial material do not necessarily represent the views of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned in editorial or advertisements are not formally endorsed by CIBSE, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication.

8298 6542 03 356 664

Peter Rickard Green CHCH Chair rpickard-green@cibse.org.au

Colin Wyatt Wellington Chair cwyatt@cibse.org.au

Raitis Kjestrup Auckland Chair Rkjestrup@cibse.org.au

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S

Editorial

o, the Coronavirus curve has been flattened and life, as we know it, is slowly returning to normal!

Every week, more restrictions are being lifted by each Government, as they attempt to help society fall back into step and business to get back into the groove, although there’s still a deal of uncertainty surrounding the virus though with the danger of transmission by people showing no symptoms top of the medical experts worries. That’s why is so, so important for people to observe the 1.5m physical distancing rule (nothing social about it, let’s call it what it is) when out and about. For that reason, CIBSE will ensure your safety by holding future seminars online, until the Government advice allows us to hold face to face meetings. The social aspect of the seminars allowing one another to catch up with industry friends and colleagues is sorely missed, but we’re sure we’ll be back on track soon. Be sure to check out the website, where the most recent online seminars have been recorded and can be viewed if you missed the opportunity to catch it first time around.

We thought we’d get a few opinions on what is was like during the COVID-19 lockdown days and you’ll hear from our new CIBSE ANZ Chair, Mark Crawford, plus the AECOM ANZ Building Services Practise Lead, Stephanie Donnelly to document their experience. In addition,

you’ll also hear a little on what makes them tick in their work and family lives.

We have featured articles from key industry stalwarts with some really intriguing and thought provoking insights that should whet your appetite.

In Australia state and federal governments have announced some shovel ready projects to boost local construction, at a time when it is needed the most, and we have a number of technical articles, including Smart Building Technology, Plumbing, HVAC, Modular construction, Education and the Commercial sectors.

With that in mind, it has never been a better time to be a building services engineer ……

PAUL ANGUS, ENGINEERING BUILDING EDITOR AND FORMER CIBSE ANZ CHAIR

Paul.angus@aecom.com

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NEWS SPLASH

Counting down to zero

NSW will attract $11.6 billion of private investment and create 2400 new jobs under the Berejiklian government's ambitious 10year plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

The plan, the first of its kind in Australia, will drive about two-thirds of the investment to regional and rural NSW and is expected to save households $40 a year on electricity bills.

It will be "the foundation for the state's action on climate change" and will also deliver a 35 per cent emissions reduction from 2005 levels by 2030.

For more details, follow this link:

Read more >

ARBS Exhibition rescheduled for 2021

Kicking up a stink

The ARBS Exhibition has rescheduled and will be held next year in Melbourne Exhibition Centre in 2021 from February 15-17, 2021.

The dates were announced by ARBS exhibition manager, Sue Falcke, allowing exhibitors to recommence planning for the three-day event.

“In the interim we are also very excited to announce our enhanced digital offering coming soon on our website,” Falcke said. For more details visit the ARBS Click here > website:

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Once again, the Corona Virus is in the news for reasons you’d least expect! Due to the pandemic, resulting in the reported toilet paper panic buying and hoarding across the country has resulted in an increase in ‘fatbergs’ in sewerage system, due to an increase in wet wipes being flushed down the toilet.

As a direct result, Sydney Water reported last month a 22% rise in blockages due to non-flushables in the sewer network.

NABERS essentials

Looking to upskill during lockdown?

Want to learn more about NABERS and how we can make buildings more energy, waste and water efficient? Our online NABERS Essentials course is currently available FOR FREE to help train Australia's workforce during the covid19 crisis.

Read more >

Learn about the history and plans for the program, the spaces NABERS rates, why you should get a rating and how to improve it, the different parties involved and the legislation applicable. This course is open to any member of the public or sustainability professional.

Read more >

Building back better for the natural environment 772 cranes working across Australia as construction deemed essential service during COVID-19

According to the release of the Q1 2020 RLB Crane Index®️, there are currently 772 cranes working on key projects across Australia as construction is deemed an essential service during the COVID-19 crisis by all governments (Federal and State). Construction contributes 9% to the total Australian economy.

Overwhelming loss to our animals, plants and landscapes came as a result of Australia’s recent bushfires, accelerating the rate of our declining biodiversity toward what researchers are calling ‘biological annihilation’.

“Catastrophic events such as these drive us to design innovative solutions which avoid residual impacts, improve biodiversity values, and mitigate impacts on connectivity to strengthen our communities’ resilience to future events, " says Graham Pointer, WSP's Future Ready Lead in Australia.

Looking around the country, Sydney continues to be the main driver of the crane count. Of the 772 cranes sighted across Australia, 299 were in Sydney, 196 in Melbourne, 58 in Brisbane, 37 in Perth, 33 on the Gold Coast, 27 in Canberra, 15 in Adelaide, 15 in Wollongong, 11 in the Sunshine Coast, 17 in Newcastle, 4 in Hobart and 1 in Darwin.

Both Melbourne and Sydney saw falls in crane numbers but in different sectors. Melbourne suffered falls in residential cranes (from 149 to 122) but Sydney saw falls in both commercial (from 44 to 32) and education cranes (from 12 to 3).

According to the RLB Crane Index®️, five cities observed more cranes on the horizon (Brisbane, Canberra, Newcastle, Perth and the Gold Coast) and six had lower numbers (Adelaide, Central Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong). Two cities remained the same (Darwin and the Sunshine Coast).

Download the report here:

Click here >

Zero emissions means choosing between bulky, low-range battery power or the emerging hydrogen fuel cell

Meet the Toyota Sora bus; a hydrogen fuel cell bus which will take to the streets of Japan as part of the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

As Tokyo gears up to host next year's summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, a major sponsor and the world's largest vehicle producer has rolled out a game-changer that is ... well, the size of a bus.

That's because it is a bus: a production-line fuel cell hydrogen bus.

These state-of-the-art buses will produce water as exhaust and have been decked out with all the latest gadgets to improve commuter comfort, safety, and overall vehicle performance.

For more visit the Toyota website:

Click here >

Read more >

Preventing Covid-19 spreading in buildings REHVA has produced interim guidance on the operation and use of building services. It is primarily aimed at offices, schools etc where only occasional occupancy by infected people is expected, and the recommendations they make are based on evidence from SARS-CoV-1, which occurred in 2003-04.

The guidance document focuses on the two dominant transmission routes (large droplets/particles emitted when sneezing, coughing or talking, and surface contact), but also comments on a faecal-oral transmission route. It notes that coronavirus particles remain active in common indoor air conditions for up to three hours, and two to three days on room surfaces, and questions whether keeping 1-2 metre from an infected person might be enough.

From an airborne perspective REHVA recommends: - Increase air supply and exhaust ventilation - supply as much outside air as possible - Toilet Exhaust systems should be left on 24/7 (to reduce faecal-oral transmission risks) - Turn off rotary heat exchangers - Avoid central recirculation by closing recirculation dampers - Fan coil units that use local circulation, should be turned off or cleaned regularly.

Obviously these measures have energy implications #CIBSE For more details, follow this link:

Read more >

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IN FOCUS - Meet Mark Crawford - the new CIBSE ANZ Chair with a company that my friend’s father ran.

I soon realised that I was well suited to commissioning as I enjoyed making things work and solving problems. Two years later I went free-lance and operated a successful commissioning management business for the next ten years.

Mark Crawford, newly appointed CIBSE ANZ Chair and Director of MCL, discusses projects he is currently working on, his tips and tricks for working effectively from home, plus how he is steering the CIBSE ANZ Chair in 2020 and beyond.

Tell us a little bit about what you do, where you come from, noteworthy projects you worked on and career highlights, personal hobbies/ interests.

I was born in Kent in southeast England and grew up in a little village (Cliffe) in the north of the county.

Whizzing forward a few years I graduated in electrical and electronic engineering (B.Eng (Hons)) from Loughborough University in 1992.

As there was a bit of a recession on at that time I could not get a graduate job. So I took a job as a commissioning engineer

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This took me to 2004. I was working on the Mellon Bank project in Blackfriars when I had a beer or two with the lead engineering consultant, who happened to be a Kiwi. We soon decided that we should go into business together (may have been influenced by the beer?). We soon set up GAP Engineering and rented a small office near the Monument in central London. My Kiwi partner, Greg, used to work for a wellrespected and growing NZ consultancy called Beca, Carter, Hollings and Ferner Limited. They found out about our little set up and approached us with an interesting offer to become the Beca London office.

After some serious consideration, we agreed.

This went well and some two and a bit years later I was offered the opportunity to spend a year in the Auckland office with my family.

Timing was right for us (we had to consider schooling arrangements for my two children), so we rented out our house and took off for the antipodes. We all loved living in NZ, so when our letting agent in the UK advised that someone had expressed an interest in buying our house we decided to stay. We have now been in NZ for over 13 years.

For most of that time I continued to work for Beca but in mid-2019 I went back to being a free-lance engineer. I now operate a limited company, MCL, providing commissioning management and mission critical engineering services to the industry.

Projects I have been involved with over the years include: • UK Waterloo International Terminal

• The British Library

• Guy’s Hospital Various commercial offices, such as Paddington Central, Credit Suisse, Barclays Bank and Mellon Bank

• Various pharmaceutical establishments, such as Glaxo Smithkline, Merke, Sharpe & Dohme and Millennium Pharmaceutical in Cambridge

• NZ and overseas Various commercial offices, including the first Greenstar 5-star buildings in NZ (Meridian Building in Wellington, Telecom House in Auckland) • NZ Defence Force projects, including helicopter hangers, simulators and maintenance support facilities.

• Data centres such as for Datacom, Telecom NZ and ANZ Bank, plus involvement with data centres in Singapore and Indonesia.

• Hospitals including the Auckland DHB sites, Taranaki Hospital and Christchurch Hospital

Why did you nominate yourself/ accept the ANZ Chair role. Why now?

Paul Angus approached me in early 2019 and asked if I would be interested in stepping into the role after him. This came as a complete surprise to me. I immediately suggested that there must be a number of alternatives that would be better suited. Paul advised that I had a lot of support within the committee and should very much consider taking on the role.

At this time I was also going through the process of setting up MCL, my new business venture. I was initially concerned about balancing the needs of my business with the needs of the role of chair for CIBSE. After a good deal of deliberation I realised that I would be able to manage both of these needs. In fact it should be easier as a business owner as I will be able to control how I spend my time.

So, humbly and with much gratitude, I decided to accept the role of chair for the CIBSE ANZ region. I am very fortunate to have a fantastic committee to work with to assist me, including a great Vice Chair (Phil Senn), who is Sydney based.

Phil’s assistance will be paramount in the operation of CIBSE ANZ and will provide the necessary touch point in Australia with me being in NZ. I have also had Paul’s promise of support, which I will most definitely need at times.

This is the first time the region has had a NZ chair (I think), what do you see as the benefit of change? (feel free to remind readers that we have vicechair in Australia to balance representation and drive the agenda in both countries)

FEATURES

• Various data centres, including, UBS Bank, Barclays Bank, Level 3 Communications, JB Morgan Chase and various UK Government buildings

I was surprised to find out that there has not been an NZ chair of CIBSE ANZ before. It is a real privilege to be the first to provide this. The Australia and New Zealand Region is vast in size and we have our own ways to do things. This is true when compared with the rest of the world and, to a lesser extent, on either side of the Tasman. Our work in Australia and New Zealand is globally recognised. This can be seen by the recipients of International Project of the Year Awards over the last few years.

I do not like to think of NZ being a poorer cousin to Australia, but it is clear the budgets are larger on the Western Isle of the Antipodes. This requires innovation by Kiwi engineers to be innovative in their thinking to produce world leading buildings. Sharing ideas with our transTasman cousins helps our region develop quicker and stronger than working alone.

As a NZ based Chair, I hope to encourage more Kiwi engineers to step and get involved with CIBSE and industry bodies. Engineers tend to be modest but passionate folk.

We all need to channel our energies into our industry. As individuals we can make a difference. As an organisation we can change lives.

I am fortunate to have an awesome ViceChair, Phil Senn, who is Sydney based.

He will be the touch point for Australian members on a day-to-day basis. Between us we shall endeavour to serve the whole ANZ region. As I mentioned earlier, it is a vast region, so if you have any ideas on how to improve your interaction with CIBSE we will be very pleased to hear them.

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What current project are you excited to be working on?

I am engaged as the commissioning manager for the Facilities Infrastructure Upgrade Project (FIRP) for Auckland District Health Board (ADHB). It is really exciting to be part of such a major programme of works so early in the timeline. I have also been requested to implement Soft Landings on a number of the projects. I am really interested to document the process then observe the outcomes. I am writing a regular article for the ENGineering Buildings journal so that other interested engineers can follow the progress.

What area of building services engineering are you passionate about? (i know commissioning is up there but I have to ask) I really do not like it when equipment is not running correctly. It drives me mad to see all the effort of design and installation go to waste because the system has not been correctly commissioned. So this has led to me having a passion for commissioning and commissioning management. It suits my character.

I also do not like waste. Good commissioning also optimises energy usage. From my perspective the benefits of good commissioning are many with no downside that I can see. There is always the argument around cost for commissioning management, but the return on investment is easy to demonstrate. Some of the unrecognised benefits of a well-managed commissioning process is the reduction in stress during the tail-end of a project.

Each service is commissioned in the right sequence to deliver the right outcome. As the work has been planned in advance these activities are often only performed once, correctly. This leads to happy contractors, a good hand-over process, good documentation and a delighted client.

It’s win, win, win!

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How has working from home changed the way you work personally and as a team?

I have really embraced the use of video conferencing software, such as Zoom or Teams. Whilst it is not the same as a faceto-face it is a fairly close alternative. I am an advocate for working from home when it is appropriate. I am a strong believer in getting a good work / life balance and the ability to work from home certainly helps. I get a bit more time in bed as there is no commute. I get to eat lunch and dinner with my family.

This is very important time for any family and something I miss out on normally. I also get a walk along the beach every day with my wife.

I will be aiming to spend more days working from home.

Do you have any tips on getting the most out of working from home?

Since setting up my own business last year I have set up an office at home in our upstairs rumpus room. When I am working I can go upstairs and shut myself away. I find I can work effectively there. I go down for lunch with my family, which is a good routine to maintain. I also had ultrafast fibre broadband installed so my connectivity is fantastic. If you are relying on technology to operate then it should be of a good quality.

What excites you about being a building services engineer?

Even after more than 28 years in the industry I still learn something new every day. The spectrum of services that fall under the umbrella of building services is vast, with numerous exciting opportunities. Building Services’ Engineers make a difference to virtually everyone’s life in some way or other, often without acknowledgement. This kind of sums up engineers: we make a positive difference to your lives, but we don’t like to shout about it.

I really love motorcycling. I often wonder if I could have made a career as a professional racer. It is a lifestyle that suits my alter ego.

Your response to the 2020 Young Engineers Awards question: “What changes need to occur in planning the built environment today to help achieve a desirable, highperforming, sustainable built environment one decade on?”

Hmm, a tricky question.

Firstly, the industry leaders need to agree on what they are trying to achieve. Low energy buildings are easy to build, but they may not be comfortable or nice places to occupy.

A clear message needs to be sent out by the industry, hopefully endorsed by our respective governments.

Building owners then need to make it clear they will not accept incomplete or poorly performing buildings. Commissioning must be performed correctly. Handovers must be a great experience. Post occupancy involvement of key members of the design and construction team will add value.

Continual optimisation of plant is necessary.

We all have a part to play. We need to do our jobs well, provide great advice and not cut corners. Saving a few cents in the design phase may end up costing many dollars during the operational phase, not to mention the waste in energy.

Collaboration is key. We need to work together as a well-drilled team, all aiming for a common goal.

What would you like your legacy as CIBSE ANZ Chair to be?

FEATURES

If you were given an opportunity to change careers, would you and what would you do?

To raise the profile of good commissioning and commissioning management across the region.

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Specify integrated FDD (IFDD) that delivers real-time fault detection, step-by-step root-cause diagnostics while using all your existing cabling structures, including twisted-pair networks.

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I have nothing to w

I love fashion, clothes, bright sparkly things and fluffy accessories and I also love working across heavy industry mining, manufacturing and construction.

Well nothing that for me @ work

Emma Bentton I Director of SHOES – Safety Health Operational and

E

ver since I started working, I have searched for the ultimate outfit that meets the ever-changing personal protective equipment rules, is feminine,

comfortable and elegant and suitable to wear at work.

Clothes, fashion and your personal style are an important way to express yourself. Clothes help tell the story of who you are and speak to your professionalism and capability.

They are also code to others about what you're worth and as a result, I’ve spent 25 years looking for the right outfit to wear.

In my first role as an environmental scientist, I would have days in the office and days on site. Back then the requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) was

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limited to steel cap boots. The first time I went underground I wore a dark green olive wide leg pant suit complete with a mine rescuer, hard hat and head lamp. Ridiculous! so I started my search for something to wear.

I purchased my first work clothes from 5th Avenue New York. It was a pair of khaki overalls with the looney tunes characters running across the top pocket and tweety bird falling off. I loved those overalls they were useful and ideal for site work and taking samples., plenty of pockets for pens. They were also playful and reminded me to be joyful.

I loved that first role where I got to play with everything from explosives to water samples and those overalls helped me to remember how unique an opportunity I was provided.

works

d Environment Systems

perfect enough hot days. I could walk on site and also felt comfortable being in the office.

On one particular day, I headed straight out to site to look at restoration works. I had a big day, so I started early before 7am. I hopped over a fence, checked out the creek restoration and then proceeded to walk the restoration alignment down a very busy road in Sydney. It was an odd day, people seemed to be giving me a lot of attention waving, yelling and honking their horns. I got back to the office and then had lunch with one of the foremen to discuss a few issues. At 2pm that day one of the project managers walked up to me and asked, “did you know you have a tear in the back of your pants”. I reached round and grabbed my butt…. a bare butt! I thought of the fence I jumped over earlier that day, then the locations I had been at since the fence – including the lunch meeting. I always have a change of clothes in the car because I’d learnt that lesson when I was standing on the embankment of some works following heavy rain and lost my footing and slid down the bank on my bottom and spent the day covered in mud.

FEATURES

wear!.......

I was one of 3 professional women on that project. It was loads of fun and I learn a lot. The foreman came into my office one day to specifically ask me to wear the minimum PPE on site as it helped him with managing his workers; I might have pushed my tank tops a little far. Also, on the project the project manager during my only performance

About the Author

My first construction role – I needed a hard hat. – Oh, how far we have come in 20 years.

In my first role with a construction company I had to have a vest, glasses, gloves and boots I was so excited they handed me the shorts …men’s shorts, a lime green vest – so flattering, and a polo shirt – a men’s polo shirt. I looked like one of the boys! I promptly made my way to a Charlie Brown shop at the time and purchased some sequins pocket jeans … bling, bling!

I also shopped for pants that would provide me with style and could be functional on site and in meetings. I finally found some pants at Simona. I grabbed 2 pairs beige and black. These pants were great light weight and

Emma Bentton Emma Bentton is the Director of SHOES – Safety Health Operational and Environment Systems and the Founder of Office2Site. Emma creates customised systems for small and medium businesses. She is passionate about creating systems which assist business proactively approach challenges rather than react to incidents.

Emma started her business when she had her “ah ha” moment listening to engineers complain about contractors who had done exactly what the engineers asked BUT not what those engineers actually wanted.

Emma loves a challenge and has founded a new work wear label Office2Site so she actually has PPE she wants to wear. Emma has over 25 years industry experience and over 20 years systems experience. website office2site.com.au or instagram office2site Linked in linkedin/in/emmabentton email emmb@office2site.com.au

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evaluation ever said, ‘I like how you bring femineity to the work site- and warned me not to lose that’. Apart from them evaluating me higher for everything than I had that comment was profound and helped me in all subsequent endeavours to be myself and value my difference in construction.

That confidence helps me in meetings to play the devil’s advocate – even if I agree with everyone and the course of action being taken. It is when everyone agrees you miss things, there is always value in evaluating another possibility to ensure that a control is picked up, an extra generator is on standby, there is a way to move the generator. There is value in re-evaluating a plan. That project manager gave me my voice by saying you bring you to this project I see it and its ok.

For a while I worked at the Clyde Refinery for SHELL, all I had to wear was long sleeves, long pants and boots. I ruined so many clothes working there, everything would be covered in oil and grease I learnt what fabrics to buy and which laundry cleaners worked.

While I was there, they concluded their PPE negotiations between the union/safety committee and management.

It had taken 5 years to agree on PPE. When I was finally issued with 2 shirts and 2 pair pairs of pants – all blue, no stretch flame retardant fabric, I was instructed to change in the toilet between office and site. I wasn’t allowed to take the uniform home as the flame retardant fabric need specially laundering (YAY). The thing I couldn’t comprehend – given I had a desk role and did the occasional site inspection was,” why do I have padded knees. And why is my name printed on my butt” I was really uncomfortable with these details – needless to say when I left, my PPE stayed!

When I established my own consultancy, I went in search of a flame retardant shirt. I found PPE issued to the FBI and yes, my flame-retardant shirt complete with a concealed gun holster for a hand gun. I’ve never used that feature.

Back in construction I moved to the typical long sleeve long pants and was really confident in navy pants, work shirt hard hat boots ,gloves boots. I built my collection of hi vis in blue, yellow, orange, green, pink and orange. I know dressing like my work crews helped to build rapport with the workers on site. It was because I embraced their world that they related to me and we are able to build a HSEQ focused culture, interacting for better performance. When I was called into a meeting, I was always confident, and I was fortunate to work with trusted clients and colleagues, so it didn’t matter what I wore. Until one day when it did.

I was happy on site, investigating an incident, as I usually knew the team on site. I didn’t have a desk on this site, and they wanted workers to commute via public transport. I had to carry everything I needed for a day, all day, so I had no change of clothes, not even lipstick! I was aware the

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information I was collecting didn’t fit with the initial incident details. When I was called into a management meeting.

I had to deliver some controversial findings, engage the managers in the new interpretation in order to include effective change. I only knew 2 people in the meeting, it was as I made my way to the meeting, I looked down at myself and realised I was dressed as a man. I realised I needed to do better for myself and for all women.

It was in this moment when my outfit didn’t serve me that Office2Site was conceived.

I have been responsible for running uniform issues and changing and distributing uniform and as a result, have met with suppliers who have told me that uniform styles are not available for women. I’m mortified that I accepted that and issued men’s clothes to women and just accepted that.

Just as fabric and clothing continues to evolve and as our roles evolve, we need access to better clothing. I’ve always loved clothing and use it to express who I am. I love being able to share my own work wear line with the industry. I love how people feel feminine, professional and empowered and that they can bring themselves to work both on the office and onsite with professional confidence and credibility.

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FEATURES

Constructing You Elinor Moshe

W

hat is the greatest project you will ever get to work on?

You, of course.

Yet complacency about taking agency of one’s own career is rampant today. People place extreme expectations on their organisations to develop their own career. The only person who is in charge of the results, outcomes and trajectory of your career, is you. Organisations only facilitate opportunity, it is always up to the individual to understand whether that is alignment with where they want to go. This is the ethos I have always maintained, and am always in the drivers’ seat of my career.

In today’s social age, it takes extreme and massive action in terms of self-development and actualisation outside of the workplace to truly achieve career success. A one or two day professional development course on a generic skill has negligible impact on accelerating and building a career.

What matters most today, is who you are. Your personality, your values, your attributes. Yet most people don’t actually know what that is because they don’t spend the time doing the work – which it actually is – figuring this all out. So they free-fall into careers that take decades to start-up and evolve.

And this was the problem which forced my response.

This was the fuel and impetus to founding my business, The Construction Coach. It’s the vehicle via which I guide, inspire and direct industry professionals and future leaders to propel their career in construction, so they can achieve more recognition, higher compensation and faster career

progression. Construction industry professionals are working with outdated practices that are preventing them from achieving their potential and seeing what’s possible.

Expanding the world view of my community is one of the most powerful, and weighted responsibilities I have.

It’s my duty as an industry leader to show you what is possible. When I was going through university and expanding my networks in the formative days of my career, only a very narrow bandwidth of career options were presented; Project Manager, possibly a Construction Manager. The upper echelon positions, albeit a founder of a business or executive management were seemingly reserved for “someone else” but not me. To realise that this is all possible for me, took years of mindset conditioning and development. It took time to develop vision and lift the ceiling on what can actually be achieved. Yet it still wasn’t clear how to actually get ‘there’. I asked the question, ‘what does it really take to have an exemplary career in property and construction today?” which lead to the conception of my new podcast, Constructing You. I’m going to accelerate the process for you, so you’re not spending years in freefall, in stagnation, and in doubt.

Constructing You shares the stories of the people behind the projects. The construction and property industries are people industries, after all. It still amazes me how some companies don’t even profile the people within the organisation, just the projects! Which adds to the fact that typically when we look at our built environment, and ask, ‘who built this?’, the answer is a name of a company. But who are the people behind the projects? Who are the ones who have vision, and have brought them to life? That’s why I am starting at the top and sharing interviews with exemplary leaders and industry titans with you. It leans into the old adage, you can’t be what you can’t see, and how right that is.

I’m not only going to find out what they do, but also who they are, and who they’ve had to become to achieve what they have. This is to show you who you can be, need to be, and can grow into, to achieve massive career success, regardless of your job title. You are not your job title.

Wouldn’t you like to realise your full potential? Wouldn’t you like to see how far you can go when you lift limitations imposed by others, and yourself?

This podcast is here to take you much further than developing your technical skills – frankly, none of that is up for discussion. Because I want to inspire and ignite

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you to become more, than just a technically apt person on projects. Technical skills do not make for great managers or leaders. In my opinion, 10% of career success lies in technicality, and the balance is about your sphere of impact and influence, which is only possible when you first work on yourself. The building industry doesn’t need an upgrade in technical aptitude; it needs a reconstruction of the mindset of the individuals. You don’t get to have massive success without first growing into the person who can achieve these big goals.

I started this podcast because I want you to become an exemplary person behind the project, via learning from the people who have already made it. You’ll get to see a myriad of career pathways, so that wherever you are, you can expand your vision of where you want to go. You’ll get access to insights, conversations and lessons that are not publically available to the construction and property industry – until now. There is certainly a lack of insight from credible sources for people wanting to work in the construction industry. I recall that from my own experience navigating my way through the industry, which was filled with friction, uncertainty and lack of clarity. I have always sought out mentorship and active engagement in my network to piece it together, and now that I have, I get to pay it forward and fast-track that for others.

It was only until I came across an exemplary mentor of my own that I learnt what it is to truly aim high and have expansive vision. As people navigate their career and life, they only aim as high as their self-imposed limitations, which often, is not very high at all. People have infinite potential. There is actually no limit to our minds, spirits and souls except for some physical limitations. This podcast is here to give you the same experience. It’s lifting the veil of your own potential, and getting you to just start aiming higher. Because even if you fall short, you’ve still gone a lot further than if you never reached higher at all.

I want you to aim as high as the skyscrapers in your career, and life, and I’m going to get you to do that by sharing the successful journeys of others. There is a notion called belief transference; when you surround yourself, and see other people achieving their dreams, following their passion and creating a strategic life by design, you start seeing what is possible for yourself as well. Nothing is out of reach without the right activated plans. You start expanding your world view, you start adopting the practices and habits of successful people. You start realising that they started off in a position no different to you, and through courses of action, have truly achieved an exemplary career. Don’t you want that for yourself, too?

There is no other podcast like this, dedicated to building your career and yourself in the building industry. The transformation you will experience will give you more drive, intrinsic motivation, and amplified ambition to become an excellent, exemplary, and exceptional person behind the

22

projects. The interviews are just as brilliant week on week – I guarantee you this. Listening in is as if they’re having a dedicated mentoring conversation with you, and mentoring is one of the greatest accelerators of a career. I know that because I have always surrounded myself with the best mentors.

What started with just a weekly blog on The Construction Coach, a year on in, has now evolved into a leading private mentoring service, sold out events, and now a podcast. Of course, there is always more to come. Achieving more and having ambition is a truly wonderful thing, and to be on that continuous trajectory adds so much meaning and value to an individual. You feel expansive, day in, day out.

So don’t forget, the greatest project you will ever get to work on, is yourself.

About the Author

Elinor Moshe Elinor Moshe is an ambitious and driven leader and dedicated mentor in the construction industry.

Her passion to develop future leaders and industry professionals to propel their career lead to her founding the successful platform, The Construction Coach.

Elinor has been featured in the Australian National Construction Review, Property Council of Australia's Top 500 Women in Property programme 2019, Top 100 Women in Construction, and is a coveted speaker and panellist. Elinor holds a Master of Construction Management and Bachelor of Environments from the University of Melbourne.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elinor-moshe/ Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elinor-moshe/

theconstructioncoach.com.au https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/constructingyou/id1501998634

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23

The secret to happiness Keegan Luiters

Like many, the last few weeks has been a series of responses (or reactions) as the world continues to change at hyperspeed in front of our eyes. Two or three short weeks ago (I can't even remember the exact dates!), our apartment was a place that three people ate breakfast, slept and hung out in the evenings and weekends. Now, all of our outside worlds are here as well. I'm trying to run a business, my wife is managing to run a project across two continents and my daughter is continuing her education as best as we can manage.

O

n Monday, I just about broke. There were tears from all three residents and I didn't know how to get through Tuesday, let alone up to six months of this. Since then, we have had 2.5 good days (which feels like a huge win!) and here is the reason.

The secret to happiness is low expectations

Our happiness or disappointment is basically a function of the relationship between expectations and reality.

When our expectations exceed the reality that we experience, then we are disappointed. The inverse occurs when reality exceeds our expectations and we experience happiness. Here is a fancy graph that explains it.

In real terms for me at the moment, the easiest lever to pull here is not my reality. It's my expectations.

I was broken on Monday because I hadn't adjusted my expectations to adequately respond to reality.

I had made no acknowledgement that my capacity was stretched across my roles of father, husband, son, friend and business owner in the context of unprecedented health, social and economic upheaval.

Since then, I have made a few adjustments to my expectations. For our family right now, I need to adjust the times (and only a little bit of the total time) that I

24

How might you be able to redefine success this week? Photo by Nicolas I. on Unsplash

I had been unrealistic by expecting to be able to work 'normal' hours, assist my daughter with her school, maintain physical and mental health. Of all of these, my work was the one that was able to flex most. It has meant that I get up early (before the sun!) get my big tasks for the day done and any other work is a bonus. It means that I don't get everything that I really want done, but it's not how I'm defining success this week. I then get to switch my attention more fully to my daughter and it has been great - we're doing PE with Joe, developing our netball skills and just as importantly her handball skills.

Every time that I share this concept as a part of a presentation or workshop, people take a while to realise that I am serious. Don't get me wrong, low expectations are not exactly the secret to incredible work but a deliberate and strategic adjustment can be surprisingly useful. I'll share more another time about the combination of high aspirations and low expectations that helps with performance.

I'm willing to bet that you and/or your team members are facing far more challenges than I am at my place.

More kids to school, younger kids, partners facing a job loss or uncertainty, health concerns for themselves, family or neighbours. The result of my lowered expectations that were discussed and communicated with others has led to a much happier household.

Even more than that, the quality of my work output has increased (who knew that it's hard to be useful to others when you're stressed!?) and it will set me up

for longer term success. This won't be forever, it's a temporary triage measure.

Realistically lowering your expectations is a form of self-kindness that you might need right now. Negotiate and communicate it with others as you need to.

Realistically adjusting the expectations of your team at this point in time could be one of the most astute decisions that you make.

Some questions for you to consider this week:

WELLBEING

dedicate to my business. As I reflected, I realised that my frustration and angst arose from being attached to expectations that I didn't even realise that I had.

1. H ow might you be able to redefine success for yourself this week?

2. H ow might you be able to redefine success for your teams this week?

Stay safe and be kind (starting with yourself). Go well.

About the Author

Hamish Clark Keegan has worked in Australia and NZ across organisations ranging from his own small business, government agencies, education and large corporate organisations. His background is diverse and includes cricket as a player and coach in Australia and the UK. He also "enjoys" marathon running. He brings a passion and deep undrstanding for teams, leadership, learning and performance to the programs that he runs.

He is passionate about lifting the performance of the individuals, teams and organisations that he works with. A Masters degree in Business Coaching ensures that his programs are designed to deliver sustained performance outcomes applying evidence based techniques and the latest information.

He has worked with organisations including Westpac, Suncorp, Sydney Metro Delivery Office, Rawson Homes, Australian Super, Green Building Council of Australia, Australian Film Television and Radio School, Delta Group, Stan, Protecsure, Asteron Life and AFL.

An unscientific and uncomplicated graph.

25

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n the last edition of this journal we looked at why steam has, and continues to be, so widely used as the thermal energy medium of many institutions and most healthcare facilities. In this article we will look at why embracing steam as the primary, or only, thermal energy medium makes good sense, and how to optimise the steam generation for maximum efficiency.

Steam can be used for all the thermal energy needs of an institution or healthcare facility and includes the following processes: • Building heating (air handling unis) • Domestic hot water

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• Easier to implement duel fuel to ensure continuity of supply

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• Fewer systems (boilers) means more capital is available to be used to ensure boilers have high efficiency (boiler design, burner selection and control, stack energy recovery etc.)

• Easier to measure and monitor a single system and to integrate energy recovery and efficiency measures as all the thermal processes use the same system and are more likely to be in balance

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26

maximum efficiency with modern modulating burners and control. The boilers should be sized to suit the likely load conditions, which may mean different size boilers that can be run in combination to suit the load conditions (avoiding load conditions where the boiler may not run at maximum efficiency, such as very low or very high loads).

Blowdown is often considered an area of loss with a steam boiler, but it is possible to minimise blowdown and, or, recover energy from blowdown. Some aspects to consider are: • Maximise condensate return – it not only has a high heat energy content, but also has very low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), so reduces boiler blowdown

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• Use automatic TDS control to maintain the optimum TDS level in the boiler

• Recover energy from TDS blowdown to heat the feedtank and preheat make-up water The use of a combined cycle allows greater use of the high energy potential of the fuel source. Co-generation will produce electrical power and heat (steam), while Trigeneration will provide electrical power, heat (steam) and cooling (chilled water via an absorption chiller). The use of combined cycle systems, that can produce steam, may be a good fit with the overall energy requirements of a facility.

Measure, monitor and optimise. If there is no visibility of what is happening, then how well the system is working, and if it can be better, are hard to determine. Installing meters to measure boiler and system flows provides the raw data, however this by itself will not normally provide an effective outcome. Monitoring and analysis of this data is required to benchmark the system and identify potential improvements to efficiency and performance, and to maintain these gains ongoing.

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National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J requirements As of the 1st of May 2020, the new National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J requirements comes into regulatory effect with the end of the twelve-month ‘discretionary’ transition period (during which the old Section J provisions could still be applied). There are some substantial changes to Section J compared to what we have been previously used to, and is a stepchange for the design and consulting community.

T

o assist in understanding these changes specifically the impact on building design, the LUCID Built Environment ESD team has carried out significant research and prepared a series of “Tech Notes”. These distil the changes down into a simplified and digestible format to communicate what the impacts are to future building design.

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NCC 2019 SECTION J As of the 1st of May 2020, the new National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J requirements come into regulatory effect with the end of the twelve-month ‘discretionary’ transition period.

Tech note 1 – Glazing

TECH NOTE 1 - GLAZING This technical note provides concise information on the changes as related to external glazing compliance assessment and performance requirements, with case study examples. Please note that the following information is generic to building class and climate zone. Some building classes or climate zones may have specific requirements.

TECHNICAL

This revision of Section J introduces a number of enhanced thermal envelope energy efficiency requirements which will influence architectural design. Previously accepted solutions, systems and approaches may no longer be compliant.

EXTERNAL GLAZING The legacy Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) Glazing Calculator has been replaced with a new and comprehensive NCC Façade Calculator. The Façade Calculator enables the compliance assessment of wall-glazing constructions (including spandrels), providing a whole-of-facade approach. More flexible than the previous Glazing Calculators, the new Façade Calculator offers advantages similar to performance-based JV3 modelling with trade-off between glazing and walls permissible for DTS compliance. The total system U-value for wall-glazing construction must not be more than UT 2.0 W/m²K for most nonresidential building classes and climate zones. Whilst walls contribute to overall compliance of a wall-glazing construction, back-stop total system R-values are provided to ensure minimum outcomes.

Using the wall-glazing construction total system U-value requirement and the minimum R-value performance requirements of walls, the below chart displays the relationship between glazing total system U-value performance and glazing-to-wall ratio (facade opacity).

LUCID CONSULTING AUSTRALIA - NCC 2019 SECTION J | 1

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TECH NOTE 1

Minimum glazing total system U-value compliance requirements have increased in stringency. Generally for facades with less than 80% glazing to façade area, standard double glazing in standard commercial aluminium framing systems can be expected above 35% glazing to façade area ratio. Very high performance glass (e.g. low-e argon double glazing with high-performance framing systems) can be expected above 65% glazing to façade area ratio. Although an increase in stringency, flexibility is offered in the combined assessment of wall-glazing constructions; vision glazing performance requirements (U-value) can be relaxed through increased R-value performance of opaque walls.

Total system Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is similarly considered within the DTS Façade Calculator via a wholeof-façade approach utilising maximum solar admittance (the fraction of transmitted solar radiation incident on a wallglazing construction). Considerations of appropriate total SHGC for compliance in context of façade orientation, shading provisions, building class and climate zone will be generally consistent with previous Section J requirements, however, are design specific.

Spandrel panels also have greater attention within NCC Section J 2019 with specific guidance on the calculation of thermal performance accounting for the framing systems. To demonstrate the difference, the table below shows the total system R-value when calculated using the legacy Section J and the new version. It is important to note that this will not alter spandrel design - it represents an improvement to the accuracy of calculating spandrel thermal performance.

In all instances, minimum thermal compliance of spandrel sections will only be met through the inclusion of secondary insulated wall behind the spandrel.

Construction

Spandrel Panel with Thermally Unbroken framing

Spandrel Panel with Thermally Broken framing

Added Insulation

RM 2.0 Glasswool

RM 2.0 Glasswool

Total System R-Value Under NCC 2016

RT 2.6

RT 2.6

Total System R-Value Under NCC 2019

RT 0.45

RT 1.09

To illustrate the differing glazing performance requirements between NCC 2019 Section J and legacy versions, please refer to the accompanying case studies (over page).

LUCID COMMENTS

The retiring of the old DTS Glazing Calculators is great news for the industry. The new DTS Façade Calculator provides for significantly more flexibility using a whole-of-façade approach.

Generally as a façade whole, most building classes and climate zones will see an increase in stringency of glazing performance given façade opacity.

Trade off between vision glazing performance and performance of opaque elements of the façade will be possible without the need for JV3 modelling, which will be good. Although JV3 modelling may still be required for other design rationalisation activities.

More accurate representation of the thermal performance of spandrels (or lack thereof) aligns performance expectations across façade design and mechanical services. This was a major flaw of NCC Section J previously.

The concept of ‘solar admittance’ will take some time to get used to, however is a better representation in context of overall façade design.

FURTHER INFORMATION Please refer to the full series of Lucid NCC Section J 2019 technical notes for further discussion of the changes. If you require assistance on a specific project or have a general query related to NCC Section J 2019, please contact Lucid Consulting at the following address (NCC2019SectionJ@lucidconsulting.com.au) and a member of our Energy and Sustainability team will be in contact to assist you.

LUCID CONSULTING AUSTRALIA - NCC 2019 SECTION J | 2

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TECH NOTE 1

GLAZING CASE STUDIES The following project case studies have been assessed using the NCC 2019 Section J DTS Façade Calculator and the legacy NCC 2016 Section J JV3 performance-based modelling and the DTS Glazing Calculator. Glazing performance parameters have been resolved which meet minimum Section J requirements.

Class 3 Hotel Adelaide

Case Study 2:

Class 5 Office Adelaide

Case Study 3:

Class 9b School Melbourne

Case Study 4:

Class 3 Hotel Adelaide

(Glazing Façade Area 35%)

(Glazing Façade Area 34%)

(Glazing Façade Area 34%)

(Glazing Façade Area 73%)

NCC 2016

NCC 2016

NCC 2016

NCC 2016

UT=2.7 W/m2k SHGC=0.23

UT=5.3 W/m2k SHGC=0.49

UT=4.0 W/m2k SHGC=0.4

UT=3.1 W/m2k SHGC=0.30

High-performance Low-E double glazing with solar control (grey / neutral) with standard frames.

High-performance Low-E single glazing with moderate solar control (neutral / clear) with standard frames.

High-performance Low-E single glazing with moderate solar control (neutral / clear) with standard frames.

High-performance Low-E double glazing with solar control (grey / neutral) with standard frames.

NCC 2019

NCC 2019

NCC 2019

NCC 2019

UT=4.4 W/m2k SHGC=0.18

UT=5.0 W/m2k SHGC=0.36

UT=3.9 W/m2k SHGC=0.44

UT=2.3 W/m2k SHGC=0.14

High-performance Low-E single glazing with solar control (grey) with standard frames.

High-performance Low-E single glazing with solar control (grey / neutral) with standard frames.

Standard double glazing with moderate solar control (neutral / clear) with standard frames.

High-performance Low-E double glazing with high solar control (grey) with highperformance frames.

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

U-value performance less stringent however greater solar control.

U-value performance generally the same however increased stringency of solar control.

Slight increase in stringency of U-value performance and minor relaxation of solar control requirement.

Significant increase in glazing stringency due to high glazing to façade area ratio. Most pronounced impact is on solar control.

TECHNICAL

Case Study 1:

Note: SHGC requirements highly dependent on façade orientation and climate zone.

LUCID CONSULTING AUSTRALIA - NCC 2019 SECTION J | 3

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NCC 2019 SECTION J As of the 1st of May 2020, the new National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J requirements come into regulatory effect with the end of the twelve-month ‘discretionary’ transition period.

Tech note 2 – Building fabric

This revision of Section J introduces a number of enhanced thermal envelope energy efficiency requirements which will influence architectural design. Previously accepted solutions, systems and approaches may no longer be compliant.

TECH NOTE 2 - BUILDING FABRIC This technical note provides concise information on the changes as related to opaque elements of the thermal envelope.

Please note that the following information is generic to building class and climate zone. Some building classes or climate zones may have specific requirements.

ENVELOPE WALLS The calculation of total system R-value for an envelope wall must now account for the impact of thermal bridging within the construction. A thermal bridge is a localised area of a construction where the heat flow is different (increased) due to higher thermal conductivity compared to surrounding areas, typically associated with differing materials. This represents the path of least resistance in a construction. Thermal bridging presents the net impact of lowering the total system R-value of a construction, therefore requiring more insulation to achieve the same total system R-value as a non-bridged construction. The influence of thermal bridging is illustrated below, comparing a metal-framed and timber-framed external wall.

TOTAL SYSTEM R-VALUE RT 1.32 m2k/W

Metal-framed external wall showing greater variance of isotherms and a greater influence of thermal bridges.

TOTAL SYSTEM R-VALUE RT 2.49 m2k/W

Timber-framed external wall showing less disturbed isotherms and significantly less influence of thermal bridges.

NCC 2019 Section J now requires a minimum total system R-Value for an envelope wall of between RT 1.0 m2K/W to RT 1.4 m2K/W inclusive of thermal bridging, for non-residential building types. To illustrate this change and the impact on total system R-value calculations, the table below provides a summary of external wall constructions with total system R-values calculated to both NCC 2019 Section J and the legacy 2016 version.

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Construction

Masonry Veneer 50mm Cavity 90mm Timber Studs 13mm Plaster

Light Weight Cladding 35mm Top Hat 92mm Metal Studs 13mm Plasterboard Lining

150mm Cast Concrete 92mm Metal Studs 13mm Plasterboard

190mm Blockwork with Rigid Board Insulation 13mm Plasterboard

Added Insulation

RT 2.5 Glasswool

RM 2.5 Glasswool

RM 2.5 Glasswool

RM 2.0 Rigid Board

Total System R-Value Under NCC 2016

RT 2.98

RT 2.93

RT 2.83

RT 2.49

Total System R-Value under NCC 2019

RT 2.15

RT 1.35

RT 1.28

RT 2.36

TECHNICAL

TECH NOTE 2

It can be seen that accounting for thermal bridge impacts of the construction results in a substantial difference in the derived total system R-value. This, however more accurately demonstrates the thermal performance of a wall construction.

Designers need to be conscious of these impacts on detailing and wall thicknesses, and communicating fabric performance to HVAC engineers (for load sizing calculations).

ENVELOPE ROOF & CEILINGS Minimum total system R-value requirements of NCC 2019 Section J for roof and ceiling constructions are generally consistent with previous performance requirements. Calculation of total system R-values must now be completed in accordance with AS/NZS 4859.2:2018. This represents only a minor technical change, not likely to substantially influence design.

However, unlike the previous version, NCC 2019 Section J now defines a maximum roof Solar Absorptance (SA) limit for DTS compliance (0.45) for all building classes and climate zones. This SA limit will restrict the palate of roof finishes where DTS compliance is sought. The application of roof finishes with higher SA will require performance-based JV3 modelling verification. Reviewing the product range of a large roof cladding supplier indicates that of the roof colours/ products available, only around 30% offer performance compliant with the NCC 2019 Section J DTS provisions.

Careful attention needs to be given to roof finishes for DTS compliance. Black roofs will not be compliant with DTS provisions.

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TECH NOTE 2

CONCRETE SLAB ON GROUND FLOORS Legacy versions of NCC Section J took a simplistic approach to the treatment of Concrete Slab-OnGround (CSOG) floor constructions with insulation requirements limited to applications in alpine regions and/or where in-slab heating systems were present.

NCC 2019 Section J now takes a more technical approach to the determination of total system R-value offered by this floor system. Calculation of total system R-values must be completed in accordance with AS/NZS 4859.2:2018, which includes the thermal resistance offered by the underlying soil in context of ratio of floor area to floor perimeter and wall thicknesses. Pending specific design considerations, insulation may be required for some CSOG floors regardless of climate zone or building class.

Image credit: Kingspan

Total system R-values for DTS compliance of envelope floors have been harmonised across construction types, generally RT 2.0 m2K/W (in the absence of a floor heating system).

To illustrate the influence of the new calculation requirements, the table below provides a summary of two different floor areas with various area-to-perimeter ratios. The calculated total system R-values, soil R-value alone and compliance are demonstrated.

Floor Dimension

10m x 20m

14.1m x 14.1m

6m x 33m

25m x 40m

31.5m x 31.5m

16.7m x 60m

Floor Area

≈ 200m2

≈ 200m2

≈ 200m2

≈ 1,000m2

≈ 1,000m2

≈ 1,000m2

Area to Perimeter Ratio

3.33

3.52

2.53

7.69

7.87

6.53

“Soil” R-value per Spec J1.6

1.43 m2K/W

1.5 m2K/W

1.11 m2K/W

2.87 m2K/W

2.93 m2K/W

2.41 m2K/W

Construction (air film, tiles, adhesive & 150mm slab)

0.28 m2K/W

0.28 m2K/W

0.28 m2K/W

0.28 m2K/W

0.28 m2K/W

0.28 m2K/W

Total System R-value

1.71 m2K/W

1.78 m2K/W

1.39 m2K/W

3.15 m2K/W

3.21 m2K/W

2.69 m2K/W

Under-Slab Insulation Required?

Yes (0.29 m2K/W) - 25mm

Yes (0.22 m2K/W) - 25mm

Yes (0.61 m2K/W) - 25mm

No

No

No

Alternative Solution? JV3 modelling JV3 modelling JV3 modelling

--

--

--

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TECH NOTE 2

The inclusion of the impact of thermal bridges in the calculation of total system R-values for external walls is a significant change for the industry.

Although thermal bridges need to be accounted for (and generally reduce total R-values), the minimum DTS total system R-values have also been lowered (from RT 2.3-2.8 to generally RT 1.0-1.4) such that the overall impact is somewhat mitigated. It will be a process of working through standard wall solutions and understanding the impacts.

These changes will result in more accurate estimation of thermal performance. Previously, ESD and mechanical services consultants would use ‘idealised’ centre-of-insulation total R-values for load estimation and modelling.

These values over-estimated the performance of the thermal envelope. The changes now mean alignment across the industry.

Limitations of roof palettes for DTS compliant solutions will come as a shock to most architects. It is likely that the maintained use of dark roofs for non-residential buildings will necessitate performance-based JV3 modelling as these will not be compliant with solar absorptance requirements.

The new method of calculating total system R-value provided by slab-on-ground floors will likely indicate that, for some building forms, under slab insulation is required. However, we expect that this will be one area where rationalisation will be desired through performance-based JV3 modelling.

Overall, consideration of the thermal envelope in a more accurate way is of benefit to the industry. The changes sharpen the edges of what was previously a very blunt tool.

TECHNICAL

LUCID COMMENTS

FURTHER INFORMATION Please refer to the full series of Lucid NCC Section J 2019 technical notes for further discussion of the changes. If you require assistance on a specific project or have a general query related to NCC Section J 2019, please contact Lucid Consulting at the following address (NCC2019SectionJ@lucidconsulting.com.au) and a member of our Energy and Sustainability team will be in contact to assist you.

Pictured: Ellenbrook Secondary School, Perth.

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TECH NOTE 3

NCC 2019 SECTION J

Tech note 3 – Performance solutions

As of the 1st of May 2020, the new National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J requirements come into regulatory effect with the end of the twelve-month ‘discretionary’ transition period.

This revision of Section J introduces a number of enhanced thermal envelope energy efficiency requirements which will influence architectural design. Previously accepted solutions, systems and approaches may no longer be compliant.

TECH NOTE 3 - PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

This technical note provides concise information on the changes to existing performance solutions and introduces new performance solutions available to projects. Please note that the following information is generic to building class and climate zone. Some building classes or climate zones may have specific requirements.

JV3 MODELLING CHANGES Performance-based JV3 modelling to demonstrate compliance with performance objectives of NCC Section J has historically been highly common on projects to achieve rationalised solutions whilst maintaining equivalent performance to DTS compliance. Pre-NCC 2019 Section J, the most common drivers of performance-based JV3 modelling was to resolve architecturally acceptable glazing solutions, rationalise insulation (i.e. omission of soffit insulation to basement carparks) and facilitate roof light extent beyond maximum DTS limits. NCC 2019 Section J now includes two changes which substantially influence the viability and flexibility offered by performance-based verification methods.

Firstly, the introduction of the NCC Façade Calculator and compliance assessment of wall-glazing constructions provides a whole-of-facade approach and negates the necessity for JV3 performance-based modelling to resolve typical glazing issues. The NCC Façade Calculator has been developed to provide more flexibility to compliance, allowing trade-off between opaque walls, glazing elements and spandrel to better meet architectural intent.

Secondly, a significant modification to the performance-based JV3 modelling protocol has been made; both energy AND thermal comfort must be considered in the rationalisation of a design. Previous to NCC 2019 Section J, a design could be rationalised to achieve a compliant outcome assessed on the basis of heating and cooling energy consumption only. This has resulted in cases of rationalised solutions providing poor thermal comfort outcome for occupants. The requirement of NCC 2019 Section J JV3 modelling protocols to achieve minimum thermal comfort outcomes (using the PMV discomfort index) will restrict the extent of rationalisation which can occur. Although previously a compliant performance-based solution could be derived for the rationalisation (i.e. removal) of soffit insulation from a suspended floor below a conditioned space, it can be expected that thermal comfort considerations of NCC 2019 Section J will restrict this (i.e. unacceptable thermal comfort impacts).

In summary, performance-based JV3 modelling to NCC 2019 Section J may not be required for some design elements but will be required for new issues, and can generally be expected to offer more restricted advantages compared to legacy versions of NCC Section J. LUCID CONSULTING AUSTRALIA - NCC 2019 SECTION J | 1

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TECH NOTE 3

To reduce duplication of compliance activities and associated costs, NCC 2019 Section J includes “crosswalks” to the NABERS energy benchmarking scheme and the Green Star rating system. Verification methods JV1 NABERS Energy for Offices and JV2 Green Star have been included additional to JV3 performance-based modelling to enable the compliant use of respective NABERS and Green Star modelling for Section J compliance. However, the use of these crosswalks will be limited to those projects which are registered for certified outcomes (to either NABERS or Green Star) and meet other prescribed performance requirements. The application of Green Star or NABERS in an equivalency sense will not qualify for the crosswalk with NCC 2019 Section J.

TECHNICAL

GREEN STAR & NABERS CROSSWALKS

LUCID COMMENTS

The inclusion of thermal comfort metrics into compliance assessment for performance based solutions is a positive change to ensure such performance solutions are fit for purpose.

Thermal comfort assessment will likely see an increase in modelling complexity and time compared to previous modelling protocols. There are a number of oversights that will need to be addressed by the ABCB to ensure equitable outcomes are achieved across projects.

It’s a case of two steps forward, one step back; although JV3 won’t be needed for the typical reasons we are used to – thanks to the DTS Façade Calculator – there are other areas where JV3 modelling will likely be used to rationalise outcomes. Under slab insulation and roof solar absorptance are probably the focus areas.

Although the Green Star / NABERS crosswalks are at least an acknowledgement by the ABCB of compliance duplication, being restricted to only registered projects will severely limit their broader use beyond core Green Star / NABERS markets (e.g. CBD commercial offices). Limited uses of these crosswalks can be expected for the broader market.

FURTHER INFORMATION Please refer to the full series of Lucid NCC Section J 2019 technical notes for further discussion of the changes. If you require assistance on a specific project or have a general query related to NCC Section J 2019, please contact Lucid Consulting at the following address (NCC2019SectionJ@lucidconsulting.com.au) and a member of our Energy and Sustainability team will be in contact to assist you.

Pictured: Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin.

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NCC 2019 SECTION J As of the 1st of May 2020, the new National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J requirements come into regulatory effect with the end of the twelve-month ‘discretionary’ transition period.

Tech note 4 – Airtightness

This revision of Section J introduces a number of enhanced thermal envelope energy efficiency requirements which will influence architectural design. Previously accepted solutions, systems and approaches may no longer be compliant.

TECH NOTE 4 - AIRTIGHTNESS This technical note provides concise information on the new consideration of airtightness within the NCC and what the implications are for projects. Please note that the following information is generic to building class and climate zone. Some building classes or climate zones may have specific requirements.

AIRTIGHTNESS NCC 2019 Section J includes a new verification method (JV4) for demonstration of compliance with the performance objective of sealing of the building envelope against air leakage. This verification method is based on testing of “air permeability” (the rate of air leakage per unit of facade area; m3/hr.m2) per Method 1 of AS/ NZS ISO 9972 and is applicable to most building classes and climate zones. However, the JV4 verification method is noted as only “one way of achieving” compliance with the performance objective and that the DTS provisions of Section J Part J3 Building Sealing can also be applied. NCC 2019 Section J Part J3 contains only minor adjustments from legacy versions such that it is likely to remain the default approach to building sealing provisions, with no measurable impact of architecture or design.

Image credit: iATS

It is highly likely that the inclusion of JV4 and the specific reference to physical airtightness testing of as-constructed buildings is a precursor to more substantive requirements for airtightness verification in future NCC versions. Watch this space in 2022.

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TECH NOTE 4

Airtightness is likely the most overlooked aspect of energy efficiency within the Australian construction industry.

Poor airtightness undermines all other thermal envelope initiatives to improve energy efficiency.

Addressing airtightness is challenging (but not impossible) within a regulatory framework. It is not necessarily possible to design to a specific level of airtightness based on a simplified schedule of initiatives (“it’s all or nothing”). Nor is it possible to measurably verify performance at the design or permit stage; performance verification is really only viable late within the construction phase.

The exciting teaser of air permeability metrics in NCC 2019 Section J (JV4) is a signal to the industry of the ABCB’s intent to introduce further more robust airtightness measures in later NCC versions (likely 2022). It shouldn’t be a surprise in the near future that mandatory airtightness testing is required.

NCC 2019 Section J has a disappointing easy-out through the non-mandatory requirements of JV4 and continued permitted use of the old (and practically useless) DTS provisions of Section J3 Building Sealing.

Airtightness should be viewed as a proxy for construction quality.

TECHNICAL

LUCID COMMENTS

FURTHER INFORMATION Please refer to the full series of Lucid NCC Section J 2019 technical notes for further discussion of the changes. If you require assistance on a specific project or have a general query related to NCC Section J 2019, please contact Lucid Consulting at the following address (NCC2019SectionJ@lucidconsulting.com.au) and a member of our Energy and Sustainability team will be in contact to assist you.

Pictured: University of Melbourne Student Accommodation - 303 Royal Parade, Carlton.

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NCC 2019 SECTION J As of the 1st of May 2020, the new National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 Section J requirements come into regulatory effect with the end of the twelve-month ‘discretionary’ transition period.

Summary

This revision of Section J introduces a number of enhanced thermal envelope energy efficiency requirements which will influence architectural design. Previously accepted solutions, systems and approaches may no longer be compliant.

SUMMARY To assist our clients in understanding these changes, specifically the impact on architectural design, Lucid has prepared a series of concise and informative technical notes. These distil the changes down to what specifically relates to your designs.

KEY CHANGES 1

Glazing compliance requirements are now determined holistically for wall-glazing constructions to provide an overall total system U-value, accounting for combined façade orientations and levels.

2

The calculation of total system R-value for an envelope wall must now account for the impact of thermal bridging within the construction. This will impact insulation solutions, wall details and wall thicknesses.

3

Roof and ceiling system performance requirements are largely the same, however there is now a revised total system R-value calculation method and a more restrictive limit to roof solar absorptance. This change to solar absorptance requirements will impact architecture and restrict the palate of roof finishes/colours for DTS compliance.

4

On grade/slab-on-ground concrete floors now require more detailed calculation of thermal performance and will require slab insulation in some instances, regardless of the inclusion of floor heating systems. For other floor systems, simplifications have been made with a standardisation of total system R-value requirements for all classes and climate zones (except alpine regions).

5

Performance-based verification methods (e.g. JV3 modelling) must now account for thermal comfort impacts.

The use of performance methods for design rationalisation and value-engineering will be more restrictive as both energy AND thermal comfort must be considered in determining compliance.

6

NABERS & Green Star “crosswalks” have been introduced to reduce duplication of compliance/certification activities and associated costs. NABERS or Green Star modelling can be used to demonstrate compliance with Section J provisions for projects registered for certification under these schemes.

7

Enhanced building envelope sealing provisions have been included with a verification method of as-built airtightness testing and air permeability targets. However, existing DTS provisions can still be used.

The application of the previous NCC 2016 Section J will no longer be at the discretion of the design team for new projects after the 1st May 2020. Architects and Project Managers should consult their Building Surveyor to confirm which version is applicable given the extent of design completed as at 1st May 2020 for specific projects.

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SUMMARY

TECHNICAL NOTES

Tech Note 1:

Tech Note 2:

Tech Note 3:

Tech Note 4:

Glazing

Building Fabric

Performance Solutions

Airtightness

LUCID COMMENTS

The changes within NCC 2019 Section J represent a step-change in terms of outcomes and compliance assessment approaches.

The changes will lead to meaningful benefits of improved thermal comfort, increased energy efficiency (and reduced greenhouse gas emissions), and mitigation of peak demand growth on energy networks.

It can be expected that the initial enforcement of these changes will see some ‘teething issues’ requiring collaboration between ESD Consultants, Architects and Building Surveyors to seek pragmatic outcomes. This is in context of relatively limited guidance documents provided by the ABCB to support the changes.

It will take time for product suppliers and manufacturers to fully accommodate the changes within their supporting technical literature and documentation. Significant support from manufacturers and suppliers may be limited on the basis of how products are treated and assessed with respect to compliance of overall “systems”.

We believe these are positive changes for the industry which will result in long-term benefits to the economy through improved energy productivity from the sector.

TECHNICAL

For further information on understanding these changes and the impact on architectural design, please refer to our technical note series:

FURTHER INFORMATION If you require assistance on a specific project or have a general query related to NCC Section J 2019, please contact Lucid Consulting at the following address (NCC2019SectionJ@lucidconsulting.com.au) and a member of our Energy and Sustainability team will be in contact to assist you.

Pictured: 1 King William Street, Adelaide

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Air Tightness Testing

GET THE RIGHT RESULT Adam Garnys: Principal Consultant; Co-author: Greenstar Air Tightness Credit

As Leaders in Air Tightness we believe in offering advice, solutions & on-demand testing to deliver the results you need Project: Barangaroo C1

Melbourne Brisbane Sydney Perth London San Francisco 42

Appetite for Education

Paul Angus, Education Sector Lead (NSW & ACT) | AECOM

The current Covid-19 crisis has provided an incentive to pause, reflect and reconsider how exactly the current education system can adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Education in today’s world needs to equip today’s young people with the skills to thrive in a tomorrow’s world……even if we don’t know what exactly it looks like yet, when you consider that up to 50% of today’s work activities could be fully automated by 2055.

There will always be an appetite for education, a thirst for knowledge, and the ability to adapt and retrain, but how exactly can today's education facilities prepare students for a world that doesn't yet exist?

Paradise Campus

S

ince the start of ‘lockdown’, the majority of university campuses all around the globe have suddenly found themselves empty. Corridors, usually filled with laughter and discussion, are eerily quiet. Lecture theatres and classrooms that were bursting with enthusiasm and knowledge sharing at the start of the year are now all desolate.

Did you know that before COVID-19 struck, around five million students were undertaking degrees outside their home country. However, travel restrictions and social isolation measures around the world have and will continue to reduce the numbers of international students dramatically. This is a major concern, especially when you

consider that the education sector is a major contributor to Australia’s economy, with extraordinary numbers of international students enrolling at Australian universities.

For example, in 2019, there were 720,150 international students in Australia. That is an 11% growth on the previous year, which catapulted Australia’s position, as the second-most popular destination in the world for study abroad, only after the United States of America.

Five countries compose more than half of all international student enrolments in the country: • China (28% of the total)

• India (15% of the total)

• Nepal (7% of the total)

• Brazil (4% of the total)

• Vietnam (3.5% of the total)

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Did you know that the Education Sector is Australia’s fourth largest export, with the international student market valued at $39 billion to Australia last year? When you consider the revenue that is generated from international student fees, it is plain to see how this has become a key source of income for Australian universities and a major concern, due to the lockdown.

On average, foreign students pay $8-10,000 more in university fees than their home-grown counterpart students. To attract international students, educational facilities have to adapt and invest significantly in new facilities with the latest advancement in technology, campuses that integrate with industry and business precincts, improved student accommodation, plus promote themselves in key markets.

For universities, this revenue forms an important crosssubsidy into funding existing building refurbishments, constructing new facilities and transforming campuses.

International students are the catalyst for injecting funding for many universities. However, with international travel restricting overseas student applications, this has effectively restricted the revenue stream for universities.

Funding that was initially projected and allocated to new campus projects is no longer available in the short term.

Another aspect to consider is the competition for international rankings are a vital tool in attracting prospective students, both locally and internationally.

Without revenue, plans for growth and improvements to new facilities are on effectively on hold. What does that future look like and how do we accommodate, improve, expand and facilitate new educational facilities, when major funding has been depleted?

Welcome to the future of education

Education needs to prepare today’s young students with the skills to thrive in tomorrow’s world. According to a Dell Technologies report, 85% of the jobs in 2030 that graduates will enter into have not been invented yet. Even more startling is that by 2030, 65% of primary-school children learning today will be working in roles that do not exist yet.

• Coronavirus-related disruption can give educators time to rethink the sector.

• Technology has stepped in and will continue to play a key role in educating future generations.

• In a world where knowledge is a mouse-click away, the role of the educator must change too.

Education must and has had to adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Change is transformational. Change is good. Change can be very tough. Sometimes, when we

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have to adapt, when we have to change, that is when the good things happen.

A radical change in the way education is delivered online could have taken years, however most educational facilities have been forced to adapt and become virtual. Lecturers and students alike are now becoming accustomed to a new routine of studying at home, attending lectures and studies online, made so easy by relying on advancements in technology.

These recent advancements in educational technology are quite frankly amazing. The level of technology that has emerged in this field are allowing educators to create remarkable learning experiences for today’s young minds.

With Virtual interactive technologies becoming so widely available, it has effectively made it easier and faster for students to learn. This could result in teaching and learning never, ever being the same again.

Technology is advancing and transforming how we live, work, play and think. And it’s happening far more rapidly, and on a larger scale, than at any point in human history.

Live and let e-learn

Now, more than ever, there is a wealth of available online learning opportunities. Part of the appeal of online learning is that they’re convenient. Students can take lessons at home 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Students will have more opportunities to learn at different times in different places. eLearning tools facilitate opportunities for remote, self-paced learning. Classrooms and lecture theatres as we know it will be flipped, which means the theoretical part is learned outside the classroom, whereas the practical part shall be taught face to face, albeit interactively.

Just imagine, students will be learning outside, armed with different devices, listening to a teacher. Lecturer or bot of choice, in a language they choose.

The classrooms of the future will be centred around selfpaced and personalized learning. This student-centric approach allows students to choose their own pace and learning objectives, based on individual interests—all of which could be guided by artificial intelligence, chatbots – in a language they can choose, and video-based learning in an environment they choose. Welcome to the future of education.

Virtual Reality (VR) is one extraordinary technology that teachers are deploying in the classroom. Another technology being introduced is gamification – a teaching resource that turns learning into a videogame. This tool entices students by challenging them with an incentive to complete work in order to reach a new level.

In other areas, developers have created digital content that presents reading materials, replacing standard textbooks, based on students’ comprehension level. With adaptive learning, instead of a broad-based approach,

OPINION

As technology is rapidly changing the world around us, what does the future of the education system have, as we once knew it? Educators are tapping into the digital revolution and adopting new technologies to help students reach their full potential. In doing so, makes one thing certain, Education will never disappear, it will just take a very different form to how we once knew it.

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students in schools and universities can have learning modules tailored around their specific needs, ways of learning, and any learning difficulties they have. That is where Chatbot’s assist in e-learning.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in education typically focuses on identifying what exactly a student does or doesn’t know, and then subsequently developing personalised study for each student. AI-driven applications in education are still in their infancy, although expected to become a $6 billion industry by the year 2025. Over half of this will come from China and the U.S., with China leading globally.

Knocking on the Chatbot’s door

Sweet Student of mine

Looking to the future of education and how we train children and students for a tomorrows world and how we deliver work, it is clear that some of our most important investments are in creating artificial intelligence and machine learning platforms to enable our teams of tomorrow to become even more capable and efficient than ever before. In today’s world, a secondary benefit is fast becoming apparent: Applying digital technology allows far more virtual teaching than ever before to be delivered remotely online, by a connected global education revolution — especially critical when the future of our generation within a tomorrow’s world will demand it.

A wide range of occupations in the not so distant future will require a higher degree of cognitive abilities — such as creativity, logical reasoning and problem sensitivity — as part of their core skill set. More than half of these do not yet do so today, or only to a much smaller extent. This will lay the foundation for an education revolution more comprehensive and all-encompassing than anything we have ever seen.

Chatbots are also quickly becoming a fundamental tool in next generation education. Designed to simplify the interaction between student and computer, chatbots provide a wide range of benefits, as identified below: • Spaced interval learning: Uses algorithms and repetition to optimise memorisation

But, even when lockdown comes to an end, we are likely to be subject to a significant period of restriction, potentially until a vaccine becomes available and this form of online teaching will continue into tomorrow’s world. The question education facilities of today will need to face up to, is when you can study online, why would you want to go to a campus? One thing that is certain, in these uncertain times is that thirst for knowledge, that appetite for education will always remain in today’s world to transform and develop tomorrows world.

• Immediate feedback: Tests, exams and assessments can be assessed with a higher degree of accuracy and be far more efficient use of time than teachers • Self-paced learning: Tracks a student’s performance and guides them based on their individual needs

This innovative technology is arming educators with new strategies for more engaged learning, whilst simultaneously reducing their workload.

Although we may not be in the era of iTeachers or a virtual lecture via a hologram just yet, the benefits of technology, as teaching aids, are plain to see. However, what is more important is that these aids are used in tandem with developmental and educational psychology—ultimately keeping students, rather than technology, at the core of education.

It is exciting to see that within just a few years, developments in technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology and 3D printing will transform most occupations.

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About the Author

Paul Angus Paul Angus is AECOM’s Education Sector Lead for New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory.

Paul has 20 years of experience focussing on Tertiary Education based on numerous projects within Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He has an excellent understanding of design and project management, including managing multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring coordination of disciplines are integrated into the program and quality review process.

He is a regular contributor of thought leadership articles for various industry magazines, including Facility Management Magazine, The Hotel Engineer and Healthcare Journal.

What are ‘Superlabs’?

And what makes for a superbly designed Superlabs?

Imagine dozens of brilliant scientists and scientists-to-be working side by side in one large, open and fully equipped lab space — a shared space humming with the activity of curious minds as they interact with, learn from and inspire one another. I would describe such a setting as nothing short of super. In fact, as many in the industry know, laboratory facilities that facilitate learning/teaching and the exchange of ideas in a large group environment, as well as potentially running multiple sessions in parallel, are often referred to as ‘Superlabs’.

E

stablished in 2006, the London Metropolitan University’s Science Centre is home to one such Superlabs. At 280 individual workstations, this Superlabs is not only considered one of the largest and most advanced educational science facilities in Europe, but is also often credited as being the first open-plan Superlabs in the world to enable scientific research and learning to be carried out simultaneously at such a scale.

HDR is currently working on a number of Superlabs, which while not necessarily an entirely new concept, do constantly offer interesting opportunities to explore and compare teaching pedagogies. The value of such opportunities are reflected in the Australian university sector’s increasing interest in and demand for the benefits of the Superlabs.

So what is the major benefit that Superlabs have to offer?

Efficiency

From an academic standpoint incorporating Superlabs teaching space provides the duality of increasing efficiencies and mimicking the real world environment, as institutions and corporations move to larger open

OPINION

Graeme Spencer I Director of Education, Science and Technology

spaces with transparency to the workspace beyond, this environment helps students become better prepared for their future.

The multidiscipline academic programs contained within a singular open plan learning environment, hum with the activity of curious minds as they interact with, learn from and inspire one another. With a constrained site and floor plate the Superlabs create huge teaching efficiencies due to its contiguous space, comparative to a cellular traditional teaching lab planning approach. Superlabs more efficiently utilise real estate and support a larger ‘teaching and support’ head count, both of which help maximize cost efficiencies. Design of Superlabs are standardised to provide flexibility in science pedagogies, easily taking the labs from physics to chemistry to biomedicine and more. This allows University to collocate multiple science departments, and also provides for responsiveness to changes in the education program, both of which help maximise cost efficiencies in a very competitive university sector.

But while the flexibility of having larger numbers of students sharing a space at any given time may be economically appealing, it won’t count for much if the quality of teaching

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is adversely affected. Providing quality teaching process is key to knowledge retention and to make the journey of learning and discovery more enjoyable and exciting.

I would also argue that the camaraderie developed between students is an equally valuable life skill for life beyond graduation.

The question, therefore, is this: What factors should design teams address to ensure high levels of teaching quality in Superlabs? To answer that, we have created a Superlabs design quality checklist to prompt some thoughts at the initial stage.

use of directional speakers or more personal solutions such as headsets. Furthermore, when all is said and done, it is the architects’ and engineers’ responsibility to ensure the spaces are compliant with all accreditation requirements and that the available materials and finishes have been utilised in the best manner possible. The evolution of the Superlabs from the London Metro headset, to the use of active directional white noise speakers to create ‘cones of silence’ around each station at University of Sydney’s Life, Earth and Environmental Science building, to the UTS Hive Lab incorporation of bone conducting headsets, allow the opportunity of running several lessons simultaneously with little disruption between classes.

Technology

Our design thinking has accommodated for evolving patterns of use while considering the type of laboratory — from physics, to chemistry or microbiology. For example, mounted computer screens is a critical challenge because technologies evolve at rates that are far faster than that of a large construction project, hence the importance of seeking qualified expertise and establishing suitable budgets. It is important to determine how students will use this space. We live in a ‘bring your own device’ era; electronic lab notebooks (ELN), tablets and hybrid devices are becoming increasingly common; and apps have become part of the teaching process. Design thinking has to accommodate for evolving patterns of use while considering the type of laboratory — from computer or engineering to, for instance, chemistry or microbiology. For example, bracket mounts cannot be an afterthought and have to be carefully planned out as part of the overall design of the space. The opportunity of running several lessons simultaneously in the same space can only work with the right technology in place and operational.

Sharing equipment and resources benefit an institution's bottom line.

Equipment

One of the biggest benefits of Superlabs, again from an efficiency perspective, is the possibility of sharing equipment and making valuable inventory readily accessible. Secondary benefits related to equipment in a large, open laboratory environment include more efficient troubleshooting and improved repair and maintenance operations that can positively impact operational expenditures. A Superlabs environment provides staff with increased opportunities to monitor students and educate them on the use of equipment.

In the case of microbiology, for instance, it is essential that students learn about the principles underlying a sterile workplace, equipment and technique, since cell culture experiments are ruined once contaminated.

Circulation and access to exits are important layout considerations.

Monitor bracket mounts clear work surfaces and improve safety.

Acoustics

Noise is such a variable factor — the right amount of ‘good’ background noise can have a calming and comforting effect while stark silence can actually be quite confronting in a stressful environment. A ‘sound’ design (pun intended) considers the use of technology to address auditory quality that goes beyond volume control, for example through the

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Spatial Allowance

Safety in a laboratory setting is fundamental. Plenty of planning references and code requirements that influence lab planning and design address all issues from bench spacing to entrances and exits. Efficiency is by definition a key driver of Superlabs planning. That being said, a good layout will both maximise efficiency yet retain all aspects of sensible planning and rational layout of fixed items while allowing flexibility around loose items and equipment.

Large windows can improve lighting levels while providing a better backdrop.

Generous circulation spaces make it easier for large groups of students to enter and depart.

Spatial Allocation

While the Superlabs have significantly increased timetabling efficiency and throughput of undergraduate teaching lab courses, significant feedback from staff is the improvement of teachers and tutors increased opportunities to monitor students and educate them on the use of equipment and experimental procedures. In the case of the microbiology course, for instance, it is essential that students learn about the principles underlying a sterile workplace, equipment and technique, since cell culture experiments are ruined once contaminated. This has dramatically decreased in the new open plan laboratory environment.

One of the operational challenges facing Superlabs design is managing the pedestrian movement of student arrivals and departures between classes — where the student population per lab of 200 students is of course far greater than in a traditional teaching laboratory. Integrated AV technology that clearly identifies and driects students’ bench locations, such as large format wayfinding signage displays and indicator lights at bench stations, is of the utmost importance, especially when several activities are being held simultaneously. Working closely with the timetabling group, class period scheduling was coordinated to provide seamless access to student protective safety equipment and pick up/drop off lockers.

Students deserve environments that encourage the exchange of ideas, promote a desire to learn, and that simply make them want to be there. The environment should aspire to improve on the limited palette and dreary backdrops typically associated with traditional laboratories.

There are no excuses for a boring teaching environments and a dynamic interior design should inspired by the surrounding landscape by responding to this challenge in providing a highly engaging teaching environment.

Superlabs afford a wonderful opportunity to enhance educational and research objectives, through transparency of these spaces. By allowing students who are coming and going to peer into teaching and learning environments, truly places science on display and visually reinforces the accessibility of teaching staff and the state of the art lab environments, demonstrates a university’s commitment to providing exceptional learning experiences.

OPINION

Environmental Quality and Quality of the Environment

About the Author

Graeme Spencer Graeme has 25 years of practice experience with international design firms.

His work spans a variety of architectural settings, including heading the design and execution of education, advanced research, healthcare, major infrastructure, arts and cultural projects in the United Kingdom, Middle East and most recently Australasia. In addition to leading various projects, Graeme spearheads HDR’s efforts in Data Driven Design for strategic campus master planning.

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Can blue sky thinking lead to

blue roof inspiration?

Carl Harrop

Increased flooding instances in the UK continue to drive regulators to reduce the impact that the built environment has on drainage infrastructure and watercourses. Using the planning system as a vehicle for regulation, it is now commonplace for developers to be required to include SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) into developments.

S

ustainable Drainage Systems aim to control surface rainfall run-off by controlling the rate and volume of runoff from a site, relieving pressure on sewerage systems and mimicking natural drainage as closely as possible.

Many of the common SuDS components, such as infiltration (drainage into the ground through swales for example) are implemented downstream of individual buildings, making it impossible to include in dense urban environments. The tendency was therefore for the requirement to centre around the attenuation of rainwater flows from individual buildings.

This attenuation (slowing) of rainwater flows was typically achieved by introducing large tanks, often in the Basement or Ground floor of the building, to intercept the rainwater. The water is then released at a considerably decreased flow rate into the downstream infrastructure.

There are several drawbacks to this approach, including; • The use of valuable floor space for the storage • It sometimes requires pump discharges (very unsustainable)

• The tank will be sized for the worst-case storm (typically 1:100 years plus a climate change allowance of 40%) and hence it will sit largely unused for probably large portions of the building life.

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Blue roof overflow

Source control SuDS is where the rainwater is managed where it lands, which for most city centre buildings will be the roof or podium. A technique which embraces this perfectly is commonly referred to as a blue roof.

A blue roof is specifically designed to provide source control, managing it where it lands, by temporarily attenuating it on the roof by limiting the flow thorough the rainwater outlets, causing water to build up across the roof. This provides an excellent attenuation of flows without any additional land or floorplate take.

The reduction in the number and size of the rainwater

Although blue roofs are becoming a more common approach in the UK there is little high quality and independent guidance, with an over reliance from designers on manufacturers information. This has been identified by CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association) who have brought together various industry stakeholders to develop a new guidance document, due for publication in 2021.

So, what makes a blue roof and is there the opportunity to adapt the approach for use in Australia?

A blue roof can take many forms but it is common for it to form part of a multi-function roof either beneath a green roof providing biodiversity benefits or beneath hard landscaping providing amenity space. The key components are a flow control mechanism, a storage zone and very importantly, an exceedance / overflow path.

The flow control is commonly a rainwater outlet with a filter and orifice plate, with the orifice size calculated to provide the required flow rate. The storage zone is often a plastic geocellular ‘crates’. these have a good void ratio and provide a base for the filter membrane and hard or soft landscaping on top.

example, a 1:100 year storm with a 40% allowance for climate change would result in less than 60mm depth of water across the roof, assuming a zero gradient.

Obviously, where roofs are laid to falls the water will be concentrated at the low point or a secondary membrane could be used to create a flat retention surface.

Overall, where the structure is suitable, a blue roof can provide an efficient, sustainable and cost effective means of slowing the rate at which rainwater enters the system therefore protecting the downstream environment and reducing flood risk.

About the Author

Carl Harrop Director of Watershed Engineering, Carl is a Public Health Engineer having spent his career designing rainwater and drainage systems.

TECHNICAL

pipework and underground drainage also provides savings.

Carl has long championed the uptake of rooftop attenuation into mainstream commercial buildings

There is always the possibility that the design criteria for the system may be exceeded by an exception storm or the outlet may block. In order to prevent ingress to the building or at worst a roof collapse, it is essential that excess water can safely overflow the roof if required.

When designing a blue roof, you would consider the following; • The structural capabilities of the roof deck

• Confirmation that the waterproofing system is approved for use in a blue roof scenario • What is the required flow rate from the roof

• What is the void ratio of your chosen storage zone (plastic crates typically offer in the region of 95% whilst gravel margins reduce this to more like 30%)

• What is the design storm to be protected against. In the UK this is expressed as a Return Period (commonly 100 years) with an additional allowance for climate change (commonly 40%).

For an example roof of 2,000m2 a ‘normal’ design would assume a flow rate in excess of 80 litres per second. For a blue roof this could be considerably lower, for example 5 litres per second.

To achieve this, the water would be held across the roof for a period (typically less than 24 hours) as it drained at the reduced flow rate into the normal receiving infrastructure or rainwater harvesting system. In this

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Australian Renew Energy Updat Mark Bartoli I Founding Director | ATEC Solutions

Renewable energy has evolved rapidly over the last decade. Set in 2009, the Renewable Energy T policy requiring that 20 per cent or 33 000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of Australia’s electricity comes f the time this target was set, Victorian company Solar Systems was developing their concentrating while wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon was dominating the wind market with their flagship S88 t with a rotor diameter of 88 m. Pumped hydro was not on the radar.

F

Wind Turbine vs A380

ast forward to 2019 – the RET has been achieved, 200 MW solar farms are commonplace and onshore wind turbines with capacities above 5 MW and rotor diameters in excess of 160 m (equivalent to the wingspan of two Airbus A380 aeroplanes) are standard.

Being part of the journey has been personally fulfilling, working on some of Australia’s most iconic renewable energy projects, including the 530 MW Stockyard Hill wind farm, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere; Australia’s first CPV solar project in Mildura and the Nyngan solar farm has provided first-hand experience of the pace of change in this industry. The Nyngan project required 1.3 million PV panels to generate 102 MW. Today, the same output is achievable from half the number of panels.

According to the Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) 2019 Clean Energy Australia report, a total of 14 841 MW of renewable energy has been installed, representing a total investment of $24.5 billion and creating thousands of jobs nationwide.

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240m Tip height

162m Rotor diameter

78m Blade length

79.8m Wingspan

Figure 1: Wind turbine rotor versus Airbus A380.

Vestas V162 turbine

Challenges

Undoubtedly, the greatest challenge facing our industry is the ageing electricity transmission network, which was not designed to accommodate intermittent, non-synchronous

wable te

Figure 3 Wind turbine blade delivery

Transitioning to a zero carbon economy requires robust long-term policies to create an environment which supports continued investment by the private sector. Funding mechanisms through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will assist developers; while demand management and rooftop solar will continue to be growth markets.

Projects including Star of the South (offshore wind) and Project Marinus (subsea interconnector) will create further opportunities for industry growth. Tower cranes will replace large mobile cranes on wind farms, where 160 m plus turbine hub heights will also see concrete replace steel towers.

Target (RET) is a Federal Government from renewable sources by 2020. At g solar photovoltaic (CPV) technology; turbine, a 2.1 megawatt (MW) machine

TECHNICAL

Where to next?

The next frontier will be pumped hydro, which provides clean, dispatchable energy, frequency control and other ancillary services to support grid stability. Beyond Snowy 2.0, several projects are under development in Queensland, NSW and South Australia.

Pumped hydro has a significantly higher capex cost per watt than wind or solar generation. Its ongoing feasibility will depend on long-term policy and major investment to upgrade the network to accommodate more renewable energy. With no current roadmap for the future of renewable energy in Australia, these challenges will remain.

Figure 2 Solar Systems’ 2 MW CPV facility in Carwarp (near Mildura)

Table 1 Installed capacity and percentage of renewables by state

State

Installed Capacity (MW)

Percentage

Queensland

4941

0.9

New South Wales

3800

19.3

Victoria

3140

28.0

South Australia

2260

35.2

Tasmania

262

6.8

Western Australia

395

9.9

wind and solar generation. Consequently, the market operator has imposed curtailment and marginal loss factors (MLF) on generators connected to constrained networks, resulting in less revenue.

Additional challenges include the resource constraints created by the infrastructure boom; and a lack of longterm policy to attract future investment in Australia.

The size of current wind turbines also poses a logistical challenge, with blade lengths exceeding 80 m making inland transport difficult and expensive.

About the Author

Mark Bartoli Mark is the Founding Director of Agile Tunnelling, Energy & Construction (ATEC) Solutions, a specialist technical engineering and construction consultancy he established in 2018.

He is an experienced senior manager and leader, having worked for several tier one construction companies, and has been involved with some of the largest and most complex renewable energy projects over the past decade, including the 2MW Mildura CPV solar farm and has bid over 5,000MW of solar, wind and pumped hydro projects nationally.

Mark is an Advisory Board Member and his professional career includes senior leadership and operational roles in the commercial construction and infrastructure industries, spanning roads, rail and power generation sectors across Asia Pacific.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology, is an accredited NABERS Assessor and Green Belt Lean Practitioner. Mark is a Member of the Director Institute, the Institute of Engineers Australia and is currently the M&E Manager for a consortium bidding the $16 billion North East Link project in Victoria.

www.atecsolutions.com.au

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Next big thing Sean McGowan

Parramatta in Sydney’s west is undergoing a significant transformation as it seeks to become “Australia’s next great city”. Sean McGowan reports on the progress of the new Parramatta Square development, which is re-imagining the city’s centre.

Image courtesy AG Coombs

A

s the first stage of Walker Corporation’s new $2.4 billion Parramatta Square development – one of the largest urban renewal projects in the country – 4 Parramatta Square is the first commercial office tower to have reached completion at the site.

Designed by architects Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW) and constructed by Built with its joint venture partner, major Japanese construction firm Obayashi Corporation (BOJV),

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the building offers A-grade office accommodation to house three government agencies in a single building.

This arrangement improves efficiency, collaboration and the services provided to the people of New South Wales.

The 65,000m² 34-storey commercial office building features a three level “super basement car park” plus multiple podium levels of vibrant retail and public spaces

COMMISSIONING Master planning

The wider Parramatta Square development has been designed to re-imagine the civic and commercial heart of the city.

Located across a three hectare city block, the precinct will include four Walker-developed commercial office towers to complement the already constructed Western Sydney University (WSW) School of Business, Sydney Water Headquarters and 6,000m² of public space.

It will also feature a new state-of-the-art civic building to accommodate the City of Parramatta council and public library (5 Parramatta Square), while the existing heritagelisted Town Hall will be refurbished to meet BCA upgrade requirements.

that link directly to Parramatta Station and rail links to the Sydney CBD. A business and events centre also provides high quality office suites and flexible, functional event spaces to cater to the growing needs of tenants.

The new civic, cultural and community building – dubbed by the local Mayor as the “beating heart of Parramatta” will be the final addition to Parramatta Square and feature a wave-shaped façade of crystalline blocks as well as rooftop gardens.

Its design is the work of a joint venture between Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, Design Inc and Lacoste+Stevenson – the winning team of an architectural design competition held by the City of Parramatta who sought local, national and international responses.

The architects presented the $130 million six storey building as the focal point for Parramatta Square.

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Recently awarded to Built to construct and with AECOM to design civil, structural, building services and specialist services, the building is expected to be completed and open to the public in April 2022 to coincide with the completion of the remaining projects within the precinct.

4 Parramatta Square

One of four commercial office towers planned for the site, 4 Parramatta Square is home to major Government tenant Property NSW and its 5,000 staff.

Having already played a role in the feasibility and master planning of the entire precinct since early 2015, AECOM was engaged by Walker Corporation to provide multi-disciplinary services at 4 Parramatta Square.

This included mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, facade, fire and fire safety engineering, acoustic, protection, vertical transport, audio visual, ICT services and ESD/ sustainability to the base building design.

AECOM was also engaged by Property NSW to design the integrated base build and tenancy fit out. DBS Consultancy led the peer-review of building services and stakeholder engagement across the government agencies, Property NSW, tenancy architect Woods Bagot and Built.

“We worked closely with the builder Built in a joint venture with Obayashi Corporation (BOJV), to further develop their construction preference and methodologies,” says Paul Angus, AECOM associate director and project manager for the multi-disciplinary project.

“Design solutions evolved as the project progressed.”

The entire precinct is designed to share the three-level “super basement car park” while three high rise towers sit above a two-storey retail podium. This infrastructure required careful consideration from the AECOM engineering design team in respect to the best placement of shared plant and equipment, with particular attention given to minimising disruptions during the staged delivery of the precinct.

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“With structural floor-to-floor heights at podium level determined by adjoining developments such as the existing Parramatta railway station, servicing the retail tenancies and traversing services to and from the basement level into the towers presented many challenges overcome only by persistence and collaborative thinking,” says Angus.

The design of the “super basement” also required detailed CFD (computational fluid dynamics) modelling of the car

Parramatta Square master plan The Parramatta Square precinct will feature a number of buildings and spaces when it reaches completion in 2020.

Parramatta Square 1 – Western Sydney University School of Business (26,500m²) Parramatta Square 2 – Sydney Water Headquarters (23,000m²) Parramatta Square 3 – 43,000m² commercial office building Parramatta Square 4 – 65,000m² commercial office building Parramatta Square 5 – City of Parramatta civic, cultural and community hub Parramatta Square 6 – 71,000m² commercial office tower Parramatta Square 7 – Refurbished heritage-listed Town Hall Parramatta Square 8 – 53,000m² commercial office tower Parramatta Square Public Domain – 6,000m² public space

park basement levels to ensure the ventilation system was carefully assessed.

Angus says developing the spatial requirements of the building’s mechanical services plant was particularly critical in ensuring the building envelope was appropriately provisioned and “locked in” for a smooth transition from feasibility through to construction stage.

“Working closely with A.G. Coombs, our approach – through collaboration between Michael Calcoen (AECOM principal mechanical engineer) and Paul Archer (A.G. Coombs senior project engineer) was underpinned by a commitment to innovation and the creation of aesthetic, sustainable, functional and economical designs,” he says.

“We initially provided a design using conventional systems and material to always seek to optimise the quality of internal spaces for tenants and environmental performance for the occupants. This proactive approach adopted by A.G. Coombs was strengthened by certainty of delivery and robust risk management through considered design and high quality, fully coordinated 3D documentation.”

The project’s sustainability ambitions were established early in the design process and outlined within the base building accommodation brief.

As well as being designed to achieve compliance with stringent BCA Section J energy efficiency requirements, 4 Parramatta Square targeted 5-star Green Star Office design and as-built ratings plus NABERS Office Energy 5-star base building rating.

Additionally, passive design elements such as the use of natural daylighting to illuminate building perimeter spaces, and a high level of BMS monitoring, were adopted.

Variable volume solution

To provide space cooling, a low temperature variable air volume (VAV) system served by thermally zoned air handling units (AHUs) was adopted at 4 Parramatta Square.

“This solution was chosen as it requires significantly lower air quantities compared to standard temperature systems and subsequently provides reductions in duct sizing and fan energy,” explains Archer.

Through the careful selection of diffusers, suitable air distribution at low temperature and volume has been achieved.

The 34-storey office tower features multiple mechanical services plantrooms on Levels 1, 2 and Podium Level 3, as well as on Level 19 and Level 34 servicing the upper and lower levels of the tower.

The main chilled water plant located on Level 19 of the building feeds water to the AHUs in the low, mid and high-rise plantrooms. This variable primary chilled water system consists of four water-cooled chillers with dedicated pumps operating on a temperature split of 6°C/14°C.

Additionally, major tenant Property NSW required its own specific sustainability goals to be met including a NABERS Water 4 star base building design and as-built rating (based on current design assumptions).

The plant includes three centrifugal chillers with a total overall capacity of 7MW that have been arranged in parallel to serve chilled water loads. A fourth chiller has been provided for low-load and efficiently maintains building loads during off-peak periods.

AECOM worked closely with Joe Karten, national sustainability manager at Built and Alexander Kobler, sustainability section manager and principal at Stantec – the ESD consultant for the D&C (design and construct) contract – in response to achieving these sustainability targets.

Heat exchangers were used as pressure breaks in the pipework system to ensure the working pressure remains within typical equipment tolerances. A primary-only chilled water system was selected to minimise pumping energy.

According to Angus, the sustainability targets not only influenced the design of the building and services, but also led to the introduction of a number of initiatives.

These included provision of a solar PV array to produce on-site renewable energy, an energy efficient mechanical services plant, rainwater harvesting, and extensive CO2 monitoring to deliver a high level of indoor air quality.

TECHNICAL

Close collaboration between AECOM’s mechanical and fire engineering teams, as well as mechanical services contractor A.G. Coombs, ensured that all modifications to the original design could be seamlessly integrated.

Heat rejection from the base building chilled water plant is achieved via six induced draft, counter flow cooling towers located at the Level 34 rooftop plantroom. With a combined overall heat rejection capacity of 13MW, they have been sized to match the total peak-required capacity of both the base building and tenancy loop condenser water systems.

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Image courtesy AG Coombs

The cooling towers operate in parallel with motorised isolation butterfly valves at the inlet and outlet of each tower to enable deactivation of the towers depending on heat rejection demand.

“A relatively large operating temperature split of 7°C has been utilised in addition to tower isolation to further reduce pumping energy associated with the condenser water system,” says Archer.

A variable primary heating hot water system consisting of gas-fired hot water generators (boilers) with dedicated pumps is also located in the Level 34 rooftop plantroom.

This heating plant is comprised of three gas-fired hot water generators each sized to meet 33 per cent of the building’s peak heating load of 4MW. Like the chilled water system, pumping energy has been minimised with the selection of a primary-only heating water system.

Cold shells The podium levels and retail tenancies have been provided as “cold shell” spaces as part of the base building works, and are ready with capped off provisions of cooling, heating and ventilation systems for future fitout.

The building’s basement carpark is ventilated using common supply and exhaust plenums.

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“Air quantities have been determined using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations to optimise for minimal carbon dioxide (CO) build up in the space whilst maintaining fan energy,” says Archer.

Accelerated installation

To keep pace with the construction sequence on the multi-faceted development site, an accelerated installation programme for the building’s mechanical services became one of the key challenges of the project.

“The design team, including AECOM, Built and A.G. Coombs, met this challenge using the latest on-site technology as well as leveraging off proven prefabrication capabilities,” says Archer.

Design and coordination of mechanical services at all floors was undertaken prior to the concrete pour sequence, thereby enabling the use of “cast-in” anchors.

These were accurately located using a laser on the concrete pour deck, and drilled through so as to be positioned ready for hanger installation below once the slab formwork was stripped.

According to Angus, A.G. Coombs ensured the project utilised as much off-site fabrication as was possible to not only speed up the installation programme, but also provide for a safer installation environment on site.

Mechanical equipment was pre-joined to connected services and mounted on base frames off site before being lifted into position. Large vertical and horizontal duct runs were also prefabricated and pre-joined off site then lifted complete with castors to enable easy relocation when unloaded.

“Site activities that would traditionally take weeks were reduced to a couple of days due to the design initiatives that maximised the scope for pre-fabrication,” says Angus.

Performance tested

4 Parramatta Square reached completion at the end of November 2019, ahead of a 2019/20 summer period that presented testing ambient conditions in respect to temperature, humidity and air quality in Parramatta.

Image courtesy AG Coombs

Tenants commenced occupation of the building from midJanuary 2020.

Archer says that fine tuning of the mechanical systems has continued in the months since, with set points adjusted to achieve an optimal HVAC response to ambient conditions.

NABERS Energy monitoring has also commenced, with performance during the first two months of 2020 well ahead of predicted modelling.

“In a short period of time, the space has been reliably maintaining set points without any major concerns to the operation of the building,” says Angus.

The mechanical heat rejection systems have also been found to consume less energy than predicted, even during the hot summer experienced in Parramatta.

Image courtesy AG Coombs

“Fan energy is consistently running at a fraction of the maximum demand, ensuring energy efficient operation through the highest demand time of year,” he says.

Lessons from the building services engineer AECOM multi-disciplinary project manager Paul Angus offers some of the key lessons from the 4 Parramatta Square project.

1. The importance of collaboration between team members, drawing on their strengths and making informed decisions quickly.

2. Understanding the requirements of not just the end clients (Walker Corporation and Property New South Wales) but also the daily operation of the precinct that is operated by the City of Parramatta council.

3. Regular meetings and workshops were conducted with all the key stakeholders even from the bid stage.

4. Do the research and set realistic targets to ensure the design is not over complicated. Think about the operator (and keep the design simple and reliable) while still meeting environmental and financial targets.

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Image courtesy AG Coombs

“The A.G. Coombs team are committed to tuning the system through the shoulder seasons and across the winter period.”

4 Parramatta Square now forms an important connection for people accessing public transport from the precinct following the opening of a retail link between the railway station and the new public space.

“All of the multi-disciplinary team at AECOM, in collaboration with the entire project design team, contractor BOJV and multiple sub-contractors, are extremely proud of our achievements,” says Angus.

The Personnel Acoustic Consultant: AECOM / Acoustic Logic Architect: Johnson Pilton Walker Architect (Tenancy Design): Woods Bagot Builder: Built in joint venture with Obayashi - BOJV Building Services Engineer: AECOM Client: Walker Corporation ESD: AECOM / Stantec Facade Engineer: AECOM

“Together we have helped our client, Walker Corporation, meet their objectives in transforming the beating heart of Parramatta and creating a vibrant second CBD in western Sydney for all the community to feel part of for many years to come.”

Fire Safety Engineer: AECOM

With Parramatta Square’s commercial office buildings now 75 per cent leased – representing over 170,000m² of high quality office space committed – the precinct is set to rival buildings in Sydney’s CBD in terms of amenity and quality.

AHUs: Daikin

Combined with other major construction and infrastructure projects including the Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta Aquatic and Leisure Centre, the Civic Link and Arthur Phillip High School and it’s clear Parramatta’s future is a bright one.

Dampers: Celmec

Australia’s next great city it just might be.

This article was originally published in the May 2020 edition of Ecolibrium, the official journal of AIRAH, and is reprinted with permission. Visit www.airah.org.au/ecolibrium McGowan Communications specialises in article and copy writing, as well as SME marketing/public relations with a particular focus on the HVAC&R industry.

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PROJECT AT A GLANCE

Mechanical Services Contractor: A.G. Coombs Structural Engineer: BG&E

The Equipment BMS: Alerton Australia Cooling Tower: Evapco Boilers: Simons Chillers: Carrier Diffusers: SmartAir Diffusion Duct: Kavanagh Industries / Sublime Fans: Pacific HVAC / Fantech FCUs: GJ Walker Grilles: Airfoil Heat Exchangers: Fluidpro Pumps: Wilo Sensors: Alerton Australia VAV Boxes: Celmec

(Source: AECOM)

21st century highrise buildings Steven White

TECHNICAL

The importance of water trap seals and correct drainage ventilation in

With the urbanisation and globalisation of our cities around the world, buildings are being constructed in ever increasing heights to provide accommodation and workspaces for the population.

With all people, once the front door off the apartment is closed, there is an illusion that they are protected from the outside world; shutting the doors and windows and within the four walls they are protected from other people and environmental factors, such as pollution Few people understand that that there is a physiological connection through the drainage network and that the barrier to the living space is provided by the water-trap seal in or below their appliances and that this 50mm water seal is what protects them from the outside environment through the building drainage network.

This paper looks at why the trap seal is so important to public health.

Water Trap primary purpose

T

he water trap provides the barrier to protect the occupants from the pathogens originating from the drainage network, the sewerage system and the living space.

The invention of the water trap seal in the 18th century was to prevent the propagation of sewer gases from entering indoor space.

But from the SARS virus outbreak in Amoy Gardens Hong Kong in 2003 the spread of the disease through the water trap seals was across multiple levels and travelled up the drainage system and not down the system, and the virus was in form of aerosolised matter.

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This then implies that the water trap seal is the single most important fitting on the drainage network as it prevents the spread of diseases by limiting human exposure to pathogens and allowing the solid and waste transportation system to safeguard public health.

f) Fungi (2-200μm) g) Protozoa (1-50μm) h) Helminth (3nm-10m)

Methods of trap seal loss

The water trap seal is designed to act as a protection device and can be considered as a termination boundary.

The water in the seal provides the barrier and by its design it is responsive through water height fluctuations, to pressure differential between the appliance and system side of a trap. It acts in the same manner as a manometer used for measuring.

The performance of the water trap seal is affected by: 1. Induced Siphonage – Induced siphonage occurs upon appliance discharge. Water moves into the vertical stack or flows horizontally past another branch and the motion across this junction pulls air from the nearest branch causing suction of water from the appliance trap seal.

2. Back Pressure – The flow of fluid within the drainage network leads to several simultaneous reactions. One of which is the generation of positive air pressure transients upon the blockage of the air propagation by the water curtain at the base of the stack and offsets within the network.

3. Self-Siphonage – Appliance discharge into a horizontal branch can generate airflows which lead to trap depletion.

4. Evaporation – Considered at 2.5 mm/week however influenced by both temperature and humidity. Evaporation is only relevant when there is no replenishment. During holiday periods or in vacant apartments there will be no replenishment of the water seal and evaporation will happen 5. Wind shear – Due to gusts of wind over the open vent of the stack and a entrainment of air into the dry stack.

The pressure fluctuation brought on via the external air pressure forces the movement of the water column towards the appliance side of the trap. The frequency and speed of the gust will cause movement of the seal leading to depletion of the seal.

Transmission routes of infection dieses Human waste of a healthy or infected person contain several types of pathogens. These can be classified as: a) Virus (20-300nm) b) Chlamydia (200-1000nm) c) Cickettsiae (300-1200nm) d) Mycoplasmas (125-350nm) e) Bactria (0.8- 15nm)

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The hardness of a microbe is important as secondary transmission may occur through inanimate objects such as: toilets, sinks, showers or other drainage appliances.

The life span of certain organisms such as Viruses (11-304 days in fresh water), Salmonella (10 days in fresh water), Cholera (30 days in fresh water) Facial Coliforms (10 days in fresh water, suggest that these pathogens as well as many others are present within the drainage system for longer than when they were introduced by the infected person.

For an individual to become at risk of disease transmission, an infectious dose of the disease must be present and make contact with the person.

Typical transmission through the drainage network occurs through waterborne transmission (faecal oral routes for example a bubbling water trap seal), airborne transmission (respiratory droplets for example a dried out or partially filled water trap seal) and insects/arthropods vectors (for example failed pipe joints or toilet pan connector).

Expelled pathogens which are likely to persist after defecation include: Poliomyelitis, norovirus acute gastroenteritis, giardiasis hepatitis A, hepatitis E, poliovirus, rotavirus (gastroenteritis), shigellosis, typhoid fever, vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, enteroviruses, vibrio cholera (cholera), clostridium difficile, cryptosporidiosis, ascariasis and helicobacter pylori One or more these pathogens maybe present in the buildings drainage system and with a large multi

TECHNICAL occupancy building the risk could be assumed to be higher give the increased number of users of the system.

How best to protect the water trap seals through correct drainage ventilation The loss or depletion of the water trap seal is not just an inconvenience of smell, there is a potential risk that pathogen transmission may occur if the water barrier is not present.

To mitigate the loss of the water trap seals it is widely accepted that correct ventilation of the water drainage system is required. This is recognised in all standards and codes.

For High-rise and health care buildings with higher risk the water traps seals should be provided with the best protection possible to ensure that the barrier is maintained.

Protecting public health

Since the invention of the traditional water trap seal by Alexander Cummings in 1775 the main purpose of the water seal was to protect occupants of a building from the sewer gases and smells.

Over time primarily low-rise buildings, the potential health risks from a loss of off a water trap seal has been associated with sewer gas ingression and the inconvenience of smells into the living space.

With High-Rise/high usage buildings being constructed today, the potential risk that pathogens may harm

occupants of a building is every growing. The amount of different people using the system, and with people travelling and mixing with people from all over the world, the risk of pathogens entering the system will become more common. As was the case with Amoy Gardens in 2003 where it has been proven the building drainage system and the loss of the water trap seal contributed to the loss of life within this building.

The water trap seal is the single most important fitting on the drainage network as it prevents the spread of diseases by limiting human exposure to pathogens and allowing the solid and waste transportation system safeguard public health.

About the Author

Steven White Steven White has contributed his efforts and expertise over 19 years to thousands of projects all over the world. As Aliaxis Technical Director DWV for High-rise Building Solutions, he works with research institutions and manufacturers developing products, to meet the requirements for high-rise drainage ventilation and to validate these technologies, presenting them to the market through bodies such as the WPC, CIBSE, ASPE and CIB W062. Steve is focused on educating and supporting the highrise industry, helping to provide safe drainage systems and the innovations that enable high-rise living.

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“

T he c ontex t i n wh ic h we des ign a nd de l i ve r bui l d ings is c hang i ng r api d l y under th e inf lu enc e of our c hang ing c l im ate, po l i t ic a l and s oc ia l env i r onm ents . T h is year, we ex p lo re ho w we m igh t bes t de l i v er high per f or m ing bu i ld i ngs wh ic h wi l l s t and the t es t of t im e, a nd h o w we as bui l d ing s er v ic es pr o f es s iona ls m a y inf lue nc e ou r wi de r ind us t r y to f ac ilitate the bes t f uture outc om es .

Bushfire Smoke & Commercial Buildings

Air filtration within commercial buildings typically includes both outside air and recirculated air handling systems to ensure air quality for building occupants. On days of poor air quality such as when bushfire smoke is present, the focus should be on improving air filtration of outside air handling systems (rather than recirculated air handling systems) to improve air quality for building occupants.

C

ommercial buildings are required to provide a constant flow of outside air to the inside of commercial buildings via outside air handling systems. If the air filters are not of a high enough efficiency to remove smoke particles, this will lead to a significant amount of smoke being noticed inside buildings.

Smoke is one of the most difficult particles sizes to catch as it is 0.3 - 0.5 microns in size.

Smoke fits within the PM2.5 category (which are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less). These particles are so small they can get deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream, affecting the heart and lungs and potentially causing serious health effects.

TECHNICAL

Jonathan Bunge (M.ENG Chemical) and Shannon Roger (B.Ed) I Airepure Australia 2020

Bushfires produce smoke particles, which can be removed from the air stream within commercial HVAC systems using appropriately efficiency rated particulate air filters – which target and capture the smoke particles. Refer to table below.

In addition to smoke, bushfires also produce odourous gases such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). These odourous gases are often bound to smoke particles, which means that a significant amount of them can be removed along with the smoke with effective particulate filtration.

How to eliminate the presence of bushfire smoke in commercial buildings

To eliminate the presence of bushfire smoke and odour within commercial buildings via existing HVAC systems, an upgrade of the particulate air filters within outside air handling systems is the most important factor, followed by the addition of gaseous (carbon) filters.

The particulate air filters (of appropriate efficiency) will capture the majority of the smoke particles and the odour attached to the smoke particles. This will improve air quality for building occupants. The addition of the gaseous filters placed after the particulate air filters will adsorb the remaining odourous gases.

Please Note: A gaseous (carbon) filter alone will not remove smoke particles. A particulate air filter (of appropriate efficiency) is required to capture the majority of the smoke particles and the odour attached to the smoke particles.

How to reduce the presence of bushfire smoke in commercial buildings Odour Filters

To reduce the presence of bushfire smoke and odour within commercial buildings via existing HVAC systems, an

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upgrade of the particulate air filters within outside air handling systems is the most important factor.

The particulate air filters (of appropriate efficiency) will capture the majority of the smoke particles and the odour attached to the smoke particles. This will improve air quality for building occupants. However, it is probable that some bushfire odour would remain.

Smoke (Particulate) Filtration

Table 1: Estimated Smoke Removal Efficiencies.

This table lists an estimated smoke removal efficiency for particulate air filters of different ratings.

A knowledgeable filter manufacturer or mechanical contractor should be able to assist with selecting the most suitable upgraded air filter that your existing HVAC system can handle.

Airepure recommends that E11 filters (EN1822 standard) are used within commercial building HVAC systems as they have an estimated 95-98% filtration efficiency for smoke particles at 0.3-0.5 microns.

It is important to note that due to increased resistance to airflow and space restrictions, this may not be practical for every commercial HVAC system.

Please Note: Upgrading particulate air filters will also result in: • Shorter air filter life

• Higher energy costs of air filtration

• A higher pressure drop that existing fans may not be able to handle.

The next best option is to select the highest-rated air filter your HVAC system can handle. Refer to table above.

You may consider holding spare particulate air filters of a higher efficiency that could be used for short periods when required – such as during poor air quality days or when bushfire smoke is present. The use of the higher efficiency spare filters may temporarily reduce airflow; however, this can be a useful short-term trade-off.

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The Air Pollution in Australia: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map - http://aqicn.org/map/australia/ is a valuable resource to monitor local air quality conditions.

Gaseous (Carbon) Filtration

The installation of a gaseous (carbon) filter in addition to the upgraded particulate filter will also help to eliminate odours associated with the bushfires within commercial buildings.

This gaseous filter should be placed after the upgraded particulate air filter in the commercial HVAC system.

Airepure recommends a gaseous filter with a 50:50 blend of activated carbon media and permanganate impregnated activated alumina media as this will target the oxides of nitrogen (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and many other chemicals produced by the bushfires.

It is important to note that due to increased resistance to airflow and space restrictions, this may not be practical for every commercial HVAC system.

The next best option is to select a 100% activated carbon media filter, which will provide some improvement.

Please Note: A gaseous (carbon) filter alone will not remove smoke particles. A particulate air filter (of appropriate efficiency) is required to capture the majority of the smoke particles and the odour attached to the smoke particles.

Large scale commercial buildings are considered to be “tightly sealed” in regards to infiltration of unfiltered outside air. In comparison, residential and light-medium commercial buildings are considered more “leaky”. Unfiltered outside air inherently flows through these spaces more easily through doors, windows, outside air vents etc. On days of poor air quality such as when bushfire smoke is present, it is generally more difficult to filter the outside air of these buildings simply because of the multiple, diverse sources of outside air.

If you have a ducted air-conditioning system, you should talk to your local mechanical contractor for advice re: upgrading the filtration in your existing air conditioning system.

If you have a wall split system air conditioner – the filtration for these systems cannot be upgraded to combat poor outside air quality. A portable in room air purifier may assist with improving the air quality of small sealed rooms – provided that outside air flow can be minimised to this area.

It is important to check manufacturer guidelines regarding the effective range for performance and if any restrictions apply.

More Information

Further information on actions to take to combat smoke is in reputable sources such as below: https://www.abc. net.au/news/health/2019-11-19/bushfire-smoke-healthmanaging-risks/11699894 https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/ bushfire-protection.aspx

About the Company

Airepure Australia Airepure Australia is a leading national air filtration company providing unique, powerful and integrated air filtration solutions, ranging from basic HVAC filtration and odour control right through to high end HEPA/ULPA filtration and airborne containment technologies.

Recently acquired by global air filtration company Camfil, the Airepure team welcome this acquisition and the opportunity to combine the best of Airepure and Camfil’s people, products, services and custom engineered solutions to provide quality, purpose built clean air solutions for the Australian market.

TECHNICAL

Residential and Light-Medium Commercial Spaces

For more information, visit www.airepure.com.au or call 1300 886 353.

PROPER AIR FILTRATION IS A NECESSITY IN REDUCING THE RISK OF INFECTION. Air filters can remove the smallest particles from the air, reducing harmful airborne microbes, including cold and flu viruses, dust, pollen, mold spores and smoke particles. To learn more about protecting human health using air filters, visit camfil.com.au

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Smart Buildings: It's not (just) about the tech Steve Perkins I Nicolas Brisson

Smart Buildings: a buzzword past its use-by date? From smartwatches to smart fridges and smartboards, ‘smart’ can be cringeworthy or confusing. But like smart cities and smart manufacturing, smart buildings are emerging from the "trough of disillusionment" and projects are being scoped and delivered sensibly and practically.

O

ne of the reasons we believe the froth has settled is this: clients’ attitudes have become more measured as their understanding grows more sophisticated. While the IOT (Internet of Things), data analytics, cloud and machine-learning are powering today’s smart buildings, clients don’t want digital technology for technology’s sake.

Rather, we’re helping them to see it as a means to deliver benefits for tenants, visitors and building owners alike.

The benefits of smart buildings range from increasing operational efficiency, site security and service quality, to providing building users with direct control of their personal environment in a reliable, secure, vendorneutral and cost-efficient way.

Significant reduction in ICT (Information and communications technology) costs are enabling powerful networking and data analytics to be used on most projects. Our ICT specialists in network design, data analytics and software development work hand in hand with our mechanical and electrical engineers to integrate physical and virtual worlds seamlessly.

Data security, privacy and redundancy are carefully considered, and networks designed to be flexible and scalable to accommodate the inevitable changes imposed on them over their lifetime.

Is it a problem worth solving?

Features and benefits aside, critical questions to ask are, “is it a problem worth solving”, and “is it worth your while to deploy a digital or technological solution?”

There’s an ever-growing list of solutions that can add “smarts” to a space – no matter the scale - from small

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tenancy fit-outs, to high-rise commercial towers to sprawling campuses. But do you really need them and will they truly benefit your business or organisation?

Decades of experience delivering innovative building projects gives us a deep appreciation of stakeholder needs, with the ability to make sense of the complexity and sheer number of technological options available.

The secret lies in our ability to uncover the painpoints of building owners and tenants, tapping into our institutional knowledge while conducting projectspecific consultation workshops. This enables us to tease out these needs and craft a rich customer journey map. We then apply a range of technologies that could potentially meet the defined needs, centered around business priorities, budgets and schedules.

What do we mean by "real value"?

There are many ways to define the value one can derive from technology. Often the most suitable solutions will meet multiple needs, sitting at the centre of overlapping economic, social and environmental perspectives, and some of these examples are highlighted below.

Economic Solutions provide additional revenue, raise productivity and deliver both operational and capital cost savings. Return-on-Investment is a critical litmus test to determine whether the solution provides real value. More progressive clients investing in innovative solutions go by our rule-of-thumb of 1-2% of total construction cost, and the ROI should be of equal magnitude.

• Building Data Analytics Systems sitting on top of existing Building Management Systems continuously compare actual building operations against a digital

• Hunting for available meeting rooms is a major pain point for tenants, and particularly annoying when booked rooms are not occupied. Integration of tenant resource booking systems with occupancy monitoring systems releases booked rooms when they are not occupied, thus increasing utilisation. Similarly, central booking systems for shared amenities such as auditoriums, maker-spaces or meeting facilities, can be integrated with tenants’ productivity software, offering convenient booking for tenants and providing the landlord with additional revenue. With more data and connectedness between systems and the rise of the sharing economy, landlords have an opportunity to provide new or better services to their tenants, beyond just real estate.

environmental outcomes, making them even more compelling.

• Other environmental solutions include smart irrigation sensors that save water by managing watering based on actual weather conditions, and video analytics systems that automatically reduce demands on lighting and cooling systems when the video surveillance system observes spaces that are unoccupied. These are often linked with facilities booking systems. To close the maintenance loop, it is integrated with facility staff dispatch systems that direct cleaners to spaces based on their occupancy, odour and real time feedback.

We believe the market for Smart Buildings will continue to progress along the "slope of enlightenment". Digital and technology solutions that are cool and shiny, but don’t solve stakeholder problems and bring real value, will find it challenging to excite the sophisticated market we have today.

TECHNICAL

model, identifying performance issues that impact cost and comfort. It is not uncommon for energy consumption to climb after a building has been fully occupied, and ideally, they should be retrocommissioned to ensure that energy usage is not left unchecked. Having such a system can enable savings of 10% to 30% post-implementation.

Social Solutions enhance users’ access to information, control of their local environment and create a safer community. As we live our lives more online, there is growing expectation that the people-to-building interaction becomes more intuitive.

• Mobile applications allow users to directly control audiovisual systems, lighting and temperature in their local space, personalising it to users’ preferences.

In addition, augmented and virtual reality in learning environments provide enhanced communication, which can be useful for remote users.

• Video Analytics Systems monitor digital surveillance camera feeds in real-time to identify human and vehicle behaviors which could pose safety and security risks. Upon identifying anomalies, security personnel are dispatched by the system to address the situation – potentially before it escalates. We have implemented these systems on a wide range of government and private sector projects to significantly enhance their safety and security performance. These are augmented by facial recognition systems and mobile apps which are more convenient for users than traditional RFID cards.

Environmental Solutions reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources and are especially important in light of global commitments to reduce building carbon emissions across the industry value chain.

• Solutions such as building data analytics for improved energy performance, mobile apps that allow users to directly control temperature, and augmented reality solutions that reduce the need for travel, overlap with

About the Authors

Nicolas Brisson Based in Beca’s Auckland office, Nicolas has fifteen years of experience in building services technologies and security work.

He leads Beca’s Smart Buildings and ICT team in New-Zealand and has been involved in projects across France, New-Zealand, Australia & Asia to develop pragmatic digital technology solutions on building and infrastructure projects.

Steve Perkins Based in Beca’s Singapore office, Steve has thirty years of experience in building services work. He leads Beca’s Smart Buildings team and works on projects across Australasia & Asia to implement next generation digital technology solutions on building projects.

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Awareness of potential sources of contamination from drainage systems within the field of

'Public Health Engineering' Les Wilson

If Public Health is defined as “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society” (Acheson, 1988; WHO), then 'Public Health Engineering/Hydraulics' plays an important role within building services in achieving this. Our discipline is primarily concerned with providing wholesome water to draw-off points and ensuring the safe passage of waste products, through habitable and non-habitable spaces away and from the building envelope to the boundary connection.

T

echnical advancements in understanding hydraulic disturbances within drainage systems seriously challenge current international statutory codes and standards. Although codes offer invaluable guidance, there is a view shared by many that they are more appropriate for smaller residential and commercial projects. Modern healthcare facilities and major travel hubs to name a few are architecturally complex; they are also more demanding in terms of their drainage requirements and therefore need an engineered approach outside the jurisdiction of codes.

Research and simulation has proved that drainage flows through a building are in a state of flux, flipping between the states of steady flow (where fluid properties at a point in the system, do not change over time) and unsteady

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state flow transients (time dependent).

The two states are intricately linked to flow discharge and the design dynamics of the pipework system.

Hydraulic disturbances within drainage systems create turbulence leading to rapid negative and positive pressure transients within branches and stacks.

What we knew then...

Right up to the beginning of the 1900's, there was as sector of the population who still held on to the 'Miasma theory', believing that epidemic diseases were spread by poisonous vapours in the air. In May 1894, Dr. Abraham Jacobi, addressed fellow physicians and scientists with the words “There is a general vague impression among the public [regarding sewer gas], but I never saw a case or could prove one”... and there he began to question the veracity of the sewer gas theory.

The following year at the ‘Congress of American Physicians and Surgeons’ he brought to his audience, the world of microorganisms and the science of bacteriology that sat outside sensory smell or sight.

Dr. F.W. Andrewes was the Medical Officer of Health of the Local Government Board in England between 1906 and 1908. He submitted a paper on 'micro-organisms in sewer air' based on his own research and observations. In

Andrewes in a later experiment acquired the use of a private house and selected a water closet on the ground floor from where he introduced the bacteria B. prodigiosus. Although the splashing effect was considerably less, he was still able to collect via a plate placed in an inspection chamber 15 feet beyond the foot of the stack, 92 colonies of B. prodigiosus.

Professor C-E. A. Winslow was a bacteriologist serving on the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1907, he received a request from the National Association of Master Plumbers to investigate the perceived discrepancies around the sewer gas and report his findings.

The result of Winslow's understanding of bacteriology lent credence to his opinion that it was individuals infected with pathogenic microbes that were the source for spreading diseases and not sewer gases.

Major William Heaton Horrocks served as sanitary officer at the British colony of Gibraltar and undertook a series of drainage experiments and in 1907 and published his findings in the proceedings of the Royal Society in London. His report contained his explanations relating to the release of bio aerosols due to turbulence and splashing.

The great minds of Jacobi, Andrewes, Winslow, Horrocks, Delepine and others through experimentation in Europe and America were able to show the correlation between splashing and foaming and the release of airborne bacteria via aerosols. Their

experiments also demonstrated how bacteria from one drain could be transferred to another on air currents via the drainage system.

What we know now...

Trap water seals provide a barrier and are designed to withstand pressure variations of Âą375 N/m2 (37mm water gauge). Should Excessive pressure transients due to poor design, poor installation, poor maintenance or simply overloading of the drainage system occur, there is an inherent risk of breaking through and destroying protective water seals leading to crosscontamination.

The development of network simulation model AIRNET under the guidance of the late Professor John Swaffield and his team at Heriot Watt University used advanced mathematical computations to simulate 'unsteady state' water and entrained airflows within drainage systems built upon pressure surge analysis.

AIRNET has also been used as a diagnostic tool for the investigation of suspected cross-contamination resulting from the failure of water seal conditions, including system surcharge and trap depletion. It played a part in the forensic investigation in the 2003 SARS outbreak at the Amoy Gardens housing complex in Hong Kong.

self-siphonage. Amoy Gardens in Hong Kong has become synonymous following the 2003 SARS outbreak when the release of microbial aerosols escaped via a dry trap resulting in 42 fatalities.

The photo below shows a WC seal affected by wind shear. The WC pan is close to losing it seal and was one of three connected to a drainage stack system. It was closest to the stack and therefore the most reactive to the negative pressure caused by wind driven oscillations.

This phenomenon is mitigated by placing the vent terminal away from direct exposure of known wind directions. The inclusion of the vent cowl further acts as a deflective buffer.

TECHNICAL

one of his experiments, b. prodigiosus (a red microbial growth formation found on starchy foods) was poured down a water closet 60 feet above ground level and repeatedly flushed.

At the same time all the available sink taps were opened to induce as much splashing as possible at the foot of the stack, which in turn discharged into an inspection chamber. No fewer than 1500 colonies of b. prodigiosus were counted on the suspended plate located within the inspection chamber.

Design process considerations

The environment in which a drainage system serves influences the design process. Healthcare facilities, airports and other busy travel hubs have the potential to significantly increase health risks with the latter supporting a transient population. This calls for comprehensive assessments to identify options in which to meet the defined service levels. Codes and

One of the earliest and most effective methods of containing communicable diseases was and still is - isolation. Poorly designed, maintained and overloaded drainage systems, contribute to the potential breaching of this isolation.

Drainage systems are reliant on water seals that unfortunately, are vulnerable for a number of reasons - including wind shear, evaporation, capillary action, back pressure, induced and

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Figure 1

standards do not provide guidance for all situations and environments.

Contamination Paths

Protecting the health of building occupants is the ultimate goal of any sanitation system. Primary paths leading to contamination within the built environment include ingestion or direct exposure. Secondary routes may include physical contact with contaminated surfaces or inhalation of aerosols.

Moulds and Fungi's

PVC, polyethylene and polybutylene materials represent the greater part of all materials used in drainage systems. They can be susceptible to the physicochemical phenomenon of permeation and leaching processes. For example, mould and fungus contaminants may be removed from the internal surface, but thereafter the material will retain its status of a permeable medium.

Mould is a fungus and can be classified as either being a) allergenic, b) pathogenic or c) toxigenic. They come in many forms and can be responsible for asthma like respiratory diseases to severe chronic conditions. Exposure to mycotoxins in extreme cases can lead to liver and kidney conditions, pulmonary bleeding and pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs). People suffering with existing lung diseases are more at risk. Moulds thrive in wet, humid or damp conditions Materials utilised at the lower end of the plumbing market such as the PVC basin waste grating in the photos below, are less hardy and are more prone to damage opposed to chrome metal waste gratings. Striations formed by gritty particles adhering to the plug inside the mouth of the grating have provided a suitable host for moulds and mildew to multiply.

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The photos in figure 1 were taken over a four-week period and show how given the right conditions, the mould slowly forms in the striations and around the waste seating. Normal cleaning using commercial bathroom products on a weekly basis have little effect on the mold.

The moulds in appearance, are consistent with 'Ulocladium' and 'Alternaria', both are common to wet areas associated with bathrooms and kitchens. People suffering from allergies such as hayfever or asthma -like symptoms will be more susceptible to the mold ulocladium, whereas alternaria primarily causes asthma -like symptoms in the upper respiratory tract, nose and mouth.

Whilst other forms of fungi can support a diverse spectrum of toxigenic microorganisms, microbiologists studying the prevalence of the fungal related biofilms within plumbing systems have identified 'fusarium' from sink traps as one source. The widespread distribution of certain fusarium species in drains suggests that they are particularly well adapted to this environmental niche. Fusarium biofilm growth may also facilitate infection of humans and have been identified with mycotic keratitis, which causes 'inflammation of the eye's cornea'.

Potential paths to aerosol contamination within Building Drainage Systems Access Point Location

Access inspection openings are required to gain entry into drainage pipes to either remove blockages, allow for scouring or simply to facilitate a CCTV condition assessment when needed. Like a compromised trap seal, access points can provide a path of contamination by allowing the release of microbial aerosols into habitable areas.

extended branch runs. Patients who may be carriers of infectious diseases pose an additional health risk. Therefore, where and how a drain is accessed in terms of keeping the facility operating has to be evaluated against infection control processes, whilst an effort should made to limit drainage pipes routes to within dedicated service areas.

Identifying Health Risks Hydraulic disturbances caused by the flows from flushing of toilets, urinals and sink hoppers, wastewater from baths, basins, sinks and showers and other fixtures generate splashing, which in turn creates turbulence. This leads to rapid exchanges negative and positive pressure transients within branches and stacks. Pressure transients developed in stack flows in excess of 2.0 L/s have the potential to generate 50 mm water gauge.

When one considers the depth of a WC trap that is protected by a 50mm water seal, this rather explains the vulnerability of traps and how they can be compromised.

Understanding Pathogens and Paths of Contamination In worse case scenerios, building occupants can be exposed to human waste pathogens due to a number of causes a) poorly designed drainage system, b) poorly installed drainage system c) poorly maintained drainage system and d) overloading of a drainage system.

Raw sewage contains disease-causing pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, worms, and protozoa. Healthy human waste contains nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methane ammonia, and hydrogen sulphide. Whilst the first five are odourless, hydrogen sulphide is a toxic gas produced by sulphate-reducing bacteria in the human gut and smells like rotten eggs. A by-product of urea (itself a by-product of urine) is ammonia, which has a pungent smell - add to this the chemical cocktail mix of soaps, shampoos and cleaning agents and it's not surprising that a dysfunctional drainage system emanates foul odours.

Bacteria: A bacterium is a single, but complex, cell. It can survive on its own, inside or outside the body.

Viruses are smaller than bacteria and are not cells. Unlike bacteria, they need a human or animal host to multiply.

They cause infections by entering and multiplying inside the host’s healthy cell. Viruses are parasitical organisms and are often the cause of respiratory illnesses, from the common cold to Covid 19. Rotavirus, another viral infection and is the common cause of severe diarrhoea among children.

Pathogens can be bacterium, virus, or other microorganism based. Pathogens typically found in sewage include Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, mycobacterium and Giardia Lamblia (Source Water Quality and Health Council website). People suffering from dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever and other diseases of the intestines host parasitic bacteria which are passed in their stools. Pathogens can be inhaled as microbial aerosols.

Physical routes of transmission can include person-toperson contamination via contact with fomites (objects or materials which are likely to carry infection). Fomite-to-finger transfers from taps and door handles contaminated by feces or urine can serve as routes of transmission for enteric (relating to or occurring in the intestine) pathogens.

Travel hubs significantly increase the spread of infectious diseases. Drainage systems serving airports and other major travel hubs need to meet defined service levels that are commonly of high peak and short duration. Modern toilet layouts serving high usage public areas minimise contact surfaces where possible. This is achieved by avoiding doors (accepting those required for privacy), installing sensor activated taps and installation of hand dryers.

TECHNICAL

Healthcare facility drainage systems can present problems in terms of access. Hospital drainage systems are notoriously prone to blockages from the foreign objects. To add to this problem, sanitary fixtures outlet points are often needed in isolation leading to

Survival times and minimum infective dose of selected microbes

Table 1 (Source: DR IIOP KULMALA VTT 'Trackling the spread of pathogens in airports)

MICROBE

SURVIVAL TIMES NONPOROUS SURFACE

SURVIVAL TIMES POROUS SURFACE

INFECTIVE DOSE

Influenza A virus

24 - 48h

8 - 12 h

100 to 1000 viral particles

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

6h

30 - 45 min

160 to 640 viral particles

Ebola virus

11 days

Norovirus

56 days

more than 40 days

10 viral particles

Yersinia pestis

3 days

up to 5 days

100 to 500 organisms

more than 10 years

8,000 to 50,000 spores

Bacillus anthracis (spores)

1 to 10 viral particles

Salmonella

4 days

1-4h

at least 100,000 organisms

Campylobacteria

4h

1-4h

less than 500 organisms

Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

at least 4 days to weeks

less than non-porous surfaces

at least 100,000 organisms

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Design Elements

As drainage systems can be the source of human infections and diseases, design elements need to take cognaissance of the following: a) P ipes sizes to meet calculated peak and continuous flows (where applicable) and graded to achieve minimum self-cleansing velocities. b) A voidance of steep gradients leading to separation of solids. c) Avoidance of tight sudden changes of direction resulting in increased flow turbulence. d) Use of localised mechanical devices to control pressure transients. e) Adequate venting. f) S tacks to be kept in alignment where possible avoiding the need for short offsets. g) Material selection to take into consideration building environment, damage to exposed pipes. Material selection in terms of proprietary systems with relation to wall thicknesses and reduced bore. Appropriate material selection for trade waste processes. h) Specialised pipework support and pipefittings, where seismic activity is a consideration. i) Expansion coefficients of materials. j) Accessibility to clear potential blockages. k) Priming and preservation of trap seals.

As states and countries enter lockdown, the avoidance of cross contamination is being heralded from government and health ministries across the globe. It is equally important that as building service engineers within the disciplines of Public Health / Hydraulics ....'we practice what we preach'.

About the Author

Les Wilson The author's experience spans four decades through eight countries. He experienced first hand, the perils of cross contamination and associated disease following a project in Al Asnam (Algeria) in the aftermath of the October 1980 earthquake. Like most young men commencing their careers in the early 80's risks weren't always carefully thought through and a spell in Iraq out the outbreak of the Iraq / Iran war proved how just how situations can change at the drop of a hat. A lengthy trek across the Eastern desert on a 45 seater bus with 57 people and 3 dogs to the safety of Amman proved to be a sobering experience.

Sharing project notes with a trainee architect in the classroom one evening at the Hertfordshire College of Building led indirectly to the authors first project outside of the UK in the Negev desert in Israel in 1979 where he worked alongside the American Core of Engineers on a military airbase. By now the travel bug had well and truely taken a hold and the UK no longer held much interest. Twenty years later of which two were spent in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province (1998 - 2000) heading up the Public Health team on a 500 bed state of art private hospital for Aramco with the balance spent in South Africa, where invaluable project experience was gained on wineries, a brewery, hospitality, healthcare, commercial, defence and laboratories.

Returning to the UK in 2001-2004 he joined Mott MacDonald consulting engineers in Cambridge as their senior PH engineer and contributed to the public health design on Wembley stadium and a several education projects. Immigration to New Zealand followed in 2004 where he joined one of the countries biggest engineering consultancies on a series of healthcare, airport and multi-rise projects in Jakarta. The downturn of the NZ economy in 2012, provided yet another opportunity to travel and this time it was to Perth WA where he joined one of Australia's major engineering consultancies. Projects over a six year period included heavy plant workshops on two iron ore mines, Exmouth harbour infrastructure, several projects at Perth zoo, a ship building facility, a train maintenance depot, the FAL rail link and a project in Dubai's Marina which facilitated three trips over an 18 month period. A year on Australia East cost rounded up the Australian experience Returning to NZ in May 2019, the author joined Mott MacDonald as their principal hydraulic engineer, where he is currently working on a series of challenging and interesting projects out at Auckland's international and domestic terminals. Les has been an active member of SoPHE and CIBSE since 2002 having represented the former on committees in Auckland and Perth WA, More recently he has rejoined the CIBSE Auckland chapter committee to continue fostering the interests of SoPHE (Society of Public Health Engineers).

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ADVERTORIAL

Study shows tradies keeping it in the family when it comes to hiring

A

ustralian tradies are favouring family members when it comes to who they employ – but are leaving their spouses out of business decisions, according to a survey by leading business coaching organisation The Game Changers.

The research of tradie-related businesses including builders, carpenters, electricians and plumbers found 50 per cent of the business owners had employed one of more family members. The survey also found that only one in 10 business owners consulted with their spouse on all or most business decisions.

• The top five ways owners felt they could improve their businesses were: 1. Working on the business, not in it (72%); 2. Having a strong client pipeline (64%); 3. Having a written business plan with measurable targets (62%); 4. Attracting good people (51%); and, 5. Enhancing their leadership skills (51%).

Mr Magliarditi said the survey revealed some important insights into where these business owners needed support.

Barry Magliarditi, Founder and CEO of The Game Changers, said the survey – which aimed to uncover the inner workings and challenges of these industries – provided some surprising insights into how these types of businesses are being run.

“Interestingly, 31% of respondents said they established the business because they were good at what they do, but struggled with the business side. A further 49% said that while the business was in good shape, there was more to be done to improve,” he said.

“The statistics show that family-run businesses are still very prevalent in Australia. While the percentage is only small, it’s interesting that 2% of respondents had at least four family members working for them, which is quite unique,” he said.

“Surprisingly, only one respondent described themselves as a strong leader of a business in great shape with no need for any changes.

“In stark contrast, it seems this trust in the business isn’t being extended to spouses, with only a small percentage consulting their spouse on business decisions.”

The survey also revealed the biggest pain points for Australian trade businesses, with 60% struggling with cashflow and achieving a healthy profit margin.

However, despite these challenges and the fact that 2019 saw the sector suffer serious deterioration in trading conditions and profitability, small trade-based business owners were optimistic about their businesses future.

An encouraging 63% expected to be in better financial shape in the next 12 months, and a further 24% anticipated performance would remain the same. Only 13% forecast the business would be in worse shape.

Other findings of the survey include: • 43% of tradies are primarily focused on business growth, with a further 29% saying they aimed to increase profitability.

• 80% said the cost of compliance was of concern, with almost 30% saying it was very concerning.

• 78% were concerned about a slump in demand for their services, a third of whom were very concerned.

“This research highlights that as is often the case with businesses, particularly trade-related businesses, the owner is good at their trade, but not very good at running a business. They haven’t actually been given the tools to run a profitable business that ultimately works without them, which should be a goal to aim for.

“Instead they stick on the tools and work huge hours to keep the wheels turning, as they also try to fit in the estimating, quoting, staff management, project management and all the other tasks needed to manage operations while creating a viable pipeline. Often they simply don’t have these abilities in their core skill sets.

“That is why we work with our tradie clients to assess their businesses and how they can best deliver growth, while also having balance in their lives. A key part of achieving that is to not only work on their business, what we call the ‘outer game’, but also to support the ‘inner game’.

“This has been a core part of The Game Changers offering. It’s fundamental to how we help business owners achieve some amazing tangible results, including an average 3-4x growth in revenue and profits, while also watching their personal lives flourish.”

Media Contact: Ali Hiddlestone Lighthouse Communications Group 0467 541 542

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In the Sp

STEPH DONN

The photo was taken at Groot Constantia in Cape Town (one of the first wineries in South Africa).

I grew up about 3km from the winery and spent a lot of time there growing up. We took the family to South Africa a few years ago and went to Groot Constantia on a very wet and miserable day.

Immediately after a lovely lunch we got into the car to drive to an old friend’s house. We were relying on Google maps, As we were driving, the area was getting dodgier and dodgier and as we pulled up outside the address in Google Maps 20 mins later we realised that we could not be in the right place. We quickly high tailed it out of there and realised that my friend lived a 4 min drive away from the winery we were at, in a very lovely estate with their own security guard and gate!

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Let’s hear your elevator pitch Stephanie to set the scene for our readers: I’m Stephanie Donnelly and am AECOM’s practice director for building services in Australia and New Zealand. Last year we made a conscious decision to operate as national practice and my role across the building services practice is to make sure we have teams with the best experience delivery quality projects for our clients.

Let’s start with your background.

Many people assume by my accent that I was born here in Australia. I was born in South Africa, my dad is Hungarian and my Mum is from the very strong German community in South Africa. I grew up in a multi lingual household in a multilingual country before moving to Australia with my family when I was 15.

So Steph What inspired you to become a building services engineer and what path did you take to achieve this?

I honestly did not know where I would land once I

HANIE NELLY

partitions, but you could clearly hear the conversations from the cubicle next door.

I am lucky enough to still work with quite a few people who were with me at the start of my journey. I can’t choose one mentor from this group, rather I feel that at different times in my career each of them has supported me in different ways.

FEATURES

potlight...

Are there any particular moments of being mentored that you recall are game changers for your career? You might want to recall a funny moment or nice moment….

Very early on, one of the principals walked past my desk and started quizzing me about psychometrics. It very quickly become clear to me (and him) that I had no idea.

He told me that I would have a quiz the next day to test my knowledge. I studied very hard that night! Fortunately, there was no quiz the next day and I to this day very good at psychometrics!

graduated. I knew I did not want to end up on a mining site or permanently on a construction site. When I applied for the job as a graduate mechanical engineer at Bassett and I found out it was a mostly office based job in the city, I knew this was the job for me.

I spend a few years learning various aspects of mechanical services design with Bassett and then Bassett became part of AECOM. This opened the door to be involved in a variety of different projects with a wide range of different professionals at AECOM. I have enjoyed this aspect of my career the most, learning about what my colleagues do, how their point of view can challenge and improve my work and deliver great project outcomes.

For a while I did not do any building services design work, rather I project managed teams of civil engineers who were undertaking site infrastructure assessments.

This project really improved my project management capabilities and helped me deliver in my current role.

How did you get into the industry? who was your mentor and what was that like?

So you asking me to show my age? The office I started in was a cubicle farm with CRT monitors (at least we all had a computer) on all our desks. You couldn’t see over the

How long have you been at AECOM how did you get into your current role?

17 years, starting with Bassett, who then merged with AECOM. In my previous role as Team Leader - ACT, it was pretty clear that we needed someone to take ownership of building services to drive collaboration and consistency across ANZ. In mid 2018, we had a change in leadership and I was excited to hear that our new End Market Director was looking for someone to do just that. I put up my hand and got the job.

Have you had to overcome any barriers in your career?

I am grateful that I enjoy my job and have had very supportive managers and colleagues in my career. This has helped me overcome the many barriers, both small and large, that were put in my way. They have always made me feel valued and respected.

I have had older colleagues tell me they don’t think women could be an engineer, I often get asked for a tea or coffee in a meeting full of men, even when I am often the most senior person in the room, I have been paid less than an equally experienced male colleague (this was fixed when I pointed it out).

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What are some of the most enjoyable aspects of your job? What do you love about your job?

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self and would you do it all over again?

Working with a team of people to apply our technical knowledge and experience to helping our clients deliver a project / fix a problem / improve outcomes for our community. It is all about the journey you go on, defining the problem and them solving it.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Take the time to enjoy your work and your life. You can never go back in time.

What are some of the key challenges that come with the job?

In my current role I don’t have any direct reports and have to get things done through my relationships with my team. Leading through influence is challenging, I have to work at staying connected to a team than spans Australia and New Zealand. I schedule time, both one on one and as a team, to regularly catch up via video chat with the key people in my team. Sometimes, there is very little to discuss, sometimes there is a lot. I feel these regular conversation build trust between myself and the team.

You’ve just become Chartered or on the road to chartership, why now and what advice would you give to our readers who are considering it might be too late to apply in the career?

Becoming chartered has been one of my goals for about 10 years, which I finally achieve in March this year. I decided it was time for three reasons; I felt as Practice Director I should be recognised by my professional body, I wanted to lead by example as I am asking many of our team to consider being chartered or registered, and lastly, because EA has recently updated their application procedure making it easier for those with more experience to apply.

It is never too late to apply, and it is becoming increasingly more important if you want to continue to practice as an engineer. As our states and territories move towards a system which requires registration of its engineers, becoming chartered is one of the pathways that you can demonstrate your competence to practice.

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What one piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about becoming a building services engineer?

I love watching how buildings are dynamically changing as they are designed to meet client expectations, the safety and amenity of people and the architects vision. If you love the challenge of adapting to change, this is the industry for you.

Building services is great because‌.?

Great buildings services design is invisible, creating places for people to comfortably be. You will not yet for the beauty or creativity of your work, but you will know that you make people safe, happy and comfortable in the buildings you design.

Tell us something not a lot of people know about you? Something fun or an unusual hobby, etc.

I play soccer, not very well but I love the friendly competition and the friendships you make in the team.

I also love crafts, any craft that involves making something, think origami, knitting, sewing, you name it, I have done it. I recently rediscovered my love for folding boxes when making Easter baskets for my nieces and nephews. I also found my knitting needles and some spare wool the other day. I am now wondering what I will do with these.

maintain and operate equipment and protect assets.

PRODUCT NEWS

Public Buildings

O

ccupants and assets in public buildings including transport hubs, centres of education, art galleries, museums and hospitals, are sensitive to airborne contaminants, not just particulate matter but also those that are manifested in the gaseous form and are hazardous. Whether these occupants are students, visitors passing through or staff employed to provide services to visitors as well as maintain and operate equipment and protect assets.

Vehicular traffic, be it nearby road traffic, helicopters transferring hospital patients, aircraft and railway locomotives, emit poisonous fumes as a bi product of fuel combustion.

Protection for people, along with

electronic equipment, museum artefacts and ancient documents, are sensitive to the carcinogenic, acidic, corrosive nature of these compounds.

Vehicular traffic, be it nearby road traffic, helicopters transferring hospital patients, aircraft and railway locomotives, emit poisonous fumes as a bi product of fuel combustion. Protection for people, along with electronic equipment, museum artefacts and ancient documents, are sensitive to the carcinogenic, acidic, corrosive nature of these compounds.

Selection of the correct activated media, be it in form of carbon granules or chemically impregnated gas phase media, AFPRO products are formulated to address individual applications and use sophisticated monitoring tools and services to ensure maximum performance and service life is achieved.

In order to maximise the effectiveness of the gas phase or chemical media, or for that matter, any downstream filtration system, particularly for a hospital or pharma production facility HEPA filters, it is critical that particulate contamination is effectively addressed, by selection of pre filters that are rated ePM1 to ISO 16890, this will ensure the chemical media sustains contact with the gases and that HEPA filters remain clean and therefore place a lower energy impact on the HVAC system.

Selection of the correct activated media, be it in form of carbon granules or chemically impregnated gas phase media, AFPRO products are formulated to address individual applications and use sophisticated monitoring tools and services to ensure maximum performance and service life is achieved.

In order to maximise the effectiveness of the gas phase or chemical media, or for that matter, any downstream filtration system, particularly for a hospital or pharma production facility HEPA filters, it is critical that particulate contamination is effectively addressed, by selection

Reliable Controls release RC-REPORTER 3.7

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ake your building performance reporting to a new level with RC-Reporter 3.7.

RC-Reporter performance reporting software allows you to extract intelligence from your building data and discover actionable insights to improve your operational efficiency. Identify, evaluate, and rank energy wise and comfort-balancing opportunities to support your continuous optimization strategy. RC-Reporter brings clarity to building performance analytics with readable, reliable, rational reports, delivered automatically by email or integrated directly into your building control system.

of pre filters that are rated ePM1 to ISO 16890, this will ensure the chemical media sustains contact with the gases and that HEPA filters remain clean and therefore place a lower energy impact on the HVAC system.

• Run simple and complex queries to refine data used in report components.

• Apply standard math functions to data.

• Store saved reports securely on the RC-Reporter server.

• Easily export reports to and import reports from other RC-Reporter installations.

• Export reports in PDF format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBtXq2K7iBQ&vl=en https://www.reliablecontrols.com/corporate/sustainability/

Jason Duncan Reliable Controls Australasia Regional Sales Manager says “Everyone is talking about the power of data and a lot of people are not quite sure how to unleash that power, RC-Reporter solves that problem”

RC-REPORTER OFFERS FLEXIBLE REPORT GENERATION • Build custom reports quickly by selecting and configuring report components.

•S elect multiple ranges of time-series data from multiple databases.

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Contact us Address: Tusculum, 3 Manning Street, Potts Point NSW 2011 Email: info@cibse.org.au Website: www.cibse.org.au

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