CONSTRUCTION AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION - MAJOR PROJECT REVIEW
MAJOR PROJECT REVIEW
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ALSO INSIDE: Bridge point kingston The Doma Group liverpool hospital redevelopment South Western Sydney Local Health District oceanvale warriewood Karimbla Construction Services hunter expressway Roads & Maritime Services lynwood quarry development, nepean hospital redevelopment Aurora Project azure waterfront apartments Westbourne Constructions aerial apartments Hansen Yuncken vic uni construction futures Kane Constructions camberwell library and office Abigroup proximity on queens Equiset Grollo tiara apartments Contexx Pty Ltd dhs affordable housing Kane monash uni new horizons Probuild mcg great southern stand Construction Engineering BRISBANE SUPREME and district COURT Lend Lease Project Management and Construction Business energex office building Hutchinson Builders stockland townsville Stockland Prince charles hospital upgrade Baulderstone the midtown apartments Hutchinson Builders maroochydore HOMEMAKER CENTRE ADCO Constructions qut science & engineering centre Leighton Contractors & Thinc Projects mount lindesay highway Moggill Constructions dongara district high school Cooper & Oxley burswood entertainment complex Probuild
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PUBLISHER K.M. Hanson GENERAL MANAGER Phil Reynolds GRAPHIC ARTISTS Peta Brunell, Charlotte McLaren ARTWORK COORDINATOR Erin O'Brien SALES MANAGERS Chris Randles, Ben Newell SALES Michael Matthews, Ashley Wright, Kimberley Elliott, Beth Gregory BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Sarah Giles, Jessica Matulaitis, Jason Clark ADMINISTRATION Jenny Bow, Michelle Tyson DISTRIBUTION Gordon & Gotch PUBLISHED BY Trade Media Group Pty Ltd ACN 118312404 t. 02 4322 1200 f. 02 4322 1400 www.ancr.com.au www.trademediagroup.com.au WRITERS Willow Aliento, Alison Robinson, Janelle Barber, Jennifer Zweck, Kylie Scott, Lisa May, Leonie Manners, Mary Abel, Sally Agar, Virginia Laugesen, Cooper Jitts, Prue Clark, Lisa Madden PHOTOGRAPHERS Mike Chorley, Brent Kingston, Brett Jacques, Daniel Arnaldi, David Collopy, Greig Lord, James Booth, Jason Benee, José Figlioli, Lael McAvoy, Leigh Murphy, Lewis Krebbs, Michael Embelton, Robin Gauld, Rod Vella, Stephen Wood, Ian Wilson, Kate Smith, Paula Heneghan COPYRIGHT All material in this publication is copyrighted to the publisher and/or its advertisers and contributors. No material or portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission of the publisher. DISCLAIMER The Australian National Construction Major Project Review and the publisher reserve the right to alter or omit any advertisement, editorial, or advertorial. Advertisers and/ or their representatives indemnify the Australian National Construction Major Project Review and the publisher in relation to defamation, slander, breach of copyright, infringements of trademarks of name of publication titles, unfair competitor or trade practices, royalties or violation of rights and privacy and warrant that their material complies with all the relevant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights against or liabilities against the Australian National Construction Major Project Review, its publisher, its servants or agents. The Australian National Construction Major Project Review and the publisher are not liable for inaccuracy in any advertisement or editorial and do not accept responsibility for any claims made by advertisers. Any material supplied to the Australian National Construction Major Project Review or the publisher are at the contributors risk. No responsibility will be taken by the Australian National Construction Major Project Review, its publisher, its servants or agents. Opinions published in The Australian National Construction Major Project Review are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff of The Australian National Construction Major Project Review. The Australian National Construction Major Project Review is not related to any other publication.
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Lend Lease's, Brisbane Supreme and District Court Image by José Figlioli
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
NEWS
NEWS ······················································································································································· 06 ARCHITECTURE NEWS & ENGINEERING NEWS ···································································· 12
FEATURES
CEO Interview - Daryl Browning, ISPT ··················································································· 14 SCAFFOLDING FOCUS ····················································································································· 16 SPECIAL FOCUS ··································································································································· 18
PROJECTS • ACT
bridge point kingston - The Doma Group
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• NSW nepean hospital redevelopment - Aurora Projects ··················································· 46 oceanvale warriewood - Karimbla Construction Services ······································ 5 6 liverpool hospital redevelopment - South Western Sydney Local Health District ··········································································· 62 Hunter expressway - Roads & Maritime Services ··························································· 72 Azure waterfront apartments - Westbourne Constructions ··································· 8 0 lynwood quarry development - ······················································································ 8 6 • VIC
camberwell library and office - Abigroup ·································································· 94 Vic uni construction futures - Kane Constructions ················································· 1 06 Aerial apartments - Hansen Yuncken ···················································································· 1 12 monash uni new horizons - Probuild ············································································· 116 Proximity on queens - Equiset Grollo ················································································ 122 Tiara apartments - Contexx Pty Ltd ······················································································ 1 30 mcg great southern stand - Construction Engineering ··········································· 134 dhs affordable housing - Kane ·························································································· 1 44
• QLD BRISBANE SUPREME and district COURT - Lend Lease Project Management and Construction Business ··········································· 1 62 energex office building - Hutchinson Builders ······························································ 184 stockland townsville - Stockland ····················································································· 190 Prince charles hospital upgrade- Baulderstone ······················································· 198 The midtown apartments - Hutchinson Builders ···························································· 2 02 maroochydore HOMEMAKER centre - ADCO Constructions ·································· 210 qut science & engineering centre - Leighton Contractors & Thinc Projects · 216 Mount lindesay highway - Moggill Constructions ······················································· 224 • WA
dongara district high school - Cooper & Oxley ··················································· 228 burswood entertainment complex - Probuild ·························································· 2 32
This image: Camberwell Library and Office, VIC
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QUEENSLAND WOMEN ON THE RISE AT CONSTRUCTION AWARDS Queensland’s top women in construction were recognised for their outstanding achievements at the 2012 National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) QLD/NT Crystal Vision Awards held at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Friday 19 October. Women on the Rise was this year’s theme for the coveted annual awards, which celebrate the significant achievement made by women within the construction industry. The 2012 NAWIC QLD/NT Crystal Vision Awards winners are:
Queensland University of Technology Award for Innovation WINNER: Kyleigh Victory, Abigroup Water John Holland Award for Achievement as a Business Woman (Large Business) WINNER: Danielle Buffier-Jell, Arup Arup Award for Achievement as a Business Woman (Small Business) WINNER: Rosanne Stuart, Stuart Building Certification Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (Office for Women) Award to a Young Achiever WINNER: Patrice Bowen, Lend Lease Construction Skills Queensland Award for
2012 BMD Constructions Crystal Vision Award for Advancing and Furthering the Interests of Women in the Construction Industry WINNER: Bridget Taylor, Lend Lease Hutchinson Builders for Achievement in Design WINNER: Hayley Sainsbury, BVN Architecture Cement Australia Award for Achievement in Marketing, Community Engagement and Communication Excellence WINNER: Jane Won, John Holland Civil Contractors Federation Award for Achievement in Construction (Civil Works) WINNER: Joyanne Manning, Arup Department of Housing and Public Works Award for Achievement in Construction (General/Building) WINNER: Sandra Troughton, Thiess
Contribution in Building and Construction Trades WINNER: Laura Madden, Eve Renovations Leighton Contractors Award for Achievement in Sustainable Development WINNER: Samantha Hayes, Leighton Contractors Construction Training Centre Award for New Beginning Recognition WINNER: Zoe Girgenti, Atlas Heavy Engineering Abigroup Award for Achievement in the Construction Industry by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Woman WINNER: Adelle Solomon, Hulk Steelfixing
Recipients of the 2012 (NAWIC) QLD/NT Crystal Vision Awards
New Chief Executive for AECOM Australia New Zealand Global professional technical services consultancy AECOM has announced changes to its Australia New Zealand C-Suite, with Michael Batchelor named ANZ Chief Executive and Chris Tatam to become Chief Operating Officer as of 1 October 2012. New chief operating officer Chris Tatam has moved into the position vacated by Mr Batchelor following the past three years as Managing Director – Transportation ANZ. Managing Director of its NSW business, Peter Wyton, has been appointed Managing Director – Transportation for Australia New Zealand with Industry Director Ian Hosking to lead AECOM’s New South Wales business. 6
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Mr Batchelor will oversee the region’s 5,200strong multi-disciplinary team which includes designers, economists, engineers, planners, scientists and program managers. He replaces Chief Executive Richard Jackson, who is retiring following 25 years with AECOM. “As Chief Executive, Mr Jackson oversaw the integration of EarthTech and AECOM’s legacy firms of Maunsell, Bassett, ENSR and EDAW in 2009 and the addition of Davis Langdon in 2010,” said Mr Batchelor. “He spearheaded AECOM’s move into many new markets and its expanded, integrated offer to clients, creating significant growth for the company and leaving a great legacy
of leadership and innovation that I hope to continue.” Mr Batchelor said he was looking forward to the challenge of being at the helm of the ANZ business, and an integral component of AECOM’s global presence that boasts 45,000 team members. “AECOM’s ANZ team of talented and passionate people help turn ideas into reality and deliver exceptional infrastructure solutions for our clients,” said Mr Batchelor. “I’m excited to lead this team of dedicated professionals and provide project outcomes that benefit the community and society as a whole.”
Go anywhere with WAECO Portable solar Do you enjoy free camping or travelling to remote places where power is not available? WAECO Portable solar panels are now available to take you to places where you could not go before without the stress of wondering whether or not your car battery can handle your needs.
you to freely adjust the panels for optimum angles to the sun. Not only do they fold up easily and are compact, WAECO Portable solar panels come with a sturdy carry handle for easy portability and two latches to hold the panels together when folded and in storage.
New to the WAECO range, WAECO Portable solar panels have been designed with many features and come in two sizes; 80 and 120 watts making them suitable while camping or caravanning and on camper trailers, RV’s and boats or anything else with a 12 volt system.
To protect your WAECO Portable solar panels, they come with a protective carry bag for storage and with a large front pocket to keep all plugs and leads safe.
This alternate power source that you can use to charge your batteries utilises high performance monocrystalline silicon modules. Monocrystalline panels are more efficient in converting sunlight to usable energy compared to other technology and have a longer life span. WAECO Portable solar panels come with an inbuilt 10 amp rated heavy duty voltage regulator. The 10 amp regulator will act as a smart switch between the battery and the solar panels and will ensure your battery charge is kept to a maximum. Built with a battery temperature sensor, it will maintain your battery once it has been fully charged with no risk of damage from overcharging. Without a battery temperature sensor, battery performance can be impaired and life expectancy reduced. The panels come complete with both alligator clips and an Anderson plug for power and charging batteries along with 5m leads. The frame is made from aluminium and the panels come with strong adjustable feet allowing When the projects complete......
WAECO Portable solar PS80 Voltage 12 volts Input rating: 80 watts Weight: 10 kg (including cables and carry bag) Dimensions: W534 x H610 x D70mm folded RRP: $499.00 WAECO Portable solar PS120 Voltage 12 volts Input rating: 120 watts Weight: 14 kg (including cables and carry bag) Dimensions: W534 x H610 x D70mm folded RRP: $649.00 So if you are looking for a solar solution for camping, caravans, camper trailers, RV’s and boats the WAECO Portable solar panels are for you. Both the WAECO Portable solar PS80 and PS120 come with a 2 year warranty and are backed by our nationwide service network. To find your nearest WAECO retailer or to find out more about the extensive range of WAECO products to suit your on board and outdoor needs, including portable refrigeration, mobile power and kitchen solutions and automotive accessories, visit www.waeco.com.au or Free call 1800 21 21 21.
comment By Anthony Albanese Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD WITHIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR The Federal Labor Government has taken another major step towards creating a transparent, competitive and truly national infrastructure market with the launch of the National Infrastructure Construction Schedule (NICS). Now, for the first time, the details on every economic and social project valued at $50 million or more being planned or delivered by governments around the country – Federal, state and local – are available at one location: www.nics.gov.au. Developed by my Department, this new webbased tool removes a major impediment to the proper functioning of the market, namely a lack of comprehensive, complete and accessible information about the projects pending as well as those coming down the pipeline. Right now, 70 projects worth over $50 billion are listed, from the new hospital planned for Palmerston in the Northern Territory to the Midlands Irrigation Scheme in Tasmania. Previously, those interested in financing or building infrastructure had to rely on ‘word of mouth’ or scour countless websites and newspapers to find what was available, a process which inevitably advantaged larger investors and the big construction companies. NICS levels the playing field. Irrespective of where in the country or even the world they happen to be located, investors and infrastructure providers now have equal access to the same information about both the immediate and longer term opportunities which exist here in Australia. Over time, this will open up and attract more participants into the sector, which in turn will be good for competition and the price taxpayers ultimately pay to build the modern, well-planned infrastructure Australia needs for the future.
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comment By Sheryle Moon, Chief Executive Officer National Association of Women in Construction
Building a diverse future While the construction industry is Australia’s sixth largest employer, the participation of women in the sector remains low. Just 11 per cent of those employed in the industry are women. We know that a diverse workforce is a more effective one, and one of the best ways to boost productivity, attract talented employees and reduce skills shortages is to increase the participation of women in the sector.
AE SMITH APPOINTS NEW GM FOR VICTORIA CONSTRUCTION Doug Smith takes over the construction reigns AE Smith, Australia’s largest privately owned mechanical services contractor, has appointed Doug Smith to the role of Victorian Construction General Manager. Doug will lead and grow the Construction team in Victoria, a role he’s looking forward to thanks to AE Smith’s reputation for listening to clients and adding value to projects. “In the construction world, it all comes down to your reputation and your proven ability to deliver a project. That means your client relationships are everything,” said Doug, who started in his new role at the beginning of August.
From humble beginnings in 1995, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) has grown to include chapters in each state of Australia, with requests to start branches in Port Moresby and the Solomon Islands. NAWIC’s chapters are united by a common desire to ensure that building and construction workplace environments support increased female participation. In examining the current position of women within the sector, two things are evident. Firstly, that the growth in participation of women comes from the professional or para-professional areas of work. Secondly, that the number of women in the trades area has remained relatively static, at about 1.6 per cent of all people in trades in the built environment. Clearly there is work for NAWIC to undertake to advocate to governments the policies that can encourage women into trades careers. NAWIC also wants to work with organisations in the sector to identify barriers to female participation and develop strategies and solutions that remove these so that young women and their influencer groups, such as parents, career counsellors and peers, view the sector as a positive work environment. We are currently expanding our current professional development and mentoring offerings across all states to assist women to develop strategies for resilience and success in their chosen field of employment. There are many inspiring women in the sector who can act as role models for new entrants and those considering a career in construction - and these success stories can help us to build a more diverse future. For more, see: www.nawic.com.au 8
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“AE Smith’s has a really good name in the market place – and it was one of the motivating reasons behind me joining the company – the commitment to customer relationships, helping achieve mutual success and playing as a team.” “I’m looking forward to building on this reputation,” adds Doug. Doug has relocated from Queensland where he was Construction Manager for Siganto & Stacey for more than 11 years. During that time he helped oversee the successful delivery of iconic projects like Q1 in Surfers Paradise, the new Brisbane Supreme and District Court, Brisbane International Airport Terminal Expansion and Palazzo Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast. He’s looking forward to leading his AE Smith team deliver even more iconic projects here in Victoria.
Searching for more work? Like more people to know about your company? Then list it in the OzContractor.com major construction search engine. Containing thousands of companies – architects, engineers, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, concreters, surveyors, etc – and searchable by ‘state’ or ‘post code’ or ‘type’ of company, the OzContractor. com major construction search engine is the ultimate way for project managers and cost estimators and property developers to find the best companies to work on their next big project.
SPECIAL OFFER: Normally $299 per year, readers of the Australian National Construction Review are allowed to register their business for an entire year for only $149.00 (50% off) by posting a cheque or money order to: Trade Media Group Pty Ltd (Ph: 02 4322 1200), PO Box 248, Gosford, NSW, 2250, and please make sure you include your company name, address, phone/fax/website, and what ‘type’ of company (concrete, plumbing, electricians etc) you’d like listed.
RM100 GO! – a profitable all-rounder A profitable all-rounder has now joined Georg Lampersberger GmbH’s machine park in Chieming, Germany. The family business relies on ground-breaking technology made in Austria. And here we are talking about the youngest member of the RUBBLE MASTER product family: the RM100 GO! with downstream MS100 GO! screen box and RFB refeeding belt. RUBBLE MASTER introduced the GO! principle in 2009. “1-2-3 GO! Buy. Start. Earn money.” is the motto. The crushers stand out through intuitive operability. The modern gravel and ready-mix concrete company covers a wide range of services for its customers. The RM100 GO! was purchased for asphalt processing in southern Bavaria. The material is crushed down to 0-32 mm aggregate and then used in the production of asphalt. Helmut Lampersberger is full of praise for the new machine: "I was extremely
impressed by the high output. The RM100 GO! is very economical and, on top of that, easy to transport. All in all, an extremely worthwhile investment." Recycling continues to gain in importance. RUBBLE MASTER develops systems that make the reuse of seemingly worthless materials easy and cost-effective. The technology leader has created a market for profitable recycling and with it a business model that enables its customers to earn a profit right from the beginning. RUBBLE MASTER also attaches great importance to after-sales service. Deciding to invest in a RUBBLE MASTER marks the beginning of a long-term partnership. A service engineer is available 24/7 in the event of any difficulty arising which the customer is unable to handle.
comment By David Ghannoum, NSW Regional Managing Director of Construction and Development Brookfield Multiplex
LEGAL SCHEMING PREVENTING NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN NEW SOUTH WALES The current Home Warranty Insurance Scheme is causing major problems across New South Wales resulting in builders and developers pulling out of the market and significantly restricting growth and investment in the State’s economy. The NSW Government has released an Issues Paper on Reform of the Home Building Act, which through systematic abuse, does not work as intended. Reforming the current Act is an important micro economic reform urgently required to drive construction activity. Currently, the scheme restricts private sector apartment construction and reduces the quality of construction contractors undertaking residential work. Leading firms have withdrawn from the NSW apartment construction sector and this paves the way for smaller companies to fill the void. The danger is small companies are often not as well equipped to deal with significant defects and that leaves home owners less protected.
$700 MILLION SPORTS STADIUM FOR PERTH The Western Australian Government has recently announced its master plan for the precinct of Perth’s new football stadium at Burswood. Premier Colin Barnett revealed that the stadium, touted at the biggest investment in sporting and entertainment infrastructure in the state’s history, would cost an estimated $700 million and be completed by 2018. The state of the art venue, to be built on the site of an old industrial waste dump, will be designed to enable capacity to be expanded to 70,000 in the future, making it the third largest stadium in Australia and the second-largest AFL home stadium behind the MCG.
The centre points of the plan include a footbridge over the river linking the precinct with Gloucester Park and a significant upgrade to the existing Belmont Park rail station, which is likely to be expanded to six platforms to meet game day requirements. “The Burswood Peninsula location is a unique site that allows for the construction of the best stadium in Australia, along with an expansive sports and entertainment precinct for all West Australians,” Mr Barnett said. Stadium planning is on track for preconstruction site works to start by mid-2013, with an operating stadium ready for the start of the 2018 football season.
Ongoing litigation has been a significant factor in the collapse of some long-standing construction companies. Some claims take over 10 years to settle, tying up resources and capital that would otherwise be put into new projects. States such as Queensland and Victoria have provided solutions that protect both the consumer and contractor and provide a smooth process for dispute resolution. These states see just a fraction of claims taken to court because the system ensures legitimacy and speed. NSW needs clearer definitions on structural defects, a mandatory two year review of defects, a new dispute resolution mechanism, a system of binding agreements and allowing builders back on to a property to inspect defects. This would allow problems to be rectified without entering into decade-long legal disputes.
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comment By Robin Mellon, Executive Director of Advocacy Green Building Council of Australia
Green skills for the Asian century In October, the Australian Government released its ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ white paper, which points to the scale and pace of urban development in Asia and the opportunities for Australia. Each year, around 44 million people in Asia double the population of Australia - leave their rural homes in search of opportunities in cities. All these people need transportation, infrastructure, housing and utilities. During the year to June 2012, we can see that construction at 7.8 per cent represented a larger share of Australia’s GDP in constant price terms than either mining at 7.5 per cent per cent or manufacturing at 7.7 per cent. And the forecasted growth for Australian industries over the next five years shows us where our nation’s biggest opportunities lie: construction is forecast to achieve a 4.0 per cent average growth, compared with mining at 3.6 per cent and manufacturing at 1.2 per cent. While exporting ‘rocks and crops’ will remain a focus, exporting our skills and knowledge - particularly in burgeoning fields such as sustainability - can help us to create more prosperous and resilient communities both in Australia and overseas.
Another Award for A.G. Coombs Drafting Trainee Nicholas Trevorah has received his third training award, having this month won the 2012 Allan Coombs Training Award; this follows on from previous industry awards. Awarded by employer A.G. Coombs and named after the Company’s founder, Mr Allan George Coombs AM*, the Allan Coombs Training Award commenced in 2000 and is conferred annually. Recipients of the award also receive an endowment of $2,500, with an identical amount donated to the winner’s charity of choice which, this year, was A.G. Coombs’ foundation charity, Challenge. Nicholas is into the fourth year of his Drafting traineeship. Earlier this year he was the recipient of the prestigious 2012 Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors' Association (AMCA) Victorian Training Achievement Award and in 2011 was awarded the AMCA Victorian Drafting Training Achievement award.
journey, learning the skills that will allow me to work as a project draftsman. My ultimate aim is to transition into project management, and I am excited at the prospect of building a long and worthwhile career with A.G. Coombs.” The A.G. Coombs Group strongly supports Australian apprenticeships, recognising that they are the best way to combine training and entry point employment, often leading to a nationally recognised qualification and career path. A.G. Coombs’ Managing Director, Mr Russell Telford, continues to support this notion. “Our 65-year history in apprenticeship training and development continues to be further strengthened with our Apprenticeship Program, helping to ensure that apprentices make the most of their training opportunities and become effective and capable tradespeople with a great future in the industry”, he said.
This latest award, which was presented at the A.G. Coombs Annual Dinner & Awards on Saturday 13 October 2012, recognises Nicholas’ ongoing application, effort and dedication to both his role and the building services industry.
“We combine professional mentoring and active engagement with partner educational facilities to continually track training progress and to help ensure that the educational curriculum is appropriate to workplace and apprentice needs.
“I am very proud to be a recipient of the Allan Coombs Training Award this year”, stated Nicholas on receiving the award. “I am in a very strong group of apprentices and trainees, all of whom deserve to be recognised for their achievements. I’ve always had a passion for the construction industry, and am enjoying my
“The Allan Coombs Training Award is a significant accomplishment for every apprentice who receives it. Nicholas has been an invaluable member of the team; we’re proud to support him on his journey and look forward to working with him over the years to come.”
The white paper’s goal that “Australia will have vocational education and training systems that are among the world’s best, building capability in the region and supporting a highly skilled Australian workforce” is an admirable one. But we must also ensure that we have the education facilities which can provide more efficient, productive and healthy learning environments, and a syllabus which has embedded within it the core principles of economic, social and environmental sustainability. The Green Building Council of Australia is committed to upskilling not only Australia’s property and construction industry, but everyone connected to our built environment. To ensure Australia has continues opposite page 10
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Nicholas Trevorah, recipient of the 2012 Allan Coombs Training Award, with A.G. Coombs’ Managing Director Russell Telford
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Anthony Albanesee continued from page 7 This practical measure builds on our earlier initiatives which have helped to reform and revitalise Australia’s infrastructure sector, including: • Establishing Infrastructure Australia; • Nationally consistent Public Private Partnership guidelines; • A single, national prequalification scheme. On any objective measure these reforms, together with our record $36 billion Nation Building Program, are making a real and substantial difference. Indeed, total investment in the nation’s road, rail, energy, and water infrastructure is 42 per cent higher than it was during the last full year (2006-07) of the former government. In five short years we have turned around declining investment in the nation’s infrastructure and begun building for the future. David Ghannoum continued from page 9 If the construction industry is to recover and home building is to drive the economy, then reform to the Home Warranties Scheme is urgently needed. Robin Mellon continued from opposite page the green skills to deliver in the Asian century, we must take an holistic approach by integrating sustainability into the nation’s skills base as part of an overall approach, rather than green skills being seen as an ‘add-on’ to current curricula. The white paper outlines the vision for Australia’s future. Next must come funding and policies
that help our industry seize the opportunities represented by an efficient, productive and healthy built environment, and that develop the capabilities, skills and jobs to secure Australia’s place in the Asian century.
By Peter Ward Head of People and Culture HASSELL
Peter Ward continued from this page As an interdisciplinary practice with expertise in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, planning, sustainability and urban design, it’s vital that all elements of our team work seamlessly together. And our united culture is working. HASSELL was ranked Australasia’s number one architectural design practice in the 2012 BD World Architecture Top 100 Survey and we have more than 750 design awards to our name. At HASSELL, we work on the best projects in the world because we can offer our clients the best designers. And we have the best designers because we can, and will continue to, offer them the best culture. And we will never stop trying to be even better. David Parken continued from page 12 buildings to ensure the future sustainability and productivity of our cities and communities. Bob Murphy continued from page 13 In my opinion, stakeholders of all persuasions (governmental agencies, construction contractors, general public etc.) should endeavor to take a more holistic approach and uniformity of view when interpreting and appraising environmental law. Only through training and a commitment to standardization can this occur.
Yarra Park Underground Water Recycling Facility Tenix has designed and built, and is now operating, Victoria’s largest standalone underground Water Recycling Facility (WRF) - in Yarra Park, adjacent to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
park and nearby Punt Road Oval, as well as for cleaning and toilet-flushing at the MCG. The plant is able to produce over 600 kilolitres of recycled water per day and removing the MCG from one of the top 100 water uses in Victoria.
The $22m scheme, funded by the Melbourne Cricket Club ($16 million) and the Victorian Government ($6 million), treats sewage from the local sewerage network to ‘Class A’ recycled water standards to irrigate the heritage-listed
As one of the first of its type in Victoria, the Tenix-designed recycling facility has been built underground, out of public view, without taking way from valuable surface land use or park amenity.
Designing a strong workplace culture As an international design practice with 14 studios across Australia, South-East Asia, China and the United Kingdom, HASSELL prides itself on attracting, developing and retaining the best talent from around the globe. Central to this is our strong workplace culture strategy, which is based on a mutual commitment to personal and professional development, career growth and world-leading design. We have refused to allow our workplace culture to be developed by default. Instead, we have are applying the same level of passion, collaboration, and clever, creative thinking to the structure and approach of our global team, as we do to any client project. Our people and culture strategy is comprehensive and robust but also flexible. It will be regularly revised, and can always be adapted to best reflect HASSELL’s evolving business objectives and ambitions. Three key elements of our strategy are: No ambiguity: Employees will have absolute clarity on their role, HASSELL’s organisational values and the behaviour that is expected of them at work. A crucial element of this will be the consistent demonstration of these values by leaders across all our studios. No surprises: No one should be surprised by what is raised during annual performance reviews. We are in the process of implementing an ongoing and two-way process of providing regular, open and constructive feedback ensures managers and staff have the opportunity to identify and address potential issues or concerns as they arise. No end to personal growth: Developing a specific set of leadership characteristics gives principals and employees the chance to identify and work on areas for improvement, while still exploiting our strengths. Personal and professional development are actively encouraged and supported, with formal talent management and succession planning in place.
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comment By David Parken, CEO Australian Institute of Architects
A new model of sustainable design Many of the major driving forces in the construction and design industries today revolve around the incorporation of sustainable principles from the design phase right through to the complete life cycle of the building. Sustainability will continue to underpin future construction decisions as clients and end-users begin to reap the benefits of green offices, including increased employee productivity and lower building management costs. As Australia moves into a more ‘carbon centric’ economy and industry there will be an increasing emphasis on the full carbon lifecycle of buildings rather than design tools for the ‘here and now’. The Australian Institute of Architects is in the process of constructing new Melbourne headquarters which will be an exemplary project for form, function and sustainability. Construction is well under way and the project is due for completion in late 2013. The primary objective for the project is to achieve ‘carbon neutrality’, which involves a detailed Total Carbon Assessment for the life cycle of the building covering embodied energy/carbon, operational carbon, transport and waste.
ARCHITECTURE
THE DARLING OF WORLD ARCHITECTURE Darling Quarter continues to receive recognition for combining excellence in both design and sustainability, recently winning the Office category at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in November. The judges praised FJMT’s design for its ‘exciting form and massing and the creation of a publicly accessible landscape’, and they also lauded the project’s Six Star Green Star Office – As Built v3 rating, which denotes sustainability credentials of an extremely high order. Other awards the project has won this year include the 2012 CIBSE Award to NDY for commissioning project of the year; the 2012 Australia Award for Urban Design; the prestigious International Architecture Award from the
Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design; and an Urban Land Institute Global Award for Excellence.
Darling Quarter atrium photo by John Gollings
PEERS RECOGNISE INNOVATIVE DESIGN Fender Katsalidis’ strikingly original design work on Tasmania’s MONA – Museum of Old and New Art, was recognised at the Australian Institute of Architects 2012 National Architecture Awards with the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture. This is the first time in the Awards’ 31 year history that a Tasmanian project has received this honour, which is considered the Institute’s highest award. The innovative 1 Bligh Street also received major recognition, with the combined team of architectus and ingenhoven architects being
awarded the AIA’s 2012 Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture. And the outstanding combination of design brilliance and sustainability thinking which went into the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne has been recognised internationally, being given the title of Australia’s most sustainable building of 2012 at the BPN Sustainability Awards. The award is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of the design team of Billard Leece Partnership and Bates Smart, and the engineering expertise of NDY, who provided all building services including sustainability consultancy. MONA, Tasmania Image courtesy of Matt Newton
The project incorporates various features to achieve these outcomes, including energy efficient heating and cooling, rainwater harvesting, low water usage fixtures, bicycle parking, a very efficient envelope with high performance glazing and waste management and transport plans. This new hub for Victorian architecture will provide an exceptional work environment for employees and be a superior prototype to inspire architects, builders, engineers, developers and the wider community - showing how a very small CBD site can be transformed to deliver a high quality, highly sustainable, innovative commercial building targeting carbon neutrality. It is vital that those in the construction and design industries continue to push the boundaries when it comes to producing energy efficient, green continues page 11 12
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LENDING BRILLIANCE TO THE RISING SUN Leading Australian architecture practise, Cox Architecture, have been shortlisted for the Japan National Stadium Competition. Their design has been conceived with Arup, and is a synthesis of traditional Japanese craft with a structurally light egg-shaped environmental enclosure, comprised of a diagrid structure over an elliptical shell. Within the enclosure are a series of segmented, crafted timber stand elements.
Environmental technologies incorporated into the design include active energy systems, internal verdant sky gardens and an operable photochromatic glass roof which incorporates new materials and technologies. View the Japan Sport Council's announcement regarding the shortlist at http://www.jpnsport. com/en/index.html.
ENGINEERING
ENGINEERING INNOVATION BRINGS IN THE GONGS Leading international multidisciplinary engineering, architecture and environmental consulting firm GHD, along with its partners, has won two Engineers Australia Excellence Awards (Sydney division).
Commended in the Infrastructure Category for Hoxton Park Recycled Water Scheme Stage 1. The project will provide 900 ML of recycled water a year to customers in a new development in south western Sydney.
The Highlands Source Project scored GHD and Goulburn Mulwaree Council the Excellence Award for Regional Communities. The project comprises an 81 km pipeline that links Goulburn to Wingecarribee Reservoir, part of the Sydney Catchment Authority’s network of dams.
The inaugural NDY Excellence Awards, which recognise engineering talent from across the company’s Australian and international offices, were presented in Melbourne on October 26. The ten awards included Engineer of the Year Award, which went to mechanical engineer, Juris Prods, and the Innovation Award for business improvement, which went to a team comprising Millie Wan, Raini Nitiwalujo and Simon Widjaja, who developed a Sprinkler Algorithm Technical Guideline.
GHD, John Holland, Sydney Water Corporation, Thompson Controls and RPG Australia were jointly recognised with a Highly
WISE DESIGN SETS NEW STANDARD Teamwork and state-of-the-art engineering thinking have resulted in the Gippsland Water Factory (GWF), winning the top international prize at the annual WateReuse Awards in Hollywood Florida USA on September 10, 2012. The project, which sets a new standard in total water management, was delivered by an alliance comprising Gippsland Water, US-based firm CH2M Hill, Transfield Services and Parsons Brinckerhoff, with architecture by the Melbourne office of DesignInc. The GWF is located in the Latrobe Valley, one of the world’s most greenhouse emission-intense industrial precincts, and the project addresses the impacts of this industrial activity on water and water infrastructure, by combining an innovative wastewater treatment process, water re-use and an education facility. The project’s green engineering design was also innovative around power, with the GWF’s electrical supply generated onsite by
a combination of cogeneration from the gas produced by anaerobic waste treatment, and a MicroHydro station. The Vortex Centre, the community education facility at the GWF, features interactive displays, touch screens and videos, which focus on water conservation and sustainable water management, highlighting water as a precious resource at a local, state, national and global level. 35 million litres of wastewater are treated daily, including wastewater from the Australian Paper Maryvale mill, and it is believed the GWF is the first treatment plant in the world to combine anaerobic pre-treatment with membrane bioreactor processing to effectively treat kraft pulp mill wastewater. In a stunning example of sustainable thinking at work, the Maryvale mill is also one of the main customers for the eight million litres of high quality recycled water produced each day – which frees up around three billion litres (1,200 Olympic-size swimming pools) of fresh water each year for use in Gippsland. Gippsland Water Factory Images courtesy of Reflections Photography
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By Bob Murphy Quality & Environmental Systems Manager DARACON GROUP
We are increasingly being ruled by environmental bureaucracy that is inconsistently applied. Anyone operating in the civil construction industry and involved in the management of construction projects is acutely aware of the myriad pieces of local, state and federal environmental legislation affecting works. It doesn’t matter whether or not these projects are large or small in scope or located within green or brownfields, Principals and Contractors alike are all beholden to environmental constraints that place specific obligations and restrictions on undertaking construction activities. As a practitioner who has operated in this space for over 20 years, I have observed an increase, over time, in the amount and complexity of legislative instruments affecting how civil construction contractors do business. Largely, I consider this changing paradigm to be beneficial not only for achieving better environmental outcomes generally but also for endeavoring to ensure that construction activities are undertaken in a manner that is considered and accommodates the objectives of all key stakeholders. Not withstanding, my one abiding observation over the years and the source of increasing frustration experienced by construction contractor’s is the inconsistent and, in some cases, narrow interpretation of environmental legal instruments and their subordinate codes of practice. An obvious example of this inconsistency is the use and interpretation of Landcom’s Managing Urban Stormwater: Soils and Construction Volume or “Blue Book” which is specified, either directly or implicitly, for erosion and sedimentation control on the vast majority of civil construction sites. Apart from differing viewpoints as to the applicability of this specified guideline to certain contexts, findings resulting from inspection and audit of the actual incorporation and adoption of specific control measures can vary widely depending on who undertakes such audits and the purpose for which they were being inspected. continues page 11 ANCR ENGINEERING NEWS ANCR ENGINEERING
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CEO INTERVIEW DARYL BROWNING, CEO, ISPT
Daryl Browning ceo ispt With the retirement savings of more than 40% of Australian workers invested in their properties, ISPT is one of Australia’s leading property fund managers. They not only invest however, they also develop projects in both urban and regional areas across industrial, commercial, residential and retail sectors. Their dedication to delivering long-term value drives the development style, with some of the nation’s most outstanding recent major projects in their portfolio, including 100 St George’s Terrace in Perth, the 2011 Property Council of Australia Property of the Year and Commercial Property of the Year, the multi-award winning 500 Bourke Street, the energy-efficient 3-5 National Circuit Canberra, and the Society Apartments in South Yarra, winner of Best Residential Development 2011 in the Property Council of Australia awards. As CEO of ISPT, Daryl Browning needs to combine both foresight and experience to steer a profitable course, one which ensures 14
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stakeholders including investors, tenants and builders achieve the best possible outcomes, despite the vagaries of the market. Willow Aliento interviewed Daryl to find out what shapes ISPT’s development agenda. WA What are the main attributes ISPT looks for when considering a new project? DB The main attributes we look for are commercial viability and the ability to deliver returns in the medium to long term, as we are primarily a developer who invests, not a developer who builds in order to sell. WA What are the biggest considerations for ensuring long-term value? DB For long-term returns, we look for design excellence and quality, including quality finishes, and the quality of plant and equipment, also the ability of a development to attract and retain tenants. WA How can projects be 'future proofed' in terms of minimising the need for retrofitting due to changes to the building code in future? DB That comes down to design intent and design integrity. Our attitude is, you do it properly the first time, you don’t adopt a false economy mentality, which means not keeping too tight a rein on costs at the expense of quality. There also needs to be an eye kept on the substitution of equipment – basically, maintain quality and longevity. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Planners may have had a vision of the outcome, but occupants may prove the plans don’t work, and there are examples of ‘model’ communities that haven’t been found to achieve what the planners set out to do. You have to make sure whatever is being developed can be changed and adapted as life changes, because technology doesn’t stand still. Those developments that survive and succeed in the residential and commercial sectors are those able to adapt. WA What are the main planning considerations for greenfields projects such as the residential lots in the Melbourne Urban Growth Corridor? DB Ultimately it needs a holistic view, not just looking at it as individual estates, but taking a broad ranging view of the whole community and local government area, aspects like the timing of infrastructure, as often the gap is too great between the construction of the residential properties and the development of infrastructure like public transport, leading to over-reliance on cars and the issues associated with that. Places take time to establish themselves and create a sense of community, and a lived-in feel, which includes simple things like the plants need time to grow. This growth period also needs to give retail and commercial centres time to develop the life and scale they need to have to be a commercial success. WA Why has ISPT chosen to develop such a broad portfolio across sectors (industrial, residential, retail, commercial) and in both urban and regional areas? DB We have such a broad portfolio because we are targeting the differing risk appetites of our investors. Most of our investors want long-term income-producing retail and office properties, but they also want higher returns, for example those from residential projects. Primarily ours is a diversification strategy, but also being active where the returns can be achieved. There has been a lot of development in residential where returns have been high, especially in Melbourne, for the last five to ten years.
WA How can aiming for high sustainability outcomes contribute to future proofing? DB It can to a point, but ultimately not everything that’s claimed to be sustainable will turn out to be in the long-term. Our experience is that a lot of technology in the ‘green’ area turns out to be impractical, for example, wind turbines on projects and black water harvesting are relatively new technologies in the built environment. They are often affected by climate and by occupant behavior, and because it takes a long time for people’s behavior to change, there may be issues with that. WA How is risk managed for commercial projects involving considerable outlay? DB Risk management is a matter of researching the markets, and doing rigorous feasibility studies, including peer group review of proposals, and testing for all kinds of outcomes with design and the commercial aspects. You proceed with your eyes open with risk management, and mitigate for those (identified) risks. WA What are some of the opportunities for the construction industry and property developers in urban redevelopments? DB With urban redevelopment, in some ways you have the opportunity to right the wrongs of the past, because development has not been perfect. Most cities and urban areas are evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
WA As many of the workforce on projects are members of CBUS, one of the investors and board members of ISPT, does this bring a stronger sense of teamwork to the project collaboration? DB CBUS is one of our many investors, and we like to see, and they like to see, their own money at work. There is a difference, as CBUS Property is also (as an independent entity) a developer who invests, and we are an investor who is developing. We push that it is the broader industry fund money at work on our projects – it’s the nurse’s money, the teacher’s money, the public service money, the media and arts alliance money. We like people to think “I own a piece of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Attorney-General’s Office, and Fisheries and Doncaster Shopping Centre”. It’s a very Australian thing to be able to say. WA How do you collaborate with your contractors? And which models in your experience (ECI, D&C, Alliance, Construct-only) deliver the most satisfying outcomes? DB We like to work with companies who deliver what they promise on time, within budget, and to a good quality standard. We like them to bring their smarts to the table, and because we have developed projects under every possible model, at the moment our preference is D&C, because that best balances with our business models. DB It is very important for us as the holder of properties to make sure the quality and long-term elements are there, it’s a slightly different perspective to developers building to sell. We want people to be able to say, about say our residential developments, “That’s a good product”. And to get that long-term quality, you have to understand what it’s designed to do, how it’s built and what it’s built of. That’s the other issue with substitution of plant, we look at every aspect - the operating life, design life, technical back-up and availability of service, because we want to get 20-25 years of returns out of our investments. ANCR CEO INTERVIEW
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HOW TO KEEP WORKERS UP AND BRING INCIDENT NUMBERS DOWN Ultimately, the goal of workplace health and safety is everyone heading home intact. Having by definition a risk-laden working environment, the construction industry has been identified as one of five areas of priority concern by authorities in terms of reducing fatalities and serious injuries. According to Safe Work Australia data, falls from heights accounted for 25% of the 123 workplace fatalities in the construction industry in the three years from 2008-9 to 2010-11 – of those 31 deaths, ladders were involved in 11 cases, buildings in seven and scaffolding in another seven. Falling from heights was also the cause of a significant proportion of serious workplace injuries, as was being hit by falling equipment or materials. Appropriate risk management, backed by training and compliance checks, are the key to bringing these numbers down. The Commonwealth, states and territories are each responsible for the regulation of work health and safety in their respective jurisdiction. Over the past 20 years there have been efforts to make work health and safety requirements more consistent by developing national standards and codes of practice. Since its establishment in 2009 the national policy body Safe Work Australia has been driving work health and safety harmonisation through the development of model work health and safety (WHS) laws. On 1 January this year harmonised new WHS laws were introduced in the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Queensland, Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory. The WHS laws will commence in 16
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Tasmania and South Australia on 1 January 2013. The new model Code of Practice for Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces provides practical guidance on how to comply with the four-stage mandatory hierarchy of controls for managing the hazards of at height work. The first choice for protection is secure, stable, certified, solid work platforms and scaffolding systems. The Code of Practice, Australian Standards and jurisdictional guidance materials set out the specifics, such as the installation of secure edge protection, including handrails, mid-rails, kickboards, and the use of infill panels. According to the New South Wales WorkCover Guidelines and WHS regulations, all scaffolds must be erected, altered and dismantled by competent persons, and any scaffolding over four metres in height must be erected by a certified scaffolder. A model Code of Practice is currently being developed by Safe Work Australia to provide guidance on erection, design and dismantling. Regulation 225 of NSW WHS Regulations requires an employer to ensure that a scaffold from which a person could fall more than four metres, and its supporting structure, is inspected by a competent person before using the scaffold after repairs, every 30 days, and as soon as practicable after any occurrence which may affect the stability of adequacy of the scaffold of its supporting structure including seismic events and severe storms. Where scaffolding and secure work platforms are not reasonably practicable, provision and maintenance of secure perimeter screens, fencing, handrails or other forms of physical barriers capable of preventing the fall of a person must be used. The third choice is work positioning systems, and the fourth choice is fall arrest PPE, which under the new standards must not be used by workers without a person capable of performing an at-heights rescue present. For information about Codes of Practice, Standards and applicable legislation, contact your state’s workplace health and safety authority. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
solution specialists Gladstone is home to two of the world’s largest alumina refineries and Queensland’s largest multi-commodity port. The Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET), upon completion, will be located at Golding Point and will form part of the existing Port of Gladstone. Increasing demand for coal is driving Australia’s coal export market and worldwide demand is expected to continue to grow significantly. In order to meet this demand, greater export capacity is required and WICET will provide a valuable boost to existing and future coal export capacity for Queensland’s coal producers in the Bowen and Surat Basins. This $2.5 billion project will provide more than 800 jobs on site and employ approximately 120 personnel during operation. Main components included in this project’s scope are: • Rail receiver dump station, handling 7600 tonnes per hour • 5.5km long overland conveyor • Stockyard area for 1.9 million tonnes of coal • 2km long jetty conveyor • Single berth with travelling ship loader (8250 tonnes per hour) • Channels and wharf (accepting 40000dwt – 220000dwt) • 132kV substation, access roads, workshops, admin offices and amenities Once fully commissioned the export terminal will effectively double coal export capacity at the Port of Gladstone, exporting 80 million tonnes per annum. Uni-span was approached to offer their expertise on how best to form the coal conveyor tunnels, with each tunnel measuring 950 metres in length. Many factors needed to be considered, not least the integrity of the WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
waterproofing, but also the changes in direction and safety constraints that is of paramount importance to the project. The decision-making was made easy by Uni-span, Australia’s exclusive distributor of Ulma Formwork systems. The MK System Civil Engineering Kit was chosen as the optimal system solution best suited to overcome the obstacles presented through varying gradients and interfaces of square to curved junctions of discharge chambers throughout. The high moment connections between the MK Walers allowed generally less equipment to be used and larger than usual pouring platforms to be incorporated. AGJV (Abigroup Golding Joint Venture) concluded that the versatility offered with the MK system, jointly supplied with wall formwork systems Orma and EnkoformVMK as well as slab formwork system Enkoflex, would best address these issues. The tunnels were poured in varying lengths from 15.00m up to 30.00m sections to enable the construction sequence best meet the gradient change points. 120Lm of MK tunnel form were supplied in total. Coupled with hydraulics to enable a smooth strike and Ulma's electric driving motors, the tunnel forms were easily moved into the next position at travelling speeds of 6.2m/minute. The tunnels internal diameter of 6.50m was consistent, with the wall thickness varying externally from 375mm at the highest point to 700mm at the stub sides. Uni-span were also engaged to engineer and supply formwork on the remaining global works structures including a Barge Wharf and a 2km jetty as well as supply the projects scaffolding needs. !! ! ! !
CELEBRATING Years
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For more information contact UNI-SPAN GROUP, 28 Computer Road Yatala QLD 4207, phone 07 3442 4000, fax 07 3807 0546 , email: whughes@ uni-span.com.au, website: www. uni-span.com.au ANCR SCAFFOLDING FOCUS
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CORDELL
INFORMATION sheer genius turns the labour of days into a result within minutes
“It includes all the structural types, flooring types and variation information, also fencing, the driveway and landscaping.
Knowledge is essential for any business, but when it is transformed into a product like Cordell Information’s National Housing M2 Rapid Estimating, the power it offers is exponentially magnified. Whether in the hands of a builder, developer, architect, local government planning department or investor, the new National Housing M2 package can deliver answers in minutes for questions that formerly took hours of calculation.
“When the user clicks an item from the estimate, it is automatically sent across into the current estimate. The user also adds in the profit margins and overheads as a final step, and then the estimate is complete. It’s as simple as that.
Rapid Estimating draws on the entire database of Cordell’s data to create a unit cost per m2, including labour and material costs for every component in a residential dwelling. Combined into 150,000 housing models, including single and double storey, the National M2 product allows you to factor in location, climate, design modifications, site conditions, development style and added features – right down to landscaping and carpets. The level of detail is so precise you can estimate building costs for every single postcode in Australian and its territories (with the exception of Cocos and Keeling Islands, Christmas Island and Australian Antarctic Territories). The system even factors in the cost of barging materials out to islands like Kangaroo Island. All of this powerful data is contained within an extremely user-friendly programming platform accessible from any internet connection, including an iPad, which gives an estimate for any home within around ten minutes. That’s less time than it would take most potential clients to look through a brochure! “It is very, very quick to put a price together,” said Cordell’s National Manager Costing, Gary Thornley, who headed up the Rapid Estimating development effort. “You can do it onsite during a meeting with a client, and quickly cost any home in any postcode and climactic condition, including specific factors such as acid sulphate soils, mine subsidence and slope of the land, as well as bushfire risk, cyclone risk and distance from the coast. “Producing reports from the estimate is a very simple procedure. “This costing information is very powerful. We created the different house types, and different bands for average houses through to prestige houses. The data is also sorted by state and sector. 18
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“This saves an enormous amount of time and effort for builders, as it can rapidly be seen if what the client wants will fit their budget. For architects, it means they can quickly estimate the cost of designs, for developers and cost-planners, they can work out the breakdown of individual houses for an estate proposal, assess costs and yields, and work out the most profitable planning model.” AN INCREDIBLE INVESTMENT OF TIME AND EXPERTISE “It took us a year to create, a lot of hard work and expertise has gone into it. No one in Australia, possibly the world, has this type of product,” said Gary. “We did a lot of research, and found out what types of houses people were building. All the price information was taken from our database, which contains many thousands of items relating to residential construction. “This means there are quite a few billion possible cost combinations. We upgraded our computer power in order to be able to manage the information and programming involved in this product. “This is the industry’s leading costing software, a virtual bible of costing based on Cordell’s up to date and accurate industry data. Every cost in National Housing M2 is generated from our database, and therefore constantly being updated. “National Housing M2 can save companies many thousands of dollars by putting cost-planning situations in place. It is also a valuable tool for Local Councils, who base their Development Application fees on the cost of a development, so they can do an estimate and check the accuracy of the application’s estimate of the cost. “Banks and lending bodies can use this tool for loan validation, and Real Estate Agents can use it for their own pricing estimates. “There is a vast amount of methodology and exhaustive planning behind it. We had our entire IT department working on this, and our AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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PhD staff member, Georgia McGregor, ensuring the methodology was extremely crisp and right. “Creating this really drove home the reality that you need to have a plan. And the team involved in turning that plan into a market-ready reality did a fantastic job.” AN INTEGRATED TOOLBOX FOR TURNING PROSPECTS INTO PROJECTS The software platform for the National Housing M2 tool is Cordell’s Estimator V5, E-Costing &Assessor. This gives users enormous flexibility, as they can select the databases most relevant to their business, whether that be medium density townhouse urban infill projects or greenfield estates for first home owners in regional areas, specifying exactly what states they propose to operate in. 20
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National Housing M2 is not only user-friendly to operate, it also includes explanatory information on all the house models, the styles, and how to navigate the information and applications. The key to a correct estimate is the proper assessment of quantities, which is another area where Cordell’s integrated approach to data and information pays dividends for their subscribers. Because National Housing M2 draws on the PlanSwift takeoff tool software for its quantity surveying functions, the results are extremely accurate. Cordell are one of the leading resellers of PlanSwift in Australia, which has been developed by a company in Pennsylvania USA. As part of the design phase of National Housing M2, Gary Thornley spent a period with PlanSwift’s creators assessing its suitability as a complementary part of the package. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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While it stands in a class of its own in terms of rapid functionality, power to deliver answers and detailed data sets, National Housing M2 is also a logical complement to Cordell’s other profit-building business solutions. Combined with Tenders OnLine, for example, builders can quickly deliver a highly competitive and market-relevant tender for any low density or low-rise residential project. The types of projects where this delivers a bid-winning edge might include developments for retirees, hospitality enterprises comprising self-catering dwellings, affordable housing projects for both government and non-government bodies, and estate developments in any part of the country or our territories. The other bonus is that having secured the business, you can feel more confident of delivering a result within budget, and can easily price any variations that occur during either detail design phase, as a result of development approval conditions, or unexpected legislative or BCA changes during the early stages. Having an accurate price is an WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
invaluable negotiating tool in any commercial situation, because the bottom line is both easily known and quickly drawn! Added to the suite of services provided by CordellConnect, National Housing M2 means that you can add the final step to seeking and cultivating contacts and prospects, by delivering comprehensive and clearly accurate proposals within minutes of receiving notice that possibilities are emerging which should interest you. They used to call it bean counting – but through the leading-edge expertise and sheer excellence of Cordell’s data and information systems, the time-consuming task of estimating is transformed into an accessible, magnificently effective tool that grows your abilities at light-speed, delivering infinite benefits. For more information contact Cordell Estimating, phone 1800 80 60 60, website: www.cordellestimating.com.au ANCR SPECIAL FOCUS
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features plus The Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre has been designed to service and benefit the people of Ballarat and the Grampians region. The new Centre will provide specialised cancer treatment and care including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Located at the Ballarat Health Services site, the new Cancer Centre also provides a wellness Centre for patients to address their wellbeing throughout treatment and beyond. Lawler Bricklaying provided the feature brickwork and blocklaying for this much needed Centre. The feature brickwork is a striking assembly at the front of the main structure. It consists of 50mm split bricks which were donated by Selkirk Bricks and Pavers. Each course has been laid back 15mm to form a stepping feature with a series of rake cutting creating a modern, visual effect. In keeping with the heritage and charm of the existing structure, Lawler Bricklaying carried out extensive repair and restoration works in order to retain the buildings original appearance. After 20 years in business, Lawler Bricklaying have built a fantastic team. All apprentices who are extensively trained by Lawler Bricklaying have the opportunity to continue on as a foreman. The close-knit team works together in providing first class bricklaying services to their clients. Lawler Bricklaying are currently working on the Ararat Transitional facility which is a new 40-bed, purpose built facility located adjacent to Ararat Prison. For more information contact Lawler Bricklaying, 9 Woolway Court Delacombe VIC 3356, phone 03 5335 5765, mobile 0407 543 511
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bd harvest pty ltd BD Harvest is well known for providing a reliable and flexible service to our customers and maintains a quality fleet of trucks and equipment. We have a large range of walk-in-bins starting from 6 cubic metre bins to 30 cubic metre bins. Size range is 6m, 8m, 10m, 16m, 20m and 30m3. We also have a range of Lug Bins that have been certified to be used by cranes. As a fully certificated waste transport asbestos specialist, BD Harvest services have been in high demand on many high profile projects throughout the state including Mercy Hospital in Albury, 150 Clarendon Rd, East Melbourne, Bourke St, Myers and Bandiana in Wodonga. “We are here to provide a service to make your life easier not harder.” 24
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Call BD Harvest on 0408 128 402 or 03 9333 2442 or email bdharvest@bigpond.com AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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SLR announces merger-acquisition of GSS Environmental, a leading Australian Environmental Consultancy SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd, part of the international SLR environmental consultancy Group, today announces the mergeracquisition of GSS Environmental (GSSE), a leading Australian provider of environmental consulting and project management services to clients in the mining, minerals, land development and natural resource sectors. GSSE is a top three environmental consultant to the coal industry in Australia, having advised on approximately 60% of Australia’s coal mines. GSSE had a turnover for the period ended 30 June 2012 of almost $8m and counts BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Centennial Coal amongst its key clients. GSSE has 50 employees operating from offices in Newcastle (NSW) and Mackay (central QLD). GSSE brings significant expertise in the coal mining industry to the global SLR Group including advising on environmental impact and risk assessments, land and water engineering, mine development approvals, land resource management, environmental management planning, mine closure and rehabilitation and ongoing monitoring. SLR Australian Managing Director, Peter Georgiou commented: “With a Darwin office opening imminently, SLR is now providing expanded
specialist environmental services to clients via 11 Offices across all States and Territories of Australia, as well as in Singapore. The combined business in Australia has 225 employees, all focused on delivering high quality specialist environmental services to the energy, mining, industrial, waste management, infrastructure and planning and development sectors.” “The merger-acquisition represents a further milestone in SLR’s strategy of augmenting organic growth by the selective acquisition of high calibre companies to strengthen and extend its technical and geographic coverage.” Rod Masters, Managing Director of GSS Environmental added the following: “GSS Environmental’s world-class technical skills and high calibre team are a great fit with SLR, both in Australia and globally, and we're delighted to be a part of this exciting phase of SLR’s international development. Given the complementary nature of the services we bring to SLR Australia, we see great opportunities for all our staff members to broaden their client base and project experience.” David Richards, Chief Executive of the SLR Group added the following: “SLR recently raised additional finance enabling the Group to deliver further acquisitions with a total enterprise value of AUD$80M. The merger-acquisition with GSS Environmental is in line with our strategy to target high-quality consulting firms in growth regions and market sectors. The merger-acquisition will further extend our geographic footprint and strengthen the Group’s expertise in mining planning and approvals, environmental management and upstream oil and gas sectors in Australia and the Asia Pacific region.” “Following the recent integration of Metago, a leading environmental consultancy in South Africa and Western Australia, and with further potential acquisitions in the pipeline, the Group’s strong presence across Australasia, Canada, Southern Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom and its expanding technical expertise provide a strong platform for accelerated growth in 2013.”
SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd www.slrconsulting.com I 1300 434 443
Brisbane I Canberra I Darwin I Mackay I Melbourne I Newcastle I Perth I Rockhampton I Singapore I Sydney I Townsville SLR Consulting is a leading international environmental consultancy with an unrivalled reputation for providing high quality tailored services. With offices in Africa, Australasia, Europe and north America, we provide global advice and support on a wide range of strategic and site specific environmental issues to a diverse and growing base of business, regulatory and governmental clients. SLR Consulting specialises in the energy, waste management, mining & minerals, infrastructure, planning & development, and industrial sectors. We also provide expert sustainability advice WWW.ANCR.COM.AU and project management support that spans all of these sectors.
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complete cut - a cut above the rest Complete Cut is a Canberra-based concrete cutting and drilling company that offers exceptional service and outstanding results to their clients.
Given such expertise and their ability to be on-site with minimal notice, it is no surprise Complete Cut has been involved in a string of prolific building and construction projects across NSW and the ACT.
Although Complete Cut is a small company with less than ten employees, they make up for their size by providing a large range of services and cutting edge technology to the building and construction industry.
Duane Clark, Director of Complete Cut, said they had recently been involved in major projects for a number of high profile companies such as Construction Control, Bovis and Hindmarsh. “We pride ourselves on going on-site and working closely with the foremen to ensure we offer the best possible service to our clients,” Mr Clark said.
With a 680-deep road saw and a 920-deep wall saw, the largest of their kind in Australia, Complete Cut is able to perform any job, no matter how big or small. In addition, their unique electric road saw produces no fumes whatsoever and unlike regular fuel powered saws, can even be used indoors. Furthermore, such technology makes it an environmentally sustainable choice to use on-site. Another unique service Complete Cut is able to provide clients with is a drill bit capable of drilling holes of widths up to 800mL, a first of its’ kind in Australia. 26
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“As a result, we have really enjoyed working with our clientele and are looking forward to further opportunities to provide our expert services to exciting projects in the near future,” he said. It is without a doubt that Complete Cuts technological and industry experience makes them a ‘cut above the rest’ and as a result, your company’s first concrete cutting and drilling choice.
For more information contact Complete Cut Operators, contact: Duane Clark, phone 02 6294 3495, fax 02 6294 6618, email: clarkys@completecut.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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bkm provides innovative services BKM Contracting is presently completing post contractual works on the new Ipswich Motorway, which has been completed and commissioned by Origin Alliance. BKM have provided tipper, concrete agitator, mine fill operations and water delivery dispensation services for the duration of this exciting project. The new works included widening the existing motorway from 2-3 lanes in each direction, and increasing safety considerations across the board. There are also 26 new or rebuilt bridges with 24 kms of shared pedestrian pathways. BKM’s Managing Director Barry Mair is proud of the innovative services his company was able to provide for the project. BKM have been operating for 14 years and have over 20 fulltime employees. “One of the core services we can provide is the ability to swap over the agitator and replace this with a tipper on our trucks. We can actually do this on site. This allows for quick changeovers and increased efficiency, and basically means we can use the same resource for a different function. Details of the process can be seen on BKM’s website.
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Barry Mair also reinforced the views of Origin Alliance about the way the project team was sourced and put together. “I have never worked on a more successful project from a team co-operation perspective” he said. “From the early days of the project we could see how well the team worked and we were committed to buying in to that process for the good of the project.” In spite of the enormous impact of the Queensland floods in January 2011, the team were still able to complete the project under budget and six months early The project was originally scheduled to be completed in December 2012, but was able to be finished in May 2012. BKM are looking forward to new challenges after the Ipswich Motorway project and are looking towards their new project in the Hunter Valley on the Hunter expressway from Branxton to Kurri Kurri. For more information contact BKM Contracting, PO Box 1265 Browns Plains QLD 4118, phone 07 3297 5362, fax 07 3297 7017, website: www.bkmcontracting.com
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meeting milestones at any height With over a quarter of a century of experience, highly skilled personnel and a comprehensive inventory of plant and equipment, WA Universal Rigging Co (WAURC) can provide projects like Perth’s City Square with a one stop shop for steel erection, rigging, on-site welding, precast and tilt-up panel erection, scaffolding, edge protection and access equipment. Up to 25 WAURC personnel worked on the site over a three year period, from the erection of the first column through to completion. Their scope of work included erection of approximately 10,000T of main structural steel components; erection of edge protection to all floors; installation of all Preston Decks; erection of all precast elements; fixing of Bondek and studs to every floor and welding of supports cleats for all steel. A tower crane was used for erection, with WAURC’s own scissor lifts and booms lifted up to each floor as work progressed. Their labour force included fully trained Advanced Riggers and Advanced Scaffolders, personnel with precast panel erection tickets, and certified Boilermakers to carry out on site welding. The major challenge was carrying out the fixing and Engineer-specified testing of the Capitol Structure which had bolted and welded joints at height, making gaining access both a safety and logistical issue. Other complications included restricted space for unloading, the sheer size and weight of the components to the Capitol steel above the last floor, and wind considerations at heights. Despite the risk factors an excellent safety record was maintained, with no major incidents in the over 60,000 manhours worked. 28
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With their focus on skill, reliability and safety, WAURC have become a leading, trusted service provider across the natural resources and construction industries, not only throughout WA but around the nation. Other projects WAURC is currently at work on include Jimblebar Mine in North West WA and the Mundaring Water Treatment Plant. WAURC have a wide range of plant and equipment including cranes, access equipment, forklifts, chain blocks, pull lifts, tirfors, skates, scaffolding, edge protection, static lines, precast panel equipment, welding equipment and height safety equipment. In addition to their skilled project workforce including management, crane staff, estimators, two WHS managers and administrative staff, WAURC can also provide labour hire of trained personnel on a tailored basis to fulfil any project’s labour needs from qualified Supervision to Trades Assistants. With their broad range of capabilities, WAURC offer clients the opportunity to deal with just one company for all a project’s concrete and steel structural erection requirements. From site set up through to supply and installation of goods and services, WAURC are dedicated to ensuring a trouble-free works program that meets milestones on time, without compromising safety. For more information contact WA Universal Rigging Co, PO Box 1021 Wangara WA 6947, phone 08 9309 1973, fax 08 9309 1974, website: www.wauniversalrigging.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
clear leaders in a new field
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Since 1990, FDC Construction & Fitout Pty Ltd’s collaborative and innovative approach to building has been delivering successful outcomes for projects like Building B1 at the Gore Hill Business Park. Typical to data centres, the base building contained complex and highly integrated technical requirements and, when teamed with considerable site limitations, an ambitious program and an integrated fitout, this was not a simple build. FDC’s expertise in this sector proved invaluable through planning, buildability, services and risk management input. The proximity of a large communications tower adjacent to the site ruled out the use of a tower crane, so FDC used up to three mobile cranes for materials handling and general construction tasks, which made for complex logistics planning. Concurrent roadworks complicated access and weather interruptions were significant. The building comprises a lower ground floor, upper ground floor, first floor and a second floor of data halls, plus rooftop plant room, with varying heights of suspended deck floors. The façade comprises several elements - curtain wall, precast concrete, louvres and aluminium composite panels. The precast panels were installed using a corbel system on the first suspended deck to support the panels, which span up to 13.8 metres. The coordination of services added another set of challenges. There are two 300mm chilled water ring mains, supply and return, running the entire perimeter of the larger data hall with branch lines to the CRAC units supplying each hall. There is also a smaller system within the larger data hall which supplies the high density area for the cold aisle containment. The scope also included installing HV lead-in cables and the design and construction of a private 33kv substation, a first for Sydney, which required extensive coordination with Ausgrid throughout the design, installation and certification process. The highly regarded team approach by FDC - which included client, owner, consultants and trades - resulted in another successful result, with the project completed ahead of schedule despite the many challenges faced. FDC has carved out a niche in the relatively new area of data centre construction, building on their substantial cross-sector track record of integrated delivery across construction, fitout, interiors, technology, mechanical services and refurbishment. FDC believe it has delivered more data centres than any other builder in Australia, both greenfield and brownfield in nature. The company has a fully certified Integrated Management System, covering Quality Assurance, Environmental Management and Workplace Health & Safety. Federal Safety Commission accreditation has also been achieved and last month the NSW WorkCover Safety Leadership Award was awarded to FDC. Recent recognition of FDC’s Excellence in Construction included the 2012 NSW MBA Awards for the “Best Communication Centre” for Building B1 Gore Hill Data Centre (this is the second year in succession for this prestigious award); the “Best Industrial Building $10M-$20M” for the Peninsula Industrial Estate and “Best Interior Fitout $1M-$3M” for Suntory Australia. FDC’s Brisbane and Melbourne operations were also winners of MBA awards earlier in the year for industrial building and interior fitout projects. For more information contact FDC Construction & Fitout Pty Ltd, 22-24 Junction Street, Forest Lodge NSW 2037, phone 02 9566 2800, fax 02 9566 2900, website: www.fdcbuilding.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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Cost Solutions Mitchell Brandtman is a dynamic Quantity Surveying and Construction Costs Management company, providing professional specialist services to construction projects including Budgeting, Estimating, Contract Administration, Asset Services (Tax Depreciation), Procurement and Finance Management. Our group also provides a comprehensive service in Construction Expert Opinion for legal cases. Celebrating 40 years in the QLD group in 2010 and 25 years in the NSW group in 2011, Mitchell Brandtman have retained a youthful, innovative and vibrant attitude promoting proactive thinking and a collaborative environment which benefits all parties.
This factor is greatly appreciated by our valued clients who reap the benefit of proper cost control generating real savings. The more recent addition of Mitchell Brandtman’s Canberra and Thailand offices along with the associated groups throughout mainland Australia, completes an effective and highly motivated network servicing projects throughout the whole Australasia region.
For more information contact Mitchell Brandtman, Unit 10 / 15 – 23 Kumulla Road Miranda NSW 2229, phone 02 9525 8000, fax 02 9540 2553, email: syd@mitbrand.com, website: www.mitbrand.com
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canberra’s new jewel A residential development on an island in the nations capital really lets The Doma Group’s expertise shine BRIDGE POINT KINGSTON / THE DOMA GROUP
“Bridge Point is arguably the most prestigious residential address in Canberra and buyers will live on Canberra’s only residential island with private interrupted views that will never be built out.”
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Offering the same locale as Australia’s leaders and some of the most picturesque scenery this country has to offer, Bridge Point is the new jewel in Canberra’s crown. It features a master planned community of truly exclusive residences, apartments and beautiful penthouses, all built off a purpose acquired island space. The development encompasses a common room, media room and exclusive gardens, making the island a completely private residential hideaway. With its proximity to the CBD, Manuka and Kingston, the island is a unique combination of absolute privacy and proximity to Canberra’s central hubs. Only one apartment remains, along with the exclusive Residences which are priced from $2.2 million. Derek Whitcombe, the Director of Residential Project Marketing, says that the sought after location has made Bridge Point extremely popular. “Bridge Point is arguably the most prestigious residential address in Canberra and buyers will live on Canberra’s only residential island with private interrupted views that will never be built
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out,” he said. Taking full advantage of the island location and celebrating its water frontage, open space and the lake itself, Bridge Point brings together lifestyle, elegance and quiet. Situated at the desirable northern point of its island location on Lake Burley Griffin, Bridge Point is designed to complement the Lake and surrounds. The project presented significant challenges for The Doma Group, the developers that saw opportunity in the spectacular site. The Doma Group Marketing Manager, said that the team was more than capable, and that all it needed was careful planning. “We’ve been involved in a vast array of ACT based projects consistently running into the tens of millions of dollars, so we felt confident in our capacity to complete this project,” she said. “We were careful to ensure we enlisted extremely diligent partners including designers, electrical, civil and other contractors, all with the aim to produce a harmonious end product.” There are very few dwellings within the entire project that can be said to be identical in the development. Each dwelling has its own niche characteristics and design elements to ensure
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these residences are not just houses, but homes. The intent is for buyers to feel like they are at home in their freestanding house, instead of in an apartment. There’s plenty of parking allocated for family visitors and you feel like you’re completely alone, even when you’re on your balcony. Building on an island configuration offered The Doma Group a significant amount of marketing opportunities, but that didn’t come without extremely challenging building processes. “Our civil works team, our contractors, they had to develop new processes in order to get their machines into position and complete this project on time and on budgets,” she said. The end result, however, can’t be denied. Whether a standard apartment, a penthouse or a townhouse residence, those who dwell in the area are in for a real treat. Master planning will see the area develop into a truly thriving community where a marina, exercise facilities, cafes and parkland are all within easy reach of the new homes. The Doma Group is a Canberra-based group of family owned companies that began in 1974 as residential home-builders. Since that time,
the strength of the Group has grown rapidly with a concentration on multi-unit residential development and construction in the ACT. The financial strength of the Group was initially delivered through the retention of some of the multi-unit sites as investments. With the residential property portfolio underpinning the Group, some diversification was undertaken with the Group making significant investment in the local hospitality market and then the commercial office market. The Group is now recognised as one of the largest multi-unit development and construction companies in the ACT, the largest private hotelier in the ACT and a significant participant in the Woden and Barton commercial property market. They have also recently expanded into New South Wales with the purchase and refurbishment of licensed hotels, each of which have further development potential. For more information contact The Doma Group, 18 National Circuit Barton ACT 2600, phone 02 6260 7750, website: www.domagroup.com.au
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Cementing a solid reputation for excellence With over 30 staff skilled in every aspect of concrete, Belconnen Concrete can deliver exceptional results for any project. Since 1970 they have been providing projects in Canberra and beyond with timely, professional and quality concrete services, growing largely by word of mouth into one of the largest concrete companies in Canberra. For Doma Group’s Bridge Point Kingston project, Belconnen Concrete provided all the pumping, placing and finishing of the concrete for the complex project, including both the luxury apartments and the lakeside homes. One of the company’s strengths is project management, and this planning ability ensured that all their trucks, pumps, staff and concrete mixtures were on site when required, and the job completed in a safe, efficient and timely manner. Belconnen Concrete is a family-run business which started out on small residential projects, and are now pumping, placing and finishing approximately 150,000 cubic metres of concrete every year. Many of their staff are trained in house, and as a consequence are highly skilled in their area of trade expertise. Many of the team have been with them for a decade or more, and some for over 25 years. 34
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This creates a cohesive, experienced team, which coupled with their focus on providing best practice, enables the company to guarantee the quality of their work, offering clients an exemplary degree of quality assurance. The commitment to the company from its employees is mirrored in the commitment the company has made to its clients, like Doma, who Belconnen Concrete have completed numerous projects for, including the Sirius Building and Realm Park. Between repeat business from satisfied clients like Doma, and their track record of producing outstanding workmanship for projects across the ACT and surrounding region, as far north as Sydney and Albury to the south, Belconnen Concrete’s future looks very solid. As innovators at the forefront of their trade, Belconnen Concrete set the standard for concrete pumping, placing and finishing in the growing ACT construction marketplace.
For more information contact Belconnen Concrete, PO Box 1002 Fyshwick ACT 2609, phone 02 6280 2700, website: www.belconnenconcrete.com.au, email: reception@belconnenconcrete.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Providing the geotechnical engineering know-how for bridge point kingston Working on a project like Bridge Point presents a range of unique challenges, with one of the biggest being its unique water based location. Because of this, the developers needed to ensure all of the required investigation of the subsurface conditions was conducted prior to commencement of construction to make sure the integrity of the structure foundations was to remain intact. ACT Geotechnical Engineers were retained to consult on the project on an ongoing basis. Jeremy Murray, Director at ACT Geotechnical Engineers, said they were commissioned to provide geotechnical investigation of the substructure that the site is on as well as geotechnical advice and consultation in relation to the substructure right through the construction process. “It’s been a long job, but the client wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be any problems down the track. It was absolutely vital that
we undertook a thorough geotechnical investigation to ensure we had a detailed understanding of the geology of the site, to enable us to determine the most suitable footing solution.” One of the biggest challenges ACT Geotechnical Engineers faced when working on the Bridge Point project was the shallow groundwater at the site, and the deep soils, including land reclaimed from Lake Burley Griffin overlying soft alluvial soils, that were quite loose and collapsed at the drop of a hat. “It took time to find practical and economical solutions to these issues, but we provided a footing system that helped the client overcome these problems and move forward with construction,” Jeremy said. ACT Geotechnical Engineers are a highly specialised geotechnical engineering consultancy, and one of very few in the country, making their skill set highly prized by developers Australia wide. “We have the ability to work on any project in the country, and are highly mobile,” Jeremy said. This flexibility has seen them grow year on year, and remain in business through volatile markets for over 18 years. For more information contact Act Geotechnical Engineers, 31 – 37 Townshend Street Phillip ACT 2606, phone 02 6285 1547 or 0404 064 858, website: www.actgeoeng.com.au, email: jeremy.murray@actgeoeng.com.au
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am & dm roofing more than up to the task Colorbond roofing is a product that has truly come a long way. Now an extremely attractive option for its looks and longevity, many building companies have opted to roof their own houses in this quality material. AM & DM Roofing were commissioned to provide and install the colorbond roofing on the entire Bridge Point project. Not a large but detailed undertaking, Danny Hately, project manager of AM & DM Roofing, said they were more than up to the task. “A lot of work went into preparing the project to make installation as fast as possible so as not to hold up the rest of the project,” Danny said. The end result across both the homes and the apartments has turned out extremely well, with the sleek lines of the design carrying right through the roof. With a range of capacities including copper, zinc and Colorbond and Smartfix cladding systems, AM & DM roofing are able to take on virtually any project from the smallest individual house right through to commercial and residential developments such as what they’ve done at Bridge Point. “We’ve been operating for almost 35 years and have 36
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a team of 15 extremely skilled tradesmen that draw from a range of skills in virtually every type of roofing and cladding currently available to developers,” Danny said. The success of the Bridge Point project has lead to a range of other jobs that AM & DM Roofing have been commissioned on, including a large Airport terminal carpark, 4 National Circuit Barton and a range of residential developments. “AM & DM Roofing is all about Quality not Quantity, we don’t like to over commit on too many projects at the one time, preferring to concentrate on the jobs where the builder or client is prepared to spend a little extra to get a better result,” Danny said. “In Canberra, whether you’re doing a good job or bad job, word travels quick. With this philosophy we will never be without work.” For more information contact AM & DM Roofing, Danny Hately, email: danny@smartfix.com.au, mobile: 0410692747, phone 02 6162 0733 website: www.smartfix.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
wonderful waterworkers Delivering an integrated hydraulics package to a prestige residential project located on a man-made island has been an excellent demonstration of the project management capacities and trade skills held by D-Group. The company’s Hydraulics Division undertook the supply and installation of all the necessary services for the Bridge Point project at Kingston, ensuring all the systems installed contributed to the project’s water efficiency. D-Group’s scope included the supply and installation of sewer, stormwater drainage and stack work; domestic cold water systems; hot water system; fire hydrant system; gas services; and general plumbing works, all completed over a 16 month period by their team of twelve tradesmen and site foreman. “Due to the complex set up of each unit, coordination with other trades involved was the key to making the project run smoothly,” said Dino Jugovac, D-Group’s Managing Director. “Site access was a challenge, and due to the precast panels being used and the panoramic windows installed to maximise the view, installing the external hose taps and gas BBQ point on the balconies for clients also proved a challenge. Space was very limited to run these services, and we also had to be conscious of the overall design aesthetic of the project, which aimed to achieve very clean lines.” The water-efficiency aspects of the hydraulics installation include 5 Star water saving taps and toilets, a centralised hot water system with flow and return system; and the installation of rainwater tanks in the basement, which feed the irrigation systems throughout the building. D-Group works closely with both the client and the builder, to ensure they achieve the highest possible standards of performance and quality. The company’s team of over 100 employees work to certified management systems, with third-party accreditation for Quality Management Systems to ISO 9001:2008, Workplace Health and Safety Management Systems to AS/NZS 4801:2001, and Environmental Management Systems to ISO 14001:2004. Having a multi-disciplinary operation gives D-Group the capability to tackle demanding, complex jobs in tight timeframes. Through cohesive integration of the various divisions – Hydraulics, Civil Works, and Project Management – achieving any scope of works to the highest possible standards is assured. For more information contact D-Group, 5 Whyalla Street Fyshwick ACT 2609, phone 02 6162 3377, fax 02 6162 3388, website: www.d-group.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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genplus thrives day in, day out Some of the most vital components to a building project are also some of the least visible. Genplus Hire have been supplying industrial generators, lighting, compressors and other vital gear to building sites around the ACT and NSW regions for decades now, and know what it takes to get a project of this significance off the ground. Richard Doggett, the CEO of Genplus Hire, told us the importance planning played in the process of the Bridge Point project. “A larger project such as Bridge Point requires us to bring in additional plant, which needed to be factored into the equation before first ground even broke,” Richard said. When looking at Bridge Point it can be easy to forget the amount of people and machinery involved in putting it together behind the scenes. “We provided plant and equipment for construction site power, tower crane and critical dewatering plant for this project,” Richard said. “Genplus Hire regularly provides power for construction sites from single site sheds through to powering multistorey buildings and large blocks during major utility upgrades.” 38
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Genplus Hire is in the unique position of being able to provide both big business power and lighting solutions and small business service. “We are a big business and we have a lot of plant available to suit just about any power application needed as well as providing onsite technical support from licensed tradesman and full turnkey solutions to all power problems,” Richard said. The company adopts a flexible small business philosophy to ensure they can meet customers demands. “We’re able to act at a moments notice and position any gear that’s required right around the country, all it takes is a phone call.” It’s this flexibility that won Genplus Hire the Bridge Point project and why their business continues to thrive day in, day out.
For more information contact Genplus, phone 02 6297 2641, mobile 0412 663 566, website: www.genplus.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
a success from start to finish When the Doma Group started looking for suppliers and installers to fulfil their requirements on the Bridge Point project, they knew they needed someone reliable who could take care of the whole insulation process from start to finish. Frank Samsa, Manager at Capital Insulation, said their flexibility was a big part of the agreement. “We were able to offer the expertise required for such a large job, yet were able to be flexible in the requirements of the job as they changed and developed over time,” Frank said. “We had plenty of staff that could service the project yet we were a local team, based right in Canberra so we could offer everything they need.”
in our business,” Frank said. “Along with our SolarBright skylights and Ampelite roof vents we have been able to offer a full suite of products to the Doma Group.” One of the great things about Capital Insulation is that not only do they offer consultation and supply services, but they also have a dedicated team of highly skilled installers to offer an end-to-end service. “Our team have been undertaking installations in the apartments, penthouses and the homes to ensure everyone in the new development can make the most of the highly scenic location without having to worry about the often cool winter breezes that come off lake Burley Griffin.”
With Bridge Point aiming squarely at the high end of the residential sector, it was important from the outset to have only the best products involved in the build, and the insulation was no exception.
Capital Insulations expertise has seen them undertake a wide range of jobs in the Canberra area, and see them getting busier every year.
“Fletchers and Foamex insulation, Kingspan and Acoustica and Thermotec sound proofing are all high end products that we use
For more information contact Capital Insulation, phone 1800 433 348, website: www.eefit.com.au
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Australia’s premier finishings company wraps up Bridge Point As each new development in the country, and indeed right around the world, starts to take shape, there are a number of areas of the build that need attention from a team of specialists, which many may not even consider. Yet it’s these specialist finishes that can make the difference between the project being a commercial success and a break-even or even a loss project. Chernway Pty Ltd are experts in the finishing touches. Everything from bedspreads and table linen right through to blinds and curtains fall within Chernway’s area of expertise, and the evidence is well and truly clear when taking a look at the end result that is the Bridge Point project.
quote if your materials and workmanship don’t live up to the standards of the rest of the project, you’ll only be laughed off the job site.” Chernway have built a reputation for themselves right around the country to the point where Australia’s most prestigious new developments and remodels go directly to them. Hilton Hotels, Travelodge, Ibis, Novotel, Alice Springs Resort and now Bridge Point are all a part of Chernway’s portfolio, speaking volumes for the quality of their work. “We only source the finest materials, offer full warranties and use the most highly skilled fabric and materials workers in the country to ensure we develop a flawless result every time,” Richard said.
“We were commissioned to provide all the finishing touches that people often don’t think about, yet are the vital selling points that tip buyers over the edge,” Chernway Director, Richard Heather said. “The key to servicing a job of this scale is offering realistic price points for the bulk buy, but matching the extremely high quality of the rest of the build. At the end of the day, there’s no point delivering under your original 40
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For more information contact Chernway, 4 Young Street Annandale NSW 2038, phone 02 9564 1622, website: www.chernway.com. Vertilux, website: www.vertilux.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
best of the best When Ellwood Detail Joinery, also known as EDJ, was given the opportunity to provide the joinery for one of Canberra’s most significant developments, they knew that the scale of the project was going to be the biggest hurdle. “It’s not often these days we are given the opportunity to use the ‘best of the best’ when it comes to a project of this size,” Owner of Ellwood Detail Joinery, Matthew Ellwood said. The Doma Group instructed EDJ to use the highest quality hardware and materials available on the market. “All aspects of the functionality and aesthetics of the joinery were carefully considered to ensure the individual needs of the owners were met,” Matthew said. This meant that EDJ were designing and constructing many individual joinery pieces as opposed to building repetitive designs modified to each suit each layout. EDJ worked closely with the construction team to plan out the program needed that would ensure the quality of each joinery item was maintained throughout the project. They utilised a team of highly skilled staff who are committed to achieving the best possible outcome, many of whom have been with the company for over a decade. Keeping control of each process is very important to EDJ, who utilise 1200m2 of factory space, modern processing machinery and the largest spray painting facility in the region to maintain the highest standards of quality. Owners, Ben Smith Roberts and Matthew Ellwood established EDJ back in 2000. Their focus was to become a Joinery focused on quality and not necessarily scale. However, after investing heavily in equipment and a-grade premises they’ve been able to establish a joinery that provides large scale fit outs whilst maintaining high standards of quality. They are continually looking to embrace new technology and techniques to ensure they remain as up to date as possible in a tightening market. For more information contact Ellwood Detail Joinery, 40 Silva Ave Queanbeyan NSW 2620, PO Box 1168 Fyshwick ACT 2609, phone 0408 667 747
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natural choice Well known for their dedication to the environment by sourcing and utilising natural products which are low VOC and recyclable, Q Commercial Carpets were the best choice for the Bridge Point Kingston project in Canberra. The project has seen the combination of natural and distinctive design choices to make this development a truly desirable place of residence. The natural confinement of the beautiful waterfront setting presented some management challenges in order to integrate the throughput of flooring professionals. Flooring specialists are generally the last of the construction effort prior to the finalisation of development work. Consequently considerable effort was essential to ensure programing and scheduling deadlines were met without detriment to the standards of excellence predetermined. Q Commercial flooring specialists blended with the multitude of trades at the site to pursue ultimate quality finishes demanded by the prestigious nature of the development. Extensive use of exotic lime wash finished solid timber floor is juxtaposed with the softness of Cavalier Bremworth wool carpet. Prior, the finishing surfaces floor preparation in various forms was undertaken to grind concrete, install leveling compound and supply and install ply wood sub floors and cork underlay to maintain the rigorous standard of sound attenuation demanded. Q Commercial Carpets upholds a notable reputation by continually providing a high standard of customer service and quality of workmanship that the steadily growing company is proud to stand behind. 42
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The team at Q Commercial Carpets has delivered countless major projects across the ACT and South East of Australia. Their portfolio includes numerous 500+ unit residential developments, commercial office complexes, prestige hotels and motels, suburban clubs, health care facilities, retirement villages, aged care facilities and major shopping centres. Q Commercial Carpets recognise that their employees are their greatest asset and focus on providing a safe working environment at all times. They are also committed to the future of their trade, ensuring the next generation of flooring specialists get the best training possible through the company’s ongoing Apprentice Employment Initiative. For more information contact Q Commercial Carpets, phone 02 6298 1640, email: Qcc@qcommercialcarpets.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
classic touch Classic Deco delivered an outstanding service on the Bridge Point Kingston Project. The team provided extensive interior and exterior painting along with window protection applications, feature walls, stair work and skim coat treatments to concrete columns. The Bridge Point Kingston project is a luxurious complex designed to embrace the culture of Canberra. The new development offers a selection of unique residences including lavish lakefront houses, penthouses and 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. This project required a superior end result and Classic Deco undertook the challenge and provided a high quality finish for the client. With more than 30 years experience in their industry, the company was able to produce an outstanding service that complimented the building and its surrounds. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
With passionate staff who are experienced in their field, Classic Deco are certainly a partner of choice in Australia. The company prides itself on delivering quality finishes that exceed client expectations. Their dedicated team of professionals provide a service that always results in a positive experience for their customers. Classic Deco is proud to be an MPA member and award winner in 2012. Classic Deco offers a range of painting and decorating services including distinctive decorative finishes.
For more information contact Classic Deco, phone 02 6291 5587, mobile 0413 053 785email: info@classicdeco.com.au ACT PROJECT FEATURE BRIDGE POINT KINGSTON
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JLT has the knowledge, experience and skills to respond to complex risk exposures and is aware of the many challenges that influence the Construction Industry. Experience the JLT difference It’s our personalised service and approach to your business that sets us apart JLT Construction provides insurance solutions, services and products to constructors, principals, government and consultants by: Listening to you and understanding your needs
Hotel Realm, ACT
Bridge Point Kingston, ACT
Contract reviews Arrangement of bespoke insurance documentation Product innovation
Begin your relationship with JLT by contacting: Philip Clauzel General Manager Construction E-mail: Philip.Clauzel@jlta.com.au Phone: (02) 9290 8137
Jonathan Frost Divisional Manager Construction E-mail: Jonathan.Frost@jlta.com.au Phone: (02) 9290 6706
www.jlta.com.au/construction.aspx Jardine Lloyd Thompson Pty Ltd. ABN 69 009 098 864 AFS Licence 226827. Level 11, 66 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Tel: (02) 9290 8000
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Bridge Point Kingston, ACT
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New Contemporary Facility for The Nepean Health Campus Aurora Projects were responsible for Project Definition Planning, Procurement and Delivery of $110million of projects comprising the Nepean Hospital Stage 3 Redevelopment. NEPEAN HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT / AURORA PROJECTS
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Image The New East Block building and internal refurbishment of the Nepean Hospital
Aurora Projects was appointed by NSW Health Infrastructure as Project Director in 2007 to manage the redevelopment works of the Nepean Hospital Stage 3. The services provided by Aurora for the Nepean Redevelopment comprised master planning, services procurement planning, project definition planning, procurement and project delivery. The scope of redevelopment included; the construction of the new East Block containing six new operating theatres (one fully equipped with a Philips mono-plane interventional X Ray System), an ambulatory procedures centre, 60 overnight surgical beds, a 10 bed Medical Assessment unit, refurbishment and expansion of the Intensive Care Unit to 24 beds, refurbishment of CSSD, extension and refurbishment of Oral Health services to 32 dental chairs, expansion of in-centre renal dialysis from 2 to 8 dialysis stations, upgrading of the CSSD and a 600 space multistorey carpark. Aurora Projects is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm focused on working with their client’s in the healthcare and education sectors. They are known for their ability to identify clients needs, and successfully translate desired service outcomes into project briefs, business cases, asset planning and the delivery of the final asset. Their business is centred on providing specialist advisory services to assist clients address major strategic challenges in the planning and execution of major capital projects. Assignments are varied, usually with a focus on the early feasibility & planning stages of a project. Aurora is very proud of the established working relationships and their subsequent reputation for partnership, knowledge and experience. With a strong national presence and proven track record domestically and internationally, they have the capability to deliver large and small scale projects Their advisory services have been applied to assist with the development of strategies for many clients and projects throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific region. Each of their projects is delivered with strong leadership, to a clearly defined plan with a commitment to the pro-active management of risks and opportunities. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
As specialists in the planning and development of health care and education sector infrastructure, facilities and services, their expertise is delivered by a team of skilled professionals from wide ranging professional backgrounds. Their entire team is committed to providing leadership in management and they practice listening, thinking and acting – in fact it’s their philosophy for doing business. As a result they enjoy mutually respectful relations with clients, cultivating a genuine sense of togetherness in the planning and completion of projects. Aurora’s reputation over many years as an industry leader is based on proven experience applied across a variety of health and related sector projects, generally with a focus on the definition of client needs and the evolution of those needs into a robust project brief and concept planning. This is achieved by applying the right combination of skills, experience and resources to every project. Current projects being undertaken in by Aurora in NSW include: project management of the new 64 bed facility for the Graythwaite Rehabilitation Trust project at the Ryde Hospital, the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Precinct Development at the University of New South Wales and the new 20 bed rehabilitation Subacute Centre at Woy Woy Hospital. Current project direction and advisory roles include the planning stages for redevelopment of Lismore Base Hospital, the Faculty of Science Accommodation Renewal Strategy for the University of New South Wales, the New Science Building at the University of Technology Sydney and the Hawkesbury Rural Clinical School for the University of Notre Dame. Aurora is also currently responsible for the project direction and planning of in excess of $2.0bn of projects for state health departments in Western Australia and the Northern Territory The project also has further been nominated on the list of finalists for the 2012 NSW Premiers Awards in the “Building Infrastructure Category” recognising infrastructure projects that make a difference to the NSW economy and people’s lives. For further information please see www. auroraprojects.com.au or telephone 02 8920 1838
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Below Peter Kelly Flooring were responsible for all the floor coverings on the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment.
Peter Kelly Flooring (PKF) is a privately owned, family business with offices in NSW & Queensland specialising in providing the highest quality industrial & commercial flooring products & services throughout Australia. Established in NSW, PKF have over 30 years of installation experience and have completed some of Australia’s major projects in hospitals, aged care facilities, correctional centres, schools, supermarkets and large public spaces. PKF were the perfect choice for the installations of floor coverings for the Nepean Hospital redevelopment project, and over the years they have established a solid reputation for the supply and installation of a wide selection of quality commercial flooring products including vinyl flooring, carpet and timber flooring to this specialised sector of the market. PKF understand the importance of delivering commercial flooring solutions to best suit clients specific needs and requirements and will give independent advice on value for money products to ensure ease of maintenance, comfort and appeal, abrasion resistance, as well as selections for anti-static environments. PKF are proud to have worked in conjunction with Tarkett who were responsible for the supply and manufacture of the materials used in the Nepean Hospital project with over 120 years of experience in the flooring industry Tarkett have become the largest provider of integrated flooring and surface solutions in the world. No other manufacturer offers larger product diversity, allowing them to anticipate all flooring needs to propose the best solution for each and every area of the building.
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with whom they do business are aware of their environmental policies. They communicate openly and constructively with employees, customers, relevant authorities; and the community and have management systems and operating procedures necessary to identify, monitor and control the impact of operations on the environment and strive continuously to improve on environmental performance. PKF support flooring products and manufacturers that have sound environmental credentials and where possible are involved with “take back” schemes that offer product off cut recycling, ensuring the best possible outcome for minimising environmental impact. A wide selection of quality commercial flooring products and professional staff offering years of specialised expertise enable you to select the flooring right for your project. You can feel confident your flooring needs are backed by our commitment to excellence. Other areas of expertise include waterproofing, set downs, subfloor preparation, wall protection, tactile, wet area systems, static control flooring, gym floors and dance floors. “Our mission is to exceed our client’s expectations every day by providing high quality flooring products & services.”
Each of Tarkett’s integrated flooring and surface solutions caters to a very specific customer need. No matter whether the project is public, commercial, residential or a sports facility installation, a new construction or a renovation project, it’s the combination of their world wide expertise and broad product portfolio across vinyl, linoleum, rubber, laminate, wood, accessories and sport surfaces, as well as their intimate understanding of customers’ needs that enables Tarkett to create those destinctive flooring experiences.
Peter Kelly Flooring and Tarkett Australia are proud to be associated with Australian Health Design Council.
It is the policy of PKF to conduct their business in an environmentally sound manner. Ensuring that their operations, products, and services comply with all relevant statutory requirements and that subcontractors, suppliers, and others
For more information contact, Tarkett NSW State Manager Mike Smee, mobile 0438 532 222, phone 02 8853 1224 Peter Kelly Flooring, Adrian Murphy, mobile 0418 969 885, phone 02 9899 6688
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Below JBA Planning provided NSW Health Infrastructure with planning services to gain approvals for a number of stages of the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment.
JBA is a specialist and independent planning practice with a large team of highly qualified staff working from offices in North Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle. They provide a full range of planning and design services and specialise in medium to large scale planning and development projects along with more complex statutory and policy issues. Over the past twenty years JBA has been involved in over 4,000 projects including many landmark and awardwinning developments. The team is committed to working with their clients to achieve results that are sound, creative and sustainable – environmentally, socially and economically. JBA provided a range of planning services to NSW Health Infrastructure to gain planning approval for a number of stages in the redevelopment of the Nepean Hospital Campus. The main project JBA was involved with was the new Integrated Mental Health Unit (IMHU). They have also undertaken advice and planning around early works packages related to decanting and relocating uses to facilitate the construction of the IMHU. Most recently they assisted NSW Health Infrastructure to gain approval for a new multi-deck car park at the intersection of Somerset and Derby Streets. The IMHU was a Project Application under the now former Part 3A approvals process. With a Capital Investment Value of about $40 Million the project was of State Significance. The IMHU features: • The construction of a multi storey building to accommodate the IMHU. The building will have a gross floor area of 5,611m2; • Mental health accommodation units; • Offices for mental health professionals and administration staff; • Lounge, dining and informal areas, education/workshop areas, family meeting rooms, gymnasium and multimedia
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entertainment and education rooms; Internal landscaped courtyards accessible from within the building; Ancillary plant and infrastructure and Relocation of an existing Reconciliation and Memorial Garden and commemorative plaque.
JBA added value to these projects by seeking to evaluate NSW Health Infrastructure’s development staging needs and tie this to a planning approvals regime across all project elements that provided flexibility, appropriate levels of consultation with Council and the community, and timing-based certainty. JBA was able to develop an approvals regime that used various pieces of planning legislation to its fullest and provide a template report for the purposes of the Development without Consent approvals. Further, JBA was able to facilitate various design changes to the IMHU post-approval without the need for further modifications to that approval, due to its understanding and expertise in the Part 3A process. This further ensured the construction process would not be held up by unnecessary further negotiation and approvals. The innovative design of the IMHU (by Woods Bagot) raised some concern with authorities about its contribution to the streetscape. JBA, with Woods Bagot, were able to define the project’s functional aspects (and community-based need) and tie this to the overall design of the building. JBA was also able to present clear arguments around context, minimal environmental impacts, and overall improvement of the address of the Hospital to its locality. The experienced team at JBA were able to simply and clearly articulate solutions and responses to allow an unhindered designmaking process free of unnecessary delays.
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Some key JBA social infrastructure projects and clients include: • Macquarie University Campus Concept Plan and various projects - Concept Plan, Rezoning, Project Applications (Macquarie University) • University of Technology Sydney, Broadway and Kuring-gai Campuses Concept Plans, Rezonings, Project Applications (University of Technology Sydney) • University of NSW - Various projects, including new Material Sciences and Engineering Building (University of NSW) • Dubbo Hospital Stage 1 Redevelopment SSD DA (NSW Health Infrastructure) • Prince of Wales Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Care and Blood Disorder Centre SSD DA (NSW Health Infrastructure) • St Vincents Hospital Master Planning (St Vincents and Mater Health) Other key JBA projects and clients include: • Barangaroo (Lend Lease Development) • 161 Castlereagh Street (Grocon Developments NSW) • 126 Philip Street (BT Funds Management) • Costco Auburn (Costco Australia Wholesale) • Thornton Park, North Penrith (Landcom) For more information contact JBA Planning, website www.jbaplanning.com.au, email jba@ jbaplanning.com.au Sydney, Level 7,77 Berry Street North Sydney NSW 2060, PO Box 375 North Sydney NSW 2059, phone 02 9956 6962 Wollongong, Level 1, Burelli Street Wollongong NSW 2500, phone 02 4254 1025 Newcastle, Level 1, 35 - 37 King Street Newcastle NSW 2300, phone 02 4927 0980 JBA Social Infrastructure Sector Leader: Oliver Klein (Associate), phone 02 9409 4940 or oklein@jbaplanning.com.au
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Image The Philips FD20 Hybrid Vascular X-ray system, which was installed by Australian Medical Installations into The Nepean Hospital Redevelopment.
With over 25 years of combined experience, Australian Medical Installations has a well-established reputation in the field of medical imaging technology. Their team of specialists offers innovative solutions and reliable, professional service whether installing, relocating or decommissioning medical imaging equipment. AMI’s expertise ranges across X-Ray machines, MRI’s, CT scanners, as well as Cath, Angio, Hybrid and EP Labs. While AMI has a growing number of successfully completed projects across the Asia-Pacific region, over the past few years AMI has been involved in a number of high profile NSW healthcare infrastructure redevelopment programs.
machines into the revamped radiology department, and AMI have been working with them to complete the installation of 18 Medical Imaging systems, including CT’s, Angio Labs, General X-Ray, Fluoroscopy and assisting with the installation of two MRI systems. The installations are due to be completed by the end of 2012. AMI offers full-service packages including site assessments, organisation of all logistics, and stringent adherence to manufacturers’ specifications as well as health and safety standards. “Every installation project is different, requiring careful assessment and planning according to the unique challenges the site poses. We aim to execute each project as seamlessly as possible,” says AMI’s Installation Specialist David van Dorssen.
Working closely with Philips Healthcare and construction company Laing O’Rourke, AMI completed the installation of a state of the art Philips FD20 Hybrid Vascular X-ray system into the new development at Nepean Hospital in Sydney’s West in December 2011. Currently the team is working on the large-scale redevelopment of the Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards, Sydney. Philips Healthcare was awarded the contract to install a full suite of X-ray 52
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For more information contact Australian Medical Installations, phone 0405 191 565, visit www.aminstallations.com.au. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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Image Premier Fire Protection were responsible for the fire services equipment at the Nepean Hospital.
With offices in Sydney, Townsville, Mackay, Airlie Beach and Brisbane, Premier Fire Protection provides services which include the design, installation, testing and maintenance of fire services in new and existing buildings. The team were contracted to provide their expertise on the Nepean Hospital project in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. The redevelopment will see substantial additions to the existing hospital and is set to provide much needed services to the local community. Premier Fire Protection have also worked on many other notable projects including the Hilton Hotel, Sydney Airport, QVB, St Vincents Hospital, Parramatta Council, Department of Defence and Woolworths. Due to their extensive knowledge and commitment to customer satisfaction, Premier Fire Protection is considered to be one of the most successful fire protection firms in Australia. For more information contact Premier Fire Design, Installation, Maintenance and Testing of all Fire Protection Equipment, Sydney - 02 9980 8777, Townsville – 07 4775 6627, Mackay – 07 4951 0011, Airlie Beach – 07 4948 1279, Brisbane – 07 3252 7685 54
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Below Stone Will delivered a complete external package to the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment.
Stone Will Pty Ltd was appointed for the landscaping on the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment project. With 15 years of experience in landscaping other key projects include: Royal Sydney Golf Course 1st Tee, Sydney University Medical Centre, Soldiers Beach surf club and Bella Vista Waters. Their reputation was built around hard landscaping works including but not limited to Core fill Block, Retaining walls, Keystone wall, Concrete, Asphalt, Paving, Timber work, Soft landscaping, Maintenance, Irrigation, Civil works including kerb & gutter / drainage. Due to client demand, Stone Will diversified its services to deliver a complete external landscape package, allowing clients and builders to communicate with one contractor for everything outside, soft and hard landscaping along with civil components. Stone Will has recently been awarded some of the most prestigious landscape maintenance contracts with key clients such as Goodman, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and Metcash. Stone Will is committed to providing professional and quality service and they ensure the company satisfies WHS Act and exceeds current guidelines on safety by continually reviewing and improving upon their system of safe work. For more information contact Stone Will, 6/19 Boden Road, Seven Hills NSW 2147, phone 02 9862 8448, website www.stonewill.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Image Perfect practice dental installed the specialty custom joinery units to the Nepean Hospital.
Perfect Practice was selected to provide the dental Joinery units for the Nepean Hospital because of their reputation within the healthcare profession for uncompromising quality and attention to detail. Senior Dentists from the hospital visited Perfect Practices well equipped showroom and worked closely with their design team to develop custom joinery units that support best practice clinical work flow and procedures. Perfect Practice then provided photorealistic 3D models of each of the joinery units to assist with visualisation of how the units would look and work. They then delivered a full working unit to the hospital for testing prior to proceeding with the manufacture of the final design of each joinery unit. This process enabled clinicians at the hospital to know exactly what they were getting and to be certain the finished product would function exactly to their requirements. The Polyurethane joinery units, complete with full soft close functionality, are complemented with seamless Staron™ solid surface benchtops and Billi™ touchless sensor taps to provide a high level of durability and infection control. Unlike typical kitchen cabinets, dental and medical joinery units supplied by Perfect WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Practice are engineered to sustain a high frequency of use (and abuse) and were the logical choice for a demanding application such as the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment. Perfect Practice is a family business located in Seven Hills NSW and they have been servicing the healthcare industry with their expertise for the past ten years and are committed to providing their clients with consistently high standards of ethical and professional conduct, honest and expert advice, offering value for money and the implementation of innovative solutions using quality products. Perfect Practice deliver the ideal solution to your specific practice requirements.
For further information contact Perfect Practice, PO Box 8099 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153, phone 1300 001 122, email info@ perfectpractice.com.au, website www.perfectpractice.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE NEPEAN HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT
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where the forest meets the sea Taking its inspiration from the beauty of its surroundings, the exclusive Oceanvale Warriewood is located between the forest and the sea
Located between the forest and the sea, Oceanvale Warriewood is an exclusive residential enclave that offers resort style facilities. Karimbla Construction Services was the builder for the project and worked closely with the developer, Meriton.
sunshades and louver shutters so residents are able to better control the temperature of their apartments.
The apartments have been designed with luxury in mind and offer a range of fantastic inclusions. Oceanvale Warriewood is located in a beautiful wetland environment and accordingly, the design has considered ways to minimise impact on the surrounding area. Both Meriton and Karimbla Construction Services value their contribution to reducing the carbon footprint. Oceanvale has a 6.0 star average thermal comfort rating which is well above the current building standards. Environmental features of the design include skylights,
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Other attributes include: Energy efficient lighting and appliances Water efficient fixtures Rainwater harvesting Solar panels and Drought tolerant landscaping.
Karimbla Constructions Services specialises in construction and project management. Their experienced team offers a seamless service AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
that delivers on time and above expectations. Other projects Karimbla Construction Services have worked on include: • • • •
The Infinity Tower in Brisbane Peninsula Apartments in Rhodes Victoria Square in Zetland Verde Apartments in St Ives
Karimbla Constuction Services is part of the Meriton Group. Meriton have been building premium apartments across Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane for almost half a century. During this time Meriton has become Australia’s largest property developer, having received numerous awards and recognition for building excellence. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Meriton undergoes the majority of its operations in-house; from buying land, planning projects, building, selling, property management and financing to strata management. This model ensures quality control at each output. The Australian economy depends on the residential housing and construction industries of which Meriton drives. Meriton produces thousands of apartments each year, providing homes, accommodation and investment opportunities to Australians in serviced apartments and residential properties sold and leased. For more information contact Meriton Group, Level 11, Meriton Tower, 528 Kent Street, Sydney 2000, website www.meriton.com.au, Facebook.com/meritonapartments, Twitter.com/meritongroup NSW PROJECT FEATURE OCEANVALE WARRIEWOOD
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local allies with international reach An international consultancy with a long history in the delivery of significant projects, RPS provides clients – public and private - with the widest range of professional urban growth services in Australia. RPS’ Newcastle based Quantity Surveying team delivered realistic and accurate cost estimates to Meriton for the Oceanvale Warriewood project including the public and private roadworks, relocating infrastructure services underground, creation of bio-retention basins, flood storage areas and the establishment of cycleways. RPS also assisted Meriton to estimate capital investment values and elemental estimates for the units to achieve feasibility and obtain project approval. In Australia and Asia Pacific, RPS employs around 900 people in 27 locations, including capital cities and regional centres. Globally, the company is represented by over 4,500 people who work from offices in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Australia and Asia. Australian operations commenced in 2003, and since this time RPS has strengthened its capability using a mix of organic growth and acquisitions of leading consultancies including the purchase of longstanding local Newcastle company Harper Somers O’Sullivan in November 2006. RPS’ experts are committed to helping their clients meet the challenges posed by all projects by ensuring a balance of technical, social, environmental and economic outcomes. 58
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The company’s teams of Urban Planners, Economists, Project Managers, Surveyors and Mapping Specialists, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers, Quantity Surveyors and Specialists in Environment, Water, Climate Change, Sustainability and Cultural Heritage, have built a reputation for involvement in a vast range of large and often complex projects across sectors including: • residential • commercial, retail and industrial • public space and recreation • educational institutions • health and community infrastructure • aviation • transport infrastructure In a move that will allow RPS to deliver more value to its clients than ever before, it recently acquired Manidis Roberts, an environmental and project management consultancy founded in 1988 and headquartered in Sydney, with small offices in Brisbane and Melbourne. The 90-strong Manidis Roberts team delivers a significant boost to RPS’ Australian operations through their significant expertise in Project Development, Communication, Creative and Bid Services and Corporate and Project Services with lead roles in major infrastructure and property projects in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. For more information or contact details for RPS in Australia, please visit rpsgroup.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
From the ground up Jeffery and Katauskas Pty Ltd (now trading as JK Geotechnics) are a specialised Australian geotechnical and environmental consultancy. They were commissioned by Meriton to carry out geotechnical and hydrogeological investigations at an 80,000m2 site adjacent to a large wetland in Warriewood. The development consists of several residential unit blocks over basement parking together with all associated infrastructure, including access roads, open parking areas, buried services and dams. The proposed development was to be completed in stages and the investigations, which were carried out over several years, addressed the larger site area in general and the initial stages in more detail. The initial investigation of the greater site area had to be revised at an early stage due to the unexpected subsurface conditions which were encountered. Previous geotechnical investigations which JK Geotechnics had undertaken immediately to the north-west and to the south-east revealed relatively deep alluvial deposits. Furthermore, immediately to the south of the development site is a large wetland. Somewhat surprisingly, investigation of the subject site revealed residual soils over relatively shallow bedrock. Shallow groundwater was also encountered. The principal geotechnical and hydrogeological issue associated with the proposed development of the subject site was the control of the WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
groundwater during construction and over the long term. This was of particular significance due to the environmental sensitivity of the site being adjacent to a wetland. JK Geotechnics drilled over thirty boreholes across the greater site area for logging, sampling and testing purposes. Wells were also developed to enable the team to monitor groundwater levels and the response to rainfall. On the basis of the above, JK Geotechnics provided parameters for the design of footings, retaining walls, on grade floor slabs and pavements. For groundwater control, they developed a scheme whereby the groundwater seepage is harvested upslope of the basement, diverted using pipework around and beyond the basement and drained into wide shallow trenches downslope to allow discharge into the wetland via infiltration. JK Geotechnics are based in Sydney and provide expertise in the following areas: geotechnical, geomechanical, forensic and expert witness reporting, groundworks construction, site investigations, cliff and coastal stability studies, slope stabilization, retaining walls, shoring, foundation evaluation, risk assessment, earthworks, rock excavations, soil reinforcement and geotechnical/geological mapping.
For more information contact JK Geotechnics, PO Box 976 North Ryde BC NSW 1670, 115 Wicks Road Macquarie Park NSW 2113, phone 02 9888 5000, fax 02 9888 5003, website www.jkgeotechnics.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE OCEANVALE WARRIEWOOD
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Oceanvale Warriewood, NSW
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reaching new heights Acrow Formwork & Scaffolding continues to lead the way with innovative and cost effective formwork and scaffolding solutions to the building and construction industry. The Oceanvale Warriewood development in Sydney is just one example of Acrow leading the way by being awarded the contract for stage 1 and subsequently stage 2 for the supply of scaffolding to the perimeter of the buildings on the Oceanvale development. The contract awarded to Acrow included the supply of labour for the erection and dismantling of the scaffold and was coordinated by Acrow’s in house Site Manager and Project Manager. As part of its value proposition Acrow also provided a full set of engineering drawings and plans to the customer that provided the detail and scope for the proposed scaffolding project. At its peak approximately 300 tonnes of modular scaffolding was utilised on the two buildings. Acrow operates in Australia from 19 locations across the country and manages over 50,000 tonnes of formwork and scaffolding equipment. They also boast a highly experienced and passionate team of in-house engineering, safety and project management professionals. The company is the largest formwork and scaffolding business in Australia and offers innovative and cost-effective solutions to major residential, commercial, civil and industrial customers. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Meriton, the developer of Oceanvale Warriewood, is just one of the valued clients which Acrow has formed a long-standing relationship with. Acrow features an impressive portfolio of projects including, but not limited to, the redevelopment of the MCG, Kogan Creek Power Station, the Brisbane Airport Link Project, the Urban Superway Northern Connector, Adelaide, the Royal Children’s Hospital, Perth and AAMI Park, Melbourne. Acrow is a privately owned company formerly known as Boral Formwork & Scaffolding. In 2010, the organisation was rebranded as Acrow Formwork and Scaffolding Pty Ltd. The name Acrow has been active in the Australian construction industry since 1950 and its heritage dates back to 1936, when the company was first launched in the United Kingdom. The decision to rebrand back to the grass roots of the organisation reflects the companies determination to be leaders in their industry by delivering impeccable service and providing access and safety solutions that are synonymous with the ‘Acrow’ brand. For more information contact Acrow Formwork & Scaffolding Pty Ltd, 2A Mavis Street Revesby NSW 2212, phone 02 9780 6408, fax 02 9780 6463 NSW PROJECT FEATURE OCEANVALE WARRIEWOOD
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Success story for south western sydney A major milestone in delivering a new era for public health Client : NSW Health Infrastructure Project end Value : $390 Million Completion : Late 2012
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AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
In March 2013, Liverpool Hospital will celebrate 200 years of continuous service to the community, but those who built the original three room brick hospital in 1813 could hardly have imagined the state-of-theart 875 bed facility it has become, complete with 23 operating theatres, helipads and a range of leading edge medical technology including plans for a MRI linear accelerator for cancer research in Australia. The most recent evolution of the hospital commenced in late 2005, with a multi-staged design and construction process of a new building, linked via concourse to the existing building constructed in the 1990s, which has also been refurbished. The first stage of the new clinical building accepted its first patient in November 2010. In October 2012, the purpose-built Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research was officially opened by the Prime Minister, and there are successive stages yet to come, including a new brain injury centre, new mental health facility, and the commissioning of the ‘bunker’ for the MRI linear accelerator in 2014. Other new facilities include a new adult ICU with a capacity for 60 beds, making it one of the largest in the country; 23 new operating theatres; and medical technology infrastructure which exists nowhere else in NSW. This includes the Tomotherapy Unit which combines CT and a linear accelerator that precisely targets cancers without damaging surrounding healthy tissue, and the RAPTOR suite containg a robotic surgical imaging machine, which is the first of its kind in a public hospital in Australia. Construction is also underway on a new Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre, which will promote teaching and learning across medicine, nursing and allied health. This has been futureproofed in terms of AV and IT technology, and is linked to the University AARNET, allowing staff and students to videoconference with any Australian university, and is also linked by AV to operating theatres. “This was a major new building for Liverpool, and it has added 2,500 rooms to the hospital,” said Liverpool Hospital General Manager, Associate Professor Anthony Schembri. “Our hospital is a principal trauma centre for New South Wales, it has two helipads, and the new helipad is linked by high speed elevator to the ICU, operating theatres, emergency department and cardiac catheter laboratories. We have a specially built theatre for trauma which contains multiple technologies for imaging, and it takes WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
a matter of minutes now to transfer patients there. In trauma care we talk about ‘the Golden Hour’, and the new facilities enable us to act swiftly.” Approximately 75 different subcontractors worked on the project, which included a number of innovations designed to achieve greater environmental sustainability, better energy efficiency and a healthier indoor environment.” “One of the biggest innovative architectural aspects of the project is the concourse. The main spine links both the old and new parts of the Clinical Building and provides a logical and efficient way for the public and staff to access clinical and consulting areas. The design and final completed element is quite a feature of the hospital with a full height glazed facade and contemporary finishes,” said Manager of Capital Works, Matt Sydenham. “This two storey internal street is fully glazed on the north side to take advantage of soft indirect sunlight. The street overlooks onto a subtle landscaped area that is also accessible to the public. The street is open, with clean light coloured finishes and provides an inviting entry to the hospital. It contains a variety of natural finishes such as glass, steel, wood panelling and granite in a contemporary design. “Light coloured finishes have been used throughout the new works such as white painted walls, white speckled vinyl floors, white tiles in the bathrooms and light coloured joinery finishes, to maximise light efficiency and provide feeling of wellbeing. Acrylic low-VOC paints have been used throughout the project, to ensure best possible air quality. “The internal integration of the refurbishment to the new building is seamless and the whole clinical building reads as one building. This applies not only to the public areas but also to the staff corridors. There are very little remnants of the previous fitout, so all staff can enjoy a fresh new and up to date facility. “Artificial grass was laid across large areas of roof on lower levels that could easily be seen from the inpatient unit bedrooms from above, and the design incorporates internal courtyards and light wells to maximise light to consult rooms and offices.” Sustainability innovations include the project’s passive solar design, implemented via appropriate external sun shading, double glazing and low e-glazing to improve indoor comfort levels. The new HVAC systems are energy-efficient as are the light fittings, and all taps and water fittings are AAA WELS rated or higher. Work had to be undertaken with great care for the safety of patients, staff and visitors. Specific measures
included a dust proof, vinyl and painted walkway tunnel in the Cancer Centre to provide patients access to treatment facilities; and ongoing construction of fire rated protection hoardings and emergency passage ways, with the staged nature of construction requiring them to be constructed and dismantled around 100 separate times as work shifted around the site. A 10kPa steel structural gantry was erected over a link walkway to provide protection during crane lifting operations and another has been erected to protect the public during construction of the new cancer treatment bunker. Radio communication protocols were established between the construction site staff and hospital staff in the event of a helicopter emergency delivery, ensuring all tower crane operations would cease. In the basement, a heavy duty and dust proof hoarding provided protection to the staff corridor and maintain food and linen deliveries from the loading dock to the existing hospital, while the extensive demolition, excavation and structural work took place on the other side of the hoarding to extend the existing Clinical Services Building concourse. This project also provided an economic injection, as over the course of the project, the Construction manager undertook regular fund raising activities, and raised nearly $100,000 in donations to the hospital. It has also been an important source of employment to the area, with 1700 workers and over 90 apprentices undertaking their training on the project. “A real marker for the redevelopment was the clinician and staff engagement in the design. Over 100 change and design groups worked with the architect, designers and builders. We saw this as an opportunity to improve patient care and do things differently, and we all wanted that opportunity to say ‘how can we do this better?’,” said Anthony Schembri “As a result, the diagnostic imaging centre is on the ground floor – easy for people to get to for appointments – and we have what we call our ‘hot floor’, which has the theatres, ICU, and interventional radiology. That is just one example of our clinical staff working with the architect, designers and planners to achieve a better outcome. “The success of the redevelopment has been achieved through communication and collaboration. There is a great pride, not only in our staff but in the entire community. We are so very proud we have Australia’s premier hospital serving the community.” NSW PROJECT FEATURE LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL
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PROVIDING A BREATH OF FRESHER AIR Hospitals are by definition dedicated to health and wellbeing, and Allstaff NSW have played a role in ensuring indoor air conditions at Liverpool Hospital are ideal for both patients and staff with their refurbishment of the three floors of mechanical services in the existing three storey building. The $6.5 million design and construct mechanical services contract included supplying and installing pipework, ductwork and air handling equipment, and also providing specialized testing and commissioning services. In keeping with the high environmental sustainability standards of the project as a whole, Allstaff NSW have ensured that the equipment installed is energy efficient, and that the whole HVAC system is functioning in the best possible way. The main challenge was managing the multiple staging of works, which was required in order to keep systems operating in the occupied areas of the hospital. “It is a challenge refurbishing a hospital while keeping it functional on a day to day basis,� said Allstaff NSW project manager, Andrew Buls. The works took place over 18 months, and involved an Allstaff NSW team comprising the project manager, up to 3 site managers, a site engineer and two site draftsmen. Allstaff NSW specialize in mechanical services for health infrastructure and education facilities. Other major projects recently completed include the UNSW Tyree Energy Technologies Building, where they completed a design and construct contract for mechanical services, medical gases and fume cupboards; and they are currently undertaking work at Sydney University for the Charles Perkins Centre (obesity research facility). 66
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The company has been a market leader in Victoria for over 35 years, with the NSW division commencing operation 15 years ago, and now delivering a comprehensive range of services across all major development sectors. Allstaff NSW provides services including total project management; design and energy efficient solutions; estimating and tendering; drafting; testing, balancing and commissioning. The company also has a Special Projects Division which specializes in retrofits, refurbishments and other small to medium projects. Their team of professionally qualified, client focused and experienced building services engineers can deliver complete design and construct solutions; existing system assessments and performance evaluations; essential services reviews; and mechanical smoke hazard management systems. As members of the Green Building Council of Australia and a range of professional organisations including Engineers Australia, the National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) and CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers), Allstaff NSW are dedicated to best practice in their industry, and take pride in delivering the most cost-effective, fit-for-purpose solutions for all their clients.
For more information contact Allstaff Airconditioning (NSW) Pty Ltd, Quad 2, Level 3, 8 Parkview Drive, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127, phone 02 9879 3377, website www.allstaff.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS CARE FOR EVERYONE Since Johnson Controls invented the first electric room thermostat back in 1885, they have remained innovators in the field of sustainability technology. A recent success story is the Liverpool Hospital Redevelopment, where the company did double duty designing and installing the Building Management Control System (BMCS) and the leading-edge security system. The BMCS automatically controls all facets of the HVAC plant, including the chillers, boilers, air handling units, fan coil units and VAV Boxes. An innovative feature is the alarm reporting, which quickly sends emails to those persons directly responsible for that particular equipment. There were complexities caused by the stringent requirements of a wide variety of specialised areas, including Operating theatres, Negative pressure isolation rooms, Positive pressure isolation rooms, a clean room pharmacy, and a Cyto toxic Pharmacy, plus general ward and office areas. “The strict pressure regimes of the operating theatres as well as the isolation rooms and cyto toxic pharmacy were the most challenging aspect,” said Malcolm Wilson, NSW BAS Team Leader for Johnson Controls. “I have enjoyed the challenge and take pride in the quality product that my team has delivered. The system we have installed is user friendly and the system graphics are easy to navigate.” There were four milestones with Lend Lease, plus the Ingham health research centre for Richard Crookes Construction. Some stages required significant co-ordination and stringent adherence to deadline, with handovers sometimes occurring one room at a time, making this more logistically complex than a standard hospital project. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
The innovative network-based security system for all the new and refurbished buildings consists of three main sub-networks: a Network Based Access Control and Staff Duress System, Network Based CCTV System, and a Network Based Intercom System. Key elements included installing outdoor cameras, card readers with boom gates, and intercoms for visitor and staff parking. The new access control system separates the staff back of house areas from general public areas, the CCTV system monitors both public areas and back of house, and the intercom system controls public access to locked off areas. “The main challenge was building and upgrading the refurbished areas with the hospital running within the same areas,” said Paul Lovett, NSW Security Systems Team Leader for Johnson Controls “I have managed other hospitals security installations in past years including St Vincents, and this hospital has raised the level of security and safety of staff and monitoring and controlling of the general public during normal hours and after hours to a new level.” Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries, and a multi-award winning leading provider of equipment, controls and services for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, refrigeration and security systems. With the ongoing development of new products such as the web-based Metasys BMCS systems, they are dedicated to delivering the innovative solutions which enable sustainability. For more information contact Johnson Controls, Level 2, 65 Epping Rd North Ryde Sydney NSW 2113, phone 02 9805 8300, fax 02 9247 7750, website www.johnsoncontrols.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL
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FUTURE PROOFING HEALTH FACILITIES
SCP Consulting is a structural engineering firm with extensive experience in health facilities. They were engaged by Lend Lease in early 2008 to provide structural and civil design services for the Liverpool Hospital redevelopment. The scope of SCP’s engagement was based on the full design and documentation of construction on the new clinical services building (milestone 1), refurbishment of the existing clinical services building (milestone 2), the clinical skills building and the radiation bunker (milestone 3 and 4). Milestone 1 has been completed and opened and milestone 2 to 4 are still under construction. SCP provided full construction supervision for each milestone along with structural and civil certification of the completed structures. The new seven storey clinical services building is the centerpiece of the project. The building has a single storey basement structure with a perimeter contiguous shoring system along one side. The basement loading dock turning area has a transfer structure with spans in excess of 16m supporting 6 storey column loads. The entire structure has a CFA piled foundation to all columns and shafts, and a fully posttensioned structure from ground floor to roof. This involved over 50 concrete pours. The building is fully tied with delayed tied corbel joints. This allowed SCP to design the building without internal expansion joints. Stair and lift cores were designed to resist lateral earthquake and wind forces without the requirement for additional shear walls. SCP undertook a detailed dynamic analysis and design of all sensitive use areas to ensure that the floor structure would support sensitive equipment and the smooth movement of trolleys and beds over the joints. Future proofing of the structure involved the incorporation of future penetration zones at columns. SCP Consulting is currently involved in the construction of the Lifehouse cancer treatment centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. For more information contact Scp Consulting Pty Ltd, Level 2, Danchen House 507 Kent Street Sydney NSW 2000, phone 02 9267 9312, fax 02 9261 5871, email pauls@scpconsult.com.au
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ALLSEAL delivers smooth and level floors at new Liverpool Hospital
Allseal Floor Preparations Pty Limited are manufacturers, distributors, and installers of the world’s most technologically advanced floor leveling and floor coating products. Allseal brings proven experience to subfloor preparation in all environments including durable and high performance industrial and commercial floors. The treatments they apply can cover most existing surfaces, including concrete, metal, tiles and timber. Allseal’s reputation for quality and precision was a perfect fit when it came to working at Liverpool Hospital. Hospital floors generally require a fall of no greater than 1mm per metre. Medical equipment is highly sensitive. Patients need to be moved comfortably. To level the floors Allseal used a high performance floor underlayment from BASF Construction Chemicals developed for use over poured in situ and precast concrete floors which will later be covered by carpet, vinyl, ceramic tiles or natural stone. The coating applied was a smooth, self-levelling, cementitious, non-structural, floor underlayment that delivers a fast setting, level and flat surface. It was applied at an average WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
High-performance self-levelling floor underlayment for use under a range of floor coverings
thickness of 8-10mm, to over 50,000m2 of concrete floor in a 6 storey building, delivering a level floor surface ready for the application of vinyl flooring, tiles and carpet. In areas of critical need, including the hospital’s 23 new operating theatres, the floors were laser-levelled and pinned prior to the application “We’re very happy with the results that we’ve been able to achieve at the Liverpool Hospital,” says David Kealy, Managing Director of Allseal. “Most importantly, the client is also very happy with the results. The floors throughout the entire building are level, smooth and up to the required specifications.” In 25 years Allseal has worked hard to build its deserved reputation for quality workmanship and reliability. A large range of technical literature and data sheets is available on request. For more information contact Allseal Floor Preparations Pty Limited, P.O.Box 678 Round Corner NSW 2158, phone 02 9894 1608, fax 02 9894 1649, email david@allseal.com.au, website www.allseal.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL
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EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE DELIVER A HEALTHY FINISH Mick’s Painting Maintenance Group will always see to the finer details to deliver exceptional results for specific project needs. For Liverpool Hospital Stage One, to ensure they met the project’s high ESD standards they designed a special envirowash system for the project, developed in conjunction with Dulux existing systems to minimise the environmental impact of brush and roller washing. A team of 65 staff including trade-qualified painters worked on the project, with Senior Project manager Steve Neave managing logistics and overseeing quality-control for the complex 14 month painting works. Mick’s Painting Maintenance Group undertook all the internal painting for both the new building and the refurbishment works, using Aqua enamel gloss and low VOC low sheen paints throughout. Part of the QA initiated for this project was the unique method of a non intrusive micron testing of the thickness of paint film on every single surface. This was conducted and verified at each stage with a Dulux Representative –Mr Geoff Holgate
able to meet the needs of multiple major projects through effective, experienced management of workloads, materials and rostering. Their tradesmen bring a high standard of professionalism to every job, providing informed suggestions to clients on products, techniques and alternatives. Mick’s Painting Maintenance Group are fully insured and licensed, fully compliant and conversant with all the relevant standards, and pro-actively committed to excellence in Workplace Health and safety. The company are currently working on major projects including 26 Railway Station upgrades (including Heritage paint restoration works) around New South Wales for Railcorp; a six-year $2.3M contract for the Department of Education and Training for new projects and schools; and a five-year maintenance contract for Spotless worth over $4 million.
“We are proud of the successful coordination of all the trades on this job,” commented Steve Neave.
“Mick’s Painting Maintenance Group can guarantee the highest level of service, as we have considerable experience in all aspects of our trade. Our Project team can estimate or do take –offs from drawings, work off BOQ’s, or undertake site visits anywhere within NSW at short notice,” says Steve Neave.
For 15 years, Mick’s Painting Maintenance Group has been providing premium painting and a diversity of building trade services across the domestic, commercial, industrial and specialist project sectors. With a labour force including more than 85 trade-qualified painters, they are
For more information contact Mick’s Painting Maintenance Group, Mick Todorovic – Managing Director - phone 0412 354 199, Steve Neave – Senior Project Manager – phone 0431 675 501, Namir Varka –Site manager – phone 0400 822 878
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GARDENS OF DELIGHT Birds Landscape Design and Management are a team of designers and horticulturalists who undertake a diverse range of commercial and residential landscape design projects. At Liverpool Hospital the company had a number of design objectives. For the streetscape it was important to screen the nearby railway line, soften the scale of the building with vegetation, and to plant hardy, low maintenance species. In the main entry area durable granite paving created two different surface finishes, aesthetically pleasing and stylish. Along the colonnade large sandstone squares 1.5mx800mm were used to retain the slope between the mental health building and the new wing. An area adjacent to the new wing was specifically designed as a contemplative space for indigenous Australians. This required sensitive and respectful research. At the heart of the new wing is an internal courtyard. This is not accessible to the public and so was designed freely for purely visual delight. For more information contact Birds Landscape Design and Management, Studio 4, “Regal Gardens Centre”, 249 Annangrove Road Annangrove NSW 2156, mobile 0419 992 634, email birds@birdsdesign.com.au, website www.birdsdesign.com.au
ADDING THE LIVING DIMENSION Giving Liverpool Hospital’s surrounds and internal courtyards colour and vitality using a dynamic life-affirming interplay of textures has been an undertaking lasting several years for Regal Innovations. Regal designed and project managed both hard and soft landscaping elements including earthworks, paving, plantings, walls, steps, handrails, outdoor furniture, children’s play equipment, roof gardens, irrigation systems, lighting, fencing and edging.
said Regal Innovations Owner and Managing Director, Robert Stanton. His approach to design is founded on sustainability, for example, the sensor-automated rainwater irrigation at Liverpool.
Specific materials included sandstone for walls up to 900mm high by 700 wide and up to 2m long; granite paving, decomposed granite paving, sandstone paving, freestanding in-situ formed concrete walls, sustainably sourced slatted timber fencing and edging, and energy-efficient LED lights.
Since 1971 Regal Innovations have been adding life to major projects. Other notable examples of their work include Westmead Hospital and Darling Harbour.
“Hospital landscaping needs to be kept fresh and upgraded, because they can be sad and lonely places, so it’s uplifting for people to see colours,” WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“Anything we can do to recycle materials we do, especially materials from a site like timber, gravel and soil. We will take soil offsite, treat it and ameliorate it, then return it; we crush up old pavers to make base materials,” he said.
For more information contact Regal Innovations, P.O. Box 3040, Rouse Hill NSW 2155, phone 02 9679 1177, fax 02 9679 1890, website www. regalinnovations.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL
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HUNTER EXPRESSWAY The 40 kilometre, four-lane Hunter Expressway is being constructed under two contracts.
THE HUNTER EXPRESSWAY PROJECT BACKGROUND The Hunter Expressway has a long planning history and is now in the construction stage of the project. The Australian Government is funding $1.5 billion and the NSW Government up to $200 million to complete the project. This $1.7 billion project involves the construction of a four lane freeway link between the F3 Freeway near Seahampton and the New England Highway, west of Branxton. The new expressway will provide a new eastwest connection between Newcastle and the Lower Hunter and is one of the biggest road infrastructure projects to be built in the Hunter. The Hunter Expressway received planning approval in 2001. The conditions of approval required Roads and Maritime Services to reduce its ecological impact. To meet these conditions, Roads and Maritime Services modified the design to reduce clearing of native vegetation, including endangered ecological communities. The modifications includes three key changes to the Hunter Expressway’s design: • Realignment through the Sugarloaf Range and construction of three large bridges over deep gullies. • Closure of Stanford Road, Stanford Merthyr, on both sides of the Hunter Expressway. • Construction of a new interchange at Branxton to divert traffic onto 72
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the Hunter Expressway that otherwise would have travelled through Branxton on the New England Highway. On 19 August 2007, the NSW Minister for Planning approved the modifications to the Hunter Expressway. FEATURES • 40 kilometres of dual carriageway freeway; • 52 bridges including 840 metres of high bridges through the Sugarloaf Range; • Six grade separated interchanges located at the F3, Buchanan, Kurri Kurri, Loxford, Allandale and Branxton; • A one kilometre reconstruction of South Maitland railway, including a new railway bridge. BENEFITS • Cut travel times between Newcastle and the Hunter by an estimated 28 minutes. • Improve the efficiency of the national network. • Provide a more direct and efficient route for freight movements between the Upper Hunter and the Port of Newcastle. • Reduce the number of heavy vehicles travelling on the New England Highway through towns such as Branxton and Maitland. • Relieve congestion on the New England Highway between Weakleys Drive and Branxton. • Potentially reduce between 15,000 and 30,000 vehicles per day on the AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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New England Highway, according to projected traffic levels in 2031 noted in The Lower Hunter Transport Needs Study. Support the growing Hunter region. Meet the growing freight task of the region.
WESTERN SECTION Abigroup Constractors Pty Ltd started construction on the 27 kilometre western section of the project in April 2011 (design and construct contract).
THE HUNTER EXPRESSWAY PROJECT OVERVIEW The 40 kilometre, four-lane Hunter Expressway is being constructed under two contracts.
In the western section of the project, construction is progressing well and significant work is visible to passing motorists. The western section includes four grade-separated interchanges – at Kurri Kurri, Loxford, Allandale and Branxton. It also includes road bridge crossings at McLeod Road at Loxford, Old Maitland Road at Sawyers Gully, Camp Road at Allandale and Tuckers Lane at Greta.
EASTERN SECTION: F3 TO KURRI KURRI The Hunter Expressway Alliance (Roads and Maritime Services, Thiess Pty Ltd, Parsons Brinckerhoff and Hyder Consulting) started construction on this 13 kilometre section of the project in August 2010. The eastern section includes two grade-separated interchanges - at the F3 Freeway and at Buchanan, as well as overbridges at Seahampton Road and Averys Lane. Rest areas for light and heavy vehicles will be built on both sides of the expressway at Buchanan. Three high bridges (or viaducts) will span the steep gullies through the Sugarloaf Range and are located 1.4 to 2.7 kilometres west of the F3 Freeway. The viaducts have a total length of 787 metres and are up to 47 metres in height above the gully floors. This website has a video that explains how the high bridges are being built and it is available on the video library page. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Bridge construction is continuing at various locations between Kurri Kurri and Branxton. Major earthworks are progressing well, and by January 2012 more than 1.6 million cubic metres of soil had been moved. Abigroup has approximately 3 million cubic metres of earthworks as part of its construction. FUNDING The Australian Government is funding $1.5 billion and the NSW Government up to $200 million to complete the project. OPENING TO TRAFFIC The Hunter Expressway is scheduled to be open to traffic at the end of 2013, weather permitting. NSW PROJECT FEATURE HUNTER EXPRESSWAY
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DEDICATED TO EFFECTIVE RESOURCE RECOVERY While Newcastle Earthmoving are experts at clearing trees and vegetation, in some ways their real calling is retrieving a useable resource that’s in the wrong place, at the right time, and redeploying it productively elsewhere.
was transported to Newcastle Earthmoving’s Thornton yard, where it was recycled for a variety of purposes including firewood. The mulch was transported within the project area to stockpiles, for use in landscaping and site rehabilitation works.
An example is their work on the Hunter Expressway project, where Newcastle Earthmoving began in 2010 with the early works phase, clearing new power pole easements so Energy Australia could move powerlines to accommodate the construction. The company’s excavator fleet are fitted with specialised timber handling attachments, allowing them to retrieve the maximum amount of useable timber efficiently and safely, and to mulch the remainder quickly.
Accuracy, safety awareness and care to minimise impacts on the surrounding environment were all required for the job, and the Newcastle Earthmoving team succeeded in achieving a quality result, without adverse incident. Managing Director, John Tranter, has been building the business for a decade, investing in both the best quality appropriate plant and equipment, and the networks which ensure a market for the timber and mulch products their project activities create.
The next stage of works on the Expressway involved clearing the 20m wide centreline corridor for the Thiess section of works, giving longitudinal access so construction could commence. Again, timber and mulch were both retrieved with no negative environmental impacts.
“We take a value-adding approach,” he said. “We have changed the focus on clearing to be on the recycled resource, it’s not just recovery of wood as a by-product of clearing (for projects), the recycling is actually the most important part from our point of view. “RMS are beginning to specify for all their projects that all wood must be removed and recycled.”
Following that operation, Newcastle Earthmoving worked at the Branxton end of the Abigroup section, clearing, logging and mulching 40 hectares of vegetation, as well as clearing at the southern end where the Thiess and Abigroup sections joined up. All the timber retrieved from the site 74
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Newcastle Earthmoving is the largest retailer of firewood in the Hunter Valley, with clients including the Department of Corrective Services, who purchase the wood for inmates to re-parcel as a business initiative. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
“Firewood is sustainable and environmentally friendly – it is a renewable resource,” said John. The company also supplies mulch for clients including mining operations and the Soil Conservation Service, for uses including fire trails and land rehabilitation, and a hydraulically driven mulch spreader is currently being developed by John Tranter to make the mulching process more efficient and effective. Innovation is a major feature of the company’s operations, with recent investments in plant including two controlled felling machines imported from Canada and adapted for use in civil clearing. This equipment, developed for Canadian swamp logging operations, allows for very efficient vertical mulching, in specialised areas such as power easements where the client does not want the stumps removed. “This allows us to recover the resource, and still achieve environmental outcomes. We only do the bare minimum amount of earthmoving to enable our recycling operation,” commented John. “Maintaining quality, that’s the main thing. As a civil clearing contractor, we have to meet Government legislation, comply with OH&S and have everything up to quality.” WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Newcastle Earthmoving has 30 employees, with experience across civil works, forestry and timber milling. Their capabilities range from detailed excavation, selective logging and clearing through to the milling of fence posts and rails. Some of their other project successes include the Buladelah Bypass, as a direct civil clearing contractor to RMS, undertaking clearing, mulching and silt control; the Greta Train Support Facility; Karuah to Buladelah Pacific Highway Upgrade; Coopernook to Herrons Creek Pacific Highway Upgrade; and numerous power line easements around New South Wales for Energy Australia. Whether a project is a new residential subdivision, or a major roads project, Newcastle Earthmoving has the skills, expertise and equipment to make sure that whatever stands in the way in terms of vegetation is sustainably recovered, and put to good use.
For more information contact Newcastle Earthmoving, 35 Bonville Avenue Thornton NSW 2322, phone 02 4966 0470, mobile 0417 260 557 (John Tranter), email: info@newcastleearthmoving.com NSW PROJECT FEATURE HUNTER EXPRESSWAY
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THIS RELIABLE TEAM DELIVERS QUALITY RESULTS Concreting in the wet is a dubious proposition at the best of times, but when your scope includes the kerbs and drains for a major civil project, it becomes real challenge to complete work to program. Fortunately, Hunter Kerb Constructions (HKC) has the management skills and onsite capabilities deliver top quality results in a timely manner for a project like the Hunter Expressway, rain or shine. HKC constructed the Slipform Dishdrain, Jersey Kerb Walls and various extruded kerbs and drains for the project, using their two Gomaco Slipformers and Arrow Kerbmakers. A crew of six skilled operators and labour worked on the slipform tasks, while a crew of five worked on the kerbs. The quality expectations were high, and HKC delivered to specifications, producing work to extremely tight tolerances of 0-10mm. HKC are a Hunter-based company with a commitment to employing locals to construct the best possible quality results for local and international civil construction companies, developers, government departments and Councils. Other major projects have included the Olympic Village (with Daracon), mines throughout the Hunter valley
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and at Kooragang, and numerous subdivisions including Fletcher, a new subdivision near Newcastle. The company has been in business since 1986, and have an extremely solid skill-base, a reliable team, comprehensive understanding of the civil construction process and a substantial fleet of plant and equipment. Their workforce of up to 20 includes slipform and extruded kerb machine operators, concrete finishers, truck drivers, small crane and bob cat operators, in-house mechanic, administration and the company’s safety officer/paramedic. Their well-maintained inventory includes 2 Gomaco Slipformers, 15 Arrow Kerbmakers, 3 Arrow Carparkers, plant trailers, trucks with Palifinger Cranes, and 4WDs. The capabilities they offer for major projects include Jersey Barrier Walls, kerbs, gutters and footpaths for highways, roads and subdivisions, plus industrial car parks for local developers, RMS and local Councils throughout the Hunter, Central Coast and Northern Coast regions. For more information contact Hunter Kerb Constructions Pty Ltd, Office: phone 02 4947 4700, fax 02 4947 4400, email admin@hunterkerb.com, website www.hunterkerb.com
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THE ULTIMATE ECO-FRIENDLY CIVIL SOLUTION Recycled, redeployable and flexible enough to be engineered for highly specific applications are excellent qualities for any civil construction product, as numerous major projects like the Hunter Expressway have discovered when Ecoflex Civil Constructions brings their expertise and innovative Ecoflex Retaining wall systems (E Walls) onsite. The E Walls have proved to be a valuable resource for the Hunter Expressway Alliance (HEA), who used them to provide engineer designed retaining walls to piling and viaduct locations throughout the site. The E Wall units are manufactured from used truck tyres by converting them into a rock filled containment system, providing retaining walls greater than 7 metres high, with the ability to withstand load surcharges in excess of 50kpa. They are also environmentally friendly and in keeping with government policies regarding recycled products. “Due to environmental restriction the HEA were faced with building an 8 metre wide access road for piling and crane operations whilst keeping within a 12 metre construction zone on steep hill sides that prohibited cut and fill operations,” explained Ecoflex Manager, Jim Grant. “Over the course of 12-18 months, Ecoflex constructed over 18 walls to gain access for piling rigs and other heavy machinery throughout this challenging terrain. Other applications of Ecoflex technology which were also implemented on the project included a 5 metre high culvert crossing at V27, and Piling Platforms at V8 and P18. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“Individual engineering design of the E Wall system was required for each location, to facilitate the existing conditions and to fulfil the requirements of the HEA.” Ecoflex Australia recycled 12,000 truck tyres, manufacturing them into Ecoflex units which are highly durable, reusable and can replace conventional technologies such as crib and gabion baskets. “Some Ecoflex units from dismantled platforms were reused in a pavement application for Dart Energy. A larger scale example of this reusability is the Abigroup Macleay River Flood Plain Bridge Project, where Ecoflex units were reused up to 6 times in piling platforms prior to being installed in a Sutherland Shire Council permanent wall and pavement application,” said Jim. “Ecoflex Technology is now widely accepted by government bodies nationally, and is being used in a wide range of civil applications. The environmental benefits of this system give a significant advantage over more traditional retaining systems, as the walls can be temporarily constructed, then dismantled - returning the site to its natural state with minimal impact on the ecosystem – while the Ecoflex units can then be redeployed to other temporary or permanent applications.”
For more information contact Ecoflex Civil Constructions Pty Ltd, 20 Kalaroo Road Redhead NSW 2290, phone 02 4944 7711, fax: 02 4944 9911, website www.ecoflex.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE HUNTER EXPRESSWAY
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EXCELLENT PRECAST SOLUTIONS FOR UNIQUE SITE NEEDS Designing, fabrication and delivering the exact precast products required for a major project like the Hunter Expressway Upgrade in a fast-tracked timeframe requires the combination of capability, skill and innovation Aus Pits possesses. By utilizing all three of their manufacturing facilities across the East Coast, Aus Pits was able to construct over 2,000 custom made precast stormwater and electrical pits for the project within a tight thirteen-month timeframe. A family-owned and wholly Australian precast manufacturing company, Aus Pits specialises in the supply of custom designed products nationwide to all facets of the construction industry, including major road and infrastructure projects. “Our team is proud to have been involved with the construction of the Hunter Expressway project, and has valued working with the key stakeholders in the coordination and delivery of the two contracts,” said Aus Pits Northern States Sales Manager, Ben Wharton.
“And because we also have the capability to tailor the design and construction of each pit individually to suit a range of site requirements, our products and our flexible approach to manufacturing assisted with meeting the milestones required by the construction programs, and eliminated the need for any on-site modification.” Aus Pits has been providing reliable, customized precast solutions for over 30 years, and has a workforce of 124 across manufacturing facilities at Geelong, Penrith and Murwillumbah. The company is currently involved in a wide range of projects in all states of Australia, including major highway construction, mine expansions, gas plant construction, port/wharf upgrades, rail duplication/stabling projects and subdivision development. Pits have also recently been supplied to projects in Papua New Guinea. “We can cater to any major project, no matter how complex, with our range of specific designs to suit a wide variety of load ratings, and formwork to suit a variety of applications,” said Ben.
“By working closely with our clients and taking a proactive approach in design and manufacture, we ensured that construction programs were met. “Also, through incorporating our newly developed Fiba-Struct® concrete technology, these fibre reinforced, structurally designed concrete pits provided the advantage of increased quantities being constructed over shorter periods, whilst offering enhanced durability on site. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
For more information contact Aus Pits, phone 1300 408 883, email info@auspits.com.au, website www.auspits.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE HUNTER EXPRESSWAY
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COLOURFUL LIVING Azure Waterfront Apartments is a new, master planned community, located on the Rhodes Peninsula and Homebush Bay. Main Construction Company : Westbourne Constructions Project end Value : $50 Million Completion : October 2012 Architects : SJB Architects Structural Engineer : Bonnaci Group
Westbourne Constructions is, as their website attests “a specialist apartment builder with a track record of completing quality apartments on budget and on schedule.” And the Azure Waterfront Apartments at Rhodes, Sydney is proof of this company’s ingenuity and proficiency. Westbourne have been in business for almost 20 years, and pride themselves on cost effective design solutions for the residential apartment market. The Azure development in the second last for this area, and Westbourne are too developing the final. Challenges involved with this project involved of course working upon the harbour front- but were quickly overcome with innovative steel pile foundation solution. Successful collaboration with importers and local suppliers has also supplied a high quality of materials and design of kitchens, windows and doors, and bathroom manufactory. Westbourne are known for their adept ability to work with a prescribed brief. And to do it quickly. Their repertoire includes many major constructions. Westbourne completes about 100 apartments annually for selected developer clients. Westbourne has been awarded the Masters Builders Association of NSW Excellence in Construction for projects completed in 1996, 1997 and 2002. As Stephen Hughes (Contract Manager) notes: We had over 200 contractors working for the Azure Apartments. Our core market is residential projects. This is one that is entirely indicative of what we do best. Westbourne’s philosophy is to enjoy repeat business with their clients. A Westbourne project is one characterised by complete service from design development to certificate of occupation. Also, a contract sum reflecting the end price of the development. And, quality and construction presented in a first class condition, and defect free. Westbourne have worked with many projects within Sydney; 68 apartments in Mascot, 39 apartments in Brookvale, 14 apartments in Bondi Junction, and many more to come! For more information contact Westbourne Constructions, website www. westbourne.net.au 80
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EVER ALERT FOR ALARM BELLS Managing safety, supply-lines and weather contingencies is a constant for all major projects, so the last thing a builder needs is the undesirable human element breaching security and compromising progress. Central Monitoring Services (CMS) help manage this risk, with tailored security solutions for developments like Azure Waterfront Apartments.
life-saving for managing risks for isolated workers, mining personnel and individuals with high security needs.
They provided state-of-the-art 24/7 monitoring for the site’s security systems from the very earliest stages. An advantage of their technology is it is ideal for greenfields sites where there is no existing telephone line. The monitoring system’s antennae accesses the global data cloud using Global Packet Radio Service (GPRS) through the 3G network, feeding information about the state of the site’s security direct to the CMS control room.
The CMS alarm response service adds another level of protection for clients, who select which emergency services or other backup should be notified immediately an incident occurs which triggers an alarm, such as intruder, personal attack, duress, power failure at the premises, low battery for backup power, breakdown alarm, hazardous gas or medical emergency.
CMS’ equipment was initially set up at the site office and the materials store, to protect the contractor’s equipment and assets, then an additional unit installed at the apartments themselves once construction advanced. These units remained at Azure until a month before handover, when physical guards began to maintain a constant presence.
The base technology for all the CMS monitoring systems has been developed by the phone companies, with CMS using a platform developed in Europe to enable their highly effective risk-management service.
“Our strength is the engineering of the package for clients, we develop the application to suit the level of risk, the system is constantly tested, and polled constantly,” explained Neville.
“The risk varies for every project,” said CMS Managing Director, Neville Kiely. “Clients choose the plan we monitor at – we can poll the equipment anything from daily to every 60 seconds. If we don’t get an answer when we poll, it is considered a breach, and we can get alarms through in less than a second. “We can install the system in less than a day, and it gives the builder peace of mind. People (end-users) who are security conscious can also keep the service on after handover, for monitoring of their alarms.” A new application suitable for tracking individuals at risk via either a smart phone app or a dedicated mobile handset has also recently been developed. This application is potentially
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“We put the whole service together and manage it, and follow up when there is an issue.”
the Australian Security Services Industry Association, and a member of the Standards Committee for designing security system standards.
CMS provide their services Australia-wide and throughout the Pacific Islands, monitoring security systems across the private sector for commercial and residential projects and clients, and public sector clients including state and local governments. As an approved organisation for reporting to police, CMS are able to quickly action any threat or actual security situation.
Since 1989, this family-operated Australian company have been testing, developing and actioning state-of-the-art technology designed specifically to ensure effective security response and risk management.
All of CMS’ services are guided by the relevant industry standards. CMS Managing Director Neville Kiely is a member of
CMS can provide a full turn-key solution for specific risk scenarios, including specifying appropriate security systems, installing them if required, monitoring them 24/7 and providing any follow up technical or security support. They can also refer clients to reliable, reputable alarm installation companies which can connect to the CMS systems to ensure complete effectiveness. CMS deal with the decision makers within organisations, be they builders, alarm installers or security managers for national companies. Because it’s good business to manage risk, where the buck stops for a project or asset, is exactly the place where CMS believe security planning should start. For more information contact Central Monitoring Services, Master Licence Number 401988582, phone 02 9809 9288, fax 02 9809 9277, website www.centralmonitoring.com.au
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Quality masonry Azure Waterfront Apartments are a development of 4 buildings, of different scale and form, located upon the waterfront at Rhodes, Sydney. The design, both interior and exterior is very contemporary; appealing to the market. Externally, the design was one desiring to blend with the environment, not to be obtrusive or dominating. The masonry chosen for this development totally demonstrates and expresses this ideology. The end result is one that is far apart from the memories of the red-brick apartments of the 1970’s. Here is a development firmly paced here in 2012. And not without thanks to companies such as Baines Mansonry. Their innovative and forward thing philosophies have made this development a possibility. Baines Masonry are revolutionary in the field of masonry technology. The Azure Apartment development utilised their “Betta Block”, a lightweight block that has unsurpassed environmental benefits over standard masonry and other ‘lightweight’ options. 84
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Specifically for the Azure Apartments Development, -as Baines Masonry’s Tim McGoldrick states: Baines supplied their “Betta Block” in a load bearing capacity. Apart from the structural capabilities, this masonry block has many environmental factors. Baines Masonry’s Betta Block is: • Utilising 40% less cement than normally required, with the addition of Descrete Super Fly Ash. (Results in a 45% lower carbon footprint than other masonry products) • Made of 65% heavy industry by products. Using these products results in a reduction of the amount of landfill generated by coal fired power stations and the steel making industry. • Very light weight! Betta Block ‘H’ Block has a dry weight of less than 10.5kg. • And too, strong! The Betta Block has a compressive strength of in excess of 15MPa. And complies with Australian Standards AS/ NZS 4455. • Reducing transport demands. A lighter block means more per load. This is a reduction upon the environmental impact of transport. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Reducing there’s, and our carbon footprint is an issue dear to Baines Masonry. The innovations the company has taken, not only with the production of their products; but also their consideration for generations to come is testament to this dedication. Baines Masonry has been specialising in masonry manufacture since 1984. They are now also specialising in masonry blocks with natural stone facing which reduces the cost and time of construction as well as achieving a structural wall in sandstone, limestone and many other natural stones. The Baines group of companies was established in 1947, initially as a heavy vehicle hauling company. In 1978 Baines Concrete Pty Ltd at Woonona was set up and starting supplying the area with a superior ready mix concrete and pumping service. With today a production plant located at Appin, Baines Masonry Blocks now supplies an area ranging from Newcastle to Moruya and from the Southern Highlands to the ACT. In 2001, responding to a demand driven expansion Baines Masonry purchased a state of the art block manufacturing machine and auxiliary equipment. This made Baines WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Masonry’s production plant the most modern in the state of that time. And today those high expectations are still being upheld. As the Baines Masonry’s website states: “Our specialist team develops a product designed to enhance any building site or home block and withstand the harsh Australian conditions. Baines Masonry products come in a comprehensive variety of colours and styles to satisfy all tastes. Baines Masonry believes whether you are a private builder, commercial construction company or do it yourself Mum and Dad, our philosophy is to provide you with a quality product backed with courteous service. The Baines Business Family prides itself upon the qualities and the business ethos that have not changed since establishment in 1947. With an emphasis on quality throughout every aspect of the business, we are sure Baines Masonry’s products, service, and advise will delight you.” For more information contact Baines Masonry, 900 Wilton Road Appin NSW 2560, phone: 02 4631 1383, website www.bainesmasonry.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE AZURE WATERFRONT APARTMENTS
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lynwood quarry development Located 140 kilometres (90 miles) south-west of Sydney, the quarry will provide more than 90 years of production at up to five million tonnes (5.5 million tons) of high quality aggregate a year. Most of the product will be destined for the Sydney market with up to 1.5 million tonnes (1.7 million tons) a year utilised in regional and local markets.
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DIGITIN COMS pty ltd - specialist enviro hydro vac operators Starting out with just a ute, a pick and shovel in 2003, DIGITIN COMS has grown to be the most successful outfit of its type in the Canberra region and surrounds in 2012. With the biggest and most dedicated fleet of trucks in the territory, DIGITIN COMS is a leader in the growing field of hydro-excavation. Originally contracting for digging trenches for the telecommunications giant Telstra, the fledgling outfit evolved with demand, purchasing a five tonne excavator and moving into high voltage work for local electricity authorities. Working next in general earthmoving, eventually directors Beverly Shoard and Nigel Lamb purchased a hydro excavator and haven’t looked back since. Currently, the company is working on a major construction project at Lynwood Quarry which involves the construction of three large dams, a 6km water supply pipeline with pump station, construction of a heavy haul bridge and development of the Process Plant area including a 6km access road. It also involves the construction of a rail siding with train and truck fuelling stations. DIGITIN COMS has five of its 12 staff working on the project, pot-holing and exposing 50m of high voltage communications cable
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with its hydro excavating equipment. Lamb notes that hydro excavating is much safer than the traditional method of exposing operators to riskier alternative excavation methods. “Hydro excavation is both safe and necessary these days,” says Lamb. “It’s a safer way to excavate because of the virtually risk-free digging and there’s no steel parts that can damage or rip up a cable.” The main challenge at Lynwood Quarry for Lamb and his team was tracking Telstra’s optical fibre – actually locating the cable underground. Usually there is a trace wire accompanying cable to allow for its easy location using a special machine, however in this case there wasn’t one because of the cable’s age. “It’s a matter of looking at and reading the ground - finding the trench. Trenchlines always leaves imprints in the ground,” says Lamb. Digitin Coms commissioned new custom-built vehicles from Vacvator, Goulburn to undertake the work, which involves high pressure water application. Lamb, a welder by trade, says it took two years for his initial investment in hydro excavation to become self-supporting and that
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the business has grown exponentially partly due to his own-designed equipment innovations. “Hydro excavation has been around for a long time but not many people have developed really good machines that can dig efficiently,” says Lamb. “Basically, I saw what was out there in the market and what we thought we would need to make our jobs a lot easier and the first thing I then added was a six-inch suction hose on a remote control boom. Not many people have done this. It adds a lot of money on to the price of the truck but the cost savings end up with the customer because we can do the job a lot more efficiently than other operators. For example, one of our trucks would be four or five times quicker. That’s why I get the work. Our process is more efficient than the person with the cheaper truck.
Thinking green, Shoard and Lamb, are now moving into mud recycling – extracting the liquid waste from hydro excavating, drying out and re-using the dirt and water, instead of using scarce drinking water for operations. “We use water pressure to turn the dirt into mud around the excavation, and suck it into our tanks. Because it evolves from solid waste into liquid waste the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) class mud as a possible waste contaniment. So what we’re looking at doing now is drying out the dirt and recycling the water – it’s for our benefit as much as the environment’s – we can take the waste with us. IF we recycle we have clean fill and water.” DIGITIN COMS performs regular and on-going works for Actew Corporation Ltd and ActewAgl Distribution for several years now, for both their electricity and water divisions as their contractor of choice.
“Also, all our trucks have GPS – that’s unusual too because it is another expense - a lot of people don’t do it because it’s too costly. The advantage is that I can show the customer how long the truck has actually been onsite, down to even when the doors open on the trucks!”
Other projects the company is currently is working on include a number of collaborations with BMD Constructions, work on the Cotter Dam enlargement, the Murrumbidgee to Googong pipeline and the Cotter Dam and pump station.
The company prides itself on supporting local businesses and now has a fleet of five trucks including an 8000 litre hydo-excavator. Following its initial investment in hydro-excavating the company quickly grew to have three trucks running nearly 12 hours a day, six days a week so Lamb put in an order for another two, receiving the last of those two late last year.
For more information contact Digitin Coms, 9 Lorn Road Queanbeyan NSW 2620 or PO Box 806 Queanbeyan NSW 2620, phone 0407 406 766, email: digitincoms@grapevine.com.au
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TRI UNDERGROUND makes to order High quality customized products delivered reliably makes Tri Underground (formerly Tri Distributors) a leader in the field of specialist supplies for electrical and communications systems. For the Lynwood Quarry Project, they provided PVC electrical conduit, Fabricated PVC electrical bends, joiners, bell mouths and associated accessories, sometimes on an extremely fast turnaround. The Lynwood Quarry Project will involve the construction of three large dams, a six kilometre water supply pipeline with pump station, construction of a heavy haul bridge, and development of the process plant area including a six kilometre access road. It will also involve the construction of a rail siding with train and truck fuelling stations. The company manufactures and distributes underground products such as pits, covers, conduit, bends and fittings to contractors in the electrical, new estate, civil and rail industries. There are currently 60 staff across manufacturing and distribution sites in Queensland, Victoria, Perth and New South Wales, servicing Australian and New Zealand customers. 90
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“The biggest challenge was ensuring the right products were delivered at the appropriate point in the construction schedule, a task requiring ongoing liaison with BMD and focused commitment from the manufacturing and distribution operations.” Says Tri Underground’s Adam Bell. “Tri Underground has the capabilities that have allowed BMD to deliver its infrastructure in what seems to be a totally seamless environment. Tri has a superior customer service that allows us to easily order what we require and know that the products will be delivered timely and accurately.” Says BMD’s Matthew Smith Project Engineer Tri Underground is currently working on major defence projects and NSW government sub-stations, transmission lines as well as supplying products into the NBN network. For more information contact Tri Undergroround Australia Pty Ltd, phone 1300 TRI TRI (874 874) anywhere in Australia, website: www. triunderground.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
the experts in EARTHMOVING Coopers Earthmoving and Haulage already knew what they were dealing with when they took on work at the Lynwood Quarry. Based locally in Marulan, they’d been working on the quarry site for several years before construction began, completing road maintenance and other jobs. Daniel Cooper, Site Manager for Coopers Earthmoving on the Lynwood Quarry job was familiar with the lay of the land and the material that they would be working with, which was largely blue metal hard rock, often used to make concrete. Around six machines and operators from Coopers Earthmoving have been working on the Lynwood Quarry for over 18 months now, with work expected to continue for another 12 months or so. Excavators, GPS equipped graders, articulated dump trucks and water trucks are all beavering away building rock walls, working on roads and creating and maintaining drainage and sediment construction on the five or six big dams on-site. Coopers is a family business with four generations of earthmovers. Sally Cooper, one of the Directors of Coopers Earthmoving along with her WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
husband Russell, says the business evolved over time with the company priding themselves on customer service, versatility and quality work. Sally has operated some machines, but her main role is taking care of the extensive administration. The couple have three sons who are all involved in the business and their grandchildren like to push dirt too! Coopers Earthmoving was started in 1994, after many years of earthmoving experience. Back then they only had one backhoe. The business grew from there to the 20 employees and the fleet of machinery they have today. On the other side of the Hume Highway at Marulan South, Coopers are working on the Boral Peppertree Quarry Site. They were also heavily involved in the Highlands Source Project - the construction of an 80km pipeline to take water from the Southern Highlands to Goulburn.
For more information contact Coopers Earthmoving and Haulage, PO Box 181 Marulan NSW 2579, phone 02 4841 1660, fax 02 4841 1663, email: admin@coopersearthmoving.com.au NSW PROJECT FEATURE LYNWOOD QUARRY DEVELOPMENT
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GOULBURN ENGINEERING’s little big shop Established for more than 60 years Goulburn Engineering (in the NSW Southern Tablelands) has comprehensively-equipped workshops for a wide range of metal manufacturing needs. For a small country operation, there is not much that the company cannot do in its field. Established in 1945, Goulburn Engineering has 20 staff, six of whom have been engaged on work on Lynwood Quarry – a major construction involving the building of three large dams, a 6 km water supply pipeline with pump station, a heavy haul bridge, and development of the process plant area including a 6km access road. It will also involve the construction of a rail siding with train and truck fuelling stations. The company’s involvement with the Lynwood Quarry project included fabricating a lot of the stainless steel pipework for the Quarry’s comms stations. Goulburn Engineering also Installed a lot of the valves and pipework for pipelines. “We also did a lot of pipe supports for their bridges over the main southern railway line and we also did some steel work on the main bridge that goes over the Hume Highway,” says workshop foreman Tony Bush. Goulburn Engineering specializes in repairing and manufacturing hydraulic cylinders, machining services (including CNC), repairing and manufacturing of mining and earthmoving equipment (including mobile) and in-house line boring and all types of metal fabrication. A particular challenge on the Lynwood Quarry Project, according to Bush, was “doing the pipework with different angles and levels – there were different levels that the pipes had to run at to connect up to existing pipework and the pumps that were already in position – it was a challenge to get it to line up.” These challenges overcome, the company is now working on several new projects, including hand-railing at the Goulburn Police Academy to bring the building into line with building codes; maintenance work out at Veolia mine in Tarago and a lot of maintenance work on the heritagelisted Rossi Bridge in Goulburn, making up steel black and white colourbond sheeting to protect the timberwork - all of which takes precision and attention to detail. The company also has a comprehensive retail outlet and can order in anything that is doesn’t already stock. For more information contact Goulburn Engineering, North Street Goulburn NSW 2580, phone 02 48 211 972, fax 02 48 21 5227, email: ali@goulburnengineering.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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a new heart for camberwell With the $21 million Camberwell Library and Office Project, Abigroup have succeeded admirably, transforming an aged facility into a stunning, sustainable new asset for the staff and citizens of Boroondara. CAMBERWELL LIBRARY and OFFICE / ABIGROUP
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The official opening in September 2012 celebrated what can be achieved when real collaboration occurs; the council’s vision is matched with a contractor’s skills in redeveloping an old tired building into a new vibrant and functional building. This civic landmark will benefit the community for decades to come. With the $21 million Camberwell Library and Office Project, Abigroup together with it’s consultants, contractors and suppliers have transformed this aged facility into a stunning, sustainable new asset for the citizens and staff of The City of Boroondara. Essentially the project involved three distinct and overlapping elements being: major and
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detailed demolition to internal structures of the existing Camberwell Civic Centre’s envelope; construction of new internal elements including two internal floors, a new library, and a highly detailed fitout throughout; plus a substantial landscaping and civil works element. The internal structure is constructed of a composite structural steel and concrete bondek system, with double glazing in the auditorium façade for thermal performance and 16mm thick toughened glass in the external feature curtain wall. Internally most of the walls comprise metal stud framework and plaster walls, with flooring of carpet tiles throughout the library and office spaces, a
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new parquetry floor to the Parkview Room, and vinyl to all wet areas, kitchen, and Back of House, areas. A unique timber ’bendy’ ply was used as part of the lining for a curved feature wall in the centre of the building’s void, linking the new skylight to the floor of the Library, and a combined glass and stainless steel balustrade system was incorporated around voids and open areas of offices.
The final result comprises a library on the ground floor, with two new mezzanine floors above for Council office space, equating to a Total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of approximately 2,600m2, consisting of eight new Manager’s office rooms across ground, first and second levels. Each level has a large meeting room with acoustically treated bi-fold doors, allowing them to be sub-divided into smaller meeting rooms.
The planning phase commenced in early 2011, and involved extensive collaboration between The City of Boroondara , Abigroup, the Architect, engineers and contractors in developing the initial design concept to final drawings stage.
Substantial changes were required to bring retained elements of this 1968 built building into compliance with the current Section J of the Building Code Regulations, and to ensure the performance of the building would be efficient throughout its life cycle.
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Some of the aspects which were addressed included replacing the existing glass façade with double glazing to better control heating and cooling gain/loss; increasing natural light into the high ceiling areas of the existing auditorium; a new mechanical system to efficiently run thermal heat and cooling; new electrical switchboards and removal of redundant, non-compliant cabling. Typically when a project involves major demolition of this nature, there are always unknowns and unforeseen elements that can have an impact on the program, however through innovative and practical collaboration this phase was completed on schedule and most importantly safely. A large scope of the works was the re-shaping and construction of the existing landscape around the Precinct. Approx. $2 million was spent on hard and soft landscaped areas to the North of the Precinct, blending in with a newly constructed raised suspended podium, spanning from East to West. Sweeping
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granitic pathways, grassy knolls and mulched garden beds helped lift the overall look of this previously uninviting precinct.
the building by not demolishing the entire building. Very rarely are buildings able to be retained and refurbished these days.
Council and the design team elected to incorporate as many ESD features as viably possible. These included a 100,000 litre water harvesting tank to supply grey water for toilets, irrigation for external landscape and to feed the water feature to the North of the Precinct.
Abigroup’s Project Manager, Guy Chipperfield commented “the reinvigoration of this building and it’s surrounding precinct could not have been achieved within the tight 14 month timeframe and or the high quality without the effort, skill and dedication of the council staff, our consultants and workforce.”
One large central skylight and nine smaller skylights were cut into the existing auditorium’s roof to add natural light. This allowed sensor-responsive lighting to be installed which adjusts light levels depending on the amount of natural light fed into the building, reducing power consumption. The installation of a new motion sensing system that allows light to come on when detecting movement, and switch off after a designated period, also to saves on power consumption. An important aspect to this project was actually saving the embodied energy in
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This rejuvenated building allows the Booroondara residents, council staff and the general public to enjoy this magnificent space full of history, whilst having a cup of tea in the new café which is aimed at encouraging community & communication.
For more information contact Abigroup, Level 6, 476 St Kilda Road Melbourne VIC 3004, phone 03 9828 5000, website: www.abigroup.com.au
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Camberwell Library & Office, VIC
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AKNOWELEDGEMENTS Client Design : City of Boroondara, Mr Rick Kwasek Project Manager Client Developed Design & Documentation & Construction : Abigroup Contractors Pty. Ltd. Mr Guy Chipperfield Architects : Nicholas Daviotis (Dir), Alexander Gecse(Dir), Chiang Ning (Arch), Celine Finzinger (Arch.), Christine Kennelly (Arch) Landscape Architects : MDG Landscape Architects Services Engineers : Connor Pincus Group Pty. Ltd. Structural/Civil Engineers : Gillon Consulting Group Pty. Ltd.
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Take a purpose, a community and an environment, and you have a unique matrix of factors which inform the architectural vision of a public building like the new Camberwell Library and Offices. For Nicholas Alexander Architects, synthesising these variables was a multifaceted process of integrating heritage, sustainability, and the client’s needs and aspirations into one cohesive whole. In many ways, the project encapsulates the practice’s approach to design. The project consists of 1,800m2 dedicated to the Camberwell library, support areas and public meeting and multifunction spaces on the ground floor, and 6,500m2 of council offices over two levels above all connected by a glazed three-level void topped by a clerestory bringing natural light to all internal spaces. “We are a very diverse practice, and our approach to design is to be free from constraints of any particular aesthetic style. We believe architecture is something that emerges out of a given set of circumstances that is unique to each project.” explained Nicholas and Alexander Architects Partner Nicholas Daviotis, who led the architectural team for the Camberwell project. “We strive to create architecture that responds to a given place, time and context, and is responsive to the environment and its users.” At Camberwell, the brief was to create new municipal office spaces for the City of Boroondara as well as a new public library, by converting the existing and under-utilized Camberwell civic auditorium. This project was the second major design commission by Nicholas and Alexander Architects for the City of Boroondara. It follows the successful completion with AbiGroup of a $25 million project undertaken for the design, upgrading and refurbishment of the 1890s Town Hall, Municipal Corporate Offices and Council Chamber. The nature of the Stage 2 Project presented numerous design challenges. “That’s where the challenge was – the Civic Centre housed an auditorium. A large dark volume, and the design question was how to achieve a metamorphosis of such a space into a modern office building and library,” said Nicholas. “The Camberwell precinct is quite an important area with its civic buildings dating back to 1891. It is a challenge in itself when you are working WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
with a complex site which has varying built forms and has evolved over the past 100 years. There is a mix of different architectural styles defined by the 1960s neo-classical style office building, Civic Centre, and the 1890s Council building with its second empire influences, all set in a park with a car park on one side. We wanted to link them in a way that expressed the historical continuity and on-going development of the community. “That is where the idea of “a historical ribbon” emerged which provided a physical link to all buildings and the park; an elevated platform that provided a seamless link with a historical progression from east to west. “The Civic Centre’s building’s fabric has an important heritage value and provided a familiar stage and background to the existing precinct. Its façade of large north and south facing windows provided an excellent opportunity for natural light however it presented as a very austere and formal institutional expression. This was the antithesis of what we believe a library should be, which is colourful, engaging, informal and inviting. Essentially, we wanted to add elements in a way which was sympathetic, kept as much of the original architectural fabric as possible to continue the historical dialogue while adding movement, colour and excitement. This was to a large extent the inspiration for the coloured matrix screen element facing Camberwell Road.” “The opportunity also presented to open and engage with the landscape taking advantage of the site, the northerly orientation, the park setting, the visual link with the Urban surrounds, and the existing topography and floor levels. Working closely with MDG Landscape Architects, a concourse element and forecourt was introduced responding to these opportunities and creating beautiful spaces within the park for people to meet over a coffee; relax under a tree and enjoy a good book; meet at the forecourt and provide a seamless pedestrian access that flows from one building to another. The Library becomes that “public lounge space” that opens and embraces its context. “Internally the library is linked and is part of the Civic Space of the Precinct. There is a breaking down of the barriers between those engaged in Civic administrative functions and the citizen. It is part of the City of Boroondara’s inclusive and democratic philosophy. It is expressed in the three-storey void element and “ribbon” of veneer that links the municipal office spaces to
the “public” library. They share the same light and air and are open acoustically. There is no mystique here, no secrets, open governance. The void also speaks of the history of the space as the original theatre ceiling is retained and thus the history of the building is retained. The library is state-of-the-art, with WiFi, automated check-out, computers, children’s areas, and spaces for community meetings which are equipped with A/V technology. The library also opens into a landscaped courtyard with a pre-existing mature tree, creating a peaceful outdoor space for children’s reading and play, which is open and visually linked once again to the Civic Offices.” Other aspects of the design which bring the project into the 21st century are the full DDA-compliant access points, including the public lifts, and assisted-access amenities for the severely disabled and their carers. As an adapative reuse project, it is inherently environmentally responsible, and the design also aimed for the equivalent of a 5 star energy rating and incorporated stormwater harvesting. The park now includes interpretive signage which educates the public, including students from the two adjacent schools, about the environment. “It is a major metamorphosis which retains the buildings heritage aesthetic, from a black box theatre which is dark and enclosed, to something else entirely different,” said Nick. “We have done other library projects, and this is a culmination of those previous experiences.” “Nicholas & Alexander were but a part of a large Team of consultants led by both our Clients the City of Boroondara and Abigroup who worked in a cooperative manner to achieve this great result. It reflects the openness and good will of all participants to achieve the maximum benefit for the community. Clear goals, engagement with the community and end-users, good communications and openness are the ingredients of any successful project.” “Community projects are the ultimate for an architect, as it is a very public form of art. The responsibility comes in expressing what the community wants to express, and making sure the end -result reflects the community’s aspirations.” For more information contact Nicholas and Alexander Architects, 37 Bevan Street Albert Park VIC 3206, phone 03 9696 5822, fax 03 9696 583, email: naarch@bigpond.net.au, website: www.naarchitects.com.au
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Right Solcrete undertook the concrete and reinforcing for the main Library and offices building, the Plaza building and car park.
Placing concrete for a new building has challenges enough, but when work is being done amidst the everyday activities of a working Council, its staff and the community it serves, organisational skills and a safety-focused approach like Solcrete’s is vital. For the Camberwell Library and Offices project, their solid skills across all aspects of concreting, formwork and reinforcement also ensured the timely completion of all these aspects of the construction program. Solcrete were on site with a crew of 25 staff for eight months undertaking the concrete and reinforcing for the main Library and offices building, the Plaza building and car park. The scope of works included off-form finish suspended slabs and exposed concrete soffits to the underside of the concrete in the car park areas, so maintaining a high quality of workmanship was imperative. “The main challenging aspect was that the building was pre-existing and therefore access for concrete trucks was restricted for concrete pours,” said Solcrete Director, Paul Bassford. “The timeframes were also constrained, and it is a matter of pride that we had the ability to complete the project within the timeframe allowed and also within the allocated budget.” The project also had a stringent environmental policy formulated by Abigroup, and a strong focus on OH&S. Solcrete also has a dedication to OH&S which includes regular training for its workforce in safety, and successfully completed the project without any LTIs. Solcrete was established by Paul Bassford in 2000, and with over two decades of experience in the concreting industry, his comprehensive understanding of the construction process has given the company an edge in providing an integrated concrete solution to major projects. The company’s capabilities cover every aspect of concrete construction, from formwork and
reinforcement installation, through to placing and finishing of concrete. For the builder, this leads to smoother management of what is often one of the most substantial parts of the structural scope of works, by having one company to work with as opposed to separate operators for steel-fixing, formwork and concrete. Solcrete has approximately 120 staff, including concreters, formworkers and formwork carpenters, steel-fixers, dogmen, riggers, estimators, quantity surveyors, contract administrators, skilled labourers and support staff. In addition to their comprehensive safety training, which has resulted in an unblemished company-wide safety record, all Solcrete employees are encouraged to undertake a range of further learning about the construction industry. These opportunities range from advanced plan reading skills, through to lectures by visiting experts on concrete technology. Their technical capabilities include ground slabs, suspended slabs, burnished off-form finishes, and load-bearing off-form feature walls, as well as all basic structural concrete construction, whether for a multi-storey commercial project or a public space project. The company services the entire Melbourne metropolitan area and surrounds, undertaking to deliver the best quality results to projects across the commercial, industrial and Government sectors, in addition to private projects and developments. Other major projects recently completed include Leongatha Hospital; Victoria’s largest private hospital, the Epworth Hospital at Camberwell, and Eastland Shopping Centre.
For more information contact Solcrete, 19 Nellbern Rd Moorabbin Victoria 3189, Paul Bassford – Director, phone 03 9555 0995, fax 03 9555 0945, website: www.solcrete.com.au
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Below Bernie Leen & Sons Pty Ltd undertook the demolition and removal of the pre-existing theatre, offices, administration areas and both basement and external plant rooms.
Knowing how buildings are put together makes pulling them apart a much safer endeavour, as Bernie Leen Demolition and Contracting (BLDC) demonstrated at the Camberwell Library and Offices redevelopment project. BLDC worked on the project for five months, undertaking the demolition and removal of the pre-existing theatre, offices, administration areas and both basement and external plant rooms. Works were undertaken in a staged manner, to coincide with the construction program. Asbestos was present throughout, including sealing around gaps, and gaskets in ducting and plant rooms. As a Licensed Class B Asbestos Removalist, BLDC had the required skills, equipment and experience to safely deal with the contaminated materials. Other materials removed included brick, concrete, mineral fibre tile ceilings, metal studs, timber, fibro, parquetry, carpet and vinyl, with around 90% of materials recycled or redeployed. Plant and equipment used on the job included the company’s own excavators, bobcats, scissor lifts, boom lifts, general scaffolding and wrecking bars. “The biggest challenge was removing the internal theatre skins, which comprised 12m high brick walls. There was a lot of engineering involved in the propping we used to ensure the integrity of the building was maintained,” said BLDC Senior Project Estimator and Camberwell Project Manager, Ron Erichsen. “There was also a 20m long, 2.4m wide steel beam under the theatre seating which weighed between 80 and 90 tonnes, and had to come out in pieces. 104 VIC PROJECT FEATURE CAMBERWELL LIBRARY AND OFFICES
“We had to come up with a detailed engineering methodology for the project and maintain it throughout. We had a successful partnership working with Abigroup, and worked on the methodology with them during the quoting process. “The client commented to the builder that they had never seen a demolition contractor leave a building so safe and clean at the end of every night.” Other major projects BLDC have recently completed include a $4M demolition contract at Hamer Hall for Muliplex and demolition of the east end of the Crown Casino and the walkway along the Yarra River for Baulderstone. Currently, they are working on stripping out the ground floor of Crown Casino for Probuild, and undertaking works at St John of God in Geelong for Kane Constructions, among other jobs. The company’s workforce of around 50 has a teamwork focused safety culture, with quarterly training sessions for all staff at the company’s yard. All their onsite workforce are licensed for traffic management, in addition to tickets for heavy machinery, enclosed spaces and other specialist tasks. “Communication is paramount throughout our workforce. All our jobs are discussed fortnightly, and we hold quarterly discussions with all staff on improving quality and safety. We are a family company, and we run the company according to those values,” said Ron. For more information contact Bernie Leen Demolition and Contracting T/A Bernie Leen & Sons Pty Ltd, 9-15 Riversdale Road Newtown VIC 3220, phone 03 5222 2675, fax 03 5222 4889, email: info@bernieleen. com.au, website: www.bernieleen.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
With specialist skills in environmentally sustainable design, consulting engineers Connor Pincus Group (CPG) were able to ensure the Camberwell Library and Offices reflect the high green ideals of Boroondara Council. CPG designed and documented the lighting systems, power systems, fire detection, sprinkler systems, access control, CCTV, and communications systems. Their team of experienced engineers also documented the hydraulics, hydrants and hose reels services and prepared the design brief for the mechanical services. “The architect provided an exciting building design concept and then working with the architect we make the building habitable,” said CPG Founding Partner, Gary Pincus. “We endeavour to make every project as energy-efficient and cost effective as possible. We orchestrated thermal building modelling to develop the most effective mechanical services to suit the existing building envelope. The lighting was specifically designed to minimise the visual impact of the space and included occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting controls. There was a close collaboration from the outset between ourselves, Abigroup, Nicholas Alexander and the Client, City of Boroondara.” CPG are inaugural members of the Green Building Council of Australia, with a wealth of engineering expertise in building services developed over many years of adding value to projects across commercial, retail, education, industrial, residential, institutional and heritage sectors both across Victoria and interstate. For more information contact Connor Pincus Group, 1196 Toorak Road Camberwell VIC 3124, phone 03 9835 5000 fax 03 9835 5050, email: info@cpgroup.com.au, website: www.cpgroup.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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a first class centre for true excellence The new Sunshine Construction Futures building will provide a centre of true excellence - high quality, accessible, industry-responsive facilities from which to deliver building and construction training. VIC UNI SUNSHINE CONSTRUCTION FUTURES / KANE constructions
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Left The impressive Vic Uni Sunshine Construction Futures Building constructed by Kane Constructions
The construction company engaged to build the “Victoria University Sunshine Construction Futures” project is Kane Constructions, one of the largest privately owned construction companies in Victoria. They are a highly successful, commercial construction company active in all sectors of the industry with a turnover of $460 million, employing 285 full time employees.
Kane has achieved steady and sustainable growth and the company is well placed to take on a mix of short, medium and longer term projects in the $1 million to $150 million value range. The company has a strong balance sheet, no debt and significant cash reserves which provide a high level of comfort for clients – especially in the current uncertain economic climate.
Kane Construction’s success is a testament to the company’s integrity, expertise and ongoing commitment to a broad range of industry sectors including education, health, recreation, community and defence. The company was established 39 years ago and operates throughout the east coast of Australia and overseas from offices in Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane.
At Kane, staff with the appropriate skills, experience and technical qualifications are engaged and promoted within a ‘flat and open’ management structure. Graduates in building, engineering and architecture occupy project management and contract administration positions. Careful staff selection and training ensures site managers and foreman of the highest calibre make up the on-site teams. Teamwork, backed by effective programming, communication and administration skills, result a highly motivated and positive approach to the most challenging projects.
As principal contractor, Kane is proud to be delivering this exciting new project for Victoria University which has being designed to achieve a 6 Star Green Star credit rating. Paul Christian, Project Manager for Kane stated “Once complete, the project will be a state of the art training facility for carpentry, joinery and bricklaying apprentices, which will include permanent displays of construction methodology and materials, so stringent quality assurance processes have been followed to ensure we set an example to those learning a trade.” Professionalism and experience gained from 40 years in the industry has helped Kane build a reputation second to none. Paul observes “One of the most challenging aspects of this project was the contractual obligations which required additional staff to carefully review and manage documentation it’s a real credit to the Kane team, our sub-contractors and the consultants, that we have achieved the desired outcomes for the client.” “The new building is dominated by a 250 metre long geometric twisting facade constructed from sustainable materials. The team worked very hard to bring together the key trades required to complete the design.” WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Employing young people and mentoring them in the ‘Kane way’ is a key success factor. The company places a strong emphasis on training and empowers its staff to take on new challenges and fulfil their potential. They are rewarded accordingly. Kane is an opportunistic, entrepreneurial company that welcomes new ideas and has a supportive environment and systems which assist staff in managing and enhancing their performance. To ensure that Kane Constructions delivers on its commitments to all stakeholders – clients, employees, the community, it’s service providers, suppliers and subcontractors and its shareholders- the company has a Business Management System (BMS) that is fully certified and complies with ISO9001, ISO14001 and AS4801. Kane Constructions successfully delivers quality projects for its clients across all sectors – from any location – at any scale.
For more information contact Kane Constructions, website: www.kane.com.au.
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Right Signal & Hobbs were mainly responsible for the installation of the metal roofing and polycarbonate façade system.
Signal & Hobbs have been involved in fabricating and installing metal roofing and sheet metal rainwater products for over 38 years. In this time they have been involved with many of Victoria’s major construction projects. This vast experience in their chosen industry is why builders and developers have chosen this company as their preferred contractor. Whilst providing roofing solutions for major construction projects Signal & Hobbs has established trusted relationships that has seen the business awarded major projects. Westfield D&C Doncaster Shopping centre and Chadstone Shopping Centre are just two examples. The company growth has been slow and steady and now with the logistical support to complete multiple projects, Signal & Hobbs are able to work across many projects at the same time. The growth of any business is linked to the employees and their contribution and at Signal & Hobbs their core group of employees have been constant. Signal & Hobbs are committed to the plumbing industry and all of the roofing plumbers are registered with the plumbing industry commission and have trade qualifications. They believe training for the industry is critical and ensure the quality of workmanship within their trade is maintained, and remain committed to apprentices and their training. Signal & Hobbs are proud to be involved in the construction of the new $35 million first class facility for “Victoria University Sunshine Construction Futures”. Up to 15 employees are working on this project and their main role was the installation of the metal roofing and polycarbonate façade system. One of the main challenges involved includes the delivery and installation of the long length metal roofing material. Their expertise and experience along with the best quality products sourced will ensure the best results for this particular project. The newly used material to be applied to the walls and façade “Lexan Thermoclick” will ensure results are achieved. Include Signal & Hobbs on your tender list to receive competitive estimate quotations for
all construction projects. With experience in architecturally designed projects and design and construction developments they can provide design assistance and advice for all metal roofing projects. Signal & Hobbs are proud to own their own range of plant and equipment which provides great flexibility and cost efficiency for their access needs ensuring the project runs smoothly. With ISO 9001 Certification pending and a NCOP compliant sub contractor working on many of Victoria’s major projects Signal & Hobbs is committed to quality workmanship and products for their builders and their clients, understanding that roofing installation is in the critical path for most projects and employing upwards of 80 full time people they are able to deliver large scale roofing projects on program, saving time and money. Metal cladding can provide a great alternative to some more expensive and traditional forms of external cladding products, at Signal & Hobbs they have significant experience in the installations of many types of cladding products from hi-tensile metal profiled sheet claddings on industrial warehousing to custom folded and powder coated aluminium panels. As well as having installed polycarbonate glazing style systems to building façades. Flashings made to order are fabricated within their sheet metal workshop. Signal & Hobbs can fabricate almost any light weight sheet metal product. Customers have been coming to signal & Hobbs for many years for their sheet metal rainwater products. From flashings, rain heads and box gutters to bay window canopies and roller shutter pelmets. Signal & Hobbs also supply all roll formed products made for the use of collecting and shedding of rainwater for any roof installation.
For more information contact Signal & Hobbs, Unit 11, 6-12 Airlie Avenue Dandenong VIC 3175, phone 03 9791 5355, email: sighob@sighob.com.au
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Below Nanokote applied its EcoBarrier™ anti-graffiti coating to the Danpalon polycarbonate walls for the Victorian project.
Nanokote was engaged to apply its EcoBarrier™ anti-graffiti coating to the Danpalon polycarbonate walls for the Victoria University Sunshine Construction Futures project. The Danpalon substrate was particularly susceptible to permanent damage from both graffiti markers and removal agents that would result in permanent damage to the surface. EcoBarrier™ is founded on organometallic nanotechnology which means that the coating possesses properties of both in-organic or metals and non-metals or organic components. In simple terms this means that with the use of EcoBarrier™, Nanokote can form a very hard, chemically resistant coating that provides high bond strength, excellent durability and resistance to UV light along with extreme resistance to the latest aggressive graffiti markers. You can think about it terms of protecting surfaces with a clear layer of steel, the steel giving the metal property and the film forming property arising from the non-metal or organic components. EcoBarrier™ achieves a strong bond and is virtually invisible on most surfaces. Application of the barrier is straightforward via roller or spray. Recently Nanokote released a patent protected decorative concrete coating that combines the functions of anti-carbonation (protection from concrete cancer) and anti-graffiti coating. Nanokote has been working with government road & rail authorities for five years as the need for the next generation concrete coating materials was identified. The brief called for best practices in order to achieve cost efficient design, enhanced service life, reduced maintenance costs and the utmost in safety. 110 VIC PROJECT FEATURE VIC UNI SUNSHINE CONSTRUCTION FUTURES
ProGuard™ from Nanokote Pty Ltd is a single coat solution for decorative anti-carbonation and anti-graffiti protection requiring no priming. This allows for a single coat (or two coat wet on wet) to be directly applied to dry or damp concrete This replaces typical competitor systems of a standard 4-coat: primer, two separate coats of acrylic (24 hours apart) followed 7 days later by a polyurethane clear coat. ProGuard™ can be applied directly to damp concrete at temperatures as low as 3°C reducing lost time from rain or environments where morning dew or high humidity cause delays. Typical competitor systems cannot be applied on damp surfaces or at temperatures below 10°C. The speed of application and reduced ancillary costs of traffic management and access equipment combine to reduce risk and cost to the contractor by up to 75%. Chemical or fusion bonding with the concrete creates an incredibly durable coating that resists peeling, flaking and blistering providing long term downstream benefits for the asset owner. Nanokote is a division of Australian company Micronisers Pty Ltd. Founded in 1987 the group of companies are trail blazers in the field of nanomaterials in Australia and has worked closely with CSIRO in developing commercial applications in nanotechnology. For more information contact Nanokote Pty Ltd, John Caprioglio, email: john@nanokote.com.au, phone 03 9768 3277 / 0438 512 612 OR Simon King, email: simon@nanokote.com.au, phone 03 9768 3277 / 0410 591 556 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
With an increasing requirement for commercial and residential developments to include secure bicycle parking facilities, it is now more important than ever to select products with a proven record in security, durability, performance and quality. Cora Bike Rack is a specialised Australian company that designs, manufactures and supplies bicycle parking racks, rails and lockers across Australia. Already a key supplier to most local governments and major builders since 1997, Cora Bike Rack has the experience, knowledge and product selection to provide the ultimate end of trip bicycle parking facility for cyclists. Recently, Cora Bike Rack supplied its Expo Series bike racks to provide 100 secure bicycle parking spaces for students at the innovative Victoria University Sunshine Construction Futures building. As with all Cora products, the Expo Series racks are certified by EcoSpecifier to comply with AS2890.3 guidelines and are eligible to earn points towards Green Star ratings. Cora Bike Rack’s full range of Australian made products can be found on their new website which allows viewers the ability to create online quotes as well as download product specifications, price lists and CAD drawings. With an extensive range of secure and attractive products, door to door delivery across Australia, and the best product guarantee in the industry, Cora Bike Rack can provide the ideal bicycle parking solution to make your project a success. For more information contact Cora Bike Rack Pty Ltd, phone 1800 249 878, fax 1800 249 879, email: sales@cora.com.au, website: www.cora.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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AERIAL APARTMENTS
another iconic project
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Construction Company : Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd project end value : $83 Million
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ansen Yuncken were appointed by FKP to deliver the Aerial Apartments at the end of 2010, and are due for completion in mid 2012. This stunning new addition to Camberwell junction has been designed by Wood Marsh Architects. The new development comprises 144 luxury apartments and 9 retail tenancies spread across 2 towers. The construction works cover approximately 32,000m2 and the towers reach 14 and 9 levels in height. The prominent location is located on a 6-way intersection and bound by 2 tram lines, increasing substantially the complexity of delivery. A heritage building on the corner is being refurbished and is to house a new restaurant. The apartments offer a selection of one, two and three bedrooms and a full level penthouse. The apartments have been designed to provide sophistication and comfort across all elements. The apartment block features two secure basement car parking levels with allocated parking for residents and also storage space and bicycle parking for those who require this added feature. The Aerial Apartments are designed to achieve a 5 star energy rating with the inclusion of green features such as rainwater collection for the irrigation of gardens, natural ventilation of apartments, double glazing of windows to minimize heat loss and the use of low embodied energy material. The project is characterised by its prominent organic form, which provides a visual statement that will define its precinct. It links well with the existing heritage building, despite its contrasting elements. Correct planning, coordination and sequencing of trades was an essential part of the formula for successfully delivering the Aerial Apartments project. An innovative design incorporated into the Aerial Apartments was the use of Timber Fins, installed around the perimeter edge. Hansen Yuncken is Australia’s largest privately owned commercial construction company, with approximately $3.5b of current projects. Hansen Yuncken specialise in complex architectural structures such as Aerial, exemplified by the already world famous MONA Museum in Hobart. Hansen Yuncken have also recently delivered other iconic projects such as Bianca Apartments in Port Melbourne, The Icehouse - National Ice Sports Centre, Waterfront City in Docklands and 4500 other projects over the past 95 years.
HANSEN YUNCKEN Pty Ltd Level 3, 479 St Kilda Road Melbourne VIC 3004 t. 03 9831 6500 f. 03 9831 6599 e. melbourne@hansenyuncken.com.au www.hansenyuncken.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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Aerial Apartments, VIC
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paul webber and the webber design team Structural Engineers for the Aerial development would like to congratulate FKP on their landmark project.
Mackenzie Tower Melbourne CBD
Lacrosse Apartments Docklands
RAPTL Burnley Street Richmond
Guilfoyle Apartments South Melbourne
Emblem Apartments Hawthorn
Art On The Park Melbourne
A'Beckett Tower Melbourne CBD
Lilli Apartments South Yarra Lower Ground Floor 15 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000 t. 03 9614 7155 f. 03 9614 7166 e. paul@webberdesign.com www.webberdesign.com
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Innovation Hub Probuild are constructing a new facility for Monash University and CSIRO turning the precinct as the most significant technology innovation hub in the southern hemisphere. Client : Monash University (Ron Crellin) Project Manager : Johnstaff Projects (Pieter van Rensburg) Managing Contractor : Probuild Constructions Australia (John McManus) COMPLETION : February 2013 PROJECT END VALUE : $117 Million ARCHITECT : Lyons
A new facility is being constructed for Monash University and CSIRO for collaborative research on materials engineering including computational and physical modelling of manufactured products and technology for the bio-medical, aerospace and renewable energy fields. The development will establish the Monash University Clayton Innovation Precinct as the most significant technology innovation hub in the southern hemisphere. Apart from managing the construction process, Probuild’s role in the project also includes the management and assistance of the installation of Monash University and CSIRO, furniture, fittings and equipment (FFE) and recommissioning of the building. As Managing Contractor, Probuild was actively involved in the management of the design development process to assist in procuring the New Horizons GMP within the Target Cost Plan of the Client. Probuild, in conjunction with the Project Manager tendered, procured and recommended to the Client significant early works trade packages to ensure the delivery programme was not compromised while finalising the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP). This was achieved to budget and within agreed timeframes. Prior to commencing works on-site Probuild reviewed and developed alternative construction methods and sequence for the project including: • Façade construction modulation whilst maintaining the architectural design integrity; • Off-site construction of the cascading stairs in 3 large atria to 116 VIC PROJECT FEATURE MONASH UNI NEW HORIZONS
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maintain programme milestones and Design intent and ongoing reviews and advice on Building Services and finishes to improve value for money and retain design intent.
The project has been delivered by a Managing Contractor procurement method under the leadership of John McManus (Construction Manager), Dan Larkey (Project Manager) and Tom Nisbet (Assistant Project Manager). The design team includes Lyons, Bonacci Structural and Civil Engineers, Rimmington Hydraulic and Fire Services Engineers, Umow Lai and Associates (Mechanical & Electrical), Outlines Landscape Architects and Irwinconsult as the ESD/Green Star consultant. In line with innovative green building systems, the following features have been included in the New Horizons project; • A 300kL underground stormwater tank which serves the building heat rejection system. Stormwater is harvested from the catchment surrounding the New Horizons building. When water levels are low, stormwater is pumped from the campus underground stormwater drainage system to fill the tank. • A 200kL underground rainwater tank harvests water from the roof of the building. This water is utilized for cisterns and irrigation of the surrounding landscape. Overflow from the rainwater tank is directed to the stormwater tank. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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Cooling system heat rejection is via low water usage adiabatic chillers. These work as dry air coolers up to an ambient temperature of 18°C, at which point water is pumped over heat rejection coils to increase heat rejection efficiency. This hybrid system saves water by running as a dry air cooler during periods of low ambient temperature. The cooling water from lab equipment is recirculated and cooled in a central building system rather than running potable tap water through the equipment. Combination of Active mass piping system embedded in the concrete slabs (at high level) and Underfloor Floor Air Distribution system (at low level) of occupied areas to provide cooling as part of the HVAC system.
The New Horizons project is aiming to achieve a 5-star rating for both Design and As-Built rating tools of the Green Star rating system. This is being accomplished not only by adopting the initiatives listed above, but also through the implementation of a 3D BIM process for coordination of building structure and services and by promoting extensive prefabrication of design elements. This has resulted in developing more innovative construction methodologies with the intent to reduce the overall risk in the project. Probuild was founded in 1987 and their success is based on quality people, performance, industry expertise and a focus on forging long term bonds WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
with clients. The company’s culture of teamwork, strong but accessible leadership, and high standards has provided the foundation for one of Australia’s most successful companies. Probuild is now a nationally diversified company with more than 300 employees. Probuild’s investment in the Monaco Hickey Group enhances their capabilities in the specialist area of health, pharmaceutical and clean room construction. The alliance with Monaco Hickey has been especially beneficial to the New Horizons project as they have provided support and expertise on the construction of the research laboratories at the Monash University facility. The company has long-term relationships with clients such as the Gandel Group, Sussan Property Group, Cbus, Bendigo Bank, Colonial First State Global Asset Management, University of Melbourne and AMP. Chadstone Shopping Centre was one of Probuild’s earliest major projects, and we have been involved in 28 stages of development over 21 years at the centre. Probuild’s expertise encompass all facets of project delivery including programming, project management, design management, estimating and cost planning, site supervision and contract administration. For more information contact Probuild, phone 03 9693 8222 or visit www.probuild.com.au VIC PROJECT FEATURE MONASH UNI NEW HORIZONS 117
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New Horizons The New Horizons facility has been constructed for Monash University and CSIRO for research activities that focus on the biomedical, aerospace and renewable energy fields. I&D Constructions was the structure contractor for the project. Their scope of works included supply & installation of all formwork, reinforcement, post tensioning & concrete. I&D Constructions’ had to organise their schedule to cater for the often harsh weather conditions in Monash. The cantilevering areas of the structure required specific attention to the temporary works design & subsequent installation procedures. As the New Horizons project is a 5 star Greenstar project, materials supplied for the development were required to meet strict guidelines. Materials included recycled timber, special concrete mixes & reinforcing steel from specific certified plants. I&D Construcitons were proud to announce that the New Horizons project was completed on time and within budget. I&D Constructions are regarded as one of the largest deliverers of formwork solutions in Victoria. The Company partner with large-scale building and construction companies in the private and public markets on projects of all sizes. The staff at I&D Constructions are considered the companies most important resource. Management ensure their personal safety is always a priority. On all projects, I&D Constructions implement a Strategic Safety Management plan and Safe Work Methods. The construction, project and site managers work with the OH&S officer and other construction consultants to ensure that workers are equipped with the safety equipment necessary to perform efficiently and safely. With corporate headquarters and storage yard based in the southeast suburbs, I&D Constructions have at their disposal, thousands of square metres of quality materials along with state of the art lifting and crane equipment, enabling them to smoothly deliver the largest projects. The company is committed to delivering high quality projects by forming partnerships with their clients and collaborating with project suppliers to ensure each job exceeds expectations. I&D Constructions was formed in 1994 by Ivan and Kathy Filipovic. Their passion and commitment to getting the job done safely and economically has underpinned their success in the industry. From humble beginnings, I&D Constructions now employs more than 200 dedicated professional and support staff and are involved in a number of landmark projects across Victoria. I&D Constructions have a history for delivering projects on time and on budget and they believe this is paramount in the success of their business. For more information contact I&D Constructions, Factory 4/3 Faigh St Mulgrave, phone 03 9560 1812, website www.idconstructions.com WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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Interesting Project Faraday Pty Ltd.’s involvement with the Monash University New Horizons project started in 2010 with the revision of the EMI/ EMC Management Plan. The company provided detailed advice on the electromagnetic shielding requirement for a number of laboratories including electron microscope suites. The University decided to implement all report recommendations made by Faraday Pty Ltd with only minor adjustments being made. Faraday Pty Ltd installed various thicknesses of EMF shielding to the LEEM Labs, Spinor BEC and FQ laser rooms on the ground floor. They also carried out work above the substation on Level 1 and the copper shielded enclosure installed on Level 2. Faraday Pty Ltd is a specialist electromagnetic shielding company. They design, install and certify the shielding systems built to ensure compliance with current electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements and human exposure regulations. The company was established over 10 years ago in response to the increasing demand for technologically advanced shielding solutions in the following areas: • science and education • defence industries 120 VIC PROJECT FEATURE MONASH UNI NEW HORIZONS
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medical industrial and commercial developments
Faraday Pty Ltd also provides expert EMI consultancy services, conduct interference investigations, surveys and compliance field measurements. Computer modeling was used on the New Horizons project to establish the shielding requirements for the individual scientific instrumentation, equipment and installation. The shielding materials were specifically selected and arranged in a manner allowing them to attenuate the interfering electromagnetic field to levels not exceeding the established threshold values. Faraday Pty Ltd has extensive experience in screening sensitive scientific and medical equipment from influence of electromagnetic interference. Faraday Pty Ltd found the Monash University New Horizons development to be one of the most interesting projects they have worked on. For more information contact Faraday Pty Ltd, Kingsley McRae phone 03 9729 5000 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Market Leader Inhabit is an emerging market leader in Façade, Ecologically Sustainable Design, Acoustics and Lighting consultancy, having achieved significant growth internationally over the past 3 years. Inhabit has been privileged to have collaborated on numerous projects that present technical diversity, complexity and the opportunity to create iconic built environments. Partnering with some of the foremost architects and construction companies in the world, Inhabit takes pride in delivering bespoke design and engineering in response to project requirements. Lead by Tony Alvaro, Executive Director, Australasia, the team at Inhabit has provided integrated services for the development of the Monash University New Horizons project. The underlying premise of the Monash University New Horizons development is to provide a hub for future manufacturing research, education and industry collaboration. It will support areas including biomedicine, transport, aerospace and mineral processing. The facility is located at the Engineering Precinct, Clayton campus. Monash University New Horizons encompassed expertise from both the Inhabit Sydney and Melbourne offices. This included façade detailing, consulting, engineering services and finished WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
fabrications consulting. Inhabit also played a key role in the quality assurance, logistics and project management of this project, including engineering certification. With such a large scale project, spanning more than 12 months, Inhabit chose to manage both quality and risk assigning 6 engineers to ensure validation and verification of work was undertaken efficiently and seamlessly. This resulted in being able to run concurrently with the fabrication and construction phases. Inhabit offers an extensive range of specialist consulting services to complement building projects of all sizes and types. The company encourages a culture of excellence, with discipline experts who are industry leaders in their respective fields. This integrated approach by the designers and engineers is equally matched by the passion they deliver to each project. Adopting this methodology has enabled Inhabit collaborations with some of the world’s most well-known architects, builders and industry regulatory authorities in the creation of sustainable, built environments that redefine “Living Engineering”. For more information in relation to working with Inhabit, supported by its offices in Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane, visit www.inhabitgroup.com VIC PROJECT FEATURE MONASH UNI NEW HORIZONS 121
Crème de la crème Equiset Construction was awarded the $42m contract to construct Proximity on Queens, a high-end residential development offering 159 spacious apartments. Main construction company : Equiset Architect : Bates Smart Architects building surveyor : Phillip Chun Services Engineer: Wood and Grieve Structural Engineer: BG&E Project Manager: Peloton Development Management Completion : November 2012 Project end value : $42 Million
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Equiset is a family owned property development, project management and construction company which was established in 1998 by Lorenz Grollo, and is a Grollo Group Company. From its inception, the company has distinguished itself through its ability to seek out strategic and original solutions, using them to bring a wide range of projects to successful completion and winning a string of prestigious awards in the process. Equiset’s focus on creating better places for people is nowhere more evident than in its construction of Proximity on Queens residential development, awarded by tender in 2010 and scheduled for completion in November this year. Idyllically located in Melbourne’s City of Port Philip, on sought-after Queens Road opposite Albert Park lake and parklands, Proximity is within easy walking distance of the vibrant St Kilda retail and commercial hub and minutes from some of the city’s leading schools and universities. Melbourne CBD is just 3km away, accessed by tram or the West Gate freeway. The 12-floor, Bates Smart-designed complex has been developed by Peloton Group. It consists of 112 one-bedroom apartments, 44 two-bedroom apartments and three larger, three-bedroom apartments has 143 car spaces over two basement levels, including 16 car stackers. Apartment interiors feature abundant natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows, built-in wardrobes, air conditioning and a choice of classic or contemporary interiors. As the company wholly responsible for the construction of Proximity on Queens, Equiset has incorporated the high-level ESD building practices that have seen its past projects merit multiple Green Star certifications and environmental awards. Proximity on site Project Manager, IIia Polorotoff, notes that one of the building’s major design considerations was the continuous flow of underground water during construction and after completion. “As a safeguard, we’ve built a storage tank under the car park in case of pump failure in the future. The tank capacity is approximately 50,000 litres, which would take six to eight hours to fill before the basement starts flooding.” WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“We have also recycled rain water for flushing toilets and the irrigation of garden beds.” Currently, Equiset, the principal company through which the Grollo group focuses its construction projects, employs around 150 people across its planning, design, construction management and finance and equity involvement activities. Construction is where the Grollo family began in business. Luigi Grollo left Treviso, Italy, in 1928 to make new life in Melbourne. In the 1940s, he started business with one truck and a small team of men who began building footpaths and swimming pools. Over the years, that business grew into one of Australia’s largest and most successful construction groups. Since Equiset was established, the company has rapidly made a name in its chosen fields of operation, by combining creative planning and design solutions, the best and most efficient construction methods and superior management skills, to deliver projects on time and within budget. This relatively young company draws on strong connections in the building industry and a skilled and experienced management team. To date, Equiset has made significant achievements in education, residential alpine, commercial office, retail and sporting venue development and construction. Major projects include the $250 million University Square development for the University of Melbourne; Alto Villas, a six-storey, 20 apartment luxury boutique complex on Mount Buller; Monash University Caulfield Campus development; and the A-Grade, environmentally-sustainable corporate headquarters for National Foods at Docklands. Equiset understands the needs of business and community and the challenges facing the property development and construction sector. The company seeks strategic and original solutions to individual property needs, and offers a flexible and comprehensive service. From a single contact point, clients can access concept planning services, design, construction management and finance and equity involvement.
For more information contact Equiset, phone 03 9620 5999, fax 03 9620 5977, email: equiset@equiset.com.au, website: www.equiset. com.au, contact: Catherine Hall VIC PROJECT FEATURE PROXIMITY ON QUEENS 123
a complete service package Collaborating with Australia’s best architects, designers, specifiers and builders, Metanovus Teasco provides louvre systems for a variety of functions. A commercial building and construction sector specialist, Metanovus Teasco focus on large-scale projects offering a complete service package. The company’s capacity to create architecturally pleasing, yet functional louvre systems is evident on the Bates Smart designed Proximity on Queens development. The 12-storey development on popular Queens Road is home to 161 apartments. Positioned directly opposite Albert Park Lake and parklands, the elegant and spacious 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments are in the heart of Melbourne’s cultural and leisure-centric best.
Metanovus was established in Braeside, Victoria in 2005 as an architectural sales and marketing specialist. Initially specialising in mechanical expansion joints, the company expanded its reach to include architectural louvres, sunscreens, door and wall protection, commercial signage and cubicle tracking. The company designs and manufactures louvres ranging from sunscreens, acoustic louvres, elliptical feature louvres, balustrades, skylights and commercial window systems. Metanovus Teasco clients also benefit from the company’s expertise in project and contract management and site supervision. Since joining forces with long time business partners Teasco Thailand Co. Ltd, in December 2009, the company’s production
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capabilities and portfolio of offerings has increased; satisfying a rapidly expanding client base. The company’s off-shore production facility allows for more competitive pricing for large-scale projects. Projects involved with include: The Pinnacle, The Guilfoyle, Vogue Apartments and Tooronga Village Shopping Centre.
For more information contact Metanovus Teasco Pty Ltd, 18 Capital Court Braeside 3195, VIC, phone 03 9580 0970, fax 03 9580 0980, email: sales@metanovus.com.au, website: www.metanovus.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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ON THE UP AND UP As construction industry fairy tales go, Richstone Group’s is a beauty. When registered plumbers Hayden Richardson and Shannon Egglestone pooled resources ($2000 apiece) in 2003 they did not envisage the growth and success, “the little monster”, as Mr Richardson describes it, that is their brand today. The one-time humble plumbing business has expanded to a multi-divisional enterprise, employing 100 staff. The Campbellfield-based company now boasts several departments: plumbing, roofing and excavation, with clients benefiting from a one-stop-shop of industry offerings, minimising sub contractor fees and delays for the client. Successfully tendering for major Victorian contracts within the commercial, industrial and civil realms, Richstone Group’s knowledge and expertise encompasses the complete scope of plumbing and gas works, Green plumbing solutions (rainwater harvesting, re-use water and solar systems), roofing and
guttering, façade and alucobond and its latest skill-set: excavation. It was Richstone Group’s foundation skills in hydraulic plumbing that were sort for the prestigious Proximity on Queens residential development built by Equiset Constructions for Peloton Group. “From the in-ground package to the above ground including complete water service (hot, cold, gas and rain), janissary fixtures and tap ware, sewer and sanitary drainage, storm water drainage and fire service, as well as the installation of rainwater reuse pump set,’’ hands-on Director Mr Richardson said. The company’s team of full-time estimator’s value managed the brief bringing significant cost relief to the project through an alternative fixture schedule. Mr Richardson said the company rolled-out a new system of internal operational guidelines during the works, optimising resources and efficiency on site. Applauded for entrepreneurship by the Hume City Council and with a reputation
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for commitment and innovation in ecological construction trends, Richstone Group has amassed an impressive portfolio that includes Five Star and Six Star Green Star projects. Melbourne Water’s new Digital Harbour headquarters is among the recent accomplishments. Richstone Group has developed a strong relationship with Equiset Constructions. The multi-skilled operation delivered Proximity and Monarc simultaneously for Equiset, both marquee residential high-rise developments on Queens Road, and secured its fist major bulk excavation contract for Equiset Constructions in September. The fairy tale continues for the team at Richstone Group.
For more information contact Richstone Group, PO Box 365 Somerton VIC 3062, 17B Nathan Drive Campbellfield VIC 3061, phone 03 8339 3777, fax 03 8339 3788, email: info@richstonegroup.com.au, website: www. richstonegroup.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
up for the job
Green Energy Electrical and Air-Conditioning is the commercial arm of Director Peter Bailey’s founding company Advantage Electrical and Air Conditioning. Operational since 2010, Green Energy services larger mechanical and electrical contracts and is linked to prominent developments throughout Melbourne. With 50 personnel, including consulting engineers, draftsmen, project managers and consultants, refrigeration mechanics, A-grade electricians and plumbers, Green Energy has the capacity to deliver a variety of design and construct projects. Having embraced the construction industry’s sustainable building trend, the Abbotsford-based company is leading the Green Star push and Proximity on Queens is the latest addition to its impressive portfolio of projects, which includes: boutique residential builds and elaborate medical and retirement village constructs. Green Energy secured the mechanical contract, which involved the complete supply and install of air conditioning and exhaust throughout WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
the lavishly appointed residential complex. In keeping with the client’s brief, technicians installed the split ducted Fujitsu bulkhead range, its sleek design allowing for optimal efficiency within the luxurious apartments, which feature grand high ceilings. Operations Manager Sebastien Wattelet said the company’s flexibility and dynamic approach ensured customized solutions were delivered to meet the design specifications. “Due to the height of the ceilings in the apartments, we were limited by space in which the air-conditioning could fit, therefore used slim-line Fujitsu ducted units.’’ Eight members of the team were involved on the Proximity contract, ranging from A grade electricians, qualified plumbers to third and second year apprentices. Site Foreman Michael Noden oversaw the 11 month operation, which was delivered within contract constraints in early November. The mechanical and electrical contractor’s expertise and customer satisfaction extends to
its service division. The team offer expert advice and a comprehensive repair, break-down and maintenance program for all types and brands of domestic air-conditioning and heating equipment. The Daikin and Mitsubishi preferred dealer provides a full manufacturer’s warranty on all units installed, be it for commercial or domestic application. Contracted on two additional Equiset Construction builds: sister high-rise on Queen Monarc and Pheonix Apartments on Flinders Street, Green Energy has the personnel resources and technical expertise to manage multiple major contracts concurrently.
For more information contact Green Energy Electrical and Air-Conditioning Pty Ltd, 36 Duke Street Abbotsfield VIC 3067, phone 03 9421 2564, fax 03 9428 0792, email: info@greenenergyea.com.au, website: www.greenenergyea.com.au
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Proximity on Queens under construction
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from the ground up As the name suggests Earth Electrical deliver electrical contracting services from the ground up. With 50 years combined experience operating Directors and childhood mates Nick Karnaros and Bill Sevastas have developed a company ethos centred on customer satisfaction and a commitment to innovation in the delivery of their complete portfolio of electrical products and services. The hands-on managing directors joined forces in 2000 and in that time the Earth Electrical brand has been linked to major commercial projects, and prestigious residential builds throughout Victoria. The Equiset Constructions Proximity on Queens development for Peloton Group is among Earth Electrical’s recent body of work. Responsible for the complete electrical installation on the 12-storey high-end residential development, Earth Electrical’s scope of work included the supply and install of all the cabling, lighting, entertainment and communication systems. Up to 10 of the company’s 40 personnel, including qualified A-grade electricians and apprentices were deployed to complete the contract, which was delivered within time and budget parameters. Associated with many of Melbourne’s major building contractors, Earth Electrical has a reputation for quality, efficient services, on time, every time. For more information contact Earth Electrical, Suite 401/566 St Kilda Road Melbourne 3004 VIC, phone 03 9529 3700, email: nick@earthelec.com.au
The view from Proximity on Queens, VIC
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stylish living in southbank, melbourne The beautiful and striking Tiara apartments is Melbourne's latest and most exciting lifestyle address located within the highly sought-after inner city location in Southbank. main construction company : Contexx Pty Ltd Architect : PSG Architecture & DRC Architecture structural Engineer : Rincovitch & Partners project end value : $63 Million Quantity Surveyor : WT Partnership Completion : April 2013
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Tiara Apartments is a $63 million development at 46-50 Haig Street in Southbank, Melbourne. The project is only the second in the city to have the National Broadband Network installed. The 32 storey apartment tower will house 210, mainly 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, 6 floors of car parking, and a swimming pool. Construction work on the 16th floor makes the building shell halfway completed. “The focus for both builder and developer is quality and value for money,” says Stewart Berg the Project Manager. The builder Contexx Pty Ltd is a relatively new construction company formed in 2006, in Melbourne, by Noel Henderson and Simon Gray. Together, they have more than 50 years' of building management experience in complex, large-scale developments throughout Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. This wealth of experience has seen Contexx grow to a company of 150 skilled, forward thinking, solutions-focused professionals. Contexx specialises in managing the design and construction of large projects. They are focused on understanding their clients' needs from the outset, and maintaining good relationships with both clients and contractors. They have built shopping centres, an office tower, town houses and apartment buildings as well as other large commercial projects. One of the challenges of the Tiara Apartment project has been the extensive fire engineering
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requirement. Tiara Apartments will have lifts that can operate in fire mode. This will require the pressurisation of lift lobbies and the building having its own generator. The facade shows attention to detail with patterned glass balustrades that create an up market appearance. Another Southbank residential tower that Contexx is building is Wrap Apartments at 133-139 City Road. This is a 42 storey tower with an approximate project value of $88 million. It will have 294 apartments, 9 levels of car park and a cafe, lounge and retail area on the ground floor. “One of the challenges of this project was the unique, innovative wrap element,” says Sam Delmenico, the Project Manager for the Wrap Apartment project. It will give the building a very distinctive appearance. It will be a web, constructed out of steel that will sit off the facade and will be tied back into the structure. “We are pretty flexible in what we can do for clients,” says Stewart Berg who sees this as one of Contexx’s strong points as a building company. Contexx has a number of tall distinctive apartment towers under construction in Melbourne. These include: MY80 Apartments which will be one of the tallest residential towers in Melbourne’s CBD.
The 54 storey development provides for 481 apartments, a ‘sky-bar’, pool, resident business centre, cinema and 7 levels of parking. 350 William Street Apartments, a $104 million development comprising a 36 storey, 575 apartment tower, branded as ‘Art on the Park’. The development also features three separate lobbies with independent vertical transportation, a gymnasium, ground level retail spaces, car parking as well as an interconnecting public laneway. The Rhapsody Apartments at 568 St Kilda Road, a 18 storey development with 313 apartments, car parking, restaurant, resident meeting room, gym and associated amenities. Park West Apartments at 33-43 Batman Street, a 13 level tower of 137 apartments above a basement car park. It is scheduled for completion in July 2012. “We pride ourselves that we can build anything,” says Stewart Berg, who strongly believes that Contexx is a company with a bright future.
For more information contact Contexx Pty Ltd, Level 9, 580 St Kilda Road Melbourne VIC 3004, phone 03 9539 5000, fax 03 9539 5091, email: information@contexx.biz, website: www.contexx.biz
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meeting the challenge DRC Architecture provided architectural design, documentation and construction supervision services for Tiara Apartments following initial design by PSG Architects. “The façade was particularly challenging, involving a number of varying colours in the glass, balustrades, metalwork and louvred street elevation of the car park levels,” says David Barlow. The professional team at DRC met the challenge. Their focus is on providing architectural documentation for the construction industry. The principals, architects David and Claire Barlow and business manager Rachael Kirkwood, formed DRC two years ago after working together for over 20 years. “It was an achievement to establish a good working relationship with Contexx who we consider to be a disciplined construction firm of good standing with a focus on delivering quality buildings...they have since engaged us to work on two further projects, in Prahran and Hawthorn,” said David Barlow. DRC is also working on two other residential towers in Southbank, and projects in Clayton and Mernda in conjunction with some of Victoria’s largest construction companies and developers. For more information contact DRC Architecture Pty Ltd, 4 Craine Street South Melbourne VIC 3205, phone 03 96866629, mobile 0427 019 031, email: david@drcarch.com.au, website: under construction
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the importance of fire services engineering MMFP Fire Protection Company and Essential Services Specialist is the professional specialist company that won the tender for the design and installation of fire services for Tiara Apartments. They fully designed both the wet and dry fire services. “The challenge for the fire engineering design for Tiara Apartments was to provide a fully compliant system that meets all safety requirements. The lift is utilised as a means of egress and this required a complete new, more complex fire engineering solution,” says Grant Muir the Design Operations Manager for the project. “The advantage of our company is that we are a professional and quality one stop solution, we can manage the whole process – consultancy, design, fabrication and installation.” MMFP has now installed fire services up to the 15th floor. The installation includes WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
sprinklers, hydrants, hose reels, smoke detection, Fire Indicator Panel and occupant warning system. MMFP also prepared a tactical fire plan. “I am very impressed by Contexx’s professionalism and excellent culture,” says Grant Muir. “They are a great company to work with.” Keith Muir, the director of MMFP Fire Protection Company and Essential Services Specialist, began this family owned business in 1987 as Mid Murray Fire Protection. The company now has 25 years experience in the design and installation of fire services. It has around 30 skilled and dedicated employees. Among them are electrical and hydraulic engineers as well as fire services specialists. MMFP have been engaged in projects in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Adelaide. As well as working on apartment buildings,
they have designed and installed fire services in shopping centres, supermarkets, hospitals, nursing homes, and factories.
For more information contact MMFP Fire Protection Company and Essential Services Specialist, Victorian Office: 4 Broadfield Road Broadmeadows 3047. NSW Office: Marlin Court Moama NSW 2731, phone 0418 505 182, email: mmfp2@bigpond.com VIC PROJECT FEATURE TIARA APARTMENTS 133
A wining match Construction Engineering and the Mcg have proved a winning match Main Construction Company : Construction Engineering Client : MCC Project Manager : Case Meallin & Associates Pty Ltd Project end Value : $55 Million Completion : November 2012 Architects : COX Architects Structural Engineer : Aurecon Building Surveyor : Phillip Chun & Associates Quantity Surveyor : WT Partnership
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Just as football season is all about team players, so was the Great Southern Stand project at the MCG. Lead contractor for the refurbishment, Construction Engineering, takes a teamwork approach to all their projects, ensuring they meet the required goals on time, and without major safety incidents. There were seven separable portions to the project, however the main works were divided into two major stages. Stage one: • Demolition of two circa-1991 function rooms back to the shell and fitted out. • The deconstruction of the Melbourne Football Club administration area and corporate boxes, and conversion into the AFL Dining Room. • Re-constructing the Barassi Cafe and the Hayden Bunton Sports Bar on level B1. • Gates 5 and 6, upgrading the gates to a more open design with turnstiles so the public were able to view the playing surface as they enter the gates; opening up the concession area and concourses. Stage two: • The demolition of the three circa-1991 function rooms on level 2 back to the shell and fitted out. • Gates 4 and 7, upgrading the gates to a more open design with turnstiles so the public were able to view the playing surface as they enter the gates; opening up the concession area and concourses Other works included new epoxy finish to all existing floors and new perforated ceiling panels to numerous areas within the concourses & concession areas of levels B1 & level 1; and refurbishing all the amenities. There was also an upgrade of plant and infrastructure, including replacing the hot water system and installing gasfired boilers, and installing new air handling units for the AFL Dining Room. The two Main Switchboards were replaced which included setting up of larger generators to keep the southern stand “live “ for the week it took to changeover. All of the existing seating to level 2 was removed, the seating plats had epoxy applied to them and new seating was installed. An AVAC system was installed in the stands, which will collect rainwater and use the water when washing down the seats. The water is then collected by a vacuum system at the bottom edge of the grandstand, and transferred to the basement for disposal via the stormwater (rainwater) and sewer system. “The goal of the project was to refurbish the whole Southern Stand to bring it online with the newer Northern Stand. The project was very difficult initially in terms of the building process in stage one, basically due to the difference between existing conditions to what had been documented. Stage two was much easier as we were obviously more aware of the previous issues and conditions encountered,” said Construction Engineering Project Manager, Greg Short. “The timeframes were very challenging, trying to get work on the gates and function rooms completed in the short time between Grand Final Day 2011 and the opening round of 2012. Almost 60 percent of the project needed to be completed in six months. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“We had a few international cricket games to work around too. During Stage One, three of the function rooms were still operating, which created a storage issue. We stored materials on the concourse, and then had to move them when the MCG was operating. With Stage 2 we were subject to greater logistical issues as we were working around the MCG’s AFL Fixture so we were moving in and out before and after each round. “We had painted hoardings in and around working areas, and we had to be out of the MCG before games. We had weekly walk-arounds with MCG staff before every game checking for all types of hazards to ensure that the public were not compromised when attending the facility. There was also the added OH&S issue of needing to ensure clear access routes in case of an emergency.” Due to the skilful management and high level of technical expertise Construction Engineering’s team of 15 brought to the site, the project has been completed to a very high standard of quality. The team included project management, a General Foreman, three area foremen, an OH&S representative, labourers and a site amenities person. The 20 subcontractors involved in the project brought the peak daily workforce to 250, with clear communication between all trades maintained so that work could proceed swiftly despite the constraints imposed by the ongoing operation of the venue. For Construction Engineering, the success of the project is further proof of the value of their collaborative approach to construction. As one of Melbourne’s largest privatelyowned building companies, they have been building a reputation since 1953 for delivering successful outcomes and resolving challenges. The company’s leadership combines the management, engineering and analytical skills of tertiary graduates with the technical expertise earned on site in the building trades, and all staff are continually undertaking training, including Master Builders’ Association courses. A group decision style is followed, which encourages unique and innovative solutions to complex construction problems. Construction Engineering have undertaken projects across commercial, entertainment, retail, industrial, health, education, hospitality, multi-unit residential and institutional throughout Australia, and has offices in Melbourne and Southport, Queensland. Other outstanding construction successes include the Melbourne Aquarium, The VRC Birdcage Precinct, Healthbridge Women’s Health Centre, Watergardens Shopping Centre, Melbourne Showgrounds, Waterfront City, The Melbourne Clinic, the Epworth Medical Centre, Allamanda Surgicentre (Queensland), Australian Federal Police Offices (Robina, Gold Coast). For more information contact Construction Engineering, Victoria - Head Office 28 Albert Road, South Melbourne 3205, phone 03 9699 1122, fax 03 9699 7579, email cea@ ceaust.com Queensland Office Suite 2, Level 1, 60 Nerang Street Nerang, Qld, 4211 phone 07 5502 4288, fax 07 5500 4073, email ceqld@ceaust.com website www.ceaust.com VIC PROJECT FEATURE MCG GREAT SOUTHERN STAND 135
PEERLESS TILING CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT’S FIT FOR CHAMPIONS
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For the upgraded function spaces of the MCG, Akkari Tiling have ensured the designer’s vision was beautifully manifested, with their meticulous workmanship, outstanding ability to source unique highend products and cohesive teamwork achieving the completion of all major tiling works in time for AFL season kick-off. Akkari Tiling’s team supplied and installed all the ceramic, stone and porcelain tiles for the AFL Dining Room on level 2, plus retiling all the lobbies, the Jack Ryder Function Room, the Lindsay Hassett Function Room, the Legends Room, the Tom Willis Room, the AFL Sports Bar on level B1 and the Ron Barassi Cafe. The task was complex, including not only tiling on the walls and floors, but also decorated columns throughout level 2. “There was a lot of imported products. Logistically, this job was very challenging,” said Akkari Tiling Director, Huss Akkari. “We produced a lot of intricate work, using a lot of stone products and a few items which are very new to the global market, and have never been used in Australia before. In the Ron Barassi Cafe, the tiles included a raindrop shaped blue ceramic tile with a glass insert between the tiles. There was a considerable amount of manmade stone tiling, and many of the bar fronts and walls feature ceramic bevelled tile. Being the MCG, the designs for the tiling were very highend, and distinctively different for every room. “All the adhesives used were low VOC, we use environmentally friendly adhesives on all our jobs. “A key aspect was liaison with other trades, as we were working around everyone – mechanical services, plasterers, electricians and carpet layers. “It was a very tight program, with extremely high quality requirements. Access was a major challenge too. We were running two shifts a day, with our biggest shift at night due to the traffic situation making day time deliveries difficult. It helped we have our own access equipment including pallet racks and pallet jack trolleys. “In the end you just apply yourself to the situation. Our team is very good and cohesive, so we were able to achieve the end result effectively, to a very high standard and in time for the first game of the season.” In total, Akkari Tiling completed approximately 3,000m3 of tiling, using 25 different types of tiles, some of which required extremely careful handling. With such a large proportion WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
of imported products, avoiding waste through breakage was very much a priority. On average, twenty of the company’s tilers worked on the project in teams, doing two shifts a day, seven days a week, from late February 2012 through to July 2012. An independently owned company, Akkari Tiling has been producing outstanding work for projects across high end residential, hospitality, recreation, commercial, retail, industrial and government projects since 1980. Their capabilities include all wall and floor tiling, using a variety of systems including standard tiling, versa pad system and mechanical fixing for cladding. The company’s Directors bring global experience to their client’s designs, having worked in the industry in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Jordan. This has given them an immense amount of knowledge and experience in a variety of tiling techniques and a valuable insight into the wide diversity of tiling products produced around the world. A sister company, Stones of Arabia, focuses on retailing a range of stone tiles, stone cladding, ceramic, glass, porcelain, marble and other tiles, and tiling products, which are sourced from around the world. No matter how unique an architect’s vision, the two companies can procure and install the perfect result, including complex mosaic work in stainless steel, glass, or ceramic, such as the massive, stunning ceramic tile mosaic Akkari Tiling created for Melbourne Central Food Court. Other major projects have included Bayside Shopping Centre (Victoria), Centro in Airlie Beach, Centro in Mildura, Knox Private Hospital (Victoria), Flemington Race Course and 206 Bourke Street. The company has also supplied their talents to projects in Perth, Adelaide and Tasmania. For thousands of years tiles have been used to achieve a unique combination of practicality and beauty. Akkari Tiling continues to evolve the capabilities of the materials, combining the best of traditional trade skills and multinational experience, with the leading edge in installation techniques and highly specialist procurement, to deliver a premier, quality result. For more information contact Akkari Tiling, phone 03 9464 2068, fax 03 9464 3397, email: info@akkaritiling.com.au, website www. akkaritiling.com.au
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Figure 1
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Draining the mcg Gravity can give mixed results when it comes to standard drainage. For the MCG Great Southern Stand it was not enough to adequately drain the seating plats, which meant rain and spilled drinks frequently ended up on the heads of people sitting in the lower levels. Avac Australia provided the solution, with a state-of-the-art vacuum drainage system. The seating plat drainage system also has to cope with quite significant flows during washdown after events, but due to the high content of food and drink waste that goes along for the ride, this water must be treated before it enters the stormwater system. Traditional downpipes wouldn’t work for draining either rain and drinks or washdown water, as they block the view. And putting pipes into the slabs would have required major works. Avac’s system pulls the waste water back upward and transfers it to the grandstand core. The system features a PLC controlled vacuum centre and electronic field equipment, which monitors and controls the drainage in response to conditions in the plats. From a construction point of view, Avac’s system was a real winner, by providing a solution which minimised construction cost. “Vacuum plumbing has several major advantages over gravity plumbing and waste systems, most of which can translate to cost savings. Virtually any building requiring drainage can realize construction, and operational cost savings through a range of features unique to vacuum plumbing,” said Avac spokesperson, Marc Buman. “The first of these features is flexibility. At the MCG Avac were able to route the gravity drainage lines and around obstacles with ease. “Vacuum can pull water up a hill (see figure 1). Because downpipes were out and other alternative drainage systems were not capable of pulling water uphill, a vacuum drainage solution was implemented. Avac’s system brings light rain and washdown water back upwards by as much as 5 meters. It is then sent to a vacuum plant room whereby depending on conditions is diverted to sewer or stormwater.” The other positive result is users of the Grandstand will not have to wear whatever the people above them have spilled! WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Avac Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian company that pioneered the use of land based vacuum drainage system in Australia and New Zealand in the 1990’s. Previously, these systems had only been used for marine vessels and airplanes. The Avac solution minimises the use of fresh water for toilet flushes, their AcornVac vacuum toilet for example uses just 1.9 litres per flush. This in turn contributes to a smaller water and sewage footprint for any building, improving the overall environmental credentials of any project for the long term. Avac’s versatile plumbing system also has benefits for designers and builders, as it offers far greater flexibility for piping layout for the drainage component of any hydraulics system, including grey water and sanitary sources. The systems can also be used for draining condensate from sources such as HVAC equipment. The company’s expertise and knowledge can deliver a state of-the-art, reliable, cost effective and versatile plumbing system that is engineered to fit almost any building type, including new construction, retrofits, refurbishments and redevelopments. Because the pipework does not rely on gravity to function, the layout of the pipes can be more easily designed for incorporation into existing structures, without extensive and expensive structural modifications. Other recent Avac projects include the Gatton Correctional Centre and Lotus Glen Correctional Centres, where the company installed vacuum drainage combined with the world’s first full water management package. This will not only dramatically save energy and water in the long-term, but also reduced the project’s construction time frames. Avac design, engineer, manufacture and market a range of environmentally friendly plumbing and waste collection, conveyance and disposal systems suitable for projects across the commercial, health, education, recreation, industrial, residential and government sectors. They have recently opened a state of the art Vacuum Training Testing and Demonstration Centre in Brisbane which showcases their technology and allows potential clients and users to explore its practical and financial advantages. ® For more information contact Avac Australia Pty Ltd, phone 1300 123 451, website www.avac.com.au VIC PROJECT FEATURE MCG GREAT SOUTHERN STAND 139
POWERING AN ICON WITH PRIDE
Highly experienced management combined with extremely skilled tradesmen makes Road Runner Electrics (RRE) an extremely switched-on operation. At the MCG Great Southern Stand, they undertook the electrical refurbishment of all the function and corporate rooms on level 2, level 1 concession areas, entry gates four, five, six and seven and level B1 concourse area including the concessions and new AFL and Barassi function areas. Energy efficiency has been made a priority, including the installation of significant amounts of LED lighting. RRE had a total of 30 staff on site, comprising site Manager Neil Graham, and a crew of 29 ‘A’ grade electricians and 10 apprentices, all with first aid certificates, EWP licence, scissor licence, temporary construction wiring licence and confined space licence. “Undertaking a project such as the MCG has its difficulties in coordinating works around sports events, cricket in summer and the major football season. All works undertaken need to be mindful of public access to certain areas on match days and to be mindful of minimal or no disruption to the daily operations of the MCG,” said Road Runner Electrics Project Manager, Ziad Ghobril. “We had to carry out a power shutdown within a time frame of five days. The existing main switchboards had to be decommissioned and removed, and the new main switchboards installed, reconnected and reenergised on the first floor level. To achieve this, a concrete block wall had to be demolished one level up to enable the works to proceed. The 140 VIC PROJECT FEATURE MCG GREAT SOUTHERN STAND
new main switchboards were then lifted in sections and re-assembled in place. “The crew working on the project have been handpicked by the project manager due to the high profile of this project and the fact that the MCG is a major icon of Melbourne. All of them are very proud to be there, and this is reflected in the dedication and quality of works that have been undertaken.” This dedication also allowed RRE to quickly resolve any glitches that occurred during works, while still achieving all milestones on time. Other current RRE projects include Westfield Shopping Centres, the East Burwood Plaza and the new Sanctuary Lakes Shopping Centre; multi storey residential developments in Port Melbourne and the CBD; the new Masters’ Trade outlet in Preston; and ongoing work for Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, both for new stores and ongoing maintenance and repairs. Since being established by the three Directors in 1987, RRE has grown into a company with over 100 employees, providing a comprehensive range of electrical services across retail, residential, hospitality and commercial sectors around Victoria and interstate, using the best quality materials and guaranteeing the highest standards of work. For more information contact Road Runner Electrics Pty Ltd, 79 Chifley Drive, Preston VIC 3072, phone 03 9484 8711, fax 03 9484 8600, email enquiries@roadrunnerelectrics.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
CLEVER GAME PLAN FOR A HVAC SYSTEMS SUCCESS When thousands of excited footy fans are due to descend on your worksite, effectively managing the works program is essential. For PJM Engineering, the HVAC mechanical services contractors for the MCG’s Great Southern Stand refurbishment, there was the added consideration that their contribution was a crucial aspect of key amenities. PJM were responsible for the modifications of existing HVAC systems and installation of new ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems for the dining rooms, workshops, toilets, kitchens, food concessions and bar areas. The project was split into seven separable portions delivered over twelve months, to preserve a balance between stadium capacity and use and minimise disruption to staff, patrons and players at the iconic sporting venue. One of the key tasks was the demolition and rebuilding of both the level 4A boiler plantrooms that provide all the heating for the Great Southern Stand. “The central heating hot water plant has been upgraded to have a combined domestic hot water system and mechanical heating hot water system. The domestic hot water system will now be heated by heat exchangers connected to the heating hot water boilers, resulting in a far more energy efficient system,” said PJM Engineering Project Manager, Laurie Felmingham. “Approximately 40-odd 260 litre gas fired hot water units have been replaced by utilising the above system. Also, all the new air conditioning units, pumps, fans, boilers and chillers are fitted with variable speed drives and controlled via the building management system (BMS), to minimise energy consumption. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“The challenge with this project was the tight timeframes between each stage of completion, which required working in with all other associated building trades to attain the target dates for completion.” PJM’s team on the project included welders, plumbers and duct fitters onsite, supported by the project managers, engineers and draftsmen in the PJM office. Other recent major projects include Warrnambool Hospital; Austin Hospital in Heidelberg; Healthbridge Private Hospital in Hawthorn; CSIRO – Clayton Building 3 & 4; VUT, St Albans; Monash University Clayton; Aldi Frankston and Bundoora; Epworth Rehabilitation Hospital, Camberwell; Bunnings Mornington, Mill Park and Keysborough; Sails in the Desert Resort, Uluru; Airlie Beach Cannonvale Shopping Centre; Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn Campus; Mount Gambier Shopping Centre; Santos Moomba, South Australia; and Bridgehaven Shopping Centre, Craigieburn. With over 30 years experience in their field, PJM have the expertise to tackle any type of project ranging from complex VRV split systems to central plant HVAC systems and large scale pipework installations. Based in Melbourne, the company has over 100 highly experienced staff including tradesmen, engineering staff, estimators and management, undertaking projects across Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. For more information contact PJM Engineering, Head Office 10 Aristoc Road, Glen Waverley, Vic, 3150, Office phone 03 9560 3111 Managing Director: Phillip Meade 0413 624 100, Contracts Manager: Brad McAndrew, 0413 624 101, Estimating Manager: Jay Yau 0408 314 422 VIC PROJECT FEATURE MCG GREAT SOUTHERN STAND 141
A FINE FINISH AT THE MCG With experience and the right products, anything is possible, as Dibs Painting have demonstrated at the MCG. Their team did all the exterior and interior painting for the Great Southern Stand refurbishment, including the basement, seating areas, concourse, concession areas and function rooms. The task required a flexible approach, and an eye for quality workmanship, with an especially high expectation for the standard of finishes in the function rooms. All the products used were low-VOC, including a special granital grob textured finish used for the internal columns in the function rooms. “Construction Engineering has been extremely efficient and good to work with,” said Dibs Painting Director, Hayden Dib. “We would like to thank
Construction Engineering and all their staff, especially Simon Barker, Greg Short and Rob Scarano. We would also like to thank Dulux.” Dibs Painting can deliver all types of finishes and renders, including textured coatings and two-pack spray applications. Their safety-conscious team have comprehensive OH&S training, including the latest Working At Heights safety standards. Founding Director Hayden Dib has been in the trade for 26 years, bringing a wealth of experience in industrial, commercial and residential painting to major projects across the Melbourne area and beyond. For more information contact Dibs Painting, 74 Dawson Street, North Coburg VIC 3058, phone 0401 225 777, email dibspainting@gmail.com
The new entry areas of the MCG, Victoria
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COMMUNITY-MINDED TRIFECTA OF EXCELLENCE
Kane have been constructing new medium-density residential units for low-income tenants at three sites, Richmond, Altona and Prahran, replacing pre-existing public housing units Kane Constructions have a substantial track record of delivering outstanding results for projects which meet crucial community needs, from major hospitals and mental health facilities, through to their current multi-site design and construct undertaking for Victoria’s Department of Human Services (DHS).
recycling systems have also been incorporated, with grey water used for landscape irrigation and rainwater linked to all toilets, and the civil design incorporated bioremediation beds feeding into stormwater. This combined with careful selection of insulation and composite wall types resulted in unit design achieving an average 6-star residential energy rating.
Kane have been constructing new medium-density residential units for low-income tenants at three sites, Richmond, Altona and Prahran, replacing pre-existing public housing units which were outdated, energy-inefficient and not in keeping with current policies for tenant wellbeing, including the Disability Discrimination Act. By working three sites simultaneously with similar construction methodologies, the teams were able to share ideas and strategies for tackling any issues which arose.
The external and internal structure of the four buildings comprised of load bearing precast panels, with feature charcoal panels and Reckli panels. The structural concrete consisted mainly of bondek spanning between precast, with post tensioned, reinforced concrete slabs poured over. Kane’s structural redesign included reduced slab thickness, which reduced the volume of concrete required.
The DHS Richmond social housing development at Elizabeth Street Richmond comprises 207 new units (61 one bedroom, 130 two bedroom and 16 three bedroom units) constructed over four six-level buildings with underground carparking. All areas of the site were worked on concurrently. Kane redesigned the structure of the building, utilising the services of Mordue Engineering, resulting in significant savings which were passed onto DHS, and furthermore made it more efficient onsite to build. Several other savings were achieved during the design phase, with the result that Kane exceeded the client’s expectations on savings generated, without compromising the quality and architectural intent of the design. Efficiency in water and energy use was a guiding principle for the project. The services design incorporated solar hot water panels linked to a large static storage area which reticulates to all units. Grey water and rainwater 144 VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
“Careful programming of the works was required to coordinate the large volume of materials and workers on site. Up to twenty direct employees consisting of management, administration and general labouring staff assisted to manage a peak workforce of 300 tradespeople on site. Two tower cranes were used for the installation of approximately 1500 precast panels, alongside the constant demands of structural trades, and later on fit out trades. Mobile cranes were required from time to time to supplement the demand and assist in meeting hoisting requirements on site,” said Kane’s DHS Richmond site Project Manager, Benjamin Barrett. “Kane directly employed several tenants from the adjacent housing estate under the PTEP scheme (Public Tenant Employment Program) as well as promoting this scheme to all subcontractors working on site. We exceeded contractual requirements in this regard with several long term employment opportunities. “We were also involved in regular meetings and provided AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
professional services to the management of the local housing estate to assist in securing Government grants for the repainting of existing housing estate under croft areas and for an Urban Gym project, proposed to be implemented within the existing estate. “The DHS Richmond Housing project has been a success for both the client and Kane Constructions. Time, quality and cost implications were paramount in driving finalisation of the design. The construction phase has run smoothly with closely managed quality control systems being implemented on all critical trades.” At the Prahran site, Kane’s team undertook work in two stages. Stage one comprised the construction of 188 units of apartments (94 one bedroom and 94 two bedroom), constructed over three blocks ranging from four storeys to ten storeys, plus on-grade parking and other associated areas. Stage two involves landscaping, including constructing an external park and playground, civil works, and the demolition of pre-existing apartment building of 24 units.
the ground conditions were a considerable challenge, inconsistent structurally and the site was completely contaminated. This resulted in considerable double handling to cap under the subfloor of each block to avoid cartage offsite as much as possible,” explained Kane’s Prahran Project Manager, Tim Fowler. “It was also a very tight site for access and materials handling. Two tower cranes and full time traffic management teams assisted with materials handling including the backing in of all semi-trailers into the site through a temporary opening between the buildings no wider than 3.5m. Finally, the spread of the 26 floors over three blocks made it more of a challenge to maintain continuity, as trades were constantly shifting from block to block, unlike the efficiencies you get out of a single 26 storey block. “Building so close to existing tenanted buildings (only 6m in some locations) it was also important to avoid scaffolding our buildings which could potentially invade privacy and create safety issues. Again, prefabricating our envelope ensured quick, efficient and safe site installation. General safety measures such as hoardings, gantries and site security were also implemented.
The three new apartment blocks are predominantly constructed of precast concrete structural walls and suspended concrete slabs. The facade combines feature precast concrete and a light-weight pre-fabricated metal sheet facade system. Prefabrication of the facade was paramount due to the tight delivery program and space-restricted site.
“It was a difficult job logistically. Micro management of material and plant deliveries and prioritising each was time consuming but satisfying. Pushing to deliver a sprawling job of this size on time was also motivating, and as milestones were met it was very satisfying.
ESD initiatives implemented at Prahran included stormwater retention, energy efficient gas boosted hot water and hydronic heating. Overall, the design aims to achieve an average 6 star NatHERS energy rating. “Initially
Kane had a team of ten management staff, and up to seven of their own labourers onsite, along with 28 subcontractors, giving a peak daily workforce of 200. The Public Tenant Employment Program (PTEP) was
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also successfully implemented, with tenants gaining direct employment including the first apprentice plumber. Concurrently at the Altona DHS site, Kane’s team constructed 69 apartments over three storeys. 25 were fully DDA compliant, with the balance being made ‘adaptable’, so they could be converted to fully accessible as required by tenants in the future. Sustainable design aspects were also incorporated, including solar panels, and a rainwater tank system to service the toilets and gardens. The orientation of the building made the most of natural light, and precast walls with high thermal properties insulated the apartments effectively both thermally and acoustically. Being located in a residential hub, the major safety concerns included residents leaving for and returning from work, and children from the local school. Fulltime traffic management was used, supplemented with additional signage and traffic labour during peak hours, including after school. Kane also ensured consistent control and maintenance of site boundary fencing and used overnight security guards. “The building envelope itself is a feature of the project, comprising an interface of different cladding systems; timber, metal, standard flat form precast and rib-formed precast. Flashing and junction detailing was one of the aspects that did take a lot of innovation from a construction viewpoint, not just to make them functional, but to try maintain the architectural intent. I think MGS Architects has done an amazing job in their use of different colours to highlight features of the different cladding materials. The use of daring paint colours, feature timber panels and coloured glazing internally gives the internal space life and defies the “institutional” 146 VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
stigma of community housing,” said Kane’s DHS Altona Site Engineer, Andrew Lee. “A major challenge for Altona was trying to rationalise and build efficiently and economically as there were no standard shapes or layout in the building envelope. The mix and match and panel break up of traditional flat precast, rib-formed precast and timber framing of the external skin over a non-standard floor plan was very challenging, as was the interface of the different cladding, especially with all the different shapes of the external skin, as almost every junction was unique. “Trying to cater for all the different possible mix of tenancies in community housing was also a very interesting aspect of the project. Being a design and build, we were quite involved in trying to achieve the most adaptable design for future tenants. “The buildings we have built are more forward thinking and future proof than previous community housing developments architecturally. A lot of thought has been put into the design to minimise architectural obsolescence. I think we have learnt from the past and avoided the creation of urban ghettos and moved towards sustainable community living. “Being involved in a project of this nature was very rewarding, creating community housing which will blend into the local development model and blur the division between local residents in the private market and those in the public market, generating a much more integrated and sustainable community.” For more information contact Kane Constructions, Level 1, Building 1, 658 Church Street, Richmond VIC 3121, phone 03 8420 1200, website www.kaneconstructions.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
NEW WAYS OF SEEING TO HUMAN NEEDS In creating their vision for affordable housing projects at Prahran and East Coburg, DesignInc have developed a new aesthetic for social housing, which emphasises a community-focused, sustainable residential environment. At Prahran, the brief was to deliver 188 units, half one bedroom and half two bedroom units. 20% of the units were to be easily adaptable to DDA requirements, 10% fully Accessible and 70% visitable, with ongoing consultation ensuring the design details such as bench heights and door frames met the Act’s specific requirements. “The building form and pedestrian network aims to breakdown the existing “mega” block scale of this part of the Horace Petty Estate. Three separate identities are created for the new buildings, with distinct characteristics and the opportunities for individual unit identification,” said DesignInc Project Architect Ross Chalmers. “A Colonnade structure forms a podium base for the buildings and articulates the building at the Street level. The use of two alternating tones of three colours to the metalclad façade panels across the building facades helps to give individuality to units within an overall theme.” Key ESD aspects of the design include thermal efficiency, water efficiency, passive solar design, use of recycled timber batten screening, low VOC flooring, paints and adhesives. Community-building aspects include a large roof terrace on level 4 of one block that is accessible to all residents, and a landscaped play area to the west. Similar principles were applied to The Nicholson’s design, which comprises a varied stepped form built using the modular, Unitised Building method. This project displays a WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
recognisable ‘village’ streetscape to Nicholson Street and urban residential form to Moore Street, according to Design Leader, Rudy Darmawan. “The Nicholson is a visually integrated design solution which combines passive design principles, natural light, shared social spaces, deep winter sun penetration and natural ventilation with active strategies for water, waste and energy,” said Rudy. “The project’s unique design aspects include feature stair access to all levels of the building from street level entries, and covered voids at the north and south ends of the building which support natural ventilation of all the interior corridors. “The building activates the street edge with retail and commercial tenancies for daytime activity. These edges incorporate pleasant and inviting pedestrian edges for passers-by. The Nicholson sets a precedent for the establishment and development of an Urban Village Activity Centre.” DesignInc are a multi-award winning practice with 150 staff nationally providing architecture, interior design and urban design services to projects across the development spectrum. Other current projects include DHS Affordable Housing projects at Norlane, Sale and Traralgon, the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. For more information contact DesignInc, Level 2 GPO Building 350 Bourke Street Melbourne 3000, phone 03 9654 9654, fax 03 9654 4321, email melbourne@designinc.com.au, website www.designinc.com.au VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING 147
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Art of architecture WILLIAMS BOAG architects (WBa) is a independently owned architectural firm providing expertise in the fields of architecture, planning, urban design, interior design and graphic design, specialising in residential, institutional, community and cultural projects. With an office of 23 staff, WBa has a proven track record of delivering large scale developments up to $75 million, all the way down to individual houses. WBa was established in 1975 and has built an enviable professional reputation based on carefully designed and finely crafted architectural solutions, some of which include the Melbourne GPO upgrade, Inkerman Oasis housing in St Kilda, the St Kilda Town Hall additions and the new Gungahlin Secondary College outside of Canberra.
WBa’s design approach starts by addressing sustainability issues and opportunities in the concept or master-planning phase of any project which leads into consideration of the environmental impacts generated by the selection of building systems and services, the choice of materials, and the application of passive and active design strategies. Project Summary: In 2007, WBa completed the Richmond Housing Estate Redevelopment Masterplan for the Office of Housing. The 11.4 hectare site comprised 1255 units across the Elizabeth Street walk-ups and the existing high-rise estate bounded by Highett, Lennox, Elizabeth and Church Streets. The former school site in Lennox Street was also included in the Masterplan study. Through a series of options WBa proposed a masterplan solution across the site accommodating 3,373 apartments of which 1300 would remain public housing with the balance in private ownership. The masterplan proposed the demolition of all walk up buildings but the retention of the 5 high rise towers. Following a public tender this year, Wba has subsequently been engaged to readdress the masterplan of the entire precinct. As part of stage one of the 2007 masterplan, WBa was commissioned to design four buildings which comprise 207 public apartments made up of one, two and three bed dwellings. Incorporating the requirements of the federally funded Nation Building Scheme along with the the State Government’s Department of Human Services and the local planning authorities, WBa produced an integrated design which was visually dynamic whilst also providing excellent amenity for the new residents. Key aspects of the design include: • Generous sized apartments each planned specifically to respond to orientation and location on the site. • An average six star energy rating, stormwater collection and reuse facilities, thermal glazed windows, hydronic heating, solar gas boosted hot water and bike racks. • A considered palette of materials including coloured precast concrete, spotted gum timber and metal claddings which provide both the required robustness and a variety of textures, finishes and colours. • A publicly accessible open space landscape network which provides excellent amenity for the residents whilst creating valuable new public thoroughfares across the site. • Dynamic building forms which maximise solar orientation and views and help set a new aesthetic precedent for public housing in Melbourne. Extent of Services: Working with Kersulting sructural Engineers, Cundall services engineers and ASPECT landscape archtiects, WBa provided full architectural services from preliminary design, through town planning, design development and tender documentation. Following a tender negotiation period and value management exercise, WBa were novated to the builder. Working closely with the team at KANE, and Mordue Engineering, WBa have helped deliver a quality result on time and on budget.
For more information contact Williams Boag architects, 51 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053, phone 03 9388 6000, fax 03 9388 6060, email intray@ williamsboag.com.au, website www.williamsboag.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION DONE SWIFTLY, SAFELY AND WITH MAXIMUM SKILL Investing in the skills of their team paid practical dividends for Solcrete in their work on the DHs Affordable Housing Richmond and DHS Altona. Faced with tight timeframes, a variety of challenges and high quality expectations, their focused approach delivered the projects on schedule, without compromising safety. On both projects, Solcrete also utilised the latest green star building technology and practices. Recycled formwork and reinforcement was used, and concrete with a 20% recycled concrete component. “The core challenge was meeting the key building works milestones on both sites, in a limited timeframe, as set out in the contract with the builder, whilst maintaining the highest standards of workmanship,” said Solcrete Director, Paul Bassford. “We also had to ensure we adhered to extremely strict OH&S policy and practices.” The timeframe for DHS Richmond was a short 16 weeks, during which Solcrete constructed a six story high rise multiple housing unit, and multiple housing units for Block D over six storeys. They constructed 150 VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
all ground slabs and suspended slabs, in addition to completing a car and pedestrian ramp, plus all the required formwork and steel-fixing works. One spanner in the works program came in the form of rocks found in the excavation site, which necessitated readjusting their work schedule. Solcrete allocated up to 45 staff at the peak of works to the project, including concreters, formworkers and steel-fixers. The company’s plant on the project comprised concrete pumps, cranes, concrete kibbles, concrete vibrators and trowel machines. “Some of the OH&S issues at Richmond were tight deadlines, which can potentially compromise safety if workers cut corners to hit specific construction milestones. We were also working in a confined inner-city location. There were weekly toolbox meetings of all workers on site that had to be adhered to,” commented Paul. At DHS Altona, Solcrete had 12 week program to construct a 6000m2 housing unit. The scope comprised a ground slab, and first and second floor suspended slab. A full crew of up to 25 workers was deployed to this site, again consisting of concreters, formworkers and steel-fixers, and plant similar to that used AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
for DHS Richmond. The company’s ability to allocate such a significant amount of plant and personnel is one of the things that puts them at the forefront of concrete construction, with their substantial resource base, including 120 staff, enabling them to undertake numerous simultaneous major projects across Melbourne and beyond.
have been trained in current OH&S practices. Additionally, numerous staff have recently received training at various institutions for different skills including Applied First Aid courses, Electrical spotting, Rigging, 11m boom/ scissor lift and Building Project Management Training for the foremen.
The other key to achieving such a substantial scope across two sites in a limited timeframe is the company culture, which has a strong focus on teamwork, training and delivering quality results safely.
Solcrete are also dedicated to best practice environmental management. The company’s EMS includes aspects such as Risk assessment of sites, Risk management strategies, de-watering of work sites, dust control, responsible waste management and minimisation of chemicals and fuels stored on site.
“Solcrete has a positive can-do attitude amongst the staff. Also many of our workers have extensive experience in their respective trades honed over many years, and can work harmoniously with other trades,” said Solcrete Director, Paul Bassford. “Our diligent approach combined with our concrete construction expertise gives us the ability to work around any issues that arise on site, and stay on program.” Solcrete’s workforce is encouraged to constantly increase their skills. All their formwork, steel fixing and concrete construction workers WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Solcrete are now bringing their integrated and highly skilled concrete construction expertise to the Mornington Centre Hospital for Hansen Yuncken, where they will undertake works to link a new wing to an existing building. They are also commencing onsite constructing a five storey building for Spec Properties at Berkeley Street Doncaster. For more information contact Solcrete, 19 Nellbern Rd Moorabbin Victoria 3189, Paul Bassford – Director. phone 03 9555 0995, fax 03 9555 0945, website www.solcrete.com.au VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING 151
DIVERSIFIED TALENTS FITOUT THE BLANK CANVAS Give Waratah Global some empty rooms, and they can supply everything that turns it into a habitable space, providing a highly detailed diversified end-to-end fitout service which manages every stage of every link in the supply chain. This level of logistical skill, design ability and manufacturing capacity was invaluable for the company’s Joinery Division in completing their scope of works for the DHS Affordable Housing project’s Richmond units. Waratah Joinery manufactured and installed all 207 kitchens, a total of 368 built-in wardrobes, 207 shaving cabinets and 207 toughened bathroom mirrors. The joinery items were constructed of laminated HMR durability and ease of maintenance for residents, as well as postformed laminated benchtops. Part of the manufacturing was undertaken by Waratah Global’s own factory in China, with the machining and assembly completed at their Melbourne workshop and onsite. “There were a lot of detail drawings and programming of the CNC machinery involved,” said Waratah Global Director, David Barbin. “Normally a lot of what we do (for major projects) is identical, but for this every single kitchen has been different, which has been a challenge to do within the time frame. We had six months from getting the order in 152 VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
April and taking site measurements in May to manufacture everything and complete the installation. “There was a lot of design work to do in the kitchens. Being a DHS project, and there being a broad end-user clientele, there were a significant number of requirements in terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, for residents who are disabled or semi-disabled, in terms of access and safety. This included the heights of the benchtops, and placement of cabinets in the kitchen for wheelchair access. “Our main team excelled with the logistics. We had booked containers (from China) coming which they would have unloaded within two hours after delivery to site. This project really needed excellent management skills, especially of the logistics.” Up to forty qualified installers from Waratah Global’s team were on site at the peak of works, tackling the complex job. There were unforseen issues which arose, including the discovery that the prototype built-in-robe built in the initial stages based on site measurements did not fit 80% of the final rooms, and needed to be modified on-site. Fortunately, Waratah’s extensive experience in making joinery meant this adjustment was carried out without delaying the completion of the job. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
This is not the first time Waratah Global and their Joinery Division have delivered excellent workmanship for Kane Constructions. The company recently completed the complex joinery fit out of Kane’s own Head Office in Brisbane, including the desks, storage units, reception and office screens. Waratah Global’s Directors began their careers over 30 years ago. As the company’s reputation for craftsmanship, design and timely production grew the business, the company diversified into a custom furniture making division (Waratah Design), the joinery division and most recently, the endto-end fit out solutions operation, with all three divisions now under the banner of Waratah Global. An example of their vertically integrated approach is the Quest Serviced Apartments project at Frankston for Asia-Pacific Building Corporation. Waratah Global are doing all the joinery for 147 high-end apartments, including kitchens, shaving cabinets, vanities, sliding robes, and mirrors. They have also supplied the tiles, frameless shower-screens, all bathroom ware including taps and towel rails, all the lighting, oil paintings for living and bedroom areas, mattresses, linen, chairs, tables, TVs, fridges, microwaves and all kitchen equipment – everything in fact but the carpets, though they can do those too if a project requires it. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“Our end-to-end solution means we deal with the company that does the artworks, then we hang it at the other end,” explained David. “For all the glazing, such as the shower screens, we organise the glass, do the design drawings, then organise the glazier at the other end. We have our Australian workshop and office, and three overseas operations in China, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and they all have comprehensive quality control systems in place. Everything we get is checked at every point from the order and throughout the process, we have traceability of everything. For big jobs (like Quest) one of our Directors goes over to do the quality control, checking everything to the millimetre. “When a client tells us they’ll give us $100, we give them back $110 worth. We operate from a value-adding perspective.”
For more information contact Waratah Global Head office, Factory 2, 18 Technology Circuit, Hallam VIC 3803, phone 03 8786 3920, email: mark@waratahglobal.com mobile 0448 345 712, website www. waratahglobal.com VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING 153
PROVIDING THE DATUMS THAT KEEP EVERYONE IN LINE Verifying that lines on plans, lines on the ground and the building rising up from it are all congruent takes the kind of expertise Madigan Surveying brought to the DHS Affordable Housing project’s Richmond site. From initial boundary, architectural grid and site datums, through to set out and ongoing as-built surveying, their staff have been on site regularly for over 12 months marking, monitoring and recording data. The two biggest challenges were the fast-paced construction program and maintaining control of 4 emerging buildings. “Usually we get time to pre-compute data in the office, which we then upload to our instruments and take to site, then setout whilst we are doing tasks such as marking grids on concrete pours and transferring level datums, verifying precast alignments and gathering as-built data. But because this has gone so quickly, a lot more work had to be done rapidly on-site”.
Madigan Surveying used a Leica Total Station for set-out and as-built survey tasks, providing the resulting data as both hard copy and CAD digital PDF files, as required. The company has 35 staff, including 20 professional surveyors plus assistants, providing the full range of green-fields, brown-fields and asbuilt survey services including detailed setting out, dilapidation reports, compilation and mapping of underground services, laser scanning of complex steelwork and facades for as-built and existing condition surveys, automated monitoring observations by remote control for detecting construction activity induced movements, preparation of 3D digital models and annotated high resolution ortho aerial images and preparation of subdivision plans.
“Our two main staff on the project, Senior Surveyor Andrew Kuropatoff and Technical Assistant Warren Artridge, who both have many years of experience in the construction industry, have made a significant contribution to the construction process on this site for Kane Constructions”.
Other recent major projects have included RMIT’s SAB Building; ROI Apartments in Fitzroy; rail corridor surveys for Victoria’s Department of Transport; Chadstone Shopping Centre Expansion; 171 Collins Street; Probuild’s Six Star Green Star 717 Bourke Street Project, and all of LendLease’s subdivision developments for Victoria Harbour, Docklands. With over 30 years of experience in providing cost-effective survey solutions to the construction industry, Madigan Surveying has built a wellearned reputation for skill, diligence and attention to detail.
“The job has gone well. We have a good relationship with Kane right through from administration to foremen, and that makes for a smooth process,” explained Madigan Surveying Director, John Santalucia.
For more information contact Madigan Surveying, 96 Morang Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122 phone 03 9819 9599, fax 03 9818 2322, email surveyors@madigan.com.au, website www.madigan.com.au
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Kane and TeamBinder – An Affordable Alliance With three affordable housing projects at Richmond, Altona and Prahran to build for the Department of Human Services, Kane Constructions relied on TeamBinder as the collaborative web-based solution for the management, control and storage of all documents on the Richmond Project. TeamBinder is a project collaboration solution, used on several large-scale projects, which facilitates communication between all project stakeholders and participants. Tristan Forster, Director of Business Development for Kane, says the Richmond project being the biggest of the three DHS estates awarded to Kane, means that the management and control of all documents on the project is vital to ensure timely delivery. “Projects like these generate high volumes of information that need to be managed and using TeamBinder enables all project members to effectively communicate and share project documents in a controlled environment,” said Mr Forster. “Careful management of core information is critical on any project. Using a central repository ensures that timing and project costs are controlled while TeamBinder’s rigour enables us to work efficiently and effectively, streamlining processes through a high level of automation and ensuring a superior degree of compliance.” With a total end value of $70 million, the Richmond Estate Redevelopment project involves the design and construction of 207 units of high density, high quality, contemporary housing designed to suit the needs of low-income tenants. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Located in the inner-city suburb of Richmond, just over two kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, the development will comprise four buildings between four and six storeys in height with a variety of treatments to break up the facade. The new units will better integrate public housing with the surrounding streetscape, partially screening the existing high-rise, while preserving existing light and views. In addition, new landscaping will provide secure and attractive outdoor spaces. Robert Bryant, General Manager Sales and Marketing for QA Software says TeamBinder is one of the most user-friendly products of its kind. “It is our goal to constantly strive towards superior usability thereby retaining our leadership position as the industry standard in document control,” Mr Bryant said. “It’s about saving people’s time and reducing risk through improved management of information and processes for the life of a project.”
For more information contact QA Software: rbryant@qa-software.com, phone 03 8379 0000, website www.qa-software.com
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OLD-SCHOOL HEATING EVOLVES FOR THE NEW GREEN ERA Operating at the leading edge of energy-efficiency, Brenair Mechanical Services deliver superior turnkey HVAC solutions to projects like the Altona DHS Affordable Housing project. Working within an extremely tight timeframe, Brenair designed and constructed an energy and water-efficient hydronic heating system for the 69 apartments, which will provide extremely low-cost heating for residents via the two radiators installed per apartment. The system comprises gas fired boilers, radiators, variable speed energyefficient pumps, and the pipework, which carries the hot water in a closed loop throughout the development. Chemical treatment of the water is carried out to ensure no scale buildup, and being a closed loop, there is minimal risk of contamination by bacteria or other microorganisms. Brenair also constructed and installed the mechanical services for the fire pump room and the toilet and range hood exhaust systems. Work commenced in December 2011, with final installation completed in June 2012. Everything has been manufactured in Melbourne, and is certified Quality, meeting the standards of AS 1668 parts 1 and 2. “The timeframe was a challenge, and there was a lot of coordination required with the other fitout trades, and this is where our project management strengths and experience make a positive difference,” said Brenair Director, Patrick Brennan. “Hydronic heating is making a comeback, it is now cheaper to manufacture because materials costs have gone down, and it is the most cost-effective form of mechanical heating. The piepwork lasts for up to fifty years or more, as do the radiators – the only moving parts are in the boiler and pumps. 156 VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
“We focus on designing and manufacturing systems that provide optimal energy efficiency and minimise the long-term carbon footprint. We specialise in complex projects and can manage tight timeframes. We have in-house mechanical engineering, AUTOCAD drafting and CNC equipment at the manufacturing end.” Brenair has a solid core of expertise in the form of trade-qualified mechanical plumbers and gas fitters, and culture of ongoing employment of apprentices, including providing opportunities for young persons from the Foster Care Network. The company’s specialties include reverse cycle refrigeration, HEPA filtration systems for operating theatres, specialised industrial ventilation systems, chilled water central plant systems, heating/hot water central plant systems and gas reticulation. Their project track record showcases a high level of precise skills applied to demanding specifications, including air conditioning and ventilation central plant for the State Library of Victoria extension; the Australian Nursing Federation in Elizabeth Street; the co-generation upgrade for Dandenong Hospital; Uniting Aged Care Keysborough; Fitzroy Town Hall boiler and chiller upgrades; and theatre upgrades for Dandenong and Moorabbin Hospital. For projects seeking greener, cleaner HVAC technology, Brenair Mechanical Services delivers the custom-engineered systems which will provide cost-effective, reliable and energy-efficient services. For more information contact Brenair Mechanical Services, PO Box 2121 Fountain Gate, VIC 3805, phone 03 8790 6999, fax 03 8790 6222, email admin@brenair.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
PROVEN EXCELLENCE IN PLASTERING A fine standard of interior finish requires the kind of workmanship and eye for detail Caldow Plastering brought to the Altona DHS Affordable Housing project. Their qualified and experienced tradesmen undertook all the wall and ceiling framing, supply and fix of insulation and plasterboard, and other associated works for the project, completing everything within just five short months.
“Our company prides itself on having the capability to get the required job done in any time frame and we have had extensive experience with these types of projects,” said Caldow Plastering Director, Leonie Caldow.
Caldow Plastering are a commercial plastering company specialising in all aspects of internal wall and ceiling installation, working across Melbourne, Geelong and surrounding suburbs on both commercial and residential projects.
Caldow Plastering have proven their merits on a wide range of projects, including the Geelong Superclinic at Reynolds Road Belmont; the Kilgour Place prestige residential precinct in South Geelong; and the Halstead Place/Villamanta units project in Geelong West.
“Our business is extremely well run, with a great work ethic, and has an excellent reputation in the industry.”
From the procurement and project administration through to the site works, all of the company’s employees contributed to the project, including five qualified carpenters, one builder, tradesmen plasterers, labourers and four apprentices. Caldow Plastering relied on Knauf and Plastamasta Geelong for the top quality insulation and plasterboard products used on the job. The biggest challenge was an extremely tight timeframe, in addition, access to the site was also restricted, complicating the deliveries of materials and use of machinery. Working in a densely settled residential area also meant consideration had to be given to neighbours at all times. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
For more information contact G.R. and L. Caldow Pty Ltd T/A Caldow Plastering, 336 Moorabool Street Geelong, VIC 3220, phone Greg Caldow, director 0418 145 011, phone Leonie Caldow, director 0411 090 545, fax 03 5223 1202, email leonie.caldow@bigpond.com VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING 157
DESIGNED TO DELIVER EXCELLENCE IN ENERGY-EFFICIENCY
Control is the keynote when it comes to energy efficiency, and Elliot Controls provide it, with leading-edge energy-management systems. For DHS Richmond, their team supplied the Mechanical Electrical and BMS controls, including six Mechanical Systems Switchboards (MSSB’s) housing the power, BMS controls for car park fans, the boiler and pumps, and energy monitoring equipment. Elliot controls designed; manufactured and installed the MSSB’s, engineered, installed and commissioned all BMS components, and ensured a smooth transition between the Power and the Controls from start to finish. “Having a combined Installation and commissioning crew, the installation was completed on time and the commissioning went smoothly,” said Elliot Controls Director, Mat Elliot. “By collaborating with the builder and other trades, were we able to set a realistic timeframe and meet it. This was a team effort, including everyone from our office staff in quoting the job, engineering staff designing the job and project manager successfully ensuring the job was on time and budget. Together with the installation department and the commissioning team, making the whole project come together, everyone did a tremendous job. “We take pride in being able to handle any size job and deliver on time and budget with no surprises, we keep variations to a minimum at completion, and ensure both builder and client are satisfied. We are known for delivering excellent service with skilled tradesmen who are highly knowledgeable, and also flexible if conditions or time frames move.” 158 VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Elliot Controls have been in business for over six years, bringing together the skills of experienced, university-qualified industry professionals to provide superior solutions for clients. The staff numbers are growing to match the company’s projects, which include Victorian and interstate government, commercial, recreational, residential and education sector developments. All MSSB’s and BMS built by Elliot Controls meet AS 3000 and AS 1668, and the company are an accredited Controls specialist Certified Tridium dealer. They have worked on many DDC systems, and carried out seamless upgrades or replacement on numerous other BAS systems. The company capabilities include all aspects of Building automation and energy management including multi stage Chilled water and hot water systems, through to VRV systems in commercial projects including Greensborough Aquatic Centre, Manningham Civic Centre, Deakin University Student Accommodation, Chisholm TAFE Automotive training Centre and North Richmond Health. “Within these projects we have the ability to view the energy monitoring, with water, gas and electricity metering to give an overall picture on how much energy is being used, we then work together with the tenants and owners or Managing agents to get the best long-term energy-efficiency outcome,” said Mat. For more information contact Elliot Airconditioning Controls, phone 03 9702 8658, fax 03 9702 7548, email admin@elliotcontrols.com.au, website www.elliotcontrols.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
QUICKER AND SAFER OMNI FORM CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS For any contractor, minimizing costs and man-hours while maximizing safety is a winning solution – and that’s exactly what Omniform Consulting provided to Kane for the DHS Affordable Housing Richmond project. Omniform provided erection engineering design of all the precast panels to the project, as well as undertaking a range of temporary works designs. Their contribution included designing and fabricating customised support brackets which provided support for the precast spandrel panels without the need for push pull props running through the slab floors. As a result, all formwork could be closed off, and the need for costly and time-consuming filling of holes left by the penetrations of standard props avoided. As specialist temporary works design engineers, Omniform can provide design, fabrication and supply of all formwork systems and special forming moulds, including Table Forms, ALPI Wall Panel Systems, EPIC Plastic Form Panel Systems, Crane Lifted Lift Core Systems, Travelling Forms, Circular and Rectangular Column Forms, Cantilever Formwork Solutions, Tunnel Formwork and Balance Cantilever Bridge Form Travellers. They also provide Perimeter Safety Screens with patented “EZ-Lift” lifting and placing brackets, handrail protection systems, and a range of heavy duty shoring and props. Managing Director, Evan Zannis, has been designing formwork since 1985, and brings to Omniform senior management experience within Acrow and SGB international in South East Asia. “Our aim is to design formwork systems that will enable the client to complete the work in less WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
time and minimize construction costs, and we aim to provide a service second to none,” said Evan. “We have designed and fabricated complex column and arch moulds to the ACU (Australian Catholic University) and have been involved in the majority of major projects in Melbourne, including recently the new Royal Children’s Hospital, the 63 level Freshwater Tower at Southbank and the Royal Domain Tower. In South East Asia we have been involved with the Mega Tower Project in Hong Kong, designing the self climbing core form system to the 118 level building, and are currently involved in the Hong Kong Airport extension project. “Our design approach is based on years of practical experience throughout Australia, South East Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and our philosophy is to keep it simple but effective in order to maintain programs and more importantly budgets.” Omniform’s resources include two senior Autocad designers, the engineerdirector and administrative staff, partnerships in Hong Kong and Italy, plus a separate fabrication arm which uses a contract fabrication facility exclusively working for Omniform. This gives the company the ability to provide all varieties of fabrication required for a specific project, no matter how complex or challenging the design. For more information contact Omniform Consulting Pty Ltd, Unit 3, 9 Mirra Court Bundoora, VIC 3083, phone 03 9467 5511, fax 03 9467 5512, mobile 0418 555 667, email evan@omniform.com.au, website www.omniform.com.au VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING 159
MINIMISING ENVIRONMENTAl & OHS RISKS ON SITES Contamination is a critical risk management issue, so the expertise Environmental and Safety Professionals (ESP) bring to a site like DHS Richmond is vital. Their team performed a hazardous materials survey of the original buildings and the soil, and subsequent asbestos air monitoring during asbestos removal works. Additionally, “since soils were contaminated with heavy metals and minor asbestos materials, further strategic sampling and analysis was designed by ESP to accurately identify contaminant zones over three stages,” said the Environmental Manager, Luke Richards. “ESP successfully defined contaminant zones, reducing the initially claimed total contaminated soil tonnage from 8,000 Tonnes down to 3,000 Tonnes thereby saving Kane Constructions at least $450,000 in soil disposal costs.” ESP are ACLCA accredited for environmental works, and have a NATA accredited asbestos laboratory. They have been performing contaminated
soil and groundwater assessments and developing remediation plans for over a decade, delivering a timely and cost-effective service. Other services offered by ESP include air monitoring at construction and/or demolition sites for a range of contaminants including airborne lead, organics and dust as overseen by AIOH certified Occupational Hygienists. Recent projects include the residential conversion of former industrial land at Altona VIC, remediation of the North Head Manly NSW Australian Federal Police Education Centre and air monitoring along the Hunter Valley NSW rail track extension. For more information contact Environmental and Safety Professionals Melbourne Office, 2/2B Parker Street Footscray, VIC 3011, phone 03 9688 8000, website: www.environet.com.au Offices also in NSW at; Dulwich Hill Sydney and Tighes Hill Newcastle.
Richmond Housing Estate Redevelopment, VIC
SPARE HALF
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FIRST-CLASS PEOPLE MOVERS As their name implies, All Lifts specialize in vertical lifting technology. A recent example of their dedication to making sure they deliver the exact solution required is the two 1350kg MRL Electric Traction Lifts with three stops which they supplied and installed for the DHS Altona Affordable Housing project. All Lifts take pride in their attention to detail, sourcing project requirements from a wide range of leading manufacturers. For this job, they used specialist products including a Rimex finish on the car and landing doors, Design Com Car and Landing Screens, Wittur Doors and Dewhurst buttons. Together, this combination of elements provides the reliability, functionality, safety and ease-of-use requirements for end-users, which include a significant proportion of older tenants. All Lifts Director Bruce Beasley and Project Manager James Bodley oversaw the project from initial tender stage through to completion, and a team of twelve technicians and one service technician worked on site undertaking the installation and commissioning. All Lifts also supplied and installed five 1350kg MRL Electric Traction Lifts with eight stops to the DHS project at Elizabeth St, Richmond, and are also to supply and install lifts for another DHS project at Reservoir. Other current projects include Deakin University (three 2000kg MRL Electric Traction Lifts with four stops); Luna Apartments, (two 1250kg MRL Electric Lifts with eight stops); Docklands Studio – Docklands (one 1250kg MRL Electric Lift with two stops); Portsea Golf Club; Latrobe University; RMIT University; Vogue Apartments- Chapel Street (four 630kg Lifts with three Stops); Olivet Aged Care, (one 2000kg Lift with WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
three stops); Southern Cross Aged Care (two 2000kg Lifts with four stops); Bank Street Social Housing (one 2000kg Lift with four stops); Phoenix Community Centre (one 1150kg Lift with four stops); Port Melbourne Child Care Centre (two 1000kg Lifts); and Centrelink Frankston (one 1250kg Lift with four stops). For 25 years, All Lifts were in the business of supplying crane services, before moving into supply, installation, service and repair of lifts, elevators, goods lifts, disabled lifts and dumbwaiters in 2006. Since then, they have provided a superior level of service to a range of projects across the commercial, residential and education sectors. Their commitment to clients extends beyond the installation to include 24/7 hour technical and spare parts support in event of equipment issues, and individually tailored maintenance and servicing plans. From stylish, DDA-compliant solutions for special needs lifting such as wheelchair stair lifts, through to energy-efficient electric commercial lifts rated for 54 person capacity for up to 68 level high rise developments, All Lifts have the engineering expertise and product knowledge to ensure that what needs to go up - and then down - does so reliably and safely. For more information contact All Lifts Pty Ltd, Factory 4, 16 Dingley Ave, Dandenong Vic 3175, phone 03 9794 9400 Fax 03 9794 9200, email sales@alllifts.com.au, website www.alllifts.com.au VIC PROJECT FEATURE DHS - AFFORDABLE HOUSING 161
Innovation and industry leadership reshapes the face of justice BRISBANE SUPREME and district COURT / LEND LEASE'S PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS
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Left The Brisbane Supreme and District Court is stunningly original, sustainable and a credit to everyone involved.
Some projects push the envelope – but the Brisbane Supreme Court and District Court (now officially named The Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law) which has recently been delivered by Lend Lease’s project management and construction business is literally a whole new package. From the way the project was designed, through to the method of construction, the level of innovation applied to every aspect has resulted in a public building which is stunningly original, sustainable and a credit to everyone involved. The D&C contract was undertaken in close collaboration with the designers, Architectus, the consultant team, including engineering firms Aurecon, Steensen Varming, Thomson Kane and façade subcontractor Yuanda, and the client and user groups, including Judges, the legal fraternity and the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General and the client’s Project Manager, Project Services. “Pretty much every element of this project is unique. It’s virtually a sculpture, not a concrete structure,” said Project Director, Allan Robertson from Lend Lease’s project management and construction business. “It was built with a reverse construction methodology to normal industry practice – and every element of this building was architecturally detailed.” Lend Lease tendered for the project management and construction of the project in 2007, based on a set of schematic design documents that had been prepared for the Department following a design competition. Following appointment, Lend Lease took over the design management process in March 2008. The site itself, at the time of settlement, provided Brisbane’s water supply (at the end of Tank Street). It was subsequently the location of the old Roma Street fruit and vegetable markets, which following their relocation, were demolished and an open car park formed on top of the remains. Extensive remediation was required due to contaminants in the soil. This was undertaken concurrent with bulk earthworks from September 2008. In February 2009, construction of in-ground structural elements commenced. The design documentation was progressively developed along with extensive prototyping of every aspect of the project, which WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
included Lend Lease constructing a complete courtroom prototype on a remote site in a purpose built building, specifically oriented to mimic the day-lighting conditions of the final building.
Three main elements of the Courts building are concrete, timber and glass – the concrete structure (sculpture); the unitised, ventilated, double-skin glazed façade; and extensive timber in floors, joinery and feature elements.
“We went through various studies with the client and the project design team,” explained Design Manager, Frank Way from Lend Lease’s project management and construction business.
The structural concrete is off-form concrete, and almost all is highly visible, requiring painstaking attention to the construction detailing and finishing. The design included spans of up to 12 metres, which meant concrete needed to be high strength, and this was combined with colour control to achieve aesthetic aspirations and functionality.
“We rebuilt the prototype three times - we changed podium and floor levels as well as joinery. It was an opportunity to prove up the new design of courtrooms. The courtrooms are quite large and vision lines were a major consideration. The design incorporates an access floor to accommodate displacement air-conditioning and services and allows flexibility for future modifications. “Accessibility has been a prime consideration, there are ramps to podium levels, and the desks have height adjustability, switches for task lights and audio are appropriately located in accessible positions. The prototype provided an excellent opportunity for the trades and Architect to work through and resolve issues prior to final commitment and manufacture.
“Pretty much every element of this project is unique. It’s virtually a sculpture, not a concrete structure.” “User groups were invited to review the courtroom prototype, including the judges, members of the legal fraternity and barristers, to give feedback on the design, and their comments were taken into consideration. “The boarded finish for the concrete lift core walls was prototyped, and was used to assist the form workers, the reinforcement subcontractor and the concreter in achieving the quality that was required. “The induction process for workers on this project included not only the safety inductions but also a design induction so that all workers on the project understood and took ownership of the quality objectives for the project,” added Allan Robertson.
Colour control for suspended slabs where the soffits are the ceilings was achieved by the use of specially developed Portland cement mixes incorporating white oxides. The three main services cores of the building that have a rough sawn boarded off- form finish, have a dark charcoal oxide in the mix design. The Banco Court cantilevering and transfer structure utilised various mixes of oxides to achieve the required colour difference. “The lighting design in courtrooms and public spaces relies on light being bounced off the concrete soffit surfaces, which created a challenge in terms of the quality of the off-form finish” said Frank Way. “There was also a major challenge just with the structure. There are 5.4m floor to floor heights throughout the courtroom levels, which meant formwork and its temporary support framing extending to higher than normal levels,” added Allan Robertson. “Each piece of floor formwork had its own specific location, which had to be reconfigured for each floor. There were extremely strict tolerances and set out. All the services penetrations had to be cast in. You couldn’t make a mistake. You had to QA and check every element. “There were many lessons learned around concrete and materials handling, around protecting concrete and cleaning concrete. We developed methodologies to ensure the final presentation of the concrete.” The other highly visible element of the building is the ventilated, glazed double façade. In its usual typical form it would be stick built, piece by piece but the Lend Lease team had concerns about the
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safety aspects of working at the heights involved. So the decision was made in the early stages to unitise the façade. The units measure 5.4m X 2.4m, and are 1200mm deep, each unit comprising structural steel walkways and blinds between the double glazed internal panels and the outer laminated panels, and they were lifted into position by a mega mono-rail and winching system specifically designed for the project to manage the weights. The units weighed between 3.8 and 4.2 tonne each, with some areas of the façade also including large cantilevered glass panels in the units. This façade is light transparent with strategically placed frit detailing, producing a spectacular effect both within and without. “Part of the design philosophy is for the building to demonstrate the transparency of the courts system,” said Frank Way. “There has been significant design effort to ensure natural light penetrated through the building, including the courtrooms. However, the courts also require good acoustics, so the parts of the courtrooms which are comprised of the glazing had to achieve a specified acoustic performance, and there was no established system for double glazed acoustic insulation available on the market. We had to develop and test every glazing system, which was a massive task for the glazier. All of the glazing and testing was done in Australia, and the glazed walls and the courtrooms as a whole were modelled by the acoustic consultant for levels of attenuation.” The third major element of the project is the timber, which has been used for the joinery and for floors. The floors are another major departure from the norm, because where usually services are located above a suspended ceiling, the reverse is the case for the Courts. The slabs for each floor form the ceiling of the room below, while the services are located under the custom-built timber access floors which sit 800mm above each slab. Between the access floor and the slab are the cables for power, data, AV and communications; the sprinkler system and the mechanical system. This presented a number of challenges and safety risks, including having the various sub-trades working over ducts, cable trays and other obstacles. “On site, the access floors were a major challenge, as trades had to work on top of services, and the
first trade installing was the sprinkler pipe work. After that you couldn’t do heavy movements on that floor with any wheeled equipment so we built temporary access floors and walkways to move men and materials safely for the following services trades,” said Allan Robertson. “Lend Lease has a major focus on safety in design,” said Frank Way. “All the drawing systems we used for this project were 3D CAD, and we had a consultant with 4D CAD undertaking modelling with time. The 3D CAD was used to determine clash detection with services. “We had a very strong team approach on this project, including the client, and every one of the consultants. We put together the best possible team.” Lend Lease’s own 68-strong onsite team included design managers, engineers and construction supervisors, with project offices located in an adjacent building. The subcontractor workforce peaked at 700 persons, and the management of safety was effective, despite all the risks and challenges. It was also completed with a strong sense of team spirit and outstanding workmanship. Lend Lease held a family open day for staff and client, where they could bring their family members and show them through the building. “Every one of the people who worked on this project said this is a showcase. The building gives everyone involved a great sense of pride and quality,” said Allan Robertson. “How often do you get to do a unique project like this? We also developed innovative safety initiatives that can be applied across the industry, systems around working from gantries, the use of video controls and screens in cranes, and using a unitised façade so people were not working at heights. “This was our finest hour - I have not seen a project as unique as this in my career. From the point of view of quality, delivery and uniqueness, the Supreme Court and District Court Project would be a first in the Queensland construction business.”
For more information contact Lend Lease’s project management and construction business, Level 4 The Bond 30 Hickson Road Millers Point NSW 2000, phone 02 9236 6111, website: www.lendlease.com.au
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NOTEWORTHY ASPECTS OF AN EXTRAORDINARY PROJECT
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The Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law contains a total of 39 courtrooms, with the capacity to expand to 45 in the future if required. These comprise the Large Ceremonial Banco Court, the Court of Appeal, an Applications court, 23 Criminal courts and 13 Civil courts. The two basement levels include car parking for judges, bicycle parking and change and shower facilities and containment for persons in custody. A separate secure entrance has been provided for Corrective Services vehicles.
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Collaboration between Lend Lease’s Project Management and Construction business, Architectus and the Consultant team extended down to even small details, like custom designed fire sprinklers that would be barely
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visible and could be cast into the slabs without requiring drilling. Steel components were reduced in size where possible, and for the maintenance walkways within the unitised façade, plexiglass was used instead of steel for the toe rail to minimise distracting visual impacts.
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The design and construction have striven for a best practice sustainable building, this included the installation of solar panels on the roof for power and for thermal hot water systems; computerised blinds within the façade units and within the interior of each court which are automatically controlled by a computerised solar programme; sensorswitched lighting systems; and a 1,000,000L thermal energy tank below the building, which chills water to around 5 degrees overnight during off-peak, then draws the chilled water through the building as it is required throughout
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the Judges bench in the Banco Court, and the 17metre square abstract, titled “Collision and Improvisation” hand painted by Gemma Smith on the Courthouse entrance foyer ceiling.
the day, minimising the number of chillers required as well as recurrent cost.
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The top four levels of the double glazed façade, where the Judges Chambers and other administrative facilities are housed, have openings on the interior side, which allow access onto individual verandahs in the façade’s cavity.
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Gardens have been incorporated into the building, including a secure garden on the ground floor featuring Kauri pines, and sky gardens incorporating climbing jasmine on trellises stretching up to five storeys high.
• There is around 95,000m2 of exposed concrete internally and externally, all finished to an impeccable standard.
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There are three major pieces of public art including the 90 metre “Eyes are Singing Out” work by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, which is located in the public square; Indigenous artist, Sally Gabori’s “Dibirdibi Country” which is an insitu work behind
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• Due to the ceiling heights of the courts, the 88m high 17 level building is equivalent in scale to a 20-25 storey building.
• In all, the project comprised up to 100 separate subcontractor packages. There were regular meetings of all workers, design team, consultants and management on the project, up to 900 people at the peak of works, to build the sense of team effort and keep everyone on the same, remarkable page.
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Below Sarri Painters completed all the internal and external painting and finishes for every part of the Brisbane Supreme Court project
There is an enormous amount of expectation with a truly iconic project, requiring tremendous expertise and dedication to rise to the challenge and succeed. Sarri Painters have over fifty years of experience in putting the finishes on major public buildings, and their workmanship on the Brisbane Supreme Court project is a testament to the high level of skill they apply to their work. Sarri Painters completed all the internal and external painting and finishes for every part of the project, from the basement cell blocks to the roof. The task took two years, and at peak a team of up to 20 painters, including both tradequalified staff and apprentices. All the products they used for the job were low VOC products, in keeping with the high ESD standards of the design. With so many different surfaces involved, the range of products used included acrylic wall and ceiling paints, door paints, clear sealants and anti-graffiti paint for the exterior, specialist finishes for the timber floors and courtroom joinery, and epoxy coatings for the jail cells. “The original specification for the cells was a two pack epoxy finish, which is high VOC’s. We looked into an alternative product from the USA, which was low in VOC’s, hard-wearing water-borne acrylic epoxy, and this product was accepted and used for the job, resulting in better air quality in the basement area,” said Sarri Painters Spokesman, Mr Aaron Sarri. “This was quite a difficult job from a management and logistics perspective, as we were WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
relying on a lot of different trades to be able to coordinate our program.
the structures, but also for some of the public art elements.
“We exceeded the apprentice hours which were required under the contract. All major Government contracts require us to comply with a certain level of apprentice hours, as we are very committed to developing the talents of the next generation of painters, we took the opportunity to provide more hours for our apprentices, so they could make the most of this extremely challenging training opportunity.
Sarri Painting has worked across commercial, public, education, infrastructure and high rise residential projects, not only in Brisbane but as far north as Airlie Beach, and also in Perth and Sydney. They approach every project as an active collaboration between their employees, the client and the project’s consultant and subcontract team, ensuring an outstanding outcome.
“The Supreme Courts project had a very high quality standard, and we are proud of the results we achieved. It is a real showpiece for all those involved.” Sarri Painters have an outstanding reputation for their excellence, quality painting and workmanship. The company has evolved out of a family business which dates back to 1951, upholding the values of commitment to clients through professionalism, dedicated craftsmanship through three generations. Currently, the company’s staff include up to 70 trade qualified painters, plus apprentices, administration and management, giving them the ability to manage simultaneous major projects. Painting is a trade without margins for error, as the skills are so visibly on public display. It is a credit to Sarri Painters that they have contributed to many of Brisbane’s most noteworthy projects, including the award-winning GoMA and State Library Extension, and Brisbane International Airport. They also worked on the Southbank Cultural Precinct, not only providing painting for
Sarri Painters capabilities include painting, texture and decorative coatings, spray painting, maintenance and repair, specialist coatings, two pack floor coatings and concrete sealers, wall papering, wall talker and vinyl wall coverings, high pressure water blasting, decorative finishes, painting for public artworks, and artwork preservation. Their painters use the best available products for every job, sourced from the company’s well-established network of suppliers. And when a job like the Brisbane Supreme Courts requires something really unique, they go every length to find it. For Sarri Painters, the primary goal for every project is to deliver the highest quality finishes, safely, on time, and in a manner which is an absolute credit to everyone involved. For more information contact Sarri Painters, Unit 12 / Windsor Business Park 104 Newmarket Road Windsor QLD 4030, phone 07 3861 1166, fax 07 3357 3155 website: www.sarripainters.com.au
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Right ASP Access Floors designed, manufactured and installed the access floors for Brisbane Supreme Court
With their engineering brilliance, global experience and locally based skills, Australian company ASP Access Floors are uniquely able to meet the highly specific requirements of an exceptional project like the Brisbane Supreme Court and District Courts. The access floors they designed, manufactured and installed for every level of the project are so state-ofthe-art that the company invented 22 new products simply to be able to provide the combination of function, load-bearing and aesthetics required. Their access floors made the design goal of the exposed concrete ceilings possible, by enabling all the services, data, communications and HVAC systems to run under the floors. The access floor not only easily met the Australian Standard load requirements but also supported fixtures and a full complement of court users and participants. Also, because every single court room is different in its layout and proportions, so was every single one of the 42 court floors ASP created. ASP had a total of 35 people working onsite, including a site-based project manager, foreman and their most skilled installation employees. The project also had a Sydneybased project manager, plus engineering design and drafting personnel working on the specific design and detail drawing stages, plus manufacturing workers at two locations. “This is not a type of job that has even been done in Australia before,” says ASP Access Floors. “It was very difficult, because there were so many unique things we had to do. The project took us three years from beginning to end, and we spent nearly 18 months designing and producing the shop drawings. “All the work was done in-house. Everything was designed and tested in-house, then we got certification for all the new products designed for the project. Part of the manufacture was done here at our Seven Hills workshop by our trade-qualified staff to ensure it meets Australian standards, part of it offshore at our own facility in China, which uses our own
strict quality control procedures to ensure products meet the required standards.” The access floor system comprises a cavity with pedestal supports adhered to the concrete slab, with a steel cementitous panel on top of the pedestals. In Brisbane Supreme Courts a specialty timber was applied to the surface of the access floor panels. The timber layer comprises a Greenline plywood product with a 6mm thick solid walnut layer. ASP was involved in the prototyping stage with lend Lease, part of which involved trying out different finishes, and the walnut was chosen due to its close grain. All the adhesives used for the floors are low VOC, to meet the project’s Green design specifications. “The result looks really special,” says ASP Access Floors. “It is a unitized system, which was all put together on site. The steel panels were brought in from our factory overseas, then the timber element was adhered to the panels in our Sydney warehouse. “There are aluminium grilles in the floor under each chair in every courtroom for the air-conditioning. This is a new system, and we had to create it, because it had never been done in Australia. This also meant the access floor had to meet certain Air Leakage specifications under the floor. We can control that to achieve the appropriate pressure for the air conditioning, and then achieve a certain rate of leakage so can the system can direct air through the grilles. If you have to use too much pressure, the system uses too much energy.” “We have been in business for 34 years, and this was more complex than all the other projects we’ve done. Our team have achieved incredible things working together with Lend Lease, everybody agrees it was an impossible task, but we did it, and completed it on program, for which Lend Lease should be congratulated.” “About five years ago we looked at the future of access floors, and redesigned all our products to meet the new specifications
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architects are putting together, especially in terms of air leakage, and we designed about 60 new products to meet these new specifications. There was a considerable amount of testing, and significant investment.” The first ASP project which involved underfloor HVAC was the multi-award winning ANZ Docklands by HASSELL. ASP also contributed their expertise to other landmark sustainable projects, including 1 Bligh St, SA Water, Rio Tinto HQ on Albert St, C7 Lend Lease Victoria Harbour, Red Cross Sydney and Melbourne Water Digital Harbour. Their floors have also been used in the ABC Studios and the new Channel Seven, where the ability to easily replace cables as technology moves on is a major industry advantage. ASP is a family company, with clear succession planning to ensure their products, reputation and expertise is secure. ASP prides itself in providing the engineering and inventive force, and continually seeking to improve access flooring solutions. “We are one of the biggest access floor companies in the world, selling our products throughout Asia, the UK and the Middle East, and are opening a distributor in the USA. We do between 110 and 150 projects each year. Our access floors were specified on Cairo Airport, and have been used on major projects in Dubai, for gas processing plants in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar, and have also been used in British Parliament and by British Railways,” says ASP Access Floors. “We hold 20-odd different patents in the US, Canada and Europe, so we can achieve things no other company can. We have a great future, and a great team, and the things we’ve achieved we’re very proud of.”
For more information contact ASP Access Floors Pty Ltd, 32 Prime Dr Seven Hills NSW 2147, phone 02 9620 9915, fax 02 9620 9918, email: sales@aspfloors.com.au, website: www. aspfloors.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
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QLD PROJECT FEATURE QLD PROJECT BRISBANE FEATURE SUPREME BRISBANE AND SUPREME DISTRICT COURT 169
Legal decisions rely on being able to hear and see the participants in a case. For the Brisbane Supreme Courts, meeting this need required Queensland’s biggest AV integration project, a task carried out by VIDEOPRO, leading experts in AV systems and video conferencing. As the official integrator for all the audio and visual technology systems for every part of the courts complex, VIDEOPRO worked with Design Stage and Aurecon, the designers of the AV solution, to install the technology. This included 39 court rooms, meeting rooms, jury rooms, video conferencing rooms, evidence gathering rooms, interview rooms, the hearing room, committee room, basement cells, judges quarters, the library, oral history room and jury assembly areas. They also worked with Design Stage and Aurecon to install ten levels of digital wayfinding signage, seven 50” Samsung display monitors for court listings on the ground floor and connected four Courts on Level 3 to the street via copper and fibre to the outdoor broadcast cabinet located on the sites ‘green
wall’, which allows broadcast media to connect directly to these court rooms at pre-determined times and intervals. In all, more than 26,000 manhours of installation, commissioning and testing by VIDEOPRO’s installation team were required to complete the task. An example of the incredible amount of resources involved is the cabling of the courtrooms. This amounted to a total 234km of cable, with 6km of cable installed for each courtroom, comprising 2200m of Cat-6 Data Cable, 700m of SP-250 Speaker Cable, 1000m of 1800B Microphone Cable, 1800m of Figure 8 Cable, 100m of RG58 Cable and 150m of RG59 Cable. Finer details include custom mute buttons for AV and Audio which VIDEOPRO integrated into the joinery of each room, custom-built AV racks assembled at VIDEOPRO’s own facility, and high resolution document cameras which allow court participants to display hard copy documents on courtroom monitors.
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“Due to the time frame of the whole project, and the tendency for technology to rapidly change, the design of the original system differed slightly to the end result. The courts systems included audio and visual for participants and the gallery, including microphones, speakers and recording video cameras, which feed out to the State Recording Bureau for transcription. The vision in the courts includes a monitor with a 70” LCD display behind the witness stand, which can be used for video conferencing,” explained VIDEOPRO Project Leader, Graham Wands. “The courtroom audio systems have custom designed speakers using planar drivers, so when someone speaks into a microphone it comes out everywhere but theirs. “There are controls for the system outside the courts, so material can be played straight to monitors from a laptop, allowing for direct communication. The meeting rooms and conference rooms all have AMX touch panel controls. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Below VIDEOPRO was the official integrator for all the audio and visual technology systems for every part of the Brisbane Supreme Court
“There were a number of stages of installation. The cable tray systems had to go under the floor first, which required close coordination with electrical, data and HVAC trades. Then the cabling had to go in before the floor went down. “Phase two was to bring in all the AV equipment, place it, and connect it. Then phase three was the testing process, which included loading the files for all the AV signals and files for control panels. “The biggest challenge was getting the specifications right, and coordinating the sheer volume of equipment ($8 million worth) that had to come in. There was a lot of equipment to source and track – over 50 different vendors – which all had to be tied into the overall works program. “All the courts were very different, so we had to document individual systems for each space using AutoCAD, producing schematics and doing overlays with the architect’s drawings. The rooms were acoustically challenging, being very live rooms with hard ceilings. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“We are proud that we delivered this on time, to budget and to a very high standard. We were very fortunate to work with Lend Lease on this project. They were extremely flexible, understanding situations where equipment needed to be respecified post-tender due to things like a model becoming obsolete. After such a large project, there is a high level of respect between the stakeholders, we formed some very strong relationships with Aurecon, Design Stage, the Queensland Department of Justice and Project Services. All parties worked professionally and it contributed to the result.” VIDEOPRO has been in the AV business since video first hit the mainstream of business and private life in 1980. Since those long-gone days of BetaMax, they have continued to operate at the leading edge of the technology, combining a retail division, a business solutions division and e-commerce. The company’s approach to projects is founded on a drive to discover the best possible AV solutions, working as a team to complete
each job with focus, commitment and care, ensuring the right result first time. Clients including Queensland Emergency Services, Griffith University Film and Television School, Q Rail, University of Southern Queensland, Queensland Health, Hilton Hotel Brisbane and Queensland Parliament House have relied on VIDEOPRO to provide highly advanced AV solutions ranging from customdesigned displays, AV streaming to internet, communications and recording technology, through to broadcast AV technology and customised videoconferencing systems.
For more information contact VIDEOPRO, 37 Eagleview Place Eagle Farm QLD 4009, phone 07 3250 0000, fax 07 3250 0010 email: sales@VIDEOPRO.com.au, website: www.VIDEOPRO.com.au
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Below Major Airport Control Towers, Major Water Infrastructure, Rail Infrastructure
Digital technology combined with engineering expertise creates superior means for taking a whole-of-life (WoL) approach to managing built assets, as AssetFuture have demonstrated in their consultancy for the Brisbane Supreme Courts. Their skills created a clear picture from early design stages of how the building’s components perform through time. On many projects the company has tackled, this often generates a progressive evolution in the design to ensure a more cost-effective result long-term.
functional, safe and valuable. This wealth of knowledge underpins their digital software package, ‘FacilityFuture’. FacilityFuture brings together every aspect of WoL management, including planning maintenance, budgeting through time, deterioration reports, scenarios modelling, individual asset lifecycle costings, asset valuation reports and future asset condition reports. A recent innovation is the creation of an app and web-based platform which enables the upload of data and downloading of relevant reports from iPads and similar portable devices.
“We were engaged by QLD Project Services on behalf of the Department of Justice to prepare a 20 year budget for the future recurrent maintenance and capital replacement plan for the entire Supreme Court and the Magistrates Court including site works,” said AssetFuture Director, Larry Woodland. “For the Supreme Court the plans were developed at the start of construction when we were able to view floor plans and view some of the court room mock ups that had been built. The Magistrates Court plan involved a condition assessment of the Court, which was about five years old at the time.
AssetFuture also provide a data upload capability into asset management systems as well as comprehensive infrastructure asset management staff training course, sharing experience gained from a substantial public and private sector track record in WoL management planning.
“Using our application we were able to ‘model’ the degradation of the building elements and components to produce the long term budgets and detail maintenance plans for the facility, which were used by the client to prepare budgets for future funding and also to develop maintenance contract specifications for the maintenance of both facilities.”
AssetFuture’s clients have included every level of Government around the country; including recently undertaking WoL assessments for Queensland Rail including SEQ rail infrastructure, 320 stations and depots, and current work for the NSW Department of Education completing WoL assessments for over 500 public schools across the state, recently extended by a further 500 schools. Their private sector projects have included Highgate Apartments in Sydney, Ballymore Sporting complex in Brisbane, AL JIMI mall in Dubai for GHD; and BlueScope Steel at Port Kembla, which included risk assessments, equipment budgets and long-term maintenance plans for business critical industrial equipment.
AssetFuture have a background in the engineering aspects of asset and facility management, which gives them crucial insight into keeping buildings
For more information contact AssetFuture, Director: Larry Woodland, mobile 0414 488 541, email: larryw@assetfuture.com, website: www.assetfuture.com
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Below Architectus in association with Guymer Bailey created a building which is calm, dignified and has views and light.
Photography John Gollings
Changing the way spaces work so they are better for people is a guiding principle of Architectus designs, and this concept is embodied on a grand and lasting scale in the Brisbane Supreme Court project. As winners of the design competition for the building held in 2007, a collaborative team of architects from Architectus’ offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland in association with Guymer Bailey Architects has been involved in the project from inception through to the official opening in August 2012. “This was a large site, and one of the three major buildings of Queensland Governance. The design is not only of the courts but also of the square, so it begins with an urban design concept. It is a major change to the city and adds a new square which is the major point of arrival from the Kurilpa Bridge,” said Architectus Design Director, Professor John Hockings. The light-filled, spacious and transparent design reflects changing ideas of what is a courts building. While it still meets the very strict security requirements, and provides separation between the four different user groups – judges, the public, the legal fraternity and offenders – the unhealthy, unsustainable enclosed spaces of the past are no more. “We wanted to take a quantum leap with the building’s extremely innovative design. Because no direct sunlight is allowed in courtrooms, no sound can enter or leave and people outside cannot see in, we had the idea of the double glazed skin. The external ventilating skin of suspended glass, computerised adjustable blinds, sunshade walkways and internal glazing layer is based on the idea of subtropical architecture, where flyscreens WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
and louvres mediate between inside and outside conditions,” explained Professor Hockings. “The external suspended skin has fritting patterns on it so those inside can see out, but those outside cannot see in.” “We wanted to make the rooms comfortable and natural and avoid cold air conditioning. Top down air conditioning is also inefficient, so we designed for displacement air conditioning which comes up through the timber floors overlaying the floor slabs, eliminating the need for normal dropped ceilings with grilles for HVAC so we can just have concrete ceilings. The rooms use pelmet lighting which is thrown up onto the ceiling and bounced down into the room, so there is no glare of artificial light. There are acoustic timber walls up to 3m high, and all natural timber furniture which we designed ourselves. The collaboration (between Architectus, Guymer Bailey, Lend Lease and the consultant team) went right down to small components such as the design of fire sprinklers which are almost invisible and cast into the slab without drilling. “The building is very easy to move around; it is calm and dignified and has views and light. The whole design is innovative and green; creating habitable, healthy spaces for people.” For more information contact Architectus Brisbane, Level 4, 79 Adelaide Street Brisbane Qld 4000, phone 07 3221 6077, fax 07 3221 1645, email: brisbane@architectus.com.au, website: www.architectus.com.au QLD PROJECT FEATURE BRISBANE SUPREME AND DISTRICT COURT 173
Below Yuanda Australia were responsible for the double-skinned ventilated faรงade
To embody the concept that the law and the courts are transparent to the public, the architect for the Brisbane Supreme Court envisaged an innovative multiple skin naturally ventilated facade system, designed to actively respond to the environment in order to achieve the performance requirements of the building. After a thorough Pre-qualification and tender process by Lend Lease, Yuanda Australia were awarded the design and construct contract to further develop the concept design to a solution which met not only the performance and aesthetic requirements, but also achieved buildability, safety in design and programme targets. An early award of the contract allowed Yuanda to work closely with Lend Lease, Architectus and facade consultant Aurecon in order to provide valuable input to the concept design, and develop a detailed design that holistically addressed the challenges of the project. From outside to inside the multiple skin system comprised a suspended frameless breathable external glass skin, actively controlled adjustable shading which is linked to the building management system, horizontal shading and maintenance walkways, natural timber and steel structural support members and an internal skin of unitised curtain wall incorporating high performance double glazing. During the tender process for the project, Yuanda proposed an alternative unitised design for the ventilated facade in discussions with Lend Lease, which would see the multiple skin system Pre-fabricated off site and then delivered and installed on site in one panel. This approach sought to maximise factory assembly to maintain a high quality, minimise site interfaces and ensure that installation productivity could meet the construction programme. The unitised multiple skin system had a number of key benefits, including site safety, buildability, installation productivity and the ability to deliver the aesthetic and performance targets. Unitised facade construction entails breaking the facade into a series of repeatable modules, which are then installed on site individually. Applying this approach to a system with multiple layers and components introduced a number of challenges, the resolution of which created a number of unique project innovations. Pre-assembly of both skins of the system and all associated components created a number of practical and logistical issues, mainly related to handling and lifting of assembled panels at each stage of the process. Each typical panel comprised a 5.4m high x 2.4m wide x 1.2mm deep three dimensional module, with each panel weighing 3,200kg (3.2T). The heaviest panel weighed in at around 4.5T. Detailed design and construction planning for the project took 12-18 months to complete, including development of a bespoke gantry system which was located on site and used to lift each panel from a horizontal to vertical orientation prior to installation. The glazing systems were Pre-fabricated at the Yuanda manufacturing facility located in Shenyang, China and shipped as flat-pack components to Brisbane. Each panel was then assembled in Brisbane, incorporating 300 Tonnes of Australian procured and fabricated steelwork to link both skins of the system. Fabrication and assembly took almost 12 months in total, with site installation complete within 2 years. Each individual panel was delivered to site within a steel transportation cage, which allowed the panel to remain stable during the process of re-orientation from horizontal to vertical. The centre of gravity of each pre-assembled module was outside the line of the inner skin of the system, creating difficult lifting arrangements which required bespoke lifting devices to be developed. The panels were lifted from ground level using a custom designed remote controlled twin rail monorail system, which allowed re-location of the panel to the required position on the building for installation. Development of the handling and lifting equipment for the project took around 6-8 months to design, manufacture and commission for use. A significant amount of research and development took place during the development of the Supreme Court project, which included the following: Extensive performance testing to ensure that the facade systems 174 QLD PROJECT FEATURE BRISBANE SUPREME AND DISTRICT COURT
achieved onerous structural, water penetration and air permeability targets; Development and testing of maintenance access walkways to ensure safe access for building maintenance within the multiple skin cavity; Impact resistance testing to confirm the resistance of glazed ground level facade systems to intruder entry and vandalism; Full scale visual prototyping of components and facade systems to ensure efficient assembly and compliance with the design intent; Lifting trials of multiple skin panels to test re-orientation from horizontal to vertical; Development of handling gantry system to re-orientate panels and transition from delivery trucks to site; Transportation trials, involving a full size assembled panel being driven on different road conditions to test the ability of panels to maintain alignment and resist damage during delivery to site. Since formation in 2007, Yuanda has a strong history of collaboration with Lend Lease, having delivered facade systems for high profile projects such as the ANZ Headquarters in Melbourne Docklands, Gold Coast University Hospital and Myer headquarters in Melbourne. This history has been a key to the success of the Supreme Court project, along with the Yuanda teams reputation for innovative design, advanced technology, highly efficient and high quality production techniques and pioneering installation innovations. The Brisbane Supreme Court project is unique in the Australian facade industry, and in many respects the design and construction techniques used are a first for the industry in this country. For more information contact Yuanda Australia Pty Ltd, Suite 3/40 Brookes Street, Bowen Hills QLD 4006, phone 07 3251 6100 fax 07 3251 6150, website: www.yuanda.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Below Around 25,000m2 of Concrete has been treated with Densi-Proof on the Brisbane Supreme Court
As an environmentally friendly, highly effective and easy to apply concrete curing & waterproofing system, Protect Crete DensiProof is becoming the product of choice for major project builders looking to save time and money at the time of pour, and deliver a structure with long-term protection from concrete cancer. Densi-Proof is sprayed on freshly poured concrete to provide a faster cure than the standard water cure, allowing the fast-tracking of applying subsequent coatings and toppings on both walls and flooring. Originally developed in the USA, and now manufactured in Australia, Densi Proof has never had a failure in the 27 years it has been in the market. The products have been distributed in Australia for over a decade, and are backed by a 15 year guarantee. Protect Crete products including Densi-Proof have been tested for VOC compliance by Cetec-Foray under the specification of the Green Building Council of Australia and passed the stringent requirements easily, meeting the criteria of Green Star. Earlier testing by a Melbourne laboratory, Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd, gave values of less than one 500th of a gram per litre of VOC, virtually none. One of the biggest projects Protect Crete has supplied to date is the Lend Lease built, Gold Coast University Hospital project, which is currently under construction. By completion, Andrew McLeay, Director of Protect Crete Queensland, estimates they will have supplied over 50,000m2 of Densi-Proof, ensuring one of the largest hospital projects in the Southern Hemisphere is protected from cracking, moisture ingress and other preventable risks to the integrity of structural concrete. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Protect Crete Queensland supplied Lend Lease with Densi-Proof for Brisbane’s new Supreme Court project, for both curing and waterproofing. Around 25,000m2 of concrete has been treated with Densi-Proof throughout the complex, with Protect Crete meeting fast turnaround timeframes for delivery. “The Brisbane Supreme Court is a unique project that has not been attempted in Australia before. It will be a Brisbane city landmark, and Protect Crete Qld are very proud to have contributed to the project’s success,” says Andrew. Protect Crete’s range also includes Densi-Proof “Plus” products for specific uses. Densi-Proof plus Surface Repeller has been used extensively for the Supreme Court car parks, and also the car parks above the tenancies at Marina Mirage on the Gold Coast. Densi-Proof plus Surface Sheen was used extensively in the plant rooms, to provide a clean and safe environment around electrical equipment. Other major projects protected by Densi-Proof include; the Brisbane Airport Link, where it has been used to protect the underground concrete pipes, Mackay Hospital and Centro Supermarket in Emerald during flood restoration. The quality of the products & their proven results have seen repeat orders from Mirvac, Baulderstone, Lend Lease, Abigroup and Hutchinsons Builders. For more information contact Protect Crete QLD, phone 07 5520 3391, fax 07 5576 5148, mobile 0422 320 468 email: info.qld@protectcrete. com.au, website: www.protectcrete.com.au QLD PROJECT FEATURE BRISBANE SUPREME AND DISTRICT COURT 175
Below WAREMA external venetian blinds were supplied for the project
The new Brisbane Supreme Court project features a double skin façade integrated with Warema external venetian blinds. This combination results in a building envelope that tempers climate effects, controls heat gain and attenuates daylight. The concept is widely used in energy efficient buildings internationally. It allows the significant benefits of external sunshading to be used in tall buildings regardless of wind effects. Architectus,; the architects of the project describe the design as exhibiting “a high degree of transparency and lightness appropriate to the expression of contemporary justice and to it’s sub-tropical locale”. The choice of Warema external venetian blinds aligns with these objectives.
without glare. When the sun departs from the façade the blinds retract and the cycle continues daily. Warema is the international market leader in external sunshading and a leading innovator in the blind industry. Many blade profiles and configurations are possible to suit the requirements of different projects. A large range of control systems from simple devices to BMS integrated control networks offers endless possibilities for shading strategies. Warema products are manufactured in Germany and available in Australia through a network of specialists.
The installation consists of Warema 80mm flangeless motorised venetian units installed inside the outer glazing and housed in slim pelmets within the structural framing of the façade. Each blind is individually motorised and guided by cables anchored to the maintenance walkway. Installation occurred at the assembly location of the façade modules with the complete module then lifted into final location. Control is via a Warema Climatronic control system. As the sun reaches each façade the blinds descend and the slats rotate in unison to track the path of the sun using an integrated Warema solar programme. The layout of the 39 courtrooms faces court participants towards the façade with the judge’s bench framed by double height façade glazing. No direct sunlight passes through the blind but diffuse light reflects through the slats creating an interior filled with daylight but importantly
For more information contact Shade Factor Pty Ltd, Australasian agents for Warema, phone 03 9558 3006, website: www.shadefactor.com.au
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Below TA Taylor undertook concrete cleaning and patching for the Brisbane Supreme Court
Achieving the required off-form concrete finish quality for the Brisbane Supreme Court project was assisted by the diverse specialist talents of TA Taylor, who undertook concrete cleaning and patching on an on-call basis between July 2010 and August 2012 for quality control issues including marks, rust stains from formwork, minor imperfections and cracks.
structural concrete repairs, brickwork repairs, Heritage restorations, waterproofing, painting and rendering, facade restoration, joint sealing and general building repairs.
TA Taylor General Manager, Jim Aitken, said a lot of trial and error colour matching was involved in mixing colour pigments to achieve seamless colour matching. The cleaning process was also a customised system involving acetic acid, developed to be as environmentally benign and safe for the workforce as possible. They engaged an industrial chemist to analyse the staining and develop a formula, which was redeveloped as work progressed to get the results required.
“We have a very mobile, well-trained and highly skilled workforce, and three Pantechs trucks equipped with generators and spray equipment, allowing us to undertake quite remote jobs, such as lining holding tanks for Xstrata Zinc at Mount Isa, and water reservoirs for remote local councils” said Jim.
More broadly, TA Taylor are leaders in the field of polyurea and polyurethane applications and technologies, undertaking projects across Australia including recently relining the South Bank main lagoon and boat ponds; and providing a polyurea protective coating and lining system for parts of the CLEM7 tunnel, the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, Gold Coast desalination plant and Orange Base Hospital helipad.
All their work is performed to a high standard, guided by QMS, EMS and WHSMS which meet the requirements of ISO 9002.
“We have also engaged Dudley Primeaux III, the inventor of the polyurea technology, as a consultant on one of our projects. This gave us an even greater understanding of the polyurea technology & methodology. We are members of the PDA (Polyurea Development Association) in the USA, this gives us access to the latest developments in application and product requirements. The product itself can be manufactured to suit any project’s requirements,” said Jim.
TA Taylor were founded in 1963, and have grown into a highly diverse operation which also provides building reports, building inspections, expert witness services, carbon fibre for structural strengthening, corrosion control, concrete cancer repairs,
For more information contact TA Taylor (Aust) Pty Ltd, 152 Gerler Road, Hendra QLD 4011, phone 07 3268 4955, email: reception@ tataylor.com.au, website: www.tataylor.com.au
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Below Chemind supplied all waterproof membrane systems for the Brisbane Supreme Court
The Brisbane Supreme Courts project is a shining example of supplier, contractor and project management teams working together to meet client expectations, according to Scott Whitelaw, Technical Manager for Chemind & Grace Construction Products (Chemind). Chemind supplied all waterproof membrane systems for the project, which were applied by A1 Waterproofing & Applications Pty Ltd, one of the company’s approved, specialist applicators. There were three key challenges: a tight construction schedule, numerous periods of heavy wet weather, and the need for waterproofing systems that would resist damage and cure rapidly after application. Products from Chemind and from Grace Construction Products provided the solutions. Grace’s iconic self-adhesive, low VOC sheet membrane, Grace Bituthene® 3000, provided guaranteed waterproof integrity to below grade structures. “Chemspray 790 spray applied polyurea membrane provided solutions on podium decks, insulated roof decks, deep planters and balconies. This Green Star compliant, fast curing system for waterproofing and protective coating applications simplifies the process, producing a robust but flexible membrane, fully bonded to the underlying concrete structure,” said Scott. “The cured waterproofing could be walked on within seconds and the area returned to full service in hours. Daily application rates of over 1500m² could be achieved, helping regain time lost due to inclement weather.” Chemind supplied other Green Star compliant products for the project including: Aquagard M and Ultraure A-80 liquid applied PU membranes; 178 QLD PROJECT FEATURE BRISBANE SUPREME AND DISTRICT COURT
Ultraure A-80 Non-Slip Top Coat; Epocote F100W HD water-borne epoxy floor coating; and Fastflex anti-efflorescence, PMC membrane for waterproofing of wet areas prior to tiling. “As we do for all our projects, Chemind provided a unique combination of proven waterproofing systems for every area of application, technical backup to the applicator plus the ability to liaise directly with site engineers and propose economic, technical solutions to complex waterproofing details. Our collaborative approach delivers high quality, fully traceable waterproofing installation,” said Scott. Other challenging Lend Lease projects that Chemind and Grace have contributed to include Convesso and Serrata Apartments, Melbourne; 1 & 4 National Circuit and a new Government Complex, ACT; Liverpool and North Shore Private Hospitals, Sydney. Grace product expertise in major civil projects has been widely utilised on SE Queensland’s Tugun Bypass; Clem 7; Airport Link and Legacy Way as well as Sydney’s rail duplication on bridge decks and tunnels for Melbourne’s EastLink and PerthMetro. Since 1976 Chemind has been developing their expertise, constantly developing new product technologies. Working cooperatively with applicators, site managers, designers, engineers and architects across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region, they ensure innovative, cost-effective waterproofing and structural protection solutions. For more information contact Chemind Construction Products, phone 1800 334 444, email: info@chemind.com.au, website: www.chemind.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Below Clean-Air Australia undertook the cleaning of under floor plenums from the Basement through to Level 14 of the building to remove construction debris.
Like their name suggests, Clean-Air Aust are specialists in ensuring a healthy indoor atmosphere in spaces like the Brisbane Supreme Court. Their team of a dozen skilled ventilation technicians undertook the cleaning of under floor plenums from the Basement through to Level 14 of the building to remove construction debris. “The objective of cleaning of the underfloor plenums was to reduce indoor air quality (IAQ) problems resulting from construction. As the underfloor plenum is used as a direct pathway for the air to be supplied to the rooms it was essential that all contamination and dust be removed to provide clean air to the building,” said Clean-Air Australia Spokesman, Chris Bowd. “Under floor plenums require specialized cleaning methods. We had a HEPA filtered vacuum machine that is certified 99.97% efficiency at 0.3 microns and negative air extraction systems with mechanical cleaning to achieve the Post construction cleaning to ISO 14644-1 1999 Class 8 Standard for Cleanliness. “Clean-Air Aust is privileged to be associated with this prestigious project and thank Lend Lease and the project team for giving us the opportunity to prove our capabilities and expertise.”
buildings and facility cleans from Northern New South Wales to Far North Queensland. A NADCA-certified company, Clean-Air Aust. have spent many years on research and development. In addition to cleaning underfloor plenums, they also apply mould preventative coatings, and specialise in rust treatment, restoration and painting of HVAC equipment. “Clean-Air Aust. provide detailed inspections and air quality testing to determine the scope of work required and priority levels for the air conditioning systems throughout the building to enable asset managers to prioritise and schedule remediation work to be carried out effectively as per the Australian Standards,” said Chris. Other major projects include the Prince Charles Hospital Emergency department expansion, Nambour hospital refurbishment, Robina Hospital Expansion, Cairns and Mackay Courthouse, and the Gold Coast University Hospital.
Clean -Air Aust are the largest HVAC hygiene and restoration company in Queensland, with 20 years experience in their field and a skilled workforce including Ventilation Maintenance Technicians, Engineers, Project Managers and supervisors. They provide HVAC restoration services to the Government sector, Health sector, Commercial
For more information contact Clean-Air Australia Pty Ltd, Unit 2/33 Achievement Crescent Acacia Ridge QLD 4110, phone 07 3274 2833, fax 07 3274 2733, Geoff Kelly – Managing Director – 0439 933 649 Chris Bowd – Sales Manager – 0418 743 527 Muni Kumar – Sales Engineer – 0448 883 966 Trent Giles – Project Manager – 0448 114 410 Felix Kanofski – Supervisor – 0430 391 359
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Below Nawkaw applied their spray blended masonry colouring products to all the levels of concrete for the Brisbane Supreme Court project
Mixing colour-controlled concrete can be a risky business. Nawkaw offer an efficient, waste-free alternative, which is on very public display at the Brisbane Supreme Court project, where Nawkaw applied their spray blended masonry colouring products to all the levels of concrete.
dosage, the consumption of non-renewable mineral resources is greatly reduced. Coupled with the longevity of the colour and no requirement for maintenance products, this makes for an environmentally responsible choice.
“Our product was picked for this project because of the natural finish it provides to any type of concrete, including any patching,” explained Nawkaw Spokesman, Sam Malik.
“The colouring achieved is also more consistent than traditional in-mix colouring methods, therefore the risk of needing to reject and scrap any concrete batches is virtually eliminated. The technician is also able to blend away any tonal variations, patches and the like,” said Sam.
“Unlike traditional methods such as paint, the Nawkaw process is clean and efficient and the depth of colour/translucency is easily controlled. “Nawkaw’s penetrating emulsions are formulated with colour fast oxide pigments. As the colour penetrates the surface of the concrete, it locks into the surface. It will not fade, peel or crack, and requires no on-going maintenance, unlike a paint system that will require recoating every 6-10 years. This results in a longer life cycle on analysis as well as the range of Nawkaw concrete colours being guaranteed for a minimum of 25 years.” Nawkaw coordinated their works with the Lend Lease construction program over a two year period, post-applying their products to finished sections of concrete, and delivering effective and stunning results in a timely manner.
Nawkaw products have been used on many major projects around the nation, including ANU Canberra student accommodation, Canberra University Student Accommodation, Pat Rafter Arena in Queensland, Top Ryde City in Sydney and Waterfront City in Melbourne. The company holds HIA, MBA and BSA licenses, and has extensive experience in both new and repair/refurbishment projects including colouring for precast concrete, off-form concrete, brickwork and masonry products. “The great thing about our company, our people and our products is that we are both in Australia as well as having a worldwide presence, therefore whatever our customers can think of in terms of colour or process or masonry refurbishment, we can assist in achieving it, because our team has such vast experience to draw on,” said Sam.
Because the Nawkaw Process uses between 500 to 1000 times less oxides than in-mix coloured concrete, which requires an integral oxide
For more information contact Nawkaw P/L, phone 1300 NAWKAW (629 529), or contact Sam in QLD on 0407 115 556, fax 07 56041104, website: www.nawkaw.com.au
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Below Signtec Visual Solutions manufactured and installed over 2,000 items of signage in vinyl, metals, plexiglass, and plastic
job came together really well, and we are very proud of what we’ve manufactured and supplied – we maximised our efforts to make sure that the signage produced was above and beyond expectations.” Signtec Visual Solutions provided Braille and Tactile Signage which meets the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). These signs are CNC routed, with the individual letters chemically bonded into the surface of the sign. The Braille uses securely embedded stainless steel spheres into CNC drilled holes – each sphere needs to protrude 0.46 to .53mm to meet the DDA standard. VISUALISE™ Braille & Tactile Signs are proudly manufactured in Australia by Pitt & Co (Aust) Pty Ltd to a Patented design. VISUALISE™ Braille & Tactile Signs founder Trevor Pitt, developed the signage system in conjunction with the relevant authorities and Australian standards. Other special aspects of the courts signage include the use of 12V LED’s for all the electrical signage, for maximum safety and energy efficiency, and an immaculately applied anti-graffiti coating on the entry sign. Like all Signtec products, everything is made to last, with only the best quality materials being used. For over 30 years, Pitt & Co (Aust) Pty Ltd - has been designing, manufacturing and installing award-winning visual communication, from Wayfinding signage, identification plates for machinery through to corporate logos that light up the sky. Other projects to their credit include signage for Queensland Rail, Bombardier Transportation Australia, QR National trains, Downer EDI Rail, RTA NSW, Nambour Hospital, The Friendly Society Private Hospital in Bundaberg, Gas Pipeline Companies, various Translink Railway Stations and signage for Suncorp Stadium. For more information contact Signtec Visual Solutions, 113 Delta Street Geebung QLD 4034, phone 07 3216 5088, fax 07 3216 5470, website: www.signtec.com.au, www.pittco.com.au In producing all of the signage for the Brisbane Supreme and District Courts project, Signtec Visual Solutions and VISUALISE™ Braille & Tactile Signs had to deliver an extraordinary level of customised detail. From the 12m engineered aluminium sign construction in the main courtyard, through to all the interior visual identification and internal wayfinding communication, every item was individually manufactured at the company’s Maryborough and Brisbane facilities to the highest quality standards. Signtec’s staff undertook the complex installation task, often working night shifts. Overall the company manufactured and installed over 2,000 items of signage in vinyl, various metals, acrylic, and aluminum, and the work continues with ongoing additions and maintenance. “We worked very closely with the builders & the architect, and we are really pleased with the way our products and their building complement each other,” said Signtec’s Project Manager. “Normally we are on site as a project is nearing completion but due to the fact that everything was unique in the specification, meant there was a considerable degree of variance for every sign - everything had to be individually site measured, making the logistics of the project all the more challenging.” “We developed a method of CNC routing and folding all our aluminium to get dimensional accuracy - everything had shadow lines. There were extremely specific details for some of the signs, such as the court entry signage and prisoner elevators.” “This project was a great experience, and we valued the excellent working relationship we had with Lend Lease and the other subcontractors. The WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
QLD PROJECT FEATURE BRISBANE SUPREME AND DISTRICT COURT 181
Below Caelli Constructions provided the formwork, and operation of the in-placed core system, for the Brisbane Supreme Court project.
Below Ronstan Tensile Architecture were responsible for the vertical greening trellises reaching to the 19th floor of the Brisbane Supreme Court
Challenging construction projects have been relying on Caelli Constructions since 1972, for the kind of skilled expertise and quality solutions they delivered in providing the formwork, and operation of the in-placed core system, for the Brisbane Supreme Court project.
Complex, challenging, or unique applications of Tensile Architecture, like the vertical greening trellises reaching to the 19th level of the Brisbane Supreme Court, require specialist talents to achieve the vision.
Caelli have their own fully equipped manufacturing facility which designs and produces specialized formwork systems, including edge protections screens, table forms and self climbing wall shutters. The services they provide across Queensland and Victoria include concrete, reinforcing, concrete pumping and shotcrete services and plant hire; tower cranes sales, hire, erection and dismantling; waterproofing and joint sealing; and specialised labour hire.The trade skills among their over 500-strong workforce includes carpentry, concreting, steelfixing, crane operations, concrete pumping, welding and manufacturing, all supported by digitallybased management systems which ensure logistics, communication and safety are effectively coordinated between the various project sites.
Ronstan Tensile Architecture delivered the goods, engineering and installing 32 long span tri-cable vertical trellises and a myriad of mounting discs, spacer rings with positioning clamps, tie backs, turnbuckles, fixing rods, brackets and anchors – all fabricated in stainless steel, tested for integrity and safety, and with Certified Quality to ISO 9001:2000.
Caelli’s combination of skill and capability was recognised with the 2003 MBA Specialist Contractor of the Year award for City Point on Bourke. Other current major projects include the Peter Doherty Institute for Brookfield Multiplex and Queensland Children’s Hospital. For more information contact Caelli Constructions – Head Office: PO Box 21 Craigieburn VIC 3064, phone 03 9305 7733, fax 03 9305 7744, email: info@caelli.com.au. Queensland Office: 515 Olsen Avenue Southport QLD 4215, phone 07 5564 5550, fax: 07 5564 5511, email: qld@caelli.com.au, website: http://www.caelli.com.au/index.htm 182 QLD PROJECT FEATURE BRISBANE SUPREME AND DISTRICT COURT
Since the 1950s Ronstan has been evolving and redefining the possibilities of Tensile Architecture, contributing to projects as diverse as Taronga Zoo’s chimpanzee enclosure and Festival Footbridge in Adelaide. “Our products are suited to many varied applications from structural bracing to architectural features,” said Ronstan spokesman, Sascha Humphreys. “A lot of consideration, time and technical expertise goes into our projects. We engineer to specific criteria, and examine every single detail. We don’t shy away from the complicated and do our utmost to realise our clients’ dreams.” For more information contact Ronstan Tensile Architecture, 19 Park Way Braeside VIC 3195, phone 03 8586 2000, email: architectural@ ronstan.com.au, website: www.ronstantensilearch.com AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Below Strategic Formwork Suppliers of self climbing & crane lifted jumpforms
Photo courtesy of Chay Doleman Photography
This project consisted of five of our telescopic self climbing CoreMakers, three of which had 5400mm pour heights each requiring double decker internal and external walkway platforms to facilitate a safe working environment, for the carpenters and steel fixers. Stringent architectural requirements demanded that each CoreMaker was to include a variety of off-form finishes, including boarded Oregon tongue and groove shutters as well as three different concrete mixes per casting. Site logistics demanded that two selfclimbing tower cranes and one concrete placing boom were incorporated within the CoreMakers. This resulted in the CoreMaker being extended in plan to incorporate the construction of two off-form perimeter columns which started at ground floor and terminated earlier than the surrounding corewalls. Subsequently the CoreMaker was designed to lift these additional formwork panels and working platforms throughout the floors where these elements were not present. Adding to the complexity, these off form columns required temporary bracing as the jumpforms were maintained 4 floors ahead of the slabs. We are proud of overcoming the challenges set throughout this project, and have been delighted to have participated in this prestigious project. For more information contact Strategic Formwork, phone 02 9545 0244, fax 02 9545 0255, website: www.strategicformwork.com WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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Established in 1912, Hutchinson Builders is one of Australia’s largest privately owned building and construction companies. With over 1000 staff and an expected turnover of more than $1 billion this year, Hutchinson have a wealth of experience working on projects as diverse in purpose, as they are in location. Having completed a range of prolific projects, including commercial and residential high-rises, mining and resources industry infrastructure projects, industrial, sporting, health, government, retail, education, hotel and club, tourism, civil works and modular construction, Hutchinson bring their committed team and capabilities to the forefront of a variety of projects throughout Australia, regardless of their scope or size.
colourful character Hutchinson Builders were appointed the Design and Construct Main Contractor for the eight storey Energex Office Building in Nundah.
Given their wealth of industry expertise and multi-skilled team, Hutchinson Builders were also recently involved on Brisbane’s $50 million Energex Office Building development. Located in Nundah and part of a precinct adjacent to Nundah train station, also under development, the eight storey Energex Building will include six levels of office space,
ENERGEX OFFICE BUILDING / HUTCHINSON BUILDERS
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with retail on levels one and two. In addition, the four top floors of the main building volume have been articulated to achieve a modern appearance. Commencing their involvement from the initial conceptual stage, in alliance with the client, Property Solutions and Arkhefield Architects, Hutchinson Builders were appointed the Design and Construct Main Contractor, with their involvement spanning from the conceptual design stage, through to the cost control and documentation of the overall project. In addition to ensuring the project met all client design parameters and the tight budget constraints, Hutchinson Builders have an ongoing responsibility for construction of the project, which incorporates the effective management of the design consultants and sub-contractors. Whilst working on the Energex Office Building site, the team from Hutchinson Builders faced a number of challenges. Given the fact the water table was two metres below natural ground level, conventional retention and bulk earthwork
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systems for the eight metre deep basement, were impractical due to water inundation over the site.
time, within budget and without any onsite or documentation issues that would unnecessarily delay the construction process.
However, using a secant pile (contiguous piling) system, the team from Hutchinson Builders were able to overcome the challenges such adverse construction conditions posed. Consisting of a series of consecutively placed interlocking piles, which when completed to the entire perimeter of the site, effectively created a dam wall isolating the site from the natural water table. As a result, the bedrock effectively dammed the site and allowed excavation to take place in relatively dry conditions.
The result has been an extremely successful collaborative process that has involved the client, consultants and the constructor and is once again, testimony to the repeat business and optimum results Hutchinson Builders achieve within the industry.
Hutchinson Builders and the client are also committed to ensuring the Energex Office Building, due for completion in November 2012, reaches the 4.5 star NABERS and five star green rating target, required for the base build and fit-out. With a close-working team made up of Property Solutions, whom Hutchinson Builders have worked with on numerous projects over the last 14 years and the architects, Arkhefield, the Energex Office Building has been designed to a tight budget, in order to suit the post GFC market and it is expected to be completed on
With exceptional financial capacity, an impeccable reputation for fair dealing, a co-operative and flexible approach to contractual relations and a commitment to expertise and integrity, Hutchinson Builders have evolved into an awardwinning construction company that continues to deliver cutting-edge and leading results to the building and construction industry. Energex Office Building Team: Project Leader – John Berlese; Project Manager – Francois Pousson; Administrator – Edan Hawley; Site Manager – Terry Bowden. For more information contact Hutchinson Builders, 584 Milton Road Toowong QLD 4066, phone 07 3335 5161, fax 07 3335 5999, website: www.hutchinsonbuilders.com.au
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Below SDF Electrical’s scope of work comprised the entire design, documentation, supply, installation, testing and maintenance of all the related building’s electrical services.
For more than 20 years, SFD Electrical has offered businesses, in particular Green Star Projects, a complete range of Design, Construct and Electrical services. With a Service and Communications Division that compliments the company’s Commercial and Industrial Construction activities, SDF Electrical have completed an extensive range of projects using innovative products, ahead of time schedules and within budget. Having worked on prolific projects throughout Queensland, such as 150 Charlotte Street, Midtown Apartments and the Ipswich Commercial Towers, SDF Electrical was also involved on the $50 million Energex Office Building development, located in Nundah. Throughout their involvement, SDF Electrical’s scope of work comprised the entire design, documentation, supply, installation, testing and maintenance of all the related building’s electrical services. These included lighting, power and emergency lighting to all of the office workstations, earthing of the installation and equipment, lightning protection to the building structure, as well as the installation of distribution switchboards within tenancies and community areas. With a hands-on approach throughout the design phase by Steve Flanagan, Company Director, as well as the astute management skills of Glen Morrison, SDF Electrical’s Construction Manager, the Energex Office Building was developed in close consultation with Cushway 186 QLD PROJECT FEATURE ENERGEX OFFICE BUILDING
Blackford and Associates and the Principle Electrical Engineer, John Crace, to ensure the provision and installation of the electrical services, as well as the overall design and construct of the building, adhered to Energex’s standard specifications. Using state-of-the-art lighting and control systems, from their key suppliers Schneider Electric, the team from SDF Electrical ensured their extensive range of services were of 5 Star Green Star Design, as well as a 4.5 Star NABERS rating. In addition, through close liaisons with the client, Hutchinson Builders, as well as other contractor’s onsite, SDF Electrical seamlessly overcame the challenge of the difficult design phases due to the large number of stakeholders involved on such a significant project, and carried out their services in both a time and cost effective manner. Given the overall success of the Energex Office Building development, as well as the fact SDF Electrical once again delivered outstanding project results, it is without a doubt the professional SDF Electrical team will continue to provide leading Design, Construct and Electrical services throughout the building and construction industry.
For more information contact SDF. Electrical Pty Ltd, 163 Jackson Road Sunnybank Hills QLD 4109, phone 07 3345 6566, fax 07 3345 6577, email: sdf@sdf.net.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Below Wood & Grieve managed the design and coordination of all services of the development with particular emphasis on the accomplishment of the required Green Star design target.
Established in Perth, Wood & Grieve Engineers has been in the Building Services industry for over 50 years and has grown to have offices in every Australian major capital city. Providing a range of engineering services including acoustic, civil, communications, electrical, ESD, fire services, fire engineering, hydraulic, lift, mechanical, property asset management, security, structural and underground power, WGE are continually committed to delivering exceptional service and outstanding results.
Throughout his involvement on Circa One, Joshua implemented a range of innovative techniques, particularly for the collection of stormwater. Rather than utilising a large in-ground storage tanks and associated pipe work for the collection of the perimeter drainage, Wood & Grieve’s design comprised a number of individual spoon drain sump pump pits. Not only does this design initiative eliminate the standard in ground storm water drainage system, it discharges perimeter drainage directly into the gravity storm water system. As a result, delays to the construction process were avoided.
With a prolific project portfolio and a string of awards including BRW National Client Choice Awards for Exceptional Service in 2006 and 2011 and Outstanding Client Care in 2011, WGE were also involved in the $50 million Energex Northern Metropolitan Office in Nundah, QLD.
A number of energy reduction approaches were applied on this Green Star designed building including energy efficient pumps and a gas fired hot water plant targeted at minimising greenhouse emissions. Typically a commercial building of this size would rely heavily on the municipal water supply. However WGE’s design incorporated roof water collection tanks for the storage of rainwater thus reducing the overall water usage for the building and its reliance on public supply. With their vital experience in the Building Services Industry, Wood & Grieve Engineers offer personalised advice from a team of over 370 staff with hundreds of years of industry knowledge between them. WGE pride themselves in delivering unequivocal levels of service to their clients across a range of engineering disciplines, ensuring optimum project team and client satisfaction.
Commencing work on Stage 2A (Energex NMO) of Circa One in May 2011, WGE alongside Hutchinson Builders and Contractors and Planet Plumbing Group managed the design and coordination of all services of the development with particular emphasis on the accomplishment of the required Green Star design target. The WGE team consisted of Joshua Hall, Hydraulic Project Engineer and a dedicated drafting team who produced highly detailed and coordinated construction drawings together with associated documentation for the Hydraulic and Fire Services. Joshua also prepared the specific Green Star Reports and the schematic documentation required for attaining the buildings’ 5 Star Green Star Accreditation. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
For more information contact Wood & Grieve, Level 2, 15 Leichhardt Street, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000, phone 07 3811 4500, fax 07 3811 4600, email: brisbane@wge.com.au QLD PROJECT FEATURE ENERGEX OFFICE BUILDING 187
Below Examples of the wide range of Excel Lockers
Hutchinson Builders approached Excel Lockers to provide the range of lockers, seating and ironing units for the Energex Nundah project in Queensland. Excel Lockers have established a successful working relationship with Hutchinson Builders and have supplied their products and services for several different projects over the years. The team at Excel Lockers was only too happy to work with them again on the Energex development. The Energex Nundah project has been designed to achieve a 5 star green rating and was tailored to suit the specific needs of the sole tenant, Energex.
As people become more security conscious, locking requirements are also changing. While keyed locking or padlock fitting is standard, along with the options for coin locks, more requests than ever have been made for keyless locking with swipe card options, which give more control and ease over use. This is another area of growth for Excel Lockers. Based in Brisbane, Excel Lockers deliver their services across the nation and provide a service that stems from attention to detail. Their range of products are manufactured from the latest in computer controlled machinery and are installed by staff who are both experienced and passionate about their work.
Some units were custom made to suit specific areas of the building and Excel Lockers enjoyed the challenge of customising these pieces. Excel Lockers are currently expanding their range of lockers, locker finishes and locking options. They have found that people are requesting more possible uses for their lockers rather than bag storage or clothes hanging, and with this in mind, the company is now manufacturing units for laptop, tablet, phone and skateboard storage. These innovative solutions feature adjustable shelving and custom sizing. 188 QLD PROJECT FEATURE ENERGEX OFFICE BUILDING
For more information contact Excel Lockers, Head Office: 17b Rosa Place, Richlands QLD 4077, phone: 1800 019 266, website: www.excellockers.com.au, National Sales and Project Manager: Tony Downes, NSW Sales and Project Manager: Chris Reilly AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
Below Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd were responsible for the delivery of all of the required steelfixing for the Energex Office Building Development
Offering clients more than 50 years of combined industry experience, Jason and Stan Harper, owners of Queensland’s Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd, are renowned throughout the steelfixing industry for their solid reputation of excellence in the delivery of a diverse range of steelfixing services.
Responsible for the delivery of all of the required steelfixing for the project, the professional Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd team of 30 were committed to ensuring they completed all of the required works, in both a time and cost efficient manner, regardless of the tight deadlines that were inherent with the project.
Since the establishment of the company only five years ago, Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd already has several major projects credited to its name. Some of these include Charlotte Street, Brisbane, Northpark Apartments, Circa Apartments in Nundah and more recently, the $50 million Energex Office Building development.
Colin White, head foreman from Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd, also demonstrated his extensive on-site management and organisational skills throughout their involvement. This ensured the various phases of the Energex Office Building development ran smoothly at all times and that the client’s specific needs and project requirements were met.
This significant project is located in the centre of Nundah and is part of a precinct bound by Station Street, Sandgate Road, Buckland Road and the railway corridor. In addition, the precinct incorporates the Nundah train station, which is also currently under development.
The fact Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd have successfully completed several high profile projects, regardless of their scope or size, is a strong indication of the quality of workmanship and project dedication that underlies all steelfixing works carried out by Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd.
The eight-storey Energex building includes six levels of office space, with retail on levels one and two. Furthermore, the top three floors of the main building volume have been architecturally designed to achieve a unique horizontal appearance.
For more information contact Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd, 108 Chelsea Crescent Minyama QLD 4575, phone/fax 07 5444 3428, mobile 0434 200 854, email: quefix1@bigpond.com
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a stunning new destination for north queenslanders The $180 million Stockland Townsville redevelopment is being completed by Laing O’Rourke under a design and construct contract. main contractor : Laing O'Rourke Australia client : Stockland Architect : Powell Dods & Thorpe Pty Ltd structural/civil Engineer : MPN
project end value : $106 Million Surveyor : Brazier Motti Completion : November 2012
As the major centre for commercial, Defence and industrial activities in North Queensland, it is fitting that the newly redeveloped Stockland Townsville is now the largest retail development in the region. Located at the junction of the Bruce Highway and Ross River Road, two of the busiest roads in North Queensland, the $180 million redevelopment is being completed by Laing O’Rourke under a design and construct contract. The centre is now the largest retail development in the region, and involved the creation of new retail areas to the western side of the existing site as well as refurbishment of substantial areas of the existing centre.
Stockland Townsville has been designed to high environmental standards, which are mandated through its retail sustainable development policy. The project has achieved a Four Star Green Star Retail Design v1 rating by the Green Building Council of Australia and is registered for an As Built rating which should be finalised early 2013. The centre incorporates a number of environmentally sustainable features including:
The redevelopment creates a spectacular new retail centre, with a distinctive architectural profile designed in-house by Stockland Design in conjunction with pdt Architects, that adds a dynamic element to the urban fabric of Townsville. The completed project will deliver an increase in the shopping centre’s gross lettable area from 32,422 m2 to almost 46,000 m2, comprising 55 new specialty stores, two new malls, a food court precinct, a 12,000 m2 Myer store (the first in the North Queensland region), and a new 4,200 m2 Woolworths supermarket. The construction of new car parking, including a new multi-level car park, has created hundreds more car parking spaces, and the new centre also features an architecturally innovative bus interchange, ‘The Verandah’, for public transport users.
• Water and energy submetering systems to ensure building performance can be tracked and continually monitored and optimised over time.
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• A 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the standard practice benchmark with programmed, energy efficient lighting and efficient air conditioning plant with variable speed drives.
• Extensive commissioning of all building services to ensure equipment is operating efficiently and as designed. • Improved air-quality through increased fresh air, low volatile organic compound paints and sealants and low emission plywood, particle board and MDF.
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• Reduced water consumption through rainwater collection and reuse and water efficient bathrooms with high WELS rated fixtures and fittings • Bicycle facilities for staff and shoppers. In addition, the project was awarded an AusIndustry Green Building Fund grant by the Federal Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research for the implementation of sustainability initiatives throughout the existing centre. As part of the goal of creating a quality shopping destination, Stockland Townsville also includes an interactive ‘MyFunland’ play area for children and state-of-the-art parent’s rooms, making it a great place for families, friends, parents and children to come together. The redeveloped Stockland Townsville represents a significant investment in the future of the region by Stockland, and has already made a positive contribution to the regional economy through the creation of 660 jobs during the construction, 400 new retail jobs and an estimated 1000 further flow-on jobs across the broader community. The first stage of the redevelopment of Stockland Townsville involved the demolition of the pre-existing IGA supermarket, CBA building and an existing multilevel car park. Approximately 37,000 tonnes of material was removed from the site, with Laing O’Rourke achieving a diversion from landfill figure of more than 80 per cent for the waste materials such as concrete, steel, bricks and copper. One of the requirements for the construction stage was the continued operation of the shopping centre. Laing O’Rourke needed to manage construction from both the safety and logistical perspectives in a manner which minimised both risk and disruption to retailers and the public. They also had to factor in restrictions on space for storage of materials, take care with the timing of deliveries, and implement traffic
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management measures as access routes into the Centre changed as works progressed. Community information and signage were also used to inform shopping centre users of changes to parking areas, entrances and overall traffic access. The construction proceeded throughout 2010, 2011 and 2012, with the new car parking and Woolworths opening in December 2011, the new food court in mid 2012, a new link mall, and the final stage, the Myer and a second new mall dedicated to fashion all opening in October 2012. As part of the goal of creating a quality shopping destination, the new Stockland Townsville includes an interactive ‘MyFunland’ play area for children, and state-of-the-art parent’s rooms. Other notable innovations included in the redevelopment are a Park Assist parking guidance system, and free wifi for customers. Stockland have also acquired the Centro Centre across Ross River Road, which is anchored by Coles and Kmart, and made it part of Stockland Townsville Shopping Centre. Stockland has been completing multiple projects around the nation, including the Stockland Merrylands redevelopment in Sydney’s outer west completed in October 2012. Redevelopment works are currently underway at Stockland Shellharbour, 20 km south of Wollongong, and there are new retail centres under construction, including at the Stockland Highlands project on the north western outskirts of Melbourne, which combines a retail centre, a substantial residential subdivision and community infrastructure and facilities. One thing is certain – Stockland are building a solid, sustainable future for the communities they serve. For more information contact Stockland Brisbane office, Andrew Hay, Level 4, 99 Melbourne Street Brisbane 4000, phone 07 3305 8600, fax 07 3305 8702, email: geninfo@stockland.com.au
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experts at seeing what lies beneath
Identifying what lies beneath the surface of a site or built asset, such as live cable, services or asbestos requires highly specialised technical assistance, like the services Abscan Building Consultants provided for the Stockland Townsville redevelopment. Abscan used the latest technology, including ground penetrating radar, concrete scanners, air monitoring and gas detection equipment to indentify a range of risks, allowing builder Laing O’Rourke to instigate mitigation or management measures, and safely proceed to completion.
“Other services we provided for this project included detailed concrete scanning of the structure to identify all cables, plumbing, services and the location of post-tensioning cables in the slabs. It was extremely important, for example, that electrical cables were identified before concrete cutting took place.”
Abscan’s drafting of their findings also contributed to the final as-built survey data for the project, and assisted in achieving the project’s high ESD, particularly in regard to identification and safe removal of hazardous materials.
Abscan operate at the forefront of building forensics, and use leading-edge technology in preparing building reports and audits of built assets and project sites. The company also provides Toxic Mould assessments for residential and commercial structures, with laboratory testing available for mould samples. Their expertise is also invaluable when things go wrong, as they can prepare Expert Witness Reports for court proceedings when a building dispute arises.
“We provided air monitoring for asbestos fibres, and consultancy services when the subcontractors were removing both the friable and bonded asbestos,” said Abscan Director, Stephen Malcolm.
Abscan has many decades of construction industry experience informing their approach to their survey work, and are committed to continually enhancing their skills and the level of service they can provide.
“Our team spent 18 months on the project from early works stage through to near completion. One of our initial tasks was undertaking dilapidation surveys, and identifying areas for demolition. We also undertook 1.1km of footpath survey around the perimeter using ground penetrating radar to identify cables, pipes, drains, sewer, water, and, for Optus, the optic fibre cable locations. The radar not only identifies location, it also pinpoints the exact depth of the services and cables.
“The services we provided to Laing O’Rourke on Stocklands Townsville are a good example of the wide range of technologically enhanced audits and assessments that our company can undertake. These types of high-end, technically driven auditing procedures are becoming more commonplace in the building and construction industry, and Abscan’s methods are at the leading-edge in this area of consultancy expertise,” said Stephen.
“Our service brings together all the existing information, including DIG data, and then ground truths it. We also prepare the Management plans and other relevant documentation, and provide hygienist and supervisory services.
For more information contact Abscan Building Consultants, PO Box 184 Belgian Gardens, QLD 4810, phone 07 4721 5244, fax 07 4721 4607, email: admin@abscan.com.au
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guiding projects towards the green stars
Forward-thinking retail developments pursue Green Star goals. For a project like Stockland Townsville, the key to success is the best possible coach. Viridis E3 specialise in assisting projects in achieving cost-effective environmentally sustainable development outcomes. With their extensive track record on leading Green Star projects around Australia, and in-depth knowledge of the green retail sector, Viridis E3 assisted the Contractor, Laing O’Rourke throughout the design, construction and commissioning stages. Stockland Townsville was awarded a 4 Star Green Star Retail Design v1 rating in June 2011 and is targeting a 4 star Green Star Retail As-Built v1 rating. Viridis E3 provided Laing O’Rourke with ESD and Green Star strategic advice, mentored the project’s Green Star Accredited Professional (GSAP) and provided expert peer reviews of the Design and As-Built Green Star submissions to the GBCA. “Viridis E3 staff have extensive expertise in assessing Green Star Submissions for the GBCA. It is our policy to be very rigorous in our review process, and we believe that this approach allows project teams to address all possible issues that may be raised by the GBCA Assessor(s) in the formal Assessment, thus greatly reducing the risk involved with each credit,” said Viridis E3 Project Director and Technical Advisor, Jonathan Dalton. “Viridis E3 work closely with the design team and construction teams to ensure that all Green Star items are addressed appropriately to maximise the points for certification. Using our specialist document tracking system we provide accurate reports of points being targeted and where points are at risk.” The company also undertook subcontractor Green Star inductions, introducing subcontractors to the requirements of Green Star projects and documentation, and providing templates and examples. Some of the specific ESD aspects of the Stockland Townsville Project include an 80% reduction WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
of demolition and construction waste to landfill; 31% reduction in water consumption; improved indoor environment; efficient HVAC systems; and independent commissioning of the building systems to improve operational efficiency and minimise losses. Viridis E3 provide an extensive range of services to assist projects in achieving best possible quality and ESD outcomes. The Viridis E3 consultancy team includes specialist staff, who provide a range of project and business development, training and research as well as technical engineering and environmental advisory services. Viridis E3 won the ‘ACT Telstra Business Award 2010 – Innovation’, and Rory Eames also won the 2011 ACT Future Leader Award. Key projects Viridis E3 have assisted include Orion Springfield Town Centre – Stage 1 (Mirvac QLD) – the first Australian retail centre to receive a Six Star Green Star rating; Santos Place, Brisbane – 6 star Green Star Office As-Built rating; HQ, Leighton Contractors HQ, Brisbane – 6 star Green Star Interiors rating; Sirius Building, ACT – As-Built 6 Star Green Star rating; Trevor Pearcey House, ACT – the new head office for Australian Ethical Investment and the first 6 star “World Leader” Green Star rated building in the ACT; and 8 Brindabella Circuit, ACT – the first 5 star “Australian Excellence” Green Star building in Australia. For more information contact Viridis E3, contact Jonathan Dalton, Brisbane Office: L1, 16-20 Walsh St Milton QLD 4064, phone 07 3369 5009. Contact Kristie Martin, Canberra Office: L2, City Walk Centre 2 Mort St Civic ACT 2601, phone 02 6285 2388. Contact Warren Overton, Melbourne Office: 3 Lileura Ave Beaumaris VIC 3193, phone 03 9938 7711. Contact Rory Eames, Sydney Office: Suite 304, 147 Kings St Sydney NSW 2016, phone 02 8064 9965 QLD PROJECT FEATURE STOCKLAND TOWNSVILLE 193
an excellent approach to precast Producing excellence in precast concrete is only part of what makes XL Precast a leader in their field, engineering ingenuity also comes into play, resolving multiple challenges on projects such as Stockland Townsville. XL Precast (XLP) manufactured and installed all the precast wall panels and floor panels for the retail centre, producing over 200 wall panels in three months at their 3,000m2 manufacturing facility. The panels for the Myer store required a special formliner in the distinctive corporate style. XLP uses innovative techniques to achieve a high quality finish, with panels cast on polished steel beds and magnets used so as to not affect the finished face of the panels. This results in time savings, and with any finishing completed at the precast yard, usual site works are significantly reduced. Innovation also made for more efficient delivery, as XLP’s director has designed a custom-built loader for the panels which is the only of its kind in Australia, allowing for the manufacture and delivery of larger than normal panels, and cutting the number of delivery trucks going to site. Installation of the panels at Stockland Townsville was periodically staged over six months, achieving a safe and timely completion. The ability to meet the constantly changing site requirements became a strong benefit for precast.
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“XL Precast was specifically selected for this project for the high quality of panels we produce, having previously completed Stocklands Northshore project,” said XL Precast Project Coordinator, Michael Pappalardo. “We are members of the GBCA, National Code Compliant, and our Brisbane facility is also DMR accredited. We can produce any specialty panel, and have our own precast flooring system for suspended slabs. XL Precast have grown rapidly, expanding into Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. We also in 2011 commenced casting at our new operation in Uruguay, South America.” Other major projects XLP are contributing to include the AIMS Chiller Building for Baulderstone; Lavarack Barracks WONCO Accommodation Buildings for Watpac; 7kms of tunnel panels for the Thiess John Holland JV Airport Link tunnel; and LEAP2 accommodation in Perth for Department of Defence. With over 35 skilled employees, management with decades of experience in precast concrete construction, plus ample, well-equipped manufacturing facilities, XLP can ensure the highest quality results for every project they undertake. XL Precast are constantly striving to excel. For more information contact XL Precast Pty Ltd, 80 Shaw Road Shaw QLD 4818, 45 Eaglefarm Road Pinkenba QLD, phone 07 4774 5442, email: admin@xlprecast.com, website: www.xlprecast.com
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INNOVATIVE THINKING DELIVERS RESULTS For Stockland Townsville, Plumbing Design & Drafting (PDD) had to synthesise the project’s past, present and future into an integrated design which meets the requirements of project’s Four Star Green Star design rating. The PDD design included over a hundred water meters for cold water, rain water and hot water throughout the centre, including each retail tenancy, plus a smart metering system and leak detection software. There is 30,000 litres capacity of trade waste treatment over six devices, three pump stations, four gross pollutant traps and thousands of metres of piping for water, sewer, stormwater, downpipes, syfonic rain water, fire and gas services. There is a 40,000 litre rain water storage tank, with the water reused for toilet flushing and washdown, and heatpumps generating hot water for the amenities. Syfonic rain water collection systems have been used extensively, to minimise the impact of the large roof catchments on the Major retailers, by diverting the rainwater. “The project was particularly challenging due to the existing infrastructure connections. Since initially being built in the sixties, each subsequent expansion made new separate connections to the council infrastructure,” said Plumbing Design & Drafting Director, Mark Laverick.
systems and replacement of inferior product. With the increased height of the building a fire pump was also required. Sewer, Stormwater, Cold Water and Gas services were equally challenging.” PDD provide services for projects from small tenancies to complex major projects exceeding $200 million across sectors including Retail, Education, Commercial, Residential, Industrial, and Aged Care. They have provided their expertise to numerous Stockland projects, including Stockland Rockhampton, Stockland Northshore (Townsville), Stockland Earlville Cairns and Stockland Hervey Bay. “We have set a benchmark of personalised service and ongoing attention to client needs, and have an unrivalled reputation for creating outstanding hydraulic solutions while managing major design projects to tight programmes and budgets,” said Mark. “In this ever changing world it is important for staff to maintain a sound knowledge of design principals, product information, manufacture and design and regulatory frameworks. We do this by regularly attending industry meetings, Conferences, manufacturing plants and expos both in Australia and overseas.”
“For example there were four separate fire service connections and associated boosters on the site, each serving a dedicated section of the centre. If there was a fire, the brigade had no idea which booster assembly to set up at, as in some instances hydrants on either side of the mall were boosted from different systems, so the overall fire system had to be addressed.
Collectively, the PDD team have over 30 years of onsite construction expertise, over 30 years of design experience and over 50 years drafting experience. All PDD Design Consulting Engineers have a Diploma of Engineering (Construction Hydraulics), and the company is licensed with the BSA (Qld), and a full member of the Association of Hydraulic Services Consultants Australia (Qld Inc)(AHSCA), American Society of Plumbing Engineers – Los Angeles Chapter (ASPE), and Fire Protection Association of Australia (FPAA).
“Furthermore as the project had nine separable portions each with its own completion date, each portion had to have an operational and compliant fire service. This resulted in significant temporary works, interconnections with
For more information contact Plumbing Design & Drafting, phone 07 5437 7660, email: mail@pdd.net.au, website: www.plumbingdesignanddrafting.com.au
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Experienced at delivering innovation Great projects need excellent ideas, like those of DMA Professional Engineers. Their engineering services team made a major contribution to Stockland Townsville’s Green Star rating, by providing ESD services from early design stages through to completion, in addition to designing the mechanical services and vertical transportation services. DMA’s scope included the Design Development for the Development Application, design documentation relating to Green Star Rating requirements, functional and performance specification for Services and plant, including spatial requirements, and all other critical Services design and interface parameters. They also provided cost planning, inspections during and post-construction, and compliance certification.
challenge was achieving this replacement of equipment while keep the centre’s air conditioning operational throughout. “DMA is proud to have been involved in another superior Stockland shopping centre project. In particular, we are pleased to have been involved with the Stockland and Laing O’Rourke teams that worked so hard to achieve success,” said DMA Professional Engineers Director, Allen Potgieter. DMA is currently at work on a range of projects including the Townsville Hospital Redevelopment; New Children’s Hospital Perth as the State’s Advisor for Electrical Engineering Service; Stockland Hervey Bay Shopping Centre; and Indooroopilly Shopping Centre Redevelopment.
As part of their design, all existing air conditioning plant was changed over to chilled water and energy efficiency improved. The corresponding
/ 290 Boundary Street, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000, phone 07 3839 3050, fax 07 3832 5772, website: www.dmaengineers.com.au
For more information contact DMA Professional Engineers, Suite 6
FIRE engineering for safer spaces Fire Check Consultants (FCC) used their expertise in fire safety systems to ensure the redevelopment of Stockland Townsville resulted in a Code Compliant, safer retail centre. FCC also provided engineered smoke management systems, and developed a fire engineering plan for the staged handover of works which ensured everyone’s safety during construction. Their analysis involved an expert and scientific approach to fire phenomena and occupant safety risks. FCC specialise in performance based fire engineered solutions which address Building Code Non-Compliances, fire protection engineering, fire safety audits, resolving unwanted alarm issues and creating asset registers for your building’s fire safety systems.
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The company was established in 1999, and now services clients across Queensland, with other recent major projects including Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Cairns International and domestic airports, Westfield Carindale and Northlakes shopping centres, Indooroopilly Shopping centre and Eclipse Apartments. Through their understanding of fire and the use of state-of-the-art computer modeling FCC can deliver innovative and cost effective fire engineering solutions for your project. For more information contact Fire Check Consultants, Head office: Phone 07 3205 2370, Sunshine Coast, Phone 07 5327 1157, Website: www.firecheck.com.au, Email: reception@firecheck.com.au
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Stockland Townsville, QLD
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next generation healthcare on the northside
The Prince Charles Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department Upgrade project involves the demolition of the existing Education Centre to make way for the construction of a new Paediatric Emergency Department. main construction company : Baulderstone client : Queensland Health location : Chermside, Queensland TYPE OF CONTRACT: Managing Contractor - Document and Construct project end value : $39.3 Million Completion : November 2012
The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) on Brisbane’s Northside is one of only four hospitals in Australia which provides heartlung transplants, and is at the forefront of cardio and pulmonary research and treatment. Baulderstone (Qld) are also leaders in their field, and as managing contractors for the $39.3M expansion of TPCH facilities to include family-centred paediatric care, have delivered a world-class result which provides multiple benefits for the health service, patients, staff and their families. The project scope included constructing a dedicated adult and paediatric triage, waiting area, 12 treatment bays, 20 multi-day/short stay beds, outpatient department consulting rooms, clinical administration and a new 24hour medical imaging facility. These are housed in a new three storey building constructed from prefinished CFC cladding, with a distinctive facade feature of coloured alpolic around the window pods. Other works included the building of a new education facility, renovation of the current
ED medical imaging, expansion of short term parking, refurbishment of the existing Building 14’s final layout and associated external works. A team of 12 Baulderstone QLD staff and 11 separate subcontractors worked on the project, which was completed on time, and with an unblemished safety record. A key hurdle overcome by the Baulderstone team was extending an existing building, while also modifying services to maintain operational effectiveness. Part of the solution involved the staging, and maintaining ongoing communication with stakeholders and TPCH staff. The Triage department was decanted into a temporary triage building constructed during stage one, so the existing triage could be demolished, and replaced by the new Paediatric Emergency Department, built as part of stage two along with the education facility. Stage three comprised the completion of refurbishment of the existing adult Emergency Department.
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The external works included an external 16 car park for the Emergency Department, plus nine car spaces and four motorcycle parking bays for the education area. Underground works were also required, with a sewer diversion to First Avenue constructed. “As First Avenue is the main thoroughfare for the emergency vehicles to access the Emergency Department, an extensive amount of communication and traffic management was required to manage this portion of the works,” said Baulderstone Project Manager, Stephen Orazio. “The new Triage was constructed in the same location as the ambulance parking bays, which were already deficient for space. Modifications were made to signage and public way-finding through the hospital precinct, to ensure that the Triage department could be easily located.” To make way for the new building, the existing diesel storage tanks and filler points required relocation, and existing stormwater, water and AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
building. This close proximity meant that construction vehicles would be sharing the same route to site as the emergency services vehicles. The pathway to site was modified to ensure heavy/ slow construction vehicles entered the hospital grounds through a different entry, to ensure no interference with the emergency vehicles. “Working within any live facility is difficult. It is especially difficult to work with a 24hr, 7 days per week emergency department. The construction works to be undertaken were located directly opposite and adjacent patients in critical conditions.
electrical supplies were modified. Ground penetrating radar and vacuum excavation were used during the early stages to identify existing and unknown services. Like all major projects, there were challenges, the primary one being the live hospital environment and need to maintain stringent levels of safety and precise organisation of teams, materials and the work sites. “The Paediatric Emergency department is surrounded by five adjacent buildings (Emergency, Education, Administration, Mental Health and Endoscopy). We were required to structurally connect into two of these buildings. This close proximity made construction extremely difficult with limited access to external faces of the building. The project could only be accessed through the main front entry forcing the project to be constructed from the rear of the site to the front,” said Stephen. “The project was also designed to be connected directly into the Emergency Department WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“Due to the close proximity of the adjacent buildings, the Jaso 300 crane was programmed with a designated lifting radius to ensure no loads were lifted over occupied buildings. Even though the project was three storeys in height, the crane sections were installed to ensure the crane could slew over the 10 storey clinical sciences building which was opposite the site. “We also had to be extremely mindful of isolating essential services such as power, lighting, data, medical gas, mechanical ventilation, water and sewer. Baulderstone and TPCH staff underwent heavy consultation and planning to meticulously arrange services isolations, and modifications to way finding within the hospital. “We were also required to terminate and make modifications to back up diesel generators, site wide fire services ring mains, existing chilled water supply, medical gas headers and supply, IT infrastructure, main switchboards and sewer and stormwater infrastructure. This involved extensive communication and co-ordination, to ensure minimal disruption occurred.” Improving the overall energy efficiency performance of TPCH was tackled in an innovative manner. The major efficiency
measure is a design and fitout which allows for multi-use of the isolation rooms and Paediatric Ambulatory zone, which comprise a large area, with the rooms running at low energy cost in normal mode and stepping up in isolation mode. “The mechanical design of the isolation rooms and group containment areas is unique compared to typical designs in current healthcare projects. It differs from the traditional designs by taking a multi-mode solution approach,” said Stephen. “Desiccant equipment was utilised to process high quantities of fresh air in key areas, reducing the overall energy intensity of the project. HEPA filtered exhaust systems from isolation room and group containment areas were also used.” The desiccant equipment used pre-treats outside air for the education precinct, saving up to 40% of energy use compared to other systems. The equipment is also installed for all isolation areas, supplying 100% fresh air. Thermofusers (variable air flow registers) have been used throughout the new and refurbished areas, to minimise energy use and maintain comfort conditions. With more than 80 years of experience constructing essential public assets, Baulderstone have completed major hospital and health research facility projects in every mainland state of Australia. Their recent projects include the multi-award winning Robina Hospital, completed in 2012, the Macquarie University Private Hospital in Sydney, and the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (PACE) in Brisbane. They are currently undertaking the final stages of work on the Mackay Base Hospital Redevelopment, bringing to that project the same drive for innovation and excellence which has shaped success stories like TPCH. For more information contact Baulderstone Qld Pty Ltd, phone 07 3835 0555, fax 07 3832 0269
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The Prince Charles Hospital provides health services to residents living in the northern suburbs of Brisbane and specialist services to the broader Queensland and northern New South Wales population. In order to provide a world class children’s hospital for Queensland, Queensland Health together with the Northside Health Service District has committed to the development of dedicated Paediatric Emergency Department facilities and associated services at The Prince Charles Hospital. The Prince Charles Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department Upgrade project involves the demolition of the existing Education Centre to make way for the construction of a new Paediatric Emergency Department.
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The new Paediatric Emergency Department will consist of: • • • • • •
Dedicated Adult and Paediatric triage and waiting 12 treatment bays 20 multi-day/short stay beds 8 OPD consulting rooms Clinical administration New 24 hour medical imaging
Other works include: • • • • • •
New Education Centre replacing demolished facility Renovation of current ED medical imaging into tutorial spaces Ancillary alterations within existing Adult ED Expansion of short term carparking and drop off areas Refurbishment of Building 14 Associated external works including landscaping and footpaths.
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ASHBURNER FRANCIS’ innovative environment
Ashburner Francis is a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy specialising in the design of environmentally-sound and sustainable engineering solutions for buildings and urban developments for today’s world and into the future. Established in 1976 and with 55 employees, Ashburner Francis has offices in Brisbane, Townsville, Toowoomba, Darwin and Perth. The company prides itself on being flexible enough to deliver landmark projects regardless of a project being green field or brown field, and are health and age care experts. The company is currently working on the upgrade development at The Prince Charles Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department in Brisbane. The upgrade involves the demolition of the existing Education Centre to make way for the construction of a new pediatric emergency department. Other works include a new clinical administration, 12 treatment bays, 8 OPD consulting rooms, 24 hour medical imaging plus much more refurbishment and expansion work. Ashburner Francis’ involvement in the project included designing the air conditioning, ventilation systems, smoke hazard management systems, wet sprinkler protection systems and electrical/data/security throughout the new building extension. In addition, the AF team made changes to the existing building’s systems to ‘dove tail’ into the new extension seamlessly. Peter Logovik, senior mechanical engineer at Ashburner Francis personally developed the mechanical design for much of the project, and oversaw the construction phases. “I developed user-friendly isolation rooms and specialist containment area (for groups of infectious patients),” says Logovik, “and I modified the generator room cooling system to allow existing power generation systems to remain operational.” “The mechanical design of the isolation rooms and group containment areas is unique compared to typical designs in current healthcare projects. It differs from the traditional designs by taking a multi-mode solution approach.” To this end desiccant equipment was utilised to process high quantities of fresh air in key areas, reducing the overall energy intensity of the project. HEPA filtered exhaust systems from isolation rooms and group containment areas were also used. A challenge overcome by the AF team was extending an existing building where its services needed to be modified to maintain operational effectiveness. The building services engineering consultancy is also currently working on projects including Coles Shopping Centre developments throughout Queensland and Griffith University new Business School building on the Gold Coast. For more information contact Ashburner Francis, 977 Stanley Street East East Brsibane QLD 4169, phone 07 3510 8888, website: www.ashburnerfrancis.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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from little sites big achievements can grow The Midtown Apartments comprises a 28-storey mixed use development located in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD.
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main construction company : Hutchinson Builders client : Yanjian Group Architect : Hutchinson Builders Structural Engineer: Alliance Design Group Completion : October 2012
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were coordinated in such a way that one floor’s finishing and fitout was completed every week. On the lower levels, the building façade from ground floor to mezzanine level 4 is alpolic panel with G.James windows, bringing a distinctive aesthetic element to the urban streetscape. The demolition of the existing substation commenced in December 2010, and the final completion was achieved in October 2012.
Working on an extremely tight site in the Brisbane CBD added an extra dimension of challenge to the Midtown Apartments project for Hutchinson Builders, but their combination of innovativeness and a century of experience in the area ensured the job was completed in fine form. The Midtown Apartments comprises 144 units, all with balconies, spread over 23 levels. There are also four levels of mezzanine carparks totalling 86 spaces; a podium level with pool, BBQ area, gymnasium and recreation area for residents; a basement level retail area, ground floor including entry lobby and lifts, and a double height retail area from Mezzanine 1 to Mezzanine 2 at the front of the building. There is a separate lift linking the basement and mezzanine level 1 retail areas. The apartment complex has been constructed on the site of a four-level substation building, which required careful demolition before construction could commence. “The building site is surrounded by CBD office and Heritage buildings and had on it an existing building built in the 1970s for an Energex substation, which had structural steel concrete structure attached to surrounding buildings,” explained Hutchinson Builders project spokesperson, Soo Kim. “Due to this fact, demolition work was lengthy and manually hard work. A lot of works were done by hand rather than heavy machinery to reduce noise and vibration transfer to attached next buildings. “Further to this, in the aftermath of the January 2011 Brisbane flood, the substation was relocated from the basement to ground floor and podium levels, above the 100 year Qld flood level. This created a challenge to fit the Energex substation into the completed design layout. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
“Due to the location, and the size of the site (22m wide x 45m long), only one tower crane could be erected and there was limited access from the 22m wide front loading zone. So we changed the design and construction method to minimise need for carnage, and simplified construction activities. It was also challenge to fit the number of tradesmen on site, and to load materials to one level. We resolved this through precise sequencing of work, and scheduling all deliveries for 30 minute intervals from Mondays to Saturdays.” The one internal tower crane was first situated on the liftcore, which was constructed using self-climbing jump form. The crane tower was removed when the lift core was completed, and moved to the firestair core roof, with the car situated on beams spanning between the lift and staircore. This relocation allowed OTIS to complete the lift, while still providing carnage for the project. In all, the structure comprises four self-climbing form columns, precast panel walls (some double height panels), post-tensioned slabs from the ground floor to podium level, and in-situ concrete slabs for floors L1 to L24, with one level achieved every week of the structural construction program. The typical concrete slab strength was increased, to allow props to be removed two levels below more quickly, so the finishing trades could more quickly start work on the fitout. The fitout included aluminium glass windows, painted plasterboard walls and ceilings, carpeting through living and bedroom areas, tiled floors to kitchens with acoustic underlay, and high-end touches such as engineered stonetop to bathroom vanities and kitchen counters, and melamine finish kitchen joinery. Again, the trades
High energy and water-efficiency has been achieved, with the energy efficiency report confirming all the units achieve at least a 4 star energy rating, and the entire building a 6.5 star energy efficiency rating. All the sanitaryware throughout is rated at minimum WELS 4 star, and rainwater harvesting will be used to supply irrigation, with an 11KL rainwater storage tank located under the podium. Eleven Hutchinson Builders staff worked on staff, including site manager, structural foreman, safety officer, labourers, traffic control, contracts administration and an apprentice. The combined peak workforce was 120 persons with subcontractors. Along with excellent construction outcomes, Hutchinson maintained an excellent safety record, with no major lost time injuries, and a successful Federal Safety Audit conducted in May 2012. This is the first Australian project for Chinese developer, Yanjian Group, who have aimed for sales both to Chinese nationals and to locals looking to live close to their work to minimise commuting and take full advantage of all the lifestyle opportunities the CBD provides. For Hutchinson Builders, it is yet another success story in their 100 year history of building commercial, residential, health, education, retail and infrastructure projects. From their original beginnings in Brisbane, the company has through hard work, skill and dedication to excellence grown into one of the nation’s largest privatelyowned construction companies, with offices from Cairns in the far north to down south as far as Melbourne, and a swag of awards including 2011 Employer of the Year.
For more information contact Hutchinson Builders, Head Office - Brisbane, Locked Bag 3002 Toowong DC Q 4006, phone 07 3335 5000, fax 07 3335 5005 email: info@ hutchinsonbuilders.com.au, website: www. hutchinsonbuilders.com.au
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NAVASKA provides the complete profile Founded in 1997, Navaska is a privately owned, local company providing Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Mechanical and Electrical Services with a strong focus on Customer Service. Navaska’s air conditioning solutions span typical commercial systems through to industrial air conditioning systems employing secondary and tertiary refrigerant systems. We install VRF, VRV, economy cycle and chilled water systems, ducted and cassette cooling systems, heat recovery / air exchange systems and absorption chillers. Hutchinson Builders commissioned Navaska to design, supply and install all air conditioning and ventilation systems for the Midtown Apartments. Midtown is the largest Mitsubishi Electric, City Multi water cooled energy-recovery system installation in Australia. The system design incorporates a City Multi heat recovery water cooled VRF system, centralised power
monitoring and billing system with a gas fired reheat system during low ambient conditions. The apartment owners have benefited from a system design that has minimised the use of refrigerants, which is delivering high COP’s with considerable savings in operating costs. Under certain conditions, the Mitsubishi Electric heat recovery systems allow the transfer of energy within the building; simultaneous heating and cooling requirements transfer the energy within the building without rejecting it to atmosphere.
successful in securing a Caltex Refinery central control building chilled water upgrade project, bread cooling tunnel expansion in Townsville and an ammonia / glycol milk chilling installation in North Queensland. Navaska provide the complete profile of support from design and construction through to comprehensive service and maintenance of plant and equipment. We would welcome your enquiry if you have a further interest in our completed projects or require assistance in new projects.
Navaska’s selection of Mitsubishi Electric, City Multi water cooled VRF equipment, has allowed for a compact installation of all common components and the use of low profile evaporators within apartments. Navaska can design, supply and install a wide range of equipment in all areas of the HVAC & R industry. Current projects include multi story air cooled VRF residential installations in Nundah and Mt Gravatt. Navaska has been
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For more information contact Navaska 68 Ives Street, Murarrie Qld 4172 (07) 3890 2633 www.navaska.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
raising the bar for safety and service Building Industry Supplies (BIS) provide the lifting solutions and skilled manpower which get a project off the ground, using skill and innovation to resolve whatever challenges arise. For the Midtown Apartments project, they supplied a Favelle M220DX luffing diesel tower crane on an internal climbing frame for 62 weeks, and two 2032 PEGA man and materials hoists set up in a twin configuration to service the entire building for 40 weeks. The biggest challenge was the need to slide the Favelle across the roof, which had not previously been done with this type of crane. BIS designed and fabricated a rail system, which was re-designed in-situ afterwards to become a grille the crane could be positioned on. “This was a good project, which provided a challenge for us with the slide,” said BIS Contracts Administration and safety Consultant, Gavin Cotterell. “We have 80 staff, including qualified and experienced operators, and our own maintenance and fabrication division with qualified boilermakers, electrical fitters and welders. “We use best practice lifting techniques, and are focused on safety, providing regular refresher training to all our staff. We were the first company to have all our crane crews trained in emergency height rescue, and all our cranes are fitted with emergency height rescue equipment.” BIS is a privately-owned company which has built a sterling reputation for quality, safety, and superior service. Their diversified operation provides tower cranes and hoists on a wet
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and dry hire basis, along with fully-qualified riggers, electrical services, and diesel fitters. BIS’ fabrication division designs and manufactures parts and specialist equipment, including building ties, crane bases, hoist car modifications, engineered lifting devices and a wide range of custom projects. BIS’ main yard in Brisbane comprises approximately 30,000m2 of concrete hard stand, wash down bays, spray painting facilities and fully equipped workshops, and the company also has satellite facilities in Melbourne, Sydney, Tweed and Gold Coasts, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Central Queensland, Townsville, Cairns, Darwin and Adelaide, servicing projects around Australia including Tasmania, and even smaller islands such as Groote Eylandt. Other projects lifted by BIS include Brisbane City Hall; the QUT GCI project, where they are lifting very intricate panels for McNab Developments; Leighton’s ABC Accommodation project at Southbank; Solomon Mine, Broadmeadow Mine; CTI Chatswood; Gladstone Central; the Ergon project in Townsville; and Docklands in Melbourne. Every assignment BIS undertakes is approached according to their Total Quality Management System, this, combined with their innovative approach to crane and hoist applications and the newest fleet in the business, ensures the highest possible standards of client satisfaction. For more information contact Building Industry Supplies, Head Office Locked Bag 3002 Toowong QLD 4066, phone 07 3382 7171, fax 07 3382 7575, website: http://www.buildingsupplies.com.au
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Excellence in a box Being an efficient and experienced Australian manufacturer means Mailmaster can custom design, manufacture and install exactly what a project like the Midtown Apartments requires in less time than it takes to send a parcel from China to Brisbane. In fact, for this project, due to the limited window of opportunity the company had to access the mailroom to take measurements, they delivered within a fortnight. They designed a mailbox cluster of 152 boxes, based on a standard portrait configuration which was modified to ensure all the boxes would fit. The boxes were made entirely from natural anodised aluminium, with laser engraved identification strips and a master key locking system. Eight Mailmaster staff worked on the project, comprising sales, CAD designer, manufacturing personnel, assembly personnel and two experienced installers. “The challenge was fitting 152 mailboxes into the allocated area without compromise to the Australian Standards (AS/NZ 4253-1994),” said Mailmaster Spokesman, Mark Valentine. “These were supplied in three clusters of mailboxes; one cluster of seven mailboxes wide and seven mailboxes high, a second cluster six wide by seven high and a third cluster, eight mailboxes wide by seven high, with an additional add-on of three mailboxes centralised on the underside.
we maximise our efficiencies and buying power, without compromise to quality and detail to our product. They work closely with architects, builders, developers and project managers to design the best possible solution, and use the highest quality materials, such as austenitic stainless steel rather than the cheaper ferric product, thicker anodised extrusions, and epoxy-based powder coatings for greater UV stability. The range of designs includes stand-alone single boxes, multiple boxes, high security boxes, and door-installed mail boxes. They also design and manufacture a range of name plates, numbers, tap protectors, clotheslines and other products. The keynote with Mailmaster is that quality is stamped all over everything they do. For more information contact Mailmaster Letterboxes, phone 1300 794 555, fax 07 3847 3188, email: mailbox@mailmaster.biz, website: www. mailmaster.biz
“We offer full design services and are a leader in supplying stainless steel solutions for mailbox bank units. We will work outside “the box” to come up with solutions to the most challenging projects. “While many projects are budget driven, and the ingress of imported product is on the rise, 206 QLD PROJECT FEATURE THE MIDTOWN APARTMENTS
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EQUIPMENT AND EXPERTISE TO GET JOBS DONE For major projects, a reliable and cost-effective supply of extra plant and skilled operators at crucial stages of the program is often essential. When Midtown Apartments needed assistance with civil works on the site, they called on G&H Plant Hire. G&H provided machinery on both a wet hire and dry hire basis, with ten of their staff working on the project both onsite as operators and offsite in support and servicing roles. In the two years they have been in operation, G&H have rapidly built a sustainable base for their business, contributing to some of the Sunshine State’s largest construction undertakings, including the Bruce Highway Upgrade, the Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast Light Rail and Drayton Shopping Centre. Plant and equipment the company has to offer projects on both a wet and dry hire basis includes tracked excavators, wheeled excavators, dump trucks, back hoes, bobcats, loaders, trucks and water trucks. All of this fleet is scrupulously maintained to ensure that what gets hired to
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do the job, can complete it reliably and without preventable mechanical or technical issues. And all of their hires are backed by a 24/7 on-call repair, breakdown and support service. G&H are able to provide plant hire and operators across Queensland and New South Wales to numerous sectors and industries. Their capabilities include civil projects, bulk earthworks, site preparation, site works, contract cartage, heavy haulage, waste disposal and hard stand areas. G&H employs 50 staff, with skills and experience across the civil construction and general construction fields. Their dedication to engaging with clients to achieve program goals in a safety-conscious, time-effective manner is backed by a determination to become one of the most reliable and trusted plant hire companies in the business. For more information contact G&H Plant Hire, PO Box 461 Archerfield QLD 4108, phone 07 3630 0345, Directors: Noel Grealish and Padraig Haskins
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safety first for sarri painters The Midtown Apartments project was not only an opportunity for Sarri Painters to demonstrate the quality workmanship which is their hallmark, it was also the second project on which they followed revised work practices based on the new safety guidelines for working from swing stages. Their team of up to 20 trade-qualified painters completed both the interior and exterior painting and rendering for the 25 storey apartment development. Using swing stages for the exterior created a time management twist, with the new requirement that all loading of paint occur at ground level, rather than from balconies adjacent to the work area. All their staff underwent further training in at heights work before going on site, and completed the job using harnesses to prevent falls. Sarri Painters have built a reputation for excellence, professionalism and superior trade skill over generations, providing major projects with all aspects of painting, rendering and finishes for both new work and ongoing maintenance or rectification. From the Brisbane Supreme Courts to multi-storey residential projects like this one, they give of their best, to produce outstanding outcomes. For more information contact Sarri Painters, Unit 12 / Windsor Business Park, 104 Newmarket Road Windsor QLD 4030, phone 07 3861 1166, fax 07 3357 3155 website: www.sarripainters.com.au
Out of form. 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 Ferrari loses to Ford at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
ACROW in form since 1936. For over 75 years Acrow has been the leading scaffold and formwork supplier for the Australian construction industry.
The Acrow Value Proposition: s s s s s
)NNOVATIVE SCAFFOLD FORMWORK SOLUTIONS 0ROFESSIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS .ATIONAL .ETWORK ,OCAL EXPERTS TO UNDERSTAND YOUR NEEDS &ULL RANGE OF SCAFFOLD AND FORMWORK HARDWARE including LVL timber and ply.
For more information or to find your nearest Acrow branch, visit www.acrow.com.au or call 1300 138 362.
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The Midtown Apartments, QLD
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What’s in store? Maroochydore ‘monolith’ a new benchmark in the Homemaker sector MAROOCHYDORE HOMEMAKER CENTRE/ ADCO CONSTRUCTIONS
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Image The exterior and interior of the recently completed Maroochydore Homemaker Centre.
ADCO Constructions will add a significant project to its success story when the enormous Maroochydore Homemaker Centre is completed at the end of the year.
centre’s internal walls and outdoors, to break up the building’s long facade with varying materials and alignments for good street appeal,” said Carey.
Technical construction challenges are a specialty of the Top 100 privately-owned Australian construction company, with largescale buildings in the commercial, education, aviation and industrial sectors featuring in its list of completed jobs since establishment in 1972.
“With large quantities of all elements required for this building, small measures to achieve savings in materials or labour add up to large savings.”
Providing design and construct services to client Harvey Norman for Maroochydore means ADCO is responsible for delivering the conceptual vision for the building on time and to budget. In the planning stages this involved exploring a number of construction and engineering approaches to ensure maximum value. Project Manager, Chris Carey, Contracts Manager, Luke Broadhurst and Project Site Manager, Wayne Robertson led a team of 18 on the project, which Carey describes as ‘monolithic multi-storey’. With proportions reaching well beyond the average retail homemaker complex, ADCO’s brief was significant. When complete, the Maroochydore Centre contains approximately 75,000 square metres of covered built floor area with 38,000 of those devoted to lettable shop floor, plus 960 car parking spaces. “The building’s structure, over two levels of basement parking, is around 500 metres long,” said Carey. When the wares to be sold from the completed job are mostly large home furnishings, everything is oversized and such a scale can have a big impact on budget and design. “The potential cost compared to a typical ‘on grade’ box construction of most homemakerstyle centres needs special attention in a bulky goods project. ADCO’s response has been to simplify construction while maintaining high quality finishes where they count, like on the WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Aside from achieving economies of scale, innovations in techniques were applied, such as hydrostatic sealing of basement slabs and low-costs formworking developed on the site for its groundworks were features of the early construction phases. Otherwise, Carey says the building was generally kept as conventional as possible to ensure that all required inputs were well understood and could be delivered with maximum efficiency. One inescapable obstacle for ADCO Constructions was the unruly weather conditions that plagued Australia’s eastern coast in 2011 and early 2012, particularly during summer. A second unavoidable obstacle related to the site conditions. “A major challenge throughout the build has been the logistics of moving materials by our daily subcontractor workforce of approximately 200, as the building occupies nearly the entire footprint of the site,” said Carey. ADCO Constructions has 350 staff at offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Townsville, Cairns and Newcastle. Clients include Woolworths, Bunnings, AMP, Dexus, QIC, Uniting Church, State and Federal Government, for which the company is accredited to Best Practice. ADCO has the resources to service our Client’s projects regardless of size or complexity.
For more information contact ADCO Construction, offices can be found at www. adcoconstruct.com.au.
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Image The design at Maroochydore includes high standard materials and finishes which were chosen to present this project as a prestigious retail destination.
Since its founding in 1968, Leffler Simes Architects has amassed a portfolio of major retail and commercial designs of increasingly impressive proportions. One such current project is the Maroochydore Homemaker Centre in Queensland, which was recently completed and opened in November, 2012. Appointed by retail giant Harvey Norman during the past 17 years to more than 160 of its Australian and international projects, Leffler Simes’ role at Maroochydore spanned the responsibility of concept, development design, construction documentation and site attendance. If one of the goals of ‘destination retail’ is to provide visitors with a memorable shopping experience, the Maroochydore Homemaker Centre satisfies that criteria by its enormous proportions, if not the centre’s actual retail mix and facilities. An immediate perspective of the dimensions of the Maroochydore project is provided by Leffler Simes Architects Associate Director, Ian McNutt’s local connotations, “as a reference in scale, the length of the internal ground floor arcade would accommodate two rugby fields end for end, with room to spare, and is about the same length as the 18th hole (par 4) at the adjacent Horton Park Golf Course,” he said. The grand statistics of the Maroochydore Homemaker Centre demonstrate the value of specialist expertise by a practice servicing the major construction sector as well as the importance of a trusted client partnership during the process. The building itself occupies a five-hectare site near the Sunshine motorway and gateway to the Maroochydore CBD. Its lettable floor space comprises more than 32,000 square metres of bulky goods retail tenancies, commercial office space, cafes and a gymnasium. There is undercroft parking for more than 900 cars. For each of its Harvey Norman projects, Leffler Simes Architects works in close collaboration with the company’s directors and internal property team. A wholistic approach is taken to designing and building
the client’s new stores as well as retail space for its tenants sharing the drawcard role of these large retail-commercial complexes. Leffler Simes Director, Stephen Evans, took the Maroochydore Homemaker Centre building from concept sketch to final design approval, with the assistance of Ian McNutt and a team of architects and interior designers. Several opportunities for energy-conservation were incorporated to the premises in line with the client’s desires and the local tropical climate. “The Maroochydore Homemaker Centre features sustainable building concepts such as energy-efficient air conditioning and lighting systems, rainwater harvesting and solar shading,” said Evans. A recent project of similar purpose and proportion completed by Leffler Simes is the Springvale Homemaker Centre in Melbourne. This joint-venture development by Harvey Norman and IKEA enabled the practice to secure a professional partnership with another iconic retailer during the process of integrating the company’s Swedish head office requirements to the Australian project. As a result of the Springvale success, IKEA appointed Leffler Simes to design its Australian flagship store at Tempe in NSW, which opened in December 2011 as the company’s largest in the southern hemisphere. Leffler Simes Architects is currently managing projects to a value in excess of $400 million. They have a long history in retail architecture and continue to work with most of the major retailers in Australia. The practice has diversified and has been engaged by private and corporate clients to include many commercial, industrial, health and leisure developments along with some multi-level residential developments. Seventy permanent staff are employed at offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, working on Australian, New Zealand and, recently, European projects. Increasing demand for Leffler Simes’ services has led to plans for expansion in the near future. For more information contact Leffler Simes Architects, 7 Young Street Neutral Bay NSW 2089, phone 02 9909 3344, website www. lefflersimes.com.au
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Maroochydore Homemaker Centre, QLD
SPARE FULL
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Image SPP provided all the hydraulic and wet fire services design for the Harvey Norman development.
Hydraulic and fire protection services provider, SPP Group, was one of many Australian partners involved in construction of the enormous $110m bulky goods centre developed by retailer Harvey Norman at Maroochydore in Queensland. SPP Group’s hydraulic and wet fire services design for the Harvey Norman development at Maroochydore Boulevard involved providing substantial infrastructure to the site, including sanitary plumbing and drainage, potable and non-potable cold water supply, hot water supply and generation plant, harvested roof water and associated plant, fire hydrants, hose reels, sprinklers, fire storage tanks, booster pumps and roof water drainage to the civil interface. “It has been a pleasure to work through the construction with professionals like Adco Constructions” says Phil Lucas, SPP Group principal. “SPP Group is pleased to have been associated with Adco Constructions’ design and project teams at Maroochydore and we congratulate them on its successful completion and the spirit of partnering in that achievement,” he added. The company’s long history in major projects since its establishment in 1978 equipped SPP Group for the significant challenges presented by the five-hectare construction site, which has a 500 metre frontage. “There were extended distances throughout the site. One of the key operations was the need to gravitate sanitary drainage from the eastern alignment to the local authority connection points at the west,” said Lucas. “As well there were concerns about the reactivity of the ground substrate and impacts of materials striking acid sulphate soils. To resolve this, sewage pump stations have been used to lift the effluent to an upper basement level and transfer it from there across to the local authority connections.” Technical solutions WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
were incorporated for other water services, using available resources to provide long-term sustainability. “Given the development’s extensive roof area, it was ideal to be used for a syphonic system that reduced the pipe size that would otherwise have been imposed by a conventional gravity method. Roofwater is harvested to tanks in the basement and in the property’s landscaped area,” said Lucas. Diverting rainwater for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation meets the requirements of the Queensland Development Code. The harvesting plant has an automatic changeover facility to switch supply from roofwater to townwater when circumstances require, with the combined tanks’ capacity of 256,000 litres. “Reduced power consumption was addressed by supplying each tenancy with hot water with sub-meters for individual billing. Each tenant also has its own instantaneous electric hot water unit, which reduces energy wasted from standby losses in a central system, because only the water used is heated,” said Lucas. Comprehensive fire protection facilities comprised the remainder of SPP Group’s contributions to the project via an extensive network of hydrant flow, sprinkler, tanks and pumps throughout the property. SPP Group has supplied services to every construction sector during its long history and cites innovation in providing solutions beyond the traditional as a key reason for its success as the company approaches its fourth decade. SPP Group has five capital city offices around Australia and three in regional Queensland. For more information contact SPP Group, phone 07 3846 3077, website www.sppgroup.com.au QLD PROJECT FEATURE MAROOCHYDORE HOMEMAKER CENTRE 215
CONSTRUCTING THE FUTURE OF INNOVATIVE THINKING AT QUT Managing Contractor : Leighton Contractors Project Manager : Thinc Projects Project end Value : $230 Million Completion : November 2012 Structural and Civil Engineers : Aurecon Australia Pty Ltd
Higher learning and research is all about innovative thinking, and that’s also been the key to the project management, design and construction task for the QUT Science and Engineering Centre (SEC). And to achieve the project with all its challenges, the talents of Thinc Projects and Leighton Contractors combined to deliver one of the Nation’s first Five Star Green Star Education V1 university buildings in a manner which will inspire both students and researchers for many years to come. Thinc’s role was that of Project Manager, with overall responsibility for delivery, and Leighton Contractors undertook the Managing Contractor contract. Together they worked with the various stakeholders, including the staff and
students, creating a culture of teamwork which had multiple benefits for the project. Working closely with QUT, Thinc took a multifaceted approach to adding value to the project. “Firstly, our skills in complex stakeholder management meant the diverse community of users and stakeholders within the university were able to provide detailed input into the developing design to ensure the universities functional requirements were achieved,” said Thinc Projects Director, Robin Sweasey. “Secondly, our strategic procurement advisory skills enabled us to assess the potential procurement forms for their suitability and determine which form best delivered the requirements of the Client.
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“Third, our culture of rigorously managing our projects in a collaborative and cooperative manner, whilst focusing on clear obligations and accountabilities, meant the right culture of high performance within the team was created. “The entire project has been about innovation in the teaching and research activities within the University. Certainly the procurement form was a key aspect of this and the collaborative manner in which it was implemented. The inherent design of the spaces within the facility has also driven innovation in the way the occupants will work and interact. The collaborative spaces will transform the way the university community interact with each other – and this includes students, academics and industry partners through teaching and research activities.” AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
a 1,300sqm gym. Other facilities will include a student bar, food court, bike centre, state of the art lecture theatres, laboratory and project spaces and bookstore. One of the unique features of the SEC is ‘The Cube’, an openplan space over two levels in the main public area with a bank of fully interactive screens that showcase innovative technologies, and a Microsoft area, which allows sample use of the company’s most recent products. SEC has been designed as a ‘living building’, and as an education tool which showcases the innovative and sustainable engineering techniques used in its construction, commented Leighton Contractors Project Manager, Stephen Jenkins. “This is evident in the absence of ceilings to enable students and other building users to see how the building operates, along with interactive and visually dynamic plant rooms and other building services systems throughout the centre,” he said. Sustainability initiatives incorporated into the project include extensive roof mounted solar capture, with 198kw of photovoltaic cells. The SEC also has a 838KW tri-generation plant, which not only powers the building but also exports power back into the QUT microgrid and uses the waste heat to cool the building through absorption chillers. Water efficiency measures include 236KL water storage harvesting from the roof area and air handling unit (AHU) condensate; and reticulation of grey water from showers and basins for flushing toilets and urinals.
The SEC comprises two multi-level buildings known as P and Y block constructed of concrete and curtain wall facade, linked by shaded and open green space. P Block contains 10 levels including two levels of basement car parking, one level of retail space, two levels of teaching and learning and three levels of research in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as project and laboratory spaces. Y Block contains retail, student support services, three levels of research space and a 200 seat function room on Level 10. The common podium area connecting the two buildings will help form the new campus heart. Beneath the podium area is a 50 metre FINA-approved pool, as well as WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
To ensure optimum delivery of outside air, and help keep everyone’s minds fresh, sensors throughout the buildings provide response monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2) and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) levels. Additionally, all interior finishes were selected to minimise VOC levels. Challenges abounded, not least the Brisbane floods of January 2011. From the start, logistics were tricky when it came to protecting public safety, with the Gardens Point Campus a major gateway between the CBD and South Brisbane via the Goodwill Bridge, and the area’s estimated foot traffic up to 60,000 persons per week. Eleven Thinc staff were involved in the project, including the Senior Project Manager, Project Managers, Design Manager and Stakeholder Manager and Programmers. “When working with an informed Client, a project such as this required diverse skillsets at different stages. A key feature of Thinc is that this diversity exists within our project teams and wider pool of Project Management professionals so that we are able to meet the needs of complex projects
such as the SEC,” said Robin. “You can have all the management process under the sun. But unless the project operates in a collaborative environment with highly skilled and committed individuals making up the team, in which every party and individual genuinely cooperates with each other in good faith within their obligations, you’re going to struggle to effectively deliver. On this project, the Client sponsored this approach from the outset and the team members aligned themselves to it despite some extremely challenging circumstances along the way. “This is ultimately what Thinc is about – delivering the most challenging projects by creating high performance teams in which individuals work collaboratively with each other to deliver on behalf of our Clients. The QUT Science and Engineering Centre is the embodiment of this and we are proud to have played our part in its delivery.” Leighton Contractors had up to 60 staff working on the project at various times, with 42 separate trade contractors, giving a peak daily workforce of approximately 320. QUT and Leighton Contractors saw an opportunity very early in the construction phase for a hands-on educational experience for hundreds of students, through the ‘Learning with Leighton Contractors’ initiative. Opportunities for real-world experience were provided throughout the design and construction phases, and Leighton Contractors developed a lecture series in conjunction with QUT, where experts from their project team explored subjects including engineering, safety, environment and project management. “Leighton Contractors is very proud to be delivering this significant project for QUT. Our company places significant effort into innovation and researching the latest building technology, which has resulted in many of the buildings we construct gaining 5 Star or 6 Star Green Star ratings from the Green Building Council of Australia. We have taken these learnings from other projects to ensure QUT’s Science and Engineering Centre is a model for sustainability into the future, as well as being a focus for local community life,” said Stephen.
For more information contact Leighton Contractors, phone 07 3215 4600, website www. leightoncontractors.com.au For more information contact Thinc Projects, phone 07 3221 8425, website www.thinc. com.au
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Mechanical, Fire, Hydraulic, Tri-Generation & Energy Modelling Consultants Commencement Date : June 2010 Completion Date : December 2012 Client : Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd Architect : Donovan Hill & Wilson Architects in Association Builder : Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd Capital Value : $230 million Building Owner: Queensland University of Technology
The development of the QUT Science and Technology precinct will deliver a state-of-the-art educational facility to one of Queensland’s leading universities. Consisting of two towers of 23,000m2 useable floor area, the building will provide: • research and teaching facilities • multi-purpose laboratories and lecture theatres 218 QLD PROJECT FEATURE QUT SCIENCE & Engineering Centre
• • • • •
workshops and practical teaching areas collaborative student zones indoor 50m swimming pool & gymnasium café & retail outlets basement car parking
Boasting a capital value of $230 million, Floth Sustainable Building Consultants was appointed by Leighton Contractors as the mechanical, fire, hydraulic, tri-generation and energy modelling consultants. The two multi-level buildings will be linked by shaded and open green space, acting as a forecourt to the restored old Government House. This project is not only to be utilised as a building for students to study in, but for students to also study its engineering and design. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
As leaders in co and tri-generation technology, Floth was required to create an energy and water efficient building, which can be researched and monitored by students and leading academics. The brief from the client was to develop a precinct that combines ‘teaching and research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), using a world leading model, creating a dynamic hub.’ Floth Project Manager, Richard Hewitt said in order to create an energy and water efficient building, Floth implemented technology which can be used for multiple purposes, cutting carbon emissions and overall running costs. Floth installed a tri-generation plant which is run by a gas powered generator, rather than electrical supply from the grid, which is a first of this capacity to be put into QUT. The incorporation of the 834kW capacity (generator rating) trigeneration plant will provide simultaneous heating and cooling for the precinct’s domestic hot water, the indoor swimming pool heating, dehumidification and air conditioning demands. As a result the WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
efficiency of the building is immediately improved due to the reuse of the inner waste heat from the generator. Students will have the opportunity to study the mechanics of the tri-generation plant in a, hands on way. This practical aspect of the learning process will complement their theoretical studies and enable students to appreciate the complexity of the technology used in the building. The buildings’ expected greenhouse gas emission reductions have been calculated at 69.3 percent, equating to a CO2 emissions reduction of 1,329,349 kg/per year when assessed under the Green Star Education V1 rating tool. Floth assisted the project team in helping the project achieve a GBCA 5 Star Green Star design rating.
For more information contact Floth, phone 07 3252 0977, fax 07 3252 2499, website www.floth.com.au QLD PROJECT FEATURE QUT SCIENCE & Engineering Centre 219
AN INTEGRATED GREEN APPROACH TO WASTE MANAGEMENT Transforming one of Brisbane’s least attractive buildings had an inevitable consequence – the creation of thousands of tonnes of mixed demolition materials, followed by waste created during the construction of the new QUT Science and Technology Precinct. Leighton Contractors relied on Transpacific Resource Recycling to deliver a clean, green and cost-effective solution for the removal and redeployment of these materials. Transpacific performed all on-site waste management from the very start of the project in 2010 and will be involved until final completion and handover, with their hook and skip team working in coordination with Transpacific’s Cleanaway business to ensure waste is dealt with in an efficient manner. “This has been an exciting project which has challenged us, and we are proud to be part of this development,” said Transpacific Resource Recycling Operations Manager, Andy Heironymus. “We have provided engineered craneable bins, which have been built to twice the Australian Standards, to ensure maximum safety and durability on projects such as QUT Sci-Tech. We have also utilised our complete remote control system for the skip trucks. “The driving force behind this initiative was to remove the driver from as much risk as possible, while maintaining constant visual contact with the surrounding environment,” he said. The major challenge for Transpacific throughout this project has been the steady flow of pedestrian traffic in close proximity, with the facility in use 220 QLD PROJECT FEATURE QUT SCIENCE & Engineering Centre
by QUT students throughout construction. As a Government-controlled University project, there are also extremely strict site rules to adhere to. Transpacific’s Resource Recycling business has been operating at the forefront of the waste industry for five years, meeting the needs of major construction contractors throughout the Brisbane Metropolitan area and surrounds. Their substantial track record includes another recent flagship Leighton project, 111 Eagle Street. Transpacific Resource Recycling has approximately 100 staff including operators, drivers, management and technical experts in OH&S and Environmental Management. They are committed to environmentally sustainable development, and are members of the Green Building Council of Australia, with all operations carried out according to the ISO 9001standard. In addition to waste removal, recycling and redeployment, the company supplies recycled aggregates from their crushing plant, and has the capability to handle contaminated soils safely and effectively. “We have a reputation for high response serviceability and professionalism. Transpacific is a one stop shop where the client can utilise our substantial experience in C&D waste management, general waste management and liquid waste removal while being at the forefront of environmental awareness and safety,” said Andy. For more information contact Transpacific Resource Recycling Ph: (07) 3723 7600 Address: 343 Bowhill Road, WILLAWONG QLD 4110 Website: www.transpacific.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
MAKING A SPLASH AT QUT Work-life balance is important for places of higher learning and research, which is why L & V Project Pools have contributed a refreshing element to the QUT Science and Technology Hub. They have constructed a 50-metre FINAapproved below ground level swimming pool for Level 2 (Ground Floor) of the project, which is also naturally illuminated by skylights to the forecourt above.
They are capable of providing the full scope of an aquatic project, from initial design consultations, through to project managing construction, installation and commissioning. Their own expert teams undertake the shell construction and installation of pool plumbing and equipment. Specialist solutions including acoustic springs or bearing pads, glass windows pose no issues for their skilled teams. Every project is given the highest level of personalised attention from start to finish.
The Aquatic Centre also has views at the Southern end to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, and is located adjacent to the gymnasium, push bike storage, showers and locker rooms. It will be operated by Healthstream, and be open for use in early 2013 by staff, students and the general public.
From small water features, or penthouse lap pools, through to the major aquatic features at Palazzo Versace Hotel and Condominiums and Sun City Resort, L & V Project Pools have built a solid reputation as a leader in the field.
For two decades L & V Project Pools have constructed more than 4,000 swimming pools.
Other recent projects include Sunland’s Q1 Project Building (over $3 million contract value); Riverstone Crossing for Stockland; Southern Cross University, Lismore for Glenzeil; and all the pools, spas and water features for ‘The Oracle’ at Broadbeach for Grocon. Their website incorporates commercial and domestic photo galleries with lists of projects undertaken, awards won and background information
L & V Project Pools excel at constructing concrete pools, spas and water features for projects across the commercial, residential, recreation and public space domains. They are committed to best practice, and were awarded National Sustainable Pool of the Year 2010 by SPASA, Queensland Pool Builder of the Year 2011, the SPASA President’s Award in 2011. They have been awarded more than 120 National & Queensland SPASA awards since 1994.
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For more information contact L & V Project Pools, phone 07 5597 4220, freecall 1300 552 465, fax 07 5597 4225, website www.lvprojectpools.com.au
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A SERVICE-FOCUSED APPROACH TO SECURITY AND SAFETY From the very start of the QUT SciTech project, Executive Security/Site Services Group (ESG-SSG) had personnel on site to keep everybody safe. Their first task for Leighton Contractors was to supply traffic management services for the extremely busy site, managing the challenge of both pedestrian and vehicular access around the area.
The management are also thoroughly experienced in both Workplace Health and Safety and Risk Management, giving their operation a leading edge. ESG-SSG has a $20,000,000.00 Public Liability policy, and full WorkCover protection, further ensuring the integrity of their clients.
ESG-SSG supplied up to ten traffic controllers and one safety vehicle daily, plus up to two security guards at night and on weekends .
Their capabilities and services include security guards, mobile patrols, alarm monitoring, canine units, traffic controllers, safety vehicles, traffic planning and permits.
Executive Security Group/Site Services Group was formed in the early 90s by industry professionals, with the aim of meeting the increasing demand of major projects for a professional, reliable solution to security and traffic management needs.
“Due to our experience in this industry, we have acquired a focused, committed and professional approach to the security and traffic control industries, and perform efficiently and effectively under the demands of a challenging job,” said Andrew.
“We are a new breed of services company - computer literate, and with a high level of customer service skills,” said ESG-SSG Managing Director, Andrew Bourke. “Our company’s combined field management team has in excess of over forty years experience in the security and traffic control industries. We believe our organisation has the infrastructure and policies required to lift our level of services above that of our competitors.”
“Security and Traffic Control are an important and integral part of any sizeable organisation, and with this in mind our management give their full personal attention to our clients and their needs. We pride ourselves on our ability to do the job quickly and quietly, and this philosophy is shown in all aspects of security and traffic control work undertaken by us.”
Ex-Service personnel comprise a large proportion of the ESG-SSG staff, and the management are hands-on, continually assessing the performance of field staff in order to provide a constantly improving level of service. 222 QLD PROJECT FEATURE QUT SCIENCE & Engineering Centre
For more information contact Executive Security Group / Site Services Group, Postal: PO Box 3362 Tingalpa Dc QLD 4173, phone 07 3901 2333 fax 07 3348 8268, mobile 0413 748 029, OPS 0402 175 968 email ops@executivesecurity.com.au, website www.executivesecurity.com.au AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
TM
Virtual World Creation Ai3D is proud to assist Leighton’s and Queensland University of Science and Technology on the QUT SCITECH project. Our company specialises in industry leading 3D and 4D graphic communication solutions from concept through design, construction and litigation. For the QUT SCITECH project, Ai3D created a fully interactive real-time model viewable from any position or angle in 3D. The data for initial construction came from various consultants’ data - hand sketch, revit and dwg information at several design iterations as the design evolved. High Resolution Renderings for Building Scaffolding printing and on-site project billboards were also commissioned. Additionally, pre-rendered animations were captured from the interactive real-time model. Ai3D are regularly invited to work with consortiums and large tender submissions as we specialise in cutting edge processes and techniques which were applied to the SCITECH project. Ai3D efficiently deals with very large real-time data sets and models that are accurate and measurable; and are navigable with game pads / or touch screens / or keyboard and mouse. The fully interactive real-time models can greatly assist the design communication processes; internal review and client briefings, particularly where there is a large client body and levels of approval. This type of product optimises the communication process. Other projects Ai3D have recently completed are the Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018 bid, several successful Train Station and significant track works tender bids in Melbourne and Queensland, Correctional Facilities around Australia, Hospital design and construction, Mining Business Cases, LNG construction methodologies and 4D construction programming simulations. Ai3D Pty Ltd's head studio is in Brisbane CBD, with a satellite studio in Melbourne CBD.
For more information contact Ai3D Head office, Metro Arts Building Level 1/109 Edward Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, phone 0415 997 911, website www.ai3d.com.au WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
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moggill constructions moves mountains at munruben The $26M Mount Lindesay Highway project involved the construction of a grade separated interchange, two new roundabouts, on and off ramps, a new school drop off zone , parking off Crowson Lane and improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians principal contractor : Moggill Constructions Pty Ltd client : Department of Transport and Main Roads Superintendent : SMEC designers : AECOM Completion : September 2012 project end value : $26 Million
224 QLD PROJECT FEATURE MOUNT LINDESAY HIGHWAY
Civil engineering contractor Moggill Constructions has completed the construction of a grade separated interchange on the Mount Lindesay Highway at Chambers Flat Road and Crowson Lane, Munruben in Queensland — Stage Two of a $244 million upgrade of the highway. The project commenced in March 2011 and was completed in September 2012, delivering vastly improved traffic flow and safety to a vital highway link. The works have included: • • • • • • • • • • •
Duplication of the Mount Lindesay Highway Construction of a four span bridge over the highway Building of service roads, roundabouts and on and off ramps Construction of pathways for cyclists and pedestrians Creation of a school bus drop-off zone Realignment of Crowson Lane and Chambers Flat Road Associated drainage including bio retention basins to filter the storm water runoff Lighting and landscaping Fauna fencing and fauna crossings to allow the safe passage for animals from one side of the highway to the other Pavement rehabilitation of the existing carriageway by insitu stabilisation Complex pavement structure detail.
A major challenge has been undertaking construction works alongside the high speed environment of the highway, which demanded complex traffic management and staging. With highway closures and night works out of the question, keeping the highway moving became a priority along with ensuring the adjacent through roads and movements on-and off the highway were accommodated without delay or inconvenience. A monitoring regime was implemented to
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assess traffic flow, allowing one lane to be kept open, even during the busiest construction periods. A partnering arrangement between Moggill Constructions, the superintendent’s representatives and the principal was the key to successfully delivering a high quality interchange with a focus on safety, the environment and positive relationships with all key stakeholders. The $26 million contract for the Department of Transport and Main Roads required significant community liaison. Moggill Constructions had a full time community liaison representative on the job as a first point of consultation to provide quick feedback to the construction team regarding the concerns of any of the local residents, road users and other stakeholders. The geology of the site presented its own difficulties. The heavy duty clearance of 20 hectares of bushland was required to uncover the subgrade materials. Large excavators with attachments such as grabs and guillotines removed the trees, roots and vegetation which were then converted to mulch which was recycled back into the landscaping of the highway, incorporating an effective and environmental on-site use of the green waste. Ross Morrison, Senior Project Engineer, comments: ‘The nature of this site with its very erodible and highly dispersive soils posed a high risk of a detrimental outcome, therefore the decision was made to commence landscape works in conjunction with the environmental protection works at an early stage to suit the local conditions. The dispersive top soils were controlled by using the green waste to landscape any disturbed areas, immediately preventing soil contaminates entering sensitive neighbouring waterways such as Norris Creek. Water samples after rain events were also taken in the waterways to ensure the environmental control measures were effective.’
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‘We encountered significantly more rock and unsuitable material than anticipated. During the earthworks process, approximately 150,000 cubic meters cut to fill was moved from the Western side to construct the embankment on the Eastern side of the Highway. The substantial increase in rock quantity was identified early during the construction and efforts were made to mitigate its effect on design and program changes.’ Drainage was a feature of the works. To cope with heavy rain and natural overland runoff, a large under-road culvert had to be built at the southern end of the project to maintain the natural flow of water downstream. The fauna fence guided into either end of the four (4) cell box culvert with fauna crossings built in, to allow the safe passage for animals from one side of the highway to the other. Over 4,000 cubic metres of concrete was used in the interchange upgrade, including in the bridge deck, piers, piles and pad footings. At the project’s peak, over 60 workers per day were on site, working to deliver the project on time for its September completion. Moggill Constructions Pty Ltd is a Brisbane-based company which has completed over 530 contracts for both the government and private sectors since 1973, maintaining a proud reputation for high construction, environmental and safety standards. The company has delivered on some of the most complex and challenging of civil engineering contracts, including structures such as bridges and tunnels, highways and subdivisions, as well as railway, mining and marine infrastructure.
For more information contact Moggill Constructions Pty Ltd, PO Box 196 Sumner Park BC QLD 4074, phone 07 3376 3655, fax 07 3376 5288, email: info@moggill.com, website: www.moggill.com
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NEILSeNS delivers for mount lindesay highway Neilsens Quality Gravels Pty Ltd commenced operations at its Brendale River Gravel and Sand site in 1976, and then followed this up with the commencement of hard rock quarries at Cryna in 1996 and Bromelton in 2008. The company’s main focus throughout this time has been the production and supply of high quality concrete aggregates and road pavement construction materials. Neilsens supplied in the vicinity of 100,000t of Road Base Materials and Drainage Aggregates to the Mount Lindesay Highway Project to the Head Contractor, Moggill Constructions Pty Ltd, over an 18 month period from its Bromelton and Cryna Quarries. In all, over 60 staff and Contractors were directly involved in the Project – from Quarry and Administration personnel to Cartage Contractors. With the Construction Industry increasing its demand for quality quarry materials, Neilsens has been an active participant, having supplied Precast Concrete aggregates for the Air Port Link Tunnels, and currently supplying similar aggregates for the Legacy Way Tunnel. In addition, Neilsens is an ongoing supplier of Road Materials to the Scenic Rim and Logan Councils. For more information contact Neilsens Quality Gravels, Sandy Creek Road Bromelton QLD, phone 07 5541 0622, PO Box 5319 Brendale QLD 4500, Contact: Kim Turner, phone 07 3205 5599, fax 07 3205 7521, email: kim@ neilsens.com.au, website: www.neilsens.com.au
226 QLD PROJECT FEATURE MOUNT LINDESAY HIGHWAY
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
fast lane to progress The upgrade of the Mount Lindesay Highway interchange at Chambers Flat Road and Crowson Lane commenced in March 2011 and was recently completed in September 2012. The upgrade involved constructing a new grade separated interchange with an overpass bridge, roundabouts on both sides of the highway, a new bus pick-up and drop-off area in Crowson Lane to service local school buses and new facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. This new interchange will not only improve safety, it will also improve traffic flow and reduce congestion along the Mount Lindesay Highway, making provision for future growth in the area. The upgrade was supervised by the contract administrators SMEC Australia on behalf of the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, with construction work being undertaken by Moggill Construction. To assist project delivery, SMEC Australia and Moggill Constructions required an innovative approach to contract administration and project management to ensure timely and on-budget delivery whilst maintaining the efficiency of this vital transport link throughout the works period. This was achieved through relationship management where the successful completion of a project is achieved by establishing and maintaining a good working relationship between Principal, the Superintendent, and the Contractor. This relationship was founded on a climate of cooperation, openness, trust and respect.
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Col Arthy, Contract Administrator for SMEC says: ‘We have had to deal with some challenging problems, resolve issues and ambiguities, and deliver solutions”. One of these challenges for this site was the need for SMEC Australia and Mogill Constructions to develop and operate a range of complex traffic management arrangements which ensured works could proceed throughout even the busiest peak periods. This need for the site to function with equal effectiveness for motorists, public transport providers, and various local stakeholder perspectives, while construction activities continue without unnecessary delay required the construction team to develop site specific processes and procedures that anticipated the impacts of construction on the community. SMEC Australia is a professional services firm with origins in the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme over 40 years ago, and has a global footprint of over 60 offices in 33 countries with over 5000 employees around the world. The successful delivery of the Mount Lindesay Highway upgrade is another demonstration of the breadth and depth of SMEC Australia’s construction services expertise and highlights the value of SMEC Northern Region in delivering vital infrastructure to the community of Queensland and Northern Territory. For more information contact SMEC Australia, Gold Coast office and Enquiries: Level 1, 7027 Southport-Nerang Rd (PO Box 953) Nerang QLD 4211, phone 07 5578 0200, fax: 07 558 0203, email: goldcoast@smec.com
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School of thought Cooper and Oxley delivers a bright future for Dongara District High School DONGARA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL / COOPER & OXLEY
228 WA PROJECT FEATURE DONGARA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
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Image The newly completed refurbishment and construction of new buildings at Dongara District High School.
Cooper and Oxley Builders have constructed a stunning new project at the Dongara District High School which has been recognised at the Rural Master Building Awards. The Western Australian School represents a milestone in the education system, which was designed and constructed with input from the Dongara community. Located 65 km from Geraldton, the new facility will service the twin towns of Dongara and Port Denison and accommodate up to 600 students. The project has been backed by a $30 million investment from the State Government’s ‘Investing in Our Schools’ program. The Department of Education’s brief for the project was to replace the existing 1970s mixture of brick classrooms and transportables with construction of a range of 16 new state-ofthe-art buildings including: • A new five-classroom early childhood block, two new-four classroom primary teaching blocks and one new-two classroom primary teaching block • An administration block with staff room and conference room • A Library and canteen • A covered assembly area that can be completely enclosed • A five-classroom secondary block with media classroom studio • A science laboratory and preparation area, with a secondary art studio • A composite woodwork and metalwork workshop • Student and staff change rooms and sports store room • A covered basketball court and covered primary playground area. The project also refurbished the existing covered assembly area and canteen which has become a sports storeroom and the existing administration block which will be converted into a student services area. A further $2.5 million was granted under the Federal Government’s Building Education Revolution which is being spent to deliver a kindergarten, pre-primary and year 1 block of five classrooms. The project has been completed in five stages. The first stage consisted of the construction of three new primary school blocks. Stage two comprised of demolition of existing blocks and construction of seven new individual blocks. These included specialist secondary school blocks, covered outdoor sports court and change rooms, library and canteen block and covered assembly area. Stage 3 was the construction of the new administration block followed by stage 4, refurbishment of the old administration building and extensive landscape and irrigation works. This included two outdoor basketball/netball courts, cricket practice nets, football and soccer ovals and outdoor play areas. Stage 5 was construction of the additional blocks for kindergarten and pre-primary. Cooper and Oxley’s expertise in project management and their dedication to meeting their client’s requirements by being flexible and delivering solutions in a tight building schedule was highlighted in the project. “As the school remained operational during the building process, a number of factors had to be considered and the safety of the teachers and students WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
was paramount with particular attention paid to fencing and bunting. We were able to overcome any obstacles with clear communication and close liaison with the school principal and Bateman Architects. External work and deliveries were scheduled out of school hours whenever possible and we also scheduled large and potentially disrupting activities and project tasks such as demolition, to coincide with school holidays or weekends” said Jayson Baillie, Project Manager. Cooper and Oxley teamed up with Perth based architects Bateman Architects. John Nichols, Design Director commented on the project “The orthogonal layout of the town centre and surrounding rural setting was the background stimulus for the strong community led planning for the school. Avenues have been created along the north-south, east-west axis and give the school a logical structure enabling visitors to navigate the school easily. This orthogonal layout also informed the landscape design with its grid engendering civic quality with structured planting and terraces overlooking the oval. The building is constructed of a series of interlocking shapes that present the opportunity for a lively and playful application of materials, from face brick to custom orb and FRC. The students produced art work which led to images that they drew to be digitally printed and incorporated into perforated screens and sections of the FRC. These elements provide additional layering and give the school a unique identity.” A sustainable approach to building design was undertaken with the buildings incorporating wide verandas, lightweight materials, controlled lighting and plumbing which will minimise running costs. The project will provide the most up-to-date teaching and learning environments and will revitalise education in Dongara and the region and give local students the opportunity to learn in quality facilities. “We are proud to be involved in delivering this brand new facility alongside our partners. We wish to thank the Dongara District High School staff, parents and children for their very positive attitude which prevailed throughout this project. We will see a well planned and sustainable modern school which will provide a fantastic learning hub for those who will attend over the years.” Commented Jayson Baillie With a distinguished history spanning over 60 years, Cooper & Oxley has progressed into a leading commercial construction company built on the foundation of teamwork, strong leadership and consistent high standards. Underpinned by experience, the consistent delivery of quality projects has earned Cooper & Oxley an enviable reputation in the commercial construction industry. The Company has a strong emphasis on safety and the environment, innovation and technology. Their aim is to provide an exceptional construction service, exceeding expectations whilst delivering quality projects on time and on budget. For more information contact Cooper & Oxley Builders Pty Ltd, 9 Bishop Street, Jolimont WA 6014, phone 08 9387 9000, fax 08 9387 9090 WA PROJECT FEATURE DONGARA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL 229
Image John Schaap Painting were responsible for the impeccable paint finishes at Dongara District High School.
John Schaap Painting, have been operating for over 42 years providing quality painting services throughout Geraldton and Western Australia. Know for their high standard of workmanship, customer satisfaction and safety they have a highly respected reputation in the construction industry. John Schaap Painting are proud to add the transformation of the Dongara District High School to their portfolio. John Schaap Painting commenced work on the state-of-the art school in July 2011. Having worked on hundreds of projects throughout Geraldton and the surrounding areas, including the painting of the iconic Sewell Complex in Geraldton, John Schaap Painting were the perfect choice to provide their painting expertise to this project.
Schaap Painting are really proud to have played a part in making the school a centrepiece in the community. John Schaap Painting are committed to using environmentally friendly products in every project they undertake. For the Dongara project Wattyl paint “Clean Air� was chosen for its echo-friendly, non-toxic, properties. Recent projects include painting of the exterior of St Francis Xavier Primary School, painting of the exterior of the University of Western Australia and a major future project is the painting of the Mungullah Power Station at Carnarvon. They are also currently working on the new Queens Park Tavern for Cooper & Oxley.
John Schaap Painting were responsible for the full interior and exterior painting of Dongara District High School which has included new primary and secondary school buildings, administration block, and repainting of the remaining buildings.
In addition to offering professional commercial and residential painting services, the highly skilled crew of 10 offer graffiti removal within 24 hours of a phone call, anti-graffiti coating and marine coating services.
All finishes were durable and aesthetically pleasing in a variety of colours specified by the architects. John Schaap Painting brought their dedication and experience together to produce smooth, outstanding results. John
For more information contact John Schaap Painting, phone 08 9964 4010, mobile 0417 947903, fax 08 9921 1332, email k9sab@bigpond.net.au
230 WA PROJECT FEATURE DONGARA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
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Image Topend Ceilings provided Dongara District High School with high quality ceiling and wall systems.
Given their reputation for a professional and reliable service, Topend were awarded the contract for the supply and installation of ceiling and wall systems at the Dongara District High School. At Dongara the ultimate function of teaching at school is highly dependent on the control of external and internal noise. Topend Ceiling Director, George Yang said “The material and finish was important to provide spaces with acceptable acoustic performance. Finishes which minimise future maintenance were also important.” With a workforce peaking at around 15 the Topend Ceiling team worked for about a year installing compressed fibre cement (CFC) façade systems, perforated plasterboard ceiling systems, coruline panel systems, Versilux eave lining systems and pre-painted VitraPanel® systems. Topend Ceilings consider health and safety to be a vital aspect of the work they perform. “The roof trusses were very high and there were numerous service units between the trusses and the ceilings. This resulted in difficulties for members of the team to physically get up to the roof and install the hanging members. We introduced the methods applied to trafficable ceiling systems, which incorporates rigid 10mm threaded rods, instead of 5mm hanging rods or 5 BMT builders angles, as supporting members to avoid any accidents. Another challenge we faced was the installation of the WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
ceilings to suite the recessed lights with a very tiny 5mm margin on each side” said George. Topend Ceilings were able to draw on their collective wisdom and experience and exercise the required care and precision to deliver cutting-edge results in both a time and cost effective manner. Topend has developed a strong working relationship with many well known building companies including Cooper & Oxley, Broad Construction and Badge. Current projects include the supply of ceiling and wall systems at the new major development at the domestic airport, Terminal WA in Perth and Aranmore Catholic College as well as projects for Rio Tinto in Karratha. Topend Ceilings specialises in the supply and installation of a range of ceilings systems, including suspended, fireproof, acoustic and perforated ceilings. Other specialities include partition walls, cladding and project management. Topend Ceilings have their own distribution centre which allows immediate access to products and timely deliveries which reduces costs to the client. This Welshpool, WA based business has been handling commercial projects successfully for many years and has gone from strength to strength through their commitment to providing a personal, reliable and professional service that is efficient and cost-effective for their customers. For more information contact Topend Ceilings, 6/8 Tomlinson Road Welshpool WA 6106, phone 08 9470 2248, website www.ceiling.net.au WA PROJECT FEATURE DONGARA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL 231
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A winning extension The new extension works took 12 months to complete and were handed over in time for Crown’s rebranding and subsequent Grand Opening. Main Construction Company : Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd Client : Burswood Nominees Limited (Crown Limited) Project end Value : $65 Million Completion : December 2012 Architects : Hassell Architects
Ask any hotelier, the hotels and resort landscape has been undergoing enormous change in recent times. This is in spite of the challenges from the Global Financial Crisis, tightening revenues and perceptions of reduced travel. The reality is that numbers worldwide are on the recovery. There are increased REVPAR and ARR related to hotel revenue and rates respectively, and the airlines are delivering better numbers and opportunities to shareholders and travellers. It is generally accepted that when the market is quieter, smart hoteliers and operators plan and build. They prepare for what they see in advance of where the market is at the current time. The greatest influence to a business is about the customer. Other major operators worldwide have been delivering high quality product to the market. These range from hotel and branded residential projects in the Middle East, to major casino and resort developments in Asia. Much of 234 WA PROJECT FEATURE BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
the latter is tailored and targeted at the increasing propensity for a growing Chinese middle class to travel and spend. We have known for some time that this was going to happen, but few Australian organisations have responded as the Crown Group has with their impressive Burswood Redevelopment. This development provides a product to attract local and overseas visitors, in direct competition to international competitors. It is a much needed fillip to the Australian economy and there should be more of it. Probuild have been building this $65m project for their client Crown. According to Probuild’s Greg Munday, “The original Scope of the Project included the new gaming floor extension, new Basement and Ground Floor entrances, Gastro Pub, Cashier, Café, Bar, Restaurant, Toilet Facilities and refurbishment of the existing gaming floor. Also included in the original Scope were the extensive landscaping package and the upgrade to the existing Colonnade”. Probuild have also shown the capacity to be flexible. They have been responsive and AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
highly communicative with their client during the project. “During the works, a number of items were added to our Scope. These included a new Entertainment Lounge, the upgrade of the facades to the Metropol and Promenade Hotels and an enhancement to the Metropol Arrival Porte Cochere”. There have been some challenges along the way, too. “Maintaining the 24 hour operations was paramount. Noisy or disruptive works were undertaken during a small window of time. We were always at the mercy of feature events and guests. The landscaping elements created their own complications. Access had to be maintained for hotel guests at all times with construction and private vehicles being carefully managed to ensure safety to all parties”, said Munday. Probuild’s response to forming the project team has been very reflective of their company culture and capacity. According to Mr Munday, “The Probuild team has been carefully selected to combine the skills in managing the design and construction GMP processes. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
We have extensive experience of working in live construction environments. We have also included personnel with international construction experience, as well as international casino experience. When the Project required additional personnel, we had the benefit of Probuild’s national pool of resources. We could bring in staff from the Melbourne and Sydney offices. The site team included Project Managers, Contract Administrators, Design Managers, Site Managers/Supervisors, Safety and Office Managers.” The new extension works took 12 months to complete and was handed over in time for Crown’s rebranding and subsequent Grand Opening in September 2012. Currently works are continuing with the refurbishment of the existing casino gaming floor. These works are being undertaken in a staged manner and are expected to be completed by March 2013. For more information contact Probuild (WA), Level 1/ 72 Melville Parade, South Perth WA 6151, phone 08 9363 1400, fax 08 9368 6443, website www.probuild.com.au WA PROJECT FEATURE BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX 235
EVOLVING THE DETAILS IN DEVELOPMENT’S BIG PICTURE Engineering is fundamentally about progress, and in their most recent work for the Burswood Casino Entertainment Complex, Cartwright Hydraulic Consultants (CHC) have ensured that the venue has improved its standards in terms of long-term sustainability. CHC undertook the design, documentation and as-built compliance certifications for the upgrading of hydraulic engineering elements property sewer drainage, sanitary plumbing, potable water services, non potable water services, hot water supplies and systems, Reverse Osmosis filtration and water supplies, industrial wastes and drainage, fire hydrant systems, fire hose reel system, natural gas supplies, planter drainage, and the mechanical services water, gas and drainage requirements. Their involvement in the Complex’s latest expansion commenced with the early design infrastructure reporting, to which CHC brought substantial prior knowledge of the existing hydraulic systems, many of which CHC had designed during prior phases of the Complex’s development. “The hydraulics consultants for the project were tasked with providing services designs which took into consideration complex issues involved in the construction of casino facilities in the centre of an existing operating complex,” said CHC Manager, Philip Cartwright. Some of the issues the consultant team faced included design of the hydraulic services to existing suspended structural floor slabs in order to minimise penetrations and still provide services connections to the proposed facilities. Designs for the basement suspended floor slabs also 236 WA PROJECT FEATURE BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
required special consideration due to unstable soil conditions, and the overall design had to ensure supplies to the existing operating complex were not interrupted during construction. “Services design limited the requirement for installations in ground under the existing basement floor slab. Industrial waste arrestor chambers normally installed in ground had to be designed for installation above the basement floor slab,” said Philip. “Hot water flow and return systems were designed for instant demand utilizing natural gas appliances without the need for storage which provide a highly efficient supply to bars, restaurants and toilet facilities.” Cartwright Hydraulic Consultants has specialised in solely in hydraulic services for over 40 years, developing a track record of successfully designing innovative, energy-efficient, water-conscious systems in a manner which ensures a smooth process through the design, specification and tendering stages to completion and handover. Their track record includes projects across commercial, residential, recreational, industrial, health care, education, laboratories and retail sectors. For every client, CHC strive to design hydraulics and plumbing solutions which deliver long-term value, are cost effective to implement and maintain, and incorporate the necessary flexibility for future refurbishments. For more information contact Cartwright Hydraulic Consultants, 1/23 Bowman St, South Perth WA 6151, phone 08 9367 5777 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION REVIEW
FRESH IDEAS FOR BUILT ASSETS With a century of expertise and the resources of a global network of engineering excellence to draw on, WSP can achieve outstanding sustainable outcomes for projects such as the $80m Main Gaming Floor Extension at Burswood Entertainment Complex, Perth WA. WSP’s Perth Office provided the mechanical services design and documentation for the project, ensuring a winning combination of energy-efficiency and effective indoor climate management. Due to the fast-tracked design and construction process, a high degree of organisation and innovative problem solving was required, as the mechanical services installation would need to integrate with an overall interior fitout process which was highly detailed. “This was a very challenging engineering project, with specific focus on buildability, commissionability and maintainability, all delivered to the highest quality,” commented WSP Director, Peter Thomas, who managed the project. WSP provide a range of engineering services, with a strong focus on sustainable building outcomes. By integrating environmental thinking into commercial solutions, long-term value is created for clients. The gaming floor project was an exemplar of this philosophy, incorporating variable volume monitored outdoor air systems and peak cooling load reduction strategies. WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
With access to some of the world’s best sustainable thinking, their solutions include highly innovative technologies on landmark WA projects such as Raine Square and Perth Arena. Around Australia, WSP have contributed their skills to projects including the Olivia NewtonJohn Cancer and Wellness Centre and the Centre for AgriBioscience at LaTrobe University. The core capabilities WSP can offer to projects include mechanical, electrical and hydraulics engineering; fire protection engineering and sustainability consulting. The company also has an experienced and talented team with specialist niche skills in areas including Audio Visual, ICT and technology; acoustics; energy efficiency; architectural lighting; fire safety; infrastructure; risk engineering; vertical transportation and security. WSP Group employs over 10,000 skilled people across 35 countries worldwide, working across engineering, planning, design, urban planning and land remediation, across all sectors, including the built environment, transport, energy and mining.
For more information contact WSP, 35 Ventnor Avenue West Perth WA 6872, mobile 0417 385 080 website: http://www.wspgroup.com WA PROJECT FEATURE BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX 237
238 WA PROJECT FEATURE BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
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Featured fit out Shears and Mac Australia were contracted by Probuild to provide joinery and installation (Interior fit-out) for the Burswood Casino new gaming extension. The works included but were not limited to; ceiling features, columns, veneer and stone features, Cage, Club Burswood, Café Cotta, Smokers Lounge, doors, toilet entry’s, Fusion Bar Banquette Seating and Main Gaming Lobby entrance. The company was also contracted to provide joinery and installation for Groove Bar and the Merrywell Pub. Renowned US designers, Cagley & Tanner designed the Burswood Casino project. As a result a number of materials were sourced from the US. Logistically this involved lengthy advanced planning to ensure materials were available to meet the program demands. The team at Shears and Mac, along with their specified sub-contractors, were committed to ensure the project proceeded smoothly and within the required program constraints. The Company remains very thankful to Probuild and Crown for their flexibility and assistance in helping to deliver this notable project. Shears and Mac Australia enjoyed working on the ceilings in Café Cotta where special painting techniques were used to achieve a rustic recycled look. The main gaming included a variety of copper finishes including hammered and powder coated. Shears and Mac Australia was established in 2009 for the supply and installation of quality interiors joinery for the retail, hospitality and commercial sectors in Australia. Shears and Mac Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Shears and Mac Limited, a leading manufacturer and installer of quality interiors joinery for more than 25 years. The company employs more than 110 full-time staff and operates from an 8,000 m2 manufacturing facility in Penrose, Auckland. Project management and installation resources are located in Sydney and Melbourne. The company has invested in the latest drawing, machining, procuring and painting technology offering efficient and quality manufacturing and project delivery to a wide variety of clients. Additional sourcing relationships are in place for longer leadtime procurement from Vietnam and China. Project capabilities include; retail, education, hospitality and commercial interiors.
For more information contact Shears and Mac; Chris Stafford-Bush – Managing Director, email chris@shears.co.nz, mobile +6421 766 440, Peter Dalle Nogare – Australian Director, email peter@ shearsandmac.com.au, mobile 0419 220 047 WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
WA PROJECT FEATURE BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX 239
Advertisers Index 3D and 4D graphic communication solutions Ai3D
G&H Plant Hire
Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd
Conditioning Pty Ltd
Page 207 | 07 3630 0345
Page 112-113 | 03 9831 6500
Page 127 | 03 9421 2564
Ingal Civil Products
Hutchinson Builders
Navaska
Page 223 | 0415 997 911
Page 31 | www.ingalcivil.com.au
Page 202-203 | 07 3335 5000
Page 204 | 07 3890 2633
access floors ASP Access Floors Pty Ltd
civil / hydraulics / management D-Group
Page 168-169 | 02 9620 9915
Air Conditioning, Heating & Mechanical Services Allstaff Airconditioning Pty Ltd Page 66 | 02 9879 3377
Brenair Mechanical Services Page 156 | 03 8790 6999
PJM Engineering Page 141 | 03 9560 3111
Aquatic contractors L & V Project Pools Page 221 | 07 5597 4220
architects Architectus Brisbane Page 173 | 07 3221 6077
Designinc Page 147 | 03 9654 9654
DRC Architecture Pty Ltd Page 132 | 03 96866629
Leffler Simes Architects
Page 37 | 02 6162 3377
COMMERCIAL & domestic furnishings Chernway Page 40 | 02 9564 1622
Vertilux Page 40 | www.vertilux.com.au
compact crushing Rubble Master Page 30 | +43 732 73 71 17 - 348
Concrete (Construction, Supply, Reinforcement, Structures, Laying, Pumping, Customised Precast, Prestressing, Treatment/Repair, Cutting) Aus Pits Page 79 | 1300 408 883
Belconnen Concrete
Page 212-213 | 02 9909 3344
Page 34 | 02 6280 2700
Nicholas and Alexander Architects
Page 27 | 07 3297 5362
Page 100-101 | 03 9696 5822
Williams Boag Architects Page 148-149 | 03 9388 6000
av systems & video Conferencing Videopro Page 170-171 | 07 3250 0000
BICYCLE PARKING SYSTEMS Cora Bike Rack Pty Ltd Page 111 | 1800 249 878
blinds Shade Factor Pty Ltd Page 176 | 03 9558 3006
bricklaying/blocklaying Lawler Bricklaying Page 22-23| 03 5335 5765
Building Suppliers Building Industry Supplies Page 205 | 07 3382 7171
Building Consultants Abscan Building Consultants Page 192 | 07 4721 5244
Floth Page 218-219 | 07 3252 0977
CEILING/ WALL & PARTITIONS INSTALLATIONS Topend Ceilings
BKM Contracting Complete Cut Operators Page 26 | 02 6294 3495
Neilsens Quality Gravels Page 226 | 07 5541 0622
Solcrete Page 102-103, 150-151 | 03 9555 0995
TA Taylor (Aust) Pty Ltd Page 177 | 07 3268 4955
XL Precast Pty Ltd Page 194 | 07 4774 5442
Concrete & Masonry Colouring Nawkaw P/L Page 180 | 1300 Nawkaw (629 529)
Concrete Curing/ Waterproofing Protect Crete QLD Page 175 | 07 5520 3391
Page 184-185 | 07 3335 5161
Kane Constructions
ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING Faraday Pty Ltd Page 120 | 03 9729 5000
Page 144-146 | 03 8420 1200
Kane Constructions Page 106-107 | www.kane.com.au
Leighton Contractors
Energy management systems Elliot Airconditioning Controls Page 158 | 03 9702 8658
Page 216-217 | 07 3215 4600
Lend Lease’s Project Management and Construction Business Page 162-165 | 02 9236 6111
Engineers Connor Pincus Group Page 105 | 03 9835 5000
Meriton Group Page 56-57 | www.meriton.com.au
Moggill Constructions Pty Ltd Page 224-225 | 07 3376 3655
DMA Professional Engineers Page 196 | 07 3839 3050
Goulburn Engineering Page 93 | 02 48 211 972
Probuild (VIC)
Inhabit
Page 116-117 | 03 9693 8222
Page 121 | www.inhabitgroup.com
Probuild (WA)
SCP Consulting Pty Ltd
Page 232-235 | 08 9363 1400
Stockland Brisbane Office Page 190-191 | 07 3305 8600
Page 68 | 02 9267 9312
Webber Design Page 115 | 03 9614 7155
The Doma Group
Wood & Grieve
Page 32-33 | 02 6260 7750
Westbourne Constructions Page 80-81 | www.westbourne.net.au
construction & fitout services FDC Construction & Fitout Pty Ltd Page 29 | 02 9566 2800
Page 187 | 07 3811 4500
environmental CONSULTANTS / SAFETY CONSULTANTS Environmental And Safety Professionals Page 160 | 03 9688 8000
Construction Project Information Cordell Estimating Page 18-21 | 1800 80 60 60
Cost Consultants Assetfuture
Viridis E3 Page 193 | Jonathan Dalton 07 3369 5009
Excavating / EARTHMOVING Coopers Earthmoving and Haulage Page 91 | 02 4841 1660
Page 172 | 0414 488 541
Newcastle Earthmoving
Demolition Contractors & equipment Bernie Leen & Sons Pty Ltd
façade specialists Yuanda Australia Pty Ltd
Page 74-75 | 02 4966 0470
Page 104 | 03 5222 2675
Page 174 | 07 3251 6100
doCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS QA Software
fire safety systems Fire Check Consultants
Page 155 | 03 8379 0000
Page 196 | 07 3205 2370
Construction Companies & Alliances Abigroup
electrical Earth Electrical
fire protection MMFP Fire Protection Company and Essential Services Specialist
Page 94-97 | 03 9828 5000
Page 129 | 03 9529 3700
Page 133 | 0418 505 182
Road Runner Electrics Pty Ltd
Premier Fire
Page 140 | 03 9484 8711
Page 54 | 02 9980 8777
ADCO Construction Page 210-211 | 07 3511 5555
Baulderstone QLD Pty Ltd Page 198-199 | 07 3835 0555
Cooper & Oxley Builders Pty Ltd Page 228-229 | 08 9387 9000
Construction Engineering Page 134-135 | 03 9699 1122
Contexx Pty Ltd
Page 231 | 08 9470 2248
Page 130-131 | 03 9539 5000
civil works / products
Page 122-123 | 03 9620 5999
240 ANCR ADVERTISERS INDEX
Hutchinson Builders QLD
Equiset
SDF. Electrical Pty Ltd Page 186 | 07 3345 6566
electrical & communications systems suppliers Tri Underground Australia Pty Ltd Page 90 | 1300 TRI TRI (874 874)
Electrical & air-conditioning Green Energy Electrical And Air-
floor leveling / coating Allseal Floor Preparations Page 69 | 02 9894 1608
flooring SUPPLY/installation Tarkett Page 48-49 | 02 8853 1224
Peter Kelly Flooring Page 48-49 | 02 9899 6688
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Flooring & floor coverings Q Commercial Carpets
JOINERY/ fit out Ellwood Detail Joinery
Page 230 | 08 9964 4010
Page 42 | 02 6298 1640
Page 41 | 0408 667 747
Page 166-167, 208 | 07 3861 1166
formwork/concrete/ reinforcing/post tensioning Caelli Constructions
Page 239 | Chris Stafford-Bush +6421 766 440
Shears and Mac
Sarri Painters
Waratah Global Head Office
PAINTING & maintenance Mick’s Painting Maintenance Group
Page 152-153 | 03 8786 3920
Page 70 | 0412 354 199
KERB & GUTTERING Hunter Kerb Constructions Pty Ltd
planNING & DESIGN JBA Planning
Page 118-119 | 03 9560 1812
Page 76 | 02 4947 4700
Page 50-51 | 02 9956 6962
FORMWORK / scaffolding Acrow Formwork & Scaffolding Pty Ltd
Landscaping contractors/designers Birds Landscape Design and Management
PLASTERing G.R. And L. Caldow Pty Ltd T/A Caldow Plastering
Page 182 | 03 9305 7733
I&D Constructions
Page 61 | 02 9780 6408
Strategic Formwork Pty Ltd Page 183 | 02 9545 0244
geotechnical and environmental consultants JK Geotechnics Page 59 | 02 9888 5000
Geotechnical Engineers ACT Geotechnical Engineers Page 35 | 02 6285 1547
Generators/Generating Sets Genplus Page 38 | 02 6297 2641
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS South Western Sydney Local Health District Page 62-63 | www.swslhd.nsw.gov.au
healthcare fit-outs Perfect Practice Page 55 | 1300 001 122
HYDRAULIC, CIVIL & FIRE SPP Group Page 215 | 07 3846 3077
HYDRAULIC services Cartwright Hydraulic Consultants Page 236 | 08 9367 5777
hydro-excavation Digitin Coms Page 88-89 | 0407 406 766
hygiene Clean-Air Australia Pty Ltd Page 179 | 07 3274 2833
insulation Capital Insulation Page 39 | 1800 433 348
insurance Jardine Loyd Thompson Page 44 | 02 9290 8000
Integrated Building Efficiency solutions Johnson Controls Page 67 | 02 9805 8300
Page 71 | 0419 992 634
Regal Innovations
PlumbiNG Plumbing Design & Drafting
Stone Will
Page 195 | 07 5437 7660
Page 71 | 02 9679 1177 Page 54 | 02 9862 8448
LIFTS & elevators All Lifts Pty Ltd Page 161 | 03 9794 9400
Lockers Excel Lockers Page 188 | 1800 019 266
Louvres Metanovus Teasco Pty Ltd
Richstone Group Page 126 | 03 8339 3777
Professional engineering & development consultants SMEC Australia Page 227 | 07 5578 0200
proJECT MANAGERS Thinc Projects Page 216-217 | 07 3221 8425
mailboxes Mailmaster Letterboxes
QUANTITY SURVEYOR, COST management, COST ENGINEERING Mitchell Brandtman
Page 206 | 1300 794 555
Page 30 | 02 9525 8000
MAsonry Baines Masonary
Quantity Surveying RPS
Page 84-85 | 02 4631 1383
Page 58 | rpsgroup.com.au
MEDICAL IMAGING EQUIPMENT Australian Medical Installations
rigging / erecting / boring / drilling WA Universal Rigging Co
Page 124 | 03 9580 0970
Page 52 | 0405 191 565
Multi-disciplinary consultant Aurora Projects
Page 28 | 08 9309 1973
roofing AM & DM Roofing
Page 46-47 | 02 8920 1838
Page 36 | 02 6162 0733
Multi-disciplinary engineering consultant
Page 108-109 | 03 9791 5355
Ashburner Francis Page 201 | 07 3510 8888
WSP Page 237 | 0417 385 080
Signal & Hobbs RUBBISH REMOVERS BD Harvest Pty Ltd Page 24 | 03 9333 2442
security systems/solutions Central Monitoring Services
security/TRAFFIC CONTROL Executive Security Group / Site Services Group Page 222 | 07 3901 2333
Scaffolding/formwork Uni-Span Group Page 17 | 07 3442 4000
signage Signtec Visual Solutions Page 181 | 07 3216 5088
smart car park systems DataPark Page 64-65 | 1300 723 421
steelfixing Quefix Steelfixing Pty Ltd Page 189 | 07 5444 3428
surface coatings Nanokote Pty Ltd Page 110 | 03 9768 3277
surveyors Madigan Surveying Page 154 | 03 9819 9599
temporary works design engineers Omniform Consulting Pty Ltd Page 159 | 03 9467 5511
tensile architecture Ronstan Tensile Architecture Page 182 | 03 8586 2000
TILING / WATERPROOFING Akkari Tiling Page 136-137 | 03 9464 2068
vacuum drainage solutions Avac Australia Pty Ltd Page 138-139 | 1300 123 451
WASTE TYRE RECYCLING SYSTEMS Ecoflex Civil Constructions Pty Ltd Page 77 | 02 4944 7711
Waste managment/Recycling Transpacific Resource Recycling Page 220 | (07) 3723 7600
Waterproofing Chemind Construction Products Page 178 | 1800 334 444
multi-disciplinary environmental consultant SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd Page 25 | 1300 434 443
PAINTING Classic Deco Page 43 | 02 6291 5587
Dibs Painting Page 142 | 0401 225 777
John Schaap Painting WWW.ANCR.COM.AU
Page 157 | 0418 145 011
Page 82-83 | 02 9809 9288
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For generations, Bosch’s leadership in design and innovation has been the forefront of Hot Water and Power Tool technology. It’s no wonder that Bosch is the first choice for Australia’s leading tradespeople. Trust the name with a global history. Choose Bosch for all your hot water and professional power tool needs.
9 771449 734009
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