7 minute read
GREEN LIVING
Monash University Solar Decathlon Challenge
Philip Alviano Sustainable Advisor
Master Builders is often asked to participate in various projects by providing information and advice informed through our member interactions.
By participating in these projects, we contribute to our social obligations and assist members by being exposed to the latest information to enable improved construction outcomes.
Master Builders has agreed to support the Monash Solar Decathlon Team (MSDT). This student team will represent Monash University at the annual US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Competition. Master Builders will assist by providing information and advice.
This project’s objectives will deliver two fantastic outcomes.
The first is to offer a solution to the current increasing housing problem for domestic violence survivors.
It is a continually growing issue in Australia and widespread around the world, but it is also the leading cause of homelessness for women and children.
In 2021, there were over 92,000 domestic violence cases in the state of Victoria alone, leaving 51,000 individuals homeless. Concerningly, 37 per cent of these were under the age of 18. They aim to construct a domestic violence transitional home.
This home is purposely designed to support its occupants’ transition from homelessness to permanent housing. It is a temporary type of accommodation that offers a quality space. It is also a home dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing environment where its residents can begin to address the elements that led to their homelessness and rebuild their self-confidence which allows them to reconnect with the wider community. The building will also meet several sustainability objectives. It will be built to the passive house standard and produce more energy than it uses. The materials will be carefully selected to reduce the embodied energy and their environmental impact. The goal is to create a design that can be prefabricated and easily transportable. It will act as a template for future social housing projects and emergency accommodation that improves the quality of living for the occupants, reduces the emissions of the buildings and improves the current standards of energy efficiency. If you’d like any further information, see www.monashsolardecathlon.com/
The proposed Domestic Violence Transitional Home is purposely designed to support its occupants’ transition from homelessness to permanent housing.
SCREW PILES & BORED PIERS SCREW PILES & BORED PIERS
• • • • • • • • • • Concrete House Slab Specialists Multi Unit Site Development Factory Floors and Carparks Bored Pier Holes and Screw Piles Bondek and Suspended Slabs Concrete House Slab Specialists Multi Unit Site Development Factory Floors and Carparks Bored Pier Holes and Screw Piles Bondek and Suspended Slabs
Harbour Concreting Services Harbour Concreting Services 6 Keppler Circuit PO Box 686 6 Keppler Circuit Seaford VIC 3198 PO Box 686Patterson Lakes VIC 3197 Seaford VIC 3198 Patterson Lakes VIC 3197
Phone: (03) 9770 8224 Phone: (03) 9770 8224Mobile: 0418 138 820 Mobile: 0418 138 820Fax: (03) 9770 8225 Fax: (03) 9770 8225Email: admin@harbourconcrete.com.au Email: admin@harbourconcrete.com.auWebsite: www.harbourconcrete.com.au Website: www.harbourconcrete.com.au
CDB-L 50966 | CDB-U 51487 CDB-L 50966 | CDB-U 51487
Your online OH&S resource when you need it, where you need it!
Master Builders Victoria is pleased to announce that we have partnered with WorkSafe Victoria to provide additional support to residential builders through a new, user-friendly, online portal.
The Safety Essentials Residential Training Portal is a subscription-based service and is FREE to residential builders.
This new interactive portal is designed to support Victorian residential builders with important information on workplace safety and to help them understand their key legal OHS obligations and risks, throughout all critical phases of building/ construction.
It will provide an educative experience for builders to identify and manage the critical risks presented throughout a domestic building project.
SIGN UP: To subscribe, visit our website and add your subscription to the online shopping cart, which will take you through the subscription process (you will not be charged/billed for this service).
You’ll have access to My Safety Essentials for one year from the subscription date.
For more information, phone (03) 9411 4555.
Super and the gender gap
Research shows that women tend to retire with less super than men. In fact, one in four women retires with no super*. There are several factors that contribute to this. Women are more likely to take more time out of paid work to have families, they’re more likely to work parttime and, generally, they’re paid less. Women also live longer than men^, which means it’s even more important that they have enough super to last their retirement.
The events of the pandemic will further accelerate this inequality, especially for young women who’ve accessed their super early and as a result, miss out on decades of compound interest on their retirement savings. So, what can you do to reduce the gap?
First and foremost, make sure your employer is paying your super. The amount your employer pays is usually at least 10 per cent of your regular pay. You can also:
• Combine all your super together into one account.
• Find your lost super. • Top up your super by putting in extra yourself. • Check your insurance. • Ask your partner or spouse to make a spouse contribution. There’s a lot you can do to boost your super and improve the quality of your retirement. And if you need help, just give us a call on 1300 361 784.
* Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Women’s economic security in retirement Insight Paper, February 2020, https://www.wgea.gov.au/sites/ default/files/documents/Women%27s_economic_ security_in_retirement.pdf ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics, Life expectancy hits a new high, 4 November 2021, https://www. abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/lifeexpectancy-hits-new-high This information is about Cbus. It doesn’t take into account your specific needs, so you should look at your own financial position, objectives and requirements before making any financial decisions. Read the relevant Cbus Product Disclosure Statement to decide whether Cbus is right for you. Also read the Target Market Determination at cbussuper.com.au/tmd. Call 1300 361 784 or visit cbussuper.com.au for a copy. Cbus’ Trustee: United Super Pty Ltd ABN 46 006 261 623 AFSL 233792 Cbus ABN 75 493 363 262
Building up women at TPG Telecom
TPG Telecom fosters an inclusive workplace that maximises the participation of women in the workplace, while supporting them to develop and progress into leadership roles.
The focus to date has been on combating inequality by reducing the gender pay gap and supporting parents at work through several initiatives, including Super Bump, pay equity reviews, and family and domestic violence leave.
Since 2017, TPG Telecom has offered a Super Bump program for female employees as a practical step towards more financial independence. This provides two extra payments of $250 per year for female employees who have been with the company for more than 12 months. This benefit has now been extended across our TPG Telecom workforce in Australia. There is also an employee network dedicated to furthering gender equality in STEM named STEMpower. Its aim is to influence girls and women to consider a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths to build a future talent pipeline, while also enabling women at TPG Telecom to grow and succeed.
More women in building and construction industry
Incolink welcomes moves to boost female representation in the building and construction industry, with a new policy landscape, training and recruitment initiatives set to accelerate the rate of change. Rates of female participation have barely changed since the 1980s, with females forming only 2 per cent of trades or operational roles across the Australian building and construction sector. Incolink CEO Erik Locke said an increasing number of women were attracted to building and construction careers, while more employers were aware of the benefits of gender-diverse workforces, such as greater employee satisfaction and increased productivity and revenue.
“Recent developments including Victoria’s Building Equality Policy, which came into effect from January this year, will require all suppliers involved in publicly funded building and construction projects valued at $20 million or more to ensure they have a certain proportion of women working in roles across the development,” Mr Locke said.
Mr Locke pointed to strong support for recent initiatives, especially at a time when there was a critical shortage of skills across the sector and noted stakeholders working together. “From government-funded preapprenticeship schemes to trailblazing collaborations between unions and industry associations such as Master Builders Victoria, we’re preparing women for exciting and rewarding careers in building and construction,” Mr Locke said.
“Incolink is proud to play a part through our job support service, that can connect employers with women who are ticketed and ready to work, as well as women who are seeking apprenticeships or training opportunities.”
