Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 by Executive Media

YEARBOOK™ 2010

infrastructure THE AUSTR ALIAN LOC AL GOVERNMENT

MINISTER’S INTRODUCTION

Minister’s Introduction

Hon. Simon Crean, MP

t is with great pleasure that I introduce myself as the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government. During my time in government and in opposition I have come to know the benefits that local approaches to governing can bring Australia. Our regions are incredibly diverse. They can only be effectively served by national, state and local governments working in harmony, combining resources to meet local needs, and empowering local communities through strong and active engagement in policy making. This is the overarching philosophy I will bring to this portfolio. I head a new portfolio, dedicated to developing regional policies, working with local governing bodies and Regional Development Australia committees, and providing expert advice on regional and local government issues to the Australian Government. We are working to entrench the concept of regionalism in national decision-making and will combine with community leaders across Australia to give local communities a strong voice. Local issues often need local solutions, and effective development of our regions requires commitment from all levels of government and industry, and close engagement with local councils and communities. Already, we have two major new funding programs to administer. The $800 million Priority Regional Infrastructure Program will fund community infrastructure projects to support and build stronger communities. We will also work with Regional Development Australia committees to invest $573 million to grow regional economies. These programs will build infrastructure to meet local needs in areas like transport, water, energy, childcare and housing. They will roll out alongside other major regional investments in broadband, health and education. All Australians will yield the returns of this investment. Since 2007, the Australian Government has been strengthening our relationship with local government. A great foundation has been laid. The Australian Council of Local Government is the annual centrepiece of the partnership between our two levels of government, and we will continue to support the local government sector as it pushes towards constitutional recognition. We have made a commitment to hold a referendum during this parliamentary term and, hopefully, give local government the place in our Constitution that Labor has long believed it ought to have. We are currently rolling out the $100 million third round of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, which has grown to $1.1 billion. It has helped our communities through the worst of the global economic downturn, it continues to deliver first class community infrastructure, and it has showcased the unrivalled ability of local governments to identify local infrastructure needs and deliver projects, on budget and on time. I warmly welcome you to this year’s edition of the Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook. I hope you see the future of local government in Australia as positively as I do, and I urge you to work with us to make sure our local and regional communities’ voices are strong.

Simon Crean Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government Minister for the Arts

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 1

CONTENTS Minister’s Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................................1

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

AGIC FEATURE

Unnecessary slowdowns come to a halt on Victorian roads ...................................................................86

Australian Green Infrastructure Council

Australian Standards for Portable VMS ...........................................................................................................................88

addresses unique sustainability challenges......................................................................................................... 3

The role of Intelligent Transport Systems in Traffic Management ....................................................89

BRIDGES

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Bridge management on local roads ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Reducing time spent in managing carparking ......................................................................................................92

Bridges – assets or liabilities?.....................................................................................................................................................12

NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK

NATION BUILDING

Is a national broadband network Australia’s most

Best performing municipalities in Australia ..............................................................................................................16 Expert Assistance Program ...........................................................................................................................................................20 Wattyl Antigraffiti Solutions ........................................................................................................................................................24 Housing NSW wins multiple UDIA awards ..................................................................................................................26

critical infrastructure project?...................................................................................................94 URBAN PLANNING Integration is the key for the emerging market ....................................................................................................98 SECURITY

ASSET MANAGEMENT Wattyl Industrial Coatings .............................................................................................................................................................27 Providing Sustainable Solutions for Local Government ..............................................................................28 Long-term financial planning....................................................................................................................................................30 Asset management legislation ................................................................................................................................................36

Contract works for Principals ..........................................................................................................99 Cyber safety and climate change.......................................................................................................................................102 Using CCTV to reduce antisocial behaviour...........................................................................................................104 About Pelco ................................................................................................................................................................................................106 Galaxy … Taking Security to another Level............................................................................................................108

ENVIRONMENT + SUSTAINABILITY

BiLock New Generation ................................................................................................................................................................110

In building a better energy future we all have a part to play – let’s go.......................................38

Strategies to combat graffiti....................................................................................................................................................111

GREEN BUILDING

Creating a more secure environment with Motorola ..................................................................................112

Raising the standard, helping to meet it .......................................................................................................................40

INNOVATION

Australia’s leader in energy and water management solutions ..........................................................44

A change of plan for NSW councils ..................................................................................................................................115

SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING

Shaping Cities:

Envirolite Industries first choice for e1 lighting solutions..........................................................................46

The role of transport infrastructure in urban regeneration..........................................................118

Smart lighting reduces emissions for Ku-Ring-Gai Council .....................................................................48

WATER

ENVIRONMENT

Water plans need local voice ..................................................................................................................................................124

Create a cleaner future with Century Batteries ......................................................................................................50 Aussie ingenuity develops new oil detection technique ...........................................................................51 Newcastle gets smart with electricity ..............................................................................................................................52 Australia’s Leading Masonry Supplier...............................................................................................................................54

STORMWATER + DRAINAGE Precast products speed up drainage works on large industrial estate ....................................126 Dry cities look to a stormwater future ..........................................................................................................................128 TUNNELS

BEST PRACTICE Shire of Ashburton formula revitalises towns and galvanises communities ........................56

100-year design life of rock bolts and shotcrete ...............................................................................................129

Retrofit to provide 80 per cent Greenhouse Gas reduction.....................................................................60

PIPES

ROADS

Glass ‘fines’ a win for councils and the environment ....................................................................................132

Council’s green road to carbon neutral ..........................................................................................................................62

STREETSCAPES

Brifen moving forward ......................................................................................................................................................................64

Streetscape scale applications of water sensitive urban design .....................................................137

Managing road traffic noise ........................................................................................................................................................67

Victoria giving streets the green light ..........................................................................................................................141

Century Batteries – Your complete power solution provider .................................................................70 Towards sustainable roadways ................................................................................................................................................71 ACO KerbDrain – keeping the highway safe in Mittagong .......................................................................74

TECHNOLOGY Think Smart ................................................................................................................................................................................................143 Social media and local government ...............................................................................................................................147

TRANSPORT

University Hill Bundoora ..............................................................................................................................................................148

Local Government and Road Safety ...................................................................................................................................76 Foton – The future of light trucks ........................................................................................................................................77

WASTE MANAGEMENT

With Caltex, fleet management has never been easier ................................................................................80

Future travels down a glass highway ............................................................................................................................150

Australian transport gets active..............................................................................................................................................82

Making refuse trucks safer .........................................................................................................................................................152

SUPPLY CHAIN

TECHNICAL

Satisfaction via Supply Chain Excellence......................................................................................................................84

Chloride resistance of concrete ...........................................................................................................................................153

Executive Media Pty Ltd 430 William Street, Melbourne Vic 3000 Tel: (03) 9274 4200 Fax: (03) 9329 5295 Email: media@executivemedia.com.au Website: www.executivemedia.com.au Contributors: Lisa Kinahan, Cameron Kusher, Gemma Peckham, Eden Cox, John Constandopoulos, Matthew Nation, Louis Leahy, David Kirkpatrick, Andrew Dawson, Robert Bertuzzi, Karin Derkley, Martin Ely, John Comrie, Kevin Atkins, Geoff Lake, Wayne Wescott, Norman Pidgeon and Adam O’Brien. Stock Images: Photo Disc, Jupiter Images, Digital Vision, iStock, BigStockphoto.com Cover Images: Courtesy Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland, ARRB Group Ltd., the City of Melbourne, Citywide and Thinkstock. ISBN 978 1 921345 17 3

First edition 2004, Second edition 2005, Third edition 2006, Fourth edition 2007, Fifth edition 2008, Sixth edition 2009, Seventh edition 2010.

While every care has been taken to trace and acknowledge copyright, the publishers tender their apologies for any accidental infringement where copyright has proved untraceable. The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of the text of contributions contained in this publication or for the consequences of any use made of the products, and the information referred to in this publication. The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions contained in this publication whether caused to a purchaser of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in the articles and other material published herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor and publisher or their staff or agents. The responsibility for the accuracy of information is that of the individual contributors and neither the publisher or editor can accept responsibility for the accuracy of information which is supplied by others. It is impossible for the publisher and editors to ensure that the advertisements and other material herein comply with the Trade Practices Act 1974 (CTH). Readers should make their own inquiries in making any decisions, and where necessary, seek professional advice. © 2010 Executive Media Pty Ltd. Reproduction in whole or part, without written permission is strictly prohibited.

2 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

AGIC FEATURE

Australian Green Infrastructure Council addresses unique sustainability challenges With a clear vision to promote sustainable infrastructure, the Australian Green Infrastructure Council (AGIC) is rapidly emerging as a pivotal industry association to address Australia’s intergenerational sustainability.

he requirement for innovative and groundbreaking reform is often most profoundly highlighted in times of adversity. The recent global financial crisis (GFC) provided the backdrop to highlight Australia’s lagging and moribund infrastructure. Urgent action was needed. Most of Australia’s infrastructure is over 40 years old, with local government at the coalface of much of it. Councils have for some time been acutely aware of the need for significant infrastructure reform and investment. With the GFC as a catalyst to inject the necessary economic stimulus and funds into an overstretched infrastructure sector, this financially testing period has provided the backdrop to massive generational reform. The GFC has also increased the challenge to procure funding for the authorship of the scheme. Nation building, with a global perspective and local action, is a priority issue. Nation building is not just about delivering new projects; it’s not just about limited Commonwealth investments; and it’s not about what Infrastructure Australia does or doesn’t fund.

True nation building is about getting the whole of Australia to work together in unison – about amalgamating the myriad conflicting rules and regulations and replacing them with one cohesive set of guidelines. True nation building is about a highly functional, well-planned and efficiently operating national freight infrastructure market, equipping Australia to grow sustainably and well. Vision and strategy, backed up with some real ‘can-do’ commitment across the entire business and political spectrum, is what is needed. As it lacks the high population density in relation to geographic area when compared to most other developed nations, Australia’s unique challenge is in relation to provision of national infrastructure, against the backdrop of a federal system. There has, however, been general agreement that infrastructure reform and program delivery was urgently required and that sustainable infrastructure would deliver long-term benefits. The establishment of the AGIC in 2008 was timely. Moreover, the creation of the AGIC rating scheme for sustainable The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 3

AGIC FEATURE infrastructure delivery would position Australia as a best practice global leader. It is no coincidence that the AGIC sustainability rating scheme for infrastructure coincides with a record investment nationally in new and existing Australian infrastructure upgrades. Greater responsibility and accountability means that revenue streams available for new infrastructure projects and existing asset upgrades must be used efficiently and rely heavily on innovative delivery and operational methodologies to maximise stakeholder benefits. AGIC’s rating scheme is designed to award innovation. The scheme is therefore relevant to all infrastructure stakeholders, from investors and government through to owners and operators, to assist them in innovative and optimised infrastructure solutions. AGIC’s scheme is seen as a vehicle to provide a common national language and understanding of sustainability in infrastructure. According to Chris White, chief executive officer Civil Contractors Federation (CCF), the AGIC scheme is a vehicle for future productivity improvement. “The AGIC scheme is regarded by CCF as an excellent means to advance the development of governance systems that stimulate continuous improvement programs and innovation,” Mr White said. In addition to the delivery of a national rating scheme for sustainability in infrastructure, AGIC is keen to position itself over time, with the experience gained through case studies, to advocate a vision for future infrastructure investment in Australia that will yield increased sustainability outcomes. AGIC’s future organisational strategies and growth are based on five key strategic initiatives – innovation remains a key focal point for AGIC. It plans to underpin this objective by acting as a ‘knowledge hub’ and portal for the sourcing and dissemination of preferred sustainability practices for the infrastructure sector. AGIC is looking to establish itself as an independent forum for industry and governments to converge and candidly discuss infrastructure issues of national significance. Whilst funding is AGIC’s greatest short-term obstacle, it remains on track to launch its knowledge hub in the second half of 2010. The AGIC knowledge hub will take a ‘big picture’ approach, thereby creating a central database of industry recognised projects. Through the widespread adoption of its national rating scheme, AGIC intends to develop an extensive library of case studies to educate the industry in innovative practices thereby broadening the scope of best practice sustainability in our built environment to include large-scale infrastructure projects.

AGIC MISSION

The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) supports these initiatives and has been a vocal advocate of the Australian Green Infrastructure Council. “Both public and private infrastructure programs and projects require more attention to issues of sustainability – social, economic and environmental,” said ASBEC President Mr Tom Roper.“ Projects need to clearly address sustainability outcomes. “One major gap is the lack of an effective and usable infrastructure sustainability rating scheme and tool. Rating schemes such as NABERS and Green Star have, and are, improving performance at the building and the neighbourhood level. AGIC’s research would broaden this trend by including infrastructure. “Not the least challenge will be to ensure that our current and future infrastructure takes adequate account of the need to adapt to our changing climate,” Mr Roper said. According to AGIC chief executive officer Doug Harland, the AGIC board meeting in July this year proved to be a major milestone for the organisation. “After two years of consistent effort by industry representatives, AGIC’s Board and committed volunteers, it is very satisfying to have sufficient funding to commence authorships of five of the seven sustainability assessment categories,” Mr Harland said. “The Economic Performance and Workforce categories are currently well covered by industry, however sustainability issues are not being addressed and the authorships will commence as soon as additional funds from the states are obtained, as will project trials at the authorship completion. There are some real strides now being made at AGIC. The authorship of the Climate Change Vulnerability (CCV) Sub-Category sponsored by DECCW NSW and authored by Parsons Brinckerhoff will also be released along with the CCV guidelines at the October 2010 conference. It is the first sustainability assessment category to be completed and was approved to proceed by the Board to get experience and “lessons learned”. It will be an important learning tool and provide a valuable template for the development of the remaining sub-categories. Also, the program with CIEAM (CRC for Integrated Engineering Asset Management) commenced on July 1st and will develop metrics, scientific rigour and methodologies for the operation of infrastructure through applied research over three years based at QUT Brisbane to complement the authorships.” Whilst the organisation faces some challenges as it evolves into a mature, credible and functional organisation, the adoption of the national rating scheme, and rationalisation of its funding agenda, will firmly establish AGIC as the new benchmark in the Australian infrastructure landscape.

AGIC will be the principal industry catalyst for advancing sustainability in the design, construction and operation of Australian infrastructure.

4 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

BRIDGES

Bridge management on local roads Bridge management for local roads involves a comprehensive package of skills and tasks which can include various structure inspections, valuations, risk management, scheduled maintenance programs and an overall management program â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not to mention the software systems to facilitate all of the above. An outline of the recommended approach to managing local road bridges is given in ARRBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Local Roads Bridge Management Manual.

ocal road network managers are often responsible for a large number of structures across their jurisdiction, and these can include bridges, culverts, boardwalks, pontoons and jetties. With these assets comes the responsibility to know the condition of these structures. Many councils fall short in the inspecting of these assets due to lack of skills, manpower or even bad data collection over the years. Liability issues are now joined by increased funding and other legislative requirements across Australia. It is imperative that any problems with the infrastructure are identified in a timely and routine manner. Regular inspections make it easier to plan and manage existing and future network demand while ensuring that risk is adequately managed to ensure the safety of road users.

ARRB has completed many bridge management projects across Australia, including large-scale bridge inspection programs and specific investigations. Typical bridge inspections are categorised as Level 1, 2 or 3. Each level progressively involves a more detailed investigation of the structure. Level 1 is a basic maintenance and safety inspection which is typically conducted at six to 12 month intervals. Level 1 inspections are aimed at identifying any immediate maintenance and safety issues as well as structures that may require a Level 2 inspection sooner than programmed. Often routine maintenance is carried out during these inspections and is vital to ensuring structuresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; longevity. Typically Level 1 inspections are carried out by a maintenance crew. Level 2 inspections consist of a detailed visual inspection of each component and are typically conducted on a 12-month to CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

6 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

PAVE YOUR WAY TO A LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT Specification for Supply of Recycled Material for Pavements, Earthworks and Drainage This new specification reflects a growing awareness within the civil construction industry of the need to conserve natural resources and the economic value of using recycled materials. Concrete, brick and asphalt are valuable recyclable materials. The specification provides the technical and legal requirements for their recovery and reuse and details new design performance criteria for placement of pavement and recycled pavement materials. At the same time it highlights the social and environmental benefits that flow from recycling. The specification will give the marketplace greater confidence and encourage more widespread use of recycled materials.

The Benefits • • • • • • •

Cost effective recycling Preventing loss of natural resources Decrease in carbon emissions Preventing environmental degradation Provides clear technical and legal requirements Ensuring development is ecologically sustainable Promoting international best practice

For more information visit: environment.nsw.gov.au or email sustainability@environment.nsw.gov.au

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BRIDGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Regular inspections make it easier to plan and manage existing and future network demand.â&#x20AC;?

five-year cycle. Special access equipment such as underbridge inspection units are sometimes required to allow close up inspections and crack marking in hard to reach areas. Level 2 inspections of timber structures make use of a drilling survey to check the size and locations of internal defects and general integrity. Level 2 inspections are a specialist activity requiring skilled and experienced inspectors. Level 3 inspections are a detailed structural investigation. They can involve structural analysis, core sampling, lab tests, or bridge performance testing. Inspections of this nature are typically carried out by an experienced chartered structural engineer. Each inspection level is a related hierarchy with each level inspection undertaken based on the finding of the previous inspection level, for example a Level 2 is conducted if a Level 1 inspection indentifies issues. When developing an inspection program it is recommended to follow the logical sequence of determining what assets you are responsible for, then evaluating their condition using a simple Level 1 inspection to screen for your high-risk bridges. Once the initial screen is completed, a full list of all bridges can be collated and future requirements programmed including targeted and programmed higher level inspections and more accurate financial reporting. The asset management process, and the understanding of each step are the key components, and while a computer system is often attractive it should be measured against the organisational need. It is important to remember that data is expensive to collect and should be collected following a considered inspection regime. A simple and robust management system, that can be understood, will be superior to a complex and expensive system for most council situations and typically an initial 20 per cent effort will likely yield 80 per cent of your required delivery and management goals. This general methodology is inherently simple, and it is important to program commitments such as inspection regimes and subsequent capital works over a number of years to minimise peaks and troughs in your bridge management workflow.

For further information contact: Ian Steele Email: ian.steele@arrb.com.au Neal Lake Email: neal.lake@arrb.com.au Tel: (07) 3260 3500 Footbridge steel truss.

10 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Experience the difference Delivering innovative and ямВexible solutions to the water industry Monadelphous is a leading national engineering group providing engineering construction, maintenance and industrial services and electrical and instrumentation services to the resources, energy and infrastructure sectors. As principal contractors in construction of major water infrastructure, we have earned a strong reputation for: t %FMJWFSJOH JOOPWBUJWF IJHI RVBMJUZ TPMVUJPOT t 1SPWJEJOH SFMJBCMF BOE nFYJCMF TFSWJDFT t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BRIDGES

Bridges – assets or liabilities? BY LISA KINAHAN Duffy Bridge.

Image courtesy of Greater Taree City Council

Water is one of the country’s most valuable assets but now it seems the bridges that cross New South Wales rivers are becoming an asset in their own right. For most councils though, owning a timber bridge can be a painful liability and one that causes financial and community grief. A recent dilemma faced by Greater Taree City Council, the closure of the Marlee and Duffy bridges, has highlighted that not all bridges are a burden.

ne of the temporary solutions available to Taree is to ‘borrow’ a bridge from Gloucester City Council. Alarming as it sounds, it wouldn’t entail leaving the residents of Gloucester stranded. Gloucester is in the fortunate position of owning structurally sound timber from a replaced bridge that would be adequate to help shore up Taree’s deteriorating bridges. But Gloucester is not the only council to have such an asset in its coffers; the Federal Government too has mothballed a load of old timber bridge timbers that could help Taree and other councils with their timber bridges. NSW has a proud history of timber bridge design, construction and maintenance. Many of the state’s charming old timber bridges are now classified as “State Significant” under the Heritage Act and remain in full service today – a testament to the integrity of their original design and construction. The ongoing maintenance of these bridges, however, is expensive, time consuming, hazardous and labour intensive. It requires a high level of technical skill and teamwork, and the supply of increasingly scarce high-grade hardwood, hence the value of old bridge timber. Taree’s problem however, like many other councils around the state who have failing timber bridges, is the funding of the

new bridges. Under the State Government Timber Bridges Partnership, councils can obtain 50 per cent of the repair or replacement costs for the bridge works but for councils with a large number of timber bridges this is still a major financial burden. Head of Engineering at Greater Taree City Council, Graham Schultz, explains that when you have as many as Taree has – 104 at the latest count – it is a slow process. “We are getting through them slowly. The low bridges aren’t such a problem – we can get in and out pretty quickly – but when you have high bridges such as the Marlee and Duffy bridges it cuts whole communities off for potentially long periods of time and is a costly business. On top of which, many of these bridges have heritage listing which can add to construction time and usually the cost,” said Schultz. The good news for NSW councils is that the Timber Bridge Partnership has now been extended by a year and funding to local councils will now be available to allow bridges to be completed by 30 June 2011. Announced by Minister for Transport, David Borger, on 17 December, the program was originally launched by the Government in October 2006 to upgrade timber bridges on Regional Roads across the State. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

12 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Interested in preserving your local wartime heritage? The Saluting Their Service commemorations program offers modest grants to assist local communities to honour the service and sacrifice of Australia’s veterans. The program is designed to help preserve our heritage from wars and conflicts and encourage community participation in commemorative events. A wide range of community projects may be supported including: • establishing or refurbishing community war memorials; • restoring vandalised memorials; • restoring and publicly displaying wartime memorabilia; and • commemoration of significant anniversaries of battles and other military operations. Local councils, schools and community groups such as historical societies and ex-service organisations can apply for grants through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Application forms and funding guidelines available from the DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS on: 133 254 – metropolitan callers 1800 555 254 – non-metropolitan callers Website: www.dva.gov.au/grants

BRIDGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

“Following the announcement of the program in 2006, funding applications worth nearly $60 million have now been approved for 177 timber bridges across NSW,” David Borger said. President of the Shires Association, Councillor Bruce Miller, said that the extensive network of timber bridges were essential links for rural and regional NSW. “This is another example of the State Government working cooperatively with local government to improve important local infrastructure, and already more than 80 of these bridges have been completed and opened to traffic.” The President of the Local Government Association, Councillor Genia McCaffery, said that she was pleased the Government had recognised the demands on local government and had extended the program by a further 12 months. “The 12-month extension will give councils the time they need to raise their contribution towards the costs of each bridge, as well as finish the complex planning, design and environmental assessments for each project.”

“

Tamworth General Manager, Glenn Inglis, is keen to point out that this is the strength of the program. “We have been mindful of the long-term view when it comes to managing our bridges. It would be easy enough to make them safe as a short-term solution but we would be back to patching them up in no time. What the Timber Bridge Partnership has enabled us to do is provide a bridge that no member of staff here or councillor will have to replace in their lifetime.” Currently there are no heritage implications for most of the bridges in the program. According to Glenn Inglis, “they are generally just beam bridges with no special features – typical of what was built by the thousands about 60 years ago – many of them part of post-war reconstruction and employment program projects.” Given the number of this type of bridge, there are generally no problems with knocking them down. However, adds Glenn, “this might change down the track as they start to get rare.”

Since the program was initially announced, 86 bridges have been completed with a further 39 currently in progress.”

Marlee Bridge.

Since the program was initially announced, 86 bridges have been completed with a further 39 currently in progress. The remaining 52 bridges will be allowed for under the extension to the scheme. Minister Borger said, “Each bridge has been identified for inclusion in the program by a number of sound criteria including safety, importance for freight or tourism, impact on the local economy, bridge condition, and level of use by heavy vehicles.” One of the councils that has participated in the scheme – Tamworth Regional Council – had 10 bridges included. Of those, eight have now been completed and the remaining two will be finished in 2010. This will complete the replacement of all Tamworth Council’s timber bridges on its regional road network. Council now has 51 timber bridges from the 68 they had five years ago. The 10 bridges that were included in the scheme were all replaced with bridges that will provide safe and sustainable structures for many years to come. 14 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Image courtesy of Greater Taree City Council

And what of the timber that is coming out of these bridges? As with the case of Gloucester and Taree it would seem that it has its own value, but are all councils taking advantage? Tamworth is not one to miss an opportunity and the timber, it appears, is put to a variety of uses depending on the contract. “In the past we have kept timber of structural value and have stockpiled timber girders for future maintenance on old bridges. The timber from one village bridge was kept and has been used as the sign for the new bridge which was applauded by the residents,” says Glenn Inglis. To date though, Tamworth has not entered any bidding wars for the loan or sale of bridges, but Glenn says, “It’s an idea worth considering.”

Article courtesy of Lisa Kinahan, TMTE Group. This article first appeared in issue 23 of the Local Government Shires Association of NSW’s Local Agenda.

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NATION BUILDING

Best performing municipalities in Australia Some local council areas around Australia have ignored the recorded slowdown in house sales over recent months by reporting an active buyers’ market as shown in rpdata.com’s weekly Property Pulse. Surprisingly, the rpdata.com results show an actual increase on last year’s results.

ata prepared by rpdata.com senior research analyst, Cameron Kusher, shows that sales volumes fell by about three per cent between the April quarter of 2010 and 2009, highlighting that the residential property market is now beginning to slow; a trend expected to continue for the remainder of 2010 according to Mr Kusher. Interestingly, the results show that the regions with the greatest rise in transaction numbers have generally been those that didn’t do too well at the beginning of 2009. Around the country, premium property markets have experienced a lift in sales compared to last year’s results while at the same time, regional markets, generally some distance from the coastline, also gathered pace. For house sales, South Australia led the regional results where the greatest increase in the quarterly volume of sales was recorded in the Northern and Robe council regions; sales volumes in this municipality doubled over the year, “albeit from a very low base,” says Mr Kusher. Also coming from a low base, sales volumes within Victoria’s Central Highlands Council increased by 50 per cent.

Mr Kusher said that by taking a closer look at the housing market, we begin to see new trends emerging. “The results show that the largest percentage improvements in sales volumes have been in the regional markets of Australia. “Focusing on the top five council regions within each state, 25 of the top 35 regions were located outside of the capital cities. “Another striking trend is that the vast majority of capital city regions that recorded increase in house sales are also recording higher than average median prices. “In all but one instance, the capital city council areas which recorded the strongest change in sales volumes were within premium markets with median prices well above the respective metropolitan median price,” he said. With higher volumes there have also been higher prices. 31 of the 35 regions that showed the largest increase in house sales have also shown positive movements in the median house price between April 2009 and April 2010. Regionally, the more heavily populated areas have generally seen the weakest performance in sales volumes. In a win for the non-coastal markets, the largest lifts in house sales were

LGAs with the greatest percentage change in house sales volumes three months to April 2009 vs. three months to April 2010 State

NSW

VIC

QLD

TAS

LGA Snowy River Muswellbrook North Sydney Lane Cove Woollahra Alpine Mansfield Murrindindi Indigo Moorabool Charters Towers Isaac Hinchinbrook Central Highlands Gladstone Northern Areas Robe Lower Eyre Peninsula Kingston Norwood Payneham St Peters Murray Vincent Subiaco Port Hedland Cambridge Tasman West Coast Hobart Latrobe Break O’Day Tennant Creek Katherine Alice Springs Darwin Litchfield

16 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

No sold 2009 12 60 104 59 156 42 31 58 33 125 73 44 25 117 254 12 11 14 14 68 20 68 47 23 80 10 25 201 44 56 13 24 107 190 68

Median price 2009 $332,500 $255,000 $1,195,000 $1,120,000 $1,787,500 $230,000 $220,000 $238,750 $195,000 $225,000 $280,000 $415,000 $258,000 $347,000 $354,000 $181,250 $266,700 $262,500 $250,000 $540,500 $327,500 $700,000 $970,000 $495,000 $985,000 $162,500 $75,000 $385,000 $287,500 $242,500 $135,000 $277,500 $341,000 $470,000 $475,000

No sold 2010 17 81 132 69 178 52 38 58 31 112 326 60 27 113 232 24 22 22 19 85 32 91 52 25 84 16 25 161 35 44 22 25 109 190 64

Median price 2010 $374,000 $290,000 $1,487,500 $1,442,000 $1,822,500 $250,250 $251,000 $248,500 $202,502 $293,062 $249,000 $423,000 $255,000 345,000 $375,500 $181,500 $330,000 $279,500 $219,000 $680,111 $362,500 $847,000 $1,247,500 $685,000 $1,240,000 $172,500 $110,000 $498,000 $317,000 $272,500 $155,000 $325,000 $435,000 $577,500 $500,000

% change sales 41.7 35.0 26.9 16.9 14.1 23.8 22.6 0.0 -6.1 -10.4 346.6 36.4 8.0 -3.4 -8.7 100.0 100.0 57.1 35.7 25.0 60.0 33.8 10.6 8.7 5.0 60.0 0.0 -19.9 -20.5 -21.4 69.2 4.2 1.9 0.0 -5.9

% change prices 12.5 13.7 24.5 28.8 2.0 8.8 14.1 4.1 3.8 14.9 -11.1 1.9 -1.2 -0.6 6.1 0.1 23.7 6.5 -12.4 25.8 10.7 21.0 28.6 38.4 25.9 6.2 46.7 29.4 10.3 12.4 14.8 17.1 27.6 22.9 5.3

NATION BUILDING have a median price that is above the current citywide recorded in the smaller and more remote markets. median price. Mr Kusher also noted that for units, a number of trends Across the top performing council areas for units, 25 of emerged across the council areas detailed. the 33 regions listed have recorded positive growth in median Based on the results, the differential between the council prices over the last 12 months. Of the areas to record price falls, areas outside of capital cities to those within are much closer Queensland continued to be a across the unit market than it poor performer with only one was for houses. of the five areas listed recording According to Mr Kusher, the Across the top performing positive growth in median unit reason is that houses are prices. New South Wales had in abundance right across the council areas for units, two regions recording a fall in country while units tend to be 25 of the 33 regions listed median unit prices and there more concentrated to capital have recorded positive was one each in Victoria and cities and larger regional areas. growth in median prices Western Australia. 17 of the 33 most improved “Holistically, the results over the last 12 months.” council areas based on sales revealed that at a national level volumes are located within sales activity is slowing down. capital city markets and the “Seven of the suburbs listed amongst the best performers in remainder are in regional areas. terms of sales volume change for houses actually recorded a fall As with the case for houses, very few top performers are in sales volumes during the year. The unit market results were in the larger regional areas of the country. worse, with 14 of the council regions listed recording a fall in Mr Kusher believes that these latest results are indicative of a sales volumes over the year. slow down in housing demand and an overall weaker performance. “Overall, the greatest increases in sales activity outside of The council areas within the capital cities that recorded the strongest performance for sales volumes have generally been the the capital cities has been occurring within smaller regional areas of the country away from the coastline,” Mr Kusher said. more expensive areas of the city. 12 of the 17 capital city regions

“

Are you selling, leasing or subleasing commercial office space? New national legislation for commercial office buildings commenced on 1 July 2010*. From 1 November 2010, the Act will require that before sale, lease or sublease, commercial office buildings with a net lettable area of 2000m2 or more, will need a NABERS Energy base or whole building rating within its 12 month validity period. The new legislation will create a more informed property market and stimulate demand and investment in energy efficient buildings. For more information about the Commercial Building Disclosure program visit www.cbd.gov.au or email commercialbuildings@climatechange.gov.au *Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Act 2010

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NATION BUILDING The car park water saver Mount Tambourine College, south of Brisbane, required a permeable pavement construction for 400 square metres of carpark broken into 4 sections by a concrete access way. This project, which was overseen by Adbri Masonry’s Technical Manager, Wayne Holt, and completed with the help of the Contracting Services Team, was a perfect opportunity to utilise the versatile Ecotrihex® paver. The pavement proved to be very well designed, as the water captured through the pavement is collected by the subsoil drainage network and drained directly into a small retention/infiltration basin, which subsequently overflows into a large basin. After studying permeable paving at university, Adbri Masonry’s Graduate Engineer, Mathew McEwan was impressed with how well the Ecotrihex® paving system performed.

Revitalising St Peters with Hollandstone ‘Dig It Landscapes’ requested Adbri Masonry for a high traffic paver for the ‘Revitalising St Peters” Project. The project has been undertaken by the city of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters to reflect the city’s vibrant cosmopolitan atmosphere and easy going persona. The city settled on 513 square metres of 80mm honed Hollandstone™ which Adbri Masonry supplied in Charcoal and Port Blend, laid in a 90 degree herringbone pattern, bordered by 200 square metres of 80mmUnipave® in Port Blend. The mix of Hollandstone™ and Unipave® proved to be an exceptionally strong, durable and aesthetically pleasing solution, which will maintain its beauty and extraordinary performance long into the future. 18 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

NATION BUILDING Paving solution to a natural pathway predicament Brisbane City Council contacted Adbri Masonry to discuss permeable paving as a potential solution to damaged pavements, caused by the tree roots of 130 year old Moreton Bay Figs, in the Botanic Gardens. After meeting on site, Adbri Masonryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Contracting Services team came up with a design to allow water to infiltrate through the pavement layers, into the subgrade and garden beds in an effort to keep the tree roots from coming to the surface in search of water. This project consisted of approximately 250 square metres of EcotrihexÂŽ paving, requiring around 90 tonnes of sub base aggregate and a further 10 tonnes of 7mm drainage for bedding and jointing of the pavers. Brisbane City Council was delighted with the result and we are currently in discussions to undertake similar repairs in two more locations in the gardens, totalling a further 600 square metres.

Retaining wall for remembrance At the request of Devonport Council, the local Tasmanian installer Landscape Concepts, recently constructed a retaining wall utilising 1,950 Canterbury wall blocks in the colour Maria, for the Lawn Cemetery. The Canterbury wall was selected for its natural looking appearance as well as its clean vertical finish. This allows plaques and urns of the deceased to be easily displayed by loved ones. The Council appreciated the subtle addition of style and colour, perfectly fitting the atmosphere and surroundings of the picturesque Lawn Cemetery.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 19

NATION BUILDING

Expert Assistance Program CASE STUDIES AND SHARED LEARNINGS The Expert Assistance Program (EAP) implements ‘Melbourne 2030’ and ‘Melbourne @ 5 million’ objectives by providing expert advice and assistance to councils to help finalise and implement structure plans for activity centres.

he 2009-10 State Budget delivered $1.5 million for the Melbourne 2030 EAP to help Councils plan for the future of metropolitan activity centres. The program is designed to assist councils with specialist expert and technical advice they need to finalise and implement structure plans for Principal, Major and Specialised Activity Centres. This initiative builds on the success of the first two years of the program where $3 million of expert assistance was provided to councils. The EAP has been well received by local government primarily due to its flexible, highly responsive, efficient and accessible program design. Procurement of expert contractors was undertaken by the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) over nine categories of expertise including: q Community consultation q Commercial feasibility q Development facilitation q Environmental planning q Property development q Social planning q Statutory planning implementation q Transport planning and q Urban design. Over the past three years: q 85 projects have been completed or commissioned by the EAP q 26 of these projects have assisted in finalising structure plans and 59 projects have assisted in implementing structure plans q The average project cost has been approximately $40,000 Some examples of projects undertaken within several of the categories of expertise are provided here.

Social Planning and Community Consultation Knox Social and Cultural Needs Project Municipality: City of Knox Description: The project provided a detailed understanding of the social and cultural needs of the current and future population to inform further structure planning for the Knox Central Activity Centre. The project assisted Council to clarify population projections for the centre and also enabled whole of government discussions about the role of the Knox Central Activity Centre including the types of services and facilities that could be considered to be located in the centre over time. Contractor: Urbis Community engagement and project plan advice for Epping Activity Centre Municipality: City of Whittlesea Description: Advice to Whittlesea City Council regarding the development of a Community Engagement Strategy for the Epping Principal Activity Centre. The advice provided assisted in one of the largest and most successful community engagement events ever undertaken by Council. The results of the consultation gave Council clear direction regarding the community’s vision for Epping Central and resulted in preparation of the Epping Central Emerging Directions Paper. Consultation feedback regarding this document was highly supportive and Council are now prepared and able to undertake preparation of a draft Structure Plan for Epping Central. Contractor: Capire

Commercial Feasibility and Development Facilitation Cranbourne Principal Activity Centre Residential Demand Modelling Municipality: City of Casey Description: The project estimated the likely residential demand trends and associated typologies in the Cranbourne Town Centre including current, medium and future residential demand. The findings of this report will assist Council to amend the Cranbourne Structure Plan to better reflect market conditions and will also be used in the translation into the new Activity Centre Zone provisions for the centre. Contractor: SGS Economics and Planning Pty Ltd

Image from the Activity Centre Zone application at Doncaster Hill.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 20 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Breathing life into the urban environment More than just a paver, permeable pavements are the visible starting point to a simple, environmentally effective, water saving system beneath the surface. With constant water restrictions and ever growing urban land development, architects and designers are under increasing pressure to incorporate water management systems that maximise the use of water resources. When an Ecopave® permeable pavement system is installed, a series of drainage holes are formed in the pavement surface. These drainage holes are filled with a small aggregate to allow water to filtrate through the surface layers, minimising stormwater run off, downstream flooding and pollution problems, with the added benefit of reducing moisture evaporation from base courses. Although permeable pavements are an effective structural solution, with obvious environmental benefits, permeable paving itself does not create a sustainable water management system. Permeable paving together with an appropriate basecourse and sub-base material (engineer certified), is needed for the successful filtration of stormwater for either harvesting, slowing the rate of runoff, or reintroducing runoff into ground water tables. As seen in projects such as Sydney Olympic Park, which used Ecotrihex® as well as many other projects big and small across Australia, permeable paving systems are a practical and effective solution to water management issues in Australia. Available in a number of made to order colours and finishes, Adbri Masonry’s Ecopave® permeable pavement range is the inspired solution for permeable paving projects. Need a breath of life in your next project? Call Adbri Masonry on 1300 365 565 or visit www.adbrimasonry.com.au/permeable Ecotrihex® - 181mm x 88mm x 80mm thick

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Statutory Planning Implementation

Urban Design

The EAP is currently assisting in the preparation of draft Activity Centre Zone schedules for Greensborough, Cranbourne and Sunshine and assisted in the drafting of a revised planning framework for Doncaster Hill. This resulted in the drafting and application of the first Activity Centre Zone schedule for an activity centre with the gazettal of Amendment VC59 on the 17 September 2009. Preparation of a Permanent Zone Solution for the Doncaster Hill Principal Activity Centre Municipality: City of Manningham Description: The project involved a review of the existing planning framework for the Doncaster Hill Principal Activity Centre, reviewing the Comprehensive Development Zone and local planning policy framework as they applied to the activity centre. This resulted in the preparation of a permanent zone solution for Doncaster Hill informed by assessments from Council and the Department of Planning and Community Development’s Priority Development Panel. Contractor: CPG

Glenroy MAC Urban Design Guidelines Municipality: City of Moreland Description: Development of guidelines for each precinct in the Glenroy Major Activity Centre to provide: q Built form guidance for future development of private land within the activity centre, including building envelopes, identifying and prioritising of active frontages and actions to reinforce the active movement network. q Adaptive reuse of buildings of character. q Built form and other specific guidance for “key development opportunity sites/priority areas for quality development” as identified in the Glenroy Structure Plan. Contractor: Tract

Transport Planning Sustainable Transport Study and Strategy – Eltham and Diamond Creek Municipality: City of Nillumbik Description: Development of a sustainable transport and car parking strategy for the Eltham and Diamond Creek activity centres. The project assisted Council to identify ways to make the centres more pedestrian friendly by overcoming infrastructure gaps and identify ways to encourage people to travel to and from the centres sustainably. Case studies were used effectively as part of the project. Consultant: Booz & Co. Croydon Town Centre Pedestrian Priority Plan Municipality: City of Maroondah Description: The project involved preparation of a strategy to improve the amenity of public spaces and prioritise pedestrian movement in the Croydon Town Centre. The project builds on the framework outlined in the Structure Plan and will provide an action plan and clear access and transport priorities for Council. Contractor: David Lock Associates

Image from the Braybrook Central West Access and Urban Design Study.

22 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Cross-section from the Glenroy Urban Design Guidelines.

Braybrook Central West Access and Urban Design Study Municipality: City of Maribyrnong Description: The project included an analysis of access and movement issues throughout the Braybrook Industrial Precinct; and an Urban Design Framework for the precinct and the public realm areas of the Central West Activity Centre. The project resulted in a successful Round 5 Creating Better Places Program application for physical improvements in the activity centre. Contractor: Planisphere The Expert Assistance Program has assisted councils that have demonstrated a readiness and willingness to finalise and implement their structure plans, supporting the creation of well connected vibrant centres that attract investment, boost the local economy and generate more local jobs. The Expert Assistance Program is another way the Victorian State Government is helping councils to realise our shared vision for a more liveable Melbourne. Details of the projects completed through the EAP, including copies of the final reports where available, can be found at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au on the Expert Assistance Program web page.

For more information on the Program, contact the EAP Program Manager on: Phone: (03) 8644 8807 or Email: activity.centres@dpcd.vic.gov.au or Web: www.dpcd.vic.gov.au and follow the links to the Activity Centres page.

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NATION BUILDING

Wattyl Antigraffiti Solutions Rectifying damage to property inflicted by graffiti vandals is a significant cost to local councils each year. Damage is unsightly, particularly when aerosols and marker pens are used to ‘tag’ property, a prevalent form of vandalism.

attyl’s Industrial Division has developed two antigraffiti coatings to assist local councils and property owners to combat the effects of graffiti, allowing graffiti to be easily removed. These coatings are Wash Away Graffiti and Poly U400 Antigraffiti Clear.

Wash Away Graffiti Wash Away Graffiti is a clear, gloss, exterior durable, non-sacrificial antigraffiti coating. This means that the coating can withstand repeated graffiti attacks without requiring reapplication. Wash Away Graffiti is designed for exterior use and can be applied directly to suitably prepared concrete, brick and concrete block. In addition, when used with Wash Away Graffiti Primer, it can be applied over Wattyl Solagard® on a variety of surfaces. This allows a desired colour scheme to be established prior to adding the antigraffiti protection. Wattyl’s Wash Away Graffiti has been used successfully on stadiums, toilet blocks, pedestrian walk ways, convention centres, murals and even locomotives. Wash Away Graffiti differs from other antigraffiti coatings, only high pressure water (1000-1500 psi) is required to

Graffiti removal with high pressure water from Wash Away Graffiti.

remove graffiti. Under the action of high pressure water, the flexible, hydrophobic coating deforms which destabilised the graffiti allowing it to be easily washed off.

Poly U400 Antigraffiti Clear Poly U400 Antigraffiti Clear is a clear, gloss, durable, non- sacrificial antigraffiti coating designed for interior and exterior use.

Locomotive BL26 protected with Poly U400 Antigraffiti clear.

24 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

It provides superior graffiti protection to most surfaces allowing graffiti to be easily removed by solvent wipe. Poly U400 Antigraffiti Clear is typically used for the protection of interior and exterior walls in high density population areas where damage by graffiti is prevalent, for example, pedestrian walkways, foot bridges, bus shelters, railway stations and staircases. Poly U400 Antigraffiti Clear is suitable for application over a Poly U400 system to further increase UV protection and depth of colour with the added benefit of antigraffiti properties. It may also be applied over most masonry surfaces and thin film acrylic coatings such as Wattyl Solagard® (for exterior use) and Wattyl I.d Interior Design® (for interior use). For more information on Wattyl’s antigraffiti coating solutions contact Wattyl Customer Service on 132 101 or visit www.wattyl.com.au.

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NATION BUILDING

Housing NSW wins multiple UDIA awards Housing NSW has won major awards for its Bonnyrigg and Minto Estate Projects at the prestigious Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) Awards for Excellence.

“All up, One Minto will deliver around 1,200 quality public and ousing Minister Frank Terenzini said it’s very rewarding private housing homes along with $10M of community facilities.” to see Housing NSW recognised for its innovative work Mr Terenzini said Housing NSW has also taken out top honours in providing high quality social housing for people of for Excellence in Concept Design for its development at Smart varying ages and mobility. Street in the centre of Sydney’s Fairfield. “Three major Awards and a Commendation clearly indicate “Employing a revolutionary concept for a vibrant social hub the high standard of social housing design in this State and for seniors, the 44-unit social housing building has a lobby with the substantial progress Housing NSW is achieving in social concierge desk for enhanced security, a rooftop meeting place, housing reform. a ground floor common room, its own retail outlet (which can “It’s won the top award for excellence in the category provide employment for older residents and support community of Government Leadership for Urban Development for its enterprise), and two consulting rooms for visiting doctors or Bonnyrigg Living Communities Project. aged care nursing. “The first public housing Private Public Partnership “This model promotes social in Australia, the Bonnyrigg interaction between residents Project is transforming this and brings vital services right 1980s style Radburn public The first public housing to the door,” Mr Terenzini said. housing estate to achieve “The Fairfield project is the comprehensive, sustainable Private Public Partnership in first example of Housing NSW’s and integrated social and Australia, the Bonnyrigg Project innovative ‘Central Living’ model physical renewal. is transforming this 1980s style and has been developed “It will see a reduction in through a productive the concentrated level of social Radburn public housing estate partnership with the private housing in the community, to achieve comprehensive, sector to deliver a best practice with 2,332 new dwellings sustainable and integrated social housing concept using to be built in a master planned social and physical renewal.” local expertise and resources. estate over the next 13 years; “And finally, in the Medium 833 of which will be social Density Development category, housing.” Housing NSW has been awarded a Commendation for its Mr Terenzini said Housing NSW has also taken out the development at Isabella St, North Parramatta. top award in the category of Affordable Development, for its “Funded under the NSW Nation Building Economic One Minto affordable housing development at Ben Lomond Stimulus Plan, this development saw three out-of-date cottages Road, Minto, in Sydney’s south west. “A joint project with Landcom and Campbelltown City Council, redeveloped into 24 two-bedroom units specifically designed for ease of access and to allow residents to age in place. the One Minto project has innovatively raised the benchmark for “NSW’s Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan is the urban renewal projects by successfully integrating new public largest social housing infrastructure project in decades, investing housing indistinguishably within a larger majority of affordable $1.9 billion to deliver 6,000 new social housing homes by 2012.” private housing. Mr Terenzini said it is now standard practice for Housing “With the creation of 840 private affordable home-sites, NSW to employ the most up-to-date environmentally sustainable One Minto currently offers the most affordable housing in the design, and incorporate wonderful design features that meet greater Sydney region, with house and land packages in the the needs of tenants. precinct expected to sell for $300,000-$600,000.

“

26 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

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Protective Coatings

ISO9001 quality assurance systems

Wattyl’s protective coatings include high performance epoxies (including primers and build coats), zinc rich primers, epoxy tank linings and polyurethane topcoats. These coatings are combined to produce highly durable coating systems for use in harsh environments and on various structures including refineries, bridges, floating docks, petrochemical tanks, water treatment plants and mine structures and processing equipment. Wattyl’s protective coatings are also regularly used on commercial and public infrastructure projects including architectural structural steel, sporting stadiums, sound barriers and tunnels.

ensuring that consistent and high quality

Marine Coatings Wattyl’s protective and marine coatings are combined to provide protection to vessels of all sizes including pleasure marine craft, yachts, fishing fleets and large ocean going deep sea vessels. Wattyl’s marine coatings range consists of antifoulings and specialised primers and preparatory products.

Metal Coatings Wattyl’s industrial metal coatings are used in many and varied manufacturing and fabrication applications for the protection of articles such as farm machinery, earth moving equipment, trailers, bollards, storage containers, drums, and automotive components.

Standards during development, with many of its products approved to APAS (Australian Paint Approval Scheme) standards. This, combined with Wattyl’s history of successful projects, means you can be confident in choosing Wattyl as a supplier of industrial coatings. Wattyl has manufacturing sites in Blacktown (NSW), Footscray (VIC) and Kilburn (SA). Each site is accredited with

products are manufactured. In addition, Wattyl is a recognised paint manufacturer by the Australian Paint Manufacturers’ Federation (APMF). Wattyl understands the importance of colour and has a dedicated Colour Group committed to providing high quality colour matches across all product ranges. The Colour Group is constantly

Timber Coatings

expanding and updating the colour library

Timber coatings are Wattyl’s heritage and continue to be one of Wattyl’s strengths. Wattyl has a range of quality clear and pigmented timber finishes. These are used for commercial and domestic timber furniture, commercial fit outs and various types of timber flooring ranging from residential homes to basketball courts.

as new colour ranges and products are

Line Marking

by Australians for Australia. They meet

Wattyl offers a range of line marking solutions for car parks, walk ways, safety marking, even airport runways. With thousands of kilometres of lines painted each year, you know you can rely on Wattyl’s quality and high productivity line marking solutions. Wattyl’s products are developed by a dedicated team of industrial chemists who are continually developing, refining and testing products to ensure they continue to meet the demands of the harsh Australian environment. Wattyl’s products

the demands of the various and harsh

developed. Colour formulations are available for a large number of popular colours along with standard colour ranges such as the Australian Standards 2700 (AS2700), RAL, British Standards and other International Standards. Wattyl’s products are manufactured

Australian climates. They have a long track record of success on projects large and small. Wattyl employs more than 1000 Australians and continues to support the local economy by investing in a wide range of locally sourced products and services. For more information on Wattyl’s quality range of industrial coatings contact Wattyl Customer Service on 132 101 or visit www.wattyl.com.au.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 27

ASSET MANAGEMENT

Providing Sustainable Solutions for Local Government For more than a century, Downer has partnered with local governments to build communities and develop and maintain our clients’ critical infrastructure assets.

owner brings a comprehensive range of infrastructure capabilities across the social infrastructure, transport, water,

resources, energy and communications sectors, including the design, build and maintenance of roads, rail, airports, ports, education and healthcare and water facilities. Downer’s investment in long term relationships means our clients trust us to deliver a range of value-add services. With more than 24,000 employees, Downer has successfully completed thousands of ocal government projects for clients across the world.

Pavement construction and maintenance services Downer provides an extensive range of asphalt, spay sealing, slurry surfacing, rejuvenation, stabilisation, maintenance and minor construction products and services to

Asset management solutions Downer, through a long term relationship, is working closely with Onkaparinga council in South Australia, to transfer the skills, knowledge and expertise of our people and assist the council in developing the area’s long term asset road management strategy.

local government councils across Australia.

Sustainable products and services To meet communities growing expectations, Downer has invested significantly in developing more sustainable asphalt products. The use of warm mix and recycled asphalt instead of conventional hot asphalt can reduce carbon emissions by up to 30 percent. Downer can now deliver an alternative sustainable road service with no reduction in quality. By using these products, Downer offers clients a Certificate of Carbon Emission Reduction that acknowledges their total carbon emissions saving. The certificate provides confirmation of the emissions reduction benefits associated with our clients’ choice of a low-carbon Downer product in-lieu of traditional road surfacing products. In today’s climate councils face increasing pressure to preserve and protect their local road assets and make their dollar go further. Downer has partnered with urban and regional clients across Australia to deliver a range of road surface rejuvenation services to extend the life span of their roads. 28 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Mornington Safer Roads Alliance Mornington Shire Council and Downer have established a 15 year partnership which provides integrated road and related construction services to build safer roads for the region. The partnership provides significant savings for rate payers and has evolved to become a body which offers ongoing support for local businesses and sub-contractors, by providing skill development, safety training, resource sharing and traineeship opportunities.

Providing sustainable solutions for local government For more than a century, Downer has partnered with local governments to build communities and develop and maintain our clients’ critical infrastructure assets. Downer brings a comprehensive range of capabilities across the social infrastructure, transport, water, resources, energy and communications sectors. We design, build and maintain roads, rail, airports, ports, education, healthcare and water facilities. We also offer local government: • Asphalt, spay sealing, slurry surfacing, rejuvenation, stabilisation, maintenance and minor construction products and services • Sustainable asphalt products and services • Pavement construction and maintenance services • Asset management solutions Downer is proud to be a preferred partner of local government throughout Australia and New Zealand.

www.downergroup.com

phone: 1800 DOWNER

ASSET MANAGEMENT

Long-term financial planning The key to overcoming asset management funding gaps in local government BY JOHN COMRIE

All too often in the infrastructure intensive local government sphere, assets are not being maintained, rehabilitated and replaced at points in time and in ways that achieve required service standards and minimise whole of life costs. a charge for depreciation. An expense is recognised in The problem arises because: q budgets and service level decisions are made based the income statement and a corresponding reduction on short-term cash costs and cash availability, and in asset value is shown in the balance sheet. Use of accrual accounting effectively spreads the capital q when deciding to acquire new assets to deliver higher cost of an asset over its useful life. and additional services not enough thought is given Local governments should in normal circumstances strive as to whether the entity will have the capacity to fund to generate operating revenue approximately equal or slightly increasing maintenance as existing and proposed in excess of their operating expenses calculated on an accrual additional assets age. accounting basis. (A break-even operating result means that As a consequence, assets prematurely fail. Their economic rates and charges people are paying are equivalent to the life is not realised and whole of life costs are therefore higher. costs incurred in providing existing service levels.) The entity is often though not in a position to fund the assets’ A decision to add to the rehabilitation or renewal and stock of assets will add to unwilling to raise additional operating costs in future borrowings to do so and as a Use of accrual accounting years through increased: result service standards fall. effectively spreads the q depreciation (unless asset In order to make sound asset capital cost of an asset is land) management decisions it is q financing costs (or reduced essential to: over its useful life.” investment income) q have reasonably reliable forecasts regarding likely q possibly higher operating and maintenance costs. future asset performance and associated costs q have an appreciation of future revenue raising capability Rating and outlay decisions should normally be based on and affordability of service level proposals striving to achieve and maintain an operating break-even/small q be willing to utilise additional debt where it is required, and surplus result on average over the medium (three to five year) term. In the case of decisions regarding possible capital outlays cost-effective to do so. the focus should be the impact on the ongoing operating result Continued reliance on cash accounting for budgeting, decision-making and reporting was criticised by the independent (e.g. from depreciation) – the quantum of the capital outlay shouldn’t be the prime concern. local government financial sustainability inquiries conducted If an entity achieves an operating break-even/small surplus in all Australian states between 2004 and 2006. It is a poor guide result on an ongoing basis over the longer term then it will for decision-making and measuring performance. Because costs generate approximately enough cash to fund asset replacement associated with managing assets increase as assets age it can on average. Even so it would still (on average) need to raise debt lead asset intensive organisations to perceive that they are in a as a result of purchasing new or upgraded assets. This is stronger financial position than they really are. equitable. The only way the need for additional borrowings Use of accrual accounting provides much better information can be avoided as a result of acquiring additional assets is by: for organisations with large stocks of long lived assets relative q receiving the assets free of charge or being able to pay to income. Unlike cash accounting, accrual accounting: for them through receipt of a capital grant q distinguishes between payments for expenses (which are shown in the income statement) and acquiring q saving up for them (i.e. generating operating surpluses) and effectively charging people more than cost of the assets (shown in the balance sheet) services they receive/have available q recognises the gradual consumption of assets by recording

“

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32 30 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

VDM brings value to the asset management equation VDM Consulting (VDMC) adds value to local council’s infrastructure assets through its expertise in the civil, flood and water modelling, environmental, and sustainability engineering disciplines. Local Governments face issues of aging infrastructure and increased demand to support a burgeoning population. VDMC provides life-cycle cost scenarios for all options under consideration ensuring the best long-term solution is reached. Flood Plain Planning and Hydraulic Infrastructure Adaptation to climate change is central to VDMC and we ensure council has an understanding of all risks associated. Recent involvement in the flood risk analysis in Brown Hill Creek, Adelaide and Moody Creek, Cairns assisted the local council in fully understanding their responsibilities. Sustainability Recent cost increases in water and energy will ultimately influence future infrastructure costs. The graph below illustrates the opportunity cost of energy consumption in a community with 8% p/a escalation, e.g. $100,000 p/a extrapolates to $7.5m over 25 years. VDMC develops business cases for the implementation of energy conservation and renewable substitution.

Bowen Foreshore Redevelopment

Roads, Water and Wastewater Infrastructure VDMC skills in this discipline ensure that all options are considered and costed in our life cycle model. Public Open Space and the Environment Through preparation of ecological assessments and environmental management plans VDMC have been responsible for best practice ecological and open space outcomes across the country; exemplified through recent work on planning South Stradbroke Island for Gold Coast City Council. The design allowed for the entire area to be operated by Ecologically Sustainable Development technology for water, wastewater and power.

ASSET MANAGEMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT VDM Consulting is an Australian owned and operated multi-disciplinary consulting engineering and environmental business. VDM Consulting is a member of the publicly listed ASX company VDM Group Limited. VDM Consulting provides services in the following disciplines: Civil and structural engineering 7UDI¿F DQG $FRXVWLFV (QJLQHHULQJ :DWHU DQG ÀRRG HQJLQHHULQJ Environmental & Sustainability Consulting Mechanical and Electrical 9'0 &RQVXOWLQJ KDV D QHWZRUN RI UHJLRQDO RI¿FHV HVWDEOLVKHG DORQJ WKH HDVW FRDVW RI $XVWUDOLD 0DQ\ RI WKHVH RI¿FHV KDYH EHHQ HVWDEOLVKHG IRU PRUH WKDQ 20 years and are a part of the local community, demonstrating our commitment to a professional presence in regional and suburban Australia. Additionally, it provides great comfort for regional local governments knowing that by engaging VDM Consulting locally, they have access to services offered within DOO 9'0 &RQVXOWLQJ RI¿FHV VDM is commercially and politically aware in its dealings with councils and goes the extra yard in communicating with stakeholders to understand the GH¿QLQJ LVVXH

This often means striking a balance between stakeholders’ expectations, and what is legally, socially and environmentally best practice. Our emphasis on sustainability is the underlying principle and councils can rest assured that when they engage VDM Consulting on any asset management assignment that a proper triple bottom line balance sheet will be presented so that council can satisfy their sustainability responsibilities. Across Australia VDM Consulting provide the following services to Local Government: Flood Plain Planning and Hydraulic Infrastructure- adaption to Climate Change Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Sustainability Public Open Space Planning and Environmental Services &LYLO DQG 7UDI¿F (QJLQHHULQJ Asset Management

Contact Us www.vdmconsulting.com.au T: +61 7 3250 7500 National Manager: bob.gregg@vdmgroup.com.au QLD Manager: philip.bell@vdmgroup.com.au

Bowen Foreshore Redevelopment, Bowen QLD

ASSET MANAGEMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30

q utilising cash that has been generated from raising revenue to offset depreciation of existing assets. (Note, this is often cost-effective but it needs to be appreciated that it is probable that eventually a borrowing will need to be raised when assets need to be replaced.) Because of a lack of appreciation of accrual accounting information and forward planning, entities have often utilised available cash to acquire additional assets, take on additional services or reduce revenue raising efforts without appreciating the implications for future asset renewal capability. Local governments are often uncomfortable with the idea of more debt per se. Before making a decision about more debt, the pros, cons and risks should be objectively assessed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; i.e. long-term financial planning should be undertaken. Every organisation with a significant stock of long-lived infrastructure needs a long-term financial plan. A simple longterm financial plan can be easy to prepare and yet still provide very valuable information for revenue raising and service level decision-making. A long-term financial plan should show the financial impact over time (at least five years) from any material proposals e.g. regarding variations in asset stocks, service levels, operating costs and revenue. It should disclose projected financial

32 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

performance against financial indicator targets and, where targeted performance is forecast not to be achieved, proposals should be revised. Service levels from assets and an organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consequential holding of asset stocks need to be based on long-term affordability. Asset maintenance and rehabilitation decisions should not be based on short-term cashflow considerations. Cashflow constraints should be resolved through a long-term financial plan. Asset management plans should be based on maintaining an organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preferred, long-term affordable service levels and minimising the whole of economic life costs of assets. The Australian Infrastructure Financial Management Guidelines, published by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA), provides further information on how to use long-term financial planning to optimise asset management. Further details are available at www.ipwea.org.au/aifmg. IPWEA also intends to publish a Practice Note providing guidance on how to develop a long-term financial plan in the near future. John Comrie is one of the three co-authors of the Australian Infrastructure Financial Management Guidelines.

BUILDING YOUR CAREER FUTURE

“New Diplom a of Facilities M anagement initiated and developed by the industry for the benefi t and advancemen t of the industry.” David Dunca n, CEO, FMA Australia

The Facility Management Association of Australia, in partnership with Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, is pleased to announce the introduction of an industry focused Diploma of Facilities Management. The new Diploma of Facilities Management qualification is designed to assist existing facilities managers to enhance and have their current skills recognised, as well as providing opportunities for new facilities managers to gain entry into this ever growing industry, through the completion of high quality training and assessment. The training will help facilities managers to make key decisions across all property sectors such as capital control and/or maintenance spending, communications, utilities, building and property maintenance and other workplace services. The new Diploma, to be delivered by Holmesglen, is offered with a fully flexible training and assessment model. There are options to suit the needs of each individual learner. Participants have the opportunity to complete Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Self Paced Learning, supported by a full suite of newly developed learning materials and Skills Audits, all conducted and fully assisted by our qualified trainers and assessors.

The units of learning offered in this new course include: • Manage budgets and financial plans • Manage people performance • Manage client relationships and networks in the property industry • Manage projects in the property industry • Ensure a safe workplace • Facilitate continuous improvement • Manage risk • Coordinate fit-out of premises for user occupation • Determine space utilisation • Advise on use and design of facilities • Coordinate construction or renovation of facilities • Monitor performance of property/facility portfolio • Write complex documents • Read and interpret plans and specifications • Manage environmental sustainability of facilities • Manage the life cycle services of facilities • Develop and manage facility maintenance plans • Foster innovative practice within the facility

For more information on this new and exciting course please contact: Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA Australia) T: +61 3 8641 6666 E: info@fma.com.au W: www.fma.com.au

ASSET MANAGEMENT

Asset management legislation: turning compliance into business success BY KEVIN ATKINS, PRACTICE LEADER – ASSET MANAGEMENT, MWH

Following a 2005 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) study for the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) on the financial sustainability of local government, a backlog of $14.5 billion in infrastructure renewals was identified. The federal government and a number of state governments have taken that study on board, recently undertaking reviews on the operating environments of local governments.

nfrastructure assets exist to provide services to our communities and it is essential that assets be well maintained and renewed to ensure their useful life is optimised and service delivery is sustainable. Without established and robust asset management practices, organisations will have difficulty identifying and responding to reforms, population growth and changes in community needs/demands. The Commonwealth Government set a target to have all infrastructure asset classes managed by councils covered by asset management plans by December 2010. In his June 2009 ALGA address, then Prime Minister Rudd stated that the “quality and transparency of financial management varies greatly across different local governments” and “we must improve asset management and financial management”. To support this, the Prime Minister established a $25 million Local Government Reform Fund to: q assist councils in implementing new asset management and planning consistent with a national framework q fund the collection and analysis of robust data about councils’ infrastructure assets q support collaboration between councils on a regional basis for service delivery and planning. Since these announcements, some states have conducted reviews of their individual local government legislation. The Queensland Government’s assessment found the focus of efforts was largely short-term and that greater emphasis was required to plan for the sustained management of infrastructure. As a result, Queensland’s Local Government Act was amended to emphasise the importance of strategic planning. Under Queensland’s revised Local Government Act 2009, councils must demonstrate long-term financial sustainability by meeting a set of criteria in financial forecasts and asset management plans. Similarly, the New South Wales Government developed an integrated planning and reporting framework for councils. The Local Government Amendment (Planning and Reporting) Act 2009 requires councils to support the development of Community Strategic Plans, Delivery Programs, Operational Plans and Annual Reporting. While some may see this as additional pressure on already strained resources, there are a number of opportunities for councils to improve their overall efficiency if managed at an organisational level. When similar legislation was introduced 36 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

in New Zealand in 2002, councils learned that they must remain service- or activity-focused. Whether an individual or department is responsible for maintaining water, roads or other services, they must strive to provide continuous and exemplary service to customers. Far from being a ‘tick and flick’ situation, councils should consider how to use this requirement to ensure financial sustainability for local communities. Through its introduction, senior council members will be in a stronger position to secure funding and plan for long-term financial sustainability. The development of asset management plans should now be well-advanced to meet the Prime Minister’s requirements. The focus will shift to the integration of the asset management plans into the council corporate planning process to meet the requirements of legislation. In developing the asset management plans there are two key aspects that need to be highlighted: Asset management is a process; the development of a plan is documentary evidence of the outcomes of the process. Councils should ensure they have the asset management planning process well documented for repeatability. The asset management plans (with a service focus) are a key component of the higher-level corporate plans. Establishing the linkages and integration with council corporate plans early will save time and effort in the future updates. It is most beneficial to identify an approach that complements what other supporting bodies are undertaking. By working in conjunction with external providers and developing a clear link between a community plan and the more detailed delivery plans, councils are able to best manage limited resources. This helps councils identify the current state of affairs and provides them with a sound improvement plan to best manage their assets and services. By establishing early on which areas require greatest attention, and where the opportunities for improving efficiencies lie, councils will find that they will likely be in an even stronger position than they are today.

Kevin Atkins has more than 30 years of experience and is MWH’s Queensland-based Asset Management Practice Leader. For further information, please contact him at kevin.atkins@mwhglobal.com.

Gain efficiency with advanced GPS technology Future Fleet is an Australian owned and operated company, providing advanced GPS vehicle tracking, fleet management, asset tracking, and cost efficiencies for the service and transport industries. Future Fleet deliver a total solution, integrating onvehicle hardware and online user software through satellite, GPRS and Next GTM data communication. GPS technology can be used in many applications to provide accurate data for live temperature monitoring, real-time tracking and operational IO’s (digital sensors on/off, door open/close, PTO (power take off ) and ignition sensor), to name a few. Future Fleet solutions are customized to suit any situation making them beneficial throughout all industries including transport, service, transit, construction, contracting, mining, marine and private. Examples of applications: • RFID Temperature Monitoring for kangaroo shooters to maintain safe food temperatures throughout transportation and storage. This can be used for other food industry standards. • Driver ID and Can Bus for transit and transport companies to log on/off event report, produce efficient job billing, timesheets, fuel and engine management. • Ignition Sensoring in plant hire to generate engine hours • PTO’s in street sweepers, concrete pumpers and tow trucks to record when they are in use

•

GPS tracking, trailer tracking and temperature monitoring for the transport industry to find stolen trailers, prove temperature of stock during transit, reduce fuel costs and monitor/manage speeding and unsafe driving.

To improve the operation of your business or more information on Future Fleet’s products visit www.futurefleet.com.au or call 07 3390 2784

ENVIRONMENT + SUSTAINABILITY

In building a better energy future we all have a part to play – let’s go Global energy demand is rising and so are consumer expectations – more people want energy from cleaner sources. At Shell we are unlocking new energy sources and squeezing more from what we have. With others we are finding ways to lower our emissions and helping customers to do the same.

overnment incentives and new technology will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and safeguard the environment. But society must also use energy more efficiently and secure new sources to meet surging long-term demand. At Shell, they are ready to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future.

CO2 management By 2050 global CO2 emissions must fall by at least 50%, yet energy demand is predicted to double. No single solution exists to this challenge. Shell is working to manage CO2 emissions in a number of ways – including helping to develop carbon capture and storage technology, helping to develop advanced biofuels, and through our coal gasification technology.

Energy security The world’s energy use is likely to double by 2050. To help meet this rising demand, Shell is extracting more from existing resources and continuing to push new frontiers of energy exploration.

And we continue to develop our capacity in conventional and advanced biofuels.

“What should I be doing now?” There are of course numerous activities that one should at least be starting to think about as a business that utilises a fleet of vehicles. One simple activity, a starting point perhaps, that may prove very useful from a local business perspective in regards to the “what should I be doing now” is to spend some time reassessing your businesses process and the tools that are used to capture and monitor your fuel use across your fleet as well as for the drivers of your vehicle(s). This is particularily useful for setting fuel efficiency targets for your business and for identifying and rewarding the drivers of the vehicle(s) that demonstrate excellent fuel efficienct driving behaviours. It also offers the opportunity to identify those drivers that would benefit from training on fuel efficient driving techniques. To help assist you in monitoring your fuel use, you should look to a fuel supplier that is able to provide you with the online reporting tools that will help you to monitor and track your fuel

Energy efficiency

use. For example, by using Shell Card Online you are able to run

Learning to use energy more efficiently will help conserve resources and reduce greenhouse gases. At Shell we’re always looking to improve our own energy use and help customers to do the same with more energy-efficient fuels and lubricants.

a Fuel Management Report that provides a summary view of the fuel usage, purchases and fuel efficiency of vehicles and details a comparison with a year to date. The fuel efficiency is based on the km/l calculated on the odometer prompts at the time of payment. The Shell Card feature “Smart Alerts” is another tool that may prove useful to help keep track of your fuel use efficiencies. The Smart Alert feature alerts you to any purchases made outside the designated purchase limits you have set for your card(s). Alert thresholds can be set at account level where the same set of alerts are set to all cards, or at card level, where unique alerts are set for individual cards. Whenever an alert threshold is exceeded Shell Card Online will generate a report and send a notification via email the day after the transaction. One such Smart Alert is the Fuel Economy alert that is triggered when the fuel economy

Energy diversity

of the vehicle (in litres per 100km) exceeds your “average fuel

To meet the world’s growing energy demand will take multiple resources, including oil and gas from conventional and unconventional sources. Shell liquefies natural gas, making it easier to transport and opening up huge energy resources. Our gas-toliquids process turns natural gas into liquid transport fuel and other products. We are also involved in wind energy projects.

consumption” notification level.

38 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

To find out more about Shell Card and the features that can help you reduce your fuel use please contact us on (03) 8823 4433.

SHA2942_SCT

LET’S PASS ENERGY ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION. LET’S GO. The Yoshida children have a lot of energy. But the country they’re growing up in doesn’t. Japan, like many other countries, needs a reliable source of energy. That’s why Shell, through its investments in Australia and around the world, is helping to deliver natural gas to more countries than any other energy company. Not just for tonight’s bowl of warming noodles, but for years to come, when the children may have children of their own. Let’s build a better energy future. Let’s go. www.shell.com.au/letsgo

GREEN BUILDING

Raising the standard, helping to meet it WAYNE WESCOTT, CONVENOR – LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM MANAGER, GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

The phrase ‘think global, act local’ is more relevant than ever after the disappointment of Copenhagen climate change negotiations last year.

The CH2 building has a number of energy-reducing features.

40 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

GREEN BUILDING

Local governments around Australia have identified two areas ith no direct global action in sight, many local over which they can exert control and influence: the buildings they communities around Australia are focused on own, including facilities such as leisure centres and neighbourhood home-grown, grass-roots initiatives that can make a difference to climate change, the environment and local economies. centres; and their role in the development process in their municipalities for both major renovations and new projects. According to the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council House 2 (CH2) was the first building in Australia to Council’s (ASBEC) Second Plank report of 2008, residential and achieve a 6 Star Green Star certified rating (Office Design), and is commercial buildings are responsible for 23 per cent of our an iconic example of how the nation’s greenhouse gas benefits of green buildings emissions. extend far beyond a smaller In fact, buildings use 32 per CH2 was the first building in carbon footprint. Increasingly, cent of the world’s resources in Australia to achieve a 6 Star councils are demanding high construction and generate 40 Green Star certified rating sustainability standards for per cent of global greenhouse (Office Design), and is an iconic their own facilities. Take the gas emissions – making them City of Melbourne’s CH2, which the single largest contributor to example of how the benefits is considered an international the world’s carbon footprint. of green buildings extend benchmark in sustainable While buildings are certainly far beyond a smaller carbon building design. part of the problem of climate footprint.” The building’s energychange, they can also be a big reducing features, which part of the solution. The United Nations Environment Programme has stated that “no other sector include passive chilled beam cooling, solar photovoltaic cells and integrated wind turbines for electricity generation, have has such a high potential for drastic emission reductions”. resulted in an impressive 87 per cent reduction in greenhouse Yet, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate gas emissions when compared to buildings of similar size. Change, proven and commercially-available technologies could Even more impressive, perhaps, have been the increases reduce energy consumption in old and new buildings by 30-50 in staff productivity and wellbeing as a result of working in a per cent, without significantly increasing investment costs. healthier building. An independent assessment undertaken by What are these proven technologies? Simple measures such CSIRO after the building’s first year of operation found that staff as better passive design, improved insulation, low-energy productivity improved by 10.9 per cent – saving the council appliances, highly efficient ventilation and cooling systems, around $2 million each year. solar hot water, high-reflectivity materials and multiple glazing.

“

CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

The rooftop at CH2.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 41

Award Winning Muller Dricon series environmentally friendly heat rejection systems. Muller Industries is pleased to have been involved in the successful development of Fujitsu Australia’s new state of the art data centre in Homebush Bay, which showcases energy efficient design through the use of co-efficiency and the latest heat rejection technology. The interior conditions of the data centre have been designed to meet the International Standard TA492. This required the Fujitsu Australia facility to maintain a temperature of 23°C, plus or minus 0.5°C whilst maintaining 50% humidity. This was achieved through the combination of Muller Industries ‘Dricon Technology and Powerpax Chillers which generate significant levels of efficiency whist removing the health risks and chemical treatment which would otherwise be present trough the use of cooling towers. “These are air cooled units not water cooled so wer’e moving away from having to maintain water extraction units, cooling towers halving the concern around Legionaires, “ said Michael Gunton General manager of Data Centre Services for Fujitsu Australia. “ Wer’e at a level now where you can get the same efficiency in power without all the hassles of dealing with diseases and treatments and all that goes with it.”

WHY WOULD YOU?

BEFORE

Using a cooling tower like this is yesterday’s thinking. They consume over 5000 litres of drinking water per day. They carry the risk of the deadly Legionnaires’ disease.

LET MULLER FIND THE BEST SOLUTION FOR YOU

According to Manfred Jarchow, Product Solutions Manager at Muller Industries This project highlights the advantages of Muller industries technology. “It’s pleasing to see that the market is finally accepting these innovative and sustainable technologies that reduce CO2 emissions” Jarchow said. “The Powerpax/Dricon unit is becoming a market leader.”

WHY WOULDN’T YOU?

AFTER

Choosing a 3C Cooler is a decision for now, and for the future. They consume up to 80% less water. They eliminate the risk of Legionnaires’ disease.

03 8761 6155 mullerindustries.com.au COMPANY MEMBER

GREEN BUILDING

Vaulted concrete ceilings at CH2.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

The City of Melbourne is just one example of many councils around Australia that have embraced the opportunities represented by green building. Councils are beginning to use standards such as Green Star to set the benchmark for their wider municipalities’ buildings. Over the coming months, they will also contribute to the development of a new tool, Green Star Communities, which extends best practice benchmarks to a neighbourhood and precinct level. In order for local governments both to meet these standards themselves and to work with their communities to do so, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is collaborating closely with member councils to deploy its large-scale education process that builds skills, technical capacity and aggregated knowledge in all relevant sectors. Since 2002, the GBCA has been supporting Australia’s transition towards sustainability. Today, the GBCA has almost 900 member companies that work together to support the Council and its activities. The GBCA promotes green building programs, technologies, design practices and processes, and operates Australia’s only national voluntary comprehensive environmental rating system for buildings – Green Star. As a leading learning resource, the GBCA has trained more than 16,000 people between the Top End and Tasmania on how to apply green building principles to their projects and integrate green skills into their day-to-day operations. In July this year, the GBCA launched the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program to ensure the industry maintains and expands these green skills. Over the coming decade, the GBCA will focus on accelerating the uptake of green buildings across our communities.

Recognising the important role local governments play in this process, the GBCA has established a Local Government Task Group (LGTG) to engage with local councils on green building issues, identify opportunities and barriers, and provide guidance on the use of Green Star. The GBCA has an online portal, the Green Guide to Government Policy, which is free to all member councils, which outlines green building programs and incentives at all levels of government around Australia. This is a useful resource for local governments wanting to compare and contrast their policies with best practice examples around Australia. While many local governments have been promoting and implementing green building programs for a number of years, the GBCA hopes its new task group will further this trend by encouraging the uptake of voluntary rating tools, offering practical advice and assistance and educating councils on best practice measures implemented by similar organisations around the world. The LGTG will integrate local governments’ efforts with other sectors – from developers to householders – to demonstrate that significant small-scale action across our nation can be aggregated towards major change. We aim to see more local governments take on the role of ‘green change agents’ and lead the way in the adoption of sustainable building and eco-friendly business practices. By acting local, while thinking global, we hope that councils around Australia will continue to influence the future direction of green building in Australia. The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 43

GREEN BUILDING

Australia’s leader in energy and water management solutions Energy Conservation Systems (ECS) is Australia’s leading specialist in energy and water efficiency solutions. Established in 1983, ECS has offices around the country providing high efficiency systems to all market sectors.

ur success is based on award winning innovation coupled with our extensive ‘in the field’ experience and our strong engineering base.

Our aim is to provide our customers with the most reliable

systems, on time, on budget, and with measurable outcomes. Our case studies and experience are regularly sought by private and public sector organisations interested in the development of sustainable energy and water solutions. ECS’ high efficiency lighting, lighting control, air conditioning, water collection and re-use systems are applied across a wide range of facilities, from commercial offices, industrial, retail and warehousing through to hospitals, schools and universities.

Cost, Energy, Maintenance and Greenhouse Gas Savings When you save energy, your energy bill and carbon footprint are reduced. Saving water reduces your water and discharge bills and reduces your impact on our limited water supplies. Today’s technologies allow you to do all this without compromise to the performance of your property or business. Some ECS examples: q State-of-the-art, new-generation fluorescent office lighting when coupled with modern electronic control systems can result in up to 87% less power usage than systems installed just a few years ago. q Using smart sensor technology and variable speed drives on air conditioning systems can save energy compared to on/off controls and throttling devices. q Installing sub-meters to critical devices that automatically report when a system is out of tune avoids long term energy and water waste that can adversely affect your profitability. Our experience and understanding of what strategies to use and the best technologies to apply in each situation gives ECS the edge in energy and water savings.

ECS is proud of its 27 year delivery record of innovative energy and water efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse reduction projects. Our list of satisfied customers and longevity in this business stand testament to our capacity to deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions to a wide range of clients.

Energy Capabilities: q q q q q q q q

Turnkey design & construct projects Accredited Energy Performance Contractor Energy & water system analysis, benchmarking Sustainability reports Development of energy & water savings plans/programs Project management Rainwater collection Grey water re-use

44 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

q q q q q q q

System integration Lighting control design Guaranteed energy/water savings projects System monitoring and metering Renewable energy system design and construction Quality systems designed to ISO9001 NABERS ratings

SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING

Envirolite Industries first choice for e1 lighting solutions Envirolite is an Australian company based in NSW, which specialises in the manufacturing and installation of e1 lighting systems.

nvirolite has risen to the forefront within the lighting industry in the delivery of Australian Standards compliant , sustainable and energy efficient e1 lighting systems. The installation of e1 lighting systems is becoming ever popular with facilities managers within Australia especially for their return on investment with power savings. Local Government Super (LGS) recently has begun conducting the refurbishment of six of their commercial properties within Sydney and the use of e1 lighting has been a major contributor to substantially improving its NABERS rating on several of their buildings. As Peter Lambert CEO of LGS stated “Australian developed e1 lighting is a unique lighting solution which provides excellent lighting quality and is able to achieve this at around 66% of the energy use of traditional best practice for new buildings. The lighting is achieving under six watts per square metre for the office spaces and a lighting level above 400 lux, compliant with Australian Standards. We have now made e1 lighting a standard fixture within our portfolio of buildings.” Roger Walker, Head of Sustainabilty, Building and Business Operations Efficiency for Napier and Blakeley Pty Ltd said “28 Margaret Street, Sydney, owned by LGS is a prime example of what can be achieved by the use of leading edge Australian sustainable systems. This building had both the Shaw Method of air-conditioning and e1 lighting installed and is now operating in line with better than five star energy performance, not bad for a mid eighties building.” Brent Gerstle, Manager, Environment Affairs and Risk Management for Optus is also a solid believer in the benefits of e1 lighting, having installed e1 lighting through all of Optus; corporate buildings within Australia. “Our initial investment for the e1

lighting was returned within the first year of installation. The e1 lighting was installed without disruption to our staff or to normal operations – which breaks with tradition as most refurbishments take place between tenants”. Envirolite is currently involved with a sixteen building upgrade for the Victorian Government Department of Treasury and Finance and according to Craig Ryan Regional Director Energy Solutions

46 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

(Australia/New Zealand) for Johnson Controls, installation is running on time and the client couldn’t be happier with the expected modelled outcomes in energy reductions. The benchmark is 8 watts per square metre achieving under 5 watts per square metre using e1 lighting.” Envirolite Pty Ltd can be contacted by phoning (02) 9526 6622 or email glenn.turnbull@envirolite.com.au

Sustainable and energy efficient e1 lighting systems ✔ Save Money ✔ Reduce Emissions ✔ Improve your NABERS IEQ rating ✔ Australian Standards Compliant AS1680 ✔ Australian owned and manufactured

Envirolite e1 lighting is trusted by experts Australia-wide ENVIROLITE PTY LTD PO Box 220, Miranda NSW 2228 Tel: (02) 9526 6622 Fax: (02) 9526 6644 Email: glenn.turnbull@envirolite.com.au

SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING

Smart Lighting reduces emissions for Ku-Ring-Gai Council Replacing fluorescent lighting with LED technology stands to reduce Australia’s annual carbon emissions by approximately 5.4 million tonnes.

lthough Light-emitting Diode (LED) lighting is commonly used in bicycle lights, torches, traffic lights, garden lights and exit signs, it is fluorescent lighting that largely dominates commercial settings. LED lighting is a more efficient alternative to fluorescent lighting. The light cast from a LED lamp is highly directional, which prevents wastage. Unlike fluorescent lighting – which in some cases emits only 56 lumens of useful light per watt – almost all of the light produced by an LED lamp is useful. LED lighting has immediate full brightness when switched on, and also has a very long life, typically in the vicinity of 30,000 to 50,000 hours. Eco Smart Lighting is an Australian owned company specialising in LED lighting for residential and commercial businesses. Their product range includes all types of environmentally friendly lighting solutions including LED down lights, LED tubes, LED lamps and LED street lights. All of their products are fully recyclable and are designed to keep you and your company eco smart! Their goal is to offer products that save energy, last longer, have lower maintenance costs, and most importantly help reduce your carbon footprint.

48 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Ku-Ring-Gai Council in NSW recently employed the services of Eco Smart to refit their existing halogen lights within the foyer of their administration building and exterior architectural lighting. Louise Hayward, Sustainabilty Officer for Ku-Ring-Gai Council, said “the decision to change our existing halogen lights to LEDs was well warranted, already we have noted a reduction in power usage reducing our overall emissions. The service, knowledge and expertise offered by Eco Smart was second to none and thanks to their input we shall be installing further LED lighting throughout our library in the near future. Council through exhibiting best practices in reducing carbon footprints is also using this project as a means of showing to the general community what can be achieved within their own home.”

For further information regarding Eco Smart Lighting and how they can help you, please visit www.ecosmartlighting.com.au or call (02) 9517 2701 to discuss your needs.

SAVE MONEY AND REDUCE EMISSIONS WITH ECO SMART’S LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS Eco Smart Lighting is an Australian owned company specialising in LED lighting for residential and commercial businesses. Our product range includes all types of environmentally friendly lighting solutions. All lamps and fittings are recyclable and are designed to keep you and you company eco smart!

• Australian owned. • All products fully recyclable. • LED lighting specialists. • Full range available – from LED down lights, LED tubes, LED lamps and LED street lights. • Fluorescent tube recycling. To receive our free EcoSmart newsletter Phone:

(02) 9517 2701 Email:

info@ecosmartlighting.com.au

* Photos courtesy Ku-Ring-Gai Council Eco Smart Lighting Systems

www.ecosmartlighting.com.au

ENVIRONMENT

Create a cleaner future with Century Batteries CenturyYuasa Batteries, Australia’s oldest and most recognised battery manufacturer has launched a National Battery Recycling Program designed to educate motorists and help reduce the impact of used lead acid batteries on the environment.

he scheme provides motorists, homeowners and businesses with convenient locations and resources to ensure the correct recycling of their used batteries. Through a national network of CenturyYuasa approved Battery Recycling Centres, people are encouraged to return their used automotive batteries for recycling and responsible disposal. Used lead acid batteries contain hazardous materials which if not handled correctly may prove harmful to humans, wildlife and the local environment. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Australian households have a used automotive battery on their property, which poses a serious environmental and health risk, particularly when 98% of a used lead acid battery is recyclable. According to Allan Woodford, Marketing Manager for CenturyYuasa’s Automotive division “As a responsible business it is important that we manage the ‘cradle to grave’ process of manufacture, distribution and responsible disposal of used batteries. In many cases we have found that people are simply unaware of how or where to dispose of their used batteries correctly and as a result we often see batteries discarded with household waste, at local refuse sites or dumped on road sides. Our program provides motorists, homeowners and business with the outlets and resources to dispose of the batteries correctly and is also focused on educating people on the importance of recycling used lead acid batteries to reduce their environmental impact.” Century’s recycling program provides a total scrap battery management solution, which includes a regular scrap battery collection service, marketing support and assistance with the environmental issues and legislation associated with the handling and storage of used lead acid batteries. To support the program Century has created a dedicated recycling website www.recyclemybattery.com.au and a national contact number 1300 650 702 where motorists and homeowners

50 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

can find their nearest CenturyYuasa Battery Recycling Centre. The site features over 800 approved recycling sites nationally, ensuring coverage throughout metro and regional Australia and also contains useful information and advice on all aspects of battery recycling. Century’s scheme has become extremely popular with its reseller network and has attracted the support of leading environmental groups including Planet Ark, Inside Waste and Greengages. For more information on the CenturyYuasa Battery Recycling program speak to a Century Recycling specialist on 1300 362 287 or visit www.recyclemybattery.com.au

ENVIRONMENT

Aussie ingenuity develops new oil detection technique CSIRO scientists have developed a revolutionary technique for the rapid on-site detection and quantification of petroleum hydrocarbons (commonly derived from crude oil) in soil, silt, sediment, or rock.

eveloped in collaboration with waste technology specialist, Ziltek Pty Ltd, the technique means that the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons can now be quantified simply by using a hand-held infrared spectrometer to take readings at the site of interest, without the need to take samples or perform any kind of processing. The technique could be used for oil exploration purposes. It will also be particularly useful in assessing and monitoring contaminated sites such as coastal land following offshore oil spills and industrial sites planned for urban redevelopment. “Petroleum hydrocarbons are a valuable resource, but can also be pretty nasty environmental contaminants,” says CSIRO scientist, Sean Forrester. “They can remain in the environment for extended periods of time and can be harmful to wildlife, plants and humans. Better tools to detect them make a rapid response possible.” The technique uses an infrared signal to detect the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in samples.

“

By contrast, current methods use sampling and processing techniques that are labour intensive, time consuming, require sensitive equipment and are not well suited to on-site analysis. “The ability of this new technique to rapidly detect the presence of contaminants at the site has the potential to provide significant cost advantages, in terms of reduced testing costs and the avoidance of delays,” Mr Forrester says. “Rapid analysis allows immediate measures to be undertaken to prevent further contamination or to limit contaminant spread.” A significant portion of the time and financial costs involved in assessing and remediating contaminated sites is consumed by monitoring and analysis. By decreasing analysis time and reducing costs this new technique can assist in the fast and effective identification of oil and other petroleum products in the environment, as well as treatment and protection of environmental assets threatened by petroleum contamination.

Rapid analysis allows immediate measures to be undertaken to prevent further contamination or to limit contaminant spread.”

A new technique, developed by CSIRO, enables the rapid, on-site detection of oil in soil. PHOTO: BEN DEARMAN, ZILTEK PTY LTD

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 51

ENVIRONMENT

Newcastle gets smart with electricity Australia’s first commercial-scale smart grid will be established this year in Newcastle as a demonstration project, and will showcase efficiencies that can be realised through energy saving and renewable energy connectivity.

he Smart City Smart Grid project, due to commence before the end of 2010 and to run until 2013, will cost $100 million and is expected to lead the way for innovation and advancement in energy efficiency. It is anticipated that this will then guide households and business owners to reduce energy use, lower carbon emissions, and lower their power bills. A smart grid transforms the existing traditional electricity network through the addition of new technology, including smart sensors, back-end IT systems, smart meters and a communications network. According to Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water, “Smart grids are critical in the fight against climate change, as they have enormous potential to improve the efficiency of our electricity sector and transform the way we use energy in our homes and businesses.” After a tendering process, the project was awarded to a consortium led by EnergyAustralia. Other companies involved in the implementation of the network include IBM Australia, General Electric, AGL, TransGrid, and the Newcastle City Council. EnergyAustralia Managing Director, George Maltabarow,

said that results gathered from the pilot site would lead to groundbreaking changes to the energy industry. “Building a smart grid on such a large scale will keep Australia at the forefront of energy technology,” said Mr Maltabarow. “This trial will showcase the future of electricity networks in Australia, including self-healing when faults and interruptions occur, and greater customer control.” Smart monitoring devices collect data on energy usage, and are able to quickly detect any faults on the grid. This will lead to more efficient maintenance – both reparative and preventative across the system. A new communications platform, comprising new fibre optic cables, communications switches and IP technology, will provide greater equipment monitoring capabilities and control, to allow troubleshooting to be implemented as quickly as possible. But it’s not just the efficiency of the electricity network that will benefit from smart grid innovations. “Smart grids give households the ability to manage their own energy use, as they give consumers information about how much

“ 52 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Smart grids give households the ability to manage their own energy use, as they give consumers information about how much energy they are using and the costs at any time.”

ENVIRONMENT energy they are using and the costs at any time,” said Ms Wong. The creation of new Smart Villages and Smart Homes will allow consumers to monitor their own energy usage and carbon output on a minute-by-minute basis, allowing households and businesses to adapt their behaviours to deliver environmental and financial benefits. A 4G wireless telecommunication network, using two-way communication with up to two million devices on the electricity grid, will allow users to remotely control appliances using iPhones and dedicated websites, giving consumers the flexibility to run appliances during off-peak periods. This will save clients money, and reduce strain on the network. Importantly, smart grids have the capability to integrate renewable energy sources, including solar or wind power, into the system, and consortium member AGL will assist with this integration. According to CEO Michael Fraser, “As Australia’s largest integrated renewable energy company, AGL is well positioned to deliver energy efficiency solutions and products to our customers utilising smart grid technologies. This will range from in-home displays, interactive home area networks and electric vehicles to micro generation such as solar PV and generic fuel cells.” With such a forward-thinking outlook, a shift to smart grid technology across Australia could go a long way towards aiding the nation in its quest for lower emissions. According to Federal Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, “If smart grid applications are adopted around

Smart grids have the capability to integrate renewable energy sources, including wind power.

Australia they could deliver a reduction of 3.5 mega tonnes of carbon emissions per annum.” Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Grierson, is delighted that Newcastle has been given the opportunity to host such a landmark project. “Awarding the Smart Grid Smart City project to our bid recognises the capacity we have built over the last decade around clean energy innovation and enterprise … this will be of direct benefit to all Novocastrians,” said Ms Grierson. The Novocastrians who will receive the benefits are not just consumers. The University of Newcastle has formed a $5 million partnership with EnergyAustralia to train the next generation of power engineers, who will help to oversee the project and ensure that the technology continues to develop and keep up with the energy market. “This exciting collaboration will see the market and infrastructure skills of EnergyAustralia coupled with the research and development capability of the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment,” said Mr Maltabarow. The Smart City Smart Grid project should ultimately help Australian households to save energy, make better use of renewable energy sources, and as a result tackle the climate change challenge facing Australia. Ms Grierson acknowledges the potential of the project not just for Australia, but for the rest of the world, saying, “The energy sector and those who genuinely want to tackle climate change will monitor the Smart Grid Smart City pilot closely as they develop locally a model for global action.”

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 53

ENVIRONMENT

Australia’s Leading Masonry Supplier Adbri Masonry is Australia’s leading supplier of quality concrete building and landscaping products.

dbri Masonry operates from 17 sites throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, holding

the number one position in Australia’s masonry products market. This innovative company produces a large range of contemporary concrete products including: q Pavement solutions for all residential applications, community pedestrian areas, streetscapes, roadways, industrial hard standing and permeable catchments – all with a large choice of sizes colours and surface texture. q A wide range of dense or light weight brick and block products with standard and made to order colours and finishes. These products come in a variety of sizes for

q A large choice of landscape and commercial retaining wall products suitable for every application, from heavy duty load bearing projects to small garden walls. q Eldorado Stone manufactured veneers offer a realistic, lightweight and cost effective solution for internal and external walling applications. q An assortment of innovative environmental products including EcoPave® range designed to better utilise water resources and Tri-Lock™ used for erosion control. The vast range of high quality products and reliable service ensures Adbri Masonry products are the inspired choice for architects and engineers requiring aesthetic excellence

load bearing and non load bearing acoustic and fire

combined with heavy duty capabilities.

resistant applications.

Adbri Masonry prides itself on team members providing

q A complete range of Architectural Masonry products

exceptional customer service and high quality products for civil,

including texture blocks Pitched Stone, Sandhurst Stone

commercial and residential applications. From large civil projects

and Macquarie Stone, as well as a variety of smooth

to the backyard patio, Adbri Masonry is the inspired choice for

and honed blocks in a wide array of modern colours.

landscaping and building projects.

54 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 55

BEST PRACTICE – CASE STUDY

Shire of Ashburton formula revitalises towns and galvanises communities Tom Price Town Centre Revitalisation After more than 40 years the town of Tom Price in the Pilbara is set to undergo a facelift, with the Shire of Ashburton announcing it is pushing forward plans to revitalise the town. The Shire plans to create a modern community hub that is attractive, vibrant, and accessible, and paves the way for future tourism opportunities in the town. This is a result of the Shire of Ashburton securing a grant of $10 million from the State Government’s Royalties for Regions Program – with the money earmarked to renovate the Tom Price Town Centre. Since December 2009, the Town Centre Revitalisation Project Manager Justine Hyams, in conjunction with TPG Planning and Urban Design and Creating

Communities, has been consulting with the community. Local stakeholders, Indigenous leaders and community members have been extensively consulted on ways to revitalise the town and modernise the central shopping precinct. A number of recurring themes were noted during these meetings, particularly the lack of quality infrastructure and appropriate community facilities, the unattractive and ‘tired’ town centre and the poorly executed parking facilities for cars and buses. After months of consultation, project managers and consultants who were involved in the project came together on 14 April and held a Community Open Day in the Tom Price Mall to display the concept plans for the Town Centre Revitalisation. Creating Communities managing director,

Artist's impression of the new Tom Price.

56 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Donna Shepherd, said 202 people came to speak to them on the day. “It was a great turnout and the response was very positive with 99 per cent of people happy with the proposals,” Ms Shepherd said. Proposed plans included making the Tom Price Mall and surrounds more aesthetically pleasing by incorporating a water play area, shaded alfresco areas, informal seating, cooling mist sprays and improving trolley return bays and loading zones. Vast amounts of black asphalt will be replaced with shaded grassed banks, mature trees and permanent shade structures. Other plans to revitalise the town include modifications to the road system and car parks, new streetscaping, improved community facilities and more trees and

BEST PRACTICE – CASE STUDY

Concept plan for Paraburdoo.

shading within the town centre and carparks. The key feature of the final phase of the project will be a landscaped amphitheatre in the centre of town, which will accommodate 300-400 people and provide a staging area for events and performances of various sizes. It is envisaged that the current drivein theatre will be upgraded to include a large LCD screen that will play movies and documentaries in the day and nighttime. Project manager, Ms Justine Hyams, anticipates that the area will host family

and community events such as school graduations and performances, touring performers and screenings of sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup, AFL & ARU Grand Finals and other major sporting events. “It will be a very lively and active hub for the community to meet; both spontaneously, and at planned events. We expect it to be a very busy place that puts Tom Price on the map for tourists and performers alike.”

Existing TAFE Potential Redevelopment Site Future Mixed Use ground floor Commercial upper floor Residential Proposed Roundabout Reconfigure carpark to increase carparking spaces

Outdoor Digital Screen and Stage

Redesigned Carprk Retail/Small Bar/Cafe

Council Administration Apartment space over Oﬃce Retail

itheatre Amph

Possible Visitors Centre RV Parking/Water Supply/ Chemical Toilet Dump Possible Future Cultural Centre & Commercial Centre

Water Playground Shade structure

Screening

Public toilet & vending machines

Reverse carpark to stop circulation on Central Road Apartment space over Retail Proposed Stadium New Bus Shelter & Layover

Link through to Swimming Pool

Concept Plan - Option 3 710-067 CP6A (Opt3) 290310.ai

Paraburdoo Town Centre Revitalisation The town of Paraburdoo in the West Pilbara is about to undergo a facelift after the Shire of Ashburton unanimously approved a revitalisation concept plan for the town. New additions will include upgraded parking lots, extra shaded areas, a water playground, improvements to walkways, public toilets, lighting, landscaping, seating and a bus shelter. A meeting in June 2010 endorsed the in-principle plans presented which will allow for the work to be staged and the detail design to proceed. Construction of the initial components will more than likely commence in October 2010 and cost almost $1.5 million. Paraburdoo project manager, Justine Hyams, said the money would enable Paraburdoo to have an improved town identity and better amenities for residents, along with additional recreational opportunities. Paraburdoo Cr Ivan Dias said the revitalisation meant a lot to the community and the changes had been a long time coming. “We haven’t had anything done in Paraburdoo for more than 20 years … and it’s visual stuff that will be happening so people will be able to see and experience the changes.”

Concept plan for Tom Price.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 57

One stop shop for pipe repairs Kembla Watertech Pty Ltd has been active in the pipeline rehabilitation market since 1993. Kembla now has a team of over 150 experienced and trained personnel who employ state of the art proven trenchless technology systems from around the world. The company is Quality Accredited to ISO9001:2000, OHS&R accredited to AS/NZS 4801:2001 and Environmental accredited to AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004. Numerous projects have been completed for major authorities and other clients throughout Australia and the total length of gravity linings installed by the company now exceeds 2,000km. Kembla Watertech offers a range of specialised techniques, all based on No Dig pipe repair.

SEWER AND GRAVITY PIPE SERVICES Ex method (‘fold and form’) PVC pipe lining: This system involves the expansion of a continuous coil of specially formulated PVC pipe to form a tight fitting liner within the existing host pipe. Enviroliner (CIPP) system: Renovation of pipelines using resin impregnated felt tubes which are cured in place to form a structural pipe within the pipe (Cured In Place Pipe). Kembla SWP DiaFit system: a spiral wound pipe (SWP) is installed from manhole access to be a close fit to the existing pipe (DiaFit). FexiLiner: A small bore lining system capable of lining house service lines down to 100mm diameter including 90˚ bends. Tiger T: A resin impregnated T section for structural repair and sealing of pipe connections. Tiger Patch: A fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) patch is remotely positioned to structurally repair localised pipe defects. M Coating: Manhole cleaning and coating system. Pipe cracking: size for size or upsizing replacement of sewer pipes.

WATERMAIN SERVICES: Pipe Cracking/Pipe Splitting: Pipe Cracking employs a high powered hydraulic static force head to crack through existing pipes while pulling into place behind it a new pipe, usually Polyethylene. Kembla has its own pipe cracking equipment operated by full-time staff with many years of experience. Polyurethane Spray Coating: a strategic relationship with Laing O’Rourke enables Kembla to provide a semi structural HB sprayed coating to watermains. Amex 10 Seals: An internal joint sealing system used for over 25 years for the sealing of leaks in pressure pipes. Pressure Relief Valve and Flow Meter Construction: Kembla’s in house crews are also skilled in the construction of PRV & FM installations. Open Cut Pipe Laying: Although pipe bursting is the preferred renewal method, it is not always possible and in these instances traditional open cut pipe laying methods are used to renew watermains using a variety of pipe materials.

Kembla Watertech Pty Ltd The experience and confidence to engineer a solution to any underground pipeline problem

1800 803 861

www.kemblawatertech.com.au

BEST PRACTICE

Retrofit to provide 80 per cent Greenhouse Gas reduction The Local Government Superannuation (LGS) has been awarded a $2.1 million grant under the Commonwealth Government Green Building Fund and for the deployment of energy efficiency technologies to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their 76 Berry St, North Sydney building by a massive 80 per cent.

nce the retrofit works are complete this 24 year old building is claimed to become Australia’s greenest and clearly demonstrate that existing buildings can be made equally or more energy efficient and hence less greenhouse emitting than new buildings. The technologies chosen for this energy efficiency upgrade include lighting upgrade with E1 lighting, an air conditioning improvement with the Shaw Method of Air Conditioning (SMAC), Tri generation with Bennett Clayton engines and Magnetic bearing chillers. The 80 per cent greenhouse gas reduction target is calculated from energy simulation software and based upon actual energy reduction outcomes of each technology’s installation in a variety of separate projects. With reference to SMAC, this Australian invented air conditioning technology has successfully been installed in over 30 buildings and provided exceptional air conditioning energy reduction whilst maintaining the highest level of indoor comfort. Some of these installations with SMAC are: • 80 per cent energy reduction at University of Queensland Library building called Duhig (pictured above) • 60 per cent energy reduction at the Art Gallery of South Australia • 50 per cent energy reduction at Darwin Hospital’s Rapid Accident Prevention Unit SMAC has also been coupled with complementary air conditioning technology called induction variable air volume (IVAV) and these two technologies

are incorporated in the refurbishment of the 30 year old Adelaide building, 19 Grenfell St, which has been granted Australia’s first 5 star Nabers Commitment Agreement for a refurbishment. Furthermore the South Australian Government engaged a prominent Australian engineering consultancy to compare the actual energy consumed by these combined technologies on a government owned building against energy simulation on the same building but employing passive chilled beams with 100 per cent outdoor air improvement and the comparison showed SMAC plus IVAV uses 50 per cent less cooling and heating energy. Cost comparisons also show that SMAC plus IVAV is significantly cheaper to install and maintain than the currently in vogue passive chilled beam technology.

60 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

The Australian invented Shaw Method is installed and operational in hospitals, art galleries, libraries and office buildings located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney. These successful projects fully testify to the universality and applicability of this Australian technology in reducing energy consumption to commercial and industrial air conditioning. The LGS and their consultants have clearly demonstrated Australian leadership in promoting and accepting Australian invented energy efficiency and sustainability technologies and it’s now up to organisations such as State and National Governments, councils themselves, building owners and managers and all their consultants to embrace, specify and demand these World Class Australian invented energy efficiency technologies.

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ROADS

Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green road to carbon neutral

62 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

ROADS

Yarra City Council is addressing greenhouse gas emissions at the community level in order to reduce its impact on climate change. With the aim of promoting environmentally-friendly working materials and practices, the council initiated an innovative asphalting program in Bell Street, Fitzroy, using the ‘warm-mix’ process.

his process involves layering the asphalt at a lower temperature than in the standard ‘hot-mix’ practice (110°C compared to 170°C). The asphalt is laid quickly, flattened and rolled immediately. The lower mixing temperature means less energy is required to produce the asphalt, whilst the quality of the paving mix is maintained. While the conventional hot-mix asphalt process uses one grade of bitumen at approximately 170°C, Greenpave uses two binders at significantly lower temperatures (~110°C), resulting in reductions of 30 per cent fume emissions during production, over 30 per cent in greenhouse gas reductions, and energy savings of up to 30 per cent. For its Bell Street works, Yarra City Council was able to reduce its carbon emissions by more than one tonne when compared to conventional paving practice. In addition to the benefits of reduced emissions and energy use, the asphalt itself includes up to 15 per cent recycled materials – old asphalt road pavement that is added into the mix. The reduction in exposure to high temperatures, fumes, and airborne dust during production and placement deliver immediate safety benefits to workers and the local community. Paul Gilmore, the Executive Group Manager Marketing, Sales & Commercial at Citywide Greenpave, the company that produces the warm-mix asphalt, said fine dust reductions of up to 55 per cent can be achieved in comparison to traditional paving, whilst fume emissions are reduced in inner city communities decreasing the amount of air pollution. “Not only have the findings shown that Greenpave is more environmentally sensitive with a lower number of emissions, but that it also has the potential to be a more sustainable product choice with a longer life cycle than hot-mix,” he said. This versatile paving solution has been used successfully in Europe under a variety of climactic conditions since 1995, and

unlike traditional hot-mix asphalt, it is not susceptible to weather conditions. “Greenpave warm-mix asphalt offers greater workability, flexibility and a longer construction season. The high laying temperature of hot-mix asphalt restricts laying to the summer months because in winter the compacted base cools the asphalt too much before it is packed to the optimal air content,” said Mr Gilmore. Warm-mix asphalt is subject to less oxidative hardening of binder leading to better fatigue performance over time. Layers can also be paved thicker offering greater productivity, versatility and operational savings. Damien Hodge, Citywide’s Asphalt Business Unit Manager, said that the lower laying-temperature of warm-mix also allows a slightly quicker availability of the surface for use. Mr Gilmore added that another benefit of the Greenpave solution is that councils do not face any extra labour costs. “No additional expertise is required to lay warm-mix asphalt; if anything it would require less due to the safer working conditions as a result of less fuming and cooler temperatures,” he said. Greenpave has helped many Victorian councils move towards their goal of becoming carbon neutral across their operations by 2020, and Citywide has laid 7,696 tonnes of Greenpave over 51 sites across Victoria, including 48 tonnes to Yarra City Council. A number of councils have trialled Greenpave, including the Cities of Wyndham, Boroondara, Yarra, Moreland, Melbourne, Manningham, Victorian State Road Authority and VicRoads, and now that trials are complete and the new asphalt has been proven to reduce operational costs and reduce energy consumption, council orders are increasing. Mr Gilmore said that since Citywide began Greenpave production and laying in Australia, it has saved a total of 83,884.65kg of greenhouse gas emissions. The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 63

ROADS

Brifen moving forward • On 1 September 2009 the MASH (Manual for Assessing Highway Safety Features 2009) document replaced the NCHRP Report350 document for testing roadside hardware. • The MASH09 document sets minimum standards for the testing of wire rope fences and other safety barriers. • The MASH09 document standardises the test methodology which will enable uniform comparison of the deflection performance of the wire rope safety fences.

ll state specifications refer to Australian Standard AS/NZS 3845:1999, a standard which in turn refers to the now replaced American standard NCHRP 350. The weakness with the NCHRP350 document was that it was not concerned with how the test article (the fence) was tested in terms of a minimum fence length and the tension in the ropes. The MASH09 document standardises the testing procedure by specifying the minimum test length for a fence, being 183m (600 feet). At last there is a standard test to allow comparative assessment of product performance. If manufacturers want their fence product compliant with the MASH09 standard then that product will have to be retested to the new standard as vehicle size and impact speeds have been changed. Refer to the table (below) for a comparison of the old and the new standards. Brifen has already started testing to the MASH09 standard. In fact, the development tests are well advanced at the time of writing this article, and the final series of tests will commence before end of 2010. The MASH09 requirements are a much higher standard than the

The Australian Brifen fence prior to MASH09 trial test (April 2010). The test vehicle is a 2308kg Chevrolet Silverado.

NCHRP350 standards. The increase in mass is challenging and some products will need to be modified to meet current deflection performance standard requirements. For specifiers the increase truck mass and speed requirements may change barrier design

criteria from the pick up truck to the 10,000kg truck. For further information contact Paul Hansen of Brifen Australia email paul.hansen@lbint.com.au or phone (02) 9631 8833.

Standard

Year

Test No.

Mass (kg)

Impact Speed (kph)

Impact Angle

Impact Severity (kJ)

NCHRP350

1991

3-10 (Sedan)

820

100

20°

37.0

MASH08

2009

3-10 (Sedan)

1100

100

25°

75.8 (105% increase)

NCHRP350

1991

3-11 (Pick up truck)

2000

100

25°

137.8

MASH08

2009

3-11 (Pick up truck)

2270

100

25°

156.4 (14% increase)

NCHRP350

1991

4-12 (Truck)

8000

15°

132.3

MASH08

2009

4-12 (Truck)

10000

15°

209.3 (58% increase)

64 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

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ROADS

Managing road traffic noise In a growing state like Queensland, road traffic noise can be experienced by many people living along motorways, highways and major arterial roads.

he department has policies and strategies to assess the levels of noise and manage these across the statecontrolled road network. The department also provides advice to households on actions they can take to reduce the effect of road noise on their home life.

q provide advice on the integration of noise reduction treatments and amenity (including aesthetics) q integrate the above issues to produce a design that conforms to good environmental management practice.

What steps are taken to reduce noise? Following a road traffic noise assessment and depending on the situation, the department may consider treatments such as: q wider reserves for new road corridors q erecting noise barriers with suitable landscaping on motorway type roads q resurfacing the road. The department can only consider properties that are affected by existing or planned state-controlled roads. In general, arterial roads, highways and motorways fall into this category. Local roads and streets are mostly the responsibility of local government and are managed in accordance with their respective road traffic noise policy. Further information about the assessment, design and management of the impact of road traffic noise along statecontrolled roads can be found in the department publication Road Traffic Noise Management: Code of Practice at www.tmr.qld.gov.au.

Road traffic noise criteria The departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Road Traffic Noise Management: Code of Practice outlines how to manage the impact of road traffic noise on the community. This Code of Practice provides guidance and instruction for the assessment, design and management of road traffic noise impacts. As a general guide, if a noise measurement of 68 L10 (18h) dB(A) or over is recorded or calculated at a residence for existing road and traffic conditions, the department may further investigate the impact of road traffic noise on other residences in that area and consider possible noise attenuation treatments. This investigation is known as a road traffic noise assessment.

What is a Road Traffic Noise Assessment? The purpose of a road traffic noise assessment is to: q determine the existing acoustic environment q predict the road traffic noise impact over a 10-year period q recommend treatments for noise reduction

Pre-cast concrete panels â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gateway Motorway.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 67

ROADS Noise barriers Noise barriers work by interrupting the path of sound waves. Effective noise barriers typically reduce noise levels by five to 12 decibels [dB(A)], cutting the perceived loudness of traffic noise by as much as one half. The types of noise barriers used include absorptive panels, reflective panels and dispersive panels. They can be made of timber (palings, planks, plywood sheets), reinforced concrete, lightweight cementitious products, masonry (stone, concrete), acrylic and toughened glass (transparent). Earth mounds and vegetation are also used. The choice of noise barrier depends on many factors, including acoustic and visual considerations, safety requirements, public amenity and maintenance requirements. Noise barriers have added advantages as they can discourage deliberate trespassing and keep people and animals away from roads. Security for adjacent housing, pedestrians and cyclists on shared path systems are considered when designing noise barriers.

Mining mural – Ipswich Motorway, Redbank Plains.

Working with Phantast The department works closely with Phantast, a not-for-profit community group specialising in celebrating living artists working in all art forms. The group helps young people realise their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Phantast aims to engage young people in creating public art and has provided proven diversions from vandalism. The end result is murals that replace graffiti on noise barriers, making Queensland’s road spaces more attractive for motorists and residents. Works by Phantast artists include murals on the Gateway Motorway at Eight Mile Plains. The theme for these murals is native wildlife, with panels of birds and animals transforming ordinary noise barriers into colourful works of art.

Glass noise – barrier – Tugun Bypass Project.

Noise barriers as community art Generally, noise barriers have a simple theme that relates to their structure and background, to promote integration with the existing background or constructed landscape. Noise barriers present opportunities for the local community to be involved in noise barrier design. Features may involve design of textural patterns, sculptural relief and other elements that symbolise local, regional landscape character or national identity. Many noise barriers become community art and reinforce special identities or tell a story at significant locations, such as the extensive mining mural on the Ipswich Motorway at Redbank Plains. Community art can maximise a sense of community ownership and individual identity of locations.

68 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Gateway Motorway – Eight Mile Plains.

Further information available from www.tmr.qld.gov.au © The State of Queensland (Department of Transport and Main Roads) 2010.

ROADS

Advanced Chevroflexâ&#x201E;˘ promises to reduce accidents in highrisk areas â&#x20AC;&#x153;Advanced Chevroflex with ultra high intensity surround was installed at a site where previously there had been an average of 52 overrunning incidents per year. In the eight years since, there have been no incidents of overrunning recorded.â&#x20AC;? John Edwards, Traffic Services Manager â&#x20AC;&#x201C; South Tyneside Council, UK. Chevroflex is a highly visible, wall effect chevron sign system composed of flexible upright panels that bend on impact. It is a new and unique offering in Australia, and has been effectively used across the UK for many years to reduce road accidents. It is specifically designed to give motorists and motorcyclists a more visible warning to slow down for road hazards and allow â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;drive throughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with minimal damage to the vehicle, its occupants and the sign itself in the event of an accident. Overrunning into chevron signs is a familiar problem at roundabouts, intersections and bends. With conventional rigid chevrons, a drive-through incident can result in significant damage to the vehicle and its occupants, particularly in the case of motorcycle accidents. Furthermore, until repairs are carried out, the hazard can be left improperly signed increasing the road hazard risk even further. Chevroflex provides effective solutions for all of these issues: â&#x20AC;˘ Reduce accidents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hazardous road elements are visible from a greater distance due to the highly reflective surface and the larger wall-effect design, allowing a longer-distance warning for motorists. â&#x20AC;˘ Reduce injury - the unique flexible uprights bend on impact, significantly reducing the risk of serious injury, especially for motorcyclists.

â&#x20AC;˘

Improve safety â&#x20AC;&#x201C; following a run-through, most, if not all, panels will retain their integrity. Any damaged uprights can be replaced quickly by one person with a special removal key.

To see Chevroflex in action, search for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chevroflexâ&#x20AC;? on www.youtube.com Between June 2009 and May 2010, 1,442 deaths occurred on Australian roads - almost half of these were single vehicle nonpedestrian crashes, 220 were motorcyclists*. On the back of its proven performance overseas, Chevroflex promises to play an important role in road toll reduction in Australia. * Road deaths Australia May 2010 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

REDUCED ACCIDENTS REDUCED INJURY IMPROVED SAFETY 1HZ $GYDQFHG &KHYURĂ H[â&#x201E;˘ Sign System provides cost-effective road safety solutions: Reduced accidents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hazards are highly visible allowing a longer-distance warning for motorists. Reduced injury â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WKH XQLTXH Ă&#x20AC;H[LEOH XSULJKWV EHQG RQ LPSDFW VLJQLÂżFDQWO\ UHGXFLQJ VHULRXV LQMXU\ Improved safety â&#x20AC;&#x201C; following a run-through accident the hazard remains clearly signed. Reduced maintenance - GDPDJHG LQGLYLGXDO XSULJKWV FDQ EH HDVLO\ UHSODFHG LQVWHDG RI WKH IXOO VLJQ

6HH &KHYURĂ&#x20AC;H[ LQ DFWLRQ VHDUFK IRU Âł&KHYURĂ&#x20AC;H[Â´ RQ ZZZ \RXWXEH FRP )RU IXUWKHU LQIRUPDWLRQ SOHDVH FDOO RXU SURGXFW VSHFLDOLVW 0DUN :LOOLDPV RQ 8 West Link Place RICHLANDS QLD 4077 Ph: +61 7 3712 8000 Fax: +61 7 3712 8001 Email: sales@rud.com.au Website: www.rud.com.au

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 69

ROADS

Century Batteries – Your complete power solution provider Australia’s climate and extreme working conditions create havoc for batteries, attacking critical internal components which can lead to early battery failure. Unfortunately, some imported batteries, made for softer climates, focus on higher starting power at the expense of more critical design features. Australian Made for Australian Conditions Century Batteries, Australia’s oldest and most recognised battery manufacturer, has been designing, manufacturing and supplying batteries in Australia since 1928. In this time they have developed the engineering expertise and state-ofthe-art manufacturing processes to produce a range of superior quality batteries better suited to Australia’s hotter climate and harsh working conditions. Century batteries are designed and built in Australia. They feature substantial design improvements and specialist hardwearing components to deliver what fleet managers and plant operators really want – longer life and ultra reliability with less down time.

when used as part of a total battery management program, they can help keep vehicles on the road for longer and avoid the true cost of battery failure.

Largest Battery Distribution Network Wherever you are located in Australia, Century has the distribution coverage and capability to promptly service your battery needs. A network of regional agents and distribution centres ensures you have access to locally held products, services and battery specialists, on hand to service your complete battery requirements.

National Battery Recycling Network

Century’s product portfolio includes one of the widest selections of batteries available in the marketplace and features some of the most technically advanced products available in the battery industry. From their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Queensland, Century produces and supplies a diverse range of batteries suitable for use in an extensive range of applications including: Automotive, 4WD, Deep Cycle, Truck & Light Commercial, Heavy Equipment, Motorcycle, Marine and UPS systems.

Battery Testing and Management Solutions Century’s extensive range of battery testing and engine diagnostic equipment is perfect for use out in the field or workshop. Quick and easy to use, they provide fast accurate results to help identify suspect batteries before they fail and 70 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Century provides a complete ‘cradle to grave’ solution regarding the manufacture, distribution and responsible disposal of used batteries. The company has launched a dedicated national battery recycling program designed to educate motorists, businesses and fleet managers on the importance of battery recycling and ultimately reduce the impact of used lead acid batteries on the environment. The scheme provides a national network of battery recycling centres to which people are encouraged to return their used automotive batteries for recycling, for free. Supported by a dedicated recycling website and a national contact number 1300 650 702 motorists and businesses can find their nearest recycling centre and useful information and advice on all aspects of battery recycling. To find out more about Century’s range of products and services contact a Century Batteries representative on 1300 362 287 visit www.centurybatteries.com.au or email info@cyb.com.au.

ROADS

Towards sustainable roadways BY JOHN CONSTANDOPOULOS, SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER, SKM AND MATTHEW NATION, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS UNIT CLIENT PORTFOLIO MANAGER, SKM.

In the game of ‘catch-up’ being played out around the world to satisfy the demand for new infrastructure, the implementation of effective sustainable strategies is a strong driver amid ongoing concerns about climate change and global warming.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 71

ROADS

uch has changed since the 1970s, when the major environmental problems were perceived to be local. People complained about vehicle fumes; the smog the fumes generated and the health effects of DDT and mercury. By 1990, the list and scale of problems had grown in complexity and geographic proportions. The prospect of a changing climate was mooted but ridiculed. Yet we did start to pay attention to acid rain, the contamination of soils and water, desertification, the collapse of fisheries, the depletion of rainforests and the extinction of species these habitats supported. On a global scale, the contamination of water and soils only grows. In many parts of the developed world, water use has been highly inefficient and exceeds the natural rate of replenishment of rivers and aquifers. Indeed, the world’s thirst for water is likely to become one of the most pressing resource issues of the 21st century. Global water consumption rose six-fold between 1990 and 1995, more than double the rate of population growth – and it continues to grow rapidly as agricultural, industrial and domestic demand increases1. Not only are consumptive uses threatened but the environment from which the water is extracted is also degraded, often beyond repair. Sustainable development is therefore a key issue for governments in meeting environmental objectives, especially in light of the increasing demand for large infrastructure projects in response to population growth and urban density. Roads and other transport-related surfaces can account for up to 70 per cent of the total impervious areas in a catchment, and contribute larger pollutant loads than other land uses2. Many studies have identified correlations between the amount of pollutants generated and the road traffic volume3. A key aspect of any road design is effective drainage to remove water quickly from the road surface to ensure a safe

environment for traffic. Standing water on the road surface generates safety risks in tyre grip and vehicle control, reduced visibility from mist and spray, and in extreme circumstances, unpredictable manoeuvring to avoid puddles. The challenge for road designers is to address safety risks, but in doing so, not transfer risks to the environment. In addition to the potential for large volumes draining the impervious road surface, stormwater run-off from roads carries a wide variety of contaminants, some of which may have detrimental impacts on the environmental values of sensitive receiving waters. These contaminants include: q Particulate matter q Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) q Heavy metals q Petroleum-based products q Organic compounds; and/or q Rubber products. Water is an issue for road pavements, with increasing effort being applied to improve the quality of the stormwater run-off without affecting the design requirements for road safety. A major response to these concerns is the development of WSRD practices. There are many stormwater management measures for reducing road run-off pollutants and no single measure can effectively remove the full range of pollutant types. In most instances, a number of management measures should be implemented sequentially or concurrently forming a treatment train approach to road run-off management4. WSRD applies the principles of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) to the road network, through the integration of the water cycle into urban planning and the utilisation of best practice techniques to achieve sustainable water and ecological resource management.

Rain garden filters road run-off During the early stages of the Monash Alliance upgrade, a A$204 million project to upgrade the Monash Freeway in Melbourne for VicRoads, the design team began looking at opportunities for WSRD along the length of the project. The leading edge technology of biofiltration (known as ‘rain gardens’ – literally a garden bed to filter out nutrients and other pollutants) emerged as an innovative solution to provide a high level of treatment for the road run off. The rain garden will treat enough water to compensate for the 2.8ha of additional road pavement that the

Monash Alliance section created (by installing an additional lane each way for 7.6km). Modelling results show the rain garden will annually remove 21kg of nitrogen, 4.5kg of phosphorus and sediments as well as hydrocarbons and e-coli, protecting the low reaches of the Yarra River that flows through central Melbourne. The rain garden is innovative because it is fed by the sump pump under the overpass, ensuring control of the flow, and capturing a catchment area. The water is pumped to the surface of the rain garden

72 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

where it ponds and is filtered through the soil media as it infiltrates the sandy loam, while plant roots take up nutrients for growth and trap pollutants. Treated stormwater is then collected in perforated pipes at the base before entering into a conventional stormwater system to be discharged to Gardiners Creek. The pits also act as an overflow if the filter blocks. Native plants and grasses used in the rain garden also provide valuable habitat for wildlife, with the rain garden pits also reducing the demand for irrigation from other sources such as potable water.

ROADS

Highway upgrade supports forest’s future A project to widen a 1.2km section of the Great Western Highway at Lawson, west of Sydney, to two lanes in each direction has required exceptional water sensitive road design. The project is being undertaken by the Lawson Alliance, comprised of Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM), the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) and Abigroup Contractors.

The project is in the Blue Mountains, a World Heritage Listed area with about 10,000 square kilometres of Australian native vegetation that is one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting more than three million visitors each year. With the quality of water run-off into adjoining forest critical, SKM proposed the installation of bio filtration

Preferred road network WSRD elements include grass and vegetated swales (with rock check dams), grass buffers, vegetated retarding basins, infiltration systems, ephemeral depressions, with a preference for elements that have low ongoing maintenance requirements and cost5. The treatment of road run-off using WSRD is an important element of catchment management, owing to the expected high pollutant concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons generated from road surfaces. Treatment of road run-off is primarily directed at the removal of suspended solids and associated contaminants such as nutrients and heavy metals. As development continues, and the area of impervious surface in a location increases, this results in more run-off within the catchment, which carries pollutants from the road surface to the water environment through the drainage system. The contribution of a road’s impact on the amount of stormwater run-off from a catchment varies depending on the road design, location and whether it traverses an urban or regional catchment. The application of WSRD in decision-making enables the true value of water to be considered, with treatment to enhance the

(also referred to as bio retention) – the latest technology in water quality treatment – where a dry infiltration basin replaces a wetland to treat water run-off. As the project proponent, the RTA accepted the further water quality controls proposed by SKM to protect the national park located downstream of the project.

cleanliness (quality) of stormwater and water being re-used where possible. References 1

WMO (1997), Comprehensive Assessment of the Freshwater Resources of the World, World Meteorological Organisation, Geneva.

Schueler, T.R. (1987) Site Planning for Urban Stream Protection, Washington Metropolitan Water Resources Planning Board, 232p.

Wong, T. et al (2000). Water Sensitive Road Design – Design Options for Improving Stormwater Quality of Road Run-off. Technical Report, 00/01, August, CRC for Catchment Hydrology.

AUSTROADS (2003), Guidelines for Treatment of Stormwater Runoff from The Road Infrastructure.

VicRoads, (2007), Applying Water Sensitive Road Design Guidelines.

About the Authors John Constandopoulos is a Senior Civil Engineer and SKM’s Practice Leader in Urban Infrastructure Drainage and Stormwater Management. John has more than 25 years’ experience in stormwater management and considerable experience in Water Sensitive Urban and Road Design, and has applied leading WSRD techniques to several major highway upgrade projects. Matthew Nation is SKM’s Water and Environment Business Unit Client Portfolio Manager for Buildings, Infrastructure, Power, Industry and Defence. He has considerable experience in the area of program management and has been the project director for several large multi-disciplinary projects. (Article reproduced courtesy of SKM)

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 73

ROADS

ACO KerbDrain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; keeping the highway safe in Mittagong

he Hume Highway is the main link between Sydney and Melbourne. From Sydney, the road slowly climbs up into the Southern Highlands, bypassing towns such as

Mittagong where sections of the original route (Old Hume Highway) still exist as significant dual carriageway thoroughfares. In Mittagong, the highway is an important strategic link for many businesses. The Highlands Marketplace, situated on the Old Hume Highway, opened in 2007 and is home to Woolworths Supermarket, Big W and 35 specialty stores. The Centre is the principle fresh food, fashion and service outlet for the Southern Highlands communities. Recently completed remediation road works on the highway have allowed the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) to select the KerbDrain surface drainage system along the median strip to improve the roadwork surrounding the shopping centre. This system is manufactured by the Australian company,

excavation. Manufactured from durable, polymer concrete, the KerbDrain system consists of 500mm long pre-cast modular units each comprising an integrally cast channel and batter with inlets for continuous drainage. The underlying channel then transfers captured flow to the stormwater often eliminating the need for multiple pits. During the design and planning phase, ACO liaised closely with the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engineers to provide hydraulic information to ensure the width of flow was minimised for public safety for a 100 year design storm. The project showcases over 150 metres of KerbDrain in the super elevated section of the highway, where in some locations units are assembled to tight radii near turning bays subject to regular accidental wheel contact. ACO has an established Technical Services department with many years experience advising on surface drainage. This free service is offered with no obligation and is supported with extensive, high quality information, brochures and technical documentation.

ACO Polycrete Pty Ltd. Unlike conventional kerb and gutter systems, KerbDrain transforms kerbs into continuous inlet structures with minimal

74 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

For further information visit www.acoaus.com.au/drain or call 1300 765 226.

Surface drainage that performs

ACO DRAIN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Heavy duty modular drainage systems Flooding or failed systems creating a hazard? Pavements and slabs catering for all types of traffic in all sorts of weather conditions, provide the most challenging environments for drainage systems. For over 30 years, ACO has serviced the industry with its signature drainage systems comprising interlocking precast channels made from polymer concrete, a durable resin composite with excellent strength and chemical resistance. ACO has an established technical advisory department, based in Sydney, offering fully documented advice for individual projects. This is a free service and is offered without obligation.

ACO Polycrete Pty Ltd. Telephone 1300 765 226 Email sales@acoaus.com.au www.acoaus.com.au/drain

TRANSPORT

Local Government and Road Safety BY CR GEOFF LAKE, PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

Road trauma is one of the major public health problems facing this country. In 2009 1,509 people died on our roads.

he Bureau of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) report on the Cost of Road Crashes in Australia 2006 estimated that road crashes cost the community nearly $18 billion in 2006, equivalent to 1.7 per cent of GDP. There were an estimated 653,853 road crashes in 2006 involving 1.16 million vehicles, and resulting in the loss of 1,602 lives. These are shocking statistics but what they don’t reflect is the personal pain and injury experienced by the people directly involved and their families and friends. The number of deaths on our roads is only part of the problem. The latest hospitalisation figures show that nearly 33,000 people were seriously injured in crashes during 2006-07. Many of these people are now living with severe and life-long injuries. Sadly, these figures have been trending upwards for several years. Road trauma disproportionately affects young, healthy, Australians. About 30 per cent of those killed, and 37 per cent of those hospitalised in road crashes are under 25 years old. We have all seen the images in our papers and on our TV screens. The roadside memorials are a daily reminder. Indeed, it is sobering to think that school children today are unlikely to reach the age of 25 without at least one of their former classmates being killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“

Road trauma disproportionately affects young, healthy, Australians. About 30 per cent of those killed, and 37 per cent of those hospitalised in road crashes are under 25 years old.”

Much good work has been achieved over the last 40 years to make our roads safer. According to BITRE, annual road deaths have dropped from a peak of 3,798 in 1970 to an average of around 1,640 between 2000 and 2008, even though the number of vehicles on Australian roads has more than tripled in that time. Tougher laws and better policing targeting speeding and drink driving, improved driver training, better road design, extensive education campaigns and new vehicle technologies have all contributed to a large reduction in the frequency, severity and economic cost of road crashes over recent decades.

Driver attitudes also need to change. According to the annual Survey of Community Attitudes to Road Safety undertaken by the Federal Government: q 61 per cent of respondents said they use their mobile phone while driving; q 25 per cent consider it acceptable to speed ‘if you are driving safely’; q 16 per cent of respondents had fallen asleep at the wheel, with 43 per cent having done so more than once; and q 6 per cent of respondents – and 11 per cent of those younger than 25 – ‘always, nearly always or mostly’ drive at least 10 km/h over the speed limit. On a more positive note the same survey found that most people are well informed about road safety matters and support the efforts of police to catch and punish those who break the law. Ten years ago, state and federal Transport Ministers, through the Australian Transport Council, agreed on the current National Road Safety Strategy, 2001-2010. The Strategy set a target of reducing the rate of road deaths by 40 per cent over that period, from 9.3 to 5.6 deaths per 100,000 people. To date we have achieved a 26 per cent reduction, but it is very unlikely that we will meet the 40 per cent target in the final year of the Strategy. One of the major policy challenges that the Australian Transport Council will be grappling with this year is the next National Road Safety Strategy to operate for the period 2011-2020. The new strategy will need to: q have a national commitment to achieving ambitious reductions in deaths and serious injuries on Australian roads over the next 10 years and beyond; q present high-level goals and specific policy objectives in areas such as acceptable road speeds, road infrastructure, vehicle safety, road user behaviour and institutional management; and q identify agreed actions, timelines, responsibilities and performance indicators.

Role of Local Government The BITRE reports do not show what proportion of crashes and deaths occur on local roads controlled by councils. However, we can be certain it is a significant number, as councils are collectively responsible for over 650,000 kilometres or 80 per cent of all roads in Australia. In most cases, local roads have the greatest interaction between vehicles and pedestrians. Roads are local government’s biggest asset by some margin. Nationally, local government spends about 25 per cent of its CONTINUED ON PAGE 78

76 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

TRANSPORT

Foton â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The future of light trucks

estern Star Trucks Australia Pty Ltd (WSTA), importers and distributors of Western Star Trucks and MAN trucks and buses is introducing to Australia a new brand of commercial truck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Foton Commercial Vehicles. Foton Commercial Vehicles Australia is pleased to introduce the first model, in what will be a long line of models from Foton; the Aumark 4.5T light commercial truck. This exciting new model is targeted at business owners who have outgrown a one tonne utility or van truck and are looking for something with a little more capability. The vehicle comes standard with a high quality 4,350 mm long x 1900 mm wide steel tray with drop sides. This vehicle can be driven on a car licence, is available at an extremely competitive price and is fitted with the latest Cummins ISF 2.8L engine and ZF

5 speed transmission for outstanding reliability, performance and fuel economy. Other standard features include electric windows, cruise control, fully integrated air conditioning and radio/CD player to name just a few. This is the ideal replacement vehicle for overworked traditional one-tonne utes. For not much more than the cost of their current vehicle, operators can purchase a real truck and almost double their payload capacity. Pricing and availability will be available through select Western Star dealers that have been appointed to carry the Foton product. For sales inquiry please contact: Mark Gobessi, General Manager Dennis Eagle Commercial Vehicles Australia Tel: 0401 565 341

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 77

TRANSPORT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 76

funds on roads, although in rural councils this figure is typically more than 50 per cent. This means that the maintenance of the local road system is one of local governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major tasks and in the case of almost every council â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the largest single item of annual expenditure. Safety is a key consideration in the design, building and maintenance of roads and is a key factor in prioritising works. Local government also has a major role in the delivery of the Federal Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Road Safety Black Spot Program, which targets locations that have identified poor road safety history. One of the strengths of local government is its ability to tailor services to local needs. In different councils, and different states, local government is tackling road safety in a variety of different ways; each designed to achieve the best outcomes. I would like to focus on three specific local government initiatives that are helping to respond to the road safety challenge: q Moreton Bay Road Safety Partnership Project; q Community Transport; and q RoadWise.

Moreton Bay Road Safety Partnership Project Morton Bay Regional Council (MBRC) to the north of Brisbane includes road safety in its corporate plan. In 2007 the Council established the Moreton Bay Road Safety Partnership Project (RSPP) with other road safety stakeholders in the region to work collaboratively to establish road safety as a priority and to develop frameworks to reduce road trauma. The Project involved establishing a Steering Committee with representatives from the Council, the Local Government Association of Queensland, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Health and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia Queensland. The collaborative nature of the Steering Committee has led to a coordinated approach to road crash and asset data collection and management which, along with community feedback, has helped to identify and prioritise hazardous sites for funding. The Steering Committee has developed a Road Safety Strategic Plan and Action Plan for the Moreton Bay Regional Council area, which provides a framework and direction for an integrated approach by Council and other agencies to improve road safety. The Road Safety Strategic Plan and Action Plan identifies the priority road safety issues for the Moreton region and describes both behavioral and engineering actions that are likely to mitigate the problem.

Community Transport The provision of community transport by councils, although not primarily a road safety measure, gives the often vulnerable group of disabled and frail and aged members of the community an alternative to driving when they need to access care and services. Older members of our community face unique road safety challenges and statistics show that the highest fatality rates after younger drivers are those aged over 70 years. Offering alternatives to private motor vehicle travel, such as community-run shuttle bus services, provides an opportunity to improve road safety outcomes for older Australians. 78 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

As the population ages, the demand for community transport will grow. For example the Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that almost 20 per cent of people aged over 60 in Victoria need assistance with transport, a figure which rises to 33 per cent in the 80-84 year old category and 43 per cent for those aged between 85 and 89. In Victoria, 45 per cent of councils provide transport services for people who are transport disadvantaged. A report prepared by the Victorian Council of Social Service in 2008 examined six community transport services and found that they provided more than 78,000 passenger trips, travelled over 778,000 kilometres and utilised over 13,800 volunteer hours each year. This is the largely hidden, but rapidly emerging, public transportation of the future and it is being run out of local government.

RoadWise The Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) has developed road safety programs on a statewide basis to actively engage and involve local government and the community in implementing specific initiatives of Towards Zero, the Western Australian Road Safety Strategy. RoadWise Road Safety Committees are the formal structures and extend across eleven regions encompassing metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Western Australia. This network of Committees offers an ongoing mechanism for engaging and involving communities in the dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge. The Committees provide a regular forum where road safety is considered and strategies are developed and tailored to address road safety issues at the community level. They represent local partnerships that enable collaboration and coordination with lead agencies. More than half of the councils in WA have a formal local road safety committee. Action plans have also been developed by most Committees to focus on and monitor local safety activity in their area. One element of the WALGA RoadWise Program has been to establish a network of Type 1 Child Car Restraint Fitters to help parents install child car seats correctly.

Conclusion The deaths on our roads of more than 1,500 people annually is a major economic cost, but of far more pressing concern this represents immeasurable personal anguish for the families and friends of those killed. More can and should be done to improve our roads, vehicles and also our attitudes to road safety. Local government, as owner and manager of more than 80 per cent of the total road system, has a critical role to play in road safety at the local level. Local government must ensure that its roads are built and maintained to a safe standard by working with the community to identify black spots, providing transport alternatives for the transport disadvantaged and vulnerable where possible and by playing a part in changing the attitudes of communities to road safety. Safety on our roads is something in which all three levels of government have a direct interest and a serious stake.

MAN on the Move MAN Buses and Trucks are distributed and supported in Australia by MAN Automotive Imports (MAI) who has their head office located in Brisbane Queensland. The focus for MAI over the last few years has been increased service levels and After Sales Support and MAI have increased their team significantly to achieve this goal. To this end MAI opened a new Parts Distribution Centre in Brisbane in late 2008, this facility is over 13,000 square metres in size. This investment of over $5,000,000.00 is a firm indication of MAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to their customers and their continued focus on After Sales Support now and for the future. MAN is able to provide a range of products which offer alternative fuel sources and various emission standards. The MAN range of products extends across the Route / City Bus segment, the School Bus segment and the Charter Bus segment. MAN has the Diesel range which starts at 290hp and goes up to 360hp in both the Route / City Bus range and the School Bus range, as well as 360hp to 440hp in the Charter Bus range. All the diesel variants are Euro 5 or EEV and utilise EGR technology and have no need of additives.

MAN also has a CNG range of engines for the Route / City Bus segment which start at 290hp and go up to 360hp and are EEV or Euro 6 equivalent and incorporate the latest European emission requirements. For Sales enquiries please contact: Ian Buttar National Sales Manager 0448 867 042

TRANSPORT

With Caltex, fleet management has never been easier Caltex StarCards, more than just a fuel card Caltex understands that not all fleets are the same and their needs often differ, depending on the size and type of business. Caltex’s StarCard, StarFleet and StarFleetPlus cards are more than just your average fuel cards. They’re designed specifically for businesses in need of a complete range of fleet management solutions. They can help simplify the way you manage your fleet, whether you have a single car or over 100 vehicles. What’s more, with Caltex you have access to the largest branded network of over 1,800 fuel and convenience retail outlets across Australia, so you’re never far from your next fill-up.

Great customer service Caltex also appreciates just how important our StarCard Customer Service Centre is to our customers. Based in Sydney, the centre provides friendly and personalised service to all of our customers. The team is committed to answering customer enquiries as quickly as possible and providing customers with expert advice on the management of their accounts. A recent independent Caltex customer satisfaction survey showed 96%* of queries were resolved in just one phone call, which is just one of the many reasons why our customers rated us 8.64* out of 10 for overall satisfaction in the same survey. Our customers are the life-blood of our business. *All market research was carried out by an independent company; Forethought Research, for Caltex Australia 2008.

Caltex StarCard With StarCard, you have the ability to closely control and monitor your outgoings, making it the smart choice for managing your fuel costs and simplifying paperwork.

presented in an ATO-approved format to make tax time even easier, you can opt to have this emailed to you at no cost, or receive a hard-copy of your invoice for a small monthly fee. Card security To boost your card security, you may choose to add a PIN and odometer reading requirement to each card to verify each transaction. A local customer service team is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, should you need help with lost or stolen cards, manual authorisation calls or PIN resets. Optional roadside assistance StarCard offers the option of national roadside assistance. For a small monthly fee, you can have peace of mind knowing that all of your vehicles have access to: unlimited calls for mechanical breakdowns, emergency fuel*, tyre changing of a serviceable spare, flat batteries*, key lockout* and towing of up to 20km. *Product/service at customer’s cost

Caltex StarFleet StarFleet offers a more comprehensive solution to manage your fleet. StarFleet includes all the features of StarCard, and all the additional benefits such as access to over 2,400 Caltex authorised repairers across Australia. In addition to the simple, monthly invoice detailing both fuel and maintenance charges, you can also generate detailed reports to help simplify administration and tax reports.

Caltex StarFleetPlus

Simplified monthly statements

For those who require the complete fleet management solution, StarFleetPlus offers all the benefits of StarFleet and more. To help manage your fleet activity, you can access even more reporting options around fleet register, fleet details, fleet exemption, real time exceptions, and FBT. It comes with the assurance that no repairs will be undertaken on your vehicles unless preauthorisation is obtained from a Caltex authorised mechanic. You also have access to a dedicated customer service line available 24/7 to help with anything you need for your fleet, even advice.

Each month, you’ll receive an easy-to-understand invoice that details all fuel charges to simplify your paperwork. This invoice is

For more information or to apply, visit www.starcard.com.au or call 1300 227 340.

Visibility and control You can track and control fuel spend either by individual vehicle, or across your entire fleet. You have the option to restrict both the amount and types of purchases allowed on each card, such as different fuel grades and convenience items or fuel only.

80 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

THE KEYS TO AN EFFICIENT FLEET. Running a successful business depends on keeping everything running smoothly. That’s why the range of Caltex StarCard solutions allows you to closely monitor your outgoings and stay in control. And with a network of over 1,800 fuel and convenience retail outlets across Australia, you’re never far from your next ﬁll-up. Depending on which card solution you choose, you can: track vehicle spending and maintenance online; set spend limits; receive itemised monthly reports as well as access to dedicated support through our national call centre. There’s also the option of national roadside assistance and a large network of repairers should you need them, so you’re covered wherever you go.

To ﬁnd out more or apply, call 1300 227 340 or visit www.starcard.com.au

CAL0148

*Applications for Caltex StarCards are subject to credit approval.

TRANSPORT

Australian transport gets active Major political parties have been urged to embrace active transport as part of the policy cure for the challenges of chronic disease, climate change, congestion and pollution.

Dr Lyn Roberts, CEO National Heart Foundation, said, he call was made by a unique partnership of organisations “We need to make these healthier transport choices the easier from the health, transport and local government sectors. choices by re-fitting our communities to promote physical The five groups – The Australian Local Government Association, Bus Industry Confederation, Cycling Promotion Fund, activity – not obesity. “Physical inactivity is a major health problem in its own right. the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the International Disturbingly, about half of Australian adults (54 per cent) are not Association of Public Transport – launched a policy framework, sufficiently physically active to gain health benefits and this could ‘An Australian Vision for Active Transport’, which sets out a nine lead to an estimated 16,000 premature deaths every year, point plan for a national approach to boosting participation in robbing families of their loved ones,” Dr Roberts said. walking, cycling and public transport. Initiatives include support “Active transport is one of the largest opportunities we have to for infrastructure, social marketing campaigns, embedding address the major issues facing Healthy Spaces and Places society, and changing people’s planning principles into practice travel habits to forms other than and enhancing safety for walkers “We need to make these the private car can significantly and cyclists. healthier transport choices the improve Australia’s quality of “Encouraging Australians life,” said Peter Moore, Director to use more active forms of easier choices by re-fitting our of the International Association transport rather than cars or communities to promote physical of Public Transport Executive. taxis has a very wide range of “Public transport can make benefits,” said Vice President of activity – not obesity.” a major contribution, but it the Australian Local Government needs expanded capacity Association, Mayor Felicity-Ann and we need incentives for Australians to take public transport Lewis. through enhanced infrastructure and quality, cost-effective, “Once adopted, our vision for active transport in high-performance systems,” he said. Australia has potential to impact at least five major areas “Cycling and walking infrastructure is cheap, provides of government policy.” significant benefits for all communities and is ideal for getting These five areas are: to our local public transport trip,” said Cycling Promotion Fund 1. local economy – towns with high levels of public transport spokesman, Stephen Hodge. use are wealthier, happier and more sustainable “The Bus Industry Confederation supports broad public 2. climate change and pollution – fewer cars reduces transport reform,” said Michael Apps, Executive Director of Bus greenhouse gases and improves air quality Industry Confederation. 3. congestion – more cycle ways and footpaths reduces cars “We are not interested in arguments about which form of on the road transport is ‘best’, because each has its role to play. We do know 4. prevention – physical activity reduces chronic disease and that people who use public transport get five times more physical social isolation activity than those who drive, so we need greater synergy of 5. savings for government – by easing the economic burden public transport in Australia. By highlighting our mutual resolve of chronic disease caused by inactivity. to work together, we hope this sheds light on this issue for policy “At an individual level, Australians will reap the benefits of makers across the country,” Mr Apps said. improved physical and mental health from being more active in It is in the national interest for the Commonwealth to be the community as well as the cost savings associated with active involved in the provision of public and active transport to address transport,” Mayor Lewis said. congestion, climate change, social isolation and inactivity levels. “The broader community benefits from lower emissions And this initiative provides the clear direction and actions and reduced traffic congestion, and there are huge economic needed for a healthier, happier, cleaner and greener Australia. benefits associated with the reduced direct and indirect healthcare costs of a more active Australia, estimated at more A copy of the ‘Australian Vision for Active Transport’ document is available from than $1.5 billion a year.” www.alga.asn.au.

“

82 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

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Satisfaction via Supply Chain Excellence Blackwoods is a vital part of Australia’s industrial and workplace landscape. The Blackwoods brand is, and has been, proudly associated with thousands of strategic projects with both large and small businesses and government at all levels nationwide, over many decades ... and every time the message and promise is the same: if you see the Blackwoods logo, you know ‘all your workplace needs’ are covered.

e’ve learned that customer needs and expectations are as varied as our product range, but our aim is clear: Customer satisfaction through dynamic and innovative sales and service solutions. We’ve been working hard and investing in our people, technology and resources to make it easier for you to do business with us. From the introduction of a world-class supply chain capability delivering superior delivery performance to the roll out of leading edge mobile technology to supporting the important work of councils, defence, schools, hospitals, police and other government functions, Blackwoods has stayed on top by changing with and anticipating the needs of the customers we serve. We understand your need for reliable delivery of all your workplace essentials, partnering with you to maximise cost efficiencies through our industry leading purchasing, eBusiness, delivery, logistics and inventory management systems. When you choose Blackwoods as your single source of workplace supplies, you can be assured of great range, great value and great service provided by our team.

BLACKWOODS SERVICES Shutdown Services Blackwoods knows a plant shutdown for regular or unplanned programme maintenance is a high pressure and potentially expensive necessity for businesses. Blackwoods not only understands this, we’re offering an effective on-site solution. The Blackwoods Shutdown Services offer mobile warehousing, stores management and even vendor managed inventory, right where you need it, right when you need it. That means giving you access 24/7, and complete confidence by providing trained personnel - people that have the product knowledge and are keen to help. Vendor Managed Inventory Quick and easy access to selected and approved materials is key to efficient work practice... Recognising this, Blackwoods offers Australian industry our wealth of expertise in this area with 84 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Blackwoods On Site Services Vendor Managed Inventory. With over 20 years of experience of effective inventory control at hundreds of onsite facilities already in place Blackwoods are at the forefront. No matter what the task, Blackwoods Vendor Managed Inventory can supply systems and experienced staff for any length of time, from long-term ongoing solutions to short maintenance periods. Blackwoods Vendor Managed Inventory keeps everything at hand. Stores Management Everybody wants something from stores - it’s the heart of a business... Blackwoods has the experience, range and distribution network to provide a complete solution. Blackwoods On Site Services can help companies and government facilities at all levels maximise efficiency by offering you a Stores Management system which can work in your own stores facility, or in a Blackwoods Mobile Warehouse. Blackwoods understands that you want to keep your focus on driving your business, free of

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Mobile Warehousing Blackwoods On Site Services offers a way to maintain peak efficiency with a temporary mobile warehouse service that brings the tools and materials for the job, right to the job. Using customised 20’ and 40’ containers stocked with the parts you need, Blackwoods brings the warehouse to you. It’s convenient and immediate access. It’s our resources where YOU need them.

q Complying with legislation, regulations and community standards. q Implementing processes to ensure the efficient use of energy and resources as well as best practice in waste minimisation and recycling. q Informing and training our employees and contractors on ways to prevent pollution, minimise waste, utilise recycling procedures and undertake emergency response. q Ensuring environmental management responsibilities and accountabilities are communicated and upheld. q Establishing and reviewing environmental objectives and targets. q Conducting regular senior management reviews of environmental performance and initiating corrective actions as necessary. q Ensuring environmental issues form a part of regular auditing and inspection programs within Blackwoods. q Striving to continually improve environmental management systems and as a result overall environmental performance.

Customised Reporting We know that access to detailed product usage information is important to the effective operation and improvement of your business. Blackwoods On Site Services offers customised reporting providing information that can be vital to the successful management of your store or project; usage and cost reporting, savings, compliance and exceptions, and KPI summary reporting.

SUSTAINABILITY Our Sustainability Approach As a diversified company we know there is often no ‘one size fits all’ approach or solution to the challenges of sustainability. That’s why we encourage our managers and employees to bring their own diverse experiences and expertise to the table and to think innovatively about how to meet these challenges so they are connected to the most appropriate solution. Making a difference together At the same time sustainability is not just about companies minimising the potential negative impacts of their operations. It also means a commitment to increasing their positive footprint in the community and environment. After all, a sustainable business sector and economy ultimately depends on a healthy community and environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Blackwoods is committed to ensuring its operations do not adversely affect the environment. To support this objective, Blackwoods is committed to: q Ensuring consultation on environmental matters occurs with employees, local communities and Government authorities.

BLACKWOODS CATALOGUE AND HOW TO GET ONE Blackwoods is committed to the management of all its business operations in an environmentally responsible manner. We choose to print our catalogue on a synthetic paper. The catalogues are packed into recyclable containers for shipping and are wrapped in biodegradable shrink wrap. The Blackwoods catalogue was printed in one of the world’s most advanced and environmentally focused printing facilities and can be yours by simply calling 13 73 23 or visiting blackwoods.com.au.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 85

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Unnecessary slowdowns come to a halt on Victorian roads Roads across Victoria are being overhauled in a statewide bid to improve traffic conditions, as part of the $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan. But it’s the interruption to traffic flow during the works themselves that has incensed motorists, and prompted the Victorian government to implement a new code of practice for traffic management during roadworks.

otorists and road users have become increasingly frustrated over many unmanned roadwork sites displaying reduced speed limit signs despite the absence of any work actually taking place. Drivers also noted the lack of signage marking the end of roadworks, leading to slower traffic on sections of road where a reduction in speed is no longer necessary. This situation has led to the RACV and VicRoads being inundated with complaints, prompting a column by the RACV president, John Isaac, in the September edition of the organisation’s Royal Auto magazine. “These practices destroy the credibility of overall speed limits,” wrote Isaac. “The government can hardly expect the community to take the road safety messages on speed seriously if the speed limits that are posted are not credible.” Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas emphasised the need for reduced speed limits to ensure the safety of workers and motorists alike, but did concede that sometimes worksites are inappropriately or inadequately signed. “While recognising the need for roadwork speed limits, at times they are inappropriate for the type of works underway, are set out too far, or in some cases are left in place too long,” said Pallas. As of 1 September 2010, the government’s new Traffic Management Code of Practice will require roadworks contractors within the state of Victoria to remove reduced speed limits during down time on roadwork sites to reduce motorist aggravation on the roads. Reception of the new code has been largely positive, with local governments showing their support for the amendment. Mildura city councillor Max Thorburn expressed support of the code, noting the Mildura community’s experience with work zone problems over Christmas last year, when a local private contractor “did a few days work and went on holidays over Christmas and New Year and through January, and left the speed restriction signs out for the whole duration. “Not only did partially done works cause grievance to residents along the construction section, but motorists were booked for going over the 40kph speed signs which were up for almost a month when no work was going on because the private workers had taken holidays.”

86 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Authorities in Victoria’s traffic management sector are also voicing their support of the changes. Brian Negus, General Manager Public Policy at RACV, said, “This is a good plan of action from the government and we hope it will result in the level of frustration currently experienced by road users being significantly reduced.” The new code includes measures such as: q Electronic message boards on long-term freeway sites to advise drivers of the reason for lowered speed limits q Only in exceptional circumstances will roadwork speed limits be set at more than 20 kilometres per hour below the normal posted speed limit q Increased surveillance of work zones by VicRoads with greater scrutiny of contractors to ensure work hours and speed signing conform to traffic management plans; and q Greater provision for cyclists and pedestrians around work sites where appropriate. An important inclusion in the code is a financial disincentive for contractors to continue to display inappropriate speed limits. VicRoads will conduct surveillance on work zones, and where contractors are found failing to meet required standards, they will be excluded from bidding for future Victorian Government road projects. This should ensure that private contractors abide by the code’s new requirements, but if they don’t, there are plenty of people watching who now have a means of blowing the whistle on those contractors who don’t conform. A VicRoads hotline has been established to provide motorists with a way of reporting hazards, faulty signs, or other problems at roadwork sites. Said Negus, “This plan requires thorough monitoring and quick action from VicRoads to follow through on implementing these changes to ensure safer conditions for road users and an easing of the frustrations they face when travelling on Victorian roads. “RACV would urge road users to ring the hotline and pass on any concerns about inappropriate speed limits near worksites to ensure action is taken to fix the problem.”

New Infrastructure Asset Management Course The Centre for Pavement Engineering Education and the University of Tasmania are offering an industry specific four unit Graduate Certificate in Infrastructure Asset Management. This course, initiated by the Institute of Public Works

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TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Australian Standards for Portable VMS Data Signs is a family owned business which commenced operations in 1976 as a programmable message sign manufacturer. Today Data Signs is the largest manufacturer of Traffic Management equipment in the southern hemisphere.

ata Signs has endeavoured to embrace the very latest in LED technology with the aim of becoming a leader in all facets of electronic sign manufacturing. They are known throughout the industry for their exceptional reliability and innovative products, both in terms of hardware design and software functionality. Their policy is simple, to be as competitive as possible within the marketplace without compromising quality or service. Recently Australian Standards released papers concerning concerning portable and fixed variable message signs, local government having control of 80% of Australia’s roads should look closely at ensuring their existing variable message signs are compliant and that their existing supplier is compliant as well. As recently as June 2010 RTA NSW stated that this is an area that they do intend to police heavily. Data Signs has undertaken to conform to the Australian Standard, which includes some of the following requirements for portable signage. Mechanical requirements: including sign enclosure and required sign border, correct enclosures and trailer design rules. Electrical requirements: including power supply, security, correct labelling, full tilt-able solar panel array, 240v battery charger. Display requirements: including sign border requirements and correct display size and layouts, an additional LDR for light output levels fitted, the appropriate compliance certificates for all photometric test results can be viewed at Data Signs offices in Victoria. General requirements: including onboard computer for sign programming communications and monitoring such as LED and data display integrity checking and RTA protocol for ITS. Enviromental requirements: including

full wind loading compliance. For those wishing to view the Australian Standards in full applicable reference numbers are AS 4852.1-2009 Part 1: Fixed Signs and AS 4852.2- 2009 Part 2: Portable Signs. As Data Signs CEO Arnold Venema stated “ Councils should be well aware of these changes and compliancy rulings especially given the number of imported electronic signs flooding the Australian

88 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

market. If they don’t comply with Australian Standards they could well be opening the door to costly legal action, especially if the signage in question is in use at the scene of a motor accident.” For further information please contact Data Signs Pty Ltd, 5 Grace Crt, Sunshine , Victoria, 3020 or phone (03) 9312 2177. Data Signs full range of Traffic management equipment can be viewed at www.datasigns.com.au

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

The role of Intelligent Transport Systems in Traffic Management BY DR NORMAN PIDGEON, PRESIDENT ITS AUSTRALIA AND PRINCIPAL, THE NOUS GROUP

Our national transport system faces unprecedented challenges. These challenges affect the safety and mobility of its users across all modes of transport and the ability of government agencies to effectively manage, operate and meet environmental goals. Traditional solutions alone cannot hope to solve these issues; new approaches are needed.

may be a specific warning that another vehicle is on a converging Intelligent Transport Systems Australia (ITSA) is an industry path or a real-time update of a train arrival time delivered to a association that represents industry, government, transport smart-phone. operators, research and consultancy organisations. It has a mission Table 1 provides a summary of some of the technologies to promote the contribution of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and systems that are used in ITS applications. across Australia to the improvement of: q transport safety and security What is the impact on Traffic Management? q efficient operation and management of all modes Drawing on the examples outlined in Table 1, there are several of transport areas of improvement in traffic and travel outcomes: q the movement of freight Smoother traffic flow and people Improved mobility is q the environmental The pending adoption of global achieved across the network, impacts of transport particularly under congested standards for vehicle to vehicle q transport information conditions, with the application for the community and vehicle to infrastructure of the network-wide across all modes. communication promises a further management systems, the This article examines the acceleration of smart solutions for more localised lane control opportunities to apply safety, mobility and improved and ramp-access control advanced ITS systems to solutions and the the traffic management environmental outcomes.â&#x20AC;? personalised real-time components of these tasks. navigation information What are Intelligent Transport Systems? delivered directly to drivers and travellers. Intelligent Transport Systems encompass the application Improved travel choice of computer systems, communications and other intelligent Travellers that have reliable and up-to-date information on the devices across all types of transport networks. state of traffic networks across all modes will have an improved Some of these are large network-wide systems that support the basis for informed choice. Systems today tend to be modeimproved management and operation of those networks. Others specific and the delivery of an integrated information facility are more localised and are increasingly being applied to the remains an opportunity. automatic provision of information to drivers and travellers. This

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 89

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT Safer shared use Much of the transport network has shared use of facilities, often incorporating large and small vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in common areas or at least in close proximity. The emerging availability of standardised communication links and an increasing sophistication of automatic detection systems will improve safety in these environments. This can be further enhanced by the use of automatic detection and enforcement of vehicles in inappropriate locations.

of selective pricing solutions and others the application of rule of access to parts of the network at particular times. In all cases, ITS supports the applications through integrated detection, management and enforcement solutions. It is an exciting time in the application of ITS to the traffic management task. Many of the solutions described in this article are reaching practical application through the advent of widespread communication and data systems as well as the sophistication of personal communication devices.

Increased infrastructure utilisation Improving traffic flow has a direct effect on the overall level of utilisation of the available infrastructure. Mechanisms to manage the shape of demand through the day or on particular networks as well as to encourage multiple passengers in a vehicle will have further benefits and direct flow-on effects in environmental outcomes. Some of these mechanisms may involve the use

ITS Australia (www.its-australia.com.au) has a wide range of activities, forums and membership options to support organisations and individuals interested in this field.

Table 1- ITS Application Areas

ITS Applications

Description

1. Traffic Management Systems

All major transport networks have centralised control systems to monitor and manage traffic conditions. These are fed by a wide range of sensors across the network to detect vehicle presence and volumes, speed, levels of congestion and similar parameters. Visual images of traffic conditions are also captured. Advanced systems allow the control of access or speed-limits in individual lanes, according to prevailing conditions, as well as managing the progressive entry of vehicles at on-ramps to motorways.

2. Vehicle detection and enforcement solutions

The advent of all electronic toll-roads requires the application of multiple systems to read toll transponders (tags) at high speeds as well as capture registration-plate information and check vehicle size and classification. Automated speed, red-light and lane control enforcement use similar optical systems. As wider road-pricing options are contemplated, the range of solutions extends to GPS based tracking solutions as well.

3. Driver Assistance Solutions

Vehicles themselves are becoming much more intelligent and are able to deliver information to drivers and in some cases take control. Emerging solutions include cruise control that communicates with other vehicles and systems that automatically track the prevailing speedlimit in a particular zone.

4. Traveller Information Systems

An increasing amount of information, updated in real-time, is being provided to travellers. This includes tram or train arrival times at stations or stops or over mobile phones. Real-time traffic and congestion information for the road network is being delivered to vehicle navigation systems and mobile devices.

5. Vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication

This is a special case that is attracting increasing attention globally. It involves the installation of standards-based communication channels in vehicles and in the surrounding infrastructure to allow automatic functions to be activated more easily. This may ultimately expand the reach of many of the categories listed above as well as enable new applications across various modes. For example standard channels could deliver warnings from a train approaching a level-crossing directly to nearby vehicles on the road network.

6. Vehicle performance tracking and monitoring

This category includes a wide range of vehicle tracking and logging systems to enhance dispatch operations, route selection and to monitor vehicle and driver performance over time.

7. Vehicle Environmental Solutions

This is also an emerging area and includes systems to monitor and manage the environmental impact of vehicles as well as enhance the performance and utility of low emission vehicles. A good example is smart charging systems for electric vehicles that promise to provide a better match of charging demand to available generation and improve the utility of renewable energy systems.

90 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Road Safety Solutions

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Reducing time spent in managing carparking Carparking Management in Government, Business or Corporate houses is a complex task involving interaction with many players.

acility or Property Managers often spend considerable time in organising Carparking and working through a myriad of excel sheets, MS Word forms and loads of emails. All this takes a long time, is prone to errors and lacks an audit trail. The big problem, however, lies in quickly finding information when needed. EnCarp has considered the problems often faced by Facility, Property and Carparking Managers and now delivers EnCarp – Software for Parking Management. The product has taken over five years in the making. EnCarp reduces Carparking Administration and Management tasks by between 30-80%. Its most important benefits, however, lie in data integrity and its ability to find desired information quickly through its friendly graphical user interfaces. EnCarp maintains a complete repository of Carparking for businesses, corporate and government. It is highly configurable and designed to automate and streamline all Carparking management functions. It is our standard practice to first automate the process to ensure a quick and successful installation. Once completed, we then streamline the business processes and integrate them with other systems to deliver better efficiencies. Therefore, initially, we reduce administrative tasks by keeping track of parking bays and allocating them to employees, visitors, and contractors; applying different business rules to parking users; creating operational groups and generating reports such as Vacancy Report, FBT, Salary Sacrifice, Offenders, Waitlist and so on.

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with other systems. EnCarp is visually appealing and intuitive. It is designed in a highly configurable manner to enable a quick implementation. There are no IT overheads as the product is offered as ‘Software as a Service’. All the users access it through Internet browser. All IT functions, such as database back, are done

EnCarp is a complete portal for All Carparks. The portal eases and makes Carparking Management efficient for Carparking Operators, Owners, City Councils, Shopping Centres, Private Carparks, Builders, Landlords and others who provide parking services in any form. The product can be used to manage from

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basis. This will allow a multinational

0425 732 510 or Phone: 03 9886 7241,

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Email: Steve@encarp.com.au to know

Carparks all over the world, depending

more about this highly useful product.

92 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

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NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK

Is a national broadband network Australia’s most critical infrastructure project? NBN Co Ltd is rolling out the high speed broadband fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network to five first release sites on mainland Australia as part of live trials of its network design and construction methods. In his keynote address at CEDA’s 2010 ICT Review, Michael Quigley, CEO of NBN Co Ltd, highlighted the importance of a national broadband network.

e began by providing an overview of NBN Co, the company created to implement the initiative, emphasising that it is a government business enterprise with two shareholder ministers: Minister for Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Conroy, and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation Minister Tanner. Mr Quigley told delegates that NBN Co currently employs around 300 people and outlined the challenges and opportunities the company faces in delivering the digital economy of the future. “On April 7th of 2009 the government announced an initiative to broadband Australia; to put fibre through 90 per cent of the premises across the nation with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second, and for the remaining approximately 10 per cent to provide 12 megabits per second either via wireless or satellite. “The intention was to provide this network as a wholesale-only open-access network; in other words, a platform that retail service providers could build upon. The company NBN Co was then established. I was appointed at the end of July as the CEO and I was the first employee. “We made the early decision to focus on a Layer 2 Bitstream service as the wholesale-only platform we would use for Ethernet and GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Networking), but having some point-to-point capability built in. We also made a decision to use fibre for growth and as we lay fibre out across the country we are going to make sure that if premises or blocks are split, we can fibre those split premises without too much difficulty. “The fibre serving areas are to cover at least 90 per cent of premises in Australia, and by the end of the rollout period there will be approximately 11 million premises passed by the fibre network.” Mr Quigley said NBN Co will need to lay between 200 and 250 thousand kilometres of fibre optic cable, and added that whilst some may be sourced from existing cables in the ground, most will be new. Mr Quigley then presented a chart indicating the fibre serving areas, saying that these areas will be somewhat bigger than normal exchange serving areas. “There will be a little over 700 of these fibre serving areas all over the country. From there we fan out the fibre to up to 70,000 or so premises. The intention is to carry traffic from premises, back into these fibre-serving areas, back to points of interconnection. We are not supplying a service that connects Sydney to Melbourne, we bring the traffic back from premises to a point of interconnect, at which point the retail service 94 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

provider can then connect to their network and provide an end-to-end service. “We are sticking at Layer 2 Ethernet, so we don’t provide services to end users, we provide them to retail service providers. And in doing this job we are going to need to run fibre past some 4,000 premises per day during the peak construction years, so a lot of activity will be happening.” Mr Quigley was keen to outline the progress of preparations around the country, beginning with a chart of wireless coverage. Wireless coverage areas are indicated by grey dots (Figure 1) and there could be a number of cell sites within each of the grey dots. The red fibre serving areas are also on this map and it’s likely that we will connect some of these grey dots, the wireless sites, to the fibre network that will be deployed via high-capacity microwave. “We’ve looked at several options for spectrum use to do this and there’s a variety of options available to us. But the lower frequencies used in spectrum the bigger the cell areas and the fewer the cell sites. So there are certain advantages in going lower in frequency. We will be trying to emulate, as closely as we can, the Layer 2 service on fibre with this wireless infrastructure with speeds of at least 12 megabits per second.” Mr Quigley said that it will not be possible to deliver fibre networks or terrestrial radio signals to every region of Australia, and told delegates how NBN Co plans to serve these areas. “Firstly I should say it’s not mobile service we’ll be providing, it’s the equivalent of a fixed service, we’re just using radio technologies to do it. This is still interim and we’re still going through the beam maps, but this is the type of beam map we would expect to provide picks up all of mainland Australia. Different beam sizes focus on places where it’s very difficult to get a fibre to. We are also planning to cover the territories and islands of Australia with cell sites and published a request for capability statement a short while ago. We expect these to be operating in the KA band, which appears now to be recognised as the world’s solution for broadband satellite band. “We are planning this type of solution for the satellite coverage to have much higher hit rates than we’ve seen in the past. Not just peaks of 12 megabits per second, but committed rates. In other words, overall capacity to give people who are getting the satellite service, and those on the radio service, much better performance than they had seen in the past. These satellites we expect to launch will have some thirty times the

NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

capacity of any current broadband satellite over Australia. “We’re going to use a range of new techniques, and improve latency performance through PEP, which is Performance Enhancing Proxy. So while we are going to try to emulate as close as we can the fibre-based service, there are certain things to do for a satellite to reduce latency. But we are still intending to use VLAN type technology so that we can, from this type of satellite service, still provide four retail service provider connections simultaneously. So a user can have up to four different services on the one bitstream. “We’ll also be using some sophisticated technology such as adaptive coding modulation, which will allow better performance in high rainfall areas. That technique allows the adaptation of the coding and the modulation to the transmission parameters dynamically. “It’s a pity we can’t use fibre to all points, but fibre is very expensive to reach some of these remote areas or areas with difficult terrain. We’re doing everything we possibly can to try to give the folks who’ll be receiving this service as close as we can to the very high-speed broadband that we get on fibre. So for both wireless and satellite it will be at least 12 megabits per second.” The NBN business model has been receiving significant press coverage and Mr Quigley was keen to emphasise that the government objective communicated to NBN Co is to provide a wholesale network. “We expect to have customers who are retail service providers, and we have evidence for other players emerging in the marketplace who may be wholesale providers in their own right supplying services to retailers such as layer three wholesalers. “We have undertaken very many consultations with retail service providers over many, many hours to try and make sure we understand what is important to them. Every one of them is quite comfortable with our layer 2 construct, and with going with us from a premise to a point of interconnect. They’re comfortable with the range of speeds we have, so of course we have a UNI (a user network interface) at the ONT, at the premise where we can vary the down stream and upstream speeds and the quality of service.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 95

NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK

New applications for business

“And at the other end of the point of interconnect we have an NNI (a network to network interface), and once again we can vary the speeds on that and also the contention ratios. This is because what retail service wants is flexibility. They want to be able to design a retail service for different markets with different types of functionality. So we are trying to give them the flexibility to use the platform in the way they want to. Another very important requirement is to give them visibility into the network for provision and activation, but also for assurance so they will be able to see how their circuit is performing. Mr Quigley addressed some of the questions regarding bitrate frequently posed to him about the new network initiative. “Firstly why do we need 100 megabits per second? I think the answer to this is relatively simple. By examining the downstream bitrate over the last few decades, we can see we started in the late 80s at 2,400 bits per second, then 9.6, 14.4, then DSL came along and it kept going. “If we assume we don’t need to build a 100 megabit per second network then we are assuming things will plateau out at this point. The government believes that is unlikely to happen and frankly I believe that’s unlikely to happen as well. “Whilst it is not obvious today why we would need 100 megabits per second for every premise, it was not obvious why we would need 10 megabits per second back in the days of lower kilobits per second. It’s a smart thing for us to be expecting that trend to continue because the number of screens we’re using is

96 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

going up, screen resolution is going up, and computing power continues to go up. I think it’s a wise move for us to be investing in this type of infrastructure now. It takes a long time to get it into the ground and working, and if we don’t start now we really will run into a problem. “I’ve also been asked the question ‘how will 100 megabits be enough?’ The fact is, it may not be enough in the future but that’s not a big issue. The physical plant we are putting around the country can stay for a very long time, and most of the cost is in the physical plant – in the passage, in the fibre, in the connectors and the splitters. By changing electronics on each end we can keep getting increases in speed.” Mr Quigley told delegates that because there is no limitation in the fibre infrastructure that’s being put in, the system will have a long lifespan, and that reach will increase with improved performance so that fibre footprints can be extended. “So why don’t we do it all with wireless? Wireless is advancing at a tremendous pace and I’m a big fan of wireless. It will be here forever and we will continue to increase the speeds and usage, but we have to be realistic and almost everybody in this industry understands you need both fixed and wireless. Even big wireless players recognise that there is a limitation on what radio transmission can do. Mr Quigley outlined the possibilities for next generation NTU wireless capabilities. “There’s 150 megabits at peak and that is what this technology

NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK can do. But there are some limitations with it. You need to understand what it actually means when we say 150 megabits. It’s 150 megabits if you’re at the centre of a cell and there are no other interferers around you, no other cell sites. If there are in fact interferers around you, that rate drops to about half – about 75 megabits. “Now that’s assuming you’ve got an extremely strong signal. Obviously you move out from the centre of the tower and the signal strength drops, therefore the bitrate drops and that’s that curve coming down in the blue. The other thing that happens is the number of users per cell goes up, and the capacity individual users can get goes down. “With radio technology that’s just a fact of life. It’s the laws of physics for a shared medium. You have to push the energy out right around the complete cell. As the number of users goes up the capacity you can get goes down, the distance from the cell site goes up, capacity goes up. The same is true with copper on DSL technologies. The further you get out from the exchange, the speeds that you can get go down. That’s not the case with fibre. We’re planning to have reaches of at least 15km and the network will be designed so that if you subscribe, for example, to a 20 megabits per second service, you’ll get that 20 megabits per second whether you are right at the centre of the node or you’re at the furthest reaches. That is a committed bit rate, not a peak rate, but a committed rate, which is very important for video sequence. The types of networks we’re now building with fibre have much reduced contention and you can get committed bitrates much higher.” Mr Quigley spoke about the physical infrastructure that will be required to build the network and provided an example of the appearance of a ‘fan site’. “There are five serving areas and the fan site in the centre, and spreading out from that is all the distribution and local fibres. We’re designing it in such a way that we’re providing redundancy. In other words rings as we move around either underground or aerial. “This is a planning model with premises on the left and you can go to the next access point where you can get fibre going from the home to the network access point. You then have 200 premises all laid out in this way all around a fibre distribution hub where the splitters are located. You put 16 of those in a fibre serving area module and in turn you put 24 of those into a fibre serving area. “That means you can have 76,800 premises in each of those fibre serving areas. You can see this has been building up in a very New health applications

modular way. Now of course when you’re going to lie those all together round an area you can see that you’ll end up not with a nice neat hexagon as you saw before.” Mr Quigley said the retail service would be provided to consumer, business and industry end customers. He told delegates that the service has great potential in areas like in-home monitoring and video communications with the elderly to avoid health centre visits. In concluding, Mr Quigley presented a chart produced in 2010 by the FTTHC (Fibre To The Home Council), which showed those countries in which household penetration is above one per cent. He told delegates that Australia has very little fibre to the premise and is yet to hit the threshold of one per cent, so the benefits that come from this type of technology have not yet been realised. “There’s a lot of work going on all over the world on fibre and the Australian Government has decided on this issue for the same reason as lots of other governments. There have been OECD studies that have demonstrated the country receives a lot of productivity, economic and social benefits. The Australian Government believes it’s in the national interest to build such a network and NBN Co is obviously trying to get on with that job just as speedily as we can.” Before the rollout of the national broadband network, NSW will change its planning rules in order to speed up approvals for telecommunications towers and satellite dishes. Geoff Lake, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, said councils would be willing to accept planning changes in support of the broadband initiative.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 97

URBAN PLANNING

Integration is the key for the emerging market ‘Social Architecture’: building design viewed from the perspective of the end user, reflecting close attention to supporting and encouraging residents to carry out as many daily life activities as possible.

he concept of integrating housing and services for seniors into the mainstream community is one that is yet to emerge fully in Australia. There is, however, a subtle redefining of the market by this demographic who are, by default and independently, establishing seniors living communities along seaside scapes or in inner city apartments. Lessons can be learned from the way these models are being established by demand and without formal planning. In Australia there is still much to be done in developing conceptual lifestyle models to meet the needs of active seniors and assisted living, including offering services that will suit the new and changing demographic. Overall, such models need to be capable of meeting a diverse range of situations and changing circumstances that will be confronted by seniors and their families into the future. Lifestyle retirement is about future human growth and opportunity. Retirement living and retirement villages in Australia have long been perceived by the community as the first step in the journey towards the grave. This perception is rapidly changing, and the international trends of lifestyle communities have come a long way to change this perception. However, there is still the stark reality that, while seniors are more healthy and active now, a proportion will become more dependent and will demand support services that include levels of care. Based on international marketplace trends, it is evident that successful developments for older persons will offer the best possible healthy ageing design principles, lifestyle options and ageing-in-place arrangements. These include optional services such as lifestyle support, accommodation, care and social integration. The initial software may comprise a menu of packages that are offered as fee for service schedules delivered fully in-house as an integral part of an overall fee. There is consequently a need to explore the concept of integrated seniors housing further to establish a model that will fit the new market in its entirety, offering the choice that baby boomers will demand. 98 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Australia’s response to the future of seniors living is under constant review, and this will need to continue and evolve. Looking at worldwide practice and trends will assist the national industry to review the approaches that are working around the globe. Interestingly, however, is that global real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle says that there has been limited development of greenfield sites although construction has continued in a number of existing retirement villages during the two year period between October 2007 and October 2009. In addition, projects totalling nearly 3,000 units in proposed new retirement villages in Victoria have been put on hold or deferred. Director, Health and Aged Care at Jones Lang LaSalle, Peter McMullen, says what they are seeing is that a number of proposed developments have progressed through to the ‘plans approved’ or ‘plans submitted for approval’ categories as developers take the opportunity to secure approvals during the downturn. The commencement of construction, however, has been deferred. “This is a common scenario nationally with the number of units in greenfield sites. Staged construction had commenced declining from approximately 8,200 in October 2007 to approximately 5,300 in October 2009, and projects containing approximately 10,200 units have also been put on hold,” said Mr McMullen. The RVA is committed to working with government to ensure an adequate supply of housing for the growing cohort of senior Australians. With significant networks across the research, design and development of retirement villages throughout Australia, the RVA is well positioned to assist government in future land use planning to ensure the ageing demographic is not forgotten.

For further information please contact David Bruce, RVA National Operations Manager, on (03) 9670 0255.

SECURITY

Contract Works for Principals BY JOHN MAY

Insurance cover for projects/contracts and sub contracts have received highlighted awareness lately resulting from issues of international oil leaks to local Australian OH&S/Liability from ACT to W.A.

hile Insurance for Projects/Contract works is an “expense”, it is a necessary protection that all Contractors, Project Managers and Principals must take into consideration. As part of any due diligence phase of a project, getting the right advice and crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s must be carried out. Insurances such as Property, Liability, Professional Indemnity, Workers Compensation and Contract Works are some classes of Insurance Coverage that must be considered. However, there is one class of Insurance that often gets overlooked, where the Principal/Owner arranges the Insurances rather than relying on the Contractors/Sub contractors arranging the Insurance. This Insurance is referred to as Principal’s Controlled Insurance Cover.

What is PRINCIPAL’S CONTROLLED INSURANCE? Principal controlled construction Insurance is where the Owner or financier of a building or renovation project purchases the Insurance rather than the Contractor arranging the Insurance for the building works or Construction Project.

There are, in principle, five major reasons why you should consider a Principal’s Controlled Insurance Programme: 1. Continuity of Cover Contractors will complete certain sections of the project before others and will potentially achieve partial practical completion thus allowing sub contractors to vacate certain sections of the project. On this basis, it would be pointless to give your contractors the responsibility to insure the works if their “care of works” responsibility ceases at varying stages. One continuous contract works insurance policy disposes of these difficulties and allows clear and unambiguous management of claims. 2. Cost With a principal taking out the contract works and public liability insurance on behalf of all interested parties, you can separately identify the cost of insurance and therefore it is not possible for your contractors to impose “administration and overhead” loadings on their actual insurance premium costs. 3. Coverage and Security If a principal relied upon the individual insurance programs of each of your contractors, then you would be relying upon various insurance policies with many and varied terms, conditions, exclusions, excesses and insurers. With a principal taking out this insurance, you are fully cognisant of the terms of your insurance protection, the security of the insurers and you know you have paid the premium to your insurers. Coverage for advanced loss of profits/income, particularly for heavily financed projects, must be

considered. While damage to the works maybe covered, the possibility of a deferred loan repayment until the scheduled completion date may impact financially and often is not covered by a contractor arranged Insurance cover. 4. Administration The documentary evidence of insurance required from your contractors is reduced if you provide certain insurances to all interested parties. This reduces your administration costs of requesting confirmation, checking conformity and ensuring continuity of each of the contractors’ policies. 5. Claims Control Claim payments cannot be avoided by the insolvency of the contractor or non-payment of the premium by the contractor. In addition, all claim payments would be controlled by a principal who ensures that any large claim payments are not misdirected by the contractors but are used to fund the repair or replacement of the damaged works. In most contracts, normally the reference is made to “proceeds’ of funds” and “in the event of a profit”, how funds are to be allocated. Often this clause does get overlooked; however, a true basis of Insurance is on a reinstatement to the same financial position before an Insured event occurred. There should never be a reference to a “profit” being gained from an Insurance claim. To fully appreciate what types of cover or exposures that your contract or project may entail it is recommended that you consider the following 5 aspects of the project.

1. Risk Review Process What you really need to initially understand and consider is how and why you came to the conclusion to insure (or not to insure) certain risk exposures (see diagram 1).

2. Identification of Risks Your “Risk Management” committee should then clearly identify certain major risk exposures split into the following categories of risk; q Physical/Material Damage q Revenue/Delay q Liability q People

3. Preconstruction Building Surveys These surveys provide a valuable twofold benefit as follows; q Community Relations Provides an opportunity for a principal and/or their contractors to liaise with the local communities (and action The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 99

SECURITY DIAGRAM 1: IDENTIFICATION OF RISKS RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

OTHER ADVISORS

RISK MANAGER/BROKER/INSURER

RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN

IDENTIFICATION OF RISKS

PHYSICAL RISKS

LIABILITY RISKS

REVENUE RISKS

PEOPLE RISKS

OTHERS

ALLOCATION OF RISKS

PRINCIPAL

OWNER/OPERATOR

CONTRACTORS

DESIGNERS

RISK REVIEW APPRAISAL

INSURED RISKS

INSURANCE POLICIES

SELF INSURED RISKS

INSURABLE RISKS

groups e.g. council heritage, environmental) to offer them some level of comfort in that, if property is damaged resulting from the construction of the project, it is easy to document the pre and post construction impacts. q Establishment of Liability Insurers who cover tunneling risks are certainly more comfortable with contractors who undertake comprehensive surveys of surrounding third party properties. These surveys may then be utilised by the contractor in establishing whether the property owner’s claim is bone-fide. This can then be used as evidence of an insurance claim by the contractor on the insurance policy if the claim exceeds the excess.

4. Existing Structures Also pertinent to Preconstruction Building Surveys is the way you risk manage “existing structures” owned by various Government authorities and Third Party Property/Land owners. Whilst your contractors are performing new works around or within existing structures, you must make a decision on whether these structures will: a) be placed in the “care” of the contractor which places the burden of all risks of loss and damage (excluding Excepted Risks) on the contractor or; b) remain under the “care” of their owners and therefore the risk to the contractors in purely one of a legal liable. If Option (a) does happen, then the relevant “existing structures” will need to be insured for material damage under your contract works insurance policy with the relevant 100 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

UNINSURABLE RISKS

replacement values separately identified for premium evaluation purposes.

5. Environmental Risks (Gradual Pollution) It is standard practice for insurers to grant coverage for pollution caused by “sudden and unexpected and unintended” happenings automatically under public liability policies and this will be the case with your “Legal Liability Principal’s Controlled Insurance Policy”. However, this then isolates the exposure of gradual pollution as an uninsured risk. Various states have specific regulators pertaining to “environmental cleanup” responsibilities of property owners. Unless there is some particular existing pollution hazard on or near the worksite, it is “normal” practice for this risk to be selfinsured for projects of this type. Clean fill sites without prior structures do not have the same level of exposures as a demolition/renovation. Most of the more costly and Insurable losses arises from asbestos as “land fill” or found during the demolition phases, of which the responsibility and costs associated with the removal lives with the property owner. While these initial steps are recommended check lists for design/engineers, Professional Insurances, supplier coverage’s, subcontractors’ workers compensation and property coverage’s for owned and hired plant and equipment should be undertaken. Preliminary checks and the cover that meets your requirements done at the initial stages are always a recommended cost savings as lawyers and “after the loss occurs” costs can often put most companies in precarious positions.

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SECURITY

Cyber safety and climate change Continued lapses in network security are holding back more activities being conducted online. Poor security leads to distrust and this stifles adoption of technological change, Louis Leahy writes.

that could well be done from their own residence without the f cyber security is better designed it will increase user certainty need for travel to an office or meeting venue, but only occur in this and it will result in greater use of the internet and better manner because organisations have yet to come to terms with accumulation of skills by users and foster changes in user controlling processes and protecting information in an online habits and the way commerce is undertaken. There will be a working environment. greater adoption of new methods of communication, which will Secure remote access is critical to the process and yet still greatly assist the planet in reducing the requirements for people to today most remote access to information systems, processes, travel unnecessarily. This can’t happen too soon, if climate experts networks and applications are controlled by a user name that is are to be believed, it is a matter of urgency. Even if they are not to not masked, a password that has insufficient controls, and no be believed the fact is that the current increasing rates of energy lockouts to prevent hacking attempts, because to do so results consumption and prices and projected shortages are going to in users being locked out when hacking attempts are made. eventually dictate changes if technological developments in Many organisations inadvertently publicise where their most renewable and efficient energy use are not developed fast valuable asset – their customers – log on, and may unintentionally enough. It will just then be a question of whether we tackle those inconvenience and confuse problems in the context of a their existing customers when significantly degraded Secure authentication access running promotions to attract environment. new customers and vice versa. At present, armies of people will become even more paramount There are many client side travel each day from their homes as more organisations move to solutions that purport to secure to various places of work in virtualised computer services client computers for metropolitan regions all over the and hosted applications, authentication but in truth most world many in private motor of these will not detect a vehicles. Sadly, governments i.e. cloud computing.” compromised client device. have been ploughing huge Strength must come from a investments into infrastructure to properly constructed set of routines that test the veracity of the cope with this traffic demand – spending money that could be person seeking to gain entry to the network. The solution provided used to invest in the infrastructure that will be required in the by Armorlog is the only solution for networks, computers and future, for example better communications and public transport. intelligent devices with a graphical user interface capability that Many of these people are white collar workers doing jobs on computers or using paper-based systems or a combination of both does this.

“

102 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

SECURITY Required tokens or certificates can be an additional level of security; however, these are not practical in many circumstances, and lead to additional costs of maintenance and device capability to cater for the additional system requirements. There is an everincreasing variety of operating systems on client equipment to cater for and when combined with the increasing numbers of updates it becomes unwieldy for system administrators. A solution such as Armorlogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that is server side based can alleviate this demand and will be of significant value for network administrators. Secure authentication access will become even more paramount as more organisations move to virtualised computer services and hosted applications, i.e. cloud computing. The challenge will be to operate systems that allow for memorable sets of access credentials that users can easily remember while having a system that is designed to deploy sufficient complexity and sophistication to deter hacking attacks. In doing this, security will be improved, and users and organisations will have more confidence to allow remote computing to be undertaken by more of their work force. If security is properly developed in authentication methods, more purchasing will occur online reducing the need for travel. This may also facilitate more efficient goods transfer systems as transport logistics specialists may benefit from increasing outsourced volumes. Collaboration for freight distribution may not come about by organisations acting alone. It may be important that outsourcing for goods transportation is encouraged to facilitate maximum efficiency to assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Facilitating online commerce will assist in this process as businessesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; customer bases become more disparate it will necessitate the outsourcing of goods movements by more and more organisations, which in turn will facilitate development of transport logistics. This will occur more quickly when online security is properly deployed and organisations can feel safe in decentralising information management processes and procedures and users can feel more confident in dealing with online merchants. Improving computer, network and internet security will facilitate this and consequently will indirectly help to reduce

pollution by creating a safer environment to encourage more commerce to be conducted online, resulting in more efficient use of transport. Obviously the improvement of security and safety on the internet is of paramount importance in any case, but if climate scientists are correct then this is perhaps a more urgent task than might otherwise be apparent. About the writer Louis Leahy is the inventor of VPCSML a new authentication technology and a Director of the technology vendor Armorlog International Ltd.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 103

SECURITY

Using CCTV to reduce antisocial behaviour Personal security in public places has become an area of increasing concern to governments in the past 10 years in Australia and overseas. One response has been a significant increase in the use of closed circuit television (CCTV) in densely populated areas such as central business districts and entertainment districts. CCTV is employed as a surveillance measure in such areas to monitor behaviour of individuals and in public spaces as a deterrent and opportunity reduction measure (see AIC 2006).

he rise in the popularity of CCTV in Australian public spaces has mirrored a global trend towards monitoring public spaces (Wilson 2008). This was first seen in the United Kingdom and then through the European Union and many other countries (Wilson 2008). Australia has not embraced CCTV with the same enthusiasm as the northern hemisphere but programs have been funded for CCTV by all levels of government. One of the key criticisms of and concerns about CCTV is the ambiguous evidence surrounding its effectiveness in preventing and reducing crime, with mixed results from overseas evaluations (see Welsh & Farrington 2008). Evaluations of programs exploring the crime reductive elements of CCTV have been equivocal, however research suggests that CCTV is most useful in reducing or solving crime when there is an active police interest in using the evidence it can provide (AIC 2006). This is where CCTV is likely to be of most value in entertainment districts. The Victorian Department of Justice (2009) notes three main applications of CCTV and security cameras in entertainment districts to date. q As a deterrent to committing a crime: Use of surveillance cameras as a criminal deterrent is most likely to succeed as part of a broader crime reduction strategy with active monitoring and where police are able to respond quickly to a developing incident. q For criminal prosecution: The most effective application of surveillance cameras is as a forensic tool to identify the offender in a crime or to eliminate suspects. Images must be of high quality to be acceptable as evidence in criminal prosecution.

104 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

q To enhance community safety: The visible presence of surveillance cameras (particularly CCTV in public spaces) can enhance perceptions of safety within the community, which is constructive in developing public confidence and reducing the fear of crime. These identified uses for CCTV in entertainment districts require thorough evaluation to determine their efficacy. However, it is clear that there is a continuing important role for CCTV in the targeting of antisocial behaviour in entertainment districts, particularly as a method for addressing alcohol-fuelled violence and vandalism. While the value of CCTV as a deterrent to antisocial behaviour remains ambiguous, its use in enhancing capacity to respond quickly to dangerous behaviour and to support criminal investigations and prosecution should not be discounted (Wilson 2008).

REFERENCES Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) 2006.CCTV as a crime prevention measure: what is crime prevention? Victoria. Department of Justice 2009.Design guidelines for licensed venues. Welsh BP & Farrington DC 2008.Effects of closed circuit television surveillance on crime. Campbell Systematic Reviews 2008:17. Wilson D 2008. Researching CCTV: security networks and the transformation of public space. Paper to Australian & New Zealand Critical Criminology Conference, Sydney, 19-20 June 2008.

This article has been reproduced with the kind permission of the Australian Institute of Criminology.

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SECURITY

About Pelco Pelco, Inc. by Schneider Electric is a world leader in the design and development of video and security systems ideal for the specialised requirements of government installations. Pelco produces the security industry’s most respected offering of discreet security camera domes and enclosures, video matrix systems, virtual matrix, VMS, next-generation DVRs, Full HD LCD displays and megapixel cameras, IP cameras, other IP/IT solutions – and much more – in the never-ending pursuit of achieving 100-percent customer satisfaction. Government Expertise The first responsibility of any nation’s government is to protect the safety and welfare of its citizens and the nation’s property. When preparing for or responding to any emergency – be it a terrorist attack, natural disaster or local security incidents – having the right equipment and resources in place make all the difference. Pelco is ready to support federal, state and local government agencies with leading edge technology to help meet this responsibility. Pelco is the preferred choice for many of the world’s most sensitive and secure installations. Providing security systems at borders and ports, government facilities, embassies and military bases, Pelco answers the call by incorporating leading video security technologies to deliver the most trusted solutions available.

Imaging Solutions and More Pelco offers an extensive selection of network and analogue camera solutions ideal for any application. This family of imaging solutions includes industryleading high-definition megapixel and cost-effective standard definition fixed cameras, high-speed dome and integrated positioning systems, explosion proof and advanced thermal imaging cameras for the most demanding installations.

Sarix Megapixel Cameras Pelco created the Sarix megapixel technology platform with one goal in mind: putting actionable information into the hands of security professionals. Pelco has accomplished this by designing a versatile network-based megapixel imaging platform that can adapt quickly to new technology, bringing you advanced cameras faster and in a variety of form factors and enclosures. One such example is the Sarix Dome Camera systems.

Sarix-Based ID Series Mega Performance IP Dome Cameras The new Pelco Sarix ID Series megapixel cameras feature SD to HD resolutions, Auto Back Focus, exceptional lowlight performance, consistent colour science, high-quality CS mount lenses for ranges up to 50mm, H.264 compression and builtin analytics. From the remarkably easy installation, to the innovative Auto Back Focus that can achieve perfect focus after the dome has been installed, the Sarix ID Series sets a new standard of performance and usability for HD IP dome systems.

Endura Video Surveillance Systems Endura provides a broad offering of scalable end-to-end video capture and management solutions meeting needs from the simple to the complex. Businesses that require unlimited growth and redundancy will find a comprehensive system in Endura to meet distributed, enterprise IP video security demands. The latest Endura offering is EnduraXpress.

106 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

EnduraXpress – Integrated Recording and Management Platform Pelco believes that all companies regardless of size should be able to enjoy the benefits of enterprise IP video performance. That is why Pelco management is pleased to introduce the EnduraXpress network appliance. While offering robust recording, full HD support, redundancy and reliability for any size enterprise, EnduraXpress is also affordable and cost-effective. As a network appliance, it removes the complexity of deploying and configuring an IP video solution–ideal for the step-by-step approach to HD video being undertaken by smaller correctional and municipal facilities.

Spectra IV Domes The Pelco Spectra IV Dome Positioning System is the latest in a long line of products with the Spectra name–and like its predecessors–continues to set the standard for innovation and performance,

SECURITY

available in both analogue and IP. Spectra IV is the definitive piece of any security installation, offering industry-leading features designed and engineered to enhance the safety of people, property and assets. Having set the benchmark for performance and reliability for over 20 years, Pelco has a new line up for the Spectra family–all featuring a new 540TVL day/night camera and a variety of features and capabilities guaranteed to maintain Spectra’s position as the most versatile and trusted dome positioning system available today. Also now available is Spectra IV IP high-speed P/T/Z camera dome system featuring H.264 compression and High Definition mega pixel resolutions.

Camclosure The design is classic but the performance is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Camclosure integrated camera systems bring together advanced imaging technology with our well-known family of enclosures. Designed and engineered exclusively by Pelco, Camclosure systems set a new standard for imaging excellence–available in both analogue and IP. Featuring a classic design and innovative performance, Camclosure Integrated Camera Systems deliver

advanced imaging technology and multiple optics packages. Camclosure systems are ideal for anywhere a discreet security presence is needed. Featuring a unique combination of value, performance and simple installation, Camclosure Integrated Camera Systems are the ultimate solution for most any video security application.

Specialty Cameras For all the power users who have been searching for a revolutionary advance in video system capabilities and performance, Pelco offers a wide selection of specialty cameras systems, including the Esprit integrated positioning system, Esprit Ti thermal imaging cameras and the ExSite explosion proof camera solution. Designed for the harshest of environments, these camera systems have been tested, certified and are guaranteed to withstand whatever you throw at them.

Full HD Displays Pelco Full HD LCD Displays help customers make the most of their megapixel investment, delivering optimal performance, improved response time, and higher resolution, with sharper, brighter images. Smart thermal management reduces component stress

while ensuring reliable 24/7 operation. The lightweight aluminum frame is much more rugged than plastic consumer models. Built-in handholds allow for ease of installation.

DX4100 H.264 Digital Video Recorder With Multi Event Recording and Network Connectivity for up to 100 DX4100 DVRs, the Pelco DX4100 can fit most any entrylevel video security need. Multi-Event Recording allows users to record at a low frame rate and then increase speed upon an alarm to capture critical video information. Storage of up to 2 TB can be segmented into partitions sized for continuous and alarm recording needs, allowing for more effective use of hard disk drive space. This flexibility allows for enhanced storage retention and provides a significant cost savings. By offering efficient H.264 compression, an easy-touse interface, and a scalable solution, the new Pelco DX4100 series allows users to do much more for less. Simply look to Pelco for a system to be counted on 24/7. For additional product or company information, please visit www.pelco.com

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 107

SECURITY

Galaxy … Taking Security to another Level Galaxy is the latest addition to the range of high security key systems manufactured in Australia by Australian Lock Company. The company proudly stands behind the claim that Galaxy does in fact take security to another level.

sing the very latest manufacturing techniques and highest quality materials, Galaxy provides a revolutionary approach to high security locking. Galaxy’s streamline design substantially reduces the cost of replacing cylinders and lost or stolen keys.

The main features of Galaxy are: 1. Security q Restricted key systems can only be developed, built and maintained by authorised Galaxy dealers. q The integrity of your system is always maintained via the use of a Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) machine. q Inbuilt security features prevent picking, bumping or impressioning. q Galaxy’s special built computerised key cutting, engraving and cylinder coding machine will only work with the compatible software module authorised by Australian Lock Company. In addition this software is stored externally offering further protection for all component of the system. 2. Flexibility q An extensive product range ensures Galaxy retrofits most existing lock sets. q Galaxy’s Master Key Systems wide ranging combinations and 21 colour key head differentiation offers the end-user unprecedented protection. q Authorised Galaxy licensees are able to build extremely complex and diverse Master Key Systems to suit any requirement. q Up to 3 separate security levels or locations can be secured using the same code and keys. 108 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

q Galaxy has 3 available key orientations making it virtually 3 locks in 1. 3. Durability q Cylinders and keys have been tested to 500,000 cycles. q Internal components use high quality Metal Injection Moulded (MIM) manufacturing techniques. q Sidebars and anti-drill components are made from high speed steel. q The 316 Stainless Steel key exceeds Australian Standards and comes with a Lifetime Guarantee on breakage. 4. Legal protection q Cylinder and key designs are backed by Patents valid until 2024 ensuring protection for the end-user locksmith and manufacturer. Galaxy is so highly regarded in the marketplace that in a relatively short period of time, its applications include: q Government (all levels) q Schools q Hospitals q Retail / Shopping centres q Hotels / Motels q Clubs q Commercial q Industrial What’s more Galaxy is Australian designed, developed and manufactured. For more information please visit our website at www.australianlock.com.au

â&#x20AC;Śtaking security to another level

$ 5HYROXWLRQDU\ $SSURDFK WR 6HFXULW\ *DOD[\ $XVWUDOLDQ /RFN &RPSDQ\ÂˇV ODWHVW KLJK VHFXULW\ ORFNLQJ V\VWHP WDNHV VHFXULW\ WR DQRWKHU OHYHO â&#x20AC;˘ Using the very latest manufacturing techniques & highest quality materials, the Galaxy range provides a revolutionary approach to high security locking. â&#x20AC;˘ Innate quality control and security procedures reduce potential for human interference and protect and maintain the integrity of your system throughout its design, installation and operation. â&#x20AC;˘ Galaxyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restricted key systems can only be developed, built and maintained by authorised licensees. The uniqueness of Galaxy revolves around its ability to quickly remove the centre core when changing the programming of the lock, reducing down time, labour & replacement costs.

)HDWXUHV â&#x20AC;˘ Patent protection, valid until February 2024. â&#x20AC;˘ Resistance to bumping, picking & impressioning. â&#x20AC;˘ External software storage provides additional security for your system. â&#x20AC;˘ Sidebars & anti-drill components are made from high speed steel. â&#x20AC;˘ Stainless Steel keys oďŹ&#x20AC;er a lifetime guarantee against breakage. â&#x20AC;˘ Keyheads are available in 21 colours. â&#x20AC;˘ Ability to build complex & diverse master key systems to suit any requirement.

ZZZ DXVWUDOLDQORFN FRP DX General Enquiries: 1300 00 LOCK (1300005625) 17 Doyle Avenue, Unanderra NSW 2526 Free Fax: 1800 000 454 PO Box 479 Unanderra NSW 2526 E: sales@australianlock.com.au P: +61 2 4272 4922 F: +61 2 4272 4677

SECURITY

BiLock New Generation Launched in the early 80s BiLock was invented, designed & manufactured in Australia by a Locksmith for Locksmiths.

ver the past 30 years Australian Lock Company has grown and evolved BiLock to maintain its position as a product of choice when end-users are considering installing a fully integrated high security lock system. BiLock is designed to meet all high security needs offering minimum cost and maximum flexibility. BiLock’s distinctive dual edged key and logo symbolise quality and reliability. This fact has been acknowledged via the receipt of two Australian Design Awards. The most recent development of the BiLock product range is New Generation. BiLock New Generation offers an innovative new design and twin bladed key which operate a 12 pin programme of tumbler pins – 6 on either side. These pins in turn activate 2 sidebars to provide the end-user with up to 17,000,000 possible lock combinations. In addition to a ‘space age’ moving element within the key, an extraordinary shaped, horizontally position security rod has been built into the cylinder core to activate the 13th locking dimension. Without the moving element this 13th dimension cannot be activated … adding yet another feature to BiLock’s already exceptional level of quality. The BiLock innovation continues with the development of BiLock Quick Change Core (QCC). With QCC re-keying can be as simple as withdrawing a plug and replacing it with another … in seconds!

110 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

The main features of QCC are: 1. Simplicity – Easy to use with minimum maintenance. 2. Durability – Fewer moving parts and a stronger key with 20 different colour combinations for ease of master keying system identification. 3. Tamper Resistant – A high level of pick resistance. 4. Flexibility – Up to 17,000,000 combinations. 5. Compatibility – BiLock QCC and New Generation can retrofit most hardware and are available to suit Padlocks, Mortice Lock Cylinders, Camlocks, Rim Cylinder Locks, Switchlocks and Key in Knob Lockset Cylinders. Only authorised BiLock agents are authorised to design manufacture and install your system. These agents at all times will offer economic on-site servicing. Their ability to change combinations simply and quickly ensures that lost keys will not compromise your security. Your BiLock dealer will maintain and upgrade your key registration records to safeguard the security and integrity of your organisation’s master keying system at all times. Key duplication is again limited to your authorised dealer via Australian Lock Company’s cutting and key forming equipment and in all instances requires customer authorisation. For more information please visit our website at www.australianlock.com.au

SECURITY

Strategies to combat graffiti Graffiti refers to the act of marking property with writing, symbols or graphics and is illegal when produced without consent (White 2001). Types of graffiti include tagging, large and elaborate ‘pieces’, political graffiti and urban art (the only legal form of graffiti). Each type has distinctive features and motives for creation can include peer status, notoriety and political protest. Aside from property damage costs, the presence of graffiti can negatively impact on feelings of security and safety in the community and can indicate a decline in the quality of public space within a community, resulting in more serious crimes being committed. Substantial costs for graffiti clean-up and prevention are also incurred by local and state governments, business and private property owners (Morgan & Louis 2009).

n recent years, graffiti has emerged as a key priority in crime prevention for Australian states and territories. Halsey and Young (2002) noted that the way in which councils and state governments defined different types of graffiti impacted on council tolerance levels and prevention strategies used. Emerging strategies from state and local governments incorporate both preventative and reactive measures, with many aimed at implementing grassroots anti-graffiti action and community involvement. For example: q Numerous jurisdictions have implemented legislation to criminalise graffiti vandalism as damage to property, particularly on public transport. The Criminal Code Amendment (Graffiti) Bill 2009 (WA) restricts the sale of graffiti implements to people over the age of 18 years, the Graffiti Prevention Act 2007 (Vic) allows public transport officers to seize graffiti implements from suspected persons and the Graffiti Control Act 2008 (NSW) imposes hefty fines and/or imprisonment for graffiti vandalism or possessing a graffiti implement. q State taskforces such as Anti-Graffiti Action Team (NSW), Graffiti Taskforce (WA) and Taskforce Against Graffiti (Qld) have been developed for the management of anti-graffiti strategies, to create graffiti removal plans and to ensure state graffiti policy commitments are realised effectively. q Community grants programs, which encourage local involvement in graffiti removal and clean-up, are also common. Funded projects have included local distribution

of graffiti removal kits and paint vouchers and the creation of portable graffiti removal systems (such as trailers or wheelie bins). q Crime prevention approaches can include urban art projects, development of graffiti prevention guidelines, presentations on graffiti to local groups, graffiti and safety audits in target areas and the use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles to act as graffiti deterrents. There is limited research and evaluation into the effectiveness of these strategies in reducing graffiti. Systematic data collection of graffiti incidents and their removal are needed to quantify the costs of graffiti vandalism and graffiti strategies (Matruglio 2009). Greater understanding of the nature of graffiti, of graffiti writers and the role of local context will assist to develop effective graffiti prevention strategies (Morgan & Louis 2009). REFERENCES Halsey M & Young A 2002. The meanings of graffiti and municipal administration. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology 35(2): 165-186 Matruglio T 2009. Graffiti vandalism in New South Wales. Crime Prevention Issues no. 3. New South Wales Attorney General’s Department. Morgan A & Louis E 2009. Key issues in graffiti. Research in Practice no. 6. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. White R 2001. Graffiti, crime prevention & cultural space. Current issues in criminal justice 12(3): 253-268

This article has been reproduced with the kind permission of the Australian Institute of Criminology.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 111

SECURITY

Creating a more secure environment with Motorola Customisable communication and security network solutions for local councils

wo-way radio technology in Australia is experiencing a revolution. Digital radio and its wide-ranging ancillary benefits is changing the way companies communicate while boosting productivity and providing a safer workplace. Motorola’s digital two-way radio network, Zeon Digital, operational along the east coast provides organisations the simplicity of using a single device for both communications and global positioning service (GPS) location services. End users including waste management companies, city councils, security agencies, public transport, airlines and taxis, are already subscribers of the network and are experiencing the benefits that come with digital technology.

Why digital? While people widely accept that analogue communications in all mediums are being replaced by digital, few realise that with twoway radio it’s not just a transition to improved voice quality, but a quantum leap bringing a host of add-on benefits such as GPS location services, text messaging, network security, encryption, data transfer and single push panic alarms. Mobile and outdoor workers such as park rangers, public transport drivers and meter readers communicate with greater efficiency and reliability. It is making workers more secure and reduces the amount of expensive and sometimes unreliable communications equipment that needs to be carried.

Creating a more secure working environment A GPS capability built-in to a digital two-way radio can be used to enhance protection for staff in the field. Linking a radio’s single push panic alarm to an online location service gives first responders the location details of a person in distress, in addition to voice 112 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

communication via the radio. GPS provides other important benefits such as: q employees can be located 24/7 improving safety q routing processes can be analysed increasing efficiency q dispatch is faster due to the continually updated display of team member locations.

Leading the way in digital Brisbane City Council is one of the first councils in Australia to implement a digital commercial radio system – enabling two way radio, telephone interconnect, global positioning and data links to boost public transport, security and business communications. Brisbane City Council buses, ferries and City Cats are kitted out with Motorola’s digital two-way radios operating on the Zeon Digital communications network. Motorola provides to Brisbane City Council a fully managed service which includes the management of the digital network and related infrastructure services and the supply of digital in-vehicle mobiles and portable radios across Brisbane Transport, Brisbane City Works, Brisbane Water, Local Asset Services, SES and Council’s Disaster Management Coordination Unit. As an innovative and forward thinking council, Brisbane City Council, has embraced the benefits that a digital solution provides such as being able to locate its buses 24/7 and respond more quickly in emergency situations due to GPS location services builtin to the radios. Network support is available at all times and additionally, council knows that because Zeon Digital complies with an open standard, it will be easy to incorporate their future requirements and applications.

SECURITY

The role of wireless network solutions Local councils around Australia have also embraced Motorola’s wireless solutions to supplement their voice, video surveillance and data networks. These cutting-edge, mobile, high-speed data networks complement voice systems and serve as a cost-effective means to deliver applications such as streaming video for surveillance and disaster response, fast downloads of suspect photos or building blueprints, and access to public safety databases. Motorola’s key technologies in the area of wireless communications include the Mesh and Point to Point and Point to Multi-Point solutions. The platforms’ scalability means coverage areas can be rapidly expanded with minimal infrastructure costs. MotoMesh operates on the unlicensed 2.4GHz, 5.4GHz and 5.8GHz bands, allowing users to access broadband internet and intranet wirelessly. New high performance 802.11 Outdoor Mesh solutions are enabling effective HotSpot coverage.

Peace of mind for residents In Gladstone, Queensland, Motorola has developed a solution that wirelessly connects network IP-capable CCTV cameras to provide a secure, cost-effective, high quality monitoring and surveillance system for the Gladstone City Council, based on MotoMesh Duo technology. The cameras improve safety for Gladstone residents and provide peace of mind as they offer reliable 24/7 monitoring and surveillance. The cameras play a key part in the evidentiary process that lets the local council establish what crime or event occurred, who was responsible and what action is appropriate.

114 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Motorola’s flexible solution lets Gladstone City Council add new cameras anywhere there is a network connection without the need for new wiring. This means reduced costs in expanding coverage areas and the added advantage of being able to deploy additional cameras in situations such as special events and festivals. To complement its wireless surveillance camera technology, Motorola has developed video analytics features with functions such as automatic license plate recognition and vandalism detection. This technology will reduce staffing costs and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of surveillance operations. Wireless broadband technology can be used for more than public safety. From a service provision and operational efficiency perspective, it can be used to monitor parking, traffic flow management and provide handheld devices for council workers in the field including planning officers and parking wardens. Having access to council databases and documents remotely means that employees can address residents’ concerns and requests quickly and efficiently. There are also environmental and safety benefits such as automatic water and electric-meter reading which eliminates the need to send people into the field with vehicles to read meters. Motorola’s experience in deploying outdoor wireless networks along with the breadth of its wireless broadband portfolio means it can offer local councils and government an unparalleled range of solutions to meet their unique needs. Motorola offers customisable communications and network solutions for a broad range of user requirements, and helps local councils increase their capabilities to better serve the community.

INNOVATION

A change of plan for NSW councils New South Wales’ local councils are using new technology to help align their planning strategies with new state legislation.

new framework has councils creating better long-term planning strategies that consider both community and council needs. The Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework, introduced as part of the Local Government Amendment (Planning and Reporting) Act 2009 requires councils to form strategic plans that span a decade, with sub-plans that cover shorter periods within the overarching strategic plan. Councils are required to develop a Community Strategic Plan (CSP), which identifies community priorities and includes a resourcing strategy Business Intelligence Dashboard – Financial Performance Summary comprising long-term financials, a workforce management plan and an asset management plan. This blueprint will extend ten years into the future. Within this framework, councils must develop a four-year delivery program that outlines the activities that council will undertake to meet the priorities identified in the CSP, and an annual operational plan detailing all work to be carried out within the year to meet the targets of the Delivery Program. The aim of the revised legislation is to ensure that councils meet community expectations and infrastructure goals without over-committing financially – something that local councils have historically had difficulty achieving. Business Intelligence Dashboard – Program Summary Until the release of this new Program adopted by 30 June 2010, with Groups 2 and 3 legislation, councils had traditionally formed strategic plans implementing by 30 June 2011 and 30 June 2012 respectively. on a short-term basis, usually undertaking financial planning Queanbeyan Council, as one of the pioneering councils in and reporting processes annually, without further outlook. Group 1, is one of the first councils to implement the framework. According to Barbara Perry, Minister for Local Government in Bill Warne, Acting Group Manager – Internal Business at New South Wales, the reforms will bring councils’ budgeting into Queanbeyan, said that despite having implemented longer-term focus, and make them more accountable for financial risk-taking. planning in the past, the council still found it challenging to “These reforms will lift the standard of financial planning and adapt to the new legislation. reporting and will ensure councils better manage their financial “It is fair to say that our planning and reporting was annual risks,” said Ms Perry. with primary emphasis upon the yearly deliverables, and whilst “Councils will have to report back to their communities more a three-year plan was prepared there was not great emphasis often on the progress of their projects.” on long-term delivery of programs and projects,” said Mr Warne. A three-year phasing-in period will help councils to ease into Mr Warne lists three challenges when tackling planning the new legislation, with provisions for councils to choose one of three groups. Group 1 was expected to have the CSP and Delivery integration: changing the political and operational mind-set

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 115

INNOVATION strategies based on fact, and then, once the new plans are in from immediate to longer term; examining resourcing needs in place, they can track and effectively report on their KPIs”. order to maintain standards for community infrastructure and The City of Wagga will be using TechnologyOne’s Performance services; and being able to accurately budget into the future. Planning software in its approach to the legislation. The City of Wagga’s approach to the reform is similarly “An audit of all current council plans is underway to ensure thorough. Wagga has decided to join Group 2 to allow it more that recommendations and actions indicated in all plans align time to prepare for implementation, committing to being ready with our vision,” said Ms Creswick. by 30 June 2012. “Council is also ensuring that its planning and reporting Wagga council has run community engagement activities software, Performance Planning, is upgraded and capable of to ascertain the priorities for locals, which resulted in the development of the ‘This Way Wagga – Vision 2030’, which reflects streamlining reporting outcomes to the community.” The Queanbeyan council is also looking forward to the the community’s vision, values and desired future directions. differences that information technology can bring to the council’s Cate Creswick of Wagga Wagga City Council noted the absorption of the new planning legislation. importance of thoroughly canvassing members of the public to “We have traditionally used spreadsheets and a separate inform council decisions. “This series of community engagement budgeting system to prepare our budget, which supports activities will refine the community’s vision into the Community integrated planning,” said Mr Warne. Strategic Plan,” said Ms Creswick. “Access to TechnologyOne’s budgeting and performance While the frequency and detail of reports will prove to be planning modules has benefited integrated planning process in a challenge for a number of councils, there are technological two ways. The budget preparation process has been streamlined solutions that have the potential to ease the pressure of such with the majority of the budget input provided at the management extensive planning. level rather than though the finance section. Being integrated Software solutions company TechnologyOne has worked with TechnologyOne financials has been a real bonus and has with a number of New South Wales councils to help manage hastened the preparation process. the financial challenges of maintaining vital infrastructure, “The performance planning module aligns the organisational and to assist with streamlining planning and financial reporting. performance with strategic Senior Business Consultant at direction and establishes TechnologyOne, Ross Kingsley, is KPIs to assess how we are heavily involved with the going and had the system for reforms, having worked on Councils will have to report back several years and each year the development of both the to their communities more often it is becoming a more draft legislation (as part of on the progress of their projects.” valuable tool.” the Department of Local Mr Warne is positive about Government’s reference group), the effects that Integrated and on the design and Planning and Reporting Framework will have. “We believe that implementation of TechnologyOne’s information technology there will be greater transparency in our operations and software – Performance Planning – that will help local councils performance under the new framework with more factual and to address their long-term goals. realistic performance measures being available. The community The Performance Planning software is defined by the company as ‘a total corporate performance management solution will be able to identify the community direction that has been determined and assess our performance within a defined designed to improve service delivery through better planning framework.” and decision making’, to assist with the transition to long-term Councils from each tier are working towards compliance planning. with the aim of each council having implemented its plan by TechnologyOne’s software combines budgeting and planning 30 June 2012. The resultant long-term vision, comprehensive to allow senior council executives to monitor the performance of project assessment, and strong financial planning will give their planning strategies. The software can be adapted to councils the capacity to anticipate and respond to the forces monitor on service, cost or revenue, and managers can review that will shape communities in the coming years, and well KPIs on a daily, quarterly and annual basis. into the future. The software can also access data from existing data Most other Australian states and territories are answerable to management systems to ensure a holistic view of the council’s Local Government Acts, which incorporate the requirements of aims and progress, making the planning process as streamlined local councils in regards to asset management and financial as possible, and ensuring that data is accurate and planning, and some – such as South Australia and Queensland comprehensive. – are already required to formulate plans on a long-term basis. From a financial perspective, councils are better able to New South Wales’ new legislation may become the determine funding shortfalls and request relevant rate variations benchmark for best practice within Australia, and could prove to ensure that costs are covered. to be a catalyst for nationwide adoption of long-term local Mr Kingsley said that one of the keys to success is “having government planning. integrated financial, asset management and strategic planning systems so councils can easily access key data to help them build

“

116 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

INNOVATION

The drive to reduce road deaths makes way for innovative solutions As the economic and social costs of road accidents continue to be a concern, innovative solutions present real cost and life saving options for the Government authorities charged with reducing the road toll. Advanced Chevroflexâ&#x201E;˘ is a completely unique offering in the Australian market that has a 20 year history of reducing accidents and saving lives in the UK. It is a highly visible chevron sign system composed of flexible upright panels that are designed to bend on impact. The scale of the sign and its highly reflective coating provide longer distance warnings for motorists, and unlike conventional signs its flexible composition allows â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;drive throughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with minimal damage to the vehicle, its occupants and the sign itself. The socket assembly base unit is constructed of galvanised steel for strength, durability and support and is designed to be easily installed in the ground. It holds the individual panels of the sign which are made from a material called Ultraflexâ&#x201E;˘, a specially developed polymer that will not rust, never needs repainting, and generally remains standing even after the most damaging vehicle run-throughs. This means that the road hazard will always remain signed, and any repair work can be quickly carried out by one maintenance operator with a single key tool â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no need for the work crew, excavation or lifting gear that is usually associated with chevron repairs. To see Chevroflex in action, search for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chevroflexâ&#x20AC;? on www.youtube.com

Chevroflex is a cost effective solution for very high risk locations, and with too many lives claimed through road accidents each year and the annual economic cost of road crashes conservatively estimated at $18 billion*, it is a must-consider product in the move towards safer roads. * 2005 estimate by the Australian Transport Council, National Road Safety Action Plan 2009 and 2010

INCREASED VISIBILITY UNIQUE DURABILITY REDUCED MAINTENANCE 1HZ $GYDQFHG &KHYURĂ H[Â&#x152; 6LJQ 6\VWHP LV D TXDOLW\ QLFKH URDG VDIHW\ VROXWLRQ ,QFUHDVHG YLVLELOLW\ Â˛ WKH ODUJHU VL]H DQG KLJKO\ UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWLYH FRDWLQJ LQFUHDVH WKH GLVWDQFH RI YLVLELOLW\ DOORZLQJ PRWRULVWV WR VORZ GRZQ HDUOLHU 8QLTXH GXUDELOLW\ Â˛ PDGH IURP 8OWUDĂ&#x20AC;H[Â&#x152; WKH XSULJKW SDQHOV EHQG WKHQ UHWXUQ WR SRVLWLRQ XSRQ LPSDFW DQG QHYHU UXVW RU QHHG UHSDLQWLQJ 5HGXFHG PDLQWHQDQFH Â˛ LI LQGLYLGXDO SDQHOV QHHG UHSODFLQJ PDLQWHQDQFH FDQ EH FDUULHG RXW E\ RQH SHUVRQ ZLWK D VLQJOH NH\ WRRO

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 117

INNOVATION

International case study

Shaping Cities: The role of transport infrastructure in urban regeneration How do cities meet the needs of a growing population, promote diverse and healthy communities, improve the environment and tackle climate change?

The London Plan takes account of citywide planning for the long term.

t’s a tall order and one that London is tackling head on with their aptly named ‘London Plan’. The ambitious plan sets out the overall strategic direction for an integrated economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the development of London over the next 20-25 years. The London Plan contributes to sustainable development by taking account of citywide planning for the long term. The plan includes three traditional sustainability cross-cutting themes: q Economic development and wealth creation q Social development q Improvement of the environment The London Plan sets out to: q Meet the needs of a growing population with policy on affordable housing, sustainable design, and social

infrastructure to promote a diverse, happy and safe urban community. q Support an increase in London’s development and employment with policy on: outer London, inner and central London, finding the best locations for development and regeneration, encouraging a connected economy and improving job opportunities. q Improve the environment and tackle climate change by reducing CO2 emissions and heat loss from new developments, increasing renewable energy, managing flood risk, ensuring water supply and quality, improving sewerage systems, recycling performance and waste management and protecting open spaces. q Ensure that London’s transport is easy, safe and convenient and encourage cycling, walking and electric vehicles. CONTINUED ON PAGE 120

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INNOVATION ADVERTISEMENT

The ‘shuttle’ has landed… Western NSW manufacturers Brasroad Water Solutions have recently released a large volume water cartage tank. Built as a trailer and towed by a prime mover the tank is known as the ‘Water Shuttle’ and has a water capacity of 22,000 litres. Brasroad Director and sales representative Ken Roads explained that the ‘Water Shuttle’ was primarily designed for use in road construction work but is also ideal for dust suppression in the mining industry. “Because of its large legal carrying capacity the ‘Water Shuttle’ would also be a great asset in bush fire fighting applications. It can be used as a fast filling station for CFA tankers or if equipped with the optional water cannon could be put to good use ‘wetting down’ homes or farm buildings under threat from fire.” Ken said. “The Australian made water cannon can squirt water up to 30 metres and has an output of 1500 litres per minute with 300 degrees rotation” Ken added. “With its compact, ‘low centre of gravity’ design the ‘Water Shuttle’ is very stable in transit and can be towed by a smaller sized prime mover or even a larger front wheel drive tractor which would improve manoeuvrability in some situations” Ken concluded. The ‘Water Shuttle’ features a 60 hp Kubota Turbo diesel engine with a variable output

hydraulic pump and high volume, high pressure Southern Cross pump. Festo pneumatic controlled actuators are used and it comes with a fully hand held push button remote control system that is operated from the cab. The ‘Water Shuttle’ is also equipped with three filling options comprising a 4”/100mm creek/ dam suction a 3”/75mm manifold connection and an overhead bulk fill. Ken Roads has over 50 years experience in earth moving and machinery while the company’s technical

advisor Tony Brasington has had 23 years experience in the steel fabrication and water carting industry. With this sort of work experience behind them you can be assured that Ken and Tony can deliver on their claim of ‘guaranteed satisfaction and complete after-sales customer service and support.’ For more information Ken Roads can be contacted on mobile 0434 698 004 or via email at kenroad@bigpond.com

22,000 REASONS to go ‘Water Shuttle’ WITH A LEGAL CARRYING CAPACITY OF 22,000 LITRES THE BRASROAD ‘WATER SHUTTLE’ IS THE IDEAL WAY TO GET A LARGE VOLUME OF WATER WHERE AND WHEN YOU NEED IT. • Specifically designed for road works and mining industries and ideal for use as a bulk water source for bush fire fighting. • Compact, low centre of gravity design with a total height of 2.3 metres for greater travel stability, increased safety and improved fuel efficiency. • Requires only a smaller prime mover or can be towed by a tractor for better manoeuvrability in some situations. Brasroad ‘Water Shuttle’ is the answer when you want to cart large volumes of water… fast! Available as a base model with truck driven hydraulic system. Options include independent 60hp diesel and large capacity hydraulic tank and water cannon with rear view camera. For more information call Ken Roads 0434 698 004 or email kenroad@bigpond.com

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 119

INNOVATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 118

Urban regeneration The London Plan identifies what are termed ‘Opportunity Areas’ in and around London’s major reservoirs of brown-field land. These areas are characterised by their potential to accommodate new housing, commercial and other development linked to existing or potential improvements to public transport accessibility. Whilst many are well connected in a transport sense, it is important to ensure that they can be developed without undue additional pressure on London’s already-crowded public transport, or on the limited funds available for anything beyond committed transport improvements.

physical barriers of railway viaduct and highways to secure integrated communities. 5. Public Realm, Streets and Spaces – provide an accessible public realm, streets and public spaces that are active, safe and form the heart of the community. 6. Sustainable Development – deliver development that provides economic, environmental and social benefits today and for the future.

Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea (VNEB) is one of the largest Opportunity Areas, forming part of the Central Activities Zone (CAZ) in central London. Located in the boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth, the area presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. A key feature is the iconic Battersea Power Station, for which redevelopment plans have been on and off the drawing board for many years. One of the last remaining major development areas in central London, it is anticipated that up to 16,000 new homes and 25,000 new jobs could be established in the VNEB area.

Wandsworth The London Borough of Wandsworth’s core strategy is set within the context of the London Plan and is an integral element of the Council’s Sustainable Community Strategy. Strategic objectives outline a particular emphasis on embracing the principles of sustainable development in the effective use of brown-field land, providing for a wide range of facilities such as shopping, education, health, leisure and recreation as well as employment opportunities to minimise the need for travel. Their intent is to promote public transport, walking, cycling in preference to car use, so that development is accessible by sustainable modes of transport. Energy conservation objectives will also be a focus.

Lambeth With an emphasis on the area around Vauxhall the London Borough of Lambeth has also set out its vision. The priorities are summarised below: 1. Managing Development Opportunities – responding to the London Plan development targets and commercial development demand through defining a hierarchy of development and appropriate infrastructure step change. 2. Character, Identity and Sense of Place – ensure that new development fosters a strong identity and sense of place, building upon and protecting the existing character and historical environment. 3. Diverse Mixture of Uses – deliver an appropriate, sustainable and varied mixture of uses to support the community, encourage vibrancy and establish character reflective of local needs. 4. Access, Connections and Legibility – develop legible and accessible environment that overcomes the existing

120 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Vauxhall Area Draft Supplementary Planning Document, London Borough of Lambeth, June 2008

Supporting infrastructure: Transport However, to achieve transformation on this scale a major barrier needs to be addressed, namely the relatively poor level of public transport access to the area, especially Battersea Power Station. This needs to be completed without adding to the already congested situation on public transport and roads around Vauxhall, since this is a strategic interchange and junction for movement of all types. In an attempt to address barriers to a successful transformation, Transport for London commissioned an in-depth strategic transport study to examine and assess five development scenarios for the area. Carried out in line with the Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance, the study has become a benchmark for transport planning for future Opportunity Areas. A key feature of the study included broad policy directions that outlined the requirement for “… good public transport coupled with strong traffic management, easier pedestrian movement, major environmental improvement and scope for intensification should increase housing and commercial capacity …” Most importantly the planning context is set firmly in the London Plan providing an integrated framework emphasising the importance of relating transport provision to spatial development: “Spatial policies cannot be considered in isolation from their links to existing and proposed transport accessibility and capacity.” Other features included: q Two specific objectives: To mitigate adverse environmental impacts caused by development traffic and to ensure the area’s economic potential is realised by improving accessibility to the development sites by walking, cycling, public transport, and taxi and goods vehicles. q Stakeholder groups were identified early in the process and

INNOVATION a consultation strategy prepared at the outset to consult on outputs and provide regular progress reports. q Transport modelling was undertaken using the London Transportation Studies, Railplan and Saturn models.

Understanding the link between public transport accessibility and development density Specifically the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea experience illustrates the key characteristics of complex urban regeneration in a global city: in particular the requirement to underpin the local opportunity within a wider policy context, in this case the London Plan and an area specific framework. In broader terms there is a significant long-term opportunity to be realised through an integrated policy framework covering public transport infrastructure. Put another way, real progress cannot be realised if transport integration and land use planning are not joined. Encouragingly, the rigour being applied to transport studies for Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea development will also be applied to future developments. The redevelopment opportunities presented by inner city areas are real. However they are also problematic due to a range of factors, including the ability to get effective transport connections into often comprehensive but also very crowded transport systems. The London Plan and the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area Planning Framework include measures to ensure that this can be achieved. Building on the success of redevelopment in Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Docklands over recent decades, the

plans recognise that transport investment is a vital key. They also recognise that, in the current economic climate, any improvements must be funded by the developments themselves, whilst also delivering real improvements and sustainable development objectives. The London experience is noteworthy because many of the challenges being faced are common to other cities around the world. General principles worth noting include: q When promoting regeneration ensure the scale of the development is related to environmental capacity and the capacity of public transport and other infrastructure. q Look to encourage a sustainable relationship between development and transport through land use policies that seek to reduce the need to travel, especially by car. q Development proposals should contribute to a safe and accessible, integrated transport system. q While the core strategy will address the need for planning policy to respond to local needs always consider links with the overall transport system and in particular any schemes that improve accessibility to and from adjoining areas. q Proposals should focus on improved facilities that encourage greater use of public transport, cycling and walking. q Align local considerations and policy decisions to an overall context â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example, the London Plan. Acknowledgements SKM thanks Transport for London for their support and contribution to this article.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 121

WATER

Water plans need local voice Researchers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have proposed principles that communities could follow to decide how to manage scarce water supplies.

ach community in the Murray Darling Basin should have a greater say in how they react to the decreasing availability of water around them, according to a group of CSU researchers who work extensively with these communities on issues such as drought and soil salinity. “The Federal Government has allocated $9 billion to help reduce water being taken from water sources in the Murray Darling Basin in the Water for the Future program,” said a spokesperson for the CSU group, Dr Jonathon Howard. “While the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists recently released a report suggesting more resources need to be provided to help communities cope with less water, we think they did not go far enough. “Each community is different and there is no simple solution to how they can address the effects of climate change on South East Australia, which appears to include increasing incidence of drought,” said Dr Howard, a researcher with CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS). “Our group, which works and lives in the region, proposes a flexible plan that allows communities themselves to drive changes. They know their history, capacities, the local issues, and their potential to manage change.” The group has proposed five principles be used to help each community to decide how they will adapt to declining water. The community sets a guiding image for its future: as the reduction for water allocation is decided for each catchment, each community has helped decide on its own future. They have a democratic right to decide on their futures – they have to live with it. The ecological condition of the local environment is enhanced: The move to more sustainable use of water involves transferring burdens and benefits to sectors of the community. This will require considerable monitoring of complex river systems according to levels that need to be agreed by that community, requiring a sound business approach to help manage community expectations. Focus on building resilient communities in the Basin: building resilience will help communities cope with the shocks and ride out the changes that will come with water reallocation. Communities will need to be redirected towards opportunities. Processes and decisions are fair: water reallocations will affect the social fabric of communities that will need major individual changes. The current Water for the Future plan allows the market to decide where water will come from, but overseas experience shows the market approach has little regard for effects on communities and individuals. Communities should have a greater say in planning and decisions. Those facilitating change apply adaptive management. Adaptive management means learning from our experiences.

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Jonathon Howard. PHOTO: MARGRIT BEEMSTER

Communities need to be able to use adaptive management to learn from the policy and management decisions made to manage water. They should be allowed to learn from positive and negative projects from elsewhere. Dr Howard said that governments need to “identify the most cost-effective and timely approach to deliver the required volume of water while helping businesses and communities to capitalise on opportunities and adapt to a future with less water. “Social and ecological systems are intimately linked. Water reform needs to connect policy, management and practical projects with human livelihoods. If we fail, we will embed social injustice, mortgage the wealth of future generations and have less room to move in the future. “We must act now and bring Basin communities with us,” he said.

Article reproduced courtesy of Charles Sturt University.

WATER

The National Water Commission – working to drive water reform The National Water Commission is an independent statutory body set up in 2004 to drive the national reform agenda agreed to by Australian governments under the National Water Initiative (NWI). One of its roles is to provide advice to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on water policy and management issues. Its other roles are to assess governments’ progress against the commitments in the NWI and to audit the Murray Darling Basin Plan. Through the $250 million Raising National Water Standards Program, the Commission has invested in a suite of projects to improve water management and build better understanding of our water resources. In performing its advocacy role, the Commission issues position statements to provide thought leadership and advance recommendations on pressing water reform issues. Recent Commission position statements of interest to local government cover water interception,

mining, planning, pricing, market performance, the impacts of water trade, and water availability and use. The Commission works across a wide range of water reform issues including: water accounting, emerging water markets, water planning and management, irrigation and other rural

water, water-dependent ecosystems, integrated urban water management, groundwater, northern rivers, national assessment of water resources, northern futures and knowledge and capacity building. More information can be found at www.nwc.gov.au

National Water Commission Driving water reform in Australia Managing our water more effectively is one of the greatest challenges facing Australia. The National Water Commission is responsible for driving national water reform under the National Water Initiative - Australia’s blueprint for how water will be managed into the future. National imperatives for water management include more effective water planning to determine how we share valuable water resources between competing uses, protection of significant environmental assets, expansion of water markets, and improved security of water supplies and entitlements. The Commission provides advice to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australian Government on national water issues. To advance its reform objectives, the Commission also reports regularly on

specific aspects of water management such as the performance of urban water utilities and rural water service providers, the operation of Australian water markets, and the impacts of water trading. Through its $250 million Raising National Water Standards Program, the Commission invests in projects to advance water reform and improve water management. The Commission also provides leadership by being a catalyst for water reform. Waterlines reports are regularly published to boost understanding of water management issues.

Through its bienniel assessments, the Commission reports to COAG on progress towards implementing the commitments agreed by the Australian, state and territory governments under the National Water Initiative. The second biennial assessment Australian Water Resources 2009 found that despite some progress, the pace of water reform has slowed on almost every front. In its recommendations to COAG, the Commission has called on governments to commit to a renewed round of national water reform.

Position statements are released to improve the quality of debate about water challenges and recommend actions to advance reform.

For more information, visit the Commission’s website - www.nwc.gov.au.

The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 125

STORMWATER & DRAINAGE

Precast products speed up drainage works on large industrial estate Scurry Plumbing took advantage of the broad range of Rocla drainage products when installing the stormwater and sewerage infrastructure for a new industrial estate at Redland Bay, south of Brisbane.

Completed Precast Pit Installation.

edlands Business Park is a masterplanned business community in one of the high growth areas of the booming South-East. Located on 43.7 hectares of bushland, the project will deliver more than 220,000m2 of general industry land. Scurry Plumbing recently completed the civil works for stages 1 and 2. Rocla supplied a wide range of precast products, including pipe, circular and rectangular access pits, culverts and headwalls, sewer access systems with pre-benched bases, as well as kerb inlets and grates. Stormwater drainage products included around 1.5km of Rocla® reinforced concrete pipe in diameters up to 1500mm, with 40 stormwater pit systems, including Rocla CPO® pits in 900 to 1500mm diameters and Rocla RKO® pits

Estate Overview

in various sizes from 600mm square to 900 x 900, plus 69 precast kerb inlet lintels and grates.

Rocla® 2400mm box culverts feature at the entry of the business park, with various other sizes throughout the site. Precast headwalls were also used throughout the site, ranging in sizes from 300mm to 1500mm. Scurry Plumbing owner Bill Scurry said the time and labour saving advantages of precast drainage products made them an economical option on large projects. Heavy rain during construction had workers frequently “up to their armpits in water” but the ease of installation of the precast products helped make up for lost time.

For the sewerage maintenance holes, Scurry Plumbing installed 48 Rocla sewer access systems with pre-benched bases and appropriate access chambers for depths of 1.2m to 6m.

126 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

For more information on any Rocla® precast drainage solutions please contact your nearest office by phone 131 004 or online at www.Rocla.com.au

Rocla precast pits stack up. ®

One-piece kerb inlet. Various inlet types available.

Wide range of lids, covers, surrounds and grates (drop-in, hinged, V, surcharge).

RKO™ pits with preformed knockout sections for quick connection.

Every way you look at it, Rocla precast products stack up: ®

CPO ® stormwater pits, with bases, covers, grates and inlets.

Ease of use Speed of installation High density concrete Reliable quality Durability No weather delays Safer sites Whatever your requirements, we have a solution that will save you time and money. Before you pour, FDOO for a Rocla® precast solution or visit ZZZ URFOD FRP DX ® Trade mark of Rocla Pty Limited ABN 31 000 032 191 trading as Rocla Pipeline Products. A member of the Fletcher Building Group. ALGY10

STORMWATER

Dry cities look to a stormwater future As populations increase and global warming takes its toll, many Australian communities are experiencing critical water shortages or increased flooding, higher temperatures and the degradation of waterways.

ut a new Monash University-led multi-disciplinary research centre is investigating stormwater as a valuable alternate water source. The Centre for Water Sensitive Cities was launched in Melbourne early this year with the goal of helping Australian cities and towns plan for population growth and climate change, with a focus on best practice methods of implementing water sensitive urban design at a government, industry and community level. The project also includes an $18.8 million Cities as Water Supply Catchments research program, which will focus specifically on harvesting stormwater for improved water management. “We produced the first literature review on how to harvest stormwater and the first blueprint is due to be finished at the end of the year,” said Ana Deletic, a professor in water engineering at the Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. “We have also started quite a few projects and research into how to reduce research gaps.” Research has found that stormwater harvesting is an essential component of a Water Sensitive City because of the dual benefits of protecting receiving waterways from pollution and creating a new water supply source. At present, the project is focusing on developing stormwater reuse for non-potable applications, such as irrigation and toilet flushing, but Professor Deletic said that, with extra funding, the centre could one day look at potable reuse as well. “We have been working hard and have produced eight state-of-the-art draft evaluations on stormwater reuse; harvesting, technology, climate change, micro climate impact, risk, health, institutional, and economics.” The project is investigating the use of water sensitive urban design features including rain gardens, wetlands and ponds to capture and clean stormwater for reuse. Improving urban design will also improve liveability and amenity, and the health of urban waterways. These water systems are known as ‘passive treatment systems’. Because they use no energy and have no carbon footprint, passive treatment systems are a great way to combat climate change, and some are even able to capture CO2 in the atmosphere. “Monash developed the biofilter technology, in which plants grown in sandy soils can be used as a natural filter. Plants also remove nitrogen and immobilise some metals present in water,” said Professor Deletic. The Centre said the capture and use of stormwater could deliver benefits not available with other water source management strategies. Besides the obvious – reduced demand on potable water sources – reusing stormwater could also reduce urban temperatures, erosion and the pollution of waterways.

128 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

James Gallagher from VicUrban with Centre co-directors Associate Professor Rebekah Brown, Professor Tony Wong and Professor Ana Deletic

Professor Deletic said that controlling water flows into catchment areas is also an important aspect. “At the moment, urban streams suffer from a huge volume of stormwater. In a natural catchment with vegetation, the plants remove 85 per cent of rainfall, whilst 15 per cent of that rainfall will enter the streams. In our urban catchments, the figures are reversed, with 85 per cent of rainfall entering storage. These waterways can’t cope with such a huge amount of water,” she said. The Centre also said that stormwater harvesting methods can be introduced progressively at a significantly lower cost than other water supply solutions. “We’ve done cost analysis of 15 systems across Australia,” said Professor Deletic. “In general, production costs are very low if done correctly, but costs vary widely. 50 per cent of reviewed systems had production costs less than the current price of water supply.” Ms Deletic said community support for Monash’s research initiatives is strong, but it is vital that projects are done correctly to eliminate health risks. “Stormwater is not like the water in streams. It’s polluted water that must be cleaned in a certain way.” With partners including the University of Melbourne, the University of Queensland, and AECOM, Monash certainly has the support it needs to get the projects up and running. Investors such as the National Water Commission, state agencies, local governments, and water utilities in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland are providing the valuable funds. “We have enough money to run for three years, and we need to raise money for two more years of research. The goal is to make the stormwater projects actually happen,” said Professor Deletic.

TUNNELS

100-year design life of rock bolts and shotcrete BY ROBERT BERTUZZI – PELLS SULLIVAN MEYNINK PTY LTD

ABSTRACT: One of the main technical challenges of underground construction for public space is ensuring the long-term design life of support components. It is common for owners to specify a 100-year design life. Can designers, suppliers and constructors guarantee this? A few papers discussing this topic have been published over the past decade but as more underground public spaces are being built in Australia, the terms “permanent rock bolt” and “permanent shotcrete” have come under greater scrutiny. This paper presents the authors recent experience in relation to providing a permanent rock bolt and shotcrete support.

The trend in tunnel design in Australia is to specify a 100 year design life for permanent support. Often that support is provided by rock bolts and shotcrete. Experience with concrete in compression extends back to Roman times but experience with the longevity of elements in tension is limited. For example, the British Standard BS8081 (Code of Practice for Ground Anchorages) has been available to guide the design of permanent rock bolts since the early 1990s. This paper looks at the projects in Sydney, Australia undertaken since 1990 and the details of the installed rock bolts which are supposed to have equivalent design lives. The term rock bolt is used here in a generic sense and covers reinforcing elements comprising bars and strands.

uniform and extends most rapidly and preferentially at localised pits or surface irregularities.” Table 1 provides a list of recent tunnelling projects in Sydney and the type and accepted design life of rock bolt support. A good engineering description of the rock mass conditions in Sydney is given in Pells, 2003 and Bertuzzi & Pells, 2002. All that can be said of the actual durability of the rock bolts used in these projects is that there have been no failures to date. Limited overcoring of rock bolts has been carried out and to the author’s knowledge this has been done on temporary bolts. Nevertheless, there appears to be an acceptance by the industry that carbon steel bolts cement grouted in an open ended plastic sheath are acceptable for 100 year design life in Sydney tunnels.

2 DESIGN LIFE

2.2 Shotcrete

1 INTRODUCTION

2.1 Rock Bolts The life expectancy of rock bolts can be addressed from two viewpoints. The first is to attempt to assess the probable functional life of a given type of rock bolt in a given hydrochemical environment. For example one may attempt to assess how long a Split-Set bolt may last in a particular tunnel given knowledge of the groundwater chemistry. This is the approach typically adopted by the soil anchor industry by incorporating an allowance for corrosion rate and including sacrificial steel (example NSW RTA’s specification for the Design of Reinforced Soil Walls). The second approach is to attempt to eliminate uncertainty by developing corrosion protection measures to provide a substantial level of safety. This is the approach presented in BS8081, which suggests permanent rock anchors require double corrosion protection of all components. The intent is that “in the event of perforation of one of the two barriers during installation or loading, the remaining barrier must remain intact” (Barley 1997). In following this path it becomes readily apparent that attention to detail is critical (Pells & Bertuzzi, 1999). It is worth noting that BS8081 discounts the use of sacrificial steel stating it “gives no effective protection, as corrosion is rarely

Concrete technology is applicable to shotcrete. In the case of the Eastern Distributor a sacrificial thickness of shotcrete was required because of the local high acidity of the groundwater chemistry. No special treatment was required for the other projects in Sydney. However, a complete water barrier may be required in groundwater environments more aggressive than Sydney, which gets us away from a rock reinforcement design to one of a passive lining. Shotcrete is not discussed further in this paper.

3 WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS NOW Some of the aspects currently being considered by tunnel designers are the details relating to the rock bolt head assemblies, temporary anchorage during grouting, rupture of plastic sheathing due to ground movement and final shotcrete cover. Of these the main issue in the author’s recent experience is the potential for the plastic sheath to rupture when subjected to tension and shear loading. Design solutions typically offered are based on defining a maximum value for acceptable movement above which something must be done, including rebolting, multiple stage grouting and the inclusion of a frangible or compressible grout. It goes without saying that none of these remedial measures are particularly attractive to the client or the contractor. The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 129

TUNNELS 4 FAILURE MECHANISM OF ROCK BOLTS Rock bolts typically fail in tension. It may well be that the start of the failure was shear movement but that typically leads to the rock bolt bending, necking and ultimately tensile failure. The failure involves composite paths: failure along the outer duct face over a proximal length translating to group strand failure and thence to multiple individual strand pull-out of the distal component (Figure 1). This occurrence of progressive debonding is commonly accepted in the industry.

holes drilled through sandstone. These cables all showed a sign of corrosion and one was corroded. This case study suggests that cement grout alone does not provide long-term corrosion protection. The European Code EN1537, which partly replaces BS8081, does allow cement grout to be considered to be part of the corrosion protection if it is within a plastic sheath and under working loads the cracks of the cement grout are less than 0.1mm width.

5.2 Previous Experiments

Figure 1 Encapsulation, group strand and individual strand failure interfaces (Barley, 2003)

While the rock bolt itself fails in tension, its corrosion protection may fail much earlier in shear or actually puncture. A rock bolt can accommodate a relatively large amount of displacement, both axially and shear. A cable bolt typically can accommodate even more. However, if the object is to maintain the corrosion protection, then the amount of deformation that a bolt can be designed to withstand is that which ruptures the plastic sheathing. In other words, in many civil applications high capacity steel rock bolts are now being designed on the tolerance of the plastic sheath.

Barley (2003) describes results of the relatively limited testing of sheathed anchors subjected to shear that have been carried out carried out since the 1970s in the UK. His observations of the plastic sheaths, made after approximately 37mm of shear, were that “the sharp edged grout fragments had severed and torn it (the sheath).” Barley further states that as a result of these tests, compliance with BS8081 has been restricted to axially loaded anchors, to wit while the concept of axial loading of curved stands and their corrosion protection components was recently tried for the Commonwealth Games Stadium in Manchester, UK, they were replaced with straight anchors during construction. In underground excavation, it is not possible to restrict permanent rock bolts to axial loads.

6 CURRENT EXPERIMENTS 6.1 Procedure

This author with his colleagues has carried out limited shear tests on grout encapsulated plastic ducts. Two series of tests were carried out. The first series comprised grouting a 2mm thick walled corrugated plastic duct within two hollow steel tubes. The two steel tubes were bolted together 5 EXISTING EXPERIENCE while the duct was grouted. After 7 days, one of the steel tubes was anchored to the concrete pavement and a jack was used to 5.1 Exhumed Support push the second tube to Weerasinghe & Anson (1997) simulated direct shear. investigated the condition of This author has also multiple strand cable The industry in Australia appears requested similar tests of bolt anchorages after 22 years in a to be of the view that the cement manufacturers. At the time of marine environment. The cables grout does provide a layer of writing, some of the tests comprised greased and carried out by bolt corrosion protection.” sheathed free lengths and manufacturer DSI were made cement grouted unsheathed available (Stevens, 2004). fixed lengths. Interestingly, while The second series of tests was substantially more there was evidence of general corrosion there was negligible loss sophisticated and involved combined shear and axial loading of strand section within the single corrosion protection anchor. of the corrugated plastic duct (refer to Figure 3). This series The main area affected by corrosion was that around and attempted to simulate the rock bolt within the rock mass. immediately beneath the anchor head that is in the detail where Two sandstone blocks separated by 5mm of clay were placed the grease-filled sheath connects to the stressing head and into a loading frame. Smooth fiberglass strips were located on locking wedges. This case study suggests that perhaps BS8081 is too restrictive top of the bottom block to ensure the top block slid smoothly when pushed. A 65mm diameter borehole was drilled through in dismissing cement grout encapsulation as part of a corrosion the blocks at 45° angle and a complete rock bolt (steel cable in protection system. this case and corrugated plastic duct) grouted into place. The industry in Australia appears to be of the view that the After 7 days, a jack was used to horizontally push the top cement grout does provide a layer of corrosion protection. sandstone block 15 to 18mm whilst restraining vertical During 1997, excavation of a basement at No.2 Bond St movement of the block. The relative movement of the two blocks Sydney Steel intersected several steel strand cables that had was measured using crack monitor gauge installed on two sides. been installed in 1972. The cables had been cement grouted in

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TUNNELS

Figure 3. General layout of the apparatus in the second series of tests.

Figure 4. Close-up of damaged plastic duct after 15mm of direct shear movement.

Following the test, the bolt was over-cored and inspected for damage. In one of the tests the horizontal movement was incrementally advanced; the test taking a week to reach the 18mm of horizontal movement.

6.2 Results The data suggests that the tested corrugated plastic ducts are damaged at approximately 15mm of shear movement. The damage was consistent in all tests being caused by sharp fragments of broken grout puncturing the plastic duct. In the tests, little or no local failure of the sandstone around the bolthole occurred. The tests carried out by DSI on their epoxy coated cable, which were similar to the first series, suggest that this product is not damaged until about 20mm of shear movement. It is acknowledged that the first series of tests are simplistic because they do not represent the crushing of the rock; the dilatancy of the joint plane or the local debonding of the rock bolt; and hence may be overly aggressive. These shortcomings were partly addressed in the second series of tests. It is expected that the second series closely resembles the real case, although the test frame was too light to assess the influence of bolt pretension.

7 CONCLUSIONS There appears to have been an acceptance by the industry that (i) cement grouts alone do not provide long term corrosion protection for carbon steel; and (ii) carbon steel bolts cement grouted in a plastic sheath is acceptable for 100 year design life in Sydney tunnels. However, in order to maintain the corrosion protection, the amount of deformation that a bolt can be designed to withstand is that which ruptures the plastic sheathing. In many civil applications high capacity steel rock bolts are now being designed on the tolerance of the plastic sheath. This author has reviewed the available data and has carried out limited shear tests on grout encapsulated plastic ducts. The data from these tests suggests that plastic ducts are punctured by sharp fragments of broken grout at approximately 15mm of shear movement. DSI carried out basic tests on their epoxy coated cable which suggest that this product is not damaged until about 20mm. The testing frame used was too light to assess

Figure 7. DSIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s epoxy coated strand subjected to 23mm of direct shear movement.

the influence of bolt pre-tension; however, further test work is continuing.

8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The assistance of Hasan Wijaya, Matt Lowing and Mark Fowler in carrying out the tests and of Philip Pells in reviewing this paper is appreciated.

REFERENCES Adams, D. N. & Lechner, M. K. & Lamb, I. M5 East Tunnels: A Flat Roofed, Bolt and Shotcrete-lined Highway RETC Proceedings, 2001 Asche, H. R. & Quigley, A Tunnelling design on the Northside storage tunnel project. 10th Aust. Tunnelling Conf, IEAust, Melbourne, 1999 Asche, H. R. & Lechner , M. K. Design For The Cross City Tunnel, Sydney, RETC Proceedings 2003 Barley, A.D. Ground Anchor Tendon protected against corrosion and damage by a double plastic layer. Int. Conf. Ground Anchorages and Anchored Structures, Inst. of Civil Engineers, London, 1997. Barley, A.D. Double shear test on a corrugated plastic duct strand tendon encapsulated. Personal communication, August 2003. Baxter, D. Do all rock bolts rust? Can Q.A. help? Does it matter? Proceedings of 9th Australian Tunnelling Conf., IE Aust, Sydney, 1996. Braybrooke, J. Personal communication, 1993 British Standards BS8081, Code of Practice for Ground Anchorages, 1989. European Standard ENV 1537.1996. Extensions of Special Geotechnical Work- Ground Anchors. Mothesville, D.K.V. & Weerasinghe, R.B. Current Rock bolting Practice, Tunnels and Tunnelling International, October 1998. Stevens, N. R. Dywidag-Systems International Personal communication, 2004 Pells, P.J.N & Bertuzzi, R. Permanent rockbolts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the problems are in the detail. Proc 10th Australian Tunnelling Conf., IE Aust, Melbourne, 1999. Pells, P.J.N., Poulos, H.G. & Best, R.J. Rock reinforcement design for a shallow large-span cavern. Proc 7th Int. Cong. Rock Mech, Aachen 1991. Weerasinghe, R.B. & Anson, R.W.W. Investigation of the Long Term Performance and Future Behaviour of Existing Ground Anchorages. Int. Conf. Ground Anchorages and Anchored Structures. Inst. of Civil Engineers, London, 1997.

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PIPES

Glass ‘fines’ a win for councils and the environment While large quantities of glass are recovered for recycling in communities all over Australia, many small pieces (‘fines’) are discarded after the sorting process because they are too small for re-manufacture into glass containers.

Before the glass fines can be used in such applications, they n many cases, the discarded fines make up 40 per cent of all glass recovered, and in Victoria approximately 250,000 tonnes must be crushed down to 10mm pieces, then washed and crushed of fines are discarded each year. But innovative new processes again, screened and graded through screen decks to produce an approximately 4.75mm-glass sand. are making use of this large resource in road construction and Glass fines are exempted from classification as a waste vital infrastructure. product as the volume is well under the maximum concentration In late 2009, Melbourne Water and Water Resources Alliance’s allowed by EPA, meaning regulatory barriers associated with (WRA) Sustainability and Environment Team commenced burying a waste product do not apply. investigating the potential to use waste glass as pipe embedment In July 2010 trials commenced at the Melbourne Water Preston and support material as an alternative to quarried sand. Reservoir & Pump Station, Earlier laboratory tests and when 10mm-glass fines and trials, conducted by the 5mm- glass sand were used as Department of Environment and But it’s not only scientists pipe embedment and support Climate Change NSW, Sydney who are looking at using glass material for two 20m PVC pipes Water and Benedict Sand & waste for construction; several buried at approximately 2m in Gravel, found that glass fines Australian councils have also depth in a highly-trafficked pose no significant area. The performance of the environmental risk in pipe recognised the potential of glass glass sand will be monitored embedment applications. It also sand technology to improve the over a three to four week found that the material handled cost and environmental impacts of period and final compaction as easily as natural sand and their communities.” testing will conclude the trial. posed no greater problems of The WRA said that in most odour, skin contact abrasion or cases, glass sand is more cost-effective than traditional quarried dust than natural sand. material, and that the use of recycled products will further The use of recycled glass fines as a substitute for quarried facilitate the Melbourne Water and WRA sustainability and material not only conserves natural resources but also reduces environment objectives. landfill and greenhouse gas emissions.

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 134

Glass sand used during WRA trials.

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PIPES

PPI Hi-Vis PE Sewer pipe prevents root intrusion PPI polyethylene pipe is the ideal material for infrastructure projects such as sewerage and water supply. Welded joints ensure a fully sealed system that tree roots cannot penetrate. This ensures that the system will not deteriorate over time. Blockages are a thing of the past and maintenance costs are dramatically reduced. PE pipe is flexible and will move with the soil, so pipe cracks and leakages cannot occur. Most importantly the environment is not degraded by sewer leakage. Another outstanding feature of the pipe is the non-reflective neutralcoloured inner jacket, which allows camera inspection. The inside of black PE pipe is very dark which makes inspection by camera very difficult. The thin neutral-coloured inner jacket brightens up the inside without compromising performance. The internal jacket complies with the stripe and jacket clauses of AS/NZS4130 and may be stored without protection from UV light.

All PPI PE pipe is coloured for easy identification during civil works around the pipeline. Sewer stripe colours comply with WSAA requirements. Grey indicates gravity sewer and cream, sewer rising main. PPI PE pipe ends do not need to be covered. This helps to remove unsightly rubbish from installation sites and further demonstrates PPI’s concern for the local environment. This feature also ensures that the pipe will always shave well during butt-welding and will not shatter like un-protected natural pipe material. PPI Hi-Vis Sewer Pipe is manufactured in accordance with AS/NZS4130 with third party WaterMark accreditation and WSAA Appraisal so its performance and longevity are guaranteed. For further information contact the PPI Mining, Industrial, Civil sales office on Ph: 07 3860 0388 or Email: mic@ppi.com.au.

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PIPES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 132

Steel pipe about the be immersed in trench.

But pipe embedment application alone will not be enough to deplete Australia’s huge stockpiles of waste glass. Researchers are taking a positive view and looking at this glass as a sizeable resource, rather than tonnes of waste. At Swinburne University of Technology’s Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure, researchers are looking at ways to make this glass suitable for use in road construction as well. The concept is not new. Currently, crushed glass may be added to concrete, but only up to a maximum proportion of three per cent. Recycled glass is also already used in road construction in Europe and the US, but standards must be set up for the specific local conditions in Australia, such as materials and climate. Traditionally, quarry rock has been used in road construction, and authorities such as VicRoads require proof that any new materials (like crushed glass) will withstand at least 20 years of heavy traffic. Swinburne’s Dr Arul Arulrajah, an associate professor in Civil and Geotechnical Engineering at Swinburne’s Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure, compared different blends of recycled glass, crushed rock and concrete with traditional quarry materials. The study found that all the materials with up to 30 per cent glass met or exceeded specifications, and field tests were then carried out at the Western Metropolitan Recycling Facility in Laverton, Victoria. For the trial, nine 80-metre sections of heavily used road were laid in November 2009, each using a different blend of recycled glass and recycled concrete or crushed rock. After six months the test roads showed no visible signs of rutting or cracking; the symptoms of a weakening sub-base.

Piple laid on glass sand support base.

134 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

If the glass blends prove to have a comparable performance to virgin quarry rock, the university will submit a report to VicRoads with the aim of achieving specification adjustments to allow higher percentages of crushed glass to be used in crushed road-making materials. “But it’s not only scientists who are looking at using glass waste for construction; several Australian councils have also recognised the potential of glass sand technology to improve the cost and environmental impacts of their communities.” Waverley Council in NSW will use recycled glass in two projects in Bondi – each a 100m section of an asphalt and concrete road. The Packaging Stewardship Forum (PSF) of the Australian Food and Grocery Council funded the projects, which has diverted around 83 tonnes of recycled glass from landfill. Manningham Council in Victoria also has plans for a new footpath to be laid in Doncaster East using recycled glass and crushed brick in a state-first trial aimed at reusing waste. The Andersons Creek sustainable pathway will use a recycled materials mix developed in the Swinburne University project. If successful the project will help to tackle the approximate 1.4 million tonnes of crushed brick and 250,000 tonnes of non-recyclable glass added to landfill each year. Bill McArthur, president of the Municipal Association of Victoria, commented that the local government sector has been leading the way in initiating green initiatives for communities, and reusing glass fines has been an important step in reducing landfill, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions for councils. For councils this technology is certainly looking promising, with potential for the material to be widely used in infrastructure projects, as well as in other applications including sand-blasting, water filtration, landfill cover, ice control (salt replacement) and landscaping.

Glass sand laid around the pipe embedment area.

PIPES

Why is everyone using BlackMAX™? The rapid growth of BlackMAX™ is actually easy to explain. Engineers look for key features when they specify storm water drainage pipe and BlackMAX™ delivers on all counts. Iplex Pipelines is committed to innovation and our products reflect that commitment. Thousands of metres of BlackMAX™ are installed every year and Iplex is a leading supplier of polypropylene pipe. In the construction industry, advanced technologies such as BlackMAX™ polypropylene (PP) pipe is giving you better choices when selecting pipe for storm water drainage projects. At Iplex, we’re proud to be at the forefront of these changes and even prouder to deliver the solutions you need for your next project. It offers notable benefits to asset owners, and long-overdue solutions to the contractor responsible for installation. First and foremost, BlackMAX™ is priced competitively for drainage applications and savings on installation costs are only the beginning. BlackMAX™ is made in 6 metre nominal lengths allowing faster laying rates when compared with traditional pipe materials and combined with the availability of a rubber ring joint, BlackMAX™ will maximise installation efficiency. Fewer joints and longer lengths means more metres laid per day! Not to mention the savings on machines.

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SECTION STREETSCAPES

International Mowers International Mowers was founded in 1988 to meet the growing demands of vegetation control and commercial grass mowing. Importing only the best the world has to offer in specialised machinery, and supporting those products with their years of experience. The Scag range of mowers has been imported by International Mowers for 15 years, being sold predominately to the Government and Contractor market. Other brands of machinery which are imported include McConnel reach mowers, Seppi mulching and forestry maintenance equipment, Alamo flail and rotary mowers, Suokone Mericrusher three point linkage crushers, Herder Ditch maintenance equipment, and Kirogn saw blade attachments. More than just an importer, International Mowers has the knowledge to specify the best machinery for your particular application, and the back up support for all of the products in its wide range. All products are sold and serviced by our Australia wide dealer network.

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STREETSCAPES

Streetscape scale applications of water sensitive urban design Examples from Australian Cities MARTIN ELY – LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, ARBORDESIGN

This article excerpt has been reproduced with the kind permission of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) and Martin Ely, Arbordesign. The full article is available at www.aila.org.au/laonline/

ater Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) can help us achieve “green streets” in times of water restrictions. Stormwater runoff that usually flows down our drains and out to sea, can be harvested to irrigate street trees and other landscaping. At the same time, runoff can be filtered and cleaned of pollutants before returning it to aquatic ecosystems. The following paper describes current streetscape scale WSUD practices, and their application in Australian cities. This includes examples of both: q Retrofitting of WSUD measures into existing urban streets, and q Incorporation of integrated stormwater management systems into major urban redevelopment projects.

Streetscape Scale Applications In recent years, WSUD treatments have evolved from large scale “end of pipe” solutions, such as constructed wetlands, to smaller scale applications which can treat runoff from local catchments “at source”, and which can be integrated into the design of urban streets and public spaces (Wong 2006). These smaller scale applications deliver a range of benefits. As well as protecting downstream waters through pollutant removal and retarding of stormwater flows, they can also harvest runoff for local landscape reuse, reducing the use of mains water for irrigation. They also help increase awareness of the connections between human activities and the water cycle, by making the processes more visible. Streetscape scale WSUD applications can take a number of forms; however, the most popular are bioretention systems, also known as “rain gardens”, which can be scaled to confined spaces, and adapted to a range of urban situations. Bioretention systems filter stormwater runoff through a vegetated soil media layer. The filtered water is then collected via perforated pipes and discharged back into the stormwater system, or stored for reuse. Temporary ponding above the soil media, in an “extended detention zone”, provides additional treatment by sedimentation. Bioretention systems, however, are not intended to function by infiltration. Treated water is returned to the stormwater system, rather than into the surrounding soil and groundwater. Bioretention systems also typically include a high flow bypass, to capture the most contaminated “first flush” during rain events,

while diverting excess flows to the main stormwater system (City of Melbourne 2005). Vegetation growing in the filter media enhances its function in a number of ways. Plant roots help remove pollutants through a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes. They also prevent erosion of the filter media, and maintain its porosity through continuous root growth. An appropriate filter media is therefore required, which balances the need for efficient flow through the soil profile, with the need to retain sufficient water in the soil to sustain plant growth. A wide range of plants can be used in bioretention systems, however species which tolerate periods of drought and inundation are preferred to the more aquatic species, as the former act as indicators of system failure due to clogging of the soil media (Somes and Crosby 2007). Bioretention tree pits are a recent innovation, involving redesign of tree root-zone environments as stormwater treatment systems, allowing the incorporation of stormwater management into confined urban street spaces (Breen, Denman et al. 2004; Wettenhall 2006). Bioretention systems can be integrated into the design of new streets, or “retrofitted” into existing streetscapes. Streetscape scale applications, however, present a number of design challenges not faced in larger scale applications. Successful design requires an innovative approach, and a close collaboration between designers, engineers and environmental specialists at all stages of the project.

Retrofitting into Existing Streets Metropolitan Melbourne Melbourne is recognised as a leading city in urban stormwater management, in which WSUD best practices have become “institutionalised”. The process has benefited from a number of “champions”, including Melbourne Water, local Councils and the environmental engineering firm Ecological Engineering. The process began in the late 1980s with recognition of the impacts of urban runoff on the Yarra River catchment and Port Phillip Bay. An early initiative was the development of an outer suburban sub-catchment scale demonstration project at Lynbrook Estate by VicUrban in 1997, which incorporated a stormwater “treatment train” at streetscape level. Since then a number of innovative streetscape scale projects have been implemented in more The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 137

STREETSCAPES highly urbanised settings, in partnership between Melbourne Water and local councils (Brown and Clarke 2007).

bluestone wall, built at seating height, also provides a gathering place for local residents.

Lower Yarra Councils

Sydney

Melbourne Water, in partnership with local councils, has implemented a number of other streetscape scale demonstration projects aimed at improving the health of the Yarra River. The 2006 Yarra River Action Plan allocated $10 million to implement WSUD projects in the four lower Yarra River councils.

In Sydney, the Darlinghurst Road upgrade in Kings Cross included street tree bioretention pits intended to help reduce stormwater pollution of Sydney Harbour. The design included the development of a new “suspended slab” tree grate system to allow the trees to be set down below footpath level. The project was intended as a pilot program for review prior to it’s application elsewhere. Problems encountered included some difficulties connecting to the existing stormwater. The project is of significance in the development of an innovative technical system to better integrate WSUD measures into the streetscape, in both visual and functional terms, while sustaining tree growth.

City of Yarra In the City of Yarra, the reconstruction of Cremorne Street, Richmond, in 2003, incorporating rain gardens, was the first example of streetscape scale applications in a highly built up commercial area with heavy traffic volumes. The project was jointly funded by Council and a Victorian Stormwater Action Program grant. Rain gardens were installed in outstands in the parking lane. The change in level between the footpath and filter bed was addressed with post and wire fencing, however deliberate and accidental damage has detracted from the aesthetic value of the streetscape.

City of Stonnington The City of Stonnington has adopted a Sustainable Water Management Strategy that aims to incorporate WSUD elements into all of its facilities. Bioretention tree pits have been installed in the 2007 upgrade of Glenferrie Road, Malvern – an intensively used shopping street. The design comprises a tree pit integrated with a grated kerb inlet, grated tree pit cover and tree guard.

City of Melbourne A number of high profile bioretention projects have been installed in the City of Melbourne, in partnership with Melbourne Water. In 2006 bioretention tree pits were installed in Little Bourke Street in the heart of the Melbourne CBD. The project is of significance as it’s the first example of a WSUD application in such a highly urbanised area. The project faced the challenge of integrating the design into the infrastructure and functioning of the narrow but busy street, and also of meeting the high standards of aesthetics and urban design required in the Melbourne CBD. Particular challenges included the need to relocate underground services and to achieve the required levels to connect with the existing stormwater system. The tree pits, installed in the footpath, are covered with a heavy duty bluestone cover, hinged to allow opening for the removal of accumulated litter, with the sunken tree pits also acting as litter traps. In 2006 an innovative rain garden was also installed in Davidsons Place in the Melbourne CBD. Davidsons Place is a narrow, high walled CBD laneway with a hard surfaced, low amenity environment, but with a growing residential population. The opportunity was taken to install a rain garden that would improve the quality of urban runoff, while also creating urban greenery and a gathering space for residents. The rain garden comprises a raised planter bed at the end of the lane, which collects stormwater from surrounding roofs via downpipes and spreaders. It is treated by filtering through the raised garden bed, before return to the stormwater system, and at the same time irrigating the single tree and underplantings. The raised

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Brisbane Brisbane City Council has incorporated a stormwater harvesting system in a section of the redevelopment of Melbourne Street as a “subtropical boulevard” and gateway to the Brisbane CBD. Stormwater runoff enters through a kerb inlet that removes litter, into a filtration pit that removes sediments, then filters through the planting bed to a collection pipe and to an underground store for irrigating planting beds during dry periods.

Adelaide In Adelaide a bioretention swale was incorporated into the redesign of the South Australian Museum forecourt on North Terrace, the city’s main cultural boulevard. The swale is part of a water management system that captures and treats runoff from surrounding roofs and hard surfaces, then stores it underground for irrigation reuse. A key objective of the project was to showcase the museums commitment to ecologically sustainable development, especially water conservation and reuse. The bioretention swale is designed as a concrete lined trench, to prevent stormwater infiltration impacting on the adjacent heritage buildings. The concrete edging also provides the base for integrated public seating. The project was the result of collaboration between the designers (Taylor Culitty Lethlean), civil and structural engineers, and consultants Ecological Engineering. Early integration of the water management system into the project, rather than as an “add on”, assisted in its retention in subsequent cost reviews (Allison and Taylor 2004). References Allison, R. A. and K. R. Taylor (2004). Water Sensitive Forecourt Designs. WSUD 2004, Adelaide. Breen, P., L. Denman, et al. (2004). Street Trees as Stormwater Treatment Measures. WSUD 2004. Brown, R. and J. Clarke (2007). Transition to Water Sensitive Urban Design: The Story of Melbourne, Australia, Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration Monash University. City of Melbourne (2005). “Water Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines.” Evans, C. (2003). “Critical opinion: Victoria Park.” Landscape Australia (3): 12–14. Haycox, M. (2004). The Melbourne Docklands ESD Guide. VicUrban. Melbourne. Somes, N. and J. Crosby (2007). Review of Street Scale WSUD in Melbourne: Study Findings. Kingston City Council and the Better Bays and Waterways Institutionalising Water Sensitive Urban Design and Best Management Practice Project. West, A. (2006). Implementation of Rain Gardens: A Discussion of Technical Issues. City of Kingston. Wettenhall, G. (2006). Green Streets: Creative Stormwater Design. TREENET Proceedings of the 7th National Street Tree Symposium: 7th and 8th September 2006, Adelaide. Wong, T. H. F. (2006). “An Overview of Water Sensitive Urban Design Practices in Australia.” Water and Technology 1(1).

STREETSCAPES

The Ultimate Green Option for Addressing Public Safety There is a constant need for public lighting, not only as a result of expansion in infrastructure as population grows, but also in providing safe pedestrian thoroughfares and public spaces, or where there is a need to increase the aesthetic appeal of an area or discourage crime. The challenge for many Councils is in providing this lighting economically, within strict Council budgets, and with minimal life cycle cost and environmental footprint. Solar Power Australia provides custom designed, independent lighting systems which address the problems that Councils typically face. Mr Brett Sutherland, Managing Director of Solar Power Australia pointed out that solar powered lighting represented the “ultimate green option” - using solar energy to power extremely energy efficient lighting fixtures. The units offered by Solar Power Australia turn on automatically at sunset and can reliably provide full lighting all night (even during blackouts of the electricity grid), with provision for programming of light operation times. They have the great advantage of being used in isolated places where it is often difficult to install grid powered lights, and they avoid those problems associated with grid powered lighting such as the need

for trenching and electrical cabling, repair to concrete, asphalt or landscaping, and possible electrical infrastructure upgrades. Additionally, the fact that the solar powered lighting systems can be easily deployed to supplement or replace existing grid powered lighting systems can certainly help Councils in providing reliable low cost lighting for both the short and longer term.

3/301 Hillsborough Rd, Warners Bay NSW 2282

02 4954 3310 Solar Power Australia specialise in the design, n, manufacture and installation of solar lighting for streets, parks, walkways, jetties and a variety of other public spaces. • Increases public safety and aids in providing a safe afe working fficult to access environment in areas where mains power is difficult osts • Eliminates expensive mains cable installation costs • Environmentally friendly energy production • High quality construction and components • Eliminates any associated electricity bills • Fully automatic operation

info@solaronline.com.au | w w w.solarpoweraustralia.com.au The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 139

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Lamp Recycling Program

Turning old lamps into new products We continue to look at ways in which we can help to reduce our impact on the environment, ensuring our planet for future generations. Due to the small amounts of mercury used in fluorescent lamps, it is important to ensure that these lamps are disposed of responsibly, and don’t turn into landfill. The mercury contained in one fluorescent tube can pollute 30,000 litres of water beyond a safe level of drinking. A potent neurotoxin, mercury is listed as the most hazardous metal on the EPA’s list of industrial pollutants. Recovery and recycling is the only safe and effective way to prevent it damaging our environment.

Providing a start to finish service, SYLVANIA’s SYLrecycle program ensures that all lamps are converted into safe, reusable materials. Each lamp is initially crushed before the endcaps, glass and phosphor are isolated. The phosphor then undergoes a mercury recovery procedure, safely capturing the hazardous metal. Components are then cleaned and distilled for reuse.

140 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

The SYLrecycle program is available for all types of lamps up to 1500mm in length, including all High Pressure Sodium, Metal Halide, Mercury Vapour and Compact Fluorescent lamps. To take part in SYLrecycle contact your SLA representative or email sylrecycle@sla.net.au

STREETSCAPES

Victoria giving streets the green light Councils have been aware of the greenhouse gas impact of street lighting for years, and many have attempted to change regulations and raise awareness of energy-efficient street lighting technology. Unfortunately, high implementation prices have prevented the use of new technology.

although some councils have as few as 300 and some have n late 2009 the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), in as many as 19,000. partnership with Maribyrnong City Council, initiated the There are two energy-efficient alternatives on the market ‘Give Our Streets the Green Light’ campaign, which was that are approved for use in street lighting: a linear, twin launched in June this year. The aim of the project is to gather 14-watt fluorescent commonly known as the T5, and a wide public support in a bid to compel the Victorian and 42-watt compact fluorescent Australian governments to similar to energy saving partner with local councils to household bulbs. replace the old 1980s lighting New technology fluorescent While both of these options technology with new energylights provide an energy saving produce a similar amount of efficient street lights. of around 70 per cent compared light to the traditional mercury So far, 45 of Victoria’s to the current 80W mercury vapour lamps, they both use 79 councils have joined the significantly less energy. campaign and a further vapour lamps.” LED lights are increasingly 11 councils have passed being used in public lighting, resolutions of support. President of the MAV, Cr Bill McArthur, said Victoria has around from traffic lights to pathways, but the LED lights currently available for local roads use more energy compared with 330,000 local road street lights using old lamps – typically the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions for local government. fluorescent technology, so fluorescent is currently the best option available. Each council has an average of 4,000 local road street lights,

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City of Casey Mayor Cr Lorraine Wreford.

Mayor Steven Tang, Glen Eira, with balloons representing emissions saved.

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Cr Charlotte Baines, Mayor Monash City Council.

With a goal of 4,000 signatures, the MAV plans to take the petition to State Parliament in early October.

Whilst councils have been keen to change the old lighting fixtures since 2003, the new lights cannot be simply slotted into the existing sockets, but must be installed with new fittings. This has made cost a barrier to implementation. Replacing all of Victoria’s old lights with energy efficient technologies is estimated to cost $120 million, at $350 to $450 for each new light fitting and installation. Cr McArthur said the goal of ‘Give Our Streets the Green Light’ is to persuade the federal government to contribute a minimum of $150 per light, or about $50 million in total. Initial costs may seem high, but the benefits make the scheme worthwhile. New technology fluorescent lights provide an energy saving of around 70 per cent compared to the current 80W mercury vapour lamps. Replacing them will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78,000 tonnes per year, or 1.56 million tonnes over the life of the new lights. Energy savings equate to taking 341,917 cars off the road for a year or removing the entire city of Mildura from the grid. Yearly cost savings of $7 million mean outlay will be recouped in less than 20 years. 142 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Cr Clifford Hayes, Mayor Bayside City Council.

In order to generate interest and support for the ‘Give Our Streets the Green Light’ campaign, MAV has begun its first social media campaign with an online petition for the general public, as well as a strong presence on popular networking sites like Facebook. With a goal of 4,000 signatures, the MAV plans to take the petition to State Parliament in early October. Cr McArthur said that as the community seeks action over climate change, ‘Give Our Streets the Green Light’ could be a simple, win-win solution.

TECHNOLOGY

Think Smart BY DAVID KIRKPATRICK AND ANDREW DAWSON

Embedding intelligence into our infrastructure will boost the nation’s productivity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve our quality of life.

t’s early morning and you are about to brave peak hour traffic, hoping for a clear run to your destination. You get a text message on your mobile phone. It warns you of a road accident ahead and suggests you take an alternative route. Imagine the savings to your time, your fuel costs and the environment. Every year, Australians waste $11 billion sitting in avoidable traffic congestion and that doesn’t include the cost of the petrol or the negative impact on the environment, according to one of the keynote addresses at a recent smart infrastructure conference at Parliament House in Canberra, organised by the House of Representatives Infrastructure Committee. The ThinkFuture conference brought together more than 150 industry leaders from the energy, transport, water and communications sectors to share ideas on how to capitalise on smart technology. By embedding computer chips and wireless devices in transport, communications, health, energy and water systems, smart infrastructure has the potential to make huge savings, create thousands of new jobs and be good for the environment. A recently commissioned report by IBM and Access Economics found that adoption of smart systems could increase Australia’s GDP by 1.5 per cent in 10 years providing a boost of about $80 billion and 70,000 jobs.

As one of the keynote speakers at the ThinkFuture conference pointed out, other countries with smart systems in place are already experiencing some of the benefits. Managing Director of IBM Australia and New Zealand, Glen Boreham said analytics and mobile technology has helped the city of New York reduce its crime rate by 27 per cent, and Taiwan’s intelligent rail network sees 99 per cent of trains run on time. In Spain, he said, regionally integrated electronic records mean patients can attend any health centre in the region, knowing doctors can access their complete up-to-date information. While in Stockholm, intelligent tolling has reduced traffic congestion by 25 per cent and carbon emissions by 40 per cent. He said Malta’s new smart grid, which integrates its water and power systems, can identify water leaks and electricity losses in the grid, allowing utilities to make the networks far more efficient and reward customers who consume less energy and water. Mr Boreham said the merger between the infrastructure of the industrial era and the digital age offers the opportunity to build intelligence into the systems on which our economy depends. “Right now, many of these systems are ‘dumb’. When I say ‘dumb’, I don’t mean that critically, I simply mean many of our systems are ‘unaware’,” he said. “They were built using the technology of the time, but now they are outdated, because their parts are disconnected, we don’t The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 143

TECHNOLOGY leaders side-by-side with big industry regulators sitting next to know what is going on; the system can’t respond as a whole, the regulated,” he said. and we don’t have the control to stop it failing.” “What astonished me in those discussions was that everyone Citing an article in the Herald Sun newspaper, Mr Boreham agreed smarter infrastructure was essential for Australia’s growth described how burst pipes in Melbourne pumped out 50 billion and prosperity. The only issue was how to develop it as quickly litres of water before repair crews were notified. as possible.” “To put that into context, it’s enough to supply that city for While the benefits would be great, Mr Boreham said the role of more than a month,” he said. And he didn’t stop there. government and private sector would need to be further clarified, “Look at electricity. There is so much focus on how we standards upheld, and privacy issues addressed. generate electricity. The debate over clean, brown or black coal, “Investing in smarter infrastructure will prepare Australia to the issues around wind farms. But what gets far less airplay is the participate in the global digital economy,” he said. fact that every year 10 per cent of electricity generated is then “It will make our buildings lost in transmission and another and cities cleaner, safer and 11 per cent wasted because better to live in and it will be an consumers lack information on There is so much focus on how engine for economic growth far how to use it more efficiently. we generate electricity, but into the future. “If we could solve these what gets far less airplay is the “Given our sparse, yet problems we would have a fact that every year 10 per cent technically savvy population, major impact on the electricity of electricity generated is then there is a huge potential for industry’s carbon footprint, our nation to use intelligent regardless of how that electricity lost in transmission and another infrastructure to be far more is generated.” 11 per cent wasted because productive and efficient, in But amid the worst global consumers lack information on ways that really matter for financial crisis since the Great how to use it more efficiently.” all Australians. Depression, can we afford such “So when we build a new smart infrastructure? school hall we must continue The Access Economics report to focus on more than bricks, the timbers or the tiles – we must found that in every area its introduction would lead to build a smart school hall. measurable benefits that far outweighed the initial costs. “By actively merging the physical with the digital world, “Here in Australia, we saw the government take a bold by infusing intelligence into our infrastructure, we can create a position with its economic stimulus programs,” Mr Boreham smarter Australia that will deliver a prosperous and sustainable told the conference. future for all of us and for generations to come.” “But the key now is to ensure a good proportion of this

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spending is invested in projects with long-term benefits. And this is where building smarter infrastructure comes in. “Because it doesn’t just create jobs as a short-term stimulus, it also addresses national issues of economic, social and environmental importance.” In the United States, IBM has several ‘smart grid’ programs underway, using sensors, software and computerised household meters to maintain and monitor power lines and reduce energy consumption. According to an article in the New York Times, a demonstration project in Washington State concluded that peak loads on utility grids could be trimmed by 15 per cent. If that were applied nationally, that sort of reduction over a 20-year period would eliminate the need for the equivalent of 30 large coal-fired plants. Aside from the enormous economic changes required to transform the Australian economy, Mr Boreham believes it will require a significant cultural shift as well. As none of the systems he described are controlled by any one agency, sector or industry, it will require tremendous cooperation and goodwill. But he is optimistic about the future, after leading a forum last year involving 40 public and private sector leaders discussing the next steps in developing digitally aware infrastructure. “Going into the forum, I remember wondering whether we would be able to reach any consensus. We had environmental 144 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

More information on the ThinkFuture conference is available at www.aph.gov.au/itrdlg or for more information email itrdlg.reps@aph.gov.au or phone (02) 6277 2352.

Energy efficiency For power, smart meters on homes or businesses measure a customer’s electricity use every 30 minutes and then instantly send this data by telecommunications back to power companies to help them better manage the energy flows required and know when outages happen. But Ann Burns from Accenture, which is at the forefront of smart metering roll-out power utilities, warned participants at the ThinkFuture conference they need to be prepared for the “sheer data tsunami that will hit us” from smart technology. “Technology doesn’t necessarily do what it says it does on the box,” she said. “It’s not all about technology – the technology gives you data but the smart thing is what you do with the data.” Ms Burns told the conference the challenge would be working out how to run the smart word and old world together. She said their surveys reveal most domestic power consumers already believed they were being energy efficient and smart enough by switching off lights before they had smart meters installed. While many were concerned by climate change, they were more worried about having access to a reliable supply of electricity.

TECHNOLOGY “From our experience in Victoria, some communities embrace smart metering and some are very concerned by the cost and the impact on household bills.” Leading the energy discussion at the conference, Martin Thomas, chair of the Energy Forum at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), said modern technology means a consistent national approach is needed for regulation of power companies and also those companies mining coal or other energy sources. “For very understandable reasons in 1901, our then Constitution was framed with powers for energy lying very rightly with the states because the notion of interstate transmission lines or interstate pipelines or interstate trade in energy products apart from a truck or coal was inconceivable,” Mr Thomas said. “Technology has moved on so now it is inconceivable that you would not top up NSW with cheap Victorian power in the middle of the day or that you would not top up Victoria with NSW power if one of their major power generators went down. “My pleading to the committee is that consideration be given to understanding that better, and making sure functions which are essentially central planning to do with regulation are [overseen by one national body].” Mr Thomas also cautioned that smart metering alone wouldn’t be the profit maker that many utilities may be expecting. “Experience to date shows that smart meters without the rest of the infrastructure are actually loss leaders,” he said. “They are fun to do, and everyone gets excited and people cut lots of ribbons but, at the end of the day, they don’t bring real benefits to the overall system – it’s got to be a holistic approach. “What we are talking about is communication of very fast signals from the consumer all the way back to the supplier and back to the consumer again adjusting load flows and making short-term decisions. At the moment these decisions are still made by people but can be made much more readily by computers.”

“They use those predictions to change traffic patterns. The biggest thing is how to introduce that to consumers either by side of the highway information signage or electronic information which is going to change the way we are going to choose how we travel, where we travel and when we travel and the routes we take.” Mr Burns believes a more integrated collaborative approach will be needed between freight rivals such as road, rail, sea and air to develop smarter transport networks. “The interconnectivity of freight and the logistics of moving freight from initiation point to final delivery destination through tracking of packages, parcels, freight and bulk is now something that has to be done accurately and seamlessly. That technology is starting to be rolled out.” Mr Burns hoped Australia does not go it alone in developing new standards for smart transport infrastructure. “There are American railway standards, there are European standards, so inventing our own standards for a population of 21 million people is ludicrous considering what’s already there as a base to work from,” he said. “It doesn’t mean adopting overseas standards without change or adaptation to our systems. We need to roll out standards that are appropriate and in terms of smart infrastructure we are talking about creating new standards and new systems. “Standards give consistency, guarantees of safety, and guarantees of reliability because it looks at materials and technology. Standards are critical in laying the framework for moving forward.”

Faster communications Improving communications infrastructure is fundamental to

Integrated transport Chair of the House of Representatives Infrastructure Committee, Catherine King (Member for Ballarat, Vic) said the wider use of smart infrastructure would improve road safety and also increase the time workers spend with their families by reducing traffic congestion in Australian cities. “There is a connection between the amount of time that people are wasting in unnecessary traffic congestion and also the social implications that can have for large commuter populations,” Ms King said. “That is starting to demystify what smart infrastructure is about for people by saying if we manage your traffic system better and reduce congestion, you will be spending less time in your vehicle travelling to work.” Chairman of the Australian Rail Industry Corporation Alan Burns, who lead the transport discussion at the ThinkFuture conference, said the latest smart infrastructure in road transport was a leap forward. “From a roads perspective I am incredibly impressed by technologies that are smart, they learn and they predict traffic,” Mr Burns said.

Technology uses predictions to change traffic patterns

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Smart infrastructure is able to improve water usage

using smart technology according to Dr Terry Percival, who was a key developer of the high-speed wireless technology favoured by so many computer users these days. Now the laboratory director at National ICT Australia, Dr Percival led the communications discussion at the ThinkFuture conference. “I think the issue for the communications sector is making sure the interconnections between the wholesale network that the National Broadband Network is going to be and the end users is done smoothly and in the appropriate time,” Dr Percival said. “What the government can do at the federal level is take a leaf out of the smart cities-smart grid trial. That has really got a lot of electricity utilities around Australia thinking about smart grid. The same sort of thing needs to be done in the areas of smart water and smart transport. You really need to do these pilot projects so you can actually calculate and quantify the cost benefit analysis or return on investment you are going to get from doing a wide scale deployment.” NICTA has done a number of pilot projects on smart water on a farm and smart roads at an intersection and these have shown considerable gains in both areas. “The transport initiatives will lead to less congestion black spots and public transport that does run to schedule – if a bus is running late, then the public can find out,” Dr Percival said. “Train and bus interchanges will work much better, so the bus doesn’t leave just as the train is pulling into the station because the bus has been told that the train is running five minutes late and delays departure.” Dr Percival said it is a challenge to stay ahead of the global game in technology. He admitted that Australia had been beginning to lag behind the rest of the Western world in broadband infrastructure but the rollout of the new NBN will help Australia leapfrog past a large number of countries. 146 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

“It’s interesting to note that in the area of smart transport that the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority is the world leader in adaptive traffic control systems. Their system called SCATs is actually sold to 145 cities around the world. But again we have to keep up the research underpinning that because you may lead this year but next year someone will be breathing down your neck.”

Water savings Deputy Chair of the House Infrastructure Committee, Paul Neville (Member for Hinkler, QLD) sees great benefits for water from Australia embracing smart infrastructure. He said his local utility Wide Bay Water, which is using smart water meters on homes and businesses in Hervey Bay to remotely monitor consumption, was a good example of how smart infrastructure is able to improve water usage. “The great expertise of Wide Bay Water is in water wastage by using smart water meters to tell when water is being wasted, even if the homeowner is unaware, such as leaking pipes. They also take innovative measures such as at night when the public is not using much water, they reduce the pressure in the main to lessen excessive leakage.” Chief technologist for IBM Australia-New Zealand Glenn Wightwick said this technology could also work on a larger scale for irrigation channels or levees. “Total Channel Control is basically infusing technology into irrigation networks and, as a consequence of smart technology, they are able to tell when leaks or some break in a levee or canal occurs because they are able to see this in real time. You could imagine the thousands of gigalitres of water that can be saved as a consequence of that.”

TECHNOLOGY

Social media and local government As social media continues to alter the world in which we live and the way we interact with it, it has also begun to alter the way in which we govern.

ebsites such as Twitter, Ebay, Facebook and YouTube, to name just a few, are vastly changing the way we socialise, shop, date, entertain ourselves, work and obtain information. The connectivity that this phenomenon breeds gives individuals more power than ever before to disseminate information. Marketing teams, companies and governments are realising that social media is a permanent fixture in spheres of communication, and that they therefore must familiarise and adapt or become fossils in their respective fields. Integrating social media facilitates a move towards a more collaborative, transparent democracy in which the government and citizens are engaged at a more comprehensive level than ever before. It also provides a low-cost means of communicating and campaigning, allowing councillors to do more with less. Certain community groups (especially young people) are becoming more difficult to reach through traditional media channels, as more are using social media as their media of choice and forum for debate. Councils are considering how best to participate in these debates to provide information, correct misinformation, and investigate public opinion. Internet users are, in general, increasingly swayed by peer recommendations and networks. Sites like Twitter and Facebook are becoming the online hub for many, acting as a switchboard for the acquisition of information. Where many people once employed news sites and search engines as the homepage on their web browsers, increasingly, social networking sites are their first port of call. With this paradigm shift in the way information is proliferated, government obviously needs to stick its thumb in the pie. On 22 of December 2009, the federal government released their final report on the Government 2.0 taskforce (also referred to as e-gov, digital government, online government or transformational government taskforce). The report stated that the aim of the taskforce is to ‘make our democracy more participatory and informed’ and also ‘cultivate and harness the enthusiasm of citizens, letting them more fully contribute to their wellbeing and that of their community’. The taskforce was formed amidst growing worldwide government interest in the use of social media, and consisted of policy and technical experts and entrepreneurs from government, business, academia, and cultural institutions. Online engagement was a theme in President Obama’s election campaign in the US, in which he spoke of the benefits of a move towards a more transparent government, and more government interaction with US citizens. In the UK, the Brown Government’s Power of Information Taskforce recommended sweeping reforms to how the civil service publishes, manages and engages with information. There are similar developments the world over. Another stated aim of the taskforce was to ‘more successfully attract and retain bright, enthusiastic citizens to the public

service by making their work less hierarchical, more collaborative and more intrinsically rewarding’. By not becoming involved in the changing landscape of information dissemination, the government would risk being passed over by the above stated citizens. Although the benefits are clear, the public sector is wary of the impact that access to social networking sites will have on the productivity of public servants; the jolt to productivity that the integration of new technologies can create within a workplace, as well as the confusion that arises from the delegation of duties that pertain to that new technology. Some workplaces (government and non-government alike) already limit internet access to employees – particularly access to social media sites – so opening up these channels to employees raises concerns. But with the speed at which information is proliferated on the internet due to social networking, governments need to refine their communication strategies quickly in order to stay in tune with their public and engage in relevant discourse. IT departments within the public sector are also wary of the strain that the use of new media can place on the current IT infrastructure, and whether or not it can handle the heavy bandwidth required by some applications. At the urgings of the Government 2.0 taskforce, although uptake has been slow, some councils are already effectively using social media tools including wikis (software or a website that allows users to collaboratively create and edit web pages using a web browser, e.g. Wikipedia), podcasts and various blogs. Blogs, especially, are a useful means to engage the public, as readers can post their own opinions and enter conversations with the author as well as other readers. With these benefits and pitfalls in mind, The Municipal Association of Victoria has been conducting ongoing workshops with local government communicators and external consultants to better understand the benefits and risks of using social media, and how best to achieve leverage using these tools. The desired end result of the workshops is to come up with a policy that clearly outlines the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ for strategically implementing the use of social media to interact with the community. Knowing that not all of these solutions can come from within government, these external consultants have been recruited to band together with nine representatives from participating councils and the MAV to achieve the best result. MAV president, Bill McArthur, told governmentnews.com that under this new policy, councillors would be expected to understand the implications of inappropriate use of these social media tools or face ramifications. This makes the need for clearly defined parameters pertaining to the integration of social media all the more important. Large changes in local government operations can be trying in the initial stages, but as the cliché goes: no pain, no gain. The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 147

TECHNOLOGY

University Hill Bundoora MAB Corporationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mixed residential and commercial development located on the Western ring road on the fringe of Bundoora has received top marks from investors and owneroccupiers for its leading edge communications infrastructure supplied by Opticomm, a JV partner with Hills Industries.

he estate was the first mixed-use development NBN compatible solution delivered in Victoria and has utilised the pit and pipe infrastructure supplied by Whittlesea council to deliver a landmark high speed Fibre broadband infrastructure for the residents and commercial business owners. Hills industries worked closely with MAB corporation to extend the capability of the network into the homes on the estate with all the townhouses in the district incorporating the latest in smart wiring infrastructure, which extended the capability of the network to multiple points in the home. The capacity to have leading edge voice, data and TV at multiple points in the home is a key benefit in these types of networks.

Residents are able to choose from multiple service providers for a broad range of services including ultra high speed broadband, pay TV, Digital and analogue TV, VOIP telephone and environmental monitoring all delivering a true digital lifestyle. Many of the homes also incorporate the latest state of the art security systems and distributed music incorporated in the Hills home hub distribution boxes as pictured above. From an Eco perspective the homes include slimline water tanks to conserve water consumption and ducted vacuum systems to create a cleaner air environment and Solar water heating systems were also included to maximise energy efficiency.

148 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

TECHNOLOGY The efficient building In today’s environment there is an increasing demand on building owners and operators to improve the efficiency of their buildings from both an operational and sustainability perspective. To achieve compliance with government legislation, building owners and operators now need to be able to measure and report on energy and water usage as well as implement solutions that drive efficiency and encourage behavioural change. In the last several years we have witnessed the transformation of many building services into IP applications which provide the capacity to run many technologies on a common network in an environment of convergence. The capacity to considerably understand more about how to conserve energy and reduce water consumption is also a key requirement in today’s buildings. Hills Industries with a diverse range of building technologies supplied to the industry through our electronics and Eco divisions are at the leading edge in this field, providing solutions to cater for smart efficient buildings. The capacity to replace copper infrastructure with a Fibre optic backbone to cater for the delivery of rich content for voice, video and data and provide the interconnect to high speed broadband with the choice to select from a broad range of service providers is now very viable and affordable. Opticomm (a JV partner with Hills) can deliver and manage these fibre networks providing a gateway for a diverse range of building services for large-scale applications. Some examples of these services and technologies and how they can be streamed across the network include IP CCTV for buildings and safe city environments, IPTV for delivery of managed rich video content, AV distribution and management including public address systems and advertising, integrated access control/security and Crestron as a medium to manage building automation and lighting control. In these building applications it remains important to have reliable “always on” communications and through specialised Hills groups like Step Electronics and UHS the capacity to provide communication solutions for both emerging and legacy equipment are catered for utilising satellite and telemetry solutions for Voice, data and video. These networks and technologies remain an important component as we enable our buildings to be ready to plug into high speed broadband and take advantage of the emerging technologies as they are developed. Many of Australia’s largest companies rely on technologies from Hills Industries to secure and manage their buildings. To find out more about these products and solutions see www.hills.com.au

Leaders in smart efﬁcient building technologies

Hills industries is a diversified Australian company with a broad range of smart building technologies for commercial and residential building infrastructure. Through our Electronics, Building & Industrial and Home, Hardware & Eco divisions we offer a broad range of products designed to maximise building efficiencies.

((03) 03) 9 9646 646 5236 5236 www.hills.com.au The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010 | 149

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Future travels down a glass highway BY KARIN DERKLEY

Mountains of waste glass that would otherwise go to landfill may soon find a home in Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roads and footpaths. Key points: q About 250,000 tonnes of waste glass are stockpiled each year in Victoria. q Laboratory testing at Swinburne has shown that the glass has the right qualities to be incorporated into road base material. q If road trials currently being conducted are successful, road base materials could in future include up to 30 per cent recycled glass, absorbing all waste glass produced in Victoria.

150 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

WASTE MANAGEMENT

ustralians have become great recyclers of glass, even though not all glass is actually reusable. However, a purpose may just have been found for the growing stockpile of waste glass in many cities and towns. Research at Swinburne University of Technology’s Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure is looking at ways to make this glass suitable for use in road construction. In Victoria alone, about 250,000 tonnes of non-recyclable glass ends up in landfill, so it represents a sizeable resource to supplement materials used in roads and footpaths. Recycled glass is already used in road construction in Europe and the US, but each region needs to set its own standards according to local conditions, materials and climate. In Victoria, VicRoads, which constructs state highways and freeways, and the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), which represents local councils that look after local roads, footpaths and bike paths, need to be confident that the new materials would not compromise quality and durability. Currently, crushed glass is allowed, but only up to a maximum proportion of three per cent. Roads generally have three levels: a sub-base pavement, a base pavement and an asphalt top. The sub-base is the main load-bearing layer of the pavement; its role is to spread the load evenly over the earth beneath. The quality of the sub-base is crucial – poor construction or use of the wrong materials can cause the upper surface to crack. Materials used in a sub-base must comprise particles of a shape and size that interlock tightly when compacted to eliminate air gaps and movement. Traditionally quarry rock has been used. Authorities such as VicRoads require proof that any new material like crushed glass can withstand at least 20 years of heavy traffic. This is where Swinburne comes in. Dr Arul Arulrajah, an associate professor in Civil and Geotechnical Engineering at Swinburne’s Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure, has previously assessed the suitability of crushed brick as a road construction material. Last year, supported by a consortium of government and industry groups including Sustainability Victoria, Visy, VicRoads, the MAV and the ARRB Group (formerly Australian Road Research Board), Dr Arulrajah led a team to compare different blends of recycled glass, crushed rock and concrete with traditional quarry materials. Laboratory tests by Dr Arulrajah and his team, including Swinburne PhD students Younus Ali and Mahdi Miri Disfani, assessed the mechanical properties of each blend, including the particle density, particle size, plasticity (ability to be shaped), compactability, permeability and load-bearing capacity. The finding – that all the blends with up to 30 per cent glass matched or exceeded the VicRoads specifications – didn’t actually

come as a surprise to Professor Arulrajah, “given that crushed glass is really just like coarse sand”. Even so, it is one thing for a material to perform under the controlled conditions of a laboratory, and another for it to deal with real-world conditions. Associate Professor Binh Vuong, a senior research fellow with Swinburne’s Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure and a principal engineer at ARRB, has extensive experience in laboratory testing and field construction of recycled and quarry-produced materials. In his joint appointment with ARRB, Professor Vuong had already been involved in the laboratory testing process for recycled glass. His role now is to oversee the field-testing of the blends. Materials recycler the Alex Fraser Group offered the entrance to its Western Metropolitan Recycling Facility in Laverton, Victoria, as the site for a road trial. The road carries a large volume of heavy vehicles. Nine sections of road, each 80 metres long, were laid in November 2009, each using a different blend of

recycled glass and recycled concrete or crushed rock, and designed and constructed to the specifications required for arterial and local roads. After six months the test roads are showing no visible signs of rutting or cracking, the symptoms of a weakening sub-base. In May 2011 the surface will be scrutinised in minute detail using an ARRB laser profiler. If the study shows the glass blends are of comparable performance to virgin quarry rock, the consortium backing the research will submit a report to VicRoads for its consideration. This may potentially lead to an adjustment in VicRoads’ specifications, to allow higher percentages of crushed glass to be used in crushed roadmaking materials. David Birrell, General Manager Recycling Industries at the Alex Fraser Group, believes glass mixes will be competitive options for road builders. “To take on a product it has to make both commercial as well as sustainable sense. We have no doubt that this product will be competitive with other roadbuilding materials.”

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

Making Refuse Trucks Safer

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152 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

designed for severe service and equipped with some of the best components to ensure the lowest cost of operation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cummins ISL engine with SCR technology, Allison 3000 series transmissions, Hendrickson air suspension on the rear axles, Dana front and rear axles with Knorr-Bremse disc brakes all around and ABS and traction control as standard fitment. In addition, there are plenty of industry specific options to ensure that the product not only can meet the needs of the refuse market but will appeal to any operator who operates in a demanding start/stop environment and is looking for a more modern, safe and efficient product. For sales enquiry please contact: Mark Gobessi, General Manager Dennis Eagle Commercial Vehicles Australia Tel: 0401 565 341

TECHNICAL

Chloride resistance of concrete The following is a summary of the Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia report, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Chloride Resistance of Concreteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. For further detailed information, readers are encouraged to access the complete report from www.concrete.net.au.

orrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete is the most common problem affecting the durability of reinforced concrete structures. Chloride-induced corrosion is one of the main mechanisms of deterioration affecting the long-term performance of such structures1. Concrete provides physical and chemical protection to the reinforcing steel from penetrating chlorides, which may cause steel depassivation leading to increased risk of steel corrosion. The chloride resistance depends on the permeability of the concrete and the thickness of cover to the reinforcement. The integrity of the concrete cover under service load, in terms of cracking and crack width, also influences the resistance to penetrating chlorides. Corrosion of steel reinforcement is an electrochemical process. Hence electrochemical properties of concrete, such as resistivity, are important inherent properties affecting the corrosion rate of reinforcing steel.

CHLORIDE-INDUCED STEEL CORROSION Steel reinforcement embedded in concrete is inherently protected against corrosion by passivation of the steel surface due to the high alkalinity of the concrete. When a sufficient amount of chlorides reaches the steel reinforcement it permeates the passivating layer and increases the risk of corrosion. The resistivity of concrete can also be reduced, affecting the corrosion rate of the steel. In most cases excessive amounts of chloride in concrete originate from external sources. The penetration of chlorides into the concrete occurs by various transport mechanisms depending on the exposure conditions. There are significant amounts of chlorides in seawater but chlorides are more limited in groundwater and soil. In many countries de-icing salts, used to combat the build-up of snow and ice on transport infrastructures, are the greatest source of chlorides.

FACTORS AFFECTING CHLORIDE RESISTANCE In Australia, a large majority of structures are built either near the coast (where they are exposed to airborne chlorides) or in direct contact with seawater. The durability of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures is thus highly dependent on the resistance of concrete to chloride penetration. The physical resistance of concrete to chloride penetration is influenced by factors relating to the concrete itself, such as the porosity of concrete and interconnectivity of the pore system, and to factors relating to the concrete structure such as the stress conditions and the integrity of the cover. The total chlorides content, being the combined free and bound chlorides, does not give a realistic indication of the risk of corrosion to the reinforcement. It does, however, give an

assessment of the long-term risk to structures exposed to chlorides which are also prone to carbonation under certain exposure conditions. Carbonation results in lower pH, enabling the chlorocomplexes to release free chlorides. Factors relating to concrete External chlorides penetrate into the interconnecting pores in concrete as bulk liquid by convection, and chloride ions diffuse further into the saturated pore system. The chloride resistance of concrete is thus highly dependent on the porosity of concrete in terms of pore size, pore distribution and interconnectivity of the pore system. The porosity of concrete is determined by: q the type of cement and other mix constituents; q concrete mix proportions; q compaction and curing. The type of cement influences both the porosity of the concrete and its reaction with chlorides. The porosity of concrete is highly dependent on the watercement and aggregate-cement ratios whereas the type and amount of cement affect the pore size distribution and chemical binding capacity of the concrete. The porosity or permeability of in situ concrete is highly dependent on the degrees of compaction and curing during placing and the early life of concrete respectively. Curing greatly affects the porosity of the concrete cover, which protects the steel from chloride-induced corrosion. It has been found that curing can improve the chloride resistance of concretes, measured in terms of water sorptivity, to different degrees depending on the type of cement. In the past, the durability property of concrete was specified by maximum water-cement ratio and minimum cement content. With the availability of a range of chemical admixtures and supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), it has become increasingly difficult to specify durability prescriptively. Performance-based specifications are becoming more common and are quantified by the use or adaptation of test methods that measure the principal chloride transport mechanism for specific exposure conditions. Factors relating to the structure Concrete structures in service are subjected to varying stress conditions resulting in both macro and microcracking. Flexural cracks are expected and are controlled by limiting the stress in the steel and/or spacing of reinforcement. Thermal cracking is controlled by limiting the differential temperature and restraint conditions during casting and in service2.

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TECHNICAL Construction of Fixed Offshore Concrete Structures, for example, Research under the Concrete in the Oceans program3 found that while macrocrack width may influence corrosion in the short term, specified maximum w/c and corresponding nominal concrete cover for various marine exposures. the influence decreases with time and that in the long term the The advent of chemical admixtures and the use of influence of crack width on corrosion is likely to be insignificant. supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) has provided great Concrete under tension has been found to allow greater chloride penetration than the same concrete under compression4. flexibility in the production of workable concrete with specific hardened concrete properties to suit each application. These This was attributed to the microcrack at the aggregate-paste technological developments mean that concrete can have very interface in the tension zone, which expedites chloride diffusion. different properties at the same water-cement ratio depending On the contrary, a reduction in the porosity of the concrete in on the type and amount of cement and chemical admixture. the compression zone may impede chloride diffusion. In practice, structural concrete with crack widths within a Cement type and water-cement ratio specified limit is considered to have the same chloride resistance The porosity of concrete is highly sensitive to water-cement ratio. as stress-free concrete. The effect of stress condition can be The connectivity of the pore system depends on the amount of factored into the chloride resistance of structural concrete such original mixing–water filled as the diffusion coefficient used space and the degree to which to model service life5. it has been filled with hydration The integrity of the cover In Australia, a large majority of products. concrete depends on structural structures are built either near Various types of cements design, attention to detailing to have been found to affect the coast (where they are exposed control crack width and the chloride resistance of concrete to airborne chlorides) or in direct compaction the concrete differently. The cement around the steel reinforcement. contact with seawater. “ chemical composition affects With such measures in place, the both the porosity and chloride resistance of concrete to binding capacity of cement. chloride penetration will largely depend on the quality of the For high chloride resistance concrete, both the type of cement concrete and to a lesser extent on the stress condition of the and maximum water-cement ratio must be specified. structural concrete. Compressive strength Relative severity of exposure conditions Both strength and transport characteristics are linked to the The Australian Standard on Concrete Structures, AS 3600, pore structure of the concrete. has three exposure classifications: Concrete with low porosity usually has high strength and q B2 – coastal (up to 1 km from coastline and usually high resistance to the penetration of aggressive ions. Increases referred to as atmospheric exposure), in compressive strength reflect reduced porosity. q B2 – permanently submerged, and Chloride diffusion coefficients q C – tidal or splash zones. 7 A study comparing chloride ingress into structural and fender It is generally recognised that diffusion is the principal chloride transport mechanism from the external environment into prestressed concrete piles of Iluka Wharf, at the mouth of the concrete. This is especially true in dense concrete where pore Clarence River in northern New South Wales, revealed the tidal water or vapour is well maintained in the concrete except for or splash zone to be the most severe followed by the fully a few millimetres at the surface. submerged and atmospheric zone. The severity was determined The curing period and age of the concrete at the by comparing the level of water-soluble chloride found at a commencement of exposure to chloride also influences the depth of 65 mm from the surface after up to 25 years of exposure. resultant diffusion coefficient but to a lesser extent than The durability performance of Port Kembla Olympic Pool, with exposure period as shown in the below table. structural components situated in various marine environments,

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was investigated after over 60 years of exposure8. The findings in terms of chloride profiles also supported the relative classification of exposure conditions in AS 3600 of B2 for atmospheric and submerged zones and C for tidal zone.

Influence of curing and age of concrete on De (Cao et al11 1993). Curing period Diffusion coefficient after 28-day exposure, De9 (10-12 m2/s) prior to Concrete 1 Concrete 2 Concrete 3 exposure (days) 28

3.17

3.50

3.17

2.25

1.21

1.22

CHLORIDE RESISTANCE TESTS The chloride resistance of concrete is quantified in terms of its properties and the minimum thickness of the concrete cover protecting the reinforcement from the external environment. Concrete has traditionally been proportioned for structural strength capacity and for durability. For durability, concrete mixes are usually prescribed by the maximum water-cement ratio and/or the minimum cement content. ACI 257R-84 (Reapproved 1997) Guide for the Design and 154 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

Absorption, sorptivity, ISAT and AVPV A number of absorption-related properties are used to indicate the porosity and durability potential of concrete. Absorption, initial surface absorption (ISAT), sorptivity and apparent volume of permeable void (AVPV) are each fundamentally a measure of capillary absorption or absorption rate of concrete. Absorption is a measure of multi-dimensional capillary absorption of water into concrete. The amount of water

TECHNICAL Electrochemical Properties absorption of a concrete depends on the porosity and its Electrical resistivity of concrete is one of the most significant interconnectivity, the moisture condition or degrees of internal parameters controlling the rate of active corrosion of the drying and the temperature of the water. embedded steel reinforcement. Absorption has been used as a measure for durability in With the exception of compressive strength, sorptivity, concrete products such as pipes and blocks. VPV and RCPT correlate reasonably well with the medium-term Sorptivity is a measure of one-dimensional capillary chloride diffusion coefficient. Compressive strength shows a poor absorption rate as a function of time and provides a good correlation coefficient of 58% to the medium-term chloride indication of the pore structure and its connectivity of the neardiffusion coefficient unless the type of cement is also considered surface concrete. There are two methods of measuring sorptivity. (94% for Type GP cement and 80% for Type GB cements). Hence The first (RTA T362) measures the depth of penetrating water strength and cement type are the most suitable parameters for front into the concrete and the second (ASTM C1585-04) a semi-prescriptive specification. measures the depth of water penetration indirectly through the weight gain in the concrete. CHLORIDE RESISTANCE ENHANCING MEASURES The Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (RTA) This section examines the has used sorptivity6 as an alternative methods used to alternative performance-based improve the chloride resistance specification (Provision A) in RTA Sealers are useful on surfaces of concrete, viz surface B 80 specifications10. exposed to cyclic wetting and treatments and the use of Sorptivity has been found to integral admixtures and drying but are not recommended be a good performance corrosion inhibitors in concrete. in continually submerged indicator of chloride resistance Sealers of concrete. Lower sorptivity situations.” Damp proofing is a process indicates better chloride of treating a concrete surface resistance. to reduce absorption. Damp proofing by the use of sealers The initial surface absorption test (ISAT) is a British Standard is considered more economical than waterproofing. There are method used to measure the water absorption of a concrete 12 two categories of sealing materials: coatings and penetrating surface . The ISAT is reported to be sensitive to small changes in sealers. Surface coatings can be clear or coloured. Penetrating concrete mix constituents, strength grade and curing. sealers can be either inert pore-plugging materials or chemically Volume of permeable void is a method of determining the reactive products. Sealers are useful on surfaces exposed to cyclic water absorption after immersion in water at room temperature, wetting and drying but are not recommended in continually after immersion and boiling, and the ‘volume of permeable voids submerged situations. (VPV)’ or volume of water absorption after a period in boiling Two test procedures have been developed to evaluate the water of a hardened concrete sample. The high temperature effectiveness of sealers. The first ‘surface resistance test’ with a affects both the viscosity and the mobility of the water criterion of 200 k-ohms after 4 minutes of testing was selected molecules, which may enable the greater displacement for differentiating between effective and ineffective sealers. of pore system within the hardened concrete. The second ‘absorption method’, a modified European Coefficient of permeability procedure (RILEM II.4) indicated that column drops of less than The term ‘permeability’ has been used to describe the ease with 10 mm in 4 minutes are generally associated with effective which a fluid moves through concrete and in general to describe sealers, while drops over 20 mm in 4 minutes are associated its durability. Strictly this mode of transport is applicable only to with ineffective sealers. concrete structures in direct contact with a liquid under a Corrosion Inhibitor pressure head such as occurs in liquid-retaining structures. Corrosion inhibitors are admixtures incorporated into fresh Dissolved chlorides and gases are therefore transported by concrete. ACI 222.3R Design and Construction Practices to Mitigate convection with the permeating water into concrete. Corrosion of Reinforcement in Concrete Structures defines them Rapid chloride permeability test as chemical substances that decrease the corrosion rate when The rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT) was first developed present at a suitable concentration, without significantly as a rapid means of assessing permeability of concrete to chloride change the concentration of any other corrosion agent. ions. The technique basically measures chloride ion migration or These admixtures act on the steel surface, either the electrical conductance of concrete. In this method, a electrochemically (anodic, cathodic, mixed inhibitor) or potential difference of 60 v DC is maintained across the ends chemically (chemical barrier) to inhibit chloride-induced of 51-mm-thick slices of a concrete cylinder, one of which is corrosion above the chloride-corrosion threshold level. immersed in a sodium chloride solution, the other in a sodium Laboratory evaluation and field performance hydroxide solution. The amount of electrical current passing Independent investigations13 on the effectiveness and through the concrete during a six-hour period is measured and harmlessness of calcium nitrite as a corrosion inhibitor in cracked the total charge passed, in coulombs, is used as an indicator of and uncracked concrete have found that calcium nitrite does not the resistance of the concrete to chloride ion penetration.

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TECHNICAL affect the chloride diffusion coefficient of concrete. The threshold value for the corrosion inducing chloride content to a depth of 20 mm is at least doubled in comparison to the untreated concrete.

CONCLUSIONS Concrete provides physical and chemical protection to the reinforcing steel against penetrating chlorides, which may cause steel depassivation, leading to increased risk of steel corrosion. The chloride resistance of concrete depends on the permeability properties of the concrete and the cover thickness to the reinforcement. The integrity of the concrete cover under service load, in terms of cracking and crack width, also influences the resistance to penetrating chlorides. The resistance of the concrete depends largely on the porosity and interconnectivity of the pore system in the concrete, and to a lesser extent on the chemical binding capacity of the cement. The chloride resistance of concrete thus depends on the mix constituents, mix proportions, the degree of compaction and curing given to the fresh and hardened concrete. A range of concrete properties has been used to measure the chloride resistance of the concrete. As diffusion and capillary absorption are the primary chloride transport mechanisms into most concrete structures exposed to chlorides, the relevant concrete property is thus quantified in terms of its relationship to a 365-day chloride profile or a 90-day penetrating chloride in the 2- to 40-mm cover region. The chloride diffusion coefficient,

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derived from the chloride profile after long-term exposure, is considered one of the best indicators of chloride resistance. A semi-prescriptive specification of cement type and compressive strength has also been found to be extremely effective in specifying chloride resistance. Like w/c, the distinction in chloride resistance between different cements diminishes as compressive strength increases beyond 40 MPa. This represents the most practical approach to specification and quality control using compressive strength grade and characteristic-strength-compliance criterion. For performance-based specifications, capillary absorption properties (sorptivity, ISAT and VPV) and migration property (RCPT) have all been found to be as good as indicators of longerterm chloride resistance as the short-term chloride diffusion coefficient. Critical comparative performance data are given in Section 6. It was found that there are limits to the effective range of sorptivity (15–100 mm) and VPV (13–17%) that are sensitive to chloride resistance. There are no published precision data for these tests and narrow performance classes can be set only with known precision data. The water permeability has also been found to be a good indicator of only the short-term chloride resistance; hence its use should be limited to liquid-retaining structures. The resistivity of concrete has been found to be a good indicator of chloride resistance in laboratory-based measurement. The variability of in situ resistivity measurement and the lack of correlation data with longer-term diffusion coefficient have so far prevented its use in chloride resistance specifications.

REFERENCES 1

Durable Concrete Structures Cement & Concrete Association of Australia, 1989.

Early-age Thermal Crack Control in Concrete (CIRIA C660), Construction Industry Research and Information Association.

Beeby A W Concrete in the Oceans – Cracking and Corrosion, Technical Report No. 1, CIRIA/UEG, Cement and Concrete Association, Dept of Energy, UK, 1978.

Gowripalan N, Sirivivatnanon V and Lim C C ‘Chloride Diffusivity of Concrete Cracked in Flexure’, Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 30, No. 5, pp. 725–730, May 2000.

Cao H T and Sirivivatnanon V ‘Service Life Modelling of Crack-freed and Cracked Reinforced Concrete Members subjected to Working Load’, Proceedings CIB Building Congress 2001, Wellington, New Zealand, 2-6 April, 2001.

Interim test for verification of curing regime – Sorptivity, RTA Test Method T362, February 2001.

Driscoll S, Sirivivatnanon, V and Khatri R P ‘Performance of a 25-year-old Coastal Concrete Wharf Structure’, Proceedings of the AUSTROADS 1997 Bridge Conference, Sydney, Australia, December 1997.

Khatri R P, Guirguis S and Sirivivatnanon V ‘60 Years Service Life of Port Kembla Concrete Swimming Pool’, Proceedings of Concrete 2001, Concrete Institute of Australia Biennial Conference 2001, pp. 55–62.

Sherman M R, McDonald D B and Pfeifer D W ‘Durability Aspects of Precast Prestressed Concrete. Part 2: Chloride Permeability Study,’ PCI Journal, Vol. 41, No. 4, July-Aug, 1996, pp. 76–95.

10 ‘QA Specification B 80 – Concrete Work for Bridges’, Edition 5, Revision 3, RTA, June 2008. 11 Cao H T et al., ‘Chloride Diffusion Resistance of Fly Ash Concrete’, CSIRO Report BIN 069, ADAA and Pacific Power, October, 1993. 12 BS 1881, Part 122 Test for determining the initial surface absorption British Standards Institution 1983. 13 Schiebl P and Dauberschmidt C ‘Evaluation of Calcium Nitrite as a Corrosion Inhibitor’, Supplementary Papers, Fifth CANMET/ACI Int. Conf. on Durability of Concrete, 2000, pp 795–811.

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156 | The Australian Local Government Infrastructure Yearbook 2010

This report has been condensed due to space constraints. The full report, including all references, can be found at www.concrete.net.au.

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