9 minute read
A Message from the CEO
A MESSAGE FROM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MICHAEL HOPKINS
In this edition of Canberra Builder, we get the opportunity to celebrate exciting member milestones, but we also get to look ahead to a more sustainable future.
This edition is released at a time when Australia continues to debate its climate change policy, including important energy efficiency reforms to the National Construction Code. The MBA supports an objective of being net-zero ready for our industry, however further work will be required to quantify and mitigate the risks. We will work cooperatively with Government’s at all levels to shape this policy for the future.
We have already partnered with the ACT Government to deliver a Recycling Guide for the Construction Industry. I strongly encourage you to take the time to find out how you can recycle materials to reduce your businesses carbon footprint which is explained on pages 22-25.
On page 21 ACT Chief Engineer, Adrian Piani, discusses the opportunities to future proof assets with the major infrastructure projects ahead. Mr Piani also discusses sustainable materials which have helped deliver incredible projects around Canberra, including the Stromlo Leisure Centre and the Northbourne Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation.
Jenny Edwards from Light House Architecture & Science has been a key figure in the design of the 2021 Strathnairn Charity House. She has leant her sustainable design expertise to the process to help deliver a home that exceeds the environmental requirements of a modern home. MBA Premium Partner, Boral, have recently partnered with Lendlease ACT to develop a Boral Australia first of Carbon Neutral Concrete. Boral have also created an asphalt mix that uses recycled materials to help meet their environmental and sustainability objectives. You can read more about their sustainability work on page 30.
We have also included a feature on Paul Barnett from Paul Barnett Design Group, who is an Excellence Award winner and certified Passive House designer. In a varied climate like Canberra, Passive Houses are an appealing building design concept that focuses on achieving sustainable heating and cooling properties. Find out more about the Passive House process from Paul on pages 34-35.
It has been amazing to see members deliver more sustainable and environmentally friendly projects over the years, by investing in more efficient equipment and opting for recycled materials. I believe that MBA members are leaders in the industry, and I look forward to seeing how they deliver sustainable projects into the future.
ACT ECONOMY: Chasing the Pack?
BY MBA AUSTRALIA CHIEF ECONOMIST SHANE GARRETT
About a year ago the ACT economy was leading the nation despite the impact of the pandemic. The local economy was still creating jobs at a healthy pace and easily had the lowest unemployment rate in Australia. Canberra looked to have negotiated the COVID crisis quite neatly.
One year on, things are not looking as rosy. Even before the start of the August 2021 lockdown, economic conditions had started to look a bit stagnant. Latest results show that the ACT labour market has lost almost 12,000 jobs over the past year with 7,400 of these jobs disappearing during September alone. The unemployment rate has increased to 4.1 per cent in the ACT but it is still lower than the national average (4.6 per cent).
Just-released figures allow us to assess the performance of the ACT building industry during 2020-21. Predictably, there was a significant rise in detached house building with the number of new starts expanding from 1,255 in 2019-20 to 1,420 in 2020-21 (+13.0 per cent). Medium and high-density home building starts fell sharply during 2019-20 but were largely stable at around 3,840 during 2020-21. The ACT is unusual in that it is the only one of the eight jurisdictions where medium and high density homes account for the vast majority of new dwellings.
For non-residential building, the ACT did it tough during 2020-21 with the volume of work done falling by some 19.5 per cent. The reduction was greatest in the area of social, cultural and recreational building projects. This is an segment where the most Covid-exposed activities are concentrated. However, it also has quite a high dependence on public sector projects, so its recent weakness is a little surprising.
Encouragingly, a large building project in the health sector worth around $500 million received approval during June 2021 with the completion of this likely to offer significant support to the industry over the next couple of years. From this perspective, the start of work on Light Rail Stage 2 will also be welcome. However, fostering the local private sector and a healthy labour market to make Canberra attractive to interstate and overseas migration in larger numbers remains is the greatest short-term and longer term challenge for the Territory and the region’s building industry.
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The 2021 House of the Year is an incredible home built by Manteena Residential, The Dept. of Design and Architects Ring & Associates. The home is inspired by aeronautical engineering, with the house separated into 4 wings.
WINNING HOMES
Master Builders and Asset Construction Hire Excellence Awards 2021 MASTER BUILDERS EXCELLENCE AWARDS
2021 WINNERS
WINNING
2021 HOUSE OF THE YEAR
DESTINATION LUXURY
MANTEENA RESIDENTIAL, ARCHITECTS RING & ASSOCIATES AND THE DEPT. OF DESIGN
The 2021 Project of the Year is an incredible building in the heart of Canberra City, built by Construction Control Australia.
2021 PROJECT OF THE YEAR
CONSTRUCTION CONTROL AUSTRALIA
CONSTITUTION PLACE
WOMEN BUILDING AUSTRALIA
UPDATE
Women Building Australia aims to encourage women to enter the industry, sets the foundations for a successful career, provides support to achieve their goals, celebrates their success through telling their stories, and generates role models to motivate more women to enter the industry. Women represent half of the work force; the industry is currently facing a shortage of skills and women can successfully fill that void. Old stereotypes are being broken down with women already fulfilling key roles and creating great businesses in the construction industry.
To increase awareness about the amazing career opportunities the construction industry provides and encourage female school leavers to enter the industry Women Building Australia presents at key Career Expos across the country.
The Women Building Australia National Mentoring Program pairs women who are new to the industry with experienced mentors. The program helps women build successful careers through setting goals with guidance from mentors on how to achieve these. Kirsty Reaks was a mentee in the 2017. She started as a traffic controller and has progressed to a Project Manager with Downer. Kirsty said “The Women Building Australia mentoring program contributed to my success by allowing me to realize and reshape what are the things in my control. That was imperative for me and has really empowered me in my role”.
Women Building Australia provides Business Resilience Training for women working in the industry or are partners of tradies and builders who support the day-to-day business operations. 15 women from the ACT recently attended a Social Media training course delivered on behalf of Women Building Australia by Master Builders ACT.
Women Building Australia’s Female Led Business register acknowledges and highlights amazing businesses run by women in the industry. Regal Homes is the first builder from the ACT to register and we hope more business from the region will join as the register expands.
Our Champions of Change Ambassadors’ initiative highlights industry leaders both male and female who are in positions of authority and drive change within the industry. The Champions of Change Influencer’s initiative recognises and celebrates women who are trail blazers in the industry. These women are passionate about their work and, actively encourage and support other women to explore careers within the industry.
For women that have experienced harassment or discrimination Women Building Australia has set up the Harassment and Discrimination Support Line providing an avenue for women to seek advice and provide practical industry specific solutions.
To find out more visit www.womenbuildingaustralia.com.au
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OLD ROADS LEAD TO INNOVATION WITH DOWNER
Canberra road users would have noticed the rehabilitation of the 1km carriageway between Macarthur Avenue and Dickson just over a year ago. Downer say the Northbourne Avenue Rehabilitation project is the first of its kind in the ACT, with it being a high-profile arterial road through the nations capital adjacent to the light rail corridor. An innovative project needs equally innovative material. Downer was contracted to deliver their groundmaking Reconophalt for the base layer of the roadway. The difference with Downer is their Reconophalt consisted of reclaimed asphalt, reclaimed glass, printer toner cartridges and soft plastic.
Downer recently took out the title of The CCF 2021 Civil Subcontractor of the Year, after also claiming the title in 2020. With Downer’s stress on saving materials from ending up in landfill, it’s obvious that their zero harm policy is also their aim with their environmental impact. The finished product consisted of approximately 1.16 million plastic bag equivalents, 34,000 printer cartridges, 700,000 glass bottle equivalents, and 350 tonnes of Reclaimed Asphalt.
Downer say that the Reconophalt used on this project actually outperforms conventional asphalt. The high-quality finished project is the perfect example of incorporating recycled materials to create a wonderful result for the client.
With the rehabilitation of this iconic Canberra roadway and the removal of the existing asphalt, it is good to know there is a piece of history in that asphalt that was saved from landfill.
