Executive summary

McConnell Dowell has recently adopted The Integrated Approach to Wellness across its operations. Set to achieve industry-wide cultural change, the program is a framework outlining a roadmap of activities for all levels of construction businesses to build a culture of positive wellness and mental health.

Piloted on the Mordialloc Freeway Project in Melbourne, Victoria, the program’s participants reported huge improvements in their mental health and wellbeing. The pilot’s success saw the launch of The Integrated Framework, a roadmap that addresses the key issues around mental health and wellbeing in the construction industry.

McConnell Dowell’s Regional Health & Safety Manager - Victoria/Tasmania, Grant Fuller shares the trials and tribulations and successful outcomes of the program, as well as the reasons for its development. Pages 26-29.

Komatsu has over a century of experience, and with it has come an extensive offering of ground-breaking construction solutions – including its range of electrified machines and equipment.

Komatsu more recently launched the PC01E-1 in Japan last year – its first electric micro excavator powered by portable and swappable mobile batteries. At bauma 2022 trade fair held late last year, Komatsu proudly displayed the machine along with a concept model of its new 3-ton Full Electric Remote Controlled Mini Excavator boasting six electric motors. Prototypes of the 3-ton PC30 Electric Mini Excavator and 20-ton PC210 Electric Hydraulic Excavator were also on display at the event, with both machines set to be introduced to the market in 2023.

Komatsu’s Executive General Manager Construction Dean Gaedtke delves into the company’s path to electrification, one of its many solutions to creating a more sustainable future for the construction industry. Pages 31-33.

CJK Fire & Safety is striving to educate the construction industry on the relatively new, yet crucial, profession of fire safety engineering. Led by Managing Director and Founder Christina Knorr, the CJK Fire & Safety team takes a unique and holistic approach to provide fire preventative solutions to the construction industry.

Knorr is a shining example of the opportunities that arise from a commitment to, and passion for, the fire safety engineering profession. Not only has she built a successful business that services projects Australia wide, but she also sits on the Engineers Australia Committee in Queensland and on two external advisory committees at the Western Sydney University. She is an examiner for the Engineers Australia Chartered Engineers assessment process and a guest lecturer at the UNSW Edge Construction Law Intensive. One of the latest projects Knorr has started working on, under the name ‘CJK Fire & Safety Education’, is an education platform offering online courses for the wider construction industry, and property and legal professionals.

Knorr shares her journey in the field of fire safety, as well as the importance of engaging fire safety engineers early, in both new and existing builds. Pages 34-37.

Through “connected construction”, Trimble Viewpoint is enabling real-time decision-making, increasing productivity and boosting profit margins in the Australian construction industry.

By operating in the cloud and leveraging real-time tools and workflow through Trimble Viewpoint, contractors like Growthbuilt, a Sydney-based design and construction company, are working smarter rather than harder, increasing once razor-thin profit margins.

Jon Fingland, Trimble’s Vice President and Category General Manager explores connecting the digital and physical worlds; and Ewan Van Zyl, Chief Financial Officer, and

General Manager of Finance and Risk at Growthbuilt shares how Trimble Viewpoint helped his business boom. Pages 38-40.

Blackwoods is championing gender equality in the construction industry with an extensive range of workwear tailored to women from some of the construction industry’s leading suppliers.

A company leading the way in developing specific workwear tailored to women is Blackwoods supplier Workwear Group, across both its KingGee and Hard Yakka brands.

KingGee has committed to ensuring there is a female equivalent of every male garment in its range. New features include pants in two cuts to suit different body types (straight and

People. Pages 44-47. Miranda Swift, Cadet Civil Engineer at Northrop Consulting Engineers and student, is already inspiring the next generation of aspiring women engineers. Swift is currently the company’s youngest cadet engineer in Newcastle, specialising in civil design and drafting. She has also co-created a new Women in Engineering pilot mentoring program called ‘Hustle’ to help attain, recruit and retain females within the sector. Swift shares her journey from a small regional town into the construction industry.

Cathy Hayes is Head of Client and Strategy NSW & ACT at CPB Contractors, driving a relationshipdriven partnerships approach. Hayes works in the bidding space, writing strategy and guiding decisions that drive positive long-term outcomes for CPB Contractors and its clients. She has supported delivery of various building and infrastructure projects such as the hospital redevelopments at Royal North Shore, Nepean, and Campbelltown campuses in Sydney. Also a Director on the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) board, she shares her journey of championing positive change, collaboration and sustainability.

Associations. Pages 48-55. Looking forward to the year ahead, Australian Constructors Association’s Chief Executive Officer Jon Davies shares the organisation’s ambitious goals, with the help of government and key stakeholders, to help transform the construction industry in 2023.

Leigh Eam, NCSM - Apparel & Footwear at Blackwoods explains how gender parity in apparel and footwear is vital to greater comfort and inclusion for women on the jobsite. Page 42-43.

The National Association of Women in Construction is working with industry and government to shift the dial towards gender equality, and this month General Manager Lauren Fahey tells us how.

This month, Inside Construction got up close with one of National Precast Concrete Association Australia’s more recent Industry Partners, Shisham Stanley Group. The company joined National Precast in August 2022 and Managing Director Dean Messina caught up with Inside Construction to provide insight into the business.

As the construction industry continues to face labour and skills shortages, Empowered Women in Trades ’ Head of Programs Melinda Davis shares how investing in youth could be the solution.

Events. Pages 56-58.

To be held at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on 6 and 7 March, Sydney Build 2023 is looking to be another huge event for the Australian construction industry. Inside Construction caught up with Sydney Build event organisers to bring you everything this year’s event has to offer. Now in its seventh year, Sydney Build has firmly established itself as one of the leading construction industry events in Australia, providing a great opportunity for professionals to get together to discuss past, present and future projects.