This issue at a glance

According to McKinsey & Company’s 2017 report, Reinventing Construction: A Route to Higher Productivity, the construction sector’s annual productivity growth has only increased one per cent over the past 20 years.

Komatsu General Manager - Smart Construction James Muir shares how the company is addressing this industry decline in labour productivity growth with its advanced Smart Construction technology range and extensive customer service. Pages 10-13.

Balance of Plant company Zenviron specialises in the design and construction of large-scale renewable energy projects and has adopted the COINS Enterprise Resource Planning software system to improve productivity and efficiency across all its operations.

Zenviron Chief Financial Officer

Richard Clark, COINS Principal Solutions Architect Wayne Kemp and COINS Australia Managing Director

Jim Farrer discuss the key features of the software system and how it has enabled Zenviron to better deliver its renewable projects. Pages 16-19.

Survey Management Solutions (SMS) has adopted Trimble’s augmented reality technology, with the help of Trimble dealer SITECH Construction Systems.

Joe Lloyd, National Technical Manager at SITECH Construction Systems and SMS Business Unit Manager Travis Gains delve into the value of augmented reality to surveyors and construction crews. Pages 21-23.

McConnell Dowell recently partnered with Australian disability enterprise Vivid – an organisation that provides paid, meaningful employment for people with disability through its social enterprise, Vivid Work Crew –

FEATURE –Construction Waste

Showcase. Pages 29-37. As part of this month’s Waste Showcase, Advocacy Australia Director Alice Collins shares her expertise about the dangers of asbestos in the construction industry.

Clare Collins, Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee (AEC), Director of the annual National Asbestos Awareness Month Campaign and of asbestosawareness.com.au; Phillip Smith, a member of the AEC and Group Executive for Environment, Health, Safety and Quality at SHAPE Australia; and Bret Baker of the AEC, President of the Asbestos and Hazmat Removal Contractors Association of NSW, and the Managing Director of Beasy also provide their expert advice on asbestos waste management, education, and the health and safety risks associated with improper handling or protection.

CDE Group is a provider of wet processing equipment and technology, and its solutions are facilitating the diversion of millions of tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation (CD&E) waste from landfill around the world. Melbournebased materials recycling company Repurpose It has adopted CDE Group’s solutions to launch what is said to be an Australian-first CD&E waste recycling wash plant.

CDE Group Regional Manager –Australasia Daniel Webber explores how transforming waste into new resources can change the landscape of the Australian construction industry for the better, as evidenced by Repurpose It’s venture.

On the topic of construction waste, Dr. Gretchen Gagel takes a unique look at the waste associated with breakdowns in relationships on construction projects. She shares real-life examples of breakdowns in project relationships that have caused multi-milliondollar losses, and on the other hand examples of project relationships flourishing that have led to outstanding results.