Build Australia July 2016

www.buildaustralia.com.au

JULY 16

Comfort and technology key to Mater design Brisbane’s newest high profile project completed New developments to be set in concrete

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CONTENTS

Cover Story

12.

Comfort and technology key to Mater design

Features

22.

62.

Queensland workers to compete for fewer job opportunities

26.

68.

Building automation makes energy use management a breeze

32.

Urban population growth: the good and the bad for green spaces

Making a grand entrance

72.

Design on demand for commercial and residential restrooms

38.

106.

Innovative training methods to improve safety on site

110.

Public liability insurance for builders – are you covered?

114.

Joinery design trends in the commercial sector

52.

82.

An innovative approach to project management

56.

Crane industry sees unpredicted lift

78.

The changing nature of lighting

International Architecture Awards winners announced

104.

Protecting and reinstating Australia’s national heritage

Inspiring wall designs support creativity

90.

New developments to be set in concrete

60.

100.

Balustrading becomes a prominent design feature

Urban densification at the Northshore Hamilton – a case study

Power on site – a safety consideration

120.

Energy efficient air conditioning receives new guidelines

122.

More regulation a concern for the commercial vehicle sector

126.

Be aware of non-conforming electrical equipment

Projects

44.

480 Queen Street, Brisbane: Brisbane’s newest high profile project completed

46.

480 Hay Street, Perth: The FiveStar Project in Perth

Regular Features 10 News

30

16 Perspective 24 Innovation

Business Horizons

56

Grand designs

32 Sustainability

88

Mega structures

44 Projects

106 Safety

VISIBLE.

4

Restoring confidence and investment Depending on which state in Australia is discussed, the current condition of the construction industry varies and recent industry statistics from national and state bodies have showed contrasting results. In Queensland and Western Australia, the two states that have traditionally been very heavily dependent on the resources industry and engineering construction, have had the furthest to fall compared to the rest of the country. This is mainly due to major resources projects currently progressing from the construction stage into the production phase. This has put significant pressure on employing these workers on other construction projects across the country, such as in the commercial and residential sector.

In response to this, the Queensland Government has slightly diverted its focus on commodities to introduce policies that prioritise infrastructure investment, which would result in more employment in the state.

However, with only a few projects available to offer big opportunities for a select number of companies, businesses showing resilience and an ability to adjust to the new market will put other vulnerable companies at risk.

A similar condition is currently experienced in Western Australia, where the number of construction projects is dwindling, but at the same time an increasing number of companies are fighting to win the contracts. The competition has become more severe and companies need to deliver quality work under the same contract but on a tighter budget. Although this may seem rather gloomy, companies on top of their game are seeing this period as a time to innovate, to be more productive and provide better services.

On the other hand, New South Wales and Victoria are showing healthier signs. A recent report by the Australian Construction Insights says the states have the fastest population growth in the country, the best-performing labour markets and the strongest performing non-residential construction industries in Australia.

Even though these states have not experienced such a big fall in construction work, the current market is still felt throughout the nation. However, with more investment and a restored confidence, this period can strengthen businesses and make them even more resilient; that would be very positive for the future of Australia.

Annelie Wressmark

Build Australia Volume 2, Issue 7, july 2016 Director/CEO Noman Kabir Director/Publisher Cordelia D’Souza Group Editor Annelie Wressmark Contributors Dr Peter Key Costa Nicodemou David Quinn David Millar The Dragon Group Brett Schimming Rado Starec Matthew Dillon Seong mok Paik Professor Pekka Leviakangas Steve Abson Bryan Douglas Julian Troy Research and Development Shah Talukder Business International Art Director Karolina Larsson Communications Manager Peter Harris Group Sales Manager Joel Prentice NATIONAL ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Abdul Khan IT Manager Zayd Bhyat Accountant M.H.Morshed Subscription Manager and Administration Amber Arnold

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M E D I A

G R O U P

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10

NEWS

Australia’s first man-made

Crystal Lagoon

Tropical North Queensland will be home to the first Crystal Lagoon in Australia, following the announcement of an agreement to create a 2.2 hectare lagoon as the centrepiece of a new 1,000 home residential development in Cairns.

The lagoon will extend 700 metres through the centre of the Botanica development and allow the majority of apartments, townhouses and villas in the $200 million master-planned community to enjoy a waterfront location where residents can swim and sail in safe environment inside the man-made crystalline lagoon.

The precinct will also feature a beach club, restaurants, cafes, walking trails,

tennis courts, sporting fields, commercial space and 8km of landscaped gardens.

Tree planting has already begun on the 32 hectare site.

Crystal Lagoons Oceania Director German Rocca said the signing of the agreement marked an important milestone for the developer, Botanica Property Group.

“Crystal Lagoons offers the world’s top amenity and the future residents of Botanica will be the first in Australia to enjoy the lifestyle benefits of an idyllic beach and the pristine water of a manmade lagoon in their backyard.

“Cairns is an amazing tropical paradise with one drawback – for part

of the year swimming in the ocean is restricted to only those beaches with stinger enclosures because of the Irukandji and Box Jellyfish. Botanica will provide year-round swimming and water sports without anybody having to worry about the dangers.”

Botanica last year gained Preliminary Approval from Cairns Regional Council for the master-planned development in the Cairns suburb of Caravonica and the agreement means it can now progress to the next stage of planning.

Botanica Property Group Director Rob Wallace, who travelled to Mexico several years ago to inspect one of the first Crystal Lagoons projects, said the vision for Botanica had been shaped around the provision of a swimming lagoon.

“Not only will people be able to swim and go boating in the lagoon but the technology used to purify the water is right at the cutting edge of sustainable technology. We are committed to eco-friendly development so water and energy use is an important consideration for us.”

Crystal Lagoons consume around half of the water required by a park of the same size and up to 30 times less than a golf course. They can use any kind of water – salt, fresh or brackish, or water from underground aquifers in deserts.

Water quality is maintained through patented technology, monitored around the clock from Crystal Lagoons headquarters in Miami, and compliant with the highest international sanitary standards.

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build australia No 7w/ 2016

11

2016 Victorian Architecture Awards winners announced The Victorian Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects has announced the winners of the 2016 Victorian Architecture Awards.

Juries noted that a focus on community was evident in all categories, cleverly showcasing architecture’s ability to contribute to the public realm in a variety of positive and innovative ways. Vanessa Bird, Victorian Chapter President stated that it is “particularly heartening to see architects demonstrating a thinking beyond a specific site to produce benefits for the wider community”.

2016 Institute Gold Medallists, ARM Architecture, were awarded their unprecedented sixth Victorian Medal for the Geelong Library & Heritage Centre,

which also took home the Regional Prize and both the Interior Architecture and Public Architecture Named Awards.

Hamish Lyon, Chair of Juries described it as “an exemplar public project and a significant new landmark for the City of Geelong. A striking piece of architecture and major community hub, it has elevated the role of public architecture for both Geelong and the wider regional community”.

Some of the 2016 Victorian Architecture Award winners include: • Commercial Architecture: 3-5 Jessie Street, Cremorne by Six Degrees Architects • Public Architecture: Forest Hill Police Station by bamford-architects • Victorian Architecture Medal:

The Geelong Library & Heritage Centre by ARM Architecture won the Victorian Architecture Medal.

Geelong Library & Heritage Centre

by ARM Architecture • Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing: Monash University Halls of Residence, Holman Hall and Campbell Hall by Hayball and Richard Middleton Architects

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12

COVER STORY

Comfort and technology

key to Mater design B

eing in hospital is a stressful time. Keeping a patient as comfortable as possible at a time when they are feeling vulnerable requires careful consideration of the patient experience.

With this in mind, the new Mater Springfield Health City project was conceived with patient and community wellness as a key objective.

“Our focus was very patient centric,” says Joanna Vasiliou, Director of Built Environment for Mater. “We wanted a hotel look with hospital functionality, and I think the outcome reflects this aspiration.”

The design of Mater Private Hospital Springfield includes the provision for cutting-edge facilities, ergonomic work areas for staff, and patient rooms that allow the occupant to recover in a quiet and comfortable environment.

“Patients love it,” says Fritha Mackay, Director of Mater Private Hospital Springfield. “The room quality, the ability to control the room environment, along with the mix of the physical space and the access to services makes them comfortable and happy.”

Sustainable Building Sustainable design was also a high priority, with a requirement for energy efficient lighting, plantation timber, optimum use of shading and light, and extensive application of passive energy principles.

Plant machinery, was also a focus, with special consideration given to gas exhaust, for medical gases used in the facility.

The façade was designed to make maximum use of the available natural light. Collaboration between builders, architects and engineers meant the end result was highly energy efficient, while still being robust and aesthetically pleasing.

“We designed a new façade that required a totally different approach to lighting,” Alex Brislan, Project Leader for Architectural firm PDT- Silver Thomas Hanley (PDT-STH) says. “By discussing our design vision and technical possibilities with the NDYLIGHT team, we were able to come up with a solution that we’re very happy with.

This collaborative approach has achieved a spectacular result for Mater.”

Keeping patients comfortable With patient experience as a key focus of this newly created facility, Mater made the decision that the hospital would do things a little differently.

One such innovation was removing set visiting hours.

Family and friends are encouraged to visit at any time that is convenient to them, and pull-out beds are provided in every room.

One of the more unique innovations was an integrated Individual Room Control (IRC).

“The inpatient units were designed with Individual Room Control which allows the patients to control their environment from the bedside,” says Jamie Hayes, Project leader at NDY. “This includes control of lighting, blinds, temperature, and entertainment systems, without affecting other patients in the ward, or requiring staff assistance.”

An entire side of the building was constructed with a ‘sacrificial wall’. When stage two is developed, this wall will ensure that the hospital remains operational. When the building is complete, the wall can be easily removed, and the corridors, infrastructure and systems will link up seamlessly.

Noise was also a big consideration for the building. Minimising the disturbance from outside was a key requirement that soon proved its worth.

“Mater is currently surrounded by a building site.” Mackay

build australia No 7 / 2016

says. “I’m looking out of my office window, and I can see 20 heavy construction machines, but I can’t hear them at all, and neither can the patients.”

Innovative solutions A major focus of the hospital design was on staff usability. The internal environment enables staff to work comfortably and efficiently, and allows staff to provide a better level of care to the patients.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking of equipment and staff was another intelligent digital innovation. As well as helping staff locate equipment rapidly, it incorporates an automated nurse presence within each of the patient rooms; staff immediately know if they are needed to attend to a room, improving efficiency and patient care.

Pleasing aesthetics “The aesthetics are very important to us, as it forms part of the patient’s experience, it is what the patient can see and comment on,” says Vasiliou. “It was important to have the comfort factor for the patient experience.”

Creating the right environment required high levels of collaboration to factor in all the structural, architectural and operational requirements of the building.

A collaborative approach According to Brislan, taking a collaborative approach was especially useful in the design phase.

“We worked with a lot of people across all the NDY team. The stand out was NDY’s commitment to maintaining good working relationships.”

NDY’s Project Manager Jamie Hayes considered the project challenging, but exciting.

“Working on a project of this magnitude and impact was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Jamie said.

For Vasiliou, opening day was a highlight.

“It was a great feeling to be able to open the doors and have patients through on day one. The systems just turned on and worked. A real world outcome for the design, and it met the brief.

We’re all very proud of the facility.”

Mackay echoed Vasiliou’s sentiments: “Our patients and the public have been universally impressed by the building. They ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ as they walk through the door. We managed to achieve a bespoke look on a tight budget”.

Key collaborative team Client: Mater Health Services Architect: Silver Thomas Hanley Builder: Watpac Constructions Project Manager: Aurecon Structural Engineer: Cardno Engineering Services: NDY Services provided by NDY: • Acoustics • Electrical • Fire detection and fire protection • Hydraulics • ICT • Lifts • Mechanical • Medical gases

13

PROFILE

14

PERSPECTIVE

PACT Construction delivers apartment living T

he Government of Western Australia’s Directions 2031 and Beyond, has suggested that 47% of all new housing built by 2031 will be within Perth’s existing urban area. By targeting key areas such as transport hubs, commercial and retail centres, and making them the focus for new housing development, higher density housing will bring more residents closer to their place of work, daily needs and public transport. It will also help Perth meet the 47% infill target, whilst preserving the existing character and amenity of most suburbs.

As one of Western Australia’s most prominent builders and with a proven track record in delivering high quality residential apartment projects, PACT Construction has in recent years experienced a greater interest in this type of development in Perth.

To meet the demand of residents moving to the Perth metro area and the trend towards urban densification, PACT Construction recently added two completed multi-residential projects to their ever increasing project portfolio.

First, the recent completion of the $25.7 million Fusion Apartments development in Burswood, is located close to the Crown Entertainment Complex and the new Sports Stadium and with connection to the Perth CBD, Swan River, freeway and airport, this complex has everything that can be asked of an apartment building.

The project consists of two commercial units and car parking at ground level with further parking on level 1. Level 1 also consists of a terrace complete with a swimming pool, gym and entertainment area. There are 89 one and two bed apartments between levels 2 – 8, each with its own spacious balcony.

Second, the $25 Million Urban on Cambridge development comprises 69 one and two-bedroom apartments with large balconies overlooking the lively Cambridge Street in the heart of Wembley and is the only high-rise development in the area.

Set amidst residential and commercial structures, Urban on Cambridge has added to the streetscape with distinctively urban apartment architecture. The ground level is dedicated to five commercial tenancies, opening up vibrant new retail options on Cambridge Street.

Tight market conditions meant PACT was tasked with ‘value engineering’, which meant a range of efficient building methods were used to reduce building costs by over $2.5 million, including performing construction concurrently with the demolition works.

The project also features a range of intelligent energy-use initiatives including solar power, motion-sensor and LED lighting, natural ventilation and daylighting by design, as well as energy and water efficient appliances.

Due for completion in March 2017 is the Fringe Apartments development in Mount Lawley, comprising a mixture of 48 one and two bedroom apartments. The development will come alive with a stunning street presence featuring an eclectic blend of face brickwork, rendered brick panel (of various angles) and louvered sun-shading. The external façade will be crowned with feature 3D multi-coloured laser cut panels (developed by a local artist), which was selected to tie in with the artist’s existing 2D feature wall along William Street.

A communal residence rooftop terrace will feature seating areas under a louvered The Urban on Cambridge pergola to give stylish protection from development located in the heart the elements, complemented by a grassed of Wembley, Perth is the only ‘green roof’ area that provides a chic high-rise development in the area. entertaining space. Meanwhile, a locally flavoured landscaping design will see planters of various native species surround the development.

The completion of these projects will strengthen PACT’s already impressive credentials for constructing quality apartment developments. With a growing reputation for completing projects on time and on budget, PACT looks forward to delivering more high calibre apartment projects, like Fringe Apartments, in the future.

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16

PERSPECTIVE

WGE CEO: “People are our biggest asset” WGE were engaged to provide engineering services at Elizabeth Quay in Perth.

G

ranado says that although the market is getting tougher, the services provided or the quality of construction should not be affected. To empower this Granado works hard to create and maintain a business culture that nurtures and supports engagement from employees, driving them to achieve the best work they can.

“When you are average at what you do, you run the risk of delivering work at an average level which means downsizing-and that in turn will lead to a big struggle for the business,” he says.

When Granado met with Build Australia it was not just his excess of passion for the business that was the influence of his words, but for the people that work within it.

“I think we should all treat each other as equals, from the top down. To me, it’s not just about the paycheck for the employees; they have to be happy at work. People are our biggest asset in running this business and we will lose good people if we don’t give them the appreciation they deserve. Our business success relies on having great people, and we’ve got to create a work environment where they want to be.”

Prior to starting his career at WGE, Granado spent approximately 10 years at a South African engineering consulting firm, where he rose through the ranks to become a partner and Director. Playing a major role in his jump to the top was a project which he describes as one of his greatest achievements. The Palace of the Lost City Hotel in South Africa is a casino and hotel with opulent architectural features and Granado was personally involved in creating the feeling of luxury which was a must for the client.

“I was asked to do the façade lighting and I worked in conjunction with an American lighting designer. As a result, the

“Don’t get out of bed to be average.” That’s the message José Granado, Chief Executive Officer at Wood & Grieve Engineers (WGE), swears by to encourage his staff to perform to the very best of their ability.

project won the World Lighting Award of Excellence. Although I was an electrical engineer by trade, that project first introduced me to the wonderful world of lighting and gave me my passion for that part of the industry. At the time I was extremely proud of what I did and what I learnt on that job and I still am today.”

When Granado decided to move to Australia in 1997, he experienced an equally as impressive step up the ladder when he accepted a job offer as Project Engineer at WGE, before becoming a Director, and now CEO. Although being a CEO of one of the major engineering firms in Australia wasn’t Granado’s ambition, he felt honoured to be asked to lead the company.

“When I was first asked to be a CEO I said no because I would do the job very differently to how previous CEOs did. But when I was told that I could change the scope of the job, and do what I felt was needed I accepted.”

Although he is seeing a very different market now compared to when he first joined the company, Granado still dedicates each day to providing the best work culture for the employees and being the best consultant engineering service provider in the construction industry.

“I was lucky enough to come to this company when there already was a great culture. Even though the market is tough, it does not mean we can afford to drive the business in a different

build australia No 7 / 2016 WGE provided services that contributed to the Fiona Stanley hospital in Perth, Western Australia being one of Australia’s most technologically advanced hospitals.

Most challenging project: The relocation of the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital central energy plant (believed to be the largest hospital central energy plant in the southern hemisphere) to accommodate the new Perth Children’s Hospital. The plant had to be relocated 600m via tunnels and cutovers without disrupting services to the functioning hospital. It was a complex project due to requiring minimal to no downtime, since it was running critical life supporting equipment.

Biggest project: The most recent was Fiona Stanley Hospital. The sheer size of the job with so many stakeholders and professionals around the table working as a cohesive unit was refreshing. The way it was done and the way the team worked as a unit, including the client was really terrific and a great example of how a hard job should be run.

way. Our service still remains the same, and in fact, we have been forced to work smarter than in a well performing market since we What I want to see in the future: need to be more We require a lot more women in innovative.” engineering. There are not enough women “Downturns graduating in engineering because there such as this is a lack of knowledge of what we do. We make you should try to change the mindset of young innovate more girls at school. and I believe at How to be successful: Don’t try to the end of this change too many things at once, choose term we will do three things and do them well. Spend the things a lot more money, the time and the effort on them and efficiently and see if there is a change. better. However, it’s important to remember that it’s one thing to cut fees, but that doesn’t mean we can cut the service. Instead, we have to be cleverer in how we do the job as opposed to what we do for that money to be able to provide the same level of service which the client expects and could quite easily get elsewhere. That’s the way to survive.”

He says due to the spike in unemployment as a result of the lack Why I became an engineer: I became a consulting engineer because I enjoy working with people and even as a CEO I tend to take on a limited amount of front end work where I can be of value. If a client specifically asks me to do a job, I will do it.

of work on resources projects there has been an increase in newly established engineering companies, creating a highly competitive market while at the same time there is a decreasing amount of work.

“Since there is not enough mining projects these companies are now entering into the building space. It means there are a lot more companies tendering for a lot less work. That drives costs down because there is desperation to get the jobs.”

Granado says that he stands behind what past CEO’s at WGE have said: “Fast, good and cheap, you can choose any two. If you want it fast and good it won’t be cheap, if you want it fast and cheap it won’t be good.”

“We are trying to tell clients this to avoid time consuming and costly risks on their projects.”

Although it’s easy to focus on the downward market, Granado would rather put the attention back on the people in the business. He says the biggest challenge he faces is to keep instilling the culture that WGE strives for.

“I’m a process and outcome driven person, I like to focus on the procedures and getting things right as a company and I believe the rest will follow. The culture and ethic of this organisation means that providing excellent service to our clients is paramount and developing our young talent to become the best possible engineers is the next important thing we can do. If we can get those two things right and there’s only a little work to be won we will still be okay.”

“The market and the fees are challenges, but they are not our biggest challenges. If I can get the culture to remain it will solve itself.

If we keep being known as a competent company providing excellent service and great people to work with, we will remain ahead.”

17

18

PERSPECTIVE

How to comply with

overriding obligations T

he long-awaited AS 11000 is scheduled to be re-released in draft for further public comment later this year, following its initial draft release in January 2015.

Intended to replace current standards AS 2124 and AS 4000, the draft AS 11000 introduces overriding obligations requiring parties to act ‘reasonably and in good faith’, and to adopt a new early warning procedure for matters impacting time and cost. When introduced in the market place, there will likely be a degree of uncertainty about the impact of these overriding obligations.

This article looks at the overriding obligations introduced

by AS 11000 and provides tips for compliance.

1.ACTING ‘REASONABLY AND IN GOOD FAITH’ AS 11000 requires parties to act reasonably and in good faith toward each other – in a spirit of mutual trust and cooperation.

Whilst the intention of this obligation is obvious, the legal effect, and what it means in practice, is not so straightforward.

The case study looks at a recent Victorian court decision considering the obligation to act reasonably and in good faith, and provides useful guidance as to what this obligation means and how to avoid a breach.

What is a breach of obligation?

Where the conduct of a party is inconsistent with a clear contractual objective, it will likely also constitute a breach of the overriding duty to act reasonably and in good faith.

For example, a failure to disclose key information where there is a clear contractual intent to do so, is in contrast to both the objective of reasonable disclosure, and the overriding duty to act reasonably and in good faith.

Applying this to AS 11000, a party whose conduct is in contrast to a contractual objective, is likely to also breach its overriding duty to act reasonably and in good faith, and more significantly, give rise to a substantial breach of the contract.

As a result, that party would provide the other party with a right of termination for a substantial breach and may be liable to pay damages for breach of contract.

2.EARLY WARNING PROCEDURE AND NOTICE REQUIREMENTS The second core obligation under AS 11000 is the ‘early warning procedure’ requiring parties to immediately

notify the other party as soon as they become aware of an issue which may impact time or cost.

Compliance is not necessary for a party to be entitled

By Julian to claim compensation for Troy Senior matters concerning time and Associate with cost, however compliance Construction and is necessary for matters Infrastructure such as a Superintendent’s team at Thomson assessment of time related Geer. claims, and access to the dispute resolution regime in the contract.

Construction contracts commonly require parties to comply with strict notice requirements to preserve their rights or entitlements under the contract, particularly in respect of time and cost related claims.

If notice requirements are not met, there may be legal arguments available to a party that would defeat the notice requirements. However, these arguments are not always available, and where they are available, are not always successful.

Non-compliance with the early warning notice requirements, although not fatal to a claim, will make it more difficult for a party to step through the mechanics of the contract. If a dispute arises, it also hinders access to the dispute resolution regime.

What is a breach of the notice requirements?

Like the example in the case study opposite, the early warning procedure, and other notice requirements in AS 11000 are subject to strict time-frames. The CMA v John Holland decision informs us that these notice requirements will be applied strictly, and at times, even harshly. Where a notice is required to preserve a right or entitlement, noncompliance will likely extinguish that right or entitlement.

The end result is that the notice requirements in the contract, however harshly applied in the circumstances, must be met. This requires a clear understanding of all the notice requirements in the contract, concise record keeping of key events, and diligently issuing notices on the due dates.

build australia No 7 / 2016

Case Study: North East Solution Pty Ltd v Masters Home Improvement Australia Pty Ltd

Case Study: CMA Assets Pty Ltd v John Holland Pty Ltd

Future Developments The overriding obligations in AS 11000 are likely to play an important role for contracting parties into the future and may, at times, be a source of dispute.

Understanding these obligations and ensuring compliance will be fundamental.

The current understanding of contract notice requirements as applied to small business (i.e. fewer than 20 employees), is likely to be re-shaped when the new Commonwealth unfair contract laws come into play in November 2016.

These laws amend the Australian Consumer Law and the ASIC Act, and offer improved protections for small business against harsh or onerous contract terms such as the notice requirements discussed above. A detailed review of the new unfair contract laws and their impact on contracts will be considered in an upcoming issue of Build Australia.

The West Australian decision disallowed the subcontractor, CMA’s claims for costs due to time delays, despite the Court describing the notice requirements in the Contract as “harsh”, and styled strongly in favour of the head contractor John Holland.

The notice requirements of the Contract included the immediate notice of a likely delay, and five day and seven day notices from the occurrence of a delay event, expressed as conditions precedent to an entitlement to compensation.

Despite the Court acknowledging that John Holland was to some extent responsible for the time delays claimed by CMA, as CMA failed to comply with the onerous notice requirements, its claims for compensation were rejected by the Court.

CMA Assets Pty Ltd v John Holland Pty Ltd (No 6) [2015] WASC 217.

This recent case concerned the development of a Masters store,

by Woolworths, on land owned

by North East Solution (NES) at Strathdale in Bendigo, Victoria.

The contractual framework between NES and Woolworths included an express provision requiring the parties to negotiate ‘reasonably and in good faith’ in attempting to resolve any differences in cost estimates for fit out works, and Woolworth’s contribution to the same. Woolworths argued the provision was in effect an agreement to agree, and not sufficiently certain to be enforceable. NES argued that a common sense interpretation of the clause provided a clear objective, and a corresponding duty, capable of being enforced.

It was determined that the objective of the clause was to enable the parties to quantify and resolve any differences in costings, and the corresponding duty - to act reasonably and in good faith - was to be applied in line with that objective.

By failing to provide the necessary information to identify any differences in cost estimates, and failing to take reasonable steps to identify and resolve those differences, Woolworths was found to have conducted itself both in defiance of the objective and in breach of its duty to act reasonably and in good faith.

North East Solution Pty Ltd v Masters Home Improvement Australia Pty Ltd and Anor [2016] VSC 1

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20

QUEENSLAND Special

Capitalising on an unprecedented infrastructure reform agenda in 2016

By Steve Abson, CEO Infrastructure Association of Queensland

initiating and funding major projects, creating world leading developments and stimulating inner-city regeneration, use of innovative new technology; and pioneering outcomes-based contracting that target improved social outcomes. On the other hand, those companies that don’t re-adjust to their new operating environment and neglect to re-position ahead of these changes, are at serious risk of being swamped by their more knowledgeable and agile competitors.

About the Infrastructure Association of Queensland

T

he Queensland engineering, construction and infrastructure sector is entering a challenging new era, as Commonwealth and State governments embark upon critical reforms designed to better prioritise infrastructure, provide funding certainty and stimulate private sector involvement. The three months from February to April 2016 has seen release of five key government policies that, if supported by all levels of government, have the potential to transform the way we plan, finance and deliver infrastructure in the Sunshine State.

The Australian Infrastructure Plan, State Infrastructure Plan, Smart Cities Plan, Value Capture and creation of the Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility are all serious pieces of policy in their own right. These come on top of an updated unsolicited bid framework ‘Market-led Proposals’ released by Queensland Treasury in late 2015 to encourage private sector initiated (and funded) infrastructure.

Adding to this, Queensland’s economy is transitioning from being commodity led, being both fuelled and reconfigured by a powerful combination of population growth and generational change, as well as by our proximity to the rapidly growing economies of the AsiaPacific region. However, this economic transition is not without its pain. After a decade of impressive infrastructure investment by both the public and private sectors up to 2014, we’re now experiencing a crippling ‘bust’ infrastructure cycle with major project activity at less than 50% of 2012/2013 peak of $18.7 billion. As Mr Turnbull’s government start their shift from being an ‘infrastructure ATM’ to strategic co-investor, and with ongoing budget deficits and record State debt levels, the State Government is now turning to the private sector for advice on not only how to deliver, but also what to deliver.

Given this start to 2016, there is little wonder infrastructure companies are grappling with the scale of organisational change required to operate effectively. Whilst acknowledging challenges in this adjustment, Infrastructure Association of Queensland (IAQ) believe opportunities for well-prepared companies are impressive.

Opportunities include creating multi-use infrastructure assets,

IAQ members benefit from a diverse membership base that creates first class networking opportunities and have access to research and policy papers, and the opportunity to participate in forums and other discussions with regulators, kindred organisations and government agencies. The IAQ is the only industry association to represent the entire infrastructure sector in Queensland and our member companies include both asset owners and companies covering engineering, commercial, advisory, construction and investment activities.

The IAQ has a reputation as a balanced and representative voice of the private sector and consults widely on infrastructure policy issues with the Australian, Queensland Government and Local Governments. We are also regularly asked to participate in the review and development of key policy and implementation documents by independent bodies such as Infrastructure Australia and Building Queensland.

As a thought leader on issues relevant to the infrastructure sector the IAQ releases key commentary on infrastructure policy issues faced by government. These issues range from commercial perspectives around infrastructure funding and finance to governance issues in procurement of major projects.

IAQ taskforces are responsible for developing thought leadership strategies, position papers and other topical commentary. They operate throughout the year and strategic topics are selected that contribute to an infrastructure industry in Queensland. Currently we have two taskforce groups that members can choose to be part of: 1.Infrastructure Funding Taskforce Terms of Reference: To lead strategic thinking on infrastructure funding issues and consultation around asset and capital recycling. The Taskforce meets on the first Friday of every second month.

2.Economic Enabling Taskforce Terms of Reference: Identify and respond to Queensland capacity constraints and encourage prioritisation of infrastructure that boosts productivity, supports growth and stimulates economic development. The Taskforce meets on the first Thursday of every second month.

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22

QUEENSLAND Special

Queensland workers

to compete for fewer job opportunities

S

outh-east Queensland is nearing the peak of the biggest high-rise apartment boom it has ever seen. It is bigger than the boom we had just before the 1995 recession and bigger than the boom at the turn of the century.

While others are talking about when this latest boom will end, I’ve been reflecting on how well the workforce has soaked up this rapid increase in demand for labour. Because, by rights, growth this steep should have caused a massive labour shortage.

We’ve seen apartment building grow 130% in Queensland in the space of just three years. The vast bulk of this activity has been concentrated in the south-east corner. It would be a monumental challenge for any industry to scale its workforce to that extent that quickly.

Yet the construction industry hasn’t experienced significant shortages during this period. Sure, it’s been hard to find specific trades from time-to-time and place-to-place, but there haven’t been widespread shortages across the board.

Understanding this achievement requires a bit of perspective.

And nothing adds perspective like the once-in-a-generation minebuilding effort that Queensland just accomplished.

Between 2002 and 2009, Queensland’s construction workforce expanded by almost 80% to meet the demands of the mining boom (along with a lot of non-mining construction). At its peak, about 230,000 workers were needed to cope with the demands of over $40 billion worth of engineering construction across the state.

Both the workforce and activity have declined since the peak in 2013, but not in equal measure. The workforce is holding up strongly compared to the extremely sharp contraction in mining activity.

Overall, the workforce shrank by only 10% compared to a 44% drop in engineering construction.

So it’s clear that a lot of capacity was left in the system to soak up demand from other sectors – especially the high-rise market in the south-east corner, which has increased by 70%.

Put simply, there has been no shortage of labour in this latest apartment boom because workers coming off the mining boom

By Brett Schimming, CEO Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ)

were able to build apartments in the south-east.

This story is backed-up by recent movements in Brisbane’s building costs. According to Rawlinsons Building Price Index, there was a dramatic increase in Brisbane’s building prices from 2003 until 2008, at which point the growth abruptly flat-lined.

This rapid escalation in Brisbane’s prices was an effect of the mining boom. There was a step-change in Brisbane’s prices precisely at the time of the mining boom’s ignition. CSQ’s graphs on csq.org. au show how prices in Brisbane compared to other capital cities over this period, and how the cost of individual trades have varied over the last 15 years.

Increased demand for labour likely drove Brisbane’s price rise. In the mad rush to bring mines from the drawing board to production, resource companies paid significant premiums to construction workers, many of who previously plied their trade on conventional building sites in Brisbane. The laws of economics prevailed and keeping that labour in Brisbane became much more expensive.

Both the GFC and the fading of the mining boom have kept a lid on prices since 2008. We’re now almost at the price-point we would have achieved if the mining boom hadn’t happened. And we’re also almost back to parity with the other capitals. So things are returning to normal in Queensland.

The big question of course is what happens next. This apartment boom has almost run its course. Both BIS Shrapnel and CoreLogic seem to think we’ve got another 12-18 months (at best) until it runs out of steam. At that point there will be a lot of subcontractors pitching for not nearly as many jobs.

The saving grace should be infrastructure investment. A veritable bonanza of major projects is afoot down south, but sadly not much is slated for the Sunshine State. The Queensland government is valiantly encouraging private investment for all manner of much-needed infrastructure, but its own policies against privatisation limit its options for big spending.

The low Australian dollar should help convince owners of tourism and recreation assets to build, but it remains to be seen how much will actually materialise. By all estimates the detached housing sector will persist, but not nearly enough to offset the falls in apartment building and engineering construction.

So construction workers are entering a period of uncertainty in Queensland. Without a significant inflow of cash for major assets and infrastructure upgrades, there is likely to be a large pool of workers competing for the opportunity to fulfil a dwindling pipeline of activity. In fact, many of them may elect to move south in pursuit of the infrastructure dollar – that would be a real turn-up for the books.

build australia No 7 / 2016

By David Quinn, Chief Executive Officer, Building Queensland

A game changer in building Queensland

Q

ueensland is continuing to grow at a solid rate. In South East Queensland alone, the population is expected to increase by about 1.5 million by 2036. With this growth will come increased demand for essential services such as transportation, health and water. However, before these essential services can be delivered, we need the infrastructure to support them.

Building Queensland is about informing smart infrastructure decisions. Established out of a clear need for an independent body in Queensland to add rigour to infrastructure proposal development and advise the state government on where best to invest its infrastructure funds. Building Queensland has been doing just that since it was designated a statutory body under the Building Queensland Act 2015 on 3 December 2015. Governed by an eight member board, the majority from the private sector, Building Queensland is helping ensure well informed decisions by bringing forward independent analysis.

Although Building Queensland has yet to reach its first anniversary as an independent statutory body, it has already delivered many key outputs that will change the landscape in Queensland permanently. Two major business cases were finalised and submitted to the Queensland Government in June 2016—the European Train Control System (ETCS)–Inner City and Cross River Rail, which is the Queensland Government’s highest priority infrastructure project.

The state government is already considering the implementation of the ETCS–Inner City proposal, committing $634 million to fund the project over the next eight years. The Queensland Government is also taking proactive steps to lay the groundwork for any future implementation of the Cross River Rail project, with $50 million committed to establish a Cross River Rail Delivery Authority and commence early work.

In addition to these important projects, Building Queensland

has completed its most important output required under its legislation—it has developed the Infrastructure Pipeline Report. The Infrastructure Pipeline presents Building Queensland’s independent, expert view of priority infrastructure proposals under development.

It articulates for the first time priorities across all sectors and reflect proposals currently under development by Queensland Government departments, government owned corporations and statutory authorities.

For proposals to be considered for inclusion in Building Queensland’s Infrastructure Pipeline they must have a minimum capital value of $50 million and be unfunded for procurement and delivery. These are essentially the major proposals moving through Queensland Government agencies—guided by opportunities identified in the Queensland Government’s State Infrastructure Plan.

The Queensland Government will use Building Queensland’s Infrastructure Pipeline to inform decisions around further proposal development and, ultimately, investment. Once a funding decision is made on a proposal, this will be reflected in annual updates to the short-term program (one to four years) within the State Infrastructure Plan and Queensland Treasury’s annual Budget Papers. The Infrastructure Pipeline will be updated and published every six months, ensuring the advice Building Queensland is providing to government is current and relevant to ensure the best infrastructure outcomes for Queensland.

Importantly, Building Queensland is playing a crucial role in depoliticising the infrastructure development process. In particular, an organisation such as Building Queensland is important for the independent assessment and progression of long-term major infrastructure projects. These projects take years to deliver—many more than a political cycle—and are now being independently assessed by Building Queensland.

Looking ahead, Building Queensland is involved in many projects important to the future development of Queensland.

These include leading the Business Case for the Public Safety Regional Radio Communications and Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade projects, amongst many others. The process to improve proposal development and investment decision-making is certainly underway with the roll-out of Building Queensland’s suite of frameworks to assist in the development of quality business cases. These frameworks provide a consistent approach to major propels development and are continually being refined based on international best practice.

The organisation is quickly gaining the confidence of both industry and the state government that the advice it provides is thorough, expert and independent—and that is why Building Queensland’s work is regularly published on website, and open to public scrutiny. The Infrastructure Pipeline Report, along with its frameworks and summaries of the proposals where the organisation has had involvement, are all available on the Building Queensland website. This visibility will enable all Queenslanders to engage in an informed discussion on future infrastructure needs.

23

24

INNOVATION

By The Dragon Group

Are Your Construction

Trends Up-To-Date?

B

uilding and construction industries are all about efficiency.

If a project runs to budget and schedule, the probability of winning more contracts is very high. To stay on top of the game it’s vital to keep moving with the times. Here are four of some of the biggest trending methods in the construction industry right now.

1

Building Sectors Are Growing Green

The residential sector making a slow start, commercial construction has largely led the pack in embracing the green.

The growing trend in both sectors is driven not just by a desire to produce environmentally friendly structures, but by consumer demand, higher-quality results and lifecycle cost savings, according to experts attending the Greenbuild 2015 conference in Washington DC. It’s looking hopeful that nearly every building design will incorporate green principles by 2018 and it is set to continually grow. According to the Green Building Council of Australia’s Valuing Green report, currently, green building accounts for around 30% of the total residential market and has helped contribute to the industry’s recovery after the recession.

Eco-friendly construction is no longer exclusively the jurisdiction of revolutionary clients or small companies. As the housing market has recovered, the industry has lured talent from every sector and is now growing at a rapid speed.

2

Pre-Fab Construction

As builders and all key stakeholders within the construction industry grapple with increased pressure to maintain efficiency amid building delays and unpredictable weather events, one particular construction method is gaining momentum; prefabricated construction.

As a result, the conventional construction method consisting of extensive cast-in-situ methods is now under critique. Huge quantities of unwanted but useful surplus materials are running out of space for disposal, thus conventional methods are proving unsustainable and ineffective to control wastage of building materials on most construction sites.

For sustainable development and to conserve landfill capacity, there is an urgent need for the industry to adopt certain new construction methods or technologies, which can reduce waste effectively. Therefore, prefabrication is being widely used in

European countries, Japan and Singapore.

Prefabricated construction means that a lot of the building can be assembled in a better and controlled environment, rather than on a construction site, increasing productivity and minimising risk.

A big advantage to pre-fab construction is that the building’s quality is not impacted by the weather during construction, as all materials, frame and flooring are kept clean and dry. Major developers are already implementing these methods in certain parts of their supply chain.

3

Laser Scanning Technology

Although there is uncertainty when it will be fully embraced, experts are now pointing to another emerging technology that is having a significant impact on the industry; laser scanning. 3-D laser scanners can create a digital reproduction of the dimensions and positions of objects in a certain space, and then turn that information into a point cloud image.

Only a few companies have implemented it thus far but it’s said to be a great tool for measuring in a much more precise manner. Experts say the laser scanner allows you to get millions of data points which can be put into a building information mode to provide much more information about conditions not retrieved before.

This kind of technology is definitely set to make a big appearance over the next five to 10 years. Hoping to capitalise on contractor demand, a host of laser equipment manufacturers have emerged offering low-power, yet technically visible, lasers to construction contractors in relatively inexpensive packages.

4

Energy Efficiency

Modern commercial developers are more aware of the benefits to build properties without the mounting concerns of high energy consumption once it is occupied. Energy consumption is also on the minds of construction companies, from the building’s initial stages of design through to when the building is completed. How can we use less and still keep a high level of productivity?

An integrated approach to building design involves sensible use and application of bioclimatic and solar passive architectural principles by the: • Use of energy efficient materials and constructions practices.

• Use of energy efficient systems and equipment.

build australia No 7 / 2016

• Use of efficient waste and water management practices.

• Use of renewable sources of energy to the extent which is economically feasible.

The inclusion of energy efficiency requirements in the National Construction Code (NCC) is part of a comprehensive strategy being undertaken by Governments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and use energy more efficiently. The NCC energy efficiency requirements apply to all classifications of buildings covered in the NCC. There are a range of sustainable building materials that are both sustainable and well-designed at the same time. Mud brick and poured earth construction techniques are just a few of the options available for environmentally friendly construction.

25

Construction waste material originated from new buildings, by reconstruction or demolition of old buildings, is no longer stored as a completely and permanently unusable waste and ballast that in many ways endangers the environment. Contemporary technologies of demolition provide separation of useful, applicable components that are being recycled and reused for the needs of new constructions. This is definitely trending and imperative for a sustainable environment.

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26

INNOVATION

Building automation makes energy use management a breeze

I

n an environmentally conscious age, minimising our carbon emissions and overall energy footprint should be at the forefront of our minds. Building automation systems (BAS) have a crucial role in continuously optimising the energy use during the operation phase of buildings while at the same time ensuring adequate indoor environment quality and supporting occupants’ behaviour change.

According to a new report from Navigant Research, global revenue for commercial BASs is expected to grow from $59.3 billion annually in 2013 to $86.7 billion in 2023.

“Although the market for commercial BASs is mature, it is not stagnant,” says Benjamin Freas, research analyst with Navigant Research. “While the global outlook for economic growth, and thus for new construction activity, remains weak and uneven, increased adoption and building retrofits focused on improving energy

efficiency and increasing occupant comfort are expected to provide the BAS market with relatively strong growth.”

A key driver in this sector, according to the report, is the revolution in energy efficient lighting. The industry is moving towards greater adoption of light-emitting diode (LED) technology, opening new opportunities for advanced networked lighting controls. Also, building owners and managers, many of whom have become accustomed to the idea of centrally monitoring and managing their HVAC systems, are beginning to expect the same level of control from their lighting systems.

According to a report by the American National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, on average, a BAS can reduce a building’s overall energy consumption by about 10% and achieve 5-9% in peak demand reductions.

However, the report says, energy savings and peak demand reductions vary greatly, and there is significant uncertainty associated with determining energy savings potential and cost impacts. Much of this uncertainty is due to variations in how BASs are designed, programmed, operated, and maintained by building managers.

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28

INNOVATION

The report, Building Automation Systems: An Energy Management Solution for Commercial Buildings, says that currently, BASs are mostly installed in commercial and institutional buildings larger than 4000m2, because these buildings use more energy and usually feature more complex systems.

Newer BASs have the ability to automate response to an energy provider’s real-time demand response (DR) signals. In addition, newer BAS designs that make use of open source software platforms have the potential to make BASs affordable for commercial buildings under 4000m2. Currently, these smaller buildings are rarely fitted with a BAS, even when they have complex energy management challenges and significant energy efficiency potential.

For smaller buildings where a full-scale BAS would be costly and overly complex—internet enabled thermostats are a popular option.

These thermostats allow users to modify temperature set points and HVAC controls remotely using the internet. Building owners can then optimise heating and cooling energy use without having to make physical site visits to manually re-program thermostats; ideal applications are for medium and small commercial buildings.

A variety of case studies show that programmable thermostats can save significant amounts of electricity (32-47%) in small commercial buildings.

BAS technology has evolved substantially over more than 30 years. Pre-1980 systems primarily use pneumatic (air-based) or analog electronic controls, and employ restrictive proprietary communication systems. BASs manufactured after the late 1990s utilise direct digital control (DDC) technology, and are typically built on a standardised data communication protocol. Currently an increasing amount of BASs are manufactured using open standard communication protocols.

When compared to conventional pneumatic systems, more accurate and reliable DDC systems can yield operational energy savings greater than 15%. Modern BASs also typically include web-based control systems and have expanded remote access, monitoring, diagnostic, trending, and scheduling capabilities. BAS technology continues to improve; future BASs will likely incorporate artificial intelligence techniques, sync with business enterprise software and respond to energy price signals.

Choosing the right BAS BASs range widely in design and complexity and are custom fitted to a building’s particular needs. Some control a single digital thermostat; some control dozens of network-connected controllers.

Below are several key considerations to address when selecting a BAS.

Proprietary or open standard protocols Open standard protocols are interoperable with all building systems and allow for the integration of equipment from different manufacturers. On the other hand, proprietary protocols are slowly

being phased out, as they tend to be more expensive, and limit options for expansion and maintenance.

Web functionality Web-based control systems are more flexible than conventional BAS, enabling remote access and central control of multiple buildings.

Investing in web functionality can bring down staff and training costs, as they allow one facility energy manager to control many buildings and the user-friendly web interface of a modern BAS is easier to learn than that of more complex, older BASs. Internetbased BASs also allow buildings to incorporate automated demand response systems. They can also offer both commercial building managers and co-ops valuable real-time data—which can be useful for monitoring energy consumption and identifying additional costsaving measures.

Replacement vs retrofit If a BAS vendor no longer supports the older installed system, total replacement may be the best option. A partial retrofit, integrating DDC controls with existing pneumatic equipment can be effective only if the older pneumatic equipment is in good working order.

BAS will save and manage energy in buildings in three key ways: 1. Run equipment only when necessary.

BASs optimise equipment schedules to prevent needless operation, factoring in the time of day and week, when and where the building will be occupied, weather, and other variables. For example, a BAS can take advantage of nighttime temperature drops by flushing a building with colder night air, delaying the need for daytime cooling. BASs also control equipment to ensure that it is not turned on unnecessarily.

2. Operate equipment at minimum capacity.

BASs continuously adjust equipment parameters so that systems operate at no more than the minimum capacity required. For instance, a BAS can measure indoor CO2 levels to determine how much fresh air the HVAC system needs to bring into a given area at a given time.

3. Minimise peak electric demand.

When demand on a building meter approaches a predetermined set point, a BAS can stop specified equipment from using further energy. For example, lighting levels may be slowly reduced, without occupants noticing.

Some newer BASs can be programmed to communicate directly with a utility’s system to automatically reduce building loads, eliminating the need for a manual response.

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30

BUSINESS HORIZONS

By Costa Nicodemou, BRI Ferrier

An introduction to insolvency in the construction industry

T

he Australian property market has been strong in recent years, with the establishment of many new construction businesses. If the market adjusts, however, and work levels contract, a number of builders will face financial pressure.

In such circumstances, an affected business should seek guidance from an insolvency practitioner to determine whether they can, in fact, trade out of the situation or whether they should consider more serious measures.

Informal vs formal appointments This determination requires understanding the difference between engaging a practitioner in an informal arrangement or a formal appointment.

An informal arrangement (i.e. guidance without the framework of a legal insolvency administration) has the advantage of avoiding contractual default provisions, so existing contracts can remain on foot. It minimises adverse publicity. It facilitates open discussion with stakeholders. It also tends to be less costly than a formal appointment.

The disadvantages of an informal arrangement include the fact that sometimes creditors don’t take the insolvency practitioner seriously in that context and may not allow them to negotiate. A practitioner in an informal arrangement has no formal control or ability to bind the company to a recommended process. Where contracts are making a loss, the practitioner is bound to continue those obligations. There is also no moratorium.

The advantages of a formal insolvency appointment include the fact that the insolvency appointee has control and can bind the company to a negotiated arrangement. Creditors are generally more receptive to negotiation. A moratorium is also placed on creditor claims, which means negotiations may be achieved in a reasonable time frame.

On the negative side, a formal appointment is usually costlier.

Construction contracts can also be terminated if the principal so chooses.

Types of formal appointment The following three types of formal insolvency appointment are available to a company or creditor: • Voluntary administration (VA) is a common choice in the Australian construction sector, giving a company 28 days of breathing space to reach a compromise with creditors. At the end of 28 days, creditors vote on whether to place the company into liquidation or consider a deed of company arrangement (DOCA), a form of compromise that facilitates continued business operation.

• Receivership is rare in the construction industry. Financiers (particularly banks) are unlikely to appoint a receiver to a construction business, due to concerns about reputation.

• Liquidation is a more conclusive outcome and is common where unsecured creditors are pursuing a claim.

The impacts of insolvency on construction businesses An insolvency practitioner has a series of considerations when undertaking a formal appointment in the construction industry.

They include: • Contracts. In a formal appointment, principals usually have the right to terminate contracts. The insolvency practitioner should therefore negotiate to reach a compromise that will keep them on foot.

• Bank guarantees. In most cases, bank guarantees will be called due to ‘contract on performance’, and principals will seek to apply them against losses. It’s key to try to reach an agreement with contracting parties to protect bank guarantees and contracts to maximise the outcome for creditors.

• Set-off is an important consideration where there is a ‘principal and agent’ or ‘principal and contractor’ arrangement on a number of projects, and where the principal has the right to ‘set off’ losses sustained on one contract against money due to the company on another.

• Home warranty (residential) is a responsibility that an insolvency practitioner can carry with them under the various Home Building Acts, post completion of works.

• Environmental and occupational health and safety (OHS) issues, while not common, present the insolvency practitioner with financial risk for personal liability, particularly for environmental contamination.

Directors’ duties and key breaches Company directors have two key duties under sections 80 and 81 the Corporations Act. They are to act: 1) with due care and

build australia No 7 / 2016

diligence, and 2) in good faith. Civil and criminal penalties can stem from any breach.

An insolvency practitioner can pursue a director for: • Insolvent trading – where a director trades an insolvent business and incurs debt on behalf of a company to the detriment of a creditor.

• Unreasonable director-related transactions – where payments, asset transfers or property dispositions have occurred to the detriment of the company or its creditors, and to the benefit of a director or a director’s close associate.

• Transactions for the purpose of defeating creditors – where a director knowingly enters into a transaction with the intent of misappropriating assets or funds for the purpose of avoiding payment to creditors.

Unfair preferences An unfair preference involves a creditor receiving a payment from an insolvent company within the six months prior to the relation back-date, whereby they receive a higher amount than they would have, had their claim been addressed at the time the company was wound up.

The issue is important for suppliers and sub-contractors.

Payment terms in the sector tend to be quite lengthy, and it’s common for sub-contractors to apply pressure and threaten to stop work. At the same time, construction businesses are often undercapitalised and rely on delaying sub-contractor payments to manage cash flow.

Principals will be concerned about preference payments, because sub-contractors will be less likely to complete works if they are subject to an unfair preference action.

The need to address financial issues early In the construction industry, directors tend to be reactive in responding to a change in financial performance. They’ll often rely on potential new contracts or successful variations to trade out of financial issues.

Cash flow management is key. When companies have cash flow issues, sub-contractors become reluctant to perform on contracts, sub-contractor costs increase and profit potential on projects diminishes.

Businesses in the sector need to address issues early and seek professional advice. There may be avenues to negotiate with subcontractors or principals, and to reach an early solution that may facilitate project completion and minimise fallout.

Is your business at risk?

When a business in the building sector faces financial challenges, the situation can spiral out of control in no time.

If it’s your business, you have to act. Immediately.

Early professional intervention gives you the best chance of fixing problems, protecting your reputation and avoiding insolvency.

At BRI Ferrier, we’ve assisted many businesses in the construction industry.

Contact our property and construction team today: www.briferrier.com.au

We can help you understand a complex financial situation and make timely improvements.

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SUSTAINABILITY

By Matthew Dillon President, Green Roofs Australasia and Vice President, World Green Infrastructure Network

Urban population growth:

the good and the bad for green spaces

G

rey infrastructure such as buildings, roads, streets and public and private spaces has always been an engineered solution based on cost efficiency and fast became the acceptable industry best practice.

However, research has shown that grey infrastructure is an urban network of ‘heat sink’ areas for storing radiant energy and building rooftops are a major contributor to Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects.

Green infrastructure, on the other hand, incorporates rain gardens, green roofs, living walls, urban forests, canopy street trees, swales, parks, gardens, permeable pathways and plazas into grey infrastructure urban planning. Green Infrastructure is an environmental, economical solution to improving urban liveability, sustainable integrated stormwater management and mitigating climate change impacts.

Currently the industry in Australia is being driven by environmental responsibility, a green passion and those savvy enough to realise that green infrastructure for urban development is transitional yet inevitable because it can expand exponentially with development whereas grey infrastructure is fixed and unsustainable.

Progressive international governments are incorporating ‘green infrastructure’ policy into urban planning with documented success yet Australia, due to slow government action, remains 10 years behind in comparison to green leaders such as Germany, Switzerland and North America. However, education and awareness raising is improving, projects are increasing and the demand for professionals in this discipline is also on the rise.

In February 2016 it was announced that the Federal Government was committed to improving urban liveability by reducing UHI effects with an increase in urban canopy cover and green roofs for buildings. However it will require collaboration between all tiers of government to realise this commitment in the near future.

One solution available is the implementation of sustainable green infrastructure into future urban planning including the built environment, particularly in high ‘heat sink’ urban areas where there is a concentration of impervious surfaces.

Urban roof tops represent 27% of the total urban area and a mandate on green roofs for major new developments would begin the transition towards reducing UHI effects. Presently, there is urgency for a new approach to planning due to the rapid redevelopment of our cities to accommodate increases in population.

There are so many benefits derived from green roofs it’s really

a matter of determining the problem. In Australia 85% of the population resides in a coastal capital city which has a direct impact on the marine ecology due to stormwater pollutants. Currently, the available space for green roofs in coastal urban areas is equal to the area of 650,000 football fields.

This area could be providing filtration to improve the quality of stormwater returning to our oceans.

Cities are filthy with urban particulates, chemicals, rubbish and stormwater containing heavy metals, phosphorus, nitrogen and detergents which are inefficiently drained into pipes and delivered untreated into the ocean. Green infrastructure is a practical solution towards increasing the stormwater quality through filtration, detention and retention.

Urban wellbeing Any urban landscape that humans have visual or physical access to provide improved biophilia, meaning an increase in their wellbeing and happiness.

Green infrastructure such as green roofs, living walls and other traditional urban landscaping provide the platform for a more sustainable liveable urban environment which provide the triple bottom line benefits.

If a work environment has a living wall, research has shown it will improve their wellbeing, happiness and concentration levels by 15% in comparison to working in an environment without a living wall. The economic rationale here is that employers have a happy, more efficient, more productive worker who is taking less time off. Furthermore, if living walls are introduced throughout the urban fabric (such as at One Central Park in Sydney) or shopping malls, an entire urban population can benefit. The economic benefit becomes significant with reductions in health care, reduced crime, improved air and water quality, reductions in emissions, noise attenuation, improved biodiversity, greater sustainability and less environmental pollution which mitigates climate change impacts.

Green roofs are also a means of improving urban biophilia.

Providing a green roof will utilise available space for tenant amenity

build australia No 7 / 2016

Progressive international governments are incorporating ‘green infrastructure’ policy into urban planning with documented success.

Image by Yyama.

which improves the desirability of the property and increases the value for owners. This trend is rapidly expanding globally.

Government’s industry development in Australia Local governments in Australia seem to be leading the way in terms of actual implementation of green roof technologies on a government organisational level. As an outreach, several urban councils have already developed draft policies and guidelines. Some of these include: Adelaide’s Reclaim the Roofs initiative; the City of Sydney Council has published the Green Roof Resource Manual; Melbourne has the Growing Green Guide and a Climate Change taskforce committee who are working on increasing green roof incentives; and Brisbane City Council has a Climate Change Action Plan which is developing recommendations.

When it comes to state governments, the South Australian Department of Planning and Local Government is leading the way with Sustainability Building Innovation Fund Projects and free

professional design advice for state government buildings wishing to incorporate green roofs.

In relation to environmental planning for green space, the Queensland government has agreed to the recently released vision of committing to a specific “green space target of protecting 50% more land for nature conservation and public recreation by 2020”. This has policy implications on what would thenceforth be considered green space.

State governments employ an enormous number of people in the capital cities of Australia, and have an obligation to not only set the general parameters for environmental planning, conservation, and management on a state-wide basis, but to manage their own operations in an environmentally sustainable manner. The benefits of introducing green roofs in government-occupied buildings are happier staff, but also a greener and more enjoyable environment and hence a healthier community in general.

The state governments of Australia have the opportunity to institute organisational change and become peak bodies for leading

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Green concept

PROFILE

34

to green reality

G

reen roofs, walls and façades are used worldwide to manage climate impacts in urbanised areas. Forward-thinking developers and architects in Australia are beginning to realise the potential of these installations to increase the resilience of our cities to the impacts of increased temperatures, intense rainfall, habitat loss and increased energy use.

When the One Central Park project in Sydney was completed in 2013, its uniqueness and revolutionary sustainable features resulted in exposure on a global scale. Although the award winning building itself has several green credentials that may not be seen at first glance, it is the greenery wrapped around the building that is making an obvious statement, creating a taster of the other sustainable features hidden behind those flourishing walls.

The green façades covering the One Central Park development are the first of their kind in the world. A total of 15,000m of stainless steel cables and rod span 34 floors across three façades

of the two buildings, supporting over 2500 climbers and vines.

Tensile Design & Construct was engaged to undertake the design and construction of the cable system with a commitment to innovation, completing the project over three years.

Integration was the key consideration during the design phase, with the habit of the climbers and subsequent relationship to the cables as important as the connections back to the building. Extensive engineering and modelling were undertaken by Tensile including wind tunnel studies of various species to understand the full impact on the plants and building from having climbers over 110m in the air.

The wind tunnel studies in particular provided for the first time definitive results on the climbers behavior in high winds along with the resultant forces traveling back into the building connections, another first in the world achieved by Tensile on the project. The lessons learned on the One Central Park green façades have since informed many other Tensile projects through a series of constant improvement and refining.

This project has been monumental, not only in its vision and design, but by providing the opportunity to push the technology of green façades beyond what was previously only a concept.

Advantages of a green wall Green walls provide many benefits to building owners including: • improved air quality • beautifying buildings and the cityscape • supporting local biodiversity • supporting our physical and mental health • insulating buildings from heat and noise • cooling city temperatures and reducing the urban heat island effect • slowing and cleaning storm water runoff from buildings.

innovative green facades Green Facades may look simple in appearance.

However, multiple factors go into planning and detailing a successful green facade.

Like our clients, Each facade that tensile creates is unique, and innovative solutions are tensile’s forte.

We at tensile pride ourselves on our ability to create unique designs and are genuinely excited by opportunities to develop new ways of doing things.

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SUSTAINABILITY

The Barangaroo Headland Reserve landscaping is a green roof park area with terracing over grey infrastructure. Image

by Business Insider.

the green roof technology on a very real level through public-private partnerships that see new green roofs built on government-occupied buildings as well as continue providing traditional green space reserve systems.

On a federal government level, besides the parliament house of Canberra having a large lawn covering the building as a green roof, there is the potential for further policy and leadership in green roof developments through promulgation of Commonwealth-funded guidelines and incentives for green roof technology as applied to public-private partnership projects across Australia. There is the potential for positively influencing employment through the creation of new training packages in green roof technologies construction apprenticeships and accreditation schemes similar to those available in Denmark and Canada.

The Green Infrastructure industry is rapidly expanding internationally however the technology of green roofs and living walls far exceeds incentivised government policy. Governments need to make it easier for the corporate, commercial and residential sectors to install green infrastructure in general.

Education and awareness The Barangaroo Headland Reserve is a case study which illustrates this. Previously, it was a 12 hectare concrete dock facility but now there is landscaping with public access. The Headland Reserve landscaping is actually a green roof park area with terracing over grey infrastructure (i.e. facilities and services, public utilities, shops, parking etc.). The original contours of the headland have been restored with green roof technology, however this is not explained by government and the environmental, social and economic benefits

are not advocated through public awareness campaigns. This is not improving public awareness on climate change adaption as it’s merely presented as a new park.

If the Federal Government has a desire to improve urban liveability and mitigate the impacts of UHI effects it requires a courageous review of current codes and best practices associated with urban planning policy nationwide, which will require a collaborative effort from all tiers of government. Also, as urban density increases due to rising urban populations and real estate prices increase, the result will be a greater demand for green spaces.

About the author Matthew Dillon is the President of Green Roofs Australasia and Vice President of the World Green Infrastructure Network. Matthew is acknowledged as a global authority on urban green infrastructure design, planning, policy and implementation as a means of mitigating the impacts of climate change, improving urban liveability and increasing urban biophilia.

Since 2008 Matthew has spoken at many international conferences and advised on Capital City policy. He has a diverse background incorporating disciplines of architecture, landscape design and sustainable building design.

Green Roofs Australasia provides information, research data, project case studies and images of green roofs and living walls in Australia and internationally.

Sydney demonstrates sustainable high density living G

reen roofs, walls and façades policies are being developed by governments in countries around the world to support the growth of vegetation into urban structure. In Australia, where most of the population lives in cities, the density of many cities is growing and this is placing pressure on the natural systems that support city inhabitants.

Australia in general has been lacking any official policy or direction in regards to green roofs, walls and facades. However, pressures to develop guidelines are becoming important as the popularity for green infrastructure is growing.

In April 2014, Sydney became the first city in Australia to adopt the Green Roofs and Walls Policy. The aim of the city is to support an increase in the installation of green roofs and walls across the residential and commercial sector in the City of Sydney local government area.

Sydney also aims to make the City a livelier, more engaging place for people of all ages, as part of its Sustainable Sydney 2030 urban development plan. Sydney’s Green Square is an example of sustainable high density living with developments linked to recycled water, shops, parks, gardens, entertainment, and bike and walking routes.

Located in the Green Square area is a one-of-a-kind playground at Wulaba Park in the heart of the new development and features a giant slide, climbing towers, nets, tunnels and swings, and is the centrepiece of this child-friendly development.

The initiative creates a beautiful brightly coloured space designed especially for families to enjoy.

Working closely with Fleetwood Urban and designer Sturt Noble, Tensile was responsible for detailing, supplying and installing the Webnet mesh screen on the play area.

“Using such a small aperture mesh on a project is rare for Tensile, so we were excited to accept the challenge and work on something a bit out of the ordinary. The properties of the mesh work exceptionally well and provide an ideal solution for this project.”

This particular type of Webnet mesh was chosen because of its malleable nature and ability to wrap around the tower.

It provides a high level of transparency and lightness, whilst meeting all the necessary Australian strength standards at the same time. The mesh has variable aperture size openings, therefore meets the safety code for finger entrapment parts on children’s playgrounds.

The flexible, fabric-like nature of the mesh allowed Tensile to wrap, configure and curve the steel around the platform so

the mesh appears to be draped over the steel. The mesh for this project was left in its original steel colour, however it can be made into any colour required. The beauty of this material is it took just three days to install, is long lasting and virtually maintenance free.

The unique and brightly coloured playground is designed to enhance children’s imaginations and encourage narrative based play. The design integrates public art by Nuha Saad, with a strong coloured pattern theme in the pavement and soft-fall areas.

Tensile was responsible for detailing, supplying and installing the Webnet mesh screen on the play area at Wulaba Park.

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PROFILE

build australia No 7 / 2016

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SUSTAINABILITY

The changing nature of lighting U

ntil five years or so ago, lighting technology was remarkably stable. The great majority of area lighting applications – both indoor and outdoor – involved incandescent, halogen, fluorescent and some other gas discharge technologies. These technologies have been in existence for many years.

Then along came LEDs. LEDs were first used in limited applications in the 1960s, initially as indicator lights in electronic devices. It was not until the invention of high brightness blue LEDs in 1994 and the development of white LEDs shortly thereafter that the scene was set for a radical transformation of lighting.

Initially area lighting employing LEDs was very expensive. Over the past five years the cost has come down considerably. And while there remain plenty of poor quality products in the marketplace, in general quality has improved considerably in recent times.

Reducing costs, improved quality and the many advantages of solid state lighting (energy efficiency, longevity, adaptability, to name just a few) have resulted in widespread adoption in residential, commercial and public lighting applications.

The emerging paradigm LEDs are now accepted as the new norm in lighting. No lighting manufacturer is investing research dollars in the traditional technologies mentioned earlier. The lighting world is now rapidly converting to LEDs. Along with this conversion a new paradigm is emerging which takes advantage of the electronic nature of solid state lighting. This new paradigm may be described in the following terms: “Lighting systems made up of connected lighting devices providing data collection platforms, employing sophisticated controls and sensors and providing a backbone of the fastemerging Internet of Things (IoT).”

We are now witnessing the early stages of a new revolution which will see the replacement of standalone lighting solutions with connected systems. Individual luminaires, or the poles on which they are mounted, will contain sensors capable of gathering large amounts of data.

Sophisticated lighting controls will play an important role – particularly in reaping the full energy savings potential of solid state lighting. And because of its ubiquity, some are predicting that lighting will play a seminal role in the IoT.

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SUSTAINABILITY

lighting technology - has given a prominent position to human centric lighting. LightingEurope, the peak body for the industry, places human centric lighting as a main pillar in its 2016 Strategic Roadmap 2025 of the European Lighting Industry.

The disruptive nature of solid state lighting

Li-fi replacing wi-fi?

Li-fi is wireless and uses visible-light or infrared and near-ultraviolet communication, instead of the radio-frequency spectrum. It is sometimes called visible light communication. The technology has been proposed as a solution to the RF-bandwidth limitations. In theory, li-fi can perform around 100 times faster than wi-fi. Another advantage is that it does not cause electromagnetic interference.

In April this year Germany’s Fraunhofer Society demonstrated a factory floor robot tapping into a li-fi communication system. Very recently a French firm has won the contract to supply li-fi technology on the Paris Metro and follows a successful trial of the technology at La Defense metro station.

Human centric lighting So-called human centric lighting is based on the assumption that light has the power to energise, relax, increase alertness, increase cognitive performance, improve mood and improve the day-nightrhythm (circadian rhythm) of individuals. Human centric lighting is claimed to confer a combination of visual, biological and emotional benefits. In the 1990s a third photo-receptor in the eye (in addition to rods and cones) was discovered. With this discovery it became apparent that human biological rhythms and cognitive performance are influenced by light conditions.

Europe is leading the way in the application of human centric lighting, made possible by the advent of solid state lighting and sophisticated lighting controls. It is being employed in schools, nursing homes and hospitals to increase alertness at certain times of the day, to prepare people for rest at night and to increase general ‘wellness’.

The European lighting industry – historically the leader in

Solid state lighting is transforming the global lighting industry and would make an excellent case study in business schools of a highly disruptive technology. The global lighting industry is worth around US$100 billion, so a lot is at stake. A decade ago there was only a handful of light source manufacturers. Now there are more than 10,000 in China alone. The traditional lighting companies, burdened by legacy systems, have found it difficult to compete against the lower manufacturing costs in Asia, and subsidies provided by Asian governments which recognise the strategic importance of solid state lighting.

Recent examples of acquisitions, announcements and restructuring in the lighting industry, directly attributable to the disruptive nature of solid state lighting, include: • GE Lighting has evolved to ‘Current, powered by GE’ for its LED initiatives – a US$1 billion investment.

• Philips has announced a strategic alliance with Cisco Systems to assist Power over Ethernet solutions and digitalisation of lighting networks.

• OSRAM Sylvania is on the market.

• Samsung has withdrawn from the global LED luminaire market.

• OSRAM has renamed its general lighting business LEDVANCE and legally separated from OSRAM on 1 July.

• Philips is selling Philips Lighting (initially through an IPO involving 25% of the business).

• Acuity Brands, a major US lighting manufacturer, has acquired Geometri, a software/services company focused on indoor mapping, positioning and analytics.

• GE has acquired Daintree Networks, a former Australian market leader in smart building control, sensing and enterprise IoT applications.

While the disruption caused by this new paradigm in lighting has been responsible for industry sales, acquisitions and mergers, there is an enormous optimism in the potential for lighting to play a major transformative role in technological innovation. There are few better expressions of this optimism than the following statement by John Gordon, the Chief Digital Officer at GE’s new technology business Current, powered by GE: “In terms of physical infrastructure, no other platform compares to the ubiquitous nature of lighting and the potential LEDs offer to the commercial and industrial world as the digital platform for industry. Deploying intelligent LEDs coupled with sensors, software and scalable access to [the cloud platform for the industrial internet] provides the foundation for that innovation.”

Achieve the perfect ambience with sunset dimming technology The perfect ambience in residential and hospitality projects is now possible with revolutionary sunset dimming technology. Inspired by sunsets, the technology emulates the light of the sun going down. The Titanium Dusk Downlight delivers an innovative LED system that can be dimmed to 2,000 Kelvin.

In certain applications such as hotels and restaurants, a warmer atmosphere and ambience is desired. Previously, the only option to achieve this was through traditional halogen lamps. With the Titanium Dusk Downlight’s sunset dimming technology, this ambience can be achieved with state-of-the-art LEDs whilst reaping all the energy and performance benefits of LED technology.

Compared to traditional halogen and incandescent lamps, the Titanium Dusk Downlight uses up to 90% less power. With a lifetime of up to 70,000 hours (at L70) and an extensive 7 year warranty, this downlight series is unmatched in performance and energy savings.

Undimmed, this downlight produces a beautiful warm white (3,000 Kelvin) and can be smoothly dimmed down to an extra warm white (2,000 Kelvin). From warm white dimmed down to extra warm white, an impressive colour rendering index (Ra, CRI) of greater than 90 is achieved. This means an extremely high accuracy of colour is maintained even when dimmed down to the warmest of colour temperatures.

In addition to a spectrum of finishes, the range is available with a number of accessories that can enhance both design and performance. For applications where limited ceiling space is a consideration, the Titanium Dusk Downlight can be surface mounted with a canister to reduce installation complexity and offer design flexibility.

Reduce glare with a range of lenses including honey comb, prismatic and frosted variations.

The dimming from 3,000K to 2,000K is effortlessly smooth and remains flicker-free with LED phasecut dimmer or lighting automation systems such as DALI.

The pronounced impact effective lighting can have on mood and ambience is undeniable. The Titanium Dusk Series pairs the newest innovations in LED technology with dimming that can shape the atmosphere of any project.

A deep-seated recessed design and virtually zero trim creates a minimalistic aesthetic that offers both superior visual comfort and low-glare as well as blending seamlessly into ceilings.

To meet the bespoke design and performance requirements of hotels and hospitality projects, the Titanium Dusk Series is available in textured black or white finishes with the option for custom powder coated colours to match any design scheme.

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SUSTAINABILITY

PROFILE

42

The right lighting selection to meet sustainability targets A trend towards the development of environmentally sustainable buildings has brought about an increase in demand for innovative, energy-efficient technology.

One area which has seen advancement in recent years is the commercial lighting industry. Lighting in Australia is a major contributor to energy use and costs in the commercial sector with commercial lighting systems accounting up to 40% of electricity end-use in premises including stores, offices, restaurants, hospitals, and schools.

Paul Calabro, ‎Executive General Manager – Innovation and Marketing at Lumex LED Lighting says the increase in demand from the built environment to meet their sustainable targets has resulted in more energy efficient lighting products available on the market.

“We keep innovating and finding solutions to cut down the energy use in lighting specifically for the commercial and industrial sector. It is becoming progressively important for builders and developers to achieve maximum efficiency rating.”

Most buildings could reduce the amount of energy they use for lighting by 50% or more by making smarter lighting choices and moving to more efficient technologies.

Implementing the right lighting requirements for a commercial or industrial environment is critical to the energy savings that can be achieved. Lumex offer a range of LED lighting solutions, combined with integrated sensor technology, capable of delivering up to 85% energy savings.

In Australia traditional, inefficient incandescent light bulbs have been phased out. There are other more efficient types of

lighting available, including compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

LED lights offer many advantages when compared to fluorescent lights. First, the latest LED bulbs last up to five times longer than traditional fluorescent bulbs, and nearly 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Additionally, new LED light bulbs use half the electricity that compact fluorescent bulbs use in the same allotted time, and less than a quarter of the electricity used by incandescent bulbs.

The benefits of LED lighting across the built environment offer clients improved lighting levels, reduced maintenance costs and optimised energy consumption based on intelligent sensor technology embedded within the luminaires, without the complicated wiring and programming difficulties.

Lumex, a leader in performance, range and support, is 100% Australian owned and offer a comprehensive range of LED lighting solutions across residential, commercial and industrial market sectors to achieve the best electricity cost savings. Rising electricity costs have led to average annual electricity bills increasing, which makes the lighting selection of even higher importance.

“We want to find the best solution to drive those running costs down. All Lumex products are backed by a seven year warranty with a select range of products offering an installed warranty program that provide clients with peace of mind in dealing with a company that can deliver performance, support and innovation.”

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Steel frame and beams were used for the 480 Queen Street office building in Brisbane. Image courtesy of Grocon.

Brisbane’s newest high profile project completed

build australia No 7 / 2016

B

risbane’s first steel frame high rise building built in 40 years has been completed and its high profile tenants are moving in. Measuring 33 storeys above ground and a total building area of 56,500m2, this type of building would typically use reinforced concrete as the chosen construction method. But for the Premium Grade 480 Queen Street office building in Brisbane, steel frame and beams were selected as the preferred construction material which has been described as the next generation in construction material by the project’s stakeholders.

The 480 Queen Street building, developed and constructed

by Grocon and owned by DEXUS Property Group, comprises approximately 5000 tonnes of steel made up of approximately 2500 tonnes of universal sections, 500 tonnes of fabricated beams, 1000 tonnes of tubular columns and 1000 tonnes of steel decking. To expedite the steel framed floors in the tower, a jump start system was used.

Although Grocon’s experience in steel construction is a first in Brisbane, they have completed a range of projects across Australia using steel frame methodology during the last few years.‎ Achieving high standards for sustainability and innovation, while working ahead of schedule with faster and safer construction would be the aim for any project and 480 Queen Street is the latest example to demonstrate and meet all of those desires.

Grocon’s Development General Manager of 480 Queen St, Matt Leyshon says this achievement with 480 Queen Street is mainly attributed to using steel.

Chosen for economy by reducing site labour, simplicity and speed of construction, Grocon have seen a lot of benefits using steel in construction in recent years and 480 Queen Street was no exception.

“Although the higher efficiency using steel is a big benefit, it also plays a big role for us by providing a safer workplace,” says Mr Leyshon.

By minimising trades directly below the working deck such as form workers and scaffolding workers, it lends to a safer workplace.

Since steel is also lighter to work with it is less labour intensive.

“Although the initial cost of steel is more expensive than concrete it is competitive in terms of efficiency and safety,” says Mr Leyshon.

With 1.5 million man hours on the project there were only two lost time injuries during the last two months of construction, a great achievement for such a big project.

480 Queen Street has the highest sustainable credential with a 6 Star Green Star rating – Design along with a pending 6 Star Green Star rating – As built rating which is yet to be confirmed. The building also targets a 5 star NABERS rating and the building has been registered for a WELL standard.

WELL is a rather newly conceived standard in Australia and has been claimed to be the next big green wave sweeping the commercial property. The aim of the standard is to provide wellness for employees such as great light, clean air, water, green space and social space.

Achieving a better indoor environment has a lot to do with

choosing the right air filtering and lighting systems that can have a positive impact. The 480 Queen Street building has an active chilled beam air conditioning system which meets both sustainable and air quality requirements.

Active chilled beam provides temperature control, and address many other indoor environmental issues that affect occupant comfort, productivity and health such as ventilation air, air distribution, humidity control and noise levels.

Along with the indoor environment, the WELL standard also looks at the policies that encourage a genuine work-life balance and 480 Queen Street is on par.

Providing a healthy work environment in combination with a socially focused environment was the aim of 480 Queen Street. To encourage an active lifestyle of its occupants, the building provides end of trip facilities with 600 bike spaces, 500 lockers and 45 shower facilities, making it the largest privately owned end of trip facility in the Brisbane CBD. It also includes a childcare centre, a boutique gym featuring an altitude training room, a pharmacy, a barber shop and a range of food options.

Furthermore, the building’s fourth floor has Australia’s first elevated 1,400 square metre public park, named the Hobbs Park, which was designed as a place where employees and the public can enjoy eateries and meeting places together in a natural environment.

The park aligns with the grounds of St John’s Cathedral on the opposite side of Adelaide Street, preserving views from the cathedral to the river and creating stunning new views for visitors to 480 Queen.

A giant, 350 square metre glass tile rainforest mural, by acclaimed Queensland-born artist Danie Mellor provides a striking backdrop to the journey up to Hobbs Park. The artwork, like the park itself, is attracting plenty of interest from passers-by.

A rooftop tree grove at level 32 is also available for tenant functions with a full commercial kitchen which offers spectacular views over Brisbane.

DEXUS CEO Darren Steinberg said 480 Queen Street’s list of quality tenants was evidence that it had also achieved its goal of being Brisbane’s ultimate business address.

“480 Queen Street sets a new standard – it’s a Premium building in a premium location, and with people at the heart of its design our customers will enjoy the increased efficiency that comes with a flexible and inspiring workplace.”

“Combine that with a focus on sustainability, public art, and precinct activation and you have a workplace that sets a new standard in Australian office.”

The building is home to some of the most progressive Australian and global businesses including BHP Billiton, PWC, Regus, Mitsui, Arrive Wealth Management, and law firms Herbert Smith Freehills, Allens, HWL Ebsworth and DLA Piper. Most of those businesses have moved into the building over the past few weeks.

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The Westin Hotel on 480 Hay Street is a flagship project in the Perth CBD, making use of Building Information Modelling (BIM).

By Seong mok Paik and Professor Pekka Leviakangas at the School of Built Environment, Curtin University Image courtesy of BGC Development.

The Five-Star Project in Perth 4

80 Hay Street by BPi, a part of the BGC Group of companies, is the flagship Australian project for Open Building Information Modelling (BIM), a platform that seeks to provide a universal approach to collaborative design, construction and operation of buildings based on open standards and workflows. BPi and Curtin University is targeting a minimum 5% reduction in waste on this project, which will translate to significant cost savings. The project is due for completion in early 2018.

The site is located in the Perth CBD at the corner of Irwin Street and Hay Street. The development at the old Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia site will include a commercial tower, a hotel tower, ground level retail and subgrade parking at the site.

The office will be a ‘Grade A’ Property Council of Australia (PCA) rated building and have an ‘as fitted’ Green Star 5 Rating as well as a National Australian Built Environmental Rating System (NABERS) to meet the PCA requirements. The hotel will be a Westin branded 5 star grade and LEED ‘Gold’ rated building, attracting business and corporate clientele.

In 2015 a joint research was carried out by Curtin University’s Australasian Joint Centre for BIM at Curtin University and BPi. The research focused on lean practices and change management. BIM utilisation was considered from different perspectives:

• Adopting Lean Production Systems and convergent technologies to build a case study that has the ability to benchmark, monitor, track, and improve a project’s productivity.

• The development and deployment of a Lean Implementation Plan that focuses on eliminating process waste.

• The detailed examination of different stages of a project’s plan, off-site and on-site logistics, and the capacity to develop and recommend alternative approaches that can optimise a project’s production throughout the duration of a project.

The Curtin BIM Lab coordination meeting mainly focus on the coordination between the VDC team and every different disciplines in terms of design errors and design inconsistencies.

During the weekly coordination meeting, major clashes and design discrepancies has to be discussed. To ensure model quality, each party contributing to the BIM model will have a responsible person or model manager to coordinate the model. They are responsible for participating in design reviews and coordination sessions along with addressing issues that might arise with keeping the model updated, accurate and comprehensive. Quality control with change management and assurance of deliverables will be accomplished at each design review and coordination meeting.

The BPi VDC team is responsible for checking all files against drawing library files using a BIM authoring software such as

build australia No 7 / 2016

SMC and Navisworks. Each party in the project -architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and fire designers and consultants - are in charge of performing quality control checks of their designs, datasets and model properties. The BPi VDC team is responsible for confirming the quality of models after the revisions and changes are made.

For the analysis period, a substantial set of observations were recorded. The first step of analysis was to study the validation issues for each discipline, coordination issues between architectural and other disciplines, and coordination issues between service disciplines.

A total of 574 issues were solved through the coordination during the analysis period (October-December 2015). The analysis statistics showed that 39% of issues had been solved within six to 10 days. The remaining issues had a declining curve on the time axle.

The data also shows that 69% of validation and coordination issues had been solved within 15 days. Considering the work flow of coordination, more effective and improvement of process would be needed for the rest of 31% that took more than two weeks to be solved.

The research analysis and observations are still ongoing.

Intermediate results will be presented and published in the 16th International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering as Building Information Modelling in Change Management: A Case Study.

“The first results lead us to think that BIM is likely to aid in resolving conflicts and clashes but how much exactly is attributed to BIM and how much to coordination management processes is hard to tell – however, we should always remember that these go hand in hand. Technology aids processes and processes must be able to make use of the technology,” says Associate Professor Pekka Leviakangas from Curtin University.

“This research convinced us that BIM is working and is fully operational in the pre-construction phase of projects, provided that tools, processes and the know-how is there,” states Mr Seong mok Paik, the BIM General Manager of Curtin’s BIM Lab.

Percentage of Coordination Issues

Percentage of Validation Issues

Percentage Issues for Service items Captures from the BIM software.

Images courtesy of Curtin BIM Lab.

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BIM Increases Collaboration And Newforma helps you make the most of it.

Think of all the communication and coordination you do over the course of a traditional design and construction project. Now squeeze half (or more!) into a short period of preconstruction.

That’s what you must manage successfully for BIM to work.

When a project flows from BIM, the client, contractor, consultants, and design team all contribute up front, when it’s cheapest and easiest to change things. It’s an intense period of collaboration.

Newforma® software makes it easy and practical to manage email, large file transfers, email, markups, information searches, email, and more.

Did we mention email?

Manage all that successfully, and you’re on your way to a more successful project.

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Newforma products build a more connected project environment. They optimize the processes by which critical information is captured, shared and managed. And they deliver a more intelligent, more profoundly productive experience for everyone, from the chief executive officer to the subcontractor.

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PROFILE

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PROJECTS

How to choose a project management software for your building and construction firm A cloud-based project management software can have numerous advantages for your construction firm. But if you’ve been using a manual system (or no system at all), then making the transition to one can seem daunting. Find out some of the benefits you can expect and how to go about deciding what software is right for you.

A project management software will: Give you complete visibility over your jobs: An all-in-one system will help you manage your jobs from end to end – from quoting right through to invoicing. Drill down into each job to track every nail, see which clients haven’t paid their invoices and keep abreast of exactly where tasks and costs are running over.

Store assets and projects files, collaborate easily and understand which type of projects earn the most profit.

Capture all your costs: Have you been under-billing clients for the time it takes to do a job? With accurate time tracking software, you’ll never do this again.

Improve your quoting process: With hours logged accurately for the different types of jobs you do, you’ll quickly gather an idea of how long a job actually takes, so you can adjust your quotes accordingly.

Add value for the client: Give your clients access to their projects so collaboration is easier, and they can see details about the time taken as well as a breakdown of costs and hours, which helps them to budget accordingly.

When choosing your software, look for a system that: Is Mobile Friendly As a construction company, you’ve probably got teams on various sites scattered across your local area, or perhaps even across different countries. Your time tracking software needs to be easily accessible on-the-go, wherever you are.

Recommended on Review Sites Credible review websites like GetApp, Capterra and TrustRadius offer third-party feedback on features and functionality and can be a good place to compare software options. If you’re a Xero user, head over to the Xero Business Community and see what people are saying.

Has Job Scheduling and Time tracking Functionality As well as timesheets, it can be extremely useful in the construction industry to use job scheduling tools. You can see at a glance which employee is working on which task, and you can track how many hours a job is taking compared to the estimate.

Integrates With Other Apps Ideally, you want to have the flexibility to scale your management tools to fit the changing needs of your business as and when you need to. WorkflowMax integrates with 30+ world class add-ons so you can build a powerful platform to suit your exact business needs.

Offers Training and support Look for software that offers a range of training options from the get-go. For example, WorkflowMax offers a range of selfpaced online education courses or more tutorial type videos on WorkflowMax TV. You also have access to a dedicated account manager, friendly support team and extensive support centre should you get stuck.

We know that choosing a project management software can be a big decision so we’re here to help you get started.

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PROJECTS

An innovative approach to project management As a series of major transport schemes gets underway, could a new and more radical approach to project management help keep them on track?

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echnology and innovation is the key to improving performance, but when it comes to megaprojects, managers have traditionally been incentivised to avoid new ideas or approaches.

With significant Government investment into infrastructure, Australia looks set to enter a new era of construction. Sydney Metro, the Gold Coast light rail and Cross River Rail are amongst the major schemes currently getting underway.

But while raising the finance for these megaprojects is one thing, managing them is another. Infrastructure schemes are notorious for running over time and over budget, yet failures in delivery can have a serious long-term economic impact and provoke public outcry.

According to Dr Sam MacAulay, an expert on project

management at the University of Queensland (UQ) Business School, a more strategic approach to managing innovation could help improve performance on projects like these. He believes Australia could learn from other countries – in particular the UK, which has been a ‘laboratory for experimentation’ in recent years with some of Europe’s largest construction works.

Dr MacAulay has first-hand experience of many of these projects. In his previous role with Imperial College London, he and his colleagues worked with major construction contractors and clients to pioneer a new approach to innovation management in infrastructure. This approach was developed through a threeyear research program conducted at London’s $30bn Crossrail project, and taken on to other projects, including Thames Tideway Tunnel and High Speed 2.

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PROJECTS

“We know that innovation is the key to improving performance, but when it comes to megaprojects, managers have traditionally been incentivised to avoid new ideas or approaches,” he says.

“They prefer to play safe, using only tried and tested methods, and refusing to deviate from the set plan. As a result, designs become set in stone at an early stage and opportunities to improve performance are missed. In fact threats and opportunities should be seen as two sides of the same coin and both need to be managed at the same time. Megaprojects often have elaborate systems for managing downside risks, but are less sophisticated about managing upsides.”

Innovation at Crossrail As Europe’s largest engineering construction project, Crossrail has 10,000 workers on more than 40 construction sites. The 100km route will increase London’s rail capacity by 10% when it is operational from 2017 onwards.

Crossrail began developing its innovation strategy in 2012, part-way through the project. In addition to a review of industry practices, a research team interviewed Crossrail managers about the nature of innovation in major infrastructure projects and then studied how this changed with the introduction of the innovation strategy. They discovered four different ‘windows of opportunity’ where management could strategically intervene to encourage innovation.

The bridging window At the beginning of a project, there is the chance to systematically learn from previous schemes and adopt innovative practices and technologies. Crossrail looked to projects like the 2012 London Olympics, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and Heathrow Terminal 5, and drew on their experience to develop two innovative organisational structures.

The ‘integrated project team’ aimed to enhance collaboration between the client, delivery partners and program partners.

Recognising that many megaprojects fail during the transfer to operations, Crossrail also developed structures to ensure that the eventual operator could be integrated into the strategic decision making process well before the handover stage.

The engaging window The tendering process sets the scene for the project and offers the opportunity to create incentives and rewards to encourage innovation. The Crossrail team avoided the temptation to ‘control risk by using the tried and tested’ methods and instead developed a novel approach, known as ‘Optimised Contractor Involvement’.

This enabled each contractor or supplier to input new ideas, while sharing the risk and rewards. The set-up gave contractors an incentive to drive performance and find ways to reduce risks and costs.

For example, after a government spending review in 2010, joint venture partners found a new and cheaper way to construct tunnels by boring them in advance of constructing the stations, rather than at the same time.

The leveraging window Once contracts have been awarded and the supply chain established, the real work gets underway. At this stage, contractors need to be able to suggest new ideas, get help evaluating and resourcing them, put them into practice and share the results.

The Crossrail project had already reached the leveraging stage when it began developing its innovation strategy. The executive body overseeing it, the Crossrail Innovation Forum, created a dedicated team and a process to drive innovation. Members of the project can now go online to submit ideas, which are then assessed by the innovation team, working with industry experts.

Their recommendations are passed to the Innovation Forum for a final decision and allocation of resources.

Within the first three years of using this system, funding had been provided to support 30 innovations, ranging from the use of hydrophobic coatings in concrete production and application, through to repurposing grout shafts for geothermal energy production.

The exchanging window In the final stages of a project there is the chance to identify lessons learned and share them with others. Crossrail’s senior management are committed to sharing their experience in order to contribute to the success of future projects.

Dr MacAulay said the lessons from Crossrail were already being applied in other UK projects such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel and HS2 rail ink.

“Australia could build on this experience. With billions of dollars being invested in infrastructure, a more strategic approach to managing innovation holds huge potential,” he says.

Technology will take it even further Every project runs the risk of poor organisation, a lack of communication, insufficient risk management and missed connections if the right management tools are not put in place.

Being open to innovation when it comes to construction methods is a major part of it, but technology can also help improve processes and workflows for project contractors by cutting down paperwork and eliminate errors from manual data entry. By adapting technology to fit the project and business needs the productivity can be increased, saving both time and money.

With so many technologies and software designed to help make construction and project management easier available, it is just a matter of choosing one.

Source: The University of Queensland Business School

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GRAND DESIGNS

International Architecture Awards

winners announced 1

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ustralian architects working on projects abroad were celebrated at the Australian Institute of Architects’ International Chapter Architecture Awards event in London in June.

National President Ken Maher announced the seven awards and one commendation, chosen from a field of 16 entries across five categories.

In announcing the winners, Maher noted the size, scale and location of the projects and congratulated Australian architects on their considerable contributions to projects beyond Australian shores.

“Asia has been a significant growth area for Australian practices in recent years and it is exciting to see the variety of works emerging, including some of immense scale. This is a testament to the talent and creativity of Australian architects in an increasingly international and competitive design arena.”

Of particular note is the National Gallery Singapore by studioMilou Singapore with CPG Consultants, which is South East Asia’s largest modern art institution. The jury praised the “masterful interventions [which] allow the elegant and powerful original colonial spaces a new and sophisticated life whilst still preserving their historical character”.

Another winner was the Australian Pavilion in Venice

by Denton Corker Marshall which debuted at last year’s Art Biennale and is host to Australia’s Exhibition, The Pool, at the 15th International Architecture Biennale on now until 27 November.

Projects that received an International Chapter Award will now vie for the Jørn Utzon Award for International Architecture at the National Architecture Awards announced in November.

build australia No 7 / 2016

Winners 1. International Chapter Award for Commercial Architecture – Lalu Hotel by Kerry Hill Architects. Photo by The Shining Group.

2. International Chapter Award for Public Architecture – Australian Pavilion Venice by Denton Corker Marshall. Photo John Gollings.

3. International Chapter Commendation for Public Architecture – World Maritime Uni by Terroir & Kim Utzon Architecture.

Photo Torben Eskerod.

4. International Chapter Award for Small Project Architecture – Australian Memorial by Tonkin Zulaihka Greer with Paul Rolfe Architects. Photo Mike Rolfe.

5. International Chapter Award for Commercial Architecture – China Mobile Office by JPW. Photo by Shanghai Zhangyu Studio.

6. International Chapter Award for Interior Architecture – Lalu Hotel by Kerry Hill Architects. Photo by Alicia Worthington.

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7. International Chapter Award for Public Architecture – National Gallery Singapore by studioMilou & CPG. Photo by Fernando Javier.

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Image source: PTW Architects

The Calyx at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney –

a leading facility for the 21st Century unveiled Sustainability, flexibility and inspiration were the three requirements captured, created and delivered by PTW Architects – the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s lead architect firm who designed the Garden’s 200th birthday masterpiece, The Calyx.

Unveiled on Saturday 11 June to coincide with the Garden’s birthday, The Calyx (pron. kal-iks, def. ‘The outermost whorl of flowers’) is a world-class horticultural space that will showcase ever-changing exhibitions, launching with Sweet Addiction – the botanic story of chocolate.

“Designing a building for a flexible horticultural display – that can also be used as an interchangeable event space at night – set within a landscape of national historic importance, required an architectural approach that would not detract from the importance of its setting,” said Troy Uleman, Project Director of PTW Architects.

“Our design concept was to create a ‘jewel in the Garden’, a serene and peaceful building, with the capacity to adapt to ever changing requirements. A building that felt like it had always been a part of the Garden and would contribute to Sydney’s life and vitality.”

“It has been an exciting journey for our team.

The Calyx is a very prominent building in the Garden and on Sydney Harbour. We had to get this right and I think we did – we are very pleased with the outcome. People who have visited have fallen in love with it.”

Built at the site of the Arc Greenhouse in the Garden, the intelligent and sensitive architecture of The Calyx was designed for it to reinvent itself through emotive and informative exhibitions (that change every six to nine months).

Working with Cockram Construction, the PTW team designed the highly flexible building using existing elements of the Arc, originally designed and constructed in 1994 by renowned Australian Architect, Ken Woolley, whilst retaining the extraordinary design

THE TEAM Client Group Project Team PROJECT DIRECTOR BGCP Director, Strategy and Projects PROJECT SPONSOR BGCP Director, Horticulture PROJECT MANAGER Root Projects Australia QUANTITY SURVEYOR WT Partnership MECHANICAL PEER REVIEW Flux

Design & Construct Project Team CONTRACTOR Cockram Construction ARCHITECT PTW Architects Project Team: Troy Uleman, Neill Hill, Glenn Harper, Sara Best, Rod Brown, John Shipp and Rebecca Qin LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT McGregor Coxall SERVICES ENGINEERS Jacobs STRUCTURAL ENGINEER BG&E HERITAGE/ARCHAEOLOGY GML Heritage PLANNER Urbis CERTIFIER DLA ARBORIST Tree Wise Men ACCESS Morris Goding Accessibility Consulting

quality, integrity and innovation of the existing structure.

The showstopper and most visually engaging element of the building is the new Iris. The circular steel structure is the most highly visible piece of the building from afar and contains the foyer, education and retail space that can be turned into event space at night with retractable walls that allows the exhibition and event space to be combined.

About PTW Architects PTW Architects is an international architecture, urban design and interior design firm with a global network of more than 200 employees across Sydney, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Taipei. The firm has grown out of Sydney, producing architectural solutions since its inception in 1889. The diversity in the practice provides us with the ability to meet complex challenges with innovative and fitting solutions. PTW is well-respected for excellence in architecture, masterplanning, urban design and interiors, with extensive local and international experience across a diverse range of building types.

Since inception, architectural innovation and a sound reputation for high standards of design and planning resolution are the principles PTW Architects adhere to and have consistently delivered across all projects. Responsible for landmark buildings such as the One Central Park in Sydney in collaboration with Ateliers Jean Nouvel and the Watercube in Beijing, PTW’s work is diverse, innovative and elegant, creating buildings where the owner’s commercial objectives are balanced with cultural and public uses, leading to the enhancement of the public realm and a city’s facilities.

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GRAND DESIGNS

Balustrading becomes a prominent design feature

Although balustrades have an important role in providing a safe area, they have also become a major part of a building’s design, combining safety with style.

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hen handrail and balustrade failures occur they can result in significant injuries or death. The Queensland Government reported 20 deaths and hundreds of injuries between 2002 and 2012 link to falls from or collapses of balconies and decks.

The National Construction Code – Building Code of Australia (BCA) gives quite detailed specific requirements for the design and installation of handrail and balustrade systems. It also specifies the minimum loading requirements for balustrade systems that need to be considered in design. The BCA also requires handrails and balustrade systems that are exposed to weather or coastal environments to meet a specific standard, including nails, screws, bolts and brackets.

To comply with the BCA a balustrade or other barrier need to be used to prevent a fall of one metre or more along the side of any roof to which public access is provided, any stairway or ramp, any floor, corridor, hallway, balcony, deck, verandah, mezzanine, access bridge or the like and along the side of any delineated path of access to a building. A balustrade or barrier also needs to be installed if a window is openable by 125 mm.

Form and function Although balustrades have a very important role in being a physical barrier and to provide a safe area for the user, they have grown to become a major part of a building’s design, combining functionality with style and connecting the inside with the outside. In line with a trend of accentuating outdoor living spaces as a part of the overall design, residential and commercial projects have come to demand products that can work seamlessly in an open-plan living design.

Glass balustrading Glass balustrade provides full visibility to a view and has become the preferred option over conventional and high maintenance materials such as timber. Hard-wearing glass balustrading has become a popular choice for urban residential and commercial projects.

When selecting a glass balustrading, it must comply with AS1288 Australian Standard AS1288-2006 (AS1288) which sets out the procedures for the selection and installation of glass in buildings, subject to wind loading, human impact, and special applications such as overhead glazing, balustrades and glass assemblies.

Glass can form part of a balustrade in two ways, either as an infill within an outer frame or structure, such as aluminium or timber, or as the main structural component of the balustrade.

In both cases, the glass used must be Grade A toughened safety glass or, if used at higher levels, must be Grade A toughened laminated safety glass. It has been said that toughened glass is around five times stronger than standard float glass.

Cable balustrading Horizontal cable balustrades and vertical steel balusters both offer structural performance with minimal effects on space and are also highly visible options if the balustrading is required to also act as an accentuating feature.

Cable balustrades originate from the yachting or boating industry and has become a popular and economical option for modern structures.

Vertical steel balustrades can also work to accentuate height and provide a sense of safety. As a simple solution, they are eligible for use in contemporary applications too.

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GRAND DESIGNS

The Treasury Buildings in Perth have been reborn for adaptive use. Image source: cathedralsquare.com.au.

The interiors of the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney were reconstructed to recreate the imagery of a grand Victorian style arcade. Image by FiledIMAGE.

Protecting and reinstating

Australia’s national heritage

T

he drive to protect the heritage of national buildings has grown enormously in many countries since the World Heritage Centre and the World Heritage list within UNECSO were both established in 1972. Many heritage organisations have since been founded with the aim to protect and manage cultural heritage, and numerous studies have supported the importance of preserving and protecting built heritage.

According to a Queensland University of Technology paper, Overcoming the challenges of building heritage projects: Improvements to time, scope and cost performance, the need to preserve the aesthetic quality of heritage buildings and their outstanding value is emerging as a task of high importance for governments and the professional disciplines that run heritage projects (i.e. heritage consultants, architects, engineers and project managers).

Heritage places have an irreplaceable value for every community: places tell the stories about who we are and our past that has formed us.

In order to maintain heritage places in the most appropriate way, different levels of heritage listing have been determined in Australia including: • World heritage • Australian/National heritage • State/Territory heritage • Local heritage.

In Australia, the overarching policy for conservation of Heritage places and buildings is the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter 2013. It sets out conservation techniques and provides guidelines for their implementation.

In December 2015, the Australian Government released the Australian Heritage Strategy which outlines a range of opportunities to benefit Australia’s magnificent heritage.

The strategy sets out the Australian Government’s priorities over the next decade and the actions it will take to support and promote Australia’s heritage.

A range of innovative new funding sources will be explored, including the feasibility of adapting the United Kingdom’s national lottery model, which in 2015 alone generated a staggering $780 million for heritage projects across the UK. Australia’s world and national heritage places create strong economic returns for their owners and managers, as well as surrounding communities. A study of 15 World Heritage sites in Australia found that the economic benefit of these sites amounted to

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GRAND DESIGNS

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The Cockburn Central Project.

A Dianella, Perth Residence.

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In late 2015, Aerostone produced and installed the architectural mouldings for the Cockburn Central project in Perth, Western Australia. Aerostone products were used as a feature to combat issues of glancing light on large modular façade walls. It was a relatively inexpensive option in achieving a uniform finish and we were able to sand and shape the product to accommodate contours in the wall.

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build australia No 7 / 2016

$15.4 billion in annual turnover and over 79,000 direct and indirect jobs.

“The 103 places on our National Heritage List reflect our journey as a nation. It contains places that capture the diversity of stories that have helped shape our nation and inform our sense of self,” Minister for Environment Greg Hunt said.

The Bendigo Town Hall.

Image by Nils Versemann.

Preserving our heritage The different types of processes that can be applied to preserve heritage places and buildings are: • Maintenance – the continuous protective care of the fabric and setting of a place (to be distinguished from repair, which involves restoration or reconstruction) • Preservation – maintaining the fabric of a place in its existing state and retarding deterioration • Restoration – returning the existing fabric of a place to a known earlier state by removing accretions or by reassembling existing components without the introduction of new material • Reconstruction – returning a place to a known earlier state (distinguished from restoration by the introduction of new material into the fabric) • Adaptation – modifying a place to suit the existing use or a proposed use • Compatible use – use which respects the cultural significance of a place; such a use involves no, or minimal, impact on cultural significance.

In addition to these methods, heritage retrofitting is another technique for preserving and sustaining the future life of heritage-listed buildings.

Returning to its former glory Maintaining historical places has become crucial and historic preservation has started to play an important role in the overall construction landscape. Positive global trends towards greater public awareness of, and support for, heritage-driven developments have been shown in many capital cities including recently in London. Since 1999, 68% of buildings at risk in London have been saved.

In Sydney, the The Queen Victoria Building is an outstanding example of the grand retail buildings from the Victorian-Federation era, which has no known equal in Australia in its architectural style, scale, level of detailing and craftsmanship. Saved from demolition in the 1980s, and restored to its original glory, the Queen Victoria Building is an iconic heritage building of Sydney.

Dating from 1898, the Queen Victoria Building represents Australia’s largest and grandest Victorian arcade, as well as

the largest, most monumental and most intact of the market buildings of Sydney City. The site of the Queen Victoria Building has continued to operate as a market facility for over 190 years, which is a significant historical continuum.

The Queen Victoria Building represents an important shift in heritage consciousness in Sydney during the 1980s because of the public outcry that brought about its conservation and, in particular, the historical restoration approach taken for its refurbishment. It also reflects, through its building development concessions, the importance of heritage conservation in more recent government strategies.

At the time of its restoration by the 1980s, few original internal features remained such as some column capitals,

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GRAND DESIGNS

trachyte stairs and some tessellated tiles surfaces. The present interiors of the building demonstrate an interpretive reconstruction from the 1980s intended to recreate the imagery of a grand Victorian style arcade with considerable concessions made to ensure the place was commercially viable as an ongoing retail shopping centre.

Changing the life of buildings

PROFILE

Adaptive reuse refers to the modification of a heritage place to a new use which conserves in heritage value and allows the heritage property to be used for purposes other than original designed for.

One such example is the Cathedral Square project in Perth, Western Australia, which was recently completed after an eight year painstaking restoration. The $105 million restoration of the former Old Treasury Buildings Buildings is part of the $580 million development of the adjacent Cathedral Square, including a new City of Perth library, a 33-level Mirvac office tower and a public plaza for St George’s Anglican Cathedral.

Prior to the restoration works the buildings had been largely unused for more than 20 years. Since the late 19th

The Royal Exhibition Building is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Melbourne. Image by Nils Versemann. century they have been used for Cabinet rooms, premiers’ offices, land titles office, treasury, police courts and a cell block. Now they have become available to the public and have re-emerged as Perth’s first six-star hotel, a rooftop glass-box restaurant and the Postal Hall, an internal thoroughfare with tenants selected for their bespoke contributions.

forming your ideas in concrete has never been so Ezy

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roudly Australian and family owned, established and trusted for over 20 years, Ezytube thrives upon and leads the challenge to constantly provide new solutions to drive innovation in design onward and upward.

With a thorough research program, Ezytube has a firm grasp on a wide range of construction site conditions internationally and have developed their reputed range to cater for almost all scenarios.

An international leader in concrete forming development, Ezytube has developed world first products which offer users significant benefits in safety, ease of use, improved productivity, lower skills requirements, high quality results and the ability to form ideas otherwise considered impossible.

Building on their renowned range of tubes -Spiral, Plastic Lined, Pier, Square & Rectangle and Custom Shaped ColumnsEzytube are proud to officially announce their increasing and outstanding bespoke capabilities in both in-situ concrete and precast solutions.

Whether it’s feature columns of any shape –hexagonal, Octagonal, Oval, Raking, tapered- or forming walls, stairs, voids, beams, slab edges and any other complex object of your own design, Ezytube will work closely with you to design the most cost effective solution.

With a team well versed in 3D software, creating the inverse

of any complicated shape is achievable. Also determining whether the shape is best supplied in a tubular form or manufactured to easily fit within any type of conventional or shutter system, the most practical solution is ensured.

Adding Ezytube’s patented Yellow Formliner© into the mix, a variety of impressive surface finishes are achievable.

With prestigious projects to boast such as Chau Chak Wing Building UTS (Raking and Tapered funky columns), 1 Bligh St Sydney (16m high Oval shaped Cathedral columns), Barangaroo Headland (12-15m high 1200mm diameter columns), R2 Residential Project Barangaroo, Darling Harbour Convention Centre (1m x 1m 6.5m high feature columns), Darling Harbour Theatre (Y feature columns), “K1” 1 Kings Gate, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane (Y Feature Columns), Adelaide Oval Stadium, Darwin waterfront residential development, The Charles Darwin Centre, Ezytube are confident in offering the solution you’re looking for.

Also with the exciting launch of their new website, you can now catch Ezytube’s challenges and achievements on these projects by opting in to their new and educating newsletter, ‘Forming Your Ideas’.

Whether you’re a Formworker, Civil Contractor, Builder, Architect or Engineer, Ezytube has the range of formwork products you’ll be glad to know about.

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AUSTRALIA WIDE: 1300 138 011 INTERNATIONAL +61 2 9618 6222 www.ezytube.com.au

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Custom Shapes

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GRAND DESIGNS

Making a grand entrance

T

he demand for door hardware generally follows the trends in the overall construction industry, including new construction as well as repair and retrofit markets. With the end-users’ demand for modern hardware for doors burgeoning, hardware manufacturers are continuously exploring new materials, shapes, styles and designs to satisfy their varietyseeking clientele.

With a history of over two centuries, the market for architectural hardware is characterised by intense competition.

There are many current designs, materials and finishes available depending on what kind of style is to be achieved.

Hardware is an exchangeable item which can be switched more frequently than fixed items. In fact, hardware is a great way to keep a space looking current without the big expense.

The entrance statement

The front door gives the first impression and sets the tone before entering a space, whether it is a residential apartment, a home or a business so making a big impact is key. Therefore, the installation of large-scale entrance door handle sets has become more popular and the range of products available has made it easier for those looking for something unique which also reflects the interior of the space.

The finishing touch There is an array of materials and finishes presently available when it comes to door hardware. However according to real estate investor Scott McGillivray, polished nickel is currently the trendiest finish. It’s similar to shiny chrome in that it has a

Build a project

View products

About This range

Contact

GAINSBOROUGH HARDWARE

Commercial Gainsborough Architectural door hardware Hardware made easy Build your next project

Gainsborough Hardware recently launched its new website www.gainsborougharchitectural.com.au which features its new online door hardware selector- gspec.

The site guides the user through their selection starting with external/fire door hardware through to internal door hardware and caters for both timber and aluminum framed doors.

All components are selected, from leversets and locks to door closers and hinges. The specification is then emailed to the client for their reference.

Gainsborough’s brands include Gainsborough Architectural, Salto, Lorient and Eco-Schulte. These brands make up an impressive collection of leading-edge commercial door hardware products, designed to meet the needs of today’s commercial building activity.

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The site houses comprehensive information on the extensive This range includes door furniture and lock sets, door 52 commercial hardware range including52installation instructions controls, door seals and electronic access controls.

Gainsborough's national specification and brochures for download.

Manufactured to the highest standards and designed for timber, aluminium and glass doors, the Commercial range team is on hand to assist with all your Gspec is specifically designed to provide a high level product 12 12 features a variety of popular and aesthetic finishes. selection and specification details for the Multi residentialdoor hardware scheduling needs.

36 36 construction sector. It is estimated that you can now select Gainsborough is committed to producing the finest 15 15 the majority of hardware for a multi residential project within quality product possible, having renewed its certification Build your next project with us, send us your plans and/or door five minutes. The new site also allows the uploading of plans under the ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System. schedules and we will take care of the hard work for you! and a complete door hardware schedule to be produced via Gainsborough is also included in the internationally Gainsborough’s National Specification team. acclaimed Lloyd’s Register of Quality Assured Companies.

Let’s get started with your next project.

Start here... Are you external doors going to be:

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Alluminium?

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GRAND DESIGNS

smooth, shiny finish, but it’s a little warmer due to its gold undertones.

Scan-dustrial design The scan-dustrial design fuses the simplicity of Scandinavian design with the raw edginess of industrial style, essentially with a matt black finish. It still has a smooth texture and clean lines, but it makes a strong statement. When you install this type of piece against a solid background it sets a simple but distinct tone for the entire room. This look is suited to clean, modern spaces for a ‘less is more’ style.

Advanced technology Door hardware is not significantly affected by the wave of technological developments, however with innovations such as internet of things (IoT), electronic smart locks and Bluetooth connectivity, that prospect may change.

According to a report by market research company Technavio, the electronic and smart locks market is expected to grow in the next four years. The research predicts the global smart lock market to grow at a CAGR of more than 75% by 2020.

The global market for smart locks is still in its emerging stage but is predicted to grow at a rapid rate owing to its various security and convenience benefits. Moreover, its increasing application in various end-user segments like education, banking, and hospitality will bolster the prospects for market growth.

According to the report, instead of mechanical door locks, some parts of the market are opting for entrance automation that offers greater security against unlawful intrusion. As an example, the increasing in-room security measures in hotels are expected to be of particular interest.

Recently, it has been observed that many hotel businesses are increasingly catering to the safety needs of international customers by implementing smart locks in their hotel rooms.

These locks have a wide variety of features, such as digital displays, mechanical locking systems, master password facility, mechanical keys for emergency usage, external power supplies in case of battery failures, and a timer operated system.

The market is also witnessing a demand for electronic door locks which are integrated with other home security products.

For leveraging this trend, vendors are expanding their product lines with offerings that can be easily integrated with mobile and digital platforms.

Another pertinent trend to the market is the growth of smart locks propelled by the emergence of connected homes and IoT. The increased adoption of home automation and awareness about advanced products are predicted to propel the smart lock market.

Another new technology is the Bluetooth-based smart lock sector which is expected to account for an impressive market share of more than 65% by the end of 2020.

Bluetooth-enabled locks are connected to the user’s laptop, phone, or tablet, and unlock the door automatically once the sensors detect the presence of the user. Since this technology consumes minimum energy, it will be one of the most preferred smart lock technologies.

© 2016 Allegion

Pioneering safety across Australia

From home to work, we are where you are. We’re a team of experts with common goals; Protect today, innovate for tomorrow, and never settle for the status quo.

Our pioneering brands are redefining security, inventing new technologies and keep you safe wherever you are – from home, to work to the weekend footy match. Focusing on security around the door, we produce everything from mechanical locks to advanced biometric scanning devices, keeping every solution simple and integrated.

Learn more at: allegion.com.au

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GRAND DESIGNS

Design on demand for commercial and residential

restrooms

T

he Halifax International Airport Authority in Canada earlier this year supposedly announced that millions of dollars will be spent on upgrading the restrooms as part of an overall $54-million upgrade of the airport.

Although such a vast budget is rarely seen for restrooms or bathrooms, the elaborate design and look of these spaces is becoming more important for the overall user experience in commercial spaces and the comfort and luxury in residential properties.

The user perception in commercial restrooms The appearance of the restroom in commercial buildings plays a big part in customer perception; a luxurious restroom can have an extremely positive effect on how patrons perceive a building, and even a business.

Also, restroom users are often concerned about coming into contact with germs which is why buildings have begun to add a number of new, lavish, and often more efficient amenities, which can significantly alter a restroom’s cleaning needs. Some of the commercial restroom developments include: Relatively scour-free flooring - For years, laminate countertops and small-sized glazed-tile floors were a common choice in high-volume restrooms; however, grout associated with these

A luxurious restroom can have an extremely positive effect on how patrons perceive a building.

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GRAND DESIGNS

A Freestanding bath tub is considered to be a true luxury item.

products can potentially pose cleaning issues. As a result, designers have chosen larger tiles which eliminate many of the grout lines.

High-end surfaces - Countertop materials like stone are also gaining popularity for commercial restrooms. Quartz provides a look that’s close to granite, a composite solid surface material made from acrylic resins that have natural materials mixed in. The countertops have nonporous properties, helping them stay cleaner and germ-free longer.

Hands-free features - A recent Bradley Corp. hand washing survey found that people go to great lengths to avoid germs in public washrooms. More than half (57%) of respondents admitted to operating the toilet flusher with their foot, and 55% said they used a paper towel to touch the restroom door.

To help visitors avoid contact with restroom appliances and other high-touch surfaces, some commercial spaces have added automated soap dispensers, faucets and hand dryers.

Touchless technology cleaning tools - Touch-free devices that spray non-acid disinfectant cleaner on fixtures, mirrors, and walls in addition to a neutral cleaner on floors work well in heavily trafficked restroom such as schools, spas and health clubs. Touch-free restroom cleaning devices can increase efficiency and successfully kill germs.

Water-conserving amenities - Waterless urinals don’t require frequent flushing and therefore reduce water use and expense. Another water saving fixture for commercial restrooms includes dual flush toilets.

Cleaning tools that cut water use - New and improved cleaning aids are also helping service providers conserve water.

Swapping traditional cotton-head mops to microfibre systems means less water use and more efficient germ removal.

Devices that decrease paper use - Hand dryer acceptance is markedly on the rise, thanks in part to the introduction of more high-efficiency, low-energy commercial use dryers, which can also reduce a building’s supply expenses.

Reconfigured washrooms - Commercial spaces with singular women’s and men’s restrooms, may be able to speed up the cleaning process by converting each space to a unisex restroom, a trend seen across the world. Whether it’s a large office building with singular restrooms in certain areas or a small business, such as a coffee shop, the conversion cost is generally low because it just involves replacing restroom signs.

Residential upgrades for a luxury feel Of all the rooms in an apartment, none are more elegantly designed than the bathrooms and kitchens. Whether it is a master bathroom or a smaller one, buyers make higher demands to get as many comforts as possible. Some of the residential bathroom developments include: Shower Seats - Originally installed only in showers that were used by senior citizens or those with physical disabilities, shower seats have become one of the hottest bathroom design trends in 2016.

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Stormtech has been at the forefront of drainage innovations for residential and commercial building projects for over a quarter of a century. Their product range includes linear drains, Tile Insert Drains, Square floor wastes, Threshold drains, Vinyl clamps, as well as Special Assemblies and Slot Drains for landscaping applications.

In bathroom applications, the Stormtech system forms a sleek partition between the ‘dry’ area of the bathroom, housing the sink and toilet and the ‘wet’ bath and shower area.

Using a linear drain in the bathroom and shower also allows the use of larger format tiles and floor surfaces in design: the floor is sloping towards one long, narrow grate and channel all on the same plane allowing the removal of hobs, steps and other floor level changes.

For today’s open-air living designs linear drains allow internal and external areas to become level and help create a perfect integration between indoor and outdoor areas. More and more popular is the use of a threshold drain integrated directly in the doortracks, as this application will stop rainwater coming over the threshold and spill on the interior flooring.

The stylish Slimline grates are all high quality stainless steel manufactured in Australia available in various widths and finishes

PROFILE

Choosing the right bathroom drainage

including luxury wedge-wire, designer grates created by Mark Newson, as well as more affordable perforated designs. The drainage channels are either UPVC or stainless steel available in modular kits, fixed-lengths units or customised lengths with variable outlet positions.

The system connects directly with all standard plumbing fittings and all products have a Watermark Standards Australia International certification. Further with a proud commitment to eco-friendly design, Stormtech offers the only linear drainage product in the world with Global GreenTag certification.

As the pioneer of linear drains in Australia, Stormtech has been a Member of the Standards Australia Committee and involved in the writing of the code covering lineal drainage in bathrooms since 2006 working proactively with plumbing advisory services to ensure drainage is not only fit for purpose, but meets stringent Building Code of Australia (BCA) compliance measures.

Grate lines.

The finest linear grate selection from the people who invented them.

Designed and manufactured in Australia from marine grade stainless steel, Stormtech remains the gold standard for design, durability and sustainability.

View our complete selection online, and match the perfect drain to your design.

Visit stormtech.com.au for tools + inspiration. | call 1300 653 403

Bathrooms Doortracks

Showers

thresholds

Pools + Surrounds

Special Needs Access

ArchitecturAl GrAteS + DrAinS

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GRAND DESIGNS

“White is a popular interior room colour for 2016 and neutrals will be a predominate trend in interior design, with ceramic tile in earth tone colours and white to complement bath fixtures and cabinetry.”

Now considered a luxury for people who have to shower when extremely tired or simply want to sit down while shampooing their hair, shower seats are expected to vastly grow in popularity in the year ahead.

Water-Efficient Faucets and Toilets - With more developers, builders and residents concerned about conservation of natural resources, water-efficient faucets and toilets are in high demand in many of today’s bathrooms. Lowflow toilets, which use just over three litres of water per flush, have become the norm in virtually all newer homes in 2016.

Since many homes have older toilets that use 13 litres of water per flush, the savings on monthly water bills can be quite large. Along with efficient toilets, faucets and shower-heads that are much more efficient will be the standards in modern bathrooms.

Heated Floors - If there is one thing nobody likes, it’s stepping out of the bathtub or shower onto a cold floor. To solve this problem, many people are now having heated floors installed in their bathrooms, and the trend is expected to grow immensely in 2016, especially in the colder states in Australia.

Along with being much more comfortable to walk on, the heated floors play a key role in helping to dry out the room by eliminating moisture and humidity that is always present after a bath or shower.

No-threshold showers - A walk-in shower is normally seen in wet rooms and includes frameless glass enclosures, preferably with no door and twin showerheads. For increased and better mobility, having a walk-in shower is a big preference.

Undermount sinks and floating vanities - Undermount sinks are easy to maintain and often used with quartz and stone counter surfaces in both baths and kitchens. This year there are some amazing new designs in quartz surfaces to be seen. In addition with the use of floating vanities the bathroom gets a customised look and it also gives the impression of a bigger space.

Neutral colors - White is a popular interior room colour for 2016 and neutrals will be a predominate trend in interior

A walk-in shower includes frameless glass enclosures, preferably with no door and twin showerheads. design, with ceramic tile in earth tone colours and white to complement bath fixtures and cabinetry.

Freestanding tubs – Freestanding bath tubs require a good amount of space in the bathroom and they are considered to be a true luxury item. There are so many different materials, colours and shapes of freestanding bath tubs that can easily fit into any style of bathroom.

Strategic Storage - Generally bathrooms are small rooms so residents often want to maximise the storage space that is available. Vanity base cabinets seldom provide adequate storage for grooming appliances and bath supplies. To keep essentials accessible, many customers opt for open storage. Others add towers to vanity areas or more cabinets to optimise storage space for towels and other items.

Privacy Walls - In bath design, especially for bathrooms that have multiple users, a commode area for the toilet is a plus. However, if space is limited erecting walls for an enclosure and adding a wall may not be an option. That’s when a privacy wall can provide a solution. Also, privacy walls can be considered for walk-in showers.

Sources: Nixco Plumbing and Cleaning and Maintenance Online

2

5

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GRAND DESIGNS

Joinery design trends

in the commercial sector

Commercial joinery is becoming an increasingly more important and specialised part of the Australian construction industry.

D

evelopers, builders, architects and owners are increasingly becoming more aware of how the finishes of a development interrelate with the end-users of the spaces. Although the majority of joinery work is generated from the residential construction market, particularly when it comes to kitchens and bathrooms, the demand for commercial fit out in office buildings, retail and hospitality is trending.

Hospitality and retail Retail and hospitality fit outs are constantly developing to improve the customer experience as the ambience of a store or a restaurant can lure consumers and lengthen visitation. With new international and designer flagship stores and restaurants penetrating the Australian market, the customer experience and ambience is becoming significantly more important for both the new entrants and their already established competitors.

With a higher expectation from customers, premium hospitality and retail environments are starting to offer a more tailored customer experience. The increasing competition in the retail and hospitality sectors has resulted in more innovative fit out designs becoming a top priority for businesses. This trend has seen the rise of commercial grade quality and customisation applied to the retail and hospitality sectors and the creation of elaborate fit out designs, featuring bespoke joinery boasting both functionality and style.

The ideal workspace should combine a visually attractive design with practical planning.

Offices and workspaceS The commercial office fit outs, designs and finishes have entered into a new era of the use of innovation, colour and materials. Although

With international flagship stores and restaurants penetrating the Australian market, the customer experience is becoming essential.

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the functionality of the office space is still of high importance, the ideal commercial office workspace should combine a visually attractive design with practical planning that makes use of innovative tools and technologies. Promoting fun and comfort while working to foster interaction, collaboration and good working relationships among employees has become a focus of many innovative office building developers and businesses.

Many offices are introducing lower walls between desks, casual meeting areas, and Activity Based Working.

The International Facility Management Association reports that almost 70% of workplaces are already utilising some form of open plan layout. Also, more offices are now incorporating workspaces specifically designed to stimulate creativity, collaboration and teamwork; they are becoming both efficient and fluid in design.

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GRAND DESIGNS

Even the most corporate offices are embracing more fun and visually appealing designs inside and outside such as big communal eating areas, breakout spaces for lunch and rooftop gardens. Alluring features such as custom designed walls, indoor and outdoor furniture and structural element designs such as timber staircases, beams, columns and floors with bold patterns make a statement in modern office fit outs.

Residential Apartments Pressures on space and money are making space-saving apartments increasingly popular. With apartment sizes shrinking, developers and architects are developing innovative ways to maximise the space. ‘Convertible Spaces’ apartments are designed with moveable walls, pull down beds, Scandinavianinspired finishes and integrated joinery. The bedroom space can be incorporated into the living space as required, and functional areas like corridors become usable in living and bedroom areas without compromising on access through the apartment.

The first example of ‘Convertible Spaces’ apartments in Australia can be seen at the Sanctuary on the River development in the Abbotsford suburb of Melbourne. A wall of integrated joinery comprises a TV unit, kitchen with integrated

A seamless flow from kitchen to dining to living spaces is becoming increasingly popular.

fridge, bedroom robes with integrated bedside tables and a pull-down queen sized bed. Movable walls can be used to open up a living space or cut it into two to create a separate bedroom area.

With open plan living becoming increasingly popular, the design elements and attention to detail in residential spaces are also more important, especially in the kitchen and living areas. Incorporating furniture details, e.g. open shelves, book cases and built in tables as part of the kitchen design, ensure the seamless flow from kitchen to dining to living spaces.

Confident architectural details, furniture based design, a layering of finishes, materials and texture are used to soften the clinical whiteness of many kitchens. Also, by allowing the designer to customise certain elements it creates unique and individual designs for the end-user.

Natural products and materials are often selected as a warming aspect of the design, particularly when a kitchen is semi commercial. Mixing timber with a cool product such as stainless steel or granite gives a less industrial feel. Mostly popular for its aesthetic, its stability and its environmental qualities, the recycled timber is both a modern and environmentally responsible part of kitchen design today.

Supplying high volume joinery across Australia

I

JF Australia Pty Ltd was established in South Australia in 1964 and has since grown to become one of the principal joiners in the Australian commercial construction industry.

During its 52 years in business IJF has progressively developed its reputation as one of the nation’s leading joinery, cabinet making, furniture and fit-out contractors, specialising in large scale projects, providing comprehensive design, manufacturing, delivery and installation services.

With a client list boasting the biggest names in the Australian construction industry including Probuild, Brookfield Multiplex, Mirvac, Lend Lease and Grocon as well as substantial Tier 2 and 3 builders, and with an impressive portfolio of projects of high quality apartment, hospital, hotel and office

fit outs, IJF demonstrates the consistent ability to cater to the largest developers and builders in Australia. In addition to its impressive manufacturing facilities in Adelaide, it has solid, long-term relationships with established offshore procurement partners.

As a well-recognised, high profile business in the commercial sector, IJF has a proven record of completing the biggest contracts across Australia. Evidence of this can be found at the Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, Western Australia which IJF was involved in by providing custom cabinetry and hospital suite fit outs. IJF also recently completed a $12 million contract work at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia, currently their largest project to date.

With IJF’s knowledge covering all aspects of the commercial sector the company has, and is currently completing high rise apartment projects as well as office fit outs, hotels and student accommodation in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Being a family owned and operated business means IJF goes to extra lengths to meet and exceed client’s expectations.

“We would never finish a job without knowing we had provided the best possible service. We always strive to complete the contract to the client’s satisfaction.”

A U S T R A L I A

The CommerCial Joinery and offiCe fiT ouT SpeCialiST iJf offers clients the priceless benefit of over 50 years of company experience in all aspects of large scale, commercial joinery manufacture and installation.

our repuTaT ion iS your GuaranTee

for more information contact iJf australia pty ltd 41-43 Cormack rd Wingfield Sa 5013 peter liebmann T 08 8349 7400 m 0423 025 178 e peterl@ijf.com.au www.ijf.com.au

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PROFILE

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GRAND DESIGNS

Inspiring

wall designs support creativity With a great selection of construction methods available on the market, prefabricated walls are becoming increasingly popular on projects with tight time schedules. Expanded polystyrene, Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), precast concrete tilt-up panels and steel walls with aerated concrete are only a few of the methods available to cut the construction time and provide a safer workplace.

The concept of insulated wall panels used in commercial building projects is becoming increasingly popular in Australia. With the demand for energy efficient buildings, and the advantages of reaching a 6-star Green Star efficiency rating, insulated wall panels are an intriguing option.

However, once the walls are constructed for commercial buildings there are many different options to make the most out of the interior of the building. Creating workspaces, education buildings and hospitals promoting creativity, stimulation, invigoration and wellbeing, has become more important for construction projects.

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GRAND DESIGNS

“Acoustic panels are designed for use on vertical surfaces, operable walls and any place sound reduction is a primary factor. ”

For workspaces in particular there is a big focus on a variation of materials to create environments that influence wellness and productivity, which is understood to be a solid investment to make the workers feel well in their workplace. Today, some workspaces are drawing reference from residential design cues to give the office an informal impression. Here are a few wall treatment trends seen right now in commercial buildings.

Acoustic panels Using acoustic panels is an excellent way of improving the noise level and are popular in meeting rooms, theatres, auditoriums, restaurants, corridors, elevator lobbies as well as open offices accommodating a high number of staff. There are many acoustic products that are designed to act as a noise reduction feature while creating a visually striking feature. Acoustic panels are designed for use on vertical surfaces, operable walls and any place sound reduction is a primary factor. These products are predominantly made of manmade polyester and olefin fibers, and are tested for a special sound

absorption rating known as a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NCR) rating. This rating indicates the amount of sound absorbed into the wall. The higher the number, the more noise absorption.

Murals Whether it’s a large corporation or small company, office murals offer a great solution to extend the branding or inject some added colour and personality in a creative way. Murals could be created from images of landscapes or any other striking elements. Alternatively, they can be customised through an illustrator or graphic artist.

Murals have come a long way in the last few years and with amazing

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PROFILE

Custom 3D wall panels for a personalised feature

3

D wall panels started as an exciting idea in 2008 to develop a range of three dimensionally patterned wall panels that turn plain old boring walls into spectacular features.

By creating stunning feature walls for business offices, schools and communal areas, a personality or brand can be expressed through a variety of choice of pattern, colour and finish. The 3D wall panels can be used for feature walls, furniture and cabinetry fronts of reception desks, bars, kitchen island benches and entertainment units or as artwork on walls in single panels or sets of panels.

3D Wall Panels™ is a proudly Australian owned business. The panels are manufactured in a Sydney factory using quality Australian made material, delivering throughout Australia and supporting the economy at the same time.

Where are 3D wall panels used?

• Office reception areas, show rooms, board rooms and meeting areas

• Restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs • Shopping centres, shop fit out and merchandising • Residential homes in living rooms, entrances, kitchens, stairwell walls and home theatres • Set design and backdrops for television shows and commercials • Event and exhibition wall decoration • Outdoor feature walls

Looking for interior design ideas?

Transform your interiors or outdoor space with a feature wall from the stunning range of decorative 3D wall panels. A feature wall in 3D wall panels creates an architectural feel at a cost effective price.

Base material: - Interior 18mm (or 25mm) Australian made E0 moisture resistant MDF - Exterior 18mm waterproof polymer standard panel sizes - 2400 x 1200mm - 2700 x 1200mm (interior material only) - Can be cut down to suit your needs

Finishes availaBle: - Raw, vinyl or polyurethane painted pattern OrientatiOn: - Horizontal or vertical for greater design flexibility.

Be inspired by over 40 different designs. australian made and delivered australia wide.

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GRAND DESIGNS

Contemporary decorative wall panels create an unusual 3D effect, bringing drama into modern interior design.

products such as stucco, leather, hemp or suede. Cork veneer is also a modern natural material which is shaved from cork planks or blocks and laminated to a substrate that may be coloured or plain. It offers some degree of sound resistance and can easily be used as a feature or in a more functional way for bulletin boards.

Timber Using timber as an interior design feature has become very popular if the space needs a warm component in an otherwise cold space. One recent example is the Melbourne School of Design – the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning building which used timber cladding throughout in different shapes and sizes. The creativity in the use of timber seen currently may not be a new phenomenon but designers are becoming more adventurous with the angles and shapes that can be created with this natural material.

Recycle and upcycle

digital imagery the sky is the limit. They can also be used to help break up open plan living spaces or to highlight a particular aspect of a room.

Wallpaper By covering a wall with a large, bold design or something more delicate depending on the style wanted to be achieved, the space can be easily transformed.

3D wallpaper is a dominant trend seen in 2016 to create texture. Also, a tone-on-tone wallpaper creates the illusion of 3-dimensional pattern with daring depth and colour. An example of this is solid colour wallpapers with the colour fading from the top down.

Also, wallpapers that mimic industrial finishes such as washed out wood, leather, concrete, marble, brick and stone have been popular in 2016.

Grass cloth is manufactured using natural fibres of jute, reed and arrowroot and provides the perfect complement to classic or contemporary settings. A new thrilling addition to grasscloth wallpaper is overprinting onto grasscloth. Patterns can be printed onto the wallpaper using it as a backdrop or add a metallic coating for a lustrous finish.

Natural materials Concrete walls in interior spaces have been popular the last few years, but now walls can be upholstered in many non-traditional

Exposed brick and recycled wood-plank walls have trended for many years and still remain classics. These materials will add an industrial character to the interior and bring in natural materials in a solid form. Also, if recycled products, such as reclaimed wood, are used they can be supplementary to the environmentally friendly credentials of the building.

Textured wall Panels Contemporary decorative wall panels create an unusual 3D effect, bringing drama into modern interior design. As a feature they can give a room a real impressive aspect. Made of different materials these wall designs can be painted as well in whatever colour suits the space.

Vinyl Solid vinyl consists of a vinyl film laminated to a fabric substrate.

It is more durable than paper-backed vinyls. Many commercial wall coverings are manufactured with this method and pass standards for washability, scrubbability and durability.

Paint Each paint company has released a new range of paint colours this year including silvery green, opaque noir, coral, calming teal, Caribbean blue and burgundy. However, the biggest trend for 2016 is a complete colour palette cleanse, with some of the major paint brands moving towards quiet and calming hues for 2016. This year has been referred to as the year when designers will use colour to create a more varied, inspiring and personalised work environment. Not only has the trend in colour changed, but also how it is applied. For example, some designers opt to paint only the bottom half of the wall, leaving it looking

reclaimed hardwood

WALL SYSTEMS pre-fab construction

NORTHERN RIVERS RECYCLED TIMBER

key features

www.northernriverstimber.com.au

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By Dr Peter Key, National Technical Development Manager at the Australian Steel Institute

Steel design flexibility links challenging locations with stunning solutions

T

he ability of steel to be designed at any angle along with its superior strength in tension has supported a range of striking bridges constructed over recent years across Australia that allow crossings that are easy on both the feet and the eye, whilst meeting site constraints in a range of challenging situations.

Those location-specific challenges include having to span longer point-to-point distances, weaving through an array of structural obstacles or providing a low level pathway that still allows vessels to pass underneath, such as the just completed crossing at Perth’s new upmarket Elizabeth Quay entertainment precinct.

Slender crossing graces Swan A steel-intensive approach has created a striking new 110 metre bridge connecting the west promenade with a new island along the Swan River in central Perth, slender enough for ferries to pass underneath whilst providing a relatively level crossing for pedestrians and cyclists in a constrained location.

The 22-metre high cable-stayed bridge spans the inlet allowing for continuous movement around the Quay with the project’s structural engineer, Arup choosing structural steelwork as the only practical way to achieve the required slender design.

The structure rests on a sinuous ‘S’ shaped plan geometry to achieve the minimum required length to clear the navigational channel whilst complying with universal access gradient requirements. Only steel could provide the required strength and stiffness for its weight. Adopting structural steel for the deck construction allowed the design team to significantly reduce the structural depth to minimise the deck length.

At a technical level, the offset between the applied loads of the deck and pedestrians and the centreline of pier supports induced a significant torsion in the deck section causing a misalignment of the lines of force in the bridge cables with those of the arches, subjecting the arches to axial compression from the structural strength of the arches combined with an inward bending due to the arch cables.

This load combination was accommodated through the selection of the arch geometry and led directly to the (approximately) rectangular section that was adopted.

The flexibility in fabrication with steel allowed the main load carrying arches to be precisely shaped and aligned to match the imposed loads from the cables supporting the main deck structure.

Off-site fabrication led to very fast assembly, improved quality and clearer work zones onsite that improved safety with various trades working onsite simultaneously.

Arch and deck sections were fabricated with ‘coffin’ box construction after extensive consultation with Arup’s bridge construction and fabrication experts in London and Brisbane to enhance torsional stiffness, a primary requirement for such an aggressively cantilevered structure, whilst minimising structural mass.

Weaving under riverside roads Careful engineering and fabrication enabled the integration of a circular pathway for cyclists and pedestrians along the northern shoreline of the Yarra River connecting the Docklands precinct to the Melbourne CBD. The project’s engineers, Aurecon Australia devised a structural solution based on a unique, horizontal, self-tensioned catenary that is integrated with the truss and designed to resist the rotating force induced by the cantilevered deck and the curved truss. Steel was chosen for the main supporting structure of the bridge due to its high tensile capacity.

The 125-metre long, lightweight structure weaves under the Charles Grimes road bridge and over the water edge with the bridge, the first in Australia to employ a ‘hovering’ de-bridge arc allowing the structure to act in tension as a horizontal suspension bridge.

For the horizontal catenary to be stable, the bridge needed to be perfectly circular in plan whilst anchoring it securely at irregularly located points to the existing roadway infrastructure, making the most of what is already there.

The structure came to site as prefabricated modules, sizes determined by allowable transport dimensions and joined together with tailor-made coupler connections, the positions of which were matched with lower stress points in the structure to keep coupler sizes to a minimum.

Slimline form’s balancing act The steel-supported Tank Street Bridge provides a pedestrian and bicycle crossing linking the city centre and South Brisbane that is distinguished by its multiple-mast, cable-stay design comprising an

89 The Jim Stynes bridge in Melbourne. Copyright of John Gollings.

array of cables and flying struts designed to evoke the ropes and spars of sailing ships.

The design team of Cox Rayner Architects and engineers at Arup based the bridge design on principles of ‘tensegrity’, an architectural and engineering system in which the structural integrity is a synergy between balanced tension and compression components to achieve a lightweight, yet strong and stable structure whilst eliminating the need for massive abutments.

The tensegrity structure required abutments to conceptually tie the ends of the bridge down to counter the weight supported over the large river span. Steel provided the slimline effect in the deck to meet the many physical constraints of the original brief such as spanning the Riverside expressway, North Quay and the Brisbane River by maintaining the minimum vehicle and maritime traffic envelopes required, without obstruction.

Wide span over busy freeway The Falcon Street Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridge on Sydney’s lower north shore comprises just five spans installed as a 193-metre long structure with minimised disruption to traffic over 19 lanes of the Warringah Freeway largely limiting sway and vibrations for those using the crossing.

Its superstructure is a 1500mm deep fully welded trapezoidal

The Elizabeth Quay bridge in Perth.

Copyright of Michael Haluwana - Aeroture.

The Falcon Street Sydney bridge.

The Tank Street Bridge in Brisbane.

orthotropic steel box girder chosen for its ability to be used economically in long spans to best facilitate curved horizontal and vertical alignments.

The top flange of the box girder was kept at a constant 20mm over the entire length of the bridge to carry the pedestrian traffic and did not require transverse or longitudinal stiffeners, significantly reducing the cost. Each girder segment was designed to be lifted into place as a complete unit with all balustrades and anti-throw screens secured prior to lifting into position, providing a safe working area for construction crews and minimising the risk of objects falling onto road users below.

An innovative, purpose-designed bolted splice was developed by the project’s engineer, Aurecon for the top plate to allow bolt heads to be fully flush with the wearing surface once installed.

Provision was made in the design for installing Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) to negate dynamic effects due to the slenderness of the bridge structure used to minimise overall structural depth and costs.

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The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum in Queensland.

MEGA STRUCTURES

New developments

By David Millar, CEO Concrete Institute of Australia

to be set in concrete C

PROFILE

oncrete is the most used construction material worldwide, and the second most used substance behind water. In fact the amount of concrete used globally is greater than the combined amount of timber, steel, and other materials used to construct and build. When you take a moment to analyse this statement you can gauge the significant contribution concrete makes to society and the world we live in.

Australia has led the world in many aspects of concrete and its application over the last 150 years, and continues to do so.

Some of our achievements include: • Centrifugally spun concrete pipes, first manufactured in 1910 by Walter Hume, which have been patented and made around the world.

• The Gladesville Bridge in Sydney, when constructed in 1965, was the world’s largest concrete arch span bridge.

• The Sydney Opera House saw a world record number of precast concrete panels being used in construction.

• The first Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, 1986, had the largest

Build smart with ResourceCo Concrete

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esourceCo is dedicated to maximising the use of sustainable aggregate and sand in the supply and manufacture of concrete.

Our commitment to quality and sustainability means you can build smart with ResourceCo Concrete.

Made from clean, sustainable aggregate, ResourceCo Concrete is a high quality alternative to standard concrete. By reducing carbon intensity during production, ResourceCo Concrete provides a carbon footprint reduction of up to 65% in comparison to quarried alternatives1.

Through the use of this sustainable aggregate mix, ResourceCo Concrete assists builders, developers and government to comply with the Green Star environmental rating system developed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). The compressive and splitting tensile strengths of ResourceCo Concrete are in no way compromised by the quantity of sustainable aggregates used in production2. Now, the benefits of green concrete are being recognised worldwide as a high-grade, sustainable construction material.

Standard Concrete Our range of standard concretes is suitable for all residential applications, driveways and footpaths. Our range of Normal (N) class concrete begins at N20 and extends

to N50 grade and all designs and testing are conducted by an independent NATA registered laboratory.

Green Concrete We also supply Normal class concretes produced from a blend of recycled and quarry/natural aggregates, ranging from a Leanmix (10-15MPa) to 32MPa grade. By using these sustainable aggregates, rather than virgin quarried materials, we are potentially reducing carbon footprint by up to 65%1.

Special Requirements Concrete • Fibre reinforced concrete - steel or polypropylene.

• Flowable concrete- for workability and easier placement.

• Structural fill – products for backfill applications.

Decorative Concrete We can also provide a range of options for coloured, exposed and polished concretes.

1. Carre A.; Rouwette R., Life cycle comparison of crushed concrete aggregate with traditionally quarried stone aggregate. RMIT Centre for Design May 2008, 1-6.

2. Fathifazl G., Razaqpur A.G. Discussion on “Malesev M.; Radonjanin,V.; Marinkovic, S. Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Structural Concrete Production. Sustainability 2010, 1204-1225”, Sustainability 2011, 465-468.

WHAT YOU THINK IS THE END IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

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span, centre to centre to two piers in the world.

• The Burdekin Falls Dam in Ayr was the first modern gravity dam in the world constructed horizontally with conventional concrete.

• The Climate Change Institute at the University of Queensland in 2013 was the first use of Geopolymer concrete for structural purposes.

These, along with many other fabulous achievements in a rich history of concrete application in this country, are born on the back of a very solid understanding of the base material. So why and how does concrete do the things it does? For a product that in its simplest form consists of only four materials, it is an incredibly complex and interesting material. Get it right, and you can achieve amazing results. Get it wrong, and the results can be catastrophic.

In Australia today there are a large number of stakeholders in this industry who contribute to research and knowledge development, as well as designing, producing, and constructing concrete, with the objective of ‘getting it right’. Significantly, these stakeholders all understand the importance of concrete and the role it plays in engineering and society, but do they know enough about the base material?

There is a changing landscape in engineering and construction in Australia today. Concrete as a material is feeling

this impact as the major stakeholders in the industry are all moving with the times. For example: Many universities are turning their attention more and more to research activities and/or developing curriculum that appeals to a broader base of potential students to remain competitive and viable. As a result some courses have reduced their concrete materials content considerably attempting to cover the complexities of the material in a short period of time (if at all).

Designers and specifiers are under pressure to deliver outcomes for consulting groups in an ever increasing competitive space. This is further emphasised by the influx of large global organisations that are positioning themselves in Australia and their need for accountability and performance. Is there enough attention being placed on understanding concrete essentials?

Suppliers are under pressure to meet growing demands for a product that must be available at a moment’s notice, meet numerous specification requirements, adapt to changing conditions and trends, yet must remain economical. Along with concerns with ongoing natural resource availability, is this having an impact on the quality of our raw materials and finished products?

The knowledge gap experienced at government level (local and state) has been identified for some time now. This has led to

The National Portrait Gallery in the ACT.

Remote controlled demolition machine beats traditional methods Brokk is the world´s leading manufacturer of remote controlled demolition machines. Since 1976 the company has developed demolition and maintenance solutions for the construction, cement, mining, metal process, tunnel and nuclear industry, as well as a variety of demolition solutions for special assignments and projects worldwide.

The Brokk head office is located in Sweden and the products are marketed, sold and serviced through a global network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents.

B

rokk brings more demolition power, functional versatility and safe operation to the construction worksite. The Brokk machine easily outperforms traditional demolition methods like concrete sawing, handheld tools and excavators. The Brokk’s compact size makes it agile, providing easy access to confined spaces and does not emit exhaust fumes. The three piece boom system provides flexibility, reach and can be equipped with a variety of attachments.

When equipped with a Darda Concrete Crusher, the quiet, electric powered hydraulics allow the operator to work inner city live buildings during business hours and in areas with noise, dust and vibration restrictions. It will easily climb over debris or up a staircase, due to its light weight compact design it can even be taken floor to floor in an elevator. Outriggers provide excellent stability in all working directions and easily adjustable breaker frequency, concrete removal is what the Brokk machine was designed to do.

The Brokk range offers a solution whether it be big or small, our range is from 500kg to 11 tonne.

The Brokk concept is “Big Power in a small package” no matter which model you choose, every Brokk machine has unique characteristics that have made Brokk famous and trusted with 7000 units in operation globally.

Research and Development plays a big role in our quest to constantly improve. By applying new technologies, experimenting and testing new solutions, we discover new possibilities for more durable and capable machines. Brokk is on an endless search for answers, it’s how we improve.

After 40 years of designing, building, testing and improving machines, we’ve learned what works, what doesn’t and how to arrive at the best solution. It’s this expertise that makes us a valuable partner to our customers. Together, we find innovative answers to meet the challenges that inevitably arise on new projects.

Demolition projects are bigger and more complex with schedules becoming tighter and tighter. Brokk is constantly striving to stay one step ahead with state-of-the-art solutions that allow contractors to improve the safety and maximum efficiency on each project.

Brokk Australia prides itself on its customer service and the ability to offer 24 hour technical support. Our knowledge of the machine and industry will help us find the right solution for our customers, giving the customer peace of mind that Brokk operates with best practice measures at the forefront of our business procedures. Safety, efficiency, quality and reliability is what a Brokk Machine offers its customer.

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a change in specification philosophy at many organisations with an emphasis on reducing the risk in concrete design, production, and placement due to diminishing resources and experience.

The construction sector continues to move at a rapid rate of knots, and as they look to maximise time and effort ensuring that projects are completed on time and within specification, is there enough time and experience being devoted to ensure that the concrete being used is of the quality required for the structure?

The bigger question that arises from all of this is – With all this pressure to compete, perform, and act efficiently, is it having an impact on our knowledge, design, and application of concrete construction in Australia? Michael van Koeverden, who is National President of the Concrete Institute of Australia, recently said: “While advances have been made in admixtures, binder and aggregate production, fitments, testing and repair materials, the root cause behind many of our concrete problems is neglect of the basics. All areas of the concrete industry need to have an understanding of concrete the material and how it works.

Designers must consider whether their designs can be built.

Constructors must ensure they allow for realistic construction time frames with experienced supervision as part of the process.

Placing, compaction and curing of concrete must be undertaken correctly for all concrete construction. You only get one chance to ‘get it right’, with concrete, so asking the right questions at the right time is essential to getting the right outcome”.

A lack of knowledge of concrete as a material, or attention to the detail, can be easily seen close up in projects through unclear or inappropriate specifications, poor construction workmanship, or structural defects (large or small). They may be identified in the early stages of a project, or at some period of time well after completion. However, many of these will cause long term issues to the structure and may be used in subsequent legal cases. These then become expensive to all parties concerned, but could have been avoided by an improved knowledge of the material, how it should have been used, and with better management of how it was applied.

Mr van Koeverden goes on to say: “We are producing record numbers of structures from concrete, which must naturally mean we are getting better at designing building and maintaining these, but is that the case? We are seeing more and more legal cases around design deficiencies, poor construction, or maintenance outcomes. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to travel through Europe and seen some of the Roman concrete structures will understand what good workmanship looks like, even though some structures were built 2000 years ago”.

As Mr van Koeverden notes, it is not all doom and gloom in the concrete construction industry. Far from it. With any significant change comes opportunity, and fortunately there is plenty of scope for changing the way we do things in today’s

The Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland.

The Burdekin Falls Dam in Ayr, Queensland. evolving concrete industry. New materials, state-of-the-art designs, and advanced construction techniques, provide great opportunities for innovation. These combined with changing financial and political situations are leading to higher benchmarks being placed to current standard practice.

Examples of innovation of this sort that are happening now include: 1. The delivery of detailed research undertaken in Australia into the use of ultra-high performance concrete in bridge structures. This has been applied into practice resulting in environmentally sustainable and economic alternatives for bridges where conventional methods may have been less suitable.

2. The use of geopolymer concrete in buildings and infrastructure is now a reality in Australia, and is world leading in many respects. Government authorities such as Vic Roads are showing initiative in this area, as are commercial organisations, which has led to the construction of structures such as the Climate Change Institute and infrastructure such as the Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba.

3. Outstanding examples of architectural concrete in buildings and structures that also require a high level of technical expertise to ensure that the concrete performs appropriately.

Examples in recent times include the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra and the Age of Dinosaurs Museum in Winton, to name but two.

4. The application of prefabricated modular construction methods, including the use of shotcrete to construct a concrete core and shear walls in multi-level buildings. This requires a new way of thinking for shotcrete application

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Reinforcing columns, cages and precast sections can be manufactured in various shapes, diameters and sizes, then transported to site when required, reducing onsite congestion. Offsite prefabrication not only minimises onsite risks to workers, but you can also earn Green Star rating points. To learn more about how we can assist on your next project contact us on 1800 ONE REO (1800 663 736).

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OneSteel’s core competencies in metallurgy, steel manufacture, supply chain, logistics, expert consultation, prefabrication and information management, positions us as a partner to Australia’s construction industry. For valuable information on how to build with integrity, compliance to Australian Standards and Green Star points visit www.buildwithstandards.com.au.

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continue to use more and more of the world’s second most used substance in today’s changing landscape, more than ever we must ensure that everyone has the basic knowledge of this complex material called concrete.

in this country – both from a mix design perspective and methodology.

5. World leading practice in the manufacture and application of precast concrete for infrastructure projects, using innovative production methodology to provide the highest quality concrete for high end solutions to project needs and requirements.

6. Research into concrete durability has taken giant strides and the knowledge on exposure significance, deterioration processes, materials properties, and workmanship implications has developed significantly. This has resulted in world leading durability design practices being developed, including durability modelling methods, and new construction techniques being introduced.

About The Concrete Institute of Australia The Concrete Institute of Australia is an independent not-for-profit professional body founded in 1969. The Institute provides professional development opportunities and resources for members and stakeholders in the concrete industry, and has a constituency who share a common interest in the pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, technology, design, and construction of concrete in Australia. Members of the Institute can be designers, civil contractors, project managers, academics, researchers, materials scientists, suppliers of cement, supplementary cementitious materials, or admixtures, precasters – this list goes on. Importantly they all share the Institute’s vision – to strive for excellence in concrete.

These innovations, and many others, demand that the industry be focused, knowledgeable, and willing to take a chance in challenging established products and procedures. It also means that we must be armed with the essential knowledge of a material that may look simple but can be incredibly complex.

The concrete construction industry in Australia has a history that is based on hard work and sound knowledge. As we

18 - 19 October 2016 King George Square, Brisbane Receive 10% off admission prices* QUOTE: 18120011BUILDAUS Some of our speakers include:

The Piling & Deep Foundations conference will provide a platform for the industry to gather and share insights & information on the latest methods, techniques and tools. Main focus includes: Improving preliminary site investigation to determining land conditions Innovative and cost effective design & construction of piles Minimizing and managing geotechnical risk on site Don’t forget to mention you’re a Build Australia subscriber to receive 10% off* admission! *Discount subject to availability and not available to vendors or solution providers.

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How your construction site can benefit through concrete real time monitoring

I

n recent years the construction industry has been in a state of structural change. Cost and time pressures are constantly increasing for both construction companies and their suppliers, while at the same time, expectations for quality remain the same, or in many cases, are increasing.

In many ways, large-scale construction is very much like a prototyping process. Every building is different in its architectural configuration and physical location, and for every project, factors such as weather conditions during construction, construction design and scheduling are all unique.

Concrete monitoring in real-time In order to optimise the construction process certain parameters are required and need to be visible, measurable and controlled.

One of the most important parameters is the compressive strength development of concrete. Construction companies often have no option but to measure concrete strength by means of rough guide values or fall back on subjective methods of testing. Decisions are often based on empirical values and same-size samples of the concrete, not on values measured directly in the structure.

Consequently, this kind of testing may not always be a true refelction of the concrete in-situ.

To overcome these challenges, Doka and their partners, BAS Research and Technology have developed a system that measures the strength development of in-situ concrete and electronically delivers real-time data on concrete maturity to site staff, concrete technologists and laboratories. This data allows to efficiently manage building speed and cycle times, concrete result and costs.

Known as Concremote, the system combines the wellestablished weighted maturity method (as developed by de Vree) with the latest advances in metrology and information technology.

Heat development is recorded via sensors in the concrete and transmitted on a regular basis online to the data-processing centre, where concrete strength is calculated through calibration and based on temperature development. The information on concrete strength is then available in real-time on site. The data can be called up through a secure web portal anywhere and at any time with a notebook, tablet PC or smartphone. Early strength data and information about temperature development are sent promptly and automatically by email or text message. Thus, once the target strength is reached, all stakeholders are advised immediately, allowing appropriate action to be taken and the next phase of construction works to progress.

Concremote uses two types of sensors allowing it to be used in all areas of cast-in-place building construction. Wireless slab sensors are inserted into the fresh concrete after it has been screeded. Cable

Concremote is an indispensable partner during the construction of the 824 MW Muskrat Falls hydro power station on Labrador Islands in Canada. Temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees are not uncommon at the site. Photo: Doka sensors are designed to be installed directly into the form-ply of the wall formwork; they remain installed in the sheeting when the formwork is repositioned. Another possibility is to use a lost cable directly fixed to the reinforcement. Wireless transmission of the nondestructively measured values starts automatically.

EnvironmentallY-minded construction More and more initiatives encourage to use materials in construction that are sustainable and have minimal impact on the environment.

Acknowledged as the most widely used material in construction market, concrete is the second largest producer of CO2 emissions.

The shorter, all-round optimised construction process that is achieved with Concremote results in less environmental stress, less noise, logistics, cement and CO2 emission.

Concremote has also proven extremely valuable in situations where new or uncommon types of concrete mix are being utilised.

For example, as part of its focus on achieving the sustainability goals set out in its Dubai 2020 environmental objectives, the Dubai Municipality legislated in 2015 that the use of ‘green’ cements (such as those containing fly ash or ground granulated blast furnace slags) be mandatory on all new construction sites. Doka played a critical role in establishing the productivity, cost and quality data for the eco-friendly mixes containing ‘green’ cements.

Doka Australia has obtained the Concremote technology and is currently embarking on testing with the intention of launching the system across Australia in the near future. Speaking about Concremote, Jan Pienaar, Head of Sales Doka Australia, commented: “We are very excited about the Concremote technology and we’re looking forward to introducing it to the Australian market. We’re confident that it will represent a fundamental change in the way concrete is monitored during large-scale construction projects,” he said. “As well as providing a fast, efficient and extremely accurate method of measuring concrete strength development and performance, the fact that it provides the data and notifications has helped to speed the construction cycle which in turn, helps to reduce overall construction costs while maximising quality,” he added.

For more information go to www.doka.com.au

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Innovative products for efficient labour saving solutions

F

or nearly 50 years, PERI have been a pioneer in formwork and scaffolding technology. Since commencing operation in Australia in 1997, PERI have continued our aim to provide the best solutions that make our customers quicker, more efficient and safer in their day-to-day construction site operations.

At PERI, we are constantly developing and improving innovative systems, always on the lookout for new materials and unconventional solutions. A continuous dialogue with our customers is a key for product development at PERI. This forms the basis for intelligently designed products and systems with convincing detail, which meet the requirements of the markets.

DUO – The Universal lightweight formwork for walls, columns and slabs With the recently introduced DUO Lightweight Formwork system, walls, slabs and columns can be formed using the same components. Versatility is the distinctive advantage of the system.

All accessories such as couplers and corner posts have been designed so that they can be used for numerous applications. This concept reduces the number of different system components which in turn simplifies material requirements on site.

The system is characterized by extremely simple handling and a minimal number of different system components. Almost all operations with DUO can be carried out without tools, while the working steps are very easy to understand. Even those less experienced users of system formwork can work quickly and efficiently with DUO.

Engineered plastic replacing steel, aluminium and timber Not only is the concept new but also, the material being used. The DUO Panels - including the form face – and the DUO accessories are made of an innovative Polytech composite material.

The required mechanical properties are achieved through variable fibre content and the inclusion of additives in the system components. Significant weight savings are achieved as a result of using a techno polymer compared to steel or aluminium constructions. Due to the low weight, no crane is required for the assembly operations.

In addition, any minor damage to the surface of the form lining, manufactured of the same material, can easily be repaired. The formwork panel face can be quickly replaced on site if required using simple tools.

The main advantages of the new material: Low weight Compared to steel, aluminium or timber, the Polytech material is very light. This guarantees faster working operations and considerably less crane time.

High durability against moisture Techno polymers are free from shrinkage or swelling as well as rusting. This makes their use in formwork systems extremely advantageous.

High flexibility in product design The simple design opens up a range of new possibilities regarding the use of components along with clever multiple functionality.

Mine infrastructure buildings, Pilbara Region, WA Using DUO, reinforced concrete walls, strip footings and ground slabs could be monolithically poured in 1.5 day cycles.

The formwork solutions developed by PERI’s Australian engineers helped the contractor to meet the project restrictions, including limited crane access and the strict deadlines imposed, which were obstacles for the client and resulted in further cost saving.

Moorabbin culvert and wing wall, Moorabbin, VIC DUO was a perfect solution for this project as the panels can be man-handled, making it fast and easy to form the walls.

The client found the system easy and quick to install with no experienced labour required onsite. No traditional tools were required or crane needed as the panels were easily moved around the site. One of the other advantages was that the material that wasn’t used on the day could be packed up quickly and removed from site.

Scan here to learn more about the new PERI system; DUO

Declan White, Director Monford Group, Perth: “PERI DUO is an environmentally friendly, lightweight formwork system by means of which we were able to increase our productivity.

It offers numerous advantages: the low weight reduces crane costs and the users‘ risk of injury.

The easy assembly results in enhanced efficiency and ensures a better construction site result.”

Lightweight. Universal. Easy.

NEW DUO – The innovative formwork system Universally applicable Flexible forming of walls, columns and slabs using only one system Ergonomic in all respects Low weight, crane-free handling and intuitive application Easy replacement of formlining Quick repair with just a few screws – without requiring any special skills

Formwork Scaffolding Engineering www.periaus.com.au

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Urban densification

at the Northshore Hamilton – a case study

T

he re-development of brownfield sites from industrial to residential or commercial property is becoming more popular in the rise of urban renewal, particularly in Australia’s major capital cities. The reuse of brownfield sites can have substantial impact on the shaping/reshaping of cities and the quality of life of local residents.

Many brownfield site projects such as the Docklands and Federation Square in Melbourne, Darling Harbour in Sydney and the Northshore Hamilton in Brisbane are under construction as part of an urban renewal drive throughout Australia.

The Northshore Hamilton is the largest waterfront urban renewal project in Queensland which presented a number of challenges requiring innovative thinking starting from the demolition stage. During the tender process there was a general consensus that the wharf could support excavator loads to enable the efficient removal of the sub-structure timbers. However, when the client requested Liberty Industrial, who had been awarded the contract, to undertake a more detailed structural assessment to confirm this, it was found that the wharf was in a state of disrepair.

Therefore, the largest excavator able to work from the deck was only eight tonne.

This required a complete re-think of the method while meeting the client’s key requirement to reach project completion within the same time frame. Liberty Industrial developed a method utilising large crawler cranes that could reach to the full length of the wharf while sitting behind the revetment wall and on the land side.

Detailed lift studies were undertaken so that concrete panels and

header beams could be cut and lifted in large sections to reduce preparation and rigging times. Chemset bolts were set into the slabs to enable lifting and lifts in excess of 30 tonnes were achieved.

Complex rigging of the sub-structure timber was also undertaken so that large sections of the structure could be removed in single lifts.

Given that some sections of the wharf were derelict there was a serious risk of wharf collapse as the works progressed. This required the slab cutting to be completed in a methodical and staged manner so the entire wharf stability would be maintained throughout the works. A detailed cut plan and strategy was developed with some sections of wharf sub-structure being pre-secured to the underside of the slabs to prevent them from collapsing into the water during lifts. This was a critical aspect of the project due to the number of commercial and recreational boat movements nearby the site.

The original demolition method allowed for the piles to be removed via a barge mounted crane with a vibrating head attachment. The works took place on the Brisbane River, known for its strong tidal flows and significant flooding. In this section of the river commercial ships including large cruise liners frequently pass and turn. Shipping access was a key consideration and given that approximately 1600 piles were being removed from a fairly steep bank, geotechnical stability was also a factor. However, upon a geotechnical assessment undertaken by the client it was decided that removal of the pile would cause unnecessary risk to the stability of the river.

As an alternative, it was decided that all piles needed to be cut one metre below the existing river bed to retain ongoing bank stability and allow for future shipping navigation while keeping to the original program completion date. Liberty Industrial commenced discussion with a specialised dive contractor to undertake these works. Approximately 150 of the 1600 piles were steel cased piles filled with reinforced concrete. The cutting of these piles, approximately eight metres below the water, was a critical consideration to ensure works could be completed on time.

Liberty Industrial, in consultation with the dive sub-contractor sourced a specialised underwater, hydraulically driven wire saw. These works needed to progress ahead of the slab deck and superstructure removal due to safety considerations and therefore approximately 30 diamond wire cables were acquired. This enabled the dive crew to move ahead of the works and leave the cables in-situ around the piles on the river bed (still joined to the superstructure). After the superstructure was removed the cables could be recovered and process repeated. Due to the tight program requirements Liberty Industrial mobilised three separate dive crews so works could progress efficiently. As a result, the project was handed over to the client three weeks ahead of the original program.

Liberty Industrial is a leading provider of industrial and commercial demolition and remediation services.

Brownfields redevelopment starts with demolition and remediation. We provide end to end solutions for large and complex demolition and remediation projects, offering a full spectrum of integrated services including asbestos and hazardous materials removal, dismantling and demolition contracting, asset and resource recovery, land remediation and civil contracting.

As holders of an Unrestricted Demolition Licence we are licenced to demolish buildings and structures of any scale or complexity. Our Class A Friable Asbestos Removal Licence permits us to undertake any type of asbestos removal works in house. We specialise in large scale and high risk projects.

We challenge the status quo and leverage technology to deliver innovative and resourceful solutions that create value for our project partners and stakeholders.

PROFILE

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Kennards Hire innovates

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ennards Hire is an Australian owned family business, with an insatiable thirst for progression and innovation.

As the company continues to grow throughout Australia and New Zealand, so to do the ambitions of the creative minds at Kennards Hire. In recent times, Kennards Hire has led the industry to a number of firsts, using technology and forming partnerships with like-minded companies to raise the bar in the hire and rental space.

Kennards Hire was the first equipment hire and rental company in Australia and New Zealand to utilise QR Code technology. Using a smartphone to scan the code, customers and staff are able to access a full service history, user manuals, instructional videos and examination certification of the equipment. This technology has improved safety standards drastically, as well as simplifying the maintenance of tools and machinery stocked in each Kennards Hire branch.

Perhaps the biggest innovation in Kennards Hire’s history is slightly off kilter to what most people would expect from an equipment hire company. The new Kennards Hire website includes an industry first, online equipment hire platform. This enables customers to browse the entire product range, make a booking, arrange a delivery time and location, and also settle their account without leaving the office.

Chief Operating Officer and acting CEO of Kennards Hire, Bill Whitehouse, said delivering a convenient, anywhere, anytime option for hiring was a key motivator for producing the new and innovative website.

“We know our customers can be time poor and unexpected jobs can pop up on-site last minute,” Bill explained. “To help customers we wanted to provide an easy browse, order and pay online service, that is available 24/7.”

The site includes ‘how to’ guides and videos to help Kennards Hire customers do a great job safely. Account customers can access their accounts and also pay invoices online.

Widening the scope of their service, the new website appeals to all varieties of Kennards Hire customers, from tradies and commercial users to DIYers, weekend warriors and everything in-between.

Kennards Hire has also seen benefit in aligning themselves with companies taking a similar approach to innovation and safety. Makinex, experts in the design, development and distribution of innovative products for the construction industry, worked closely with Kennards Hire on the development of their Powered Handtruck. The Makinex Powered Handtruck

is a groundbreaking, universal materials handling solution that enables one person to safely lift and load small equipment or bulky goods weighing up to 140kg. It provides a quick and easy alternative to using a forklift or tailgate loader for small loads.

The Powered Handtruck, which was designed and developed collaboratively with Kennards Hire, was the recipient of HRIA’s 2014 Product of the Year, as well as Safe Work Australia’s Good Design Award in 2016. Both awards recognise products which revolutionise operations or significantly improve safety standards. The Makinex Powered Handtruck is available nationally at Kennards Hire branches, and is used daily by Kennards Hire staff in every branch across the Australia and New Zealand.

Kennards Hire will continue to offer customers an experience that is centred around quality and creativity; finding the most direct route to making your job easy.

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A recent crane report by Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) shows a continuing strength of the Australian construction industry, with an increase of cranes by 145% since 2013.

Crane industry sees unpredicted lift T

he rise in crane numbers is due to the increase in multi storey residential developments being undertaken across the country.

The RLB report recorded 657 cranes working on construction sites with most recorded on the east coast: 288 cranes in Sydney, 148 in Melbourne and 104 in Brisbane.

Since the fourth quarter of 2015, all Australian cities have showed increased or neutral crane activity, with growth for Sydney, Canberra, Gold Coast and Melbourne, resulting in a 20% increase.

According to Stephen Ballesty, Director of Research and Development at RLB, 432 new tower cranes were erected across Australia’s skylines in the past six months, which was offset by the removal of 318 cranes from sites around Australia nearing completion. Representing a churn rate of 80%, he said this highlighted very strong levels of activity.

The positive growth of crane numbers across the country, corresponds with the growth of residential construction work done. Significant increases in the volume of apartment construction is enabling the growth of cranes across the skyline of Australia.

“The high-rise residential apartment market is as hot as ever, with our research identifying 81.1% of all cranes erected across the country to be on residential projects, whilst only 7% of the total number are erected on commercial projects. 67.4% of residential crane activity is located in Sydney and Melbourne. Cranes erected on the east coast of Australia amount to 83.5% of all cranes sighted in Australia,” he said.

The report says that the cranes that have been added to the sector is a positive sign for the industry at large. The number of cranes on the skyline of Sydney continues to grow on the back of increasing construction activities which is being dominated by the rise in the residential sector.

The Barangaroo development in Sydney. Image by Olga Kashubin

Brandon Hitch, Chief Executive Officer at the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) says infrastructure in New South Wales is keeping mobile crane companies busy and the demand for tower cranes has been increased because of the increase in demand from the Barangaroo development as well as the Sydney International Convention Centre redevelopment at Darling Harbour. Other developments include the Old Canterbury Road in Lewisham, Ermington foreshore and Flemington Markets.

Melbourne is also performing well with a growth of fixed cranes. There are now 148 cranes in Melbourne and the majority of cranes are located in the CBD fringe and the South East with little multi storey construction occurring in the western suburbs.

The Gold Coast and Canberra also saw an increase with 14 and 11 more cranes respectively. Perth was the only city to show a fall in crane activity, albeit by a small number. Perth has seen a decrease in cranes since RLB’s last report, down from 47 to 45. Crane hotspots are found at the New Perth Stadium where eight cranes are erected, followed by three cranes at each of the Ascot development, Westin Hotel and Capital Square.

Mr Hitch says the eastern states are showing a steadier level of crane use compared to Western Australia.

“Western Australia have fallen the farthest, but also had the farthest to fall. Mining and LNG construction projects have slowed drastically and are transitioning to production phase where the need for cranes is at a much smaller volume.”

Crane market update What are the current challenges in the crane industry?

Brandon Hitch: We are seeing issues with the current operator competency. The current high risk work licence (HRWL) is drastically outdated and the curriculum needs to be reviewed

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to require relevant training and assessment to be provided by Registered Training Organisations. CICA’s preference would be for a career path by way of a traineeship over an 18-24 month period.

Currently, obtaining multiple HRWL’s can take less than five days. Many contractors require the highest level of crane licence and rigging licence which has created a climate of youths who have no experience, but high risk work licence credentials exceeding that of a seasoned veteran. Using the pathway of a traineeship ensures that individuals get exposed to real world site experience supplemented with classroom training.

Another challenge is the current crane rental rate. The profitability of the crane industry is getting squeezed by increasing labour and machine costs verses decreasing rental rates and more cutthroat conditions. Although the demand for some crane sectors has increased the rates have not crept up as supply remains the same. Some crane companies have unwisely bought more cranes to keep up with the need for crane usage, but at the existing rental rate.

Have new technologies improved safety in the industry?

Brandon Hitch: Several advances in sensor technology have increased the monitoring of cranes. The Terex Franna

crane can now reduce capacity based on the side slope it is operating on. Previously this was a calculation that the operator had to complete by hand. The ability to override the crane to get extra capacity has nearly been eliminated. On Frannas the override button times out after 30 seconds and on All Terrain cranes the override button is external to the operator cabin.

Do different construction methods and products affect the use of cranes?

Brandon Hitch: We are seeing alternatives to cranes for existing construction methods. For example, pipe installation was previously completed by multiple cranes with HRWL crane operators. Now, excavators are being used where the cost of the machine and the cost of operator are dramatically reduced.

We are also seeing small tower cranes in use on residential jobs where a mobile crane was used. The rental model is different and the initial investment is much smaller.

Furthermore, with an increase in prefabricated components, being both heavier and bigger, cranes can still be effectively used, but the capacity of the crane has to change to support the increased lifted load.

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Innovative training methods to improve safety on site a bricklayer on a Hurstville construction site in 2014. The Court found that the work health and safety system was ad-hoc, unplanned and wholly inadequate.

SafeWork NSW’s investigation found that the penetration, which the worker feel through, had been covered with plywood but not secured to the concrete slab. The builder was aware of the risk and how to address it after being directed on numerous occasions by SafeWork NSW inspectors to securely cover unguarded penetrations at the site.

Safety training instills new skills

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he health and safety of all contractors on a construction site is of high importance to all involved; none more so than the Head Contractor whose responsibility it is to ensure the safety of all personnel within this high-risk environment.

Safe Work Australia’s 2015 report, Work-Related Injuries and Fatalities in Construction, Australia, 2003-2013, found that there is an average of 36 fatalities in the construction sector every year.

It found that over the period 2003 to 2013, 401 workers employed in the construction industry died from injuries sustained at work, which is 15% of all worker fatalities.

Another report published by Safe Work Australia in May 2015, shows the number of workers in the construction industry has grown by 33% over the last 11 years but there have been reductions in the numbers and rates of injuries and fatalities in the industry over the last 10 years. Nevertheless, the construction industry remains a high risk industry.

In 2012–13 the construction industry accounted for 9% of the Australian workforce but 10% of workers’ compensation claims for injuries and diseases involving one or more weeks off work. In 2013–14 the construction industry again accounted for 9% of the workforce but accounted for 12% of work-related fatalities.

In 2012–13 the construction industry had the fourth highest incidence rate of serious claims per 1000 employees and fifth highest fatality rate per 100 000 workers in 2013–14.

In New South Wales alone, during 2013/14 there were more than 30,000 injuries and 67 fatalities in workplaces with the construction industry accounting for more than 10% of all injuries, making it one of the State’s highest risks.

Recently, a Sydney construction company and its director received the second largest work health and safety fine in NSW history, $425,000 and $85,500 respectively, following the death of

Changing the mentality about safety comes from the top down and starts with the builder, an approach which clearly was not evident in the NSW example. As in any industry, the employees on a construction site are the greatest assets to help in achieving targets and completing a project on time and on budget. Making sure the construction site is a safe and healthy workplace should be at the forefront of any participant’s mind in the workplace. To get the best performance from employees it is essential they are provided with appropriate training on all aspects of their work including health and safety.

Safety training is an excellent way for employees to learn new skills, refresh their knowledge and to reinforce good work practices.

This can result in a change in workplace behaviour and the culture on the construction site.

Various regulations in Australia’s states and territories require employers to provide training to employees on for example: • the nature of hazards; • the processes used for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control; • the need for, and proper use, of measures to control risk; • safety procedures; and • the use, fit, testing and storage of personal protective equipment.

Innovation to encourage safety There are many methods available to provide safety training, and innovations and new technologies such as virtual reality and 3D imaging have proven effective.

To illustrate this, a new gaming technology, called the Situation Engine, was designed by Associate Professor Sidney Newton and Russell Lowe at University of New South Wales (UNSW) Built Environment, which allows construction workers to navigate potentially life-threatening scenarios by ‘virtually’ walking through 3D building sites using a computer or oculus rift headset. It is the first software of its kind to be developed by construction safety experts.

Major Hong Kong-based firm, Gammon Construction, has used

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PROFILE

the hyper-real platform for the past six months and credit it with significantly reducing training times. China’s leading power generation company, China Light and Power, is also reviewing the system as a way to extend its safety training.

In Australia, Brookfield Multiplex is proposing to use the Situation Engine to better engage and train construction workers in Queensland.

The Situation Engine is also used as an educational tool in the construction management and architecture programs at UNSW and other Australian universities.

Newton says the hyper-real environment engages workers and students more effectively than theoretical tests.

“The Situation Engine allows students to experience several different sites at varying stages of construction, all of which pose risks like electrocution, falling objects or working at elevated heights. The class can observe and forensically diagnose problems as they walk through different scenarios.”

Newton and Lowe have accurately replicated Australian construction sites, right down to machinery, signs and equipment.

“For these scenarios to be convincing and for people to change their behaviour the sites need to look authentic and the hazards have to be realistic,” says Newton.

Lowe says it is important for architecture students, in particular, to understand hazards on building sites.

“First-year students have no on-site experience but as practising architects they’ll need to know how to behave on building sites.

The Situation Engine allows them to act as a virtual site manager or building surveyor and assess and evaluate the safety issues,” says Lowe, a senior lecturer in architecture studies and computational design.

The Situation Engine builds on an Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching project in partnership with the University of South Australia, the University of Adelaide and Western Sydney University.

Free safety seminars T

he Construction Training Centre (CTC) in Brisbane hosts a quarterly Safety Series Seminar that provides access to the best and brightest industry professionals for FREE. These seminars deliver expert advice and guidance on high risk work licensing topics from leaders in the field.

The seminars also create a networking environment for RTO’s, builders, sub-contractors, equipment suppliers and government departments. Attendees have access to representatives from Workplace Health & Safety QLD, industry associations and equipment suppliers to gain or refresh safety principles and insights, and hear about the latest developments and innovations to improve safety on site.

Upcoming seminar topics include Preventing Workplace Injuries on Wednesday 24th August and Asbestos Removal on Wednesday 23rd November.

One of the guest speakers on Preventing Workplace Injuries is Teah Loccisano from WorkCover Queensland. She’ll share information to help employers establish and maintain effective injury prevention and management systems to improve health and safety outcomes for workers. The purpose of the seminar is to assist employers make sustainable changes to improve injury prevention and management.

The Asbestos Removal seminar on Wednesday 23rd November will address best practices for this high-risk activity. The purpose is to provide advice for the safe removal of both asbestos and asbestos-containing materials from buildings and structures, plant and equipment, and vehicles. Guest speakers will be announced closer to the date on the CTC website.

CTC CEO, Phil Diver, said attending the Safety Series Seminars is a worthwhile investment in time to learn about the latest developments in critical areas of safety in the building and construction sector.

“Anyone who has an interest in construction work site safety and associated industry developments is invited to attend these sessions and hear from the best in the business.”

All Safety Series Seminars are free and a light breakfast is served. Upcoming sessions are as follows: • Preventing Workplace Injuries • Wednesday, 24th August from 7-9am • CTC - Hugh Hamilton Room, Level 1, Ian Barclay Building • Asbestos Removal • Wednesday, 23rd November from 7-9am • CTC - Hot Leasing Facility, Building 3/4 Safety Series Seminars are held at the Construction Training Centre, 460-492 Beaudesert Rd, Salisbury, QLD. CTC is a world class training precinct, with state of the art simulation equipment, dedicated to furthering the development of the building and construction industry.

The facility provides a flexible and cost-effective solution for any individual or organisation to conduct or participate in specialist training in one place. CTC promotes high quality training in a real work environment through its innovative Hot Leasing facility, training room hire and commercial leasing, whereby clientele have access to a wide range of resources and contacts.

FREE

Safety Series Seminars held quarterly Making industry safer through information and advice.

Safety Series Seminars are held at The Construction Training Centre, 460-492 Beaudesert Rd, Salisbury, Qld.*

Preventing Workplace Injuries Wednesday August 24 from 7-9am CTC - Hugh Hamilton Room, Level 1, Ian Barclay Building

Asbestos Removal Wednesday November 23 from 7-9am CTC - Hot Leasing Facility, Building 3/4

Attendance is free and a light breakfast is served

* The allocated room varies dependent on the topic.

CTC is a world class training precinct, with state of the art simulation equipment, dedicated to furthering the development of the building and construction industry.

To find out more visit www.ctc.qld.edu.au or www.hotleasing.com.au or call us on (07) 3216 6711.

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Public liability insurance for builders

– are you covered?

I

n high risk industries such as the construction sector the risk of personal injury or property damage is real and no matter who is to blame, a compensation claim could be significant and expensive enough to impair a business.

To protect a business against these incidents, public liability insurance ensures there is an adequate cover against potentially expensive legal proceedings.

However, not all policies are the same and if your public liability insurance isn’t fit for purpose, you could find you are not protected under certain circumstances should something go wrong.

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According to the Insurance Fact Sheet by Master Builders Queensland, having public liability insurance is a necessary part of running a business in the building and construction industry – it is a common contractual requirement for builders and it is just good commercial practice. But, like most types of insurance, there is no such thing as a standard policy and policies vary significantly in the extent of coverage that is offered by different insurance companies.

It is very important that you ensure the policy you buy suits the needs of the business. The following information from Master Builders can help you to make the right decision.

First, consider the base structure of a public liability policy. The purpose of public liability insurance is to indemnify insured parties for legal liability to third parties for personal injury or property damage arising from an occurrence in connection with the insured business.

Let’s break that down…

• ‘insured parties’ – make sure that all parties that need to PM by23/06/2016 your policy 4:04 are included.

Consider current

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•

•

•

•

and past trading entities, subsidiaries, contract principals, subcontractors, consultants or any others. ‘for legal liability’ – you must be legally liable for what has occurred. This generally means that you must be at fault or negligent in some way, in causing any damages that are claimed against you. ‘to third parties’ – meaning other persons or their property. It does not insure any damages to you or your property as you cannot hold yourself legally liable for causing your own injuries or damages. ‘for personal injury or property damage’ – the policy only responds to pay compensation for liabilities arising from these injuries or damages. Pure financial issues like fines for workplace health and safety breaches, contractual disputes and penalties (such as liquidated damages) are not insured. ‘from an occurrence in connection with the insured business’ – policy coverage is limited to liabilities in connection with the type of business specifi ed in the policy.

Check that your business description is wide enough to cover all that you do. For example, a business description in

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the policy of ‘builder’ may not be sufficient to include the commercial hiring out of plant items to others (if you do that).

In addition to the above basic elements, the policy will also include defence costs, which are legal costs and expenses incurred with the consent of the insurer, in defending insured claims and actions against you for personal injury and property damage.

What else does public liability include?

Contract principals

With the previous aspects correctly in place, you should consider policy limitations and amendments or extensions that are available. Remember that standard policies can be quite restrictive and, whilst the following suggestions are not exhaustive, nobody knows your business better than you. If you have a particular need, refer it to your insurer to establish availability of coverage.

Principals/proprietors/owners in respect of your building contract are normally required to be insured by your policy and should be automatically included.

Project specific or annual policy Project specific insurance is normally not advisable. Occurrences that generate a liability claim can happen at any time and continuous cover under an annual policy delivers the best protection. Also, annual policies are usually more economical than the combined cost of project specific covers over any given period.

Works limitations Most policies limit the types of works that are insured.

Check that any such policy limitations are acceptable to you, particularly in respect of scope and types of works, location, maximum project values or construction periods.

Products liability Legal actions can arise from personal injuries or property damage that occurs both during construction and after completion. In general terms, public liability relates to claims that occur during construction phase and products liability relates to occurrences post completion or handover.

Subcontractor liability The policy should cover your liabilities to subcontractors and their workers (statutory WorkCover may still be required) and also your proportionate liability you may incur from your subcontractors’ actions. At times you may be required under terms of a particular contract to take out public liability insurance for your subcontractors on a job, so it is a good idea to have your policy automatically extended to do this without having to notify your insurer.

Contractual obligations Always check the public liability insurance clauses in all contractual arrangements to the works and ensure you have complied. This should not be limited to the principal contract and particular care should be taken with underlying contracts, such as sheet piling agreements, labour hire and host employer arrangements with group training organisations. Failure to do so could leave you uninsured for significant claims against you.

Vibration Damage to property that adjoins building sites, caused by vibration, is a regular problem and this is often excluded under standard public liability policies. Check that you are covered for this and any special policy provisions that may be applicable, such as requirements for dilapidation or conditions reports.

Plant items on site Your policy should allow the use of fixed and mobile plant items on site, such as hoists, unregistered mobile plant and cranes.

Registered plant items used as a tool of trade should also be included. Note: Statutory CTP insurance may still be required.

Design works If you undertake design works for a specific design fee, public liability insurance may not be enough and professional indemnity cover could be needed. Refer these circumstances to your insurer to arrange appropriate coverage.

Off -site operations Liabilities could happen from your conduct of sales, office, workshop, storage, display or other premises and property owned or leased in your business operations. If this is the case, these risks should be incorporated into your policy coverage.

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Navigating the volatility and unpredictable nature of Public Liability Insurance

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lenn Ross, CEO of MECON Insurance has over 35 years insurance experience in Australia and New Zealand. Under him, MECON has become a leader in providing tailored and flexible insurance covers for construction and mobile plant risks, covering the spectrum from simple domestic construction to complex heavy industrial and civil projects. Also catering for the various trades involved in these projects.

This article deals with the application of Public Liability insurance, and touches on (the closely aligned) Contractual Liability insurance in the construction industry – which is an industry that needs Public Liability insurance in order to conduct business. Both of these types of insurance are specialties of MECON Insurance.

Public liability insurance covers an insured party’s legal liability to ‘third parties’ - which term includes any member of the public and anyone who is not an actual employee of an insured. On a construction site, third parties include tradesmen, labour hire personnel, principals and consultants or casual visitors.

Generally, such liability originates from a negligence by the insured, resulting in third party injury/death, damage or loss of use of property. The negligence, or the degree of negligence/culpability, may not be clear to an insured. This is a reason that many such cases are decided in court. A public liability policy will basically cover an insureds’ legal defence costs and will pay the damages amount awarded by a court. However not all occurrences of liability to third parties require litigation. Many claims are dealt with by the insurer without the requirement of legal intervention and/or any formal mediation process. This is particularly so when third party property alone is damaged.

The most complex (and costly) liability matters in the construction industry tend to be for injury to on-site “third party” workers. For example, an electrician falls, and is severely injured, while dismounting from a ladder on a hospital construction site. The area where the ladder is positioned is in a common area shared by many trades. When the electrician dismounted, he slipped on an off-cut of material left on the floor by a plumber. The plumber was negligent in not clearing debris from the area immediately upon completing his work.

So who is liable for the electrician’s injury?

Is it the head contractor (who has overall site control)? The plumber (who left the off-cut on the floor)? The electrical contractor who employed the electrician (for not ensuring a

safe working environment) or the electrician (for not watching his step)?

The ladder was not defective, or that would have raised other avenues of potential negligence.

The plumber certainly appears to be the most liable, but the head contractor is ultimately responsible for ensuring the common areas are safe working environments. The electrician should have taken care where he was treading and his employer should perhaps have checked the work area for potential hazards too.

While this negligence puzzle can be discerned according to legal liability, a twist arose with the application of contractual liability.

Which is usually not insured by a Public Liability policy.

In this case, the electrical contractor was working under a contract which required it to ‘indemnify’ the head contractor for all injury and damage arising out of the subcontract work. (Meaning the electrical contractor had to reimburse the head contractor for any liability incurred by it which related to the electrical work).

The electrical contractor’s Public Liability policy (as do most such policies) did not cover injury to its own employees. (This is a Workers Compensation matter).

Confused yet?

The courts found the plumber to be 70% responsible. (The courts call this allocation of responsibility, ‘contribution’). The head contractor’s contribution was 20%, the electrical contractor contributed 5% (this 5% is covered by the electrical contractor’s Workers Compensation insurer). The electrician’s contribution was 5% owing to his lack of vigilance. By virtue of the terms of contract, the electrical contractor must fund the head contractor’s 20% contribution out of its own pocket, because it did not have a Contractual Liability policy.

The legal costs incurred, and the damages awarded in this matter, totalled around $1million. Public Liability insurance paid $750,000. The injured worker forfeited $50,000 (of the amount he would otherwise have got) as his contribution and his employer had to find $200,000 to fulfil its contractual obligation to the head contractor.

It can be seen from this example that Public Liability insurance is vital for anyone working in construction. A good policy will automatically follow the directions of the contract with regard to who needs to be insured by it. (In an Australian Standard contract, this is normally the principal, the contractor and all subcontractors of the contractor). However a Contractual Liability policy is a good back-stop to have in the construction industry – where contracts (and often Draconian contracts) are widely used.

For more information on Public Liability or Contractual Liability cover, seek the advice of a professional insurance broker.

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Power on site

- a safety consideration T

here are two ways to provide electricity to a construction site: utility power or generator power. A power cable can be run to the main electrical panel of an existing facility or power can be provided by gas- or diesel-powered generators, which are generally stand-alone portable units. Both options call for care and unsafe equipment or work practices can cause electrical injuries on the construction site.

Permanent or construction wiring According to the Independent Electrical Contractors, installing power systems during the construction phase can be equally as dangerous as any permanent installation.

The success of an electrical contractor starts with mapping out an approach to power systems from the design through to the electrical system turn-over to the customer.

Pre-planning with an end in mind is always worth the time and effort. It is often said that failing to plan is planning to fail. Critical answers must be sought at the planning stage such as: • When must temporary power be available on site?

• What power supply needs are required during each phase of the construction cycle?

• When does the electrical system transfer to permanent power?

Part of the planning process includes site layout. Property boundaries, planned construction areas, construction offices, and temporary parking can affect power. These and other critical areas need to be identified prior to commencing the power distribution.

An electrical contractor’s worst nightmare is having to move temporary power on multiple occasions. This is not good because it

can often lead to placing electrical workers in positions that might involve interacting with the electrical hazard.

It is always best to coordinate the use of permanent raceways with the temporary power installation.

This will reduce transition time when it’s time to transfer to permanent power. An added bonus to this approach is reduced contact time with an electrical installation and a safer working environment for electrical workers.

Generators

According to the ‘Portable Generators and Inverters- to earth or not to earth!’ white paper by Safe Electrical Technology, while electrical safety in general has improved due to the widespread use of the RCD (Safety Switch), portable generator, inverters and the provision of electrical protection therein, continues to be a topic of great debate. Mobile generators and inverters are now used more frequently as alternate power supply for a variety of reasons.

There are many applications for portable generators and inverters including the construction industry. Users of this equipment confront many challenges with regard to effective personnel and equipment protection and often confused messages with regard to regulated and conventional practices.

The usual method of ‘earthing’ for electrical protection, through the use of an earth-stake, has in itself generated great debate over whether to ‘earth or not to earth’ a generator. There is a consensus, from some in the industry that “The only use an earth-stake will achieve is to stop the generator from rolling down the hill”. It should also be noted that it is not always practical or realistic to put down an earth-stake when it comes to using a mobile generator or inverter.

Consider the following scenarios where: • No earthing mechanisms are available. (A hired generator), • Environmental issues prevent adequate earthing – (hard rock, sand, rubble, concrete and asphalt.) RCD’s require a good or low impedance earth path in order to operate, • The testing of the earth network is ‘electrical work’ under all jurisdictional legislation, unfortunately licensed workers are not always available to legally undertake this work, • Time and cost constraints do not allow for the construction, measurement and testing of an adequate earth, • Risk of damaging other underground utilities.

POWER ANYWHERE, ANY TIME, ON TIME Macfarlane Generators provide a wide range of solutions for hire, sales and service.

Portable sales: We sell portables from 1kVA inverter models for campers to commercial grade units for the hire market CommerCial/industrial sales: We sell commercial and industrial generators and load banks to the Dairy and other farming industries, mining, construction and other industries for both prime use and standby power.

Hire generators and load banks: We have a large fleet of hire generators from small portable sets to large industrial units. We also hire all of the supporting equipment like cables, switchboards and load banks.

cAN YOu sT TRu ane arl Macf ators r Gene liver! to De

serviCe FaCilities: We have state of the art service facilities where we can do minor modifications to complete rebuilds of engines and alternators. We can also bring our service people to you! sPare Parts: We have huge amounts of spare parts on our shelves ready to go from filters and fluids to complete engines and alternators.

Custom solutions: We have the proven capacity to modify standard product or design from ground up solutions to fit almost any situation or requirement. We also have licensed staff who can do the full installation.

Macfarlane Generators has been trusted to design, build and install power solutions for some of Australia’s biggest companies. We have the expertise and experience to ensure you get what you need.

viCtoria (Head oFFiCe) 136 Fairbank Road, Clayton South, VIC 3169 Ph: 03 9544 4222 neW soutH Wales branCH 1 St. James Place, Seven Hills, NSW 2147 Ph: 02 9899 6699 Queensland branCH 31 South Pine Road, Brendale, QLD 4500 Ph: 07 3205 6333 sales@macgen.com

www.macfarlanegenerators.com.au

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Safety

Australian Standards Generator standards in Australia (AS/NZ 3010: 2005) stipulates two techniques for safe operation, the first is the use of neutral bonded generator using an RCD isolating in 30mA for electrical protection. This technique requires the generator to be safely earthed for guaranteed performance and this is not practical or possible in many situations as previously mentioned.

Secondly is the use of an isolated secondary winding using the generator to create electrical separation which is preferred in some industries but this means only one class I appliance at a time can be safely operated from the generator. In some industries the use of class 2 appliances on isolated generators is not allowed.

The Australian Construction Standard AS/NZ 3012: 2003 mandates that only generators fitted with an RCD rated at 30mA (neutral bonded ) are allowed on those sites, which then leads to the question what defines a ‘construction site’?

Generator and inverter configurations Generators and inverters are supplied from the manufacturer, as either a bonded neutral to frame type or an isolated

secondary winding type. From a lay man’s perspective, it is hard to distinguish between these two types of generators.

The confusion does not just stop there, the use of standard RCD power boards have been banned in some industry sectors, as they create a possible dangerous situation with isolated generators leading to individuals being falsely protected with the common perception that RCD’s will provide protection in all conditions, where in reality, this is certainly not the case.

Isolated generators, in essence represent an IT (unearthed/ floating) earthing system, where all active parts are either insulated from earth or one point is connected to earth through a sufficiently high impedance. The exposed conductive parts of the electrical installation are either earthed individually or collectively. But with no neutral/earth bonding the RCD will not function on an isolated generator with or without an earth-stake installed. AS/NZ 3000:2007 7.4.7.4 mandates that an isolated supply shall have no connection to earth. Other discrepancies between Australian Standards, further inflame the confusion and undermine the knowledge base. As an example, AS/NZS 3001:2008 (Transportable Structures) stipulates for portable Generators or Inverters that they shall be an isolated type.

SUBSCRIBE to BUILD AUSTRALIA Go to www.buildaustralia.com.au or contact us on info@sagemedia.com.au

We keep the Australian construction sector informed

PROFILE

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New all inverter compressor technology sets a new standard for VRF efficiency

T

oshiba has launched the next generation of their 2 pipe heat pump solution, the Super Modular Multi System (SMMSe). The SMMSe continues to push forward technological boundaries, giving significant improvements to capacity, footprint and energy saving. The new models boast a long list of clever innovations, comfortably placing Toshiba at the forefront of the VRF market.

In the words of John Caione, Business Unit Manager of Toshiba Air Conditioning, “The SMMSe is Toshiba’s latest and greatest VRF system to date. It embodies developments in three core technologies - the compressor, heat exchanger and advanced intelligent control - combining to extend efficiency to unprecedented levels and a notably reduced product footprint”.

The new compact, yet powerful units provide a capacity of 56kW in a single module and maximum of up to 157kW in one system. A significant reduction in footprint compared to the previous system contributes to easier expansion and more flexible installation.

Toshiba has made substantial advances in key technologies for the new SMMSe, including improvements to its patented compressor, sophisticated rotational control and high efficiency heat exchanger. This has led to the SMMSe being awarded the ACR Product of the Year, ahead of the industry with the ESEER at over 7.0 for the overall capacity range, demonstrating excellence in efficiency.

Toshiba’s DC twin-rotary compressors use a two-stage compression method and operate in a wider range of rotation speeds for superior performance. The new vanes are coated with Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC), providing remarkable hardness, wear resistance and reliability. The new compressors offer a displacement volume 50% higher than their previous generation VRF system.

Improvements to the SMMSe advanced rotational control significantly broaden the thermal operating limits of the system: From minus 5 to 46 degrees Celsius in cooling mode.

Toshiba’s expertise in VRF research and development has led to the redesigned variable heat exchanger. This allows the outdoor unit to adjust its heat exchange performance to suit the required capacity load from 100% to 20%, without compromising efficiency.

A newly developed piping design enables piping to reach up to 1,000m in length while supporting a maximum distance between the outdoor unit and the farthest indoor

unit of up to 235m. This increased flexibility is especially convenient for apartments, hotels and office installation layouts, as the new design allows a distance of up to 90m between the first and the last indoor modules.

Finally, in addition to offering a significantly smaller footprint with compact, highly cost-effective units, Toshiba’s SMMSe delivers peace of mind with a backup operation providing continuity of activity. This feature allows the system to operate if a compressor fails to function.

“We believe the SMMSe takes VRF efficiency another quantum leap forward, and is set to be a winner,” said John Caione.

Toshiba SMMSe Higher energy savings

Less equals more

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Installation cost savings

Greater range of rotation speeds

Smaller footprint

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the Yeraanrge!. f o t c u d o r ACR SPEER of over 7 across the With an E

Introducing Toshiba’s new innovative SMMSe VRF all inverter compressor technology for large building applications.

The SMMSe offers a whole new efficiency experience combining 3 core technologies – compressor, heat exchanger and advanced intelligent control. With a smaller footprint and larger capacity units that have a range of 22.4kW (8HP) to 168kW (60HP), you can save time and money on additional units, save energy and increase the flexibility of design and installation.

For any enquires please contact 03 9556 0134 or toshiba-aircon.com.au

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Energy efficient air conditioning receives new guidelines T

he National Energy Productivity Plan (NEPP) is seeking to improve Australia’s energy productivity by getting more value from energy consumed. The NEPP has set a target of increasing Australia’s national energy productivity by up to 40% by 2030.

As such, the Government has established new priorities for improving appliance efficiency through its Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) programme. Here, governments will pursue significant energy savings through six priority areas: air conditioning, lighting, non-domestic fans, swimming pool pumps, commercial refrigerated storage and display cabinets, and domestic fridges and freezers.

The Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) program is a cross jurisdictional program through which the Australian Government, states and territories and the New Zealand Government collaborate to deliver a single, integrated program on energy efficiency standards and energy labelling for equipment and appliances.

On 1 October 2012, the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Act 2012 came into effect, creating a national framework for product energy efficiency in Australia. The GEMS Act is the underpinning legislation for the program.

AREMA - the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association of Australia said the Federal Government has recognised the importance of energy efficiency for air conditioning equipment and approves the regulation in this area.

“Energy efficiency benefits the economy by ensuring we have new and efficient technologies that keep energy use and costs low,” said AREMA President, Mark Padwick.

“It benefits industry by providing certainty to enable longterm investments particularly in research and development; and it further benefits the environment by reducing energy use and the emissions they create.”

It is for these reasons that energy efficiency has been pursued in a bipartisan way and has been an area of longstanding cooperation between industry and government.

A recent government assessment determined that the air conditioning and refrigeration industry uses just over 20% of Australia’s electricity. Limiting the amount of electricity used as much as possible makes good economic and environmental sense.

However, as indicated by government reports, some areas (such as air conditioning) only have scope for limited

improvement at a reasonable cost. Past energy efficiency programs have been very successful in finding technological improvements.

“Improving products at point of sale is absolutely necessary and the Federal Government is right in advancing that work,” Mr Padwick said. “We also ask the Government to develop policy to better ensure that products are installed and maintained appropriately so that the public and environment actually gains the benefits on offer with this new highly efficient equipment.”

Program Objectives • To reduce energy bills for households and businesses in a cost effective way by driving improvements to the energy efficiency of new appliances and equipment sold; • To improve the energy efficiency of new appliances and equipment that use energy and to also improve the energy performance of products that have an impact on energy consumption; and • To reduce appliance and equipment related greenhouse gas emissions through a process which complements other actions by jurisdictions.

eco series

When your work space is wide and open, the Temperzone ECO Series gets to work.

Temperzone’s premium ECO Series is all about superior efficiency and smart adaptability to your building environment.

To give but two examples: Temperzone’s ECO air cooled system can adjust its own cooling capacity depending on the amount of people occupying a space at any given time.

And the ECO water chiller range delivers significant energy and therefore cost savings through its unique capacity to reduce fan speed as room temperatures drop.

So to get compete control over the comfort levels of your large building or exhibition space, contact Temperzone today.

FREE CALL 1800 21 1800 or email: sales@temperzone.com.au

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More regulation a concern for the commercial vehicle sector The trucking industry plays a vital role in the prosperity of Australia. The country’s low population density and long distances between markets means the Australian people are heavily reliant upon road freight.

I

n 2012 about 400,000 trucks were employed to carry freight in all parts of Australia. Since then the amount of freight to be moved has increased greatly due to many opportunities for road transport operators to work with railways and ports, providing the links between ships and trains, exporters and importers, distributors and end users.

Prior to 2011 the trucking industry experienced turbulent times with fuel prices reaching record highs, profits plummeting and demand falling sharply. However, IBISWorld’s recent report into the commercial vehicle market research report says the industry has undergone steady growth over the past five years, rebounding from the economic downturn in 2011. Consequently, a growth of 3.4% is projected for this year, with revenue forecast to reach $5.4 billion.

The industry’s growth over the past five years has been largely due to more positive business confidence. In Australia, the majority of commercial vehicles are used for the transport of goods and the industry has responded to the high demand originating from the construction sector. The increase in construction work has helped to drive the industry revenue growth, as commercial vehicles are often needed on construction sites.

Safety Despite the public’s perception, safety is paramount to those who work in the trucking industry in Australia. No driver or operator wants to cause damage to property or the environment, or harm to people.

In fact, truck drivers are amongst the most highly-trained drivers on the road today in Australia. They pride themselves on their ability to get their job done safely. Everything they do is undertaken with the outmost care and concern for the wellbeing of themselves and the general public.

Australian truck drivers’ safety record is outstanding particularly when you consider 16,199 million kilometres are travelled annually. However, safety measures are constantly being reinforced by the government to remind the sector of the importance of safety.

Trucking industry concerns Rising costs Rising costs impact on a business’ ability to remain profitable and competitive. According to the National Transport Insurance’s guide to the trucking industry, regardless of whether an operator is running one truck or 101 trucks, rising costs impact on their bottom line.

The price of crude oil is currently at a low point, however when the world price of crude oil rises so too does the cost of diesel in Australia. When the cost of crude oil soared to $160US a barrel in 2003 to 2008, expenditure on fuel increased to between 45% and 50% of revenue and forced the introduction of a fuel surcharge.

Fluctuations in demand Construction, manufacturing, retail and wholesale trades are heavy users of the trucking industry. Poor performance in these industries will flow through to operators.

Insurance Insurance is an essential expense for all trucking operators. The cost of accident claims has spiralled upward in recent years.

This, along with rising reinsurance costs, is forcing insurance premiums to rise.

It’s also a case of buyer beware as not all insurers offer the

build australia No 7 / 2016

best value for money or the right coverage when it comes to trucking insurance.

Many different things are driving insurance premiums higher, including: • The rising cost of accident claims • The rising cost of equipment replacement and repair • The rising cost of healthcare for injured drivers • The rising cost of reinsurance for insurance underwriters.

Equipment The commercial road transport industry has some 49,000 businesses with around 98.8% of them employing less than 200 workers. Most of the operators have less than five vehicles in their respective fleets and the average age of the light ridged and articulated vehicles is 11 years and the average age of the heavy ridged vehicles is 15 years.

Phillip Hodges, President of the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Australia (CVIAA) says that with fleets this size and the age of the vehicles, any additional regulation in the transport industry could effectively increase operating costs on two fronts: vehicle maintenance and capital expenditure.

“One of the areas the cost could increase dramatically is

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vehicle maintenance, based on the fact of the average age of vehicle fleets which has been identified. Alternatives include fleet replacement but the cost analysis needs to be done in order to see the benefits of current vehicle reliability and maintenance costs verses vehicle replacement.”

The trucks that are available today are more sophisticated and better able to meet the demands of the Australian marketplace; in many cases, they are also more expensive.

Client and driver expectations are forcing operators to keep pace with change and turnover their truck fleet sooner rather than later. Minimisation of environmental impact is also a factor for operators in upgrading to newer and cleaner equipment.

Mr Hodges says that although the vehicle can be replaced, it still requires maintenance, tyres and fuel and procures other ongoing charges.

Policy and legislation The transport industry provides the back bone to all industry sectors throughout Australia and operates on low margins, and this constantly puts operators under pressure to survive.

Many different policies and different pieces of legislation govern how trucking operators do business in Australia. Changes to policy and legislation can impact on an operator’s ability to remain profitable and their business to remain viable.

In June 2016, the National Transport Commission (NTC) released a discussion paper outlining possible options on setting new heavy vehicle charges.

The NTC prepared the discussion paper in response to a request from the Transport and Infrastructure Council for the NTC to investigate options to better balance heavy vehicle charges and government revenues.

Mr Hodges says he is concerned with any increased

regulation that would impact the day to day operation of all the transport sectors as any increase in operating costs would have to be passed onto the consumer.

There are nine options that have been identified to resolve issues in the Pay as you go (PAYGO) system.

Chief Executive of the NTC Paul Retter encouraged governments, the heavy vehicle industry and all other interested parties to consider the merits of each of the options contained in the discussion paper.

“The nine options identified in the discussion paper seek to resolve some of the limitations of the current PAYGO system for heavy vehicle charges,” Mr Retter said.

The proposed options include: • Adopting a ‘life cycle’ approach using forward looking costs • Adopt a Forward Looking Cost Base using forecast budgets (financial costs) • Ring-fencing heavy vehicle charges revenue • Introduce an ‘unders and overs’ account • Turn heavy vehicle charge into a tax • Continue freezing revenues • Re-examine the heavy vehicle cost base allocators • Re-examine the amount of local government expenditure excluded from the PAYGO cost base • Change the heavy vehicle charge setting process: independent price regulation The use of fuel-based road user charges (RUC) and annual vehicle registration charges to recover the identified costs from heavy vehicle operators will remain unchanged.

Mr Retter said the NTC would now consult with stakeholders on the proposed options. It is planned that the NTC will present its recommendations to Australia’s transport ministers in November this year for their consideration.

ISUZU D-MAX

- A reliable work partner T

he Isuzu D-MAX is fast becoming the vehicle of choice for building and construction trades across Australia. The D-MAX’s under-stressed 3.0L turbo diesel provides plenty of lowdown torque and frugal fuel economy even when towing – so if you’re in the market for a reliable work partner – and a great vehicle for finding some adventure on the weekend, the D-MAX is worth a look.

Founded in 1916, Isuzu Motors is one of the world’s largest producers of commercial vehicles spanning light, medium and heavy weight classes. Isuzu Motors is also the world’s largest commercial diesel engine manufacturer, producing over 25 million engines to date. Isuzu engines are relied upon by top-level automobile manufacturers around the world for their superior performance and exceptional fuel economy.

Isuzu vehicles are engineered for a purpose and their mindset is geared towards reliability, durability and economy.

With a specific commercial focus, they provide 22 D-MAX Ute variants equipped to suit all aspects of your business – whether you’re a one-man operation or running a big business.

Australian distributor Isuzu UTE Australia understands that the building trade looks at a vehicle a little differently - you appreciate a low total cost of ownership and expect reliability that you can depend on to keep the job going. To give you ultimate peace of mind, every Isuzu D-MAX comes with a complete aftercare package, ‘Service Plus’ which includes a five-year/130,000km warranty, five-years premium roadside assistance and three-years capped price servicing.

Leading electrical wholesaler L&H Group’s Fleet Manager Russell Williams explains why he has equipped his team with the D-MAX; “The D-MAX is built for a purpose and is very reliable. The fuel economy is great as well as overall comfort and safety of the vehicle. The feedback from the drivers has been excellent with comments on fuel efficiency, stability and driver comfort while travelling over long distances”.

And L&H aren’t the only ones to see the benefits the switch to the Isuzu D-MAX has made to their business, with design, retail and commercial construction specialists Ausbuild also singing the praises of Isuzu’s offering.

“The Isuzu’s in our fleet are used by Project Managers and Site Supervisors who drive approximately 50,000km per year.

This is why we needed a reliable and fuel efficient fleet.

“We chose to go with Isuzu as we found their vehicles to be good value for money, fuel efficient and reliable. Compared

with our previous vehicles, the D-MAX and MU-X have better servicing costs and we feel they will last longer than other vehicles on the market,” they said.

Fleet Manager at Oldfields Advance Scaffold Joanne Ellul is another satisfied customer.

“The main reason we have moved to D-MAX, is our shift from petrol to diesel utes for better fuel economy. The Isuzu D-MAX is the best priced ute for this kind of vehicle. Our field representatives enjoy the drive as well as all of the mod-cons that comes with the D-MAX,” she said.

It’s also important to note that Isuzu is serious about safety and all of their vehicles include extensive active and passive safety features - including six air bags, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Traction Control System (TCS). Isuzu achieves a maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating on all 4x4 D-MAX Crew, 4x2 D-MAX Crew High Ride models - and if you require a bull bar, the 5-star ANCAP safety rating is retained when fitted with either of their genuine steel or alloy bull bar options.

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Be aware of non-conforming electrical equipment B

uilders and developers need to be aware of the consequences when purchasing and installing non-compliant electrical equipment. As such, both builders and developers need to ask themselves: “Is this equipment compliant? And if not, who is responsible?”

Contractual documentation is often referred to as ‘fit for purpose’ or ‘fit for intended purpose’, ‘legal compliance’ or ‘permit/licence requirements/adherence’ for installation. These requirements put the contracting parties (including owners, developers, builders and contractors) on notice in regards to the responsibility of the compliance of the specified electrical equipment.

In fact, all parties involved have their own responsibility depending on the level of control or the manner in which the electrical equipment is attained or selected. Some of these scenarios include: 1. Builder’s specification.

2. Free issue of electrical equipment.

3. Design and construct documentation.

If the builder’s specifications are inadequate, or if the owner, builder or developer supply inadequate electrical equipment they may be held individually responsible for any failure to comply.

By Rado Starec of Focus Compliance

Electrical contractors are often faced with conflicting situations in regards to scenarios one and two listed before.

Under the Contract Law electrical contractors are often legally obliged (by the tender documentations) to install electrical equipment which is either; • Supplied by a third party; and/or • Specified by the builder.

The electrical contractor’s responsibility is to ensure that the installed equipment is compliant and safe and that no equipment that cannot meet the requirements of the Electricity Safety Act is used. According to the Electricity Safety Act in each State and Territory in Australia is an offence to sell electrical equipment that is non-compliant.

The Wiring Rules also provides information as to how the electrical equipment can be deemed to comply.

The selection of electrical equipment • Essential requirement: Electrical equipment, forming part of an electrical installation, shall be selected and installed to (a) operate in a safe and reliable manner in the course of normal operating conditions; and (b) not cause a danger from electric shock, fire, high temperature or physical injury in the event of reasonably expected conditions of abnormal operation,

Astron cable cover is your protection Underground cable cover The long term safety measure Thousands of kilometres of underground cable, pipe and fibre optics are being laid into Australian soil through numerous infrastructure projects.

This has seen a major increase in the long term protection measures authorities are taking to protect their investment from damage in the future.

Astron offers Cable Cover that has been tested, used extensively in major national projects and conforms to AS4702-2000.

Astron Plastics is Australia’s leading manufacturer of underground cable cover and is proud to be heavily involved in the long term safety of Australian contractors and citizens.

Melbourne +61 3 9559 4273 Sydney +61 2 9829 1999 www.astronplastics.com.au

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overload, fault or external influences that may apply in the electrical installation; and (c) be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Electrical equipment shall be selected to comply with the essential requirement. Equipment is deemed to satisfy that requirement if it satisfies one or more of the following conditions: (a) The essential safety requirements for low voltage electrical equipment made by AS/NZS 3820. (b) The safe design, construction, installation and performance provisions of— (i) an Australian, New Zealand or Australian/New Zealand Standard that is appropriate and relevant to the type of electrical equipment.

Regulatory Authorities such as Energy Safe Victoria also accept other principles in determining that the electrical equipment selected and installed satisfies the relevant requirements for electrical safety. These include but are not limited to: • Certificate of Suitability issued by an appropriate person who has the required experience and knowledge to be able to certify that the electrical equipment complies with the appropriate Australian Standard. Such persons include engineers from National Association of1 Testing Authorities (NATA).

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EVACUATION

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• Letter of Acceptance issued by an appropriate person who has the required experience and knowledge to be able to certify that the electrical equipment complies with the appropriate Australian Standard.

• Declaration of Conformance issued by an appropriate person who has the required experience and knowledge to be able to certify that the electrical equipment complies with the appropriate Australian Standard (SDoC).

Although registered electrical contractors and licensed electricians may be encouraged to install certain equipment in order to meet their contractual obligations, it is vital that the equipment meets the Australian Standard.

Business or persons can be at risk from legal prosecution if they supply non-approved electrical equipment that does not conform to Australian Standards. The purchaser of electrical equipment, whether it is a developer, builder or contractor, needs to challenge the supplier about the compliance of the equipment offered for sale.

Remember: if it is not approved do not purchase or allow the equipment to be installed.

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ISUZU UTE AUSTRALIA FINISHED BEHIND ONLY ONE OTHER AUTO BRAND AND LEVEL WITH ANOTHER IN THE 2015 ROY MORGAN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AWARDS AFTER WINNING TWO MONTHLY AWARDS OUTRIGHT (AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2015)*. WITH ANOTHER MONTHLY AWARD EARNED IN JANUARY 2016, ISUZU DRIVERS CAN GO THEIR OWN WAY WITH CONFIDENCE.

ISUZUUTE.COM.AU *Results reported by Roy Morgan Research. For more information visit www.customersatisfactionawards.com. 5-star ANCAP safety rating on 4x4 D-MAX Crew Cab models built from November 2013 onwards, 4x2 D-MAX Crew Cab High-Ride models built from November 2014 onwards and all MU-X models. ^5 years/130,000km whichever occurs first, for eligible customers. Excludes trays and accessories. >The Capped Price Servicing Program (“CPS Program”) applies to Eligible Vehicles with a Warranty Start Date after 1 January 2015 at Participating Isuzu UTE Dealers only. The CPS Program covers the first 6 Scheduled Services in line with the Scheduled Service Intervals. CPS Prices are subject to change. For full terms & conditions and current pricing visit isuzuute.com.au/service-plus.